Ch. 31 Third Year Goals

After the usual feast and sorting, with those horrible songs and Dumbledore acting like a weirdo again. I mean honestly, the man might be the most powerful around, but does he have to make people think he's gone senile, it really annoys me and makes me lose trust in his abilities even if I know how intelligent the man is.

After getting into the best room for third years in the tower, cause I'm the best of the year not just the house, and modifying as I please once again, it was time to get my goals for the year in order.

1. Work towards my masteries in the chosen subjects: Charms, Potions, Transfiguration, DADA, Herbology, Healing, Dueling, Warding, Ancient Runes And Arithmancy. I'm going to flex so hard. Most of these will be projects until my seventh year. From what I understand of the requirements to achieve a mastery, the applicant must show true mastery of the subject theoretically and practically, but I want to go further and develop originals for all the subjects. Technically speaking I've already done so for potions, herbology and Arithmancy due to my new brewing and growing methods, as well as my incredible number of modified spells. The dueling will require me to get more experience as it is straightforwardly a duel with a skilled tester, so I'll have to be able to destroy the man/woman. Transfiguration is kind off a more free form branch of magic so showing extreme skill in the area will be the only way, plus goal 3 will help. Not gonna do CoMC because I can't really think of a good reason to do so, but I'm pretty sure Christian will want to, so I'll help him with that later.

2. Become well known within the school for something other than my looks and grades. This plan will actually involve me trying to start up an official study group for anyone who wishes to join and possibly trying to start up the dueling club before Lockhart comes and ruins that for everyone. Plus if the second one works it's yummy experience for me.

3. Start the process for becoming an animagus. I've already achieved my corporal Patronus, something supposed to help identify ones animal form, which turns out to be a Phoenix. I doubt I'll actually turn into one, but turning into a similar bird seems likely. This will help with my Transfiguration mastery.

4. Start developing my tech/magic ideas. I've some ideas on how to make some muggle technology work around magic and it's time I make them realize that muggle tech is not useless or always worse than magic. Everything will be put up for sale in the FIRM center, under Micheal Folster's name.

These will be my goals and ambitions for the rest of my time at Hogwarts. If everything goes well I won't really need to do my seventh year, but I want to participate in the triwizard tournament as a means to establish myself properly in the wizarding world.

And so began the school year. As third years it was time to chose electives. In my case I chose Arithmancy, Ancient Runes and Care of Magical Creatures. Divination, although theoretically useful, I do not possess the gift for, and Muggle studies is over a hundred years behind the actual thing and is extremely pointless for a reincarnated muggle so I'm out. Three subjects will be more than doable since I have my handy homework quills, which I think I'll get James and Christian to help them out with the increased workload. Speaking of them, James will be taking Arithmancy and Runes with me since I told him how useful they are with charms and enchanting, while Christian will be taking CoMC and divination as a freebie, since I told him most people can fake it and still get good grades in the subject.

As usual I have to say having the RoR and a time-turner is a godsend since I can just put the second me in there while I study outside of it, giving me free research time.

My new classes were pretty boring for me because of how advanced I am, but I make sure to use my time effectively especially in Ancient Runes. My plan for both my mastery and the tech/magic hybrids is to make binary code into a valid language for of Runes. Since they are 1's and 0's they can be minimized to have the maximum amount of space, they can easily be made to appear to be moving around or dancing together to stop anyone from deciphering the codes and a wizard would have to learn the code itself to even be able to understand what each line will do. This is my more immediate project so I'm putting more attention on it. Arithmancy has the same problem, but in this one I'm figuring out the proper math for my original spells for my Charms and DADA masteries. I want to create a new form of protection and a spell truly made to go against the dark arts, something along the line of a Patronus but I'll see. CoMC is just basically a fun break for me and Christian. We've studied and he's played with everything Hogwarts could possibly provide. It was a nice experience to be playing with the less dangerous creatures like Kneazles, Nifflers and Streelers. Like I said fun break.

As everyone was getting into a groove, I also resumed my time with Madam Pomfrey, who really likes when I call her Professor when she's teaching me. Although my knowledge in the individual components of healing are great(potions, herb and charms), one still needs hands on experience and with my results Professor Pomfrey has been more and more inclined in letting me handle cases. This inadvertently made my name spread through the castle as a skilled healer.

