5 First Year Part 3

Kaiser has been waiting patiently seven months for this day. Not exactly this particular day of the year, but the event that's about to happen. Hermione approached him after class looking troubled. After exchanging greetings with him, she spoke of what was troubling her.

"Say, Kaiser, you've done Occlumency training, right?"

"Of course. Having your mind unprotected is exceedingly dangerous. You never know who's reading your thoughts or memories. And they can be used against you. Why do you ask?" He answered half expecting the answer.

"I have completed the first step towards Occlumency training, but it says that the next is very difficult to achieve without the help of a Legilimens. I was hoping you could give me some advice."

'YES!' Kaiser internally celebrated. His patience finally paid off. He didn't send her that book on her birthday ONLY out of the goodness of his heart. He had ulterior motive. This very particular one. He needed to practice Legilimency. While the Room of Requirement could simulate Legilimency attacks, it couldn't create an artificial mindscape for him to invade; it was outside of its capabilities. And he needed minor mastery over Legilimency. He didn't exactly want to invade people's mind, (at least not yet) he needed the skill for something else that's going to give him an advantage in the long run. He couldn't only consider his personal strength. Against the impending threat of Voldemort, he needed something more.

"Actually… I could help you…" Kaiser said hesitantly.

"Really?" Hermione's eyes lit up. She didn't have much hope at first, but it seems the heavens are smiling upon her.

Kaiser dragged her away from the others, before performing a spell she didn't recognize. She looked at him puzzled.

"Privacy spell."

"Oh." She nodded in understanding.

"I could help you with your Occlumency training, by performing Legilimency on you myself if you want."

"You can perform Legilimency?" She asked in disbelief.

"No. Not yet. I could learn, but I'd need someone to practice on. And you need someone to practice Legilimency on you. I say this is a win-win situation." He stated calmly.

She didn't hesitate for long before answering. "Alright. Thank you very much."

"However," He continued. "This needs to stay a secret. I can't have anybody knowing that I can perform Legilimency, or that I am learning to do so. So, you will have to keep that a secret."

"I understand." She nodded.

"Also, you will need to avoid eye contact and physical contact with both Professor Snape and the Headmaster." He said, watching her reaction.

"Why?" she asked puzzled by his words, but he gave her a few seconds for the words to sink in. Her eyes widened in horror at his insinuation when she understood. "No way! You don't mean…"

Kaiser grimly nodded. "If the student's well being is in question, the professors can use Legilimency on them, as long as they are not forceful and the student is unaware. The twins have tried to prank Professor Snape since their first year. They have never been successful. He always knew it when they were up to something. That's enough for me to avoid his eyes at all costs."

"What about the headmaster? He's the leader of the Light! Such acts are beneath him!" Hermione defended her hero. But Kaiser gave her an unimpressed look.

"All you know about the headmaster is what biased people told you, and what you read in books. I am not going to debate this subject with you."

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The final exams are slowly approaching. Kaiser obviously wasn't particularly stressed out about them. As he was beyond second year knowledge in all the subjects. He spent the last month reading about Arithmancy and Ancient Runes. They were electives chosen at the third year, and he was getting more and more interested in the possibilities they represent.

Arithmancy is about giving mathematical models to spells, wards, runic structures… It is the basis for several branches of magic. While Ancient Runes is the area that studies wards and runic structures. Any magical device or array that can perform a task without human intervention. It is what the manufacturer of brooms uses to make their brooms. They are embedded with spells through runic engravings.

He was very interested in them, simply because the Room of Requirement is an obvious example of what is possible with them. He had a lot of ideas he wanted to make a reality. It is also the obvious solution to his money problem. He knew he wouldn't be able to find a job as a 'muggle born', so it is up to him to find a way to make money.

Kaiser also met with Hermione on several occasions. He still had difficulty with Legilimency. It was an obscure art. The books he read had general guidelines, with additional notes from former practitioners. But he needed to understand it himself, as each mind was a world of its own. It also seemed to be linked to Occlumency. The more accomplished Occlumens you are, the better potential you have as a Legilimens. All of his attacks were obvious. He tried to hide his presence in Hermione's mind, but it didn't work as well as he'd expected.

Hermione also seemed to develop a certain amount of trust in him. She confided to him about their suspicions about Snape. How he cursed Harry's broom, how Harry had noticed the Cerberus in the third-floor bit Snape's leg, and how they thought he was after the stone. But apparently Hagrid disagreed with them, saying that Snape was tasked with the stone's protection.

"… So, what do you think?" Hermione asked for Kaiser's opinion after finishing her tale.

"You are asking for my honest opinion? You promise you won't be offended?" Kaiser asked, knowing full well that disagreeing with the opinion of a 12-year-old Hermione who thinks she's too smart is going to offend her. But this was a good opportunity for him. He wasn't expecting her to believe him, but he needed to set a precedence here. Something he'd be able to use later.

"Alright." Hermione nodded.

"I have heard of Professor Snape's treatment of Harry. He seems to hold an abnormal amount of hate for him. If I had to guess, it probably had something to do with a grudge he had with his parents. But that makes Harry biased against him, and by extension, you and Ron, as you are his friends."

"What do you mean? You don't think it's Professor Snape is the one who tried to kill him on the Quidditch pitch, and who is trying to steal the stone?"

