Chapter 11: Proposal Submission and a Pleasant Holiday

The first holiday since arriving at Hogwarts had come. Leo stood before the gargoyle statue.

"To the Badger's Den."

As he spoke the password, the statue moved aside, revealing a spiral staircase leading to a door. He knocked on the door three times and stated his purpose.

"I'm Leonard Taylor, I've come about the matter."

"Ah, do come in."

Upon entering, Leo noticed Dumbledore and, unlike the previous visit, a phoenix.

"Headmaster Dumbledore., are you taming a phoenix?"

"Yes, we've become quite acquainted. His name is Fawkes."

Leo observed Fawkes using his 'eye.' Although it was an immortal creature, Leo couldn't detect any particular magical runes or alterations on its body. It emitted magical energy typical of ordinary magical creatures.

(Is it not its physical form, but something about its soul that's special?)

"Shall we proceed and take a look at your improvement proposals, young man?"

"Yes. Here are the details of the improvements."

Dumbledore accepted the stack of parchment and examined them carefully. At first, he seemed impressed, but as he read on and moved to the next pages, his expression grew more and more serious.

After finishing reading, Dumbledore let out a deep sigh and looked Leo straight in the eyes.

"Let me offer my candid thoughts first. This is a remarkable plan. Each improvement seems beyond the work of an underage wizard. However, it's excessively ruthless. It's designed to eliminate intruders mercilessly. Even without any countermeasures, I would likely meet my end when trying to reach the Philosopher's Stone room. The biggest issue is that some of these techniques resemble Dark Arts. Why is that?"

Leo didn't quite understand Dumbledore's words.

"Well... Headmaster Dumbledore, I assumed that the intruder would be a Dark Lord, so I set the objective as elimination, meaning, I aimed for an all-out plan. It was mentioned before that all means would be permitted, so it turned out this way. As for the part about techniques resembling Dark Arts, could you specify which ones you're referring to?"

Dumbledore shuddered. Could it be that these plans were unknowingly assembled from knowledge of Dark Arts? He couldn't quite believe it.

"Did you not create this from knowledge of Dark Arts?"

"I do have some knowledge about Dark Arts, like forbidden spells, curses, and a few things related to dark magic. However, I don't think I've used any of them in this plan."

(Unknowingly trying to create something similar to 'that'? I must make sure he doesn't fall into the darkness.)

"Understood. Let's proceed with this plan for now. It appears you've unintentionally touched upon elements akin to Dark Arts, but it seems you didn't use them deliberately. However, I'd like to start implementing this plan as soon as possible, beginning tomorrow night. The theory seems solid, but is there anything else you require? And are you confident about safety measures in case a student attempts to infiltrate?"

"In that case, could you provide some of the potion ingredients I've listed? As for safety, we plan to incorporate students countermeasures in the first and second traps. You can rest assured."

After further discussions and minor adjustments, the Philosopher's Stone defense plan was finalized. Leo returned to his laboratory, ready to begin preparations.

After Leo left, Dumbledore sat alone in his office, deep in thought.

(Was this the right decision? I allowed Leonard Taylor to participate in the plan to both assess his capabilities and draw him to our side. But I never expected him to plan without hesitation, using Dark Arts techniques. How should I interpret his lack of questions or concerns about it? Is it merely for the sake of magical research, because he was asked by a teacher, or is there something darker hidden deep within him? In any case, I must treat it carefully.)

Dumbledore felt that his worries were far from over, and he let out a sigh.

Meanwhile, as Leo returned to his laboratory, he found Hermione waiting at the door. She appeared to be reading a book, but when she noticed Leo's return, she smiled and walked over to him.

"Good morning, Leo! It's a holiday today, so I came to the laboratory. We haven't had much time to talk since classes started, so I plan to spend the day here."

"Good morning, Hermione. It's true, when we're in different houses, we don't get to chat much. Except for History of Magic, Gryffindor and Ravenclaw don't share many classes. Anyway, please come in. I'll make some tea and fetch some cookies. Welcome."

Leo welcomed Hermione inside, and they settled down for tea and cookies. They discussed daily life in their respective houses, the first week at Hogwarts, and their experiences in classes.

"Hogwarts is amazing! The classes are fascinating, and no matter how much magic we learn, there's always more to discover. Thanks to you, I managed to get good grades in Transfiguration and Spellwork. But Professor Snape in Potions seems a bit too biased towards Slytherin. He asks Harry Potter impossible questions, and even when I raise my hand, he doesn't acknowledge me."

"Snape does have a bit of a dislike for Gryffindor. But I don't think he's a bad person, and his potion-making skills are unquestionable. To earn high grades, you'll probably need to brew a perfect potion that impresses him."

"I'll show him! By the way, what's it like in Ravenclaw?"

"I'm not living in the common room, so I can't say for sure. But everyone seems to be attending their classes diligently. We're planning to hold study sessions here on Friday afternoons. We're open to students from other houses as well. Will you be joining, Hermione?"

"Of course! Ravenclaw sounds lovely. Gryffindor isn't too bad, but there are quite a few impulsive and childish students

Hermione complained and whined for a while.

"By the way, I heard a rumor that you can fly in the air? While everyone was struggling with the stairs, I almost got late for class. Is flying magic difficult? Could I learn to do it?"

"Hmm, I'm not sure. I've created my own flying spell, but there are plenty of other spells for levitating objects and making them move. My ability is a combination of those, so it's possible that others might have independently figured out how to fly. It might not be easy to learn quickly, though. Are you interested in trying?"

"Absolutely! Flying through the air with magic sounds just like something out of a Muggle storybook. I'd love to."

From there, Leo began his preparations for the plan, focusing on potion-making. Hermione observed his work and worked on her assignments, occasionally engaging in conversation. Although they were concentrated on their tasks, both of them felt that this was the most comforting time they had experienced since coming to Hogwarts. It was reminiscent of their time in the library before arriving at Hogwarts.

"Now then, I've wrapped up for now. How about you, Hermione?"

"I've already finished my homework, so I was observing Leo's work. I've read various textbooks and books, but the potion he's making now wasn't mentioned anywhere. Is it Leo's original creation?"

"Yes, it is. Can you tell what its effects are from the ingredients?"

"Hmm, give me a moment to think."

Hermione hummed as she examined the ingredients and recalled Leo's work. After a few minutes, although unsure, she seemed to have an answer.

"I'm not entirely sure, but... could it be a potion that affects intelligence?"

Leo was surprised by the unexpectedly accurate response.

"Amazing, Hermione. It's a rather advanced potion, but that's a pretty close guess. To be precise, it's a potion that can raise the intelligence and emotional levels of the subject to a level equivalent to that of a human. For now, it's been successful in animal tests, so I just need to fine-tune the quantity and effects."

Hermione beamed with pride at her answer being praised. As the day was turning to evening, they decided to head to the Great Hall for dinner.

"Oh, right. Since this place is right next to the Great Hall, we can bring the food here, and we can have our meal together without having to split between Gryffindor and Ravenclaw."

"That sounds great! It means we can eat together without any hassle."

The two of them brought over just enough food and desserts from the Great Hall and enjoyed dinner in the laboratory's dining area. This was the first time they had met for a meal since coming to Hogwarts, so it felt more enjoyable and delicious than usual. Naturally, if they had no plans for the holidays, they decided they would spend them here and have dinner together.

After finishing dessert, they lounged around in contentment. The peaceful time had quickly approached bedtime.

"It's about time I return to my dormitory. Show me more of your research again next time. Goodnight, Leo."

"Goodnight, Hermione."

And so, Leo's pleasant holiday came to an end.

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As for what Dumbledore is concerned about, 

that will be revealed when the intruders enter the details of the Philosopher's Stone defense plan.

One thing I can say is that anyone trying to steal the Stone is in for a one-way trip.

Leo's perception of magic focuses on its level of sophistication and aesthetics, regardless of whether it's dark or evil.

Therefore, Avada Kedavra, being a spell that specializes in killing and stripping away all other elements, is considered a good spell by Leo.

In the next update, Ron will have his first lines (planned).