chapter 4

Hogwarts express, 1973

"A vast number of people tend to use a place they know well like their house, but I'm of the opinion that this would be an error, as this kind of construction would be too static. While it works well with storing memories it won't help with things like raising the speed of thought. That's why as a druid I think that best mental construction that one can make are trees, robust, but living. With its root you can also access more easily to the lower floors. In addition every part of it is connected as it is one whole organism." Exclaimed Allanon with pride.

"And how do I build one?" asked Gilderoy, not sharing the same enthusiasm of Allanon about this revelation.

He just wanted to progress immediately, like a child who can't wait to become an adult to do the things he is not allowed to do.

"First you need to gather the material you are going to use. So, try to summon the many lights that surround us and then use your imagination to give them a form. I suggest you start by filling this floor with grass and we will later try to build up more complicated thin gs like trees.

"Yes, but I don't know how to make grass. You know I'm not a scientist and it would be difficult to recreate something on a cellular level." Complained Gilderoy.

"You don't have to recreate it perfectly, we are playing with concepts here, science doesn't have to be a things. For all I care you could make a tree made of stone, but it would feel unnatural so it is better to makes things similar to reality. It's not important if it is like grass, the important think is that you think it is. Now go ahead and do it, it won't be a fast process, especially at the start, and creating a good mind palace takes years. Although in reality you never stop to upgrade it as you never stop to learn." Said Allanon while touching his beard.

Gilderoy then looked at one of the masses made of light that flew near him.

He concentrated on it making the light charge at him and when he touched it he could feel what it was about.

It was a memory of two days ago when he was eating an ice cream with his sisters, he could feel again the taste of the ice cream and he could also hear the gossip his sisters were making even though he never bothered himself to remember it.

"Does this mean I can revive the best moments of my life whenever I want" asked an exited Gilderoy, enthusiastic at the prospect of being able to remember anything exactly how it was.

Especially for a kid who only lived good and happy moments like him this opportunity was like a godsent gift.

"Yes, you can, but don't exaggerate, remember that we live in the present and as long as you don't give up your life you'll keep making new happy memories" admonished Allanon.

"Obviously, my life is just going to get better!" stated Gilderoy with a smile plastered on his face as he started turning the mass of light into grass.

Soon he took speed and the patch of grass kept getting larger.

"What do the flowers you are making represent?" asked Allanon.

"The best memories among the ones I'm processing, it would be too plain to just leave grass. I'm an artist and a writer, I refuse to create something so monotonous, my mind just as the rest of myself should be fabulous" said Gilderoy taking the occasion like usual to boast.

"Now that I think about it, didn't you say that we were going to make trees? Then why are you making me create just grass?" asked Gilderoy.

"We'll make them later, trees last longer, often more than humans. They will represent your abilities you have built after years, like your knowledge and skills regarding writing, that would make a good tree. Then in the future you'll also be able to make trees related to the magical subject you are going to learn" explained Allanon, although he was shocked at the speed with which Gilderoy was creating his own mind palace.

Moreover, even though he knew that the child had a great imagination, he wasn't sure if this was related to him being still a kid or it is one of his qualities.

Gilderoy was his first and only disciple, so he hopes he won't fail this.

Time slowly passed and Gilderoy kept working till Allanon told him that they were about to arrive, and the little boy needed to follow his mother advice and change his clothes to wear the school robes.

"How much time did I stay here? I think the ride wasn't supposed to be this long." Asked Gilderoy as he exited his mind and stretched his body a little.

"In your mind time seems to flow faster as our reactions and our speed of thoughts are quicker there, in fact the more you train the more this time dilatation will be expanded, for now I would say it is about 1.25 times faster. So, while in the outside word eight hours passed for you they were ten." Said Allanon showing one of the many advantage that can be achieved by training mind arts.

Time, one of the resources that humans always seems to lack, even for wizards who live longer lives, time is an important resource.

"Ok, good to know. Now I need to prepare myself for my official introduction to the wizarding world."