"I don't think so. And I happen to have a bit more information than you do." Kaiser stated calmly. "That day, when his broom was jinxed, I was watching the incident. Professor Snape didn't lose eye contact with him, and was certainly muttering something. But, Professor Quirrell was doing the same. When you set Professor Snape's robes on fire, you bumped into Professor Quirrell as well. From my observation, I can only deduce that one of them was indeed cursing the broom, while the other was fighting the curse. It might be Snape who is trying to kill, and it might be Quirrell. Those are your main suspects."

He waited a moment for his words to sink before continuing: "Now for you stone problem. You said Professor Snape was bitten by the Cerberus. And according to Hagrid, he was one of the professors tasked to protect the stone. That means there is a high probability he already knew of all protections around the stone. That means he knew of the Cerberus as well. So, if he tried to steal the stone, he'd be a lot more prepared, and wouldn't fail. My guess is he was there to prevent whoever tried to steal it. Also, there is that Halloween incident. Troll in the dungeon? Why was Quirrell there in the first place? A professor against the dark arts who faints at the mention of a troll. But when he saw the real thing at the bathroom, he looked alright to me. Sure, there are a lot more variables at play, but my bet is on Quirrell."

"Well, your ideas do have some merits…" Hermione was unconvinced. Even though the logic was right there in front of her, she refused to believe it, thinking that if it was right, she'd probably be smart enough to find it out. Kaiser, of course, didn't particularly care if she believed him or not. The truth is, he hoped she didn't, that way, when he'd want to convince her of something he knew for a fact to be right, he could remind their first year.

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The trio found out that Dumbledore was out of school, as he was seen flying without a broom. On a Thestral, most likely, as if there was no such thing as apparition or portkey. He obviously wanted people to know he was out of school for some reason.

They rushed to heroically save the stone from the evil dungeon bat. Though, Hermione did tell them what she learned from Kaiser, while telling them she didn't share his opinion. Needless to say, the other two didn't believe it either. Ron claimed that only a slimy snake like Snape would be behind this evil plot. Harry believed the same as Ron, seeing as his sole source of information is Ron anyway, so whatever came from his mind should be true.

The exams were over. All students were sitting in the hall for the end of term feast relaxing after a long week. Kaiser was sitting quietly, listening to his fellow classmates' chatter.

As his owl arrived, all eyes were on him, waiting to see what's inside the package. He slowly took the package from the bird and put it on his lap. He tried to continue eating, and pretend nothing happened, but the others were watching him closely.

"So, aren't you going to open it?" Tracey Davis broke the silence.

"Nope." Kaiser answered popping the 'p' with a smile.

"Can you tell us at least what it is?" Terry Boot asked, unable to contain his curiosity, but everyone else seemed to share the sentiment.

"It's a surprise tool that will help me later." Kaiser answered enigmatically with a smile.

"Alright then, keep your secrets." Daphne said, trying to act as if she wasn't concerned, but she was clearly curious as well.

Kaiser was eying her in shock. "Did you just make a Lord of The Rings reference?"

"Lord of the Rings?" She asked in confusion.

"Never mind." Kaiser shook his head.

After the feast ended, it was time for the headmaster to announce the house cup winner. He gave some last-minute points to Neville, Ron, Harry and Hermione, before giving the house cup to Gryffindor.

"Can he at least be subtle about his blatant favoritism?" Daphne snorted in indignation.

After the feast was over, Hermione approached Kaiser when he was leaving the hall. She took him into an empty classroom where they used to train her Occlumency. He set up some privacy spells before she started.

"I'm sorry I didn't believe you when you warned me about Quirrell. You were right, he was the one after the stone, not Snape." Hermione told him.

"But that's not all, is it? You found out something else?" Kaiser asked with a knowing smile.

"Y-yes… When Harry confronted him, he discovered something horrible. V-v-voldemort was on his back, hidden behind the turban. S-s-somehow, he's still alive, he didn't die." Hermione said hesitantly, uncertain if he would believe her.

Kaiser frowned heavily. "That's… problematic."

"You believe me?" She asked, incredulity seeping from her eye. She didn't expect this.

"Of course, I do. You have no reason to lie to me, do you?" She nodded. "What happened when he met him?"

"Well, Voldemort tried to take the stone from Harry, but when he tried to touched him… He couldn't. His hand burned. Harry touched his face, and Professor Quirrell… died. But Voldemort was able to escape, but he wasn't physical. Harry told me he was like a ghost."

"So, he found a way to cheat death. He didn't die that night. He's still alive." Hermione nodded.

"Hermione, do you know what nobody says his name?"

"Because people are afraid of him?" Kaiser shook his head.

"No. During the war against him, and even after, people who said his name was found dead. Even those who said the name in their house away from ears, were found dead as well. And the death eaters never simply killed. They tortured their victims first. There are some stories… Well you are too young to hear them."

"Hey! We are the same age."

"Whatever… Anyway, what I'm trying to say is, the name seems to be jinxed. Every time you say it, they have some way to know where you are. But there is a way around the jinx. All you have to do is refer to him by something else. Try: Valdy."

She looked strangely at him. "You're giving the most dangerous dark wizard of all the time a cute name? Really?"

"He isn't the most dangerous dark wizard of all the time. Grindelwald was smarter and a thousand time more dangerous than him. He led an international war. Valdy's war wasn't even considered a war. It was a civil unrest. And he wasn't that dangerous actually. It's his followers that were dangerous. They had the ministry on their pockets."

After a lesson on history, they parted ways and Kaiser went back to his room. He opened the package he received, where a memory vial lay inside.