CH 5 : The Great Teacher

As Orion approached his fifth month of daily meditation practice, he couldn't help but feel frustrated. He had been putting in hours every day, sacrificing his sleep, yet he still felt like he was lagging behind the other children. It seemed like everyone else was already mastering spells that he understands way better than them to understand.

The daily routine had become almost monotonous at this point, but he didn't give up. He knew that he needed to put in the work if he wanted to catch up with the other children who have been trained in magical control from a very young age.

Orion was filled with self-doubt and insecurities. He had never felt this way before, and it was frustrating him to no end. In his previous life, he had always been great in academics, but here in the magical world, he felt like a failure. It was disheartening to see that the power fantasies he had harboured for so long were just that - fantasies.

The reality of the situation was that he was born into this world without any magical training. He had foolishly assumed that magic would come easily to him and that he would be able to perform incredible feats without any effort. He had been so wrong.

The more he practised, the more he realised how difficult magic was. The amount of concentration and control required was beyond anything he had ever experienced before. Being ten years behind his peers made him feel like he would never catch up.

It was a crushing feeling, and it was weighing on him heavily. He had never experienced such self-doubt and insecurity in his life. He wanted to be able to control his magic and use it to its full potential, but the more he tried, the more he realised how far behind he was.

These feelings of inadequacy continued to plague him until one night. After having a particularly bad dream, he suddenly woke up startled and very angry. The frustration of feeling like a failure boiled over, and in a haze of anger, he felt his magic move. A book that was nearby was thrown out of the room, punching a hole in the wall.

For a moment, he sat there dazed, unsure of what had just happened. And then, it hit him. He had successfully used magic, no matter how uncontrolled it may have been. It was a small victory, but it was a victory nonetheless.

He felt a wave of relief and excitement wash over him. He had been struggling for months, feeling like he was making no progress, but now he had tangible proof that he was making progress. His magic may still be uncontrolled, but he had done it.

As Orion finally managed to regain his calm, He knew, looking at the gaping hole in the wall that he had to be more careful in the future. The last thing he wanted was to be expelled from The Leaky Cauldron

As he was making his way down to breakfast, the innkeeper of the Leaky Cauldron stopped him in his tracks. The innkeeper had a stern look on his face and asked about the hole in the wall. Orion explained that he had grown up in an orphanage and was practising magic for Hogwarts when he had an accident.

The innkeeper seemed to completely ignore his reason, but he made it clear that practising magic in his inn was prohibited, and if he wanted to continue to stay he needed to pay for the damage with a healthy dose of premium,

Tom, the innkeeper thankfully suggested Obscurus Books, where an eccentric old man sometimes helped Hogwarts students with their magic practice.

Orion thanked the innkeeper and quickly made his way to Obscurous Books after paying for the damages. The shop was hidden away down a narrow alley near the Knockturn Alley, and Orion could not feel any magic emanating from the store it seed to be absorbing magic from the surroundings which surprised Orion, this was the first time he had felt this.

Orion swung open the creaky door to the magic shop. As he stepped inside, he felt his magical sense tingle with anticipation. But then something strange happened. It was like a thousand different notes of magic exploded into his consciousness all at once, an intense melody that he had never experienced before.

It was almost too much for him to handle. His knees felt weak, and his vision blurred for a moment. He had to steady himself on a nearby shelf, He couldn't help but feel a little bit afraid. This was a lot of magic to be in one place.

Lost in the moment, he didn't notice the presence of someone else until a rough, grouchy voice cut through the melody.

"How long are you going to just stand there, brat?" The voice was deep and gruff and carried an air of authority that demanded attention.

Looking up, Orion saw a tall, old man standing before him. The man's short, thick hair was dirty and unkempt, and he wore long, flowing black robes that seemed to shimmer in the light. His eyes, glowing a piercing blue, shone with a power and knowledge that Orion couldn't quite comprehend.

Before Orion could even think of a response, the old man spoke again, his voice tinged with impatience. "Why should I teach you?" he asked, his piercing gaze never leaving Orion's face.

