Chapter 3.

AN: I forgot to mention it anywhere, but this is gonna be a dark!asshole!Harry story... kind of.

100 galleons, 10 sickles, 40 galleons.

Those three sums were waiting on my piece of parchment three days after, I wrote a quick "deal" and put it back into my bag.

"What are you writing so early in the morning?" Loren Nerys, one of my housemates had seen me.

"Nothing, just something to be sure to remember." I lied coolly. I liked Loren more than anyone else. Actually, she was the only one I genuinely liked.

"Oh you do that too? I always forget stuff so I have to put reminders everywhere. Like the other day I had to remember to bring the book on Transfiguration back to professor Jenkins but I just couldn't, so a couple days later I pasted a sock to the dormitory's door."

"Where are you going with that story exactly ?". She was a breath of fresh air.

"Well, when I saw the sock glued to the door it immediately reminded me of the book and then I gave it back." she laughed, "I always do stuff like that, it's really useful."

"I know what you mean but one of these days you'll be so used of seeing stuff glued here and there, you won't remember what is about what." I argued as we walked to the great hall together.

"It doesn't work like this, your brain has to remember why you glued something at someplace."

I spotted the Slytherin prefect walking in a perpendicular corridor. I was just about to look for you.

"Mh, listen, I gotta run somewhere before class, so tell Hannah I'll give her the Charms homework in Potions." I started changing direction.

"Where are you going? I can come with you I'm not hungry." she didn't let my arm go.

"Yeah but Hannah's gonna panic if she doesn't see me at breakfast, please?" Let me go.

"Okay. Sure." she smiled and went away.

Once she was far enough I started jogging down the corridor I had seen Marvyn in. Eventually, I found him, he was alone but there were people in the corridor. We couldn't be seen even talking to each other.

I ran and bumped into him, then proceeded to fall flat on the ground. He looked at me, an eyebrow raised and an amused smile on his handsome features. I stood up and apologized "Sorry, prefect, I wasn't looking where I was going. I think I'm lost, I'm looking for the west yard." with my best innocent face.

"The west yard is in the west part of the castle, now get off my face before I curse your bits." he spoke with a gentle voice, like he was giving a candy to a 4 years old. People around us watched the exchange and went back to their business, seeing that nothing more was going to happen.

Ten minutes later, I was in the west yard, sitting on a bench behind the trees. Marvyn came five minutes after me, he sat on the bench and waited.

This guy is creeping me out, something unhealthy.

"So, I have a small request. Would you be interested in hearing it?" I started carefully, I didn't even know if he would listen to me.

"Of course, Potter." he smiled.

"So here's the deal, I'd need some information on Knockturn Alley. I'd need good addresses, tips on how to not get robbed and all that jazz. Will you help me?"

He looked at me, I refused to let the eye contact happen. Then he laughed.

"Knockturn Alley isn't that dangerous, Potter, as long as you don't venture too deep into its bowels." he watched at me a bit more before asking "What is it that you're looking for, Potter?"

"Do we have a deal?" I insisted, hoping that he wouldn't get offended.

"What do you offer for my help?"

"Not necessarily your help, you could point me to someone else if you're busy. I'm just looking for tips. I could pay. I could give a couple things to stain my brother's reputation, what do you want?"

"Mmmmh, I'll do this one for free, Potter. Why? Because you intrigue me and I don't need anything you could give me. So go on and ask your questions, classes start in twenty minutes."

He wants nothing? That can only be bad. Oh well in the worst case I can always deny, who's gonna believe the psycho sixth year Slytherin over the scared Hufflepuff firstie?

"I need to find books on mind magic, particularly Occlumency." I wasn't about to trust him with the big Necromancer thing. He raised an eyebrow but said nothing. I went on.

"I have a way to get in Knockturn Alley, loaded with aging potion and I plan to go during the Christmas break. My question is - once in Knockturn Alley, what do I do? Where do I go? I'm learning the disarming charm and easy stunners to be at least half-able of defending myself but I need some sort of plan." I explained clearly, making sure to not say too much.

He stayed silent for a while.

"I had taken you for a dumb first year with a natural talent at mind magic who wanted to swim with the sharks too soon. I had thought you were going to be fun to play with." he muttered seriously, and his voice dropped an octave. "But you're beyond playing. You're a true shark, aren't you Potter? You have a way out of here to Knockturn Alley and an aging potion ready to use, that's impressive in itself for a first year, but you're actually going there, I see it in your eyes, no hesitations, no fear..."

