Only Human after all

Madam Pomfrey hurried over to the new arrivals, shock etched on her face as she asked what had happened. McGonagall explained that students had been allowed to fight without proper safety precautions, causing multiple injuries. As she spoke, McGonagall shot a deadly glare at Quirrell, who calmly recited which spells had hit which students in what Atlas could only describe as a chillingly detached tone.

"Again?" asked Madam Pomfrey with anger in her voice "I thought I told you yesterday that I don't want something like that happening again."

After hearing Madam Pomfrey's scolding, McGonagall couldn't contain her anger any longer. She opened the door and dragged Quirrell out of the room, her scottish accent ringing through the infirmary as she yelled at him. "How could you be so reckless? Putting our students in danger like that, intentionally causing harm? This is unacceptable behavior, Quirinius!"

Quirrell remained calm, unfazed by McGonagall's outburst. "I was teaching Defence Against the Dark Arts, Minerva. The students were practicing, and unfortunately, some students were better than the others, and they got injured; besides, without your involvement, Mr. Wood wouldn't have been surprised and may have been able to defend himself."

McGonagall's almost hysterically screeched, "Injured? These students are bleeding and wounded all over their bodies! If it weren't for Poppy (Madam Pomfrey), they would be out for days. How could you let this happen?"

Quirrell's voice turned cold, "Minerva, I can only repeat myself. I am teaching Defence Against the Dark Arts, not Literature and Arts. The students must learn to defend themselves. They cannot do that if they are coddled and protected at all times. Besides we have Poppy, and not using all our resources to teach would waste the talent of so many students."

McGonagall insisted, "And you think intentionally causing harm to your students is the way to do that? That is not how we teach at Hogwarts. The safety of our students comes first."

Quirrell's voice rose a tone, "The safety of our students is precisely what I want to guarantee by teaching them. In the real world, they will face dangers that cannot be avoided by simply running away. They must know how to fight back, and they cannot do that if they are not given the chance to practice."

McGonagall still refused to budge, "That is not an excuse. You cannot put our students in danger like this."

Quirrell's voice got colder and more threatening, "Are you dictating to me how I should teach my students, Minerva? Are you questioning my authority in my own classroom? Do you suggest I teach them dueling so that they become easy prey for dark wizards who don't follow your fancy rules?"

McGonagall took a deep breath and said sternly, "Under no circumstances should you intentionally cause harm to your students, even for teaching purposes. It is strictly forbidden."

Quirrell's eyes narrowed, "I will teach my class the way I want. If the headmaster doesn't like it, he can find another teacher."

McGonagall replied, "You are right. We will talk to the headmaster about this. You cannot force your students to fight each other. I am sure the headmaster will see it the same way as I do."

Quirrell responded coldly but calculated, "You know, Minerva, I agree with you. I will give the students a choice."

McGonagall asked surprised, "You're willing to compromise?"

Quirrell nodded, "I'm not unreasonable, Minerva. But I believe that my teaching methods are effective, and I will not compromise on that. They don't have to come to my class. They will receive a pass from me if they don't want to attend, but they will have to self-study the books for their exams. But if they want to attend my class, they will have to comply with my teaching methods."

McGonagall realized that she had fallen into Quirrell's trap. She knew that most students would still go to Quirrell's lessons after he promised to teach them real defence. She ended the discussion in defeat and said that they would still talk with the headmaster about this.

As McGonagall returned to the infirmary, she checked on the injured students and inquired about their recovery time from Madam Pomfrey. The good news was that most of them would be back on their feet in an hour. Just then, one of the students, Oliver Wood, piped up and reminded her of their earlier conversation.

"Professor McGonagall, you interrupted the class because you wanted to speak to me. What did you want to discuss?" Oliver asked from his hospital bed.

Feeling apologetic for interrupting his class and indirectly causing the class to go awry, McGonagall replied, "I'm sorry for disturbing your lesson, Mr. Wood. I wanted to let you know that I've found a new member for the Gryffindor Quidditch team."

Oliver sat up with renewed energy at the prospect of a new team member, "Really? Who is it? We need to start training immediately so we can get revenge against Slytherin."

McGonagall's voice was filled with excitement as she revealed, "It's none other than the young Mr. Potter. I'll order him a broom as soon as I get back into my office, and you can start training him right away. He's a natural talent and might even surpass Charlie Weasley."

As the discussion continued, Atlas and Neville were promptly kicked out of the infirmary by Madam Pomfrey since they were just eavesdropping on the conversation and didn't require further healing.

Atlas and Neville strolled through the castle's hallways, heading back to the Gryffindor common room. The events that took place on the training field were still fresh in their minds, and they couldn't help but talk about them.

Atlas, who was never shy to share his opinion, ranted about how upset he was that Madam Hooch didn't stop Neville's fall. "I mean, come on! She's the flying class teacher! She should know a simple spell like 'Arresto Momentum' to prevent students from getting hurt!"