After putting on his robes, adjusting his hairs and doing some poses with a smile in front of a small mirror, Gilderoy exited from his cabin the exact moment the train reached Hogsmeade station.

When he put his foot on the station's ground he soon heard the imposing voice of a big young adult with long hairs and some beard, who was calling for the first-year student.

"Oh, that's a half giant. It is quite rare considering the obvious difficulties that exist, even though it is made by artificial means it isn't easy for the sperm of a human wizard to impregnate a female giant" commented Allanon.

"You are lucky I'm a cultured kid, who searched early on about this topic or you would have ruined my childhood" though Gilderoy.

Most of the kids here seemed to be awkward, as they were probably muggleborn, while the others were divided in those who had a confident look and those who at least acted normal.

Gilderoy and the kids from noble families were the ones who acted confidently obviously.

Bit differently from what Gilderoy expected he didn't make any friend immediately as all it took was one noble kid finding out he wasn't a pureblood to immediately go away with disdain.

"Did that short and ugly fellow look at me with disgust?!" screamed in his mind Gilderoy.

"Oh, yes he did." Stated Allanon hoping that this would be a reality check for Gilderoy.

"Maybe I should start to lie about my blood status. No wait, why should I? It would means hiding one of my beautiful sides. Being bicultural is a gift as mother said. He is probably just someone who realized early on about his many defects and tries to bring other down to fell better about himself" nodded Gilderoy, finally coming up with a convincing explanation.

They were soon led to small boats which allowed them to traverse the lake.

It didn't take long for the imposing figure of Hogwarts to appear.

It was night and the many lights of the castle looked just like stars, it was a very picturesque image and Gilderoy could now understand why the first years used boats.

"I must say that this is one of the most grandiose construction I've ever seen" said the old druid.

"I though druids only lived in forests" commented Gilderoy.

"This doesn't mean that we can't travel and gain experience. We were philosophers too and because of that I travelled Greece, Rome and some other civilization of my time".

After anchoring the boats, they used a long staircase to reach a gate in front of which a middle aged witch was waiting.

"Here are your students Professor McGonagall" Uttered Hagrid before leaving.

"Welcome to Hogwarts! You'll soon be able to join your classmates, but before that you'll have to be sorted in your houses. They are Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin" she said as she led us through a hallways till we reached another closed and imposing gate with golden ornaments on it.

"While you'll be here your house will be like your family, your triumph will earn you points, while any rule breaking will make you lose points. At the end of the year the house with most house points wins the house cup and receive the glory that comes with it. Wait here for a minute patiently, I'll soon be back" she said after entering the door and closing it immediately behind her, so that we couldn't see what was inside.

"A nice system to keep kids under control and makes sure they won't cause problems, but I fear that this may also create strife between houses" commented Allanon.

"Well, as long as there is competition there is a winner and with victory comes glory" said in his mind Gilderoy, already picturing himself holding the cup as people around him calls his name.

In the background the kids were exchanging thoughts about the sorting ceremony and some even though they would have to fight trolls or dragons.

Even Gilderoy didn't know what it was, as his mother said that it was a tradition to not tell the students, but differently from the others he wasn't scared.

"You know that if there was a dragon or a troll the current you wouldn't stand a chance, right? I don't want to demoralize you, but I certainly want to make sure you don't charge ahead in some mortal danger without thinking" advised Allanon, but Gilderoy didn't pay attention to him.

He was going to become the greatest adventurer of the word! No creature could scare him. He will show all his classmates who is the best and this ceremony will be the perfect stage to show his qualities.

(It has become a nice gag to always end the chapters with Gilderoy boasting. Also I would like to ask you to leave some power stones, which helps me understand that my work is being appreciated. Also if you want to be 10 chapter ahead of the public in both this fan fiction and in Teen Lion you can join my patreon. The prices are still the same, but the number of chapters you can read ahead there, between Teen Lion and Genius Gigolo Gilderoy, has now been doubled. In addition I would like to say i'm sorry to publish this chapter so late, but I have no more spare chapters and I didn't have enough time to finish writing it earlier. Thanks for your support and understanding.)