I said nothing but certainly didn't feel as carefree as he seemed to think.

"Occlumency? How did you even hear about that Potter? Mind magic is an obscure branch of magic and way beyond any first year. But you're something else aren't you..."

He stopped his monologue on this note and smiled.

"I'll give you a couple addresses and spells to learn before going there, let's say Saturday, eight in the morning, this bench?"

"That'd be great." I didn't know what to think of this, was he making fun of me? He looked dead serious though.

I hurried to the dungeons for Potions. "Five points from Hufflepuff for being late, Mr. Potter, care to explain why you were late?" Snape was his usual self, unfair to me because of my father. The funny part is that I probably hate James as much as he does.

"I woke up too late sir, my apologies for having disturbed your lesson."

"Yes yes, go and sit down already, you're far from the best in this class Mr. Potter, you can't afford to lose a single second." he waved dismissively striding toward his desk.

I can afford to miss two dozen hours of your lessons and we both know it. I grinned, he was pathetic. I was by far the best in my class, potion was a fascinating subject, even with Snape as professor half the time. The other professor I had was Professor Herrington, he wasn't a potion master but at least he tried to teach us.

"Today, you will work in groups of three, hopefully you're not as bad in groups as you are in pairs and we'll have a lesson without incidents." he whispered dangerously, glaring at Elissa Netta, who had melted a Ravenclaw's cauldron while he wasn't paying attention a few days prior.

I was put in a group with Smith and Louise, we ended up with a perfect minor rejuvenation potion, light purple with a thin layer of frost on the surface, like it was described in the textbook for an A-class potion. Snape said nothing, he even pretended to be watching a group of Ravenclaws when we were the first ones to put our phial on the desk. We'll probably end up with an Acceptable...

History of Magic was next, I'd skip it. I had to master the disarming charm and a few other before the winter break. Today would be my first super secret training.

"...and then Harry said it wasn't asphodel but star grass!" everyone laughed merrily at Louise's story.

"Guys, I'm going to skip History, I have to start this essay for Jenkins on the proprieties of a transfigured object."

"Oh, come on Harry, you can do it during History like the rest of us." whined Smith.

"Yeah, actually I kinda counted on you to help me." admitted Louise.

I saw the rest of my housemates starting to form a big group around us, Ashton, Cynthia, Ernie, Lynn, Sullivan, we were becoming a hoard. Damn it, they're trapping me in with their stupid always-in-group mentality.

"Harry can I talk to you in private?" asked suddenly Loren.

"Er, sure." We walked out of the group and stopped, letting them go ahead.

"There, now you're free." she had a cute smile and hurried back in the group.

She knows me better than I thought, I should keep an eye on her.

I made my way to the third floor forbidden corridor, I was sure to be alone in there. Hogwarts was so huge and had so many classrooms you could probably fit five thousand students in it. However, students liked to explore and hang around all over the place. Even the most secluded classroom could be used by a couple of sixth year making out or worse. The forbidden corridor being forbidden, it was most likely empty.

I got there and entered a random abandoned classroom. It was dusty. So dusty even the dust layer seemed to be unusually dusty. The furniture were probably thinner under all that dust.

I sat on a chair, opened my bag and got my parchment out. I had already studied most of the spells written on it so I immediately started with the practical work.

"Expelliarmus!" I shouted, aiming at a desk, a red beam of magic struck the floor.

Mh, my aim is a bit off, the spell was a bit curved.

"Expelliarmus!" I shouted again, jabbing my wand forward more rapidly than before.

The desk was hit dead in the center and fell onto the ground, knocked back.

That's more like it.

"Expelliarmus." I jabbed my wand with the exact same motion, but spoke the incantation quietly instead of shouting it. The spell hit the desk in the center again, but this time too weakly to make it fall.

"Expelliarmus." I repeated calmly, but this time focusing intently on the fact that I wanted the desk to be hit hard. The spell was a bit better.

A few more tries later, I could successfully cast it without speaking louder than a murmur, with a perfect accuracy.

Disarming charm, mastered. But I need more.

I spent the remaining hour and a half practicing Aspernum, the repelling charm, and Incutio, a small striking curse and Caperentum, a minor stunning spell that despite being labeled as minor, couldn't be shaken off as easily as the standard Hogwarts fun spells like Petrificus Totalus and such.

Those were good for kids but any real wizard could break them after a few seconds. The Stupefy curse, one the other hand was too much for me, my magic muscle wasn't strong enough to manage it yet.

I left the room happy but tired. I mastered every spells and celebrated by unleashing a few dozen Incutio on the desks, smashing them to bits.

As I walked back to the great hall, I thought about my plan. It was risky, dangerous even, insane and so much more. But mostly it was thrilling.

Can't wait to actually be here. I grinned at my own enthusiasm.

"You will also need to get a dark cloak, people don't usually show their faces in Knockturn Alley, unless they are well known purebloods like the Malfoys for instance."

It was Saturday morning, Marvyn showed up as agreed almost a week ago. I was writing down everything he explained in a little notebook.

"You're smart enough to know you don't want to get noticed too much so I won't explain that, but I'll teach you the Notice-Me-Not charm and the Disillusionment Charm."

I looked up.

"You'll teach me?" that was hardly believable.

"Yes I will, Potter but only because you'll be actually paying me. Let's say you're sort of working for me now." he smiled. That doesn't sound good at all.

"I have a certain number of ... items that I'd like to smuggle in the castle, and you seem to have a way to go directly in Diagon Alley, something nobody else has. So you will bring me those items, free of charges of course."

Well that doesn't look too bad, I planned to bring illegal stuff in anyway. I'll just have to make sure this little stunt doesn't attract any unwanted attention.

"Now for the items I need, I'll make an arrangement with Borgin & Burkes to take delivery so you'll just have to deal with them, I'll write you a blood signed parchment and they won't ask anything." he made a small pause.

"Occlumency is an art passed from a wizard to another, orally. If you wish to learn it in a book, they do exist and are usually more than a simple book." he explained cryptically.

"To find such rare and precious books, you'll have to go deeper in Knockturn Alley. Look for the Black Bricks." he stopped, watching a Ravenclaw couple in the distance, probably looking for a quiet place to snog. They walked away without seeing us.

"The Black Bricks are walls made of black bricks, not hard to remember. You'll have to put your wand or hand on one of these walls and pour dark magic in it."

I smirked.

"Pour dark magic in it? Do you take me for some dumbass Gryffindor? Magic isn't dark or light, it all depend on how you use it."

"You'll understand when you cast your first dark spell, Potter. Dark magic feels different, it's all a matter of intent actually, just pour some evil in the bricks - I don't care if it sounds stupid, you'll know what I'm talking about soon enough." he cut me with a short hand gesture.

"The bricks will transport you somewhere in the next layer of Knockturn Alley. There are lots of layers. And each one has Black Bricks to go either a layer up or a layer down. For what you'll looking for, I'd recommend looking in the fifth layer for a bookshop called Hyacinth's Haven."

I finished writing the explanation on the Black Bricks and the name of the bookshop.

"What do you mean - I'll know soon enough?" I didn't know any dark magic and hadn't planned to teach myself any.

"You might need more than a few combat and concealment tricks and spells if you're going through the black bricks. I'll teach you a simple dark spell, nothing hard, nothing even too dangerous, but something spectacular. Ocunuo intus, a dark eye bleeding curse. Not very dangerous in itself, but if you're getting threatened by a group of thugs, they'll think that you know what you're doing and will let you in peace... most likely."

"And what makes you think that'll help me using the black bricks?"

"Oh it will, Potter." he stood up and stretched. "Now go, I'll fetch you for your lessons. Don't speak about this to anyone, of course you know I wouldn't hesitate ripping your vocal cords out if I heard you let anything out. Not that I did anything illegal, but I like to stay discreet."

"Crystal clear. Good day." I bowed slightly before heading toward the great hall, making sure to walk straight and not too fast.

So, about a month left until D-day, I've got my combat spells ready, I've got my broom, aging potion and floo powder ready, I checked the secret's passage entrance the other day, everything is ready. I'll just buy some cloak in Diagon Alley before going in.

The Notice-Me-Not and the Disillusionment Charms are O.W.L. level charms though, I don't know how that'll go. If I disappoint him with that, I'm losing his esteem.

I'd better start studying them on my own.

"Ocunuo intus."