Neville, who was feeling a bit embarrassed about his mishap, tried to downplay it. "It's okay, Atlas. I'm not too bothered about the fall. I just hope my grandma doesn't hear about it. She's always on my case about doing well in school."

Atlas nodded sympathetically. "I know how that feels. But listen, Neville, you need to focus on yourself and what makes you happy. Don't worry so much about what others, especially your grandma, think."

Neville appreciated the advice and decided to take it to heart. But then, the conversation took a turn towards the exciting news of Harry becoming the next Gryffindor seeker.

"Can you believe it, Atlas? Harry's going to be our new seeker! First years never get into the Quidditch team!" Neville exclaimed, his eyes shining with excitement.

Atlas couldn't agree more. "I know, right? He's got natural talent. I heard Professor McGonagall herself say that Harry might even be better than Charlie Weasley! Whatever that means. But I think he should have been quite good from the way McGonagall said that."

Neville sighed wistfully. "I wish I had that kind of talent. But I guess I'll just have to settle for cheering from the sidelines."

Atlas nudged Neville playfully. "Hey, don't sell yourself short. You never know what you're capable of until you try. On the other hand, if you don't have a talent for flying, we can still cheer our team on together."

The two friends grinned at each other as they entered the common room, eager to share the exciting news with their fellow Gryffindors.

The common room was bustling with excitement, and all eyes were on Harry. The news had already spread like wildfire that he had joined the Quidditch team, and everyone wanted to know how he managed to do it and what position he would play. Harry tried his best to answer the barrage of questions, but his lack of Quidditch knowledge left him struggling to respond.

Eventually, the crowd dispersed, and Neville approached Harry to retrieve his remembrall. He thanked Harry for standing up to Malfoy and saving his prized possession. As the initial commotion died down, the group realized that they had some time before astronomy class. Atlas decided they should be productive and get some homework done.

Ron, Harry, and Seamus groaned at the thought of homework, wishing they could instead play games or chat about Quidditch. But Atlas stepped in and motivated them, saying that completing their homework first would allow them to enjoy their leisure time later without any lingering guilt. Although his comment didn't create much enthusiasm, the group reluctantly made their way to the library.

Once there, Atlas noticed that Hermione was already studying with Ethan's group again. He winked at her, but knew better than to invite her over. He didn't want her to become frustrated if she saw how unteachable some of the others in their group were.

Atlas was determined to finish his homework for Potions class, despite the distractions caused by Harry and Ron. After he completed the regular homework, he took on the extra assignments set by Professor Snape. While most of the mistakes in the potion recipes were common, a few were so bizarre that Atlas had to figure out what would happen if someone actually followed them. He was surprised to discover that one of the errors actually increased the potency of the forgetfulness potion, although it would probably lead to severe amnesia if the dosage was not adjusted correctly.

Despite his frustration with Snape's teaching methods, Atlas had to admit that the potions master tried to teach him something. With his homework completed, Atlas wanted to head to the Great Hall for dinner. He spotted Hermione and Ethan's group still studying in the library, but was surprised when they declined his invitation to join him for dinner. Hermione explained that they had one more task to solve, and she wanted to repay them for their earlier help.

Undeterred, Atlas decided to sit with Harry and Ron, who were busy discussing Harry's Quidditch team membership. Fred and George were sitting with him, and Atlas could even spot Wood on his way to them.

Atlas found himself growing increasingly bored with the Quidditch conversation. As much as he tried to feign interest, he couldn't help but find the game tedious and the rules absurd. In his old world, virtual reality sports were much more exciting and had greater tension, but even then, sports in general just weren't his thing. The only thing that piqued his interest was the fact that Harry seemed almost too scared to even try playing the game. He apparently wasn't convinced that he had a talent for the sport and would do just fine.

As Atlas was about to leave, Hermione appeared out of nowhere and plopped down beside him. She wasted no time in asking about his potion homework, eager to compare notes after dinner. Despite the extra assignments he had been given, Hermione offered to help him if he needed it. As they talked, Hermione's admiration for Ethan and the Ravenclaw girls, Leona and Amy, was clear. She gushed about their incredible intelligence and willingness to assist others. Atlas found himself intrigued by this, wondering if they were connected to the hero in some way or just overlooked Ravenclaws who didn't receive much attention because they were considered bookworms. However, Hermione's endorsement of their abilities made him believe that they were truly talented. While he had only seen a glimpse of Ethan's knowledge, if Hermione spoke highly of the other two as well, then they must be exceptional.

As Hermione quickly gobbled down her food, Atlas sat back and urged her to slow down and enjoy her meal. "You don't need to hurry so much. Enjoy your dinner; I have time."

Hermione slowed down a bit, getting a bit pink in the face.

Atlas giggled "Well, then, let me tell you the latest news in the meantime." He told her of Quirrell's and McGonagall's discussion. "I could understand both of their perspectives. But I'm more inclined to side with Quirrell, as his way of teaching promises great effectiveness."

Hermione listened quietly while eating but began to frown a little.

Atlas asked, "Apparently you enjoy the food, but the topic is causing you to frown. What do you think about it?"

Hermione answered between a few bites "I already thought something like that would happen. No normal school would allow students to fight each other the way Quirrell demanded."

Atlas quickly argued against that "Hogwarts isn't a normal school, and I don't think it's that surprising. Look at the Weasley twins over there, describing loudly and in great detail how they would kill the Slytherin team with bludgers in the next game. If Quidditch is allowed in Hogwarts, then an actual self-defence class should have at least the same, if not a greater, tolerance for injuries, don't you think."

Hermione thought about that and screwed up on a piece of potato.

Atlas patted her back a bit and handed her her glass of water "Are you alright?"

Hermione answered, still coughing a bit, "I'm alright, just screwed up a bit."

As she took a sip of water to clear her throat, he couldn't help but notice how human she seemed in that moment. He had seen the movies so often and read the books even more often that he had a picture of her in his head, where she didn't really make any errors. Seeing her like that made him realize that his perspective on the people around him was heavily influenced by the original story and his mission. It made him realize the people around him were more than some fictional characters, and he didn't realize until now that he sometimes treated them as such.

Atlas leaned back in his chair, deep in thought. It was like a light bulb had suddenly flickered on in his head. He had always known that knowing and understanding were two very different things, but he hadn't quite realized how true that was until now. Looking back on some of his past behavior, he felt a pang of guilt. He thought about how he had let Neville injure himself just so Harry could play Quidditch and he could test Quirrell. And that was just the tip of the iceberg—there were other moments, like how he had treated Jason before he went to Hogwarts. The guilt was almost overwhelming, and Atlas wondered if he was really cut out for saving the multiverse. Another fact, a fact he didn't want to think about too deeply since he felt his parents cared for him, surfaced.

Suddenly, Hermione's concerned voice broke through his thoughts. She asked him if everything was alright, and although he hesitated at first, he eventually nodded and said he was fine. However, he hadn't realised that tears were running down his cheeks, and Hermione's concern only grew. She asked him why he was crying, and even with his minimal legilimency skills, he could feel her genuine concern for him. Feeling mentally exhausted, Atlas hastily wiped away his tears and tried to distract himself. He tried to change the topic and asked Hermione if she had finished eating and asked if she wanted to go to the library or the common room to compare notes. Hermione seemed to realise that she wouldn't get an answer and led the way to the library. As they got up from the table, Atlas couldn't help but feel grateful for Hermione's presence. He knew he would never talk with anyone about his mission but having a friend by his side that cared for him felt nice.

Atlas and Hermione spent hours poring over their notes in the library, the dim light of the flickering candles casting a soft glow over their faces. They were so engrossed in their work that they didn't even notice when Madam Pince began to tidy up around them, muttering under her breath about the young students who never seemed to leave.

Finally, with a loud "ahem," Madam Pince interrupted their study session, informing them that the library was closing for the day. Atlas and Hermione reluctantly packed up their books and notes, but they still managed to correct an error Hermione pointed out in one of Atlas's calculations for an extra assignment.

Together, they dove back into the recipe, determined to find the correct solution. And after some careful research and experimentation, they discovered that the seemingly useless recipe actually had another purpose: it could be used to create a perfectly functional forgetfulness potion in half the time, but the cost was tripled.

Hermione and Atlas walked out of the library, their heads filled with newfound knowledge. As they made their way down the corridor, Hermione suddenly grabbed Atlas's hand, startling him.

"Hey, if you want to talk about what happened at dinner, I'm here," she said gently. "But I would understand if you don't want to."

Atlas didn't respond, so Hermione began to speak again, sharing her own experiences of feeling alone and scared when she first arrived at Hogwarts. "I was worried that people wouldn't accept me like they did at my old school," she admitted, her voice becoming slightly shaky. "And I was scared that I wouldn't make any friends here. When Seamus shut me down for talking about the magical theory book, I even despaired a bit."

As Hermione spoke, Atlas felt a wave of guilt wash over him. Partly because he could understand Seamus' behavior in that moment very well, but mainly because his own lack of control caused her to worry and even break down too. He stopped walking and looked at her helplessly, unsure of what to say.

But then he gripped her hand, with which she was still holding his own, tightly and reassured her that she didn't have to worry about being alone. "We're friends," he said sincerely. "And if you ever need someone to talk to, I'm here for you too."

He hesitated for a moment before adding, "I do have some worries of my own, but I'm not ready to talk about them yet." He felt a pang of guilt as he lied to her, as he didn't have the intention of ever talking about it. He couldn't bring himself to share his true burden out of fear of ruining everything.

Hermione seemed to calm down at his words, and Atlas wanted to cheer her up for good. "You know, even if I weren't your friend, Bald Crabbe looked like he wanted to get to know you," he joked, earning a punch on the shoulder and a teasing scowl from Hermione. "What?" "He was interested in you, not me." She pretended to be angry for a moment, but they both burst out laughing the next second.

"I'm glad we're friends," Atlas said, smiling.

"Me too," Hermione replied, still giggling. "Now, let's go to the astronomy tower."