the First Stage of Occlumency and the Mysterious Book

After a peaceful night's sleep, Felix awoke feeling refreshed and ready to continue his journey. The sunlight streamed through his window, casting a warm glow upon the room. He stretched his limbs and rose from his bed, eager to face the day's challenges. As he prepared himself for the day, Felix decided to practice entering the state of "empty mind." However, just as he was about to start, Xeno entered the room, surprising him.

"You're up late today. What were you doing yesterday? We didn't see you in the common room after dinner or during bedtime," Xeno exclaimed, his voice filled with curiosity and a hint of suspicion. When he looked at Felix, he was taken aback. Felix's face lacked any facial expression, and his eyes seemed devoid of emotion, resembling an emotionless statue.

"Not much, just give me a minute," Felix replied calmly, trying to adjust his demeanor. After a while, Felix's expression began to change, transitioning from the cold statue-like state to that of a regular human being. However, he maintained an air of calmness, composure, and control, as if radiating an aura of mental fortitude and self-assurance. His facial expressions and body language conveyed focused determination and guardedness, suggesting a well-guarded mind.

"I was training my magic in an empty classroom, but I lost track of time," Felix offered an explanation in a calm tone, intentionally avoiding the truth about the trial he had undertaken. He headed outside, leaving Xeno behind.

Xeno watched Felix's retreating figure, suspicion lingering in his eyes. He was certain that something had happened to Felix the day before, something that had caused such a significant change. Determined to uncover the truth, Xeno decided to follow Felix to the dining hall, hoping to discover the secret behind his transformation.

During breakfast, as Felix ate, his mind was consumed with thoughts of his next steps. He contemplated whether to begin constructing the maze or to attempt the second challenge while deep in thought.

Once they finished eating, Felix and Xeno made their way to the Transfiguration class. For Felix, this class was an opportunity to earn easy points. His skill in Transfiguration surpassed that of most of the first-year students and even rivaled some of the fifth-year students. He often acted as the professor's assistant, not only completing the tasks assigned to him but also helping his classmates to earn additional points. This attitude garnered respect from both his fellow students, whose names he didn't bother to remember, and the professor, who rewarded him generously after each class.

After the class ended, Professor McGonagall requested that Felix stay behind as the other students began to leave. With a calm face and focused eyes, Felix obliged, sensing that the professor had noticed his changed demeanor. McGonagall inquired, "Did something happen yesterday?" Her observation of Felix's calmness, coupled with the short time he had been practicing, led her to suspect something more.

"Yes, I managed to achieve the state of 'empty mind' yesterday, thanks to the advice of Professor Greenfield," Felix responded calmly, concealing the truth, fully aware that Occlumency could be a useful tool for deceit.

McGonagall's surprise at Felix's tremendous talent once again shone through. She congratulated him, acknowledging his achievement. "Well, congratulations on taking the first step in your journey of mastering mind magic. However, to truly become a master, you will need to put in a great deal of hard work and dedication. Unfortunately, I cannot award points for your achievement, as Occlumency is not part of the official curriculum. It is up to the students to pursue it or not."

Felix, disappointed but undeterred, seized an opportunity and said, "Could you grant me permission to access books from the forbidden section of the library?"

McGonagall's smile widened as she replied, "Nice try, Mr. Scarletwound, but a deal is a deal. Help your house win the cup, and then you shall have my permission."

Knowing McGonagall's response before even asking, Felix left to attend his next class.

Later that day, Felix decided to meet the Grey Lady for the next challenge. If he estimated that the challenge could be completed within a few hours, he would proceed with constructing the mind maze afterward. However, a problem arose. Xeno, who typically spent this time doing his homework, started following Felix closely and refused to be separated from him.

"Don't you have homework to do?" Felix asked, maintaining his calm demeanor.

"Yes, I do. Let's go to the library together then," Xeno replied, looking at Felix with curious eyes.

"I do all my homework on Saturdays while you go watch the Quidditch game," Felix responded, signaling to Xeno to leave him be.

Xeno paused, searching for another excuse to stay with Felix, before finally saying, "Can you help me with my homework? It's been quite challenging for me."

Felix looked at his shameless friend, fully aware of Xeno's true intentions. Knowing that Xeno was one of the brightest first-year students in the school, he sighed and said, "Fine, you win. I'll tell you what happened yesterday, but you must promise to keep it a secret, or I'll get into trouble. Professor McGonagall actually gave me access to a secret room in the castle. It's a room that nobody knows about, except for her. I've been using it as my training ground because it's peaceful, and I won't be interrupted there."

"You're lucky to have something like that. Building a good relationship with a professor can be rewarding. Okay, I'm leaving now. I need to do my homework," Xeno said, satisfied that he had achieved his goal.

Seeing that Xeno believed his fabricated story, Felix continued on his way to meet the Grey Lady. He was not concerned about his lies being discovered because he knew he could concoct another one if needed. Upon entering the empty common room, he found the Grey Lady gracefully floating around, her majestic presence seemingly aware of his arrival. Walking toward her, Felix spoke, "Helena, I'm ready for the next challenge."

Observing his calm face and focused eyes, the Grey Lady replied, "Follow me, young Ravenclaw." Floating toward one of the bookshelves in the room, she pointed at an empty space and said, "Take this book."

Perplexed, Felix asked, "Which book?"

"The Book of Enigmas," she declared, her words carrying a weight of mystery and anticipation. As Felix absorbed her words, an old-looking book materialized before his very eyes in the previously empty space.

"This is your next challenge," the Grey Lady proclaimed, her voice filled with a mixture of pride and expectation.