The ferret twitched and started trashing on the ground.

Once immobilized, I could see its eyes bleeding slowly, reddening its vision and dripping blood on the floor boards. There was no sign of wound, the blood just dripped from the top of the eyes.

"It takes as much blood as a weak blood replenishment potion gives." explained Marvyn.

"The counter curse can be performed wandlessly without much effort. Here goes." he passed his fingers an inch before the ferret's eyes, canceling the curse.

"Of course, the more power your put in the curse, the harder it is to counter." he paused pensively, "I think that's all you need to know. Cast it."

I raised my wand hesitantly. I don't care about using dark magic, so why do I hesitate?

The final goal is to perform necromancy, so stop being a pansy and get on with it, this is entry-level shit.

I took aim.

"Remember Potter, you need to want it, even on a ferret, you want to hurt it."

I coolly executed the wand motion and talked the incantation, focusing on my wish to hurt the ferret.

"Ocunuo intus."

The invisible hex must have hit because the ferret started thrashing again. I, however, did not notice that.

I had fallen on my knees the second I finished casting the curse. I was panting heavily. I was sweating.

The feeling of the dark magic was wonderful, ecstatic. I could still feel remains of dark magic in my body, in my arm, softly numbing my being with pleasure.

"Dark magic feels great, Potter, it feels unhealthy, painful and yet so addictive." he sat down while I was trying to get up.

"That is what I meant when I said pour dark magic in the bricks. You'll have to unleash your magic and look for this feeling. Some wizards compare dark magic to sex, but dark wizards know how much better than sex it is, how much more than a simple physical stimulation it is. That is why numerous dark wizard kill and torture for pleasure, Potter."

That conclusion made sense. So that's why there are always bad guys. Being bad feels awesome.

"The feeling won't be as strong the next time you use that spell, your body accommodates to it, it does for most of the spells. But some spells are so loaded with negative intent and dark magic, they can be an unlimited source of pleasure, the Cruciatus curse for instance."

Listening to him was rapidly sobering me, soon I was standing again.

"But the more powerful a dark spell is, the more twisted are the feelings you receive, it's an accurate dosage of pleasure, pain and a myriad of emotions, to be able to enjoy the most advanced curses, you'd have to use dark magic quite a bit before." He smiled softly.

"And the more you use it, the more you want it." he concluded.

"Does it feel the same when you cast it on humans?" After all, this was only a ferret.

He smiled and jabbed his wand toward the ferret, muttering something.

The animal began to grow, deformed, bloated. It started losing hair, and soon, on the floor was a naked Draco Malfoy, sobbing, mixed blood and tears dripping on his cheeks arms and legs shaking.

He started to get up but stumbled back on the ground. He started to open his mouth to talk but choked on his saliva.

"Mister Malfoy here needed a lesson, Potter. Sadly, I can't afford to have him remember that - Obliviate!"

A beam of green light hit the blond boy in the forehead, leaving a dumb look on his face.

Holy fucking shit. I just cast dark magic on a first year! And the fucking scion of Malfoy with that!

"Get your clothes back from the drawer and go back to sleep, Mr. Malfoy." commanded Marvyn whilst cancelling my eye bleeding curse and cleaning him.

Draco nodded stupidly and walked to the drawer. He took his clothes, dressed and left the room without a word or a look back.

"The memory charm, I overdosed it a bit so the brat won't remember anything until he wakes up." explained helpfully Marvyn.

"Young wizards are so damn easy to manipulate." he laughed, knocking his head back, "Don't look at me like that, it's not always fun to be a prefect you know."

"If he somehow remembers this, we're both fucked. I hope you know what you're doing."

"You are right, Potter, never trust anyone in this business. However, I wouldn't risk getting on the wrong side of Lucius Malfoy just to trap you - I could simply do whatever I want with you. Now, you have mastered the Notice-Me-Not charm and the eye-bleeding curse. It's a shame you couldn't do the Disillusionment charm but you'll manage." he switched to a more serious face and tone.

"The items you're going to fetch for me are waiting in Borgin & Burkes. They will be contained in a shrinkable chest, you are forbidden to open it. I will know it if you did. If you get caught by anyone, be it Aurors in Diagon Alley or Flitch in the castle, this chest is yours, invent some crap about it, I don't care but if someone forces you to open it, put your hand on its rear and say "Show your contents" - that will destroy everything inside it and open it afterwards. I trust you to not do it unless it's necessary"

I nodded and stored the chest's emergency procedure in my mind.