With newfound resolve, Orion replied, "I am extremely passionate about the art of magic and am willing to put in the hard work to master it." His words were sincere and filled with conviction, and the old man couldn't help but chuckle in response.

"Ah, yes. You possess a rare and exceptional gift for magic hypersensitivity," the man said in a sarcastic tone. "But tell me, how will teaching you benefit me in any way? And before you say anything, I am not interested in money."

With a deep breath, he gathered his thoughts and spoke up. "Then what do you demand?" he asked, trying to keep the quaver out of his voice.

The man was silent for a moment, still regarding Orion with that piercing gaze. It was as if he could see straight through him, to the very core of his being. Orion suddenly felt an indescribable sensation, like something being seen deep within his soul.

And then, the man spoke. His voice was low and rumbling, like distant thunder. "If you want to learn from me," he said, "you must sign a blood-bound contract. This contract states that any magic you discover or create in your entire life, including your family's magic that is not oath-bound to be kept secret, must be shared with me. And you must never reveal any of our teachings to those who have not earned the right to know."

Orion's heart pounded in his chest as the old man's words echoed in his mind. A blood-bound contract. The very phrase sent a cold shiver down his spine, and his gut twisted with apprehension. Though he had no direct knowledge of what such a contract might entail, he could guess its significance. Blood was a powerful force in both the world of Gringotts and the Hogwarts letter.

But Orion had no access to his family's magic or the secret knowledge and resources that pure-blooded wizards took for granted yet. He was alone in the world, with nothing to his name but a fortune and some knowledge about the future that is most likely irrelevant. Months of tireless practice had taught him that the real world was not the kind shown in fantasies.

He knew, deep down, that he had only two options: either accept this man's offer, and whatever terrible fate might befall him as a result, or try to catch up with his privileged peers on his own, with nothing but his grit and determination to guide him.

It was a bitter pill to swallow, but he knew in his heart that he had no other choice. With a heavy heart and trembling hands, Orion nodded his assent to the old man's deal, sealing his fate forevermore.

With the contract signed, the old man fixed Orion with a sharp look. "And how long do you have until Hogwarts?" he asked. Orion hesitated for a moment, then answered truthfully. "About one month and eighteen days," he said, his voice low.

The old man nodded, a strange glint in his eye. "The wider society calls me Interfectorem," he said, "but you may call me teacher, for now." His tone was grave, and Orion felt a shiver run down his spine.

Then the old man spoke again, and Orion listened with growing unease. "It was idiotic of you to try and control your mana without proper guidance," he said bluntly. "Any wizard worth their salt could sense it, with the amount of mana you have."

Orion was taken aback by the old man's words. He had known he had a lot of mana, but he had no idea that it was so obvious to others. For a moment, he felt a glimmer of hope. Perhaps he wasn't as unlucky as he had thought.

But the old man was quick to dispel that notion. "Don't be too happy," he said with a dry snort. "Having lots of mana is great, but only up to a certain level. With the amount of mana, you have now, your magical control level will be capped far below the best level possible. Unless you find a new way to solve this problem."

Orion felt a knot form in his stomach. He had known that his lack of magical control was a problem, but he had never fully realized the extent of it.

"Now, however," the old man said, his tone shifting from grave to something altogether creepier, "what you truly have to learn is releasing your magic easily to the point that it becomes like an instinct. Once you master that, you would be at the level of most mediocre muggle-borns after their extra six months of education." He paused, a twisted smile playing across his lips. "But there is something else, too," he continued. "Something often observed in the magical world is that those children who struggle and have a hard childhood generally are better at magic—at least at the beginning."

With a snap of his fingers, the old man transported Orion to an unknown place. As he slowly regained his bearings, he heard the old man's voice in his ear, still tinged with that same unsettling cheerfulness. "You have to survive here for a month, without anyone's help."

And with that, everything went quiet. Orion looked around, his heart pounding. He was standing in the middle of a thick, dark forest, with no one in sight. The trees loomed above him, their branches tangled together so tightly that barely any sunlight filtered through. The ground beneath his feet was uneven and treacherous, full of rocks and roots that threatened to trip him up at every step.

Orion realized with a sinking feeling that the most arduous month of his two lives was about to begin