A mother's proposal

Atlas was filled with excitement as they approached the wall that led to Diagon Alley. He had read about it countless times in his books, but seeing it in person was an entirely different experience. His mother noticed his excitement and smiled at him.

"Are you ready, Atlas?" she asked.

Atlas nodded vigorously. "Yes, Mom! I can't wait to see it!"

His father, who was a bit more reserved, gave him a reassuring pat on the back. "Just remember to behave yourself, Atlas. We don't want to cause any trouble."

Atlas knew his father was always a bit uneasy around magic, but he couldn't help feeling a little disappointed that he didn't share in his excitement. Still, he knew he had to keep his focus on the task at hand.

As they approached the wall, they could hear the chatter and laughter of the people on the other side. Some of them looked over curiously at Atlas' family as they approached.

His mother stepped forward and placed her hand on the rough stone wall. "Now, Atlas," she said, turning to face him. "I want you to pay attention. This is important."

Atlas nodded, eager to learn.

"Okay," his mother continued. "You see that brick right there, the one with the chipped corner? That's the one you need to tap first with a wand." His mother continued to show him the whole sequence to open the door.

Atlas looked closely and saw the brick his mother was pointing at. "Okay, I got it."

"Good," she said with a smile. "Now, after you tap the bricks, you need to step back a bit."

Atlas took his mother's wand and tapped the bricks as instructed. He then took a few steps back and watched as suddenly a large archway appeared where there was once just a plain brick wall.

Atlas's eyes widened in amazement. His mother chuckled.

His father shook his head in fascination. "I still can't believe that," he muttered.

Atlas couldn't help but feel a bit sorry for his father. He knew he didn't understand magic like they did. But he couldn't let that dampen his excitement for the adventure that awaited him in Diagon Alley.

Atlas felt a strange tingling sensation as he passed through the arch and stepped into Diagon Alley. The street was bustling with witches, wizards, and magical creatures, each going about their business with a sense of purpose. He couldn't help but stare in amazement at the magical storefronts that lined the street.

"Come on, Atlas," his mother said, pulling him out of his trance. "We have a lot to do today."

Atlas followed her through the crowds, taking in the sights and sounds around him. He felt like a kid in a candy store, eager to explore every inch of the magical world he had always dreamed of.

As they approached Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions, his mother explained that they needed to get him properly fitted for his Hogwarts robes. Atlas nodded, understanding the importance of looking the part at school.

Inside the shop, they were greeted by a young, blonde witch who appeared to be around eighteen years old. "Ah, another Hogwarts student, I assume," she said with a smile.

Atlas nodded nervously, feeling a bit intimidated by the older witch. He watched as she took out her wand and measuring tool, flying around him to get his measurements.

"So, what house are you in?" the witch asked casually as she worked.

Atlas was taken aback by the question. "I don't know yet," he admitted.

The witch looked surprised. "Oh, a freshman, I see. Well, no matter. We have a charm that can solve that problem,"

As she continued to measure him, she explained the different types of robes and outfits he would need at Hogwarts. Atlas listened intently, trying to take it all in. When she mentioned the house colors and sigils, he interrupted her with a question regarding the charm.

The witch smiled knowingly. "For the details, you have to ask my grandmother, but I guess it's a trade secret, but the robes have a charm that will change them to the colors and sigil of your house once you're sorted. All you have to do is place your wand on the label and say the name of your house."

As they left the shop with his father carrying the new robes in hand, he couldn't help but feel excited for the next store on their list.

As Atlas stepped into Flourish and Blotts, he was immediately mesmerized by the rows upon rows of books. He couldn't wait to explore the magical world through literature. He heard the owner talking to one of his clerks, instructing him to place the books where they belong before the influx of Hogwarts students arrives. The clerk, with a swish of his wand, levitated a pile of books and muttered about the never-ending task of organizing the store for the upcoming school year.

The owner turned to Atlas and his mother and asked, "Books for Hogwarts, I assume? Which year do you attend, young wizard?" Atlas replied, brimming with excitement, "I'm a first-year student at Hogwarts!" The owner called out to the clerk, "Steve, one set of first-year books for our young wizard here!"

Atlas interrupted, eager to get as many books as he could, "Excuse me, sir, but could I please have books for the first four years instead?" His mother had promised him that he could buy more books once he started at Hogwarts, and he didn't want to miss out on any magical knowledge. The owner hesitated, but after confirming the order with a questioning look at Amelia, he ordered Steve to get the books until the fourth year.

After giving his order to the owner, Atlas wandered around the store, his eyes scanning the titles and spines of countless books. His mother agreed to let him buy the books till the fourth grade, and after some haggling, he was allowed to buy three more books of his choosing. He couldn't believe he was finally in a magical bookstore, surrounded by knowledge and possibilities. An hour later, he returned to his mother with three books clutched tightly in his arms.

