Hogwarts Attacks

Days at Hogwarts settled into a routine for Alex. Like other students, he attended most of his classes, though he pointedly avoided Defense Against the Dark Arts.

The other professors, particularly Flitwick and McGonagall, were beginning to take notice of his sharp intellect and reserved nature, but Alex preferred to stay out of the limelight.

In his free time, Alex often found himself in the library or the Ravenclaw common room, reading books leisurely.

Occasionally, he'd sit with Harry, Ron, and Hermione during breaks, though their interactions grew quieter.

Luna became a frequent presence around him, and Alex took to looking out for her. Luna's calm demeanor and unique worldview intrigued Alex, and he thought of her as the little sister he never had.

While her peers often dismissed her as eccentric, Alex saw her as a kind soul caught in a world too narrow-minded to appreciate her perspective.

Alex peeked into her soul once, and he was surprised to find that Luna's soul was the purest he had ever seen apart from the beings he had created personally.

Part of his ability, gained when he absorbed the knowledge from Eru Ilúvatar, was to create and give souls to the life he created. It also became inherent for him, upon adapting to his power, to be able to see one's soul. He found that despite her age, Luna's soul was untainted and remained pure.

One day, as Alex was returning from the library, he heard raised voices near the staircase. He turned the corner to find Luna cornered by a group of senior Slytherin girls, their mocking laughter echoing in the hallway.

"What's this? Loony Lovegood thinks she belongs in our space?" one sneered.

Before Alex could intervene, Luna responded in her typical dreamy tone, "I don't think this space belongs to anyone. It's just a hallway."

The Slytherins laughed, blocking her path.

"That's enough," Alex said, his voice calm but carrying a weight that made the students freeze.

They turned to see Alex, his expression unreadable.

"Do you gain pleasure from your actions and think it will give you something you want to achieve?" Alex asked, staring at their uncomfortable expressions.

"Do you know what I despise the most? Those who can only flaunt their superiority to those weaker. I call them cowards. Trash." His expression grew colder as he uttered each word slowly and clearly.

The Slytherins scrambled away, some of them sobbing.

Alex turned to Luna, who was unperturbed as always.

"Thank you, Alex," she said with a faint smile.

Alex sighed and shook his head. "You should really learn to fight back sometimes, you know."

Meanwhile, Alex noticed that Hermione had been keeping her distance from him ever since he gifted Luna the two-tailed fox.

He still greeted her and occasionally joined Harry and Ron in conversation, but Hermione's responses were clipped and polite.

Alex couldn't help but smile at her subtle jealousy, but he decided to let her work through it on her own.

When Hermione's birthday arrived on the nineteenth of September, Alex decided to make amends in his own way. He made a quiet trip to Diagon Alley and purchased a half-Kneazle kitten from the Magical Menagerie.

At the dining hall, "Happy birthday, Hermione," Alex said, handing her the kitten.

Hermione's eyes widened in surprise. "Alex... you didn't have to—"

"Oh, don't mention it," Alex interrupted. "I found it very lonely; no one wanted to buy her."

Hermione's face softened, and she smiled as she cradled the kitten. "Thank you, Alex. She's wonderful. I'll name her Crookshanks."

The gesture seemed to mend whatever bad feelings she had, and Hermione began sharing stories of her adventures with Harry and Ron again, much to Alex's relief.

The peace at Hogwarts was shattered when the first attack came. Mrs. Norris, the caretaker's cat, was found petrified near the second-floor corridor.

The students were in an uproar, whispers of "the Chamber of Secrets" spreading like wildfire.

Alex watched the events unfold much as they had in the original series. He admired Dumbledore's patience and dedication. He could sense the old headmaster patrolling the castle every night, ensuring no unforeseen harm came to the students.

For his part, Alex refrained from interfering with the unfolding events. He knew the story would play out as it should, culminating in Harry's confrontation with the basilisk.

Until that moment, Alex focused on his own part of the script. When the time came, and Harry defeated the basilisk, Alex would take his next steps: raiding Gringotts to retrieve Hufflepuff's cup, removing the piece of Voldemort's soul from Harry, and accompanying Dumbledore to Albania to destroy Voldemort.

As the weeks passed, Hogwarts buzzed with the news of Harry being hospitalized with a broken and deboned arm after Quidditch.

The frenzy reached a peak when Colin Creevey was found petrified, throwing the school into a panic. Students scrambled to buy amulets and charms against the supposed "monster," though Alex knew they were useless.

When Christmas vacation arrived, Alex decided to take extra precautions to ensure the safety of the castle. Late one night, he made his way to the entrance of the Chamber of Secrets.

Using his abilities, Alex bypassed the Parseltongue lock and descended into the chamber. The sleeping basilisk lay coiled in the depths. Alex studied the creature through his unique perspective and discovered interesting details.

The basilisk was not a natural creature but an alchemical creation. Runes etched its bones, particularly concentrated around its eyes, acted as focal points for its lethal gaze. Alex examined the runes closely. Based on his knowledge, they were part of an ancient, lost art.

"These runes work like the Killing Curse," Alex murmured.

Taking out his wand, Alex cast a veil of magic over the runes in the basilisk's eyes, nullifying their soul-targeting effects. With this modification, the creature's gaze would no longer be lethal, only petrifying if someone looked directly into its eyes.

Satisfied with his work, Alex returned to the Ravenclaw dormitory.

When Christmas vacation began, Alex accompanied the other students to the train station in Hogsmeade. On the journey, Luna sat beside him. As they disembarked in London, she turned to him with a warm smile.

"Would you like to spend Christmas with my father and me, Alex?" she asked, her tone light yet hopeful.

Alex smiled and patted her head gently but shook his head. "Thank you, Luna, but I have plans to return home. Maybe another time."

Luna nodded, accepting his polite refusal without question, and waved as they parted ways.

Back at his villa, Alex settled into the familiar comfort of his home. He gathered his household staff, including Edmund, and addressed them.

"Take some time off and spend Christmas with your families," Alex instructed. He handed Edmund a hefty bonus for everyone, ensuring they could enjoy the holiday without worry.

As the villa grew quiet with their absence, Alex turned his attention to preparing gifts for his acquaintances at Hogwarts.

He crafted personalized space pouches for Hermione, Harry, and Luna, each enchanted with more than five cubic meters of space. For Ron, Alex spent time crafting a wand, something tailored to his personality and magical aptitude.

Finally, for Dumbledore, Alex prepared a drop of Twin Tree Dew, a powerful magical substance capable of enhancing a wizard's magic and extending their lifespan.

With Alex's gifts neatly wrapped and ready for delivery, he created several magical owls set to carry the packages so they would arrive on Christmas morning.