"And of course, you have nothing to do with me. I don't know what you plan to say if you get caught but I'm sure I won't be involved."

"That goes without saying, thank you." I answered respectfully.

"No, thank you, Potter for spicing this year up." he smiled happily before getting out of the unused classroom.

I left half an hour later and headed back to the Hufflepuff headquarters. While I still had some time before curfew, I was the last Hufflepuff to come back, at least for the first and second years.

"Where have you been, Harry, studying at the library, again?" inquired Hannah.

"What do you even study in there, you're already the first of the class." laughed Zacharias Smith.

"Leave him alone, he doesn't have to justify himself." scolded Loren, walking toward me. She turned to face the others, gave them her best "take a hike" look and they laughed it off, scattering in the common room.

"I won't ask you, promise. But do you want to tell me what you were doing? You weren't in the library, I tried."

Loren had become my closest friend, but also the most dangerous. She knew I was hiding things.

"What if I don't?" I asked, seemingly joking.

"I could live with it, Exploding Snap?" she seemed to accept that I had secrets.

We sat down and spent the evening playing exploding snap with Smith, Louise and various Hufflepuff first and second years passing by.

I cast a dark eye-bleeding curse on a first year, not an hour ago. And I loved every second of it.

I took a glance at my watch.

9:45 PM.

I looked at the one-eyed witch statue standing before me. My Cleansweep three was in my hand and the aging potion was in my pocket. I had managed to get here unnoticed, not that I cared if someone saw me with a broom anyway, Zachary had one, so I didn't see why I wouldn't be allowed to.

After a quick scan of the area, I took my wand out, remembering what George - or was it Fred - told me about the passage.

"Dissendium." The statue softly rumbled and opened itself, showing a narrow path.

Well, here goes nothing. I thought whilst entering the dark tunnel.

I walked for a few seconds before entering a natural cave. Stalactites and stalagmites covered the whole area and dripping water echoed far away.

The next tunnel seemed sort of wide, so I mounted my broom and kicked the ground. I felt the cold air in my hair and my clothing, and accelerated toward the tunnel. The ride was bumpy, dangerous even but I was no slouch on a broom and went without too much trouble. I dismounted and placed the broom on the ground when the tunnel narrowed into a makeshift stairway.

There was a wooden trapdoor at the end.

So here I am, now for the aging potion.

I undressed, not bothering to fold my clothes, took the phial out of my pocket, uncorked it and took a sip. The taste wasn't terrible. Tastes like lemons.

The change was immediate and violent, I fell on the rocky ground, thrashing. It was like every fiber, every cell of my body was getting stretched by a crude hook. I barely had the time to yelp, the change was already over.

I quickly felt my face with my hands, I was definitely a lot taller and older, at least 15. Maybe even more.

I picked my wand up and transfigured my clothes into nondescript black robes and cloak. I had to adjust the size a bit so I could fit and I was done. Transformation complete.

I placed a Notice-Me-Not on myself, tapped the trapdoor and whispered "Dissendium" again. It opened with a slight squeak and a stone wall behind it slid slowly toward the left. Once it was finished, I entered the room.

It was, according to the twins, the cellar of the Honeydukes shop. I cast a quick Lumos to watch around me and confirmed. Barrels and wooden boxes filled the space, some of them stamped with the Honeydukes logo.

I needed to find the fireplace which I was told was in the back shop. I climbed the stairs to the ground floor, pushed the door - A luck they trust their external wards enough to not even lock anything - and made my way to the back shop. The fireplace was here, waiting for me quietly in the silent room. I grabbed my floo powder bag, took a pinch of the silvery material and tossed it in. Green flames sprouted, I didn't lose any time and stepped in, muttering "Diagon Alley, third public entrance."

I rematerialized in the third entrance, which was placed in a usually quiet side street.

10:10 PM.

Not bad, twenty five minutes to be in Diagon Alley, incognito. I looked around. Nobody.

I made my way to Knockturn Alley, passing by a couple Aurors here and there, and entered, my hand tight around my wand.

I'll go look for my stuff first and pick his stuff on the way back. Now, where can I find those Black Bricks...