The first book was titled "My Thoughts, Your Thoughts, Our Thoughts: A Guide to Learning Legitimacy and Occlumency." Atlas had heard of these powerful mind-reading and mind-blocking arts and was fascinated by them. The second book, "From Deathbrew to Luckpotion: The Potions You Don't Learn at School," was a guide to more unconventional and risky potions. Atlas was drawn to the idea of brewing potions that could help him in dire situations. Specially, the luck potion "Felix felices" could give him an edge in killing the hero. The poisons were just an extra benefit.

The last book, "Counterspells and Curses: A Guide to Staying Safe in Battle," was a compromise. While Atlas really wanted books that focused on offensive spells, he knew his mother wouldn't approve of them. He hoped that this book would at least provide him with some knowledge on how to defend himself against dark magic.

As they walked towards the Potage's Cauldron Shop, Atlas clutched the books he had just purchased tightly to his chest. He was so excited to start reading them and learn all about the magical world. While his father was busy stuffing the rest of the books inside a bag, Amelia walked alongside Atlas, her expression serious.

"Atlas, I saw the books you chose," she said, her voice stern. "I understand your curiosity, but you must be careful with what you learn. Some spells and potions can be dangerous, I expect that you use them responsibly. And we will have a talk about privacy if you really want to study legilimency."

Atlas nodded, knowing that his mother was right. He had always been curious about the more advanced and potentially dangerous aspects of magic, and he also knew that he needed the knowledge, but his mother didn't know that.

As they entered the cauldron shop, Atlas was amazed at the variety of shapes and sizes of cauldrons. He eagerly ordered the ones he needed and watched as his father, Edward, struggled to carry everything they bought. Amelia suggested they have it sent straight to Hogwarts, which Edward thought was a great idea.

As they left the shop, they spotted a small ice cream parlor and decided to stop for a treat. Atlas happily licked his ice cream as his parents talked about their own experiences in the wizarding world. His father regaled them with stories of how the things they saw there caused crusades in the muggle world and are now regarded as mere legends.

Finally, they arrived at Ollivanders. Atlas was nervous but excited to finally get his wand. As he entered the shop, he was greeted by the musty smell of old wood and the sound of shelves rattling. Mr. Ollivander was an old man with thin silver hair and piercing blue eyes.

Atlas stepped forward and introduced himself. Olivander asked him a few questions about his family and which Hogwarts house he wanted to be in before taking out a measuring tape and measuring his arm span, height, and the distance between his eyes.

Finally, he pulled out a wand from one of the boxes and handed it to Atlas. The moment he touched it, he felt a strange sensation. The wand seemed to hum in his hand, and he knew it was the right one for him.

Olivander observed Atlas closely and nodded in approval. "Eleven inches, made of cherry wood with a core of dragon heartstring," he said. "A powerful combination. It seems that you and this wand have chosen each other." Ollivander said with a twinkle in his eye. "But be careful with it, that wand has a bit of a temper."

Atlas was amazed by the accuracy of Olivander's assessment. He had heard that getting the right wand was important, but he didn't expect it to feel so natural. As he waved the wand, he felt a surge of magic as he casted lumos and a blinding light flooded the room. He knew this was the wand he was meant to have.

He turned to his mother and father, who were both watching him with pride. "It feels perfect," he said, grinning.

Atlas felt a rush of excitement about having his own wand. He couldn't wait to start practicing the more dangerous applications of the household spells he had learned.

As they walked through the crowded streets of Diagon Alley, Atlas's eyes were constantly drawn to the owls that fluttered by in their cages. He couldn't help but imagine himself with a beautiful owl companion like Hedwig from the books. The thought of having a loyal friend accompany him on his magical journey was enticing, but at the same time, he was worried about the responsibility that came with owning a pet.

As they made their way to the last shop on their list, Atlas's mind was still preoccupied with the idea of getting an owl. However, he knew that asking his parents for one would only lead to more stress and distractions from his studies. He already had a lot to focus on, and he didn't want to add more to his plate.

Despite his love for animals, Atlas had to be practical. He knew that caring for an owl would take time, money, and attention, and he wasn't sure he could afford a distraction from his mission. Plus, he could always use the school's owls for a few knuts to send letters, which was a convenient alternative.

As they walked out of the last shop, his parents chatted about dinner plans, but Atlas's mind was still preoccupied with the idea of an owl. He decided to push the thought out of his mind for now and focus on his studies.

As they entered their home, his mother went directly into the kitchen, and soon the aroma of a delicious meal filled the air. Atlas's stomach grumbled with anticipation. His mother busied herself with preparing a mouth-watering feast while Atlas and his father set the table. As they sat down to eat, Atlas's father couldn't stop praