46

First of February, Morning, Hogwarts, Great Hall.

 Sitting at the table in the Great Hall, I indulged in thoughtless contemplation of space, in particular this same hall, however, the persons who were currently in this hall did not escape my attention.

 The winter theme was still present in the hall and no wonder, because winter is still in full swing. Fine, illusory snow fell over our heads. Rare snowflakes could reach the steel and disappear, leaving no trace. The moment the door that led to the Great Hall opened, gusts of wind swirled the snow into an illusory dance. As if in reality there is a sky overcast with clouds above us, as well as snow that fell from the same skies. I never cease to be amazed at this magnificence created by a truly brilliant magician. Alas, this is just an illusion.

 The seats at the Teacher's table, as always, were almost all occupied, with the exception of one seat reserved for Professor Trelawney, a teacher of divination, and this is also the same prophetess who gave the prediction about the fight between the beaver and the donkey, that is, Harry and Tom. Yes, exactly like that and not otherwise. And you won't prove anything.

 It feels like she's being forcefully dragged out to holiday dinners, and the rest of the time she continues to live in her tower. So I imagined this picture, Trelawney sitting under a blanket, on a soft chair, in a smoky room, indulging in bliss, when suddenly Albus, or Snape, all so evil and powerful, breaks in on her, and drags away the poor woman for their own black needs. Hmm... This is a man, he doesn't need anything to live. Does she need this life? Good question.

 Unlike the professors, not all the students were here, one might say not even a large part of the total. No wonder, today is Sunday, which means a day off. Few people want to get up this early, except for the crows. They, for the most part, were present here, because who else, knowledge hunters, should know about the value of time? Although here, too, there are individuals who came to our house by an unprecedented miracle, a mystery of the universe, that's for sure. The snakes also distinguished themselves, approximately half of their faculty was at the table, perhaps not everything is lost in magical England, but this is not certain.

 Observing everything around, I unwittingly came across the dean of snakes, Professor Severus Snape. Now, if there is an ideal representative of this faculty, it is him. Cunning, slippery and incredibly poisonous, he spits poison at everyone who passes by. He will get out of any situation, and if not, then there is little you can do for him.

 For the past half month, this truly not good person has continued to watch our training with Nev. No, I didn't notice it right away. Still, it is invisible to my instincts (I can't imagine how, I need to figure it out). It's just that after about three days of our classes, I began to notice and feel (I also don't know how, definitely not with the help of instinct. Another mystery, but I have ideas about it) of an outsider that he was watching our training. This alarmed me.

 As soon as I noticed this, I immediately tried to figure out who it was. I tried everything. And I stayed late in training, walked a different route, changed training places, but alas, nothing worked. No, of course, at first I tried to find out the identity of the intruder with the help of search and detection charms, I'm not that stupid, I disguise myself unsuccessfully, but either I didn't pick up the necessary charms, or he's too invisible, but still I still can't find out who it is smog. There was a thought about beacons on one of us, but an inspection of the magician's vision yielded nothing. There is not even a trace of alien magic, a banal imprint. What if this someone is the same sensor?

 After futile attempts, I decided to use a trick. Since this individual does not emit magic and hides behind the general magical background of Hog, why not detect him by the shade of another mana? Thinking about this decision, I came to the conclusion of "spraying" my own mana into the environment. In the end, I feel it very well.

 Over the course of two days, I gradually dispersed small particles of my mana into the environment of Hog's courtyard, or more precisely, around it. Unfortunately, the particles did not "live", simply dissolving into the surrounding mana, which was tested even earlier as a result of experiments. It was also impossible to oversaturate the background council with mana, otherwise even a not entirely gifted magician would feel it. And four days later, after the start of my actions, I felt in the Great Hall someone who was watching me. As it became clear, it was Snape who was sitting at the teachers' table at that moment. And for several days now, I have been consistently noticing him in our training sessions.

 For what? Why? It's not clear, but the very fact of interest on his part is annoying. What's interesting is that attempts to "hook" your Mana on him, for example, in the evening, did not lead to anything. Likewise, mana from the courtyard does not last long on it. Literally until the evening, then that's it, she disappears. I wonder how he gets rid of it? Or does he have his own clothes for every day?

 I'll say right away to make it clear - the mana that I hang on the professor is not just raw mana that I generate with my magical principle, no, this type is a kind of barely visible, in magical vision, a ball of concentrated energy, which... due to its density, it "lives" longer and can be located at one point in space, without immediately mixing with the surrounding magophone. Something like this. It also contains a small amount of Psi, for better control over it.

 My thoughts didn't last long, and it was Nev's fault that he finished breakfast.

 "Well, Kol," he said. - What are we going to do today? More training? — he finished somehow doomedly.