There was a bit of traffic in Knockturn Alley, I went unnoticed, bumping in a wizard or two, getting used to be so tall. Few wizards were taller than me in the street.

Where are these damned black bricks... I was walking slowly and surveying the side streets, looking for the black bricks when I spotted a silhouette tap on a wall and disappear suddenly. That was it.

The black bricks were indeed black bricks, they were even glossy black bricks. I whipped my wand out, set it on a brick and pushed magic out.

Nothing happened.

Fucking hell I knew it wouldn't work, how am I meant to "look for" the feeling of dark magic? Okay, plan B.

I aimed at a random passerby discreetly and whispered "Ocunuo intus.".

I didn't take the time to register the reaction of the victim, I used the soft pleasure I was experiencing and pushed magic in the bricks. The bricks glowed softly, and without any warning, I vanished.

A second later, I was panting and shivering with thrill, in a heavily frequented square. Witches and wizards were walking in every directions, most of them cloaked and walking fast. Some were striding determinedly, like they owned the place, without any concealment. They probably do own the place.

There were shops here and there, most of them apparently old and uninteresting, with washed off colours and plain facades. There were a lot of side streets, going in every directions and I could distinguish entrances to an underground level through the crowd.

I couldn't help but smile. So far, this is great. The secret passage, the broom ride, the black bricks, it's not exactly a breeze but damn it's fun.

I was in the second layer of Knockturn Alley, I didn't have the time to hang around. I needed another set of black bricks. Now that I had used them once, I was pretty sure I understood how they worked.

A few tries and four brick walls later, I was walking down a non-paved street, apparently the main street of layer five. It was nowhere as lively as the second one, a few dark shapes were walking down the street but that was it. The few side streets looked like they were only residential. Maybe a couple brothels in there but no shops.

I eventually reached Hyacinth's Haven. It was a reasonably big bookshop, or maybe library as there were chairs and tables to read. Three persons were in the shop at the moment, reading quietly. I approached the counter and motioned the bookseller to come. It was a pretty young witch, maybe twenty years old.

"What can I do for you? Want something to drink while reading, or looking for a certain book?" she offered helpfully with a smile.

I was a little taken aback. What am I doing here cloaked like a leper, am I really in the bad guys side? The heat under this thing is unbearable.

I took my hood off and she smiled even wider. I could tell she liked what she saw. I don't know if I should see my own future face or not. At least she likes it.

"I'm..." I started, only to stop, shocked by my manly voice. I sound so... old. I mused, before shaking my head and starting again.

"I'm looking for anything you have on mind magic, Occlumency most particularly and ... anything on Necromancy." I queried with a nice smile, she was really pretty.

She, however, stopped smiling.

"Would you wait a second, please." she walked through a door behind her.

A few minutes later, she came back and motioned me to follow her in the rows of bookshelves. I followed her.

"I had to check the wards, we have a few blacklisted customers that could try and get in. Anyone who is looking for books about Necromancy have to be checked, order from Madam Hyacinth herself." she explained.

"So here you have Inferi : What to Expect by Stevenson McGill, which is the best to start understanding Inferi, we also have Golem from All Over the World, by Seen Shamish, a nice volume to study all sort of golem. You should also consider Anima Creatura, The Codex, a very famous tome in the field of Necromancy."

"I'll take them all."

"Those are highly forbidden tomes, we are not allowed to sell them." she scolded, "But of course we do sell them anyway." she added before giggling softly.

At this moment, I fell in love with her. Wait, no, what the fuck? Why am I so distracted by her? Focus, Harry, her lips aren't that sexy.

Then it hit me. Why am I even finding her sexy? I'm too young for th- ... oh wait...

Fuck. The aging potion apparently changed everything.

"Well thank you for that, you're a lifesaver." I grinned internally, in a way, she really was.

"You haven't seen anything, this is my work. I can get really helpful in private." she whispered in a mischievous tone.

Yep, she's flirting. I'm fucking eleven years old. The feelings I was having were totally new and yet so familiar. I felt like it was always here but I never saw it.

But I know that's bullshit, I won't give half a fuck about her once I'm back to 11 years old Harry...

"Your decision to show me, I'm all for getting private." can't help it, captain!

She laughed, her eyes meeting mines. I blushed.

"What else did you want? Mind magic, is that right?" she let the previous books fly to the counter on their own and started to walk again.

