Chapter 11: Night Tours and the Restricted Area

"This sword is quite handy," Basil remarked, his round head tilting as he pondered where John had acquired such a sword. With a swift movement, he flapped his wings, brushing away Tom's drooling dog, and flew to a spot out of Tom's reach.

John gripped the greatsword with both hands, a weapon reminiscent of those wielded by medieval knights, nearly reaching his shoulder in height. "Perhaps it will be just the right size for me when I grow up," he mused. The sword, with its palm-width blade made of steel, was heavy, making it an excellent choice for John to use as a weight for his exercises. He found a rope to secure the sword to his back and began doing push-ups, determined that his hard work would eventually pay off.

The next morning, John awoke to find his magical power had increased by 10 points.

[Magic Power: Level 2 (20/500)]

[Spells: Alahoo Hole Opening (Level 3), Levitation Curse (Level 1), Transformation Curse (Level 1)]

[Skills: Short Weapon Proficiency (Level 7), Great Sword Proficiency (Level 3), Hot Weapon Proficiency (Level 1)]

[Blessings: Physical Fitness, Quick Attack, Precision, Academic Master, Pilot, Long-Distance Running]

His skills had undergone a transformation; Heavy Weapon Mastery and Polearm Mastery had disappeared, replaced by Greatsword Mastery. "This weapon satisfies both the long handle and heavy duty requirements," John realized after examining the greatsword. His newfound mastery, combined with his existing proficiency, allowed him to execute a series of basic attacks—hacking, slashing, and stabbing—with a level of skill that would impress even a seasoned knight.

Skills, much like enchantments, have levels. Level 1 signifies a beginner, Level 2 indicates basic proficiency, Level 3 is intermediate, Level 4 is professional, Level 5 denotes a teacher, Level 6 is master level, and Level 7, Grandmaster, represents a return to the basics with unparalleled skill. At Level 7 in short weapon proficiency, John could be considered a master, capable of using a pencil to take down three flies in a second.

Despite the disappearance of two weapon proficiency skills, John felt his understanding and application of weapons had deepened. "Great Sword Mastery must be a synthesis of the two branches, which is why it feels so familiar," he thought. However, he couldn't help but lament, "I'm a wizard, and this doesn't seem very useful to me."

For John, blessings took precedence, followed by magical power, spells, and lastly, weapon proficiency. After practicing the Transfiguration Charm for a while, he headed to class. With the blessing of being an academic master, he absorbed knowledge effortlessly. Later, after revising with Hermione in the library, he began his own planning at night.

...

The fifth-floor corridor of Hogwarts was quiet at night. The portrait oil paintings on the walls appeared drowsy, and the medieval armor, lacking proper weapons, had resorted to using sticks. 

"Lumos," John whispered.

"Hey," a voice grumbled. "Turn off that damn light."

"Oh, woo woo," another complained, the sudden illumination drawing protests from the paintings.

John proceeded down the corridor towards the library on the fifth floor. The library, which closed at a specific time each evening, was now deserted, save for the occasional night owl. Thousands of books were housed within, filling hundreds of bookshelves, creating a haven for knowledge and discovery. The library's narrow passages transformed it into a veritable sea of books. At its heart lay the Restricted Section, the very destination John had set his sights on. With a flick of his wrist, he extinguished his wand's light and approached the door that led to the forbidden knowledge within. The door was secured by nothing more than a simple bolt, a laughable deterrent that was meant to ward off the well-intentioned rather than the determined. Today, John Wick found himself playing the role of the latter. With a gentle tug, the door swung open with ease.

Stealth was paramount; without Harry Potter's invisibility cloak to aid him, John relied solely on his well-honed physical conditioning to move silently. The Restricted Section was home to many volumes deemed too dangerous for the general library, containing spells and knowledge that treaded the fine line between the powerful and the perilous. While it was possible to access these books through official channels with a professor's permission, John had decided that a more direct approach suited him better.

Ensuring he was alone, John reignited his wand and began his search. His goal was to find a tome on the Disillusionment Charm, a spell of great interest to him. The shelves were crammed with books on all manner of dark arts and complex potions, including Veritaserum and Polyjuice Potion. The latter's requirement for a piece of the intended person's body was unsettling, and John quickly moved on.

His search continued until he stumbled upon a tome that detailed advanced charms, including the Disillusionment Charm and the art of Apparition. Satisfied, John prepared to leave, but a peculiar book caught his eye. Driven by curiosity, he opened it, only to be met with a cacophony that sent him reeling. The noise alerted Argus Filch, the caretaker, who was ever eager to catch students out of bed.

Filch, a Squib with years of experience patrolling the school's corridors, rushed towards the source of the disturbance. Meanwhile, John managed to slip away unnoticed, even sharing a moment of silent camaraderie with Mrs. Norris, Filch's feline companion, as he exited.

Back in his dormitory, John wasted no time in practicing the Disillusionment Charm. His dedication was such that he barely slept, resulting in a rather haggard appearance the following day. However, his efforts were not in vain, as he soon mastered the initial intricacies of the charm.

The next day, John observed as six owls delivered a slender package to Harry Potter during breakfast, inadvertently causing Harry's bacon to fall to the floor. In a surprising turn of events, Professor Minerva McGonagall presented Harry with a Nimbus 2000, signaling the start of his Quidditch career. John couldn't help but feel a sense of anticipation for what was to come, knowing well the adventures that awaited them both. Upon receiving the Nimbus 2000, along with a letter from an older catgirl urging him to attend Quidditch training, Harry couldn't contain his excitement. Despite his limited knowledge about Quidditch, Harry possessed a natural talent for flying that felt almost instinctive. Eager to share his joy, he showed the letter to Ron, who couldn't help but feel envious. The best broomstick Ron had ever used was an old one that belonged to his brother Charlie Weasley, which paled in comparison to the Nimbus 2000. Without wasting any time, Harry and Ron left the Great Hall, eager to unpack the broomstick and admire it before their first class began.

Meanwhile, the atmosphere was charged with the usual tension between houses. Draco Malfoy, the notorious Slytherin, was up to his old tricks, taunting his lifelong rival. John, on the other hand, was more concerned with his breakfast than the ongoing feud. He was halfway through a bacon pie when he realized it had an unpleasantly raw texture, making him wonder if it contained uncooked stones. Setting aside his disappointing meal, John noticed Hermione's frustration. She had been casting angry glances at Harry and Ron, clearly upset about something.

"Not until they apologize to me," Hermione declared, her anger palpable.

John sighed, sensing that an apology from Harry and Ron might take some time, especially since they seemed to have forgotten about Hermione's grievance. Meanwhile, Neville was having trouble with his memory ball, which had turned red—a sign of forgotten tasks. John reminded him to change into trousers for their Charms class, pointing out that they weren't at a slumber party.

The day promised the usual mix of magical learning and interpersonal drama, with friendships and rivalries continuing to evolve in the enchanting world of Hogwarts.

_________

If you are tired of reading I also have this converted to an audio novel on my youtube 

https://www.youtube.com/@NovelAudioForge/featured 

Direct Link to playlist 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f_Hg-qsW4rM&list=PLKskshYG-OcPTR4-Nw7IWFEBZm07D8pBV&ab_channel=NovelAudioForge