 "Well, we can go to the library and read books," I suggested, knowing full well that he wouldn't like this idea. - You're entertaining literature, but I'll find something for myself. Anyway, there's nothing to do until the evening, you can't go to Hogsmeade - you're too young, and I'm not interested in being with other children.

 - Today is your special training again? - Neville asked slightly pouting. — You've been doing this for the umpteenth time already.

 "Well, you yourself know the reason why I can't tell you anything," I answered.

 - I understand that, but how difficult it is to learn this defense of the mind. Every time after class my head hurts," Neville complained to me.

 "Well, there's nothing you can do about it," I patted him on the shoulder. - Do you know what they say? "It's hard to learn, but it's easy to fight." Well, or something like that," I fell silent for a couple of seconds, and after the allotted time I continued. - Okay, let's do it this way. We sit in the library until lunch, and after it we'll go to the courtyard. Just as most of the castle will wake up, maybe something will burn out, but if not, then we won't lose anything," as soon as I said this, Neville's gaze filled with life and determination. Hmm, that's how little a person needs to be happy.

 If you look at it this way, the situation with Neville is quite interesting. I don't know why, but he prefers to spend time with me. No, he has friends and acquaintances, but still he spends his leisure time with me. And no, this is not love, as some might think, it just happened that way. An interesting situation, what can I say.

 After breakfast we headed to the library. Since arriving at Hog, after the holidays, I created "special training" for myself. Their meaning is quite simple - to divert unnecessary attention from me. And yes, I am perfectly aware that by doing this I attracted him, but in doing so I fenced him off from other attention. All this was done for one purpose - a foray into the Forbidden Forest to the Thestrals, as well as for future adventures. This way, if something happens, everyone will know that I was busy as usual. Yes, it's a bad idea, yes it's dangerous, but I really want to figure it out as quickly as possible. So I came up with this kind of legend for myself, saying that I'm busy training every second day. And there is a good reason for this - my mother is pregnant, so I want to become strong in order to protect my future, younger relative. Something like this.

 And for Neville he came up with a new incentive for training, only now in a mental sense. Yes, this is to some extent vile, since I manipulate him, playing on his friendly feelings, but this is useful in the first degree for him. Otherwise, he had been a weakling throughout canon history, but now, already in his first year, he became much more confident than in his seventh year in the canon. And this is an indicator, you will agree.

 I'm not pretending to be righteous, no. I am well aware of my actions, but I don't plan to change myself. I'm not that evil, am I?

 *****

 After lunch, around Hogwarts Castle.

 Walking along the beaten path, I thought about my plan that I would carry out. Extra thought never hurts. Neville was currently frolicking with the guys in the snowballs. This is where there is no hostility between faculties, everyone beats each other up equally, indiscriminately. Lapota.

 I feel like an older brother, honestly. They seem to be the same age, but somehow it turned out that I took upon myself the responsibility of "raising" Neville. How this happened is beyond my ability to understand.

 I mean, I'm walking like this, I'm not bothering anyone, I'm enjoying the views and then bam. A snowball hits my shoulder. Having stopped, I turned around to see this bad man.

 I turned around and saw a picture: a meeting of true saints, sinless people. All saints, no one did this. Some even walked their feet on the ground. I know who it is, I sensed it in advance, but how can I explain to others that I dodged without looking? That's right, no way. That's why I had to make a stand. There was no extraneous magic in the snowballs, so it wasn't scary.

 - And who did it? - I asked in a calm voice, looking around this gathering of "saints". Comedians.

 "Yes, it happened by chance," answered one of the Weasley brothers—Fred, it seems. They were precisely the leaders of this movement. "Don't pay attention, we'll try not to let this happen again."

 Taking a careful look at everything, I realized that no, they wouldn't leave it that easily. Well, okay, let's see what happens next.

 "Okay," I nodded and moved on. I didn't even have time to move two meters away when two snowballs already flew at me.

 He stopped, raised his head to the sky and sighed. At that moment, a new snowball flew straight towards my head. I abruptly jump to the side, taking out my wand and pointing at the snowball itself. Leviosa worked as it should. Hovering in the air, the snowball instantly, at my command, rushed back to its sender - George. Everything happened so quickly that many could not understand anything. Now I have an excuse about my instincts, I will say that I was on my guard.

 Right on the bull's eye, this Weasley's face was covered in snow. So it was not in vain that he tried. The contrast of red hair, red face and white snow that scattered in flakes all over the face. Perfect.

 "Don't say it again," I said quietly, however, without hiding the small smile on my face. "Well, now try not to repeat this," I waved at them with my free hand, thereby provoking them. Let's go.

 My fame was a sort of starting point. All the snowballs that they were hiding behind their backs flew towards me in one impulse. Everyone considered it a matter of honor to hit me.