"Yep, mind magic, mind protection, Occlumency, all that jazz."

"You want to learn how to read minds?" she answered provokingly while leading me in another row.

"Oh no, I already know how to do that." I grinned.

"Oh really!" she stopped and turned to face me, "So tell me, what do I have in mind right now?"

I couldn't stop at this point, I was fifteen or more and I wanted nothing else in the world than what was in front of me at this moment.

"I know it but I don't think it'd be proper to say it out loud." I designated the reading people in the distance. "You're a naughty one aren't you." I added in a murmur, with a wide grin.

She laughed again and went back on her way.

"You assume a lot, young man." she stopped before a bookshelf and started taking tomes off.

"So, we have the base of mind magic, Obliviation Through and Through: All There Is to Know on the Obliviate Charm, the most complete and illegal book about Obliviation, which is a good part of mind magic."

"Sold."

"And we have Modern Mind Magic, from 1206 to Today, the most up-to-date mind magic book. Now we have more on another bookshelf -"

"That'll be enough thank you, how about you find me a book on Occlumency now?" I cut her. I didn't need every book on mind magic, those two will suffice.

"Occlumency? I don't remember any book about that, but it should be mentioned in the mind magic books." she said, shrugging.

I looked at my watch, 11h27 PM.

"Do I have to pay for a table or do I just sit?" I asked.

I had all the night to study, then I had to get back to Hogwarts as soon as Honeydukes opened, precisely 8AM.

With the trip back through the passage, I'd be in time to pretend I was here all night. I'd slip in the dormitory, then in my bed and that would be it. There weren't much students left anyway, most of them went home for the break, and those who stayed weren't about to wake up before 9AM.

"If you buy the books, it's free, If you don't, there is a price chart over here." she smiled.

She smiled way too much.

We walked to the counter and she counted.

"Five books, 130 galleons. Thank you and good night." I paid and mouthed good night.

Good night? Oh well.

I sat on a table in a somewhat secluded corner behind a low wall, lit the candle and opened Modern Mind Magic, from 1206 to Today. My mind was still focused on the bookseller's curves and wet lips but I forced my focus on the book.

This volume lists and explain in depth every facet of Mind Magic existing.

Mind Magic started with Atlantis and maybe even before but what is called Modern Mind Magic started in 1206 with the invention of the Imperius curse by Edmond Jose Potter, Lord Potter and Duke of Aquitaine. His work is still mysterious since the only documents left are parchments depicting a Nordic ritual of control and...

...and so it was ranked a XXXX-level creature by the International Confederation of Wizards. Its ability is still unexplained to most of wizards but an illegal group of Russian wizards became infamous for unraveling a number of...

I was cut in my studies by the girl from before. She put a large glass of bright green beverage on my table, smiling widely as ever.

"Free drinks! I choose the Evergreen Rum because it matches your eyes." she called, sitting down on the seat next to me.

Thousands of tiny water drops were slowly dripping from the cold glass, I licked my lips. I was thirsty, very thirsty.

"Damn, I get all dizzy when I work all night." she took a sip of my rum and stretched her back.

"Firstly, thank you, and secondly, this is my drink." I grabbed the glass from her hand and took a sip.

Delicious, but also FUCKING HOT! My inexperienced throat was burning from the alcohol.

"So you really study all that stuff... What for?" she asked curiously, leaning on me to see the book.

She smelled wonderful, the rum was making me hot and dizzy. I looked at my watch.

3h02 AM.

I didn't know what to do, but I knew what I wanted.

"You don't want to tell me? Hiding secrets, I see..." she joked, squinting at me. She was close, very close.

I wanted to feel her skin on my fingers. I took another sip of the rum glass. I didn't know how to go about this so I simply did what I wanted. My hand sliding on her hip, I pulled her closer to me. My mind was blurred. I was so hot, way too hot.

She was silent, she had locked her brown eyes on mine, indecision on her face, like she was trying to figure me out. Her lips were calling me, I leaned forward and kissed her all by myself. She only returned the kiss a few seconds after.

I can't believe it's working. I think I'm drunk too, I don't even know what's going on but I love it.

She moved onto me, her legs on each side of me, the kiss got more intense and wild. The table scrapped on the floor, pushed back.

She stopped and raised her body. She was now sitting on me and watching me with lust in her eyes. I could feel a part of my body being bigger and harder than ever, throbbing against her, I had a hand on her waist and was exploring the northern region with the other.

She grabbed the rum glass, took a big sip and poured the rum left in my open mouth. I hope I won't pass out...

"There, we're all alone, nobody comes in the shop at this hour." she whispered slyly, bringing her lips against mine again and sliding her hand down my chest gradually.

I uncorked the aging potion phial and took a sip. That should keep me old for the rest of the night.

I uncorked the pepper-up potion phial and downed it. I almost fell asleep immediately once we had finished. Can't afford to oversleep.

I looked at the sobering potion, hesitated, and let it where it was. Being drunk feels great.

I took a glass of water and walked back to my seat, where was laying a naked witch I didn't know the name of. I sat down and flipped the pages of my book to find where I had stopped reading. The pepper up potion was already acting, I felt not really awake but not really about to sleep either.

"Back to studying, then." she said, standing up and putting her panties back on.

"That was great. I needed that. You on the other hand, need more experience both with sex and booze." she laughed softly as she slipped her bookseller robes on.

"I'm all about learning, look - the books and all, I just need a good professor." I suggested cheekily.

"I'll keep it in mind, handsome. The name's Sherry by the way." she kissed me on the cheek.

"I'm ... err ... Harry." I said lamely. Can't even find a fake name. Great.

"But call me Mr. Book." I added quickly.

She laughed once more and slid her finger down my jaw.

"Very well Mr. Book, good night." and she walked away, her delicious rear end making her robe waver at each step.

The doorbell would ring if someone entered so she was probably heading to her bed. I contemplated joining her but I shook the idea off. I had to wait for the morning to come.

4:38AM.

I couldn't focus on my studying, the pepper up, along with other things, made me too excited to read. I forced myself until five in the morning and left the library.

I was walking around in Knockturn Alley's third layer and watching various shop windows when I saw a shop called The Untracer: Become untraceable. It was six and half in the morning but the shop was open.

An idea in mind, I entered. The shop contained a few hats, rings, necklaces, cloaks and other weirder items. All of them had eloquent names like "The Ring of Dissimulation" or "The Cloak of Invisibility".

I waited a bit and an old witch eventually came to the counter.

"Whaddya want?" she barked.

"Tracking spell removal on my wand."

"Twenty Galleons, place money and wand on counter." she barked, walking back in the dark backroom.

When she came back, she had a tool apparently made of unicorn tail hair. It might actually be an unicorn tail.

She started to drag the hair on my wand with her left hand and performed magic with her wand in her right hand. I couldn't hear what she was muttering but at some point she stopped and gave me my wand back.

"Removed everything, wand is pure." she took the money purse and walked off.

I walked out of the shop, examining my wand skeptically, and got back to layer one without much trouble.

I picked the chest at Borgin & Burkes without speaking a single word, the signed piece of parchment from Marvyn was enough.

I took my hood off to look less weird in Diagon Alley, entered a transportation shop at 7:30 and flooed to Hogsmeade for a few sickles. Then I waited in front of Honeydukes. The shop was large enough for me to enter and disappear, the shopkeeper would just think I went out when they weren't looking. But I'll try to be totally unnoticed anyway.

At 8:10, the shop opened, I raced in as soon as the way was clear, when the bell ringed, I was already in the shop, racing between the candies and chocolates to reach the cellar, without making a sound.

A Dissendium later, I quickly took one of the antidote pills given with the aging potion. I shrank back and released the transfiguration on my clothes in less than 5 minutes.

I was speeding in the tunnel, grazing stalactites and watching my watch every now and then.

8:15, counting the time to get to the dormitory, I need to hurry the fuck up!

At 8:35, I was panting, in front of the dormitory doors, catching my breath before entering to avoid unnecessary noise. Sure I could I have said I woke up early and show up later, but then the alibi wouldn't be perfect. Now I just need to pretend to not be sleepy or drunk.

And the latter seems to be getting worse since my body shrank back.

Five fucking stars plan, Harry.

I slipped in my bed without a sound, angry at myself for not having taken the sobering potion and fell asleep immediately after having put my bag in my trunk and locked it.

In this trunk are five illegal books, three of which could probably send me to Azkaban and a chest filled with Merlin know what dark stuff.

Five stars, Harry, five stars.