With that momentum coming without me planing for it, i decided it was time to try and set up my little study counseling. So I just decided to post that if anyone wanted help on some spell, potions or any assignments in general, i would be happy to help any who came to one of the abandoned classrooms on the main floor. I've also specified that anyone who comes can ask for the help of other willing participants. It would happen twice a week, Monday's and Wednesday's after supper. I got permission from three heads of house for this one, didn't even ask Snape because he really doesn't like me. Wonder if the homework has anything to do with.

The only requirement for participating was to be respectful and polite to all those who come. Origin, house, money, grades, none of them matter in the room. The only thing people who come here are to be doing is either seeking help or giving it.

On a side note, having a few house-elves at your service really helps in setting up a room. I used a good space expansion rune set to make it possible to fit a lot of people, with many tables, comfortable chairs, a sectioned firing range with dummies where I made sure to stop any sounds traveling to and from it, and I've also included a few shelves full of study guides for students in their 1st-7th years. I turned the place into a perfect student help center basically.

"Mate are you really sure about this? It's not that everyone in our year doesn't how smart you are, but will they come?" Asked Christian who decided to support this project of mine.

"I don't think that's the point Christian. People don't need to come, they just need to know that there is a place which is willing to help them." Answered James.

"Like James said, it doesn't matter if they come now, as long as someone wants some help I'll do what I can. Plus if no students come then we can just study and practice in this room of ours." I say confirming James' statement.

"Fair enough." Shrugged Christian. "Alright you said you'd help me with actually training those DADA spells while I'm here." He then said to me and dragging me to the dummies.

"That I did, but I want to start you off with one of the most important spells a wizard can learn first." I replied with a smile.

"Oh yeah? Which one?" He asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Protego." I answered with a large toothy smile.

"Well damn." He simply says as he guessed what was gonna come.

"Don't worry Chris, I'll only used stinging hexes and tickling charms" I continued as you can almost see horns and a tail on me.

"James! A little assistance here!" He yelled out in desperation.

"Don't look at me, I've got that spell down pat." He said, ignoring his pleading friend.

"You traitor!" He screamed.

15 minutes later he was on the floor wheezing as he cursed at a silver haired demon. No idea who he was talking about, I'm a beautiful angel. He was getting the hang of the spell though.

After that, I went over to James and we got talking about enchantments. He seemed to be really passionate about being able to imbue magical properties to objects, so I took out my vanishing boxes. I'd actually forgotten to give these guys a copy of my prototypes.

"Hey Chris, stop whining on the floor! I've got a new toy to show you two!" I yell to my lightly traumatized friend.

"Yeah yeah, I'm coming." He said as James was getting rather curious about the boxes.

Christian finally joined us and I could explain.

"Alright, these little babies are my prototypes." I then said with a smile.

"For what?" Asked James as he was looking at the from every angle.

"Instantaneous messaging and letter delivery. Got the inspiration from vanishing cabinets." I answered proudly.

"Wait! Really!? You figured out how to do that?" Snapped both of them as they realize what these were.

"Yeah, been using it to keep in touch with my family for the last month. They work by choosing the number you want to send to and place the message in it, close the lid, point your wand and say send. Presto you just sent it to whoever. It even works to the Hogwarts wards so I'm pretty it can get to anywhere in Britain so far." I explained further.

"That's awesome Aedan. And made these all by yourself?" Asked James.

"Yeah, it was actually my summer project." I said while rubbing my nose with pride.

Christian was about to ask some more question but then the door opened. A small Asian girl from Ravenclaw walks into the room looking very shy. She had long shiny black hair growing to the middle of her back, small freckles on her nose, typical black eyes, and it looked like she would become rather attractive after she grew up.

"Alright you two no starring at the first customer, she's nervous enough as it is. So get to working on your own stuff and help each other out." I say to my friends as they realize they've been staring a bit too intensely.

"Sorry about them, they're friendly, just surprised someone actually came. My names Aedan Bones and you are?" I say trying to sound nice and approachable.

"Um, I'm Cho Chang. First year from the same house." She answered with a very quiet voice.

"Well Cho, it's a pleasure to meet you. Let's set ourselves up on the table here and see what I can do to help you out." I said, trying to put her at ease, but I could hear my two friends whispering at the back.

"Another one bites the dust against the silver star?" Whispered Christian.

"Judging by the redness I'd say so." James whispered back.

"I can hear you two over there." I the yelled at them, which caused them to burst out laughing and Cho to look at me with confusion on her face.

And that's how the student run exchange room began.