 A quick somersault to the right - avoid an attack. With a wave of the wand, a snow wall appeared in the path of new snowballs. Hiding behind it, he looked out to inspect the territory. My opponents were not idle - some began to bypass the obstacle from different sides, some were preparing ammunition, and the eldest, the same age as the twins, transfigured fortifications from the snow. Eh, no, that won't work.

 Swing - about a dozen snowballs are formed from snow. At the command of the gesture, they took off at once and headed towards the enemy's fortifications. A sort of mini bombing. As a single wall they hit almost everyone, some in the head, some in the body. Seamus, who was trying to hide behind a wall of snow, was hit right in the top of his head. A wave, desire and mana picked up the snow that was next to me and sent it into the largest concentration of guys in a single cloud.

 Somersault and as many as four snowballs appear in my previous place. Well, this is war.

 *****

 Birds are free creatures; they watch everything from the skies. That makes them no less proud, but how can you not become proud if you have access to what others can only dream of? They see what others cannot.

 There are different types of birds, summer and winter. Big and small. Magical and non-magical. And now, one of the birds was flying across the sky above Hogwarts Castle. It was a majestic, snow-white bird. No one can say which species, because it flew prohibitively high.

 Here she is flying over the castle courtyard, where she was able to see an interesting picture during her flight. This picture interested her so much that she began to fly around the yard in circles.

 A real war was taking place in the yard. Some may say that it is a war of all against one, but I will say that it is a war of one against all. One boy, armed with a stick, against a crowd of others. There were about twenty of them, and he was alone. It seemed like a losing situation, but no. Here it was Calder, and it was he, who won. True, there were even more people watching, but that's beside the point.

 A run-up, a somersault, and he runs past two guys who didn't expect such agility from him. While they were yawning, snowballs flew at them and were aimed at Calder. He turned around on the spot and behind his wand flew a whole dance of transfigured snowballs that flew at the poor guys.

 A wave of the wand and under the feet of several children the snow turns into ice, which is why they fell on the spot, lacking balance. They didn't have time to fill up and the snowballs that Calder sent hit them hit the bottom. Each snowball found its target, the guys continued to lie further, unable to get up.

 Two guys tried to get around him from both sides and threw him into the snow. Noticing them, Calder raised a small snowstorm of snow with a wave of his wand, covering their eyes. And while they stood still with their eyes closed, they were knocked to the ground with snowy fists. And no one noticed the small steps made of snow that appeared behind them, on which they tripped. However, it is not necessary.

 Snow was flying in all directions. Various snow obstacles, steps, etc. arose. Calder created everything that could help him. Either it will close itself with a wall from an attack, or it will create ice to knock down the enemy or slip through itself. He lifted himself up with the snow and the columns that lifted him. He grabbed his legs with snowy hands to throw him to the ground. There are walls on both sides to isolate yourself from the quickest. Everything that could be imagined was used.

 Each side did everything they could. The guys, without the help of magic, tried to drive Calder into a dead end, but he, on the contrary, resisted them using his magic. Neville actively helped the guys by creating ammunition, but several snowballs flew in to him as well. And in the end he was caught off guard by a small storm that Calder sent at him. Well, the snow ribbons bound him more securely than chains. Here he lies resting.

 Sliding on the transfigured ice, Calder found himself behind the wall that the twins had created. They were waiting for him there, and on command a mountain of snowballs flew at him. Having created a solid step of ice, Kol jumped onto the wall, dodging the snow. Once on the wall, he, with a kick and a wave of his wand, dispelled the transfiguration spell of the wall and all the snow, collapsed in a mini avalanche, burying the defending guys under him.

 This was all over. Kol stood on a pile of snow and bodies, a sort of hero who had defeated all his enemies, and everyone else stood and looked at him in some shock. Everyone was defeated, everyone was in the snow, only he was left alone. His face was red and his lungs were shaking. You could even notice a slight trembling in your hands. True, there were traces of snowballs on him, but who will tell them that he deliberately exposed himself to these snowballs and is now pretending to be tired, even though he has half the reserve left, right? Certainly not him or the bird that was watching all this.

 The first to break down were the twins, who were lying under the snow looking at Calder.

 "Ha-ha-ha-ha," they began in one voice, however, without ceasing to lie under a fur coat of snow. "This is something with something, Calder," they continued. — Never before have snowballs been so interesting and emotional. Cool how you like us, huh? That's right, Sid," having said this, they laughed again, the guys supported them in this endeavor.

 "Well, it's not my fault," Calder replied. - It's all thanks to you.

 - Yes…

 "That's right..." they switched to their favorite method of communication.

 "That's who we are," they finished synchronously