[Calypso Rosier]

"I'm sorry," I said politely with a slight bow, she nodded so I hurriedly walked towards the library but I could feel her gaze tracking my movement,

'Why her, I don't want to be her Dark arts practice buddy...'

I groaned and plop myself on one of the remote seats before taking out the book of spells year 2.

Before coming to Hogwarts I hadn't tried to learn year 2 spells but once I tried I encountered a problem, I had placed all my stat points into Mana to practice more and I needed 20 INT to learn year 2 spells, 30 INT to learn year 3 spells and so on.

'your system is bullshit you know? it has too many limits placed on it.' I complained to the system.

'''In the first volume of this series readers were instructed on the correct use of a wand to perform the most basic spells. This second volume demonstrates techniques that will enable the more advanced student to build magical power at the tip of a wand before it is released. This technique when mastered enables the casting of far more powerful spells but the reader is warned that this is not without risk and therefore requires the utmost concentration. Students are encouraged to experiment with this technique being wary that lapses in concentration can result in painful side effects.'''

'Isn't this the same thing that Grandma has been teaching me? Let's try a spell.'

I pulled another book and placed it along its spine, reading one more time about the description of the spell, I concentrated on gathering my magic and pointed it towards the book.

"Flipendo" I chanted and a light blue coloured spell emitted from my wand and struck the book which flipped a couple of times before smacking into the other seat.

'Hmm, so that was the knockback Jinx, it isn't as powerful as I thought, maybe I should pour more mana into it.'

I looked at my status and I had just used 10 Mana.

'Wingardium Leviosa' I levitated the book back into the position and got ready to pour more magic into the Knockback jinx. Pointing my wand once again towards the book I started gathering mana, I held my arm as the mana collecting increased before a hand grabbed my wrist and my concentration was broken.

"You should not use pour that much mana into a second-year spell" I soft feminine voice interrupted my spell as the mana dissipated.

"Uh, yeah I forgot where I was, I was just testing something," I replied while looking around to confirm that we were in a remote place.

"Follow me!" Calypso ordered before she marched towards the library entrance.

'I guess I don't have a choice...'

I collected my books before following behind her, she waded through the Hogwarts floor before I found myself in a remote part of the palace. The silence was only broken by our rhythmic footsteps as I thought, 'Maybe it wasn't such a good idea? but I can't defy her, especially not in public with all those rules, but know we are alone right?'

"Where are we going?" I asked

She glanced at me from the corner of her eyes before turning to an abandoned classroom and said as she waved her wand in a complex pattern, "Get in"

'well you could be a little friendly, or maybe not, I don't like those rumours.'

I cautiously entered the room and looked around, there were no tables and desk in the room, it looked like a large room that had some wooden blocks lying around at the back of the room.

"First of all-" She said suddenly so I focused my attention back on her, "-Don't practise spells in the library, your enemies will know what you were practising."

"Are you one?" My statement was met by an unnatural grin from her.

"Second, Don't interrupt me" her voice was sharp now all traces of her feminine charm disappearing.

I nodded lightly and she smiled again," Third, why is a first-year after just a week practising second-year spells?"

"As you said, your enemies can be anywhere," I replied.

"Good thought process" she hummed, "But why do you think a trifling knockback jinx will help you against anything?"

I started actively using Occlumency to block my flustered expression and replied, "Because that was the first time I tried a second-year spell and wanted to see how hard they were."

"And because you don't have any source of actual magic." She replied lightly, twirling her wand in her hands she aimed it lazily at a block of wood and said lightly, "Confringo" A fiery orange light erupted from her wand and I could feel the amount of magic poured into it. The spell slammed into the wooden block and it was blasted apart into pieces.

'Okay, that was powerful...'

"Why are you showing this to me?" I asked showing all my emotions at the back of my mind.

"Oh don't misunderstand, you aren't my enemy, in fact, I see promise in you, I have observed you, Alex Fawley, an irregular in the Slytherin house, especially considering your living conditions, you have shown a remarkable aptitude in magic and many upper-year have taken note of you."

I gulped, 'Did I stand out too much?'

"It's alright, most of the upper-year are unconcerned as by the time you would grow into power they would already be leaving Hogwarts and that's what I thought too, I thought I could teach you a couple of things when you enter the third year and gain some favours, but the amount of power you were pouring into the knockback jinx wasn't something that a first-year should be able to do with looking completely exhausted." She continued her speech as she looked at her wand.

"The aptitude to learn magic advanced than your age and the power to use it, I know how terrifying that can become," she faced me with an arrogant look as I realized she was talking about herself.

"I know the look that you had when you channelled almost 10 times the mana that is required to perform the knockback jinx, the look that desires power," she paused then looked straight at me, "Do you desire power, Alex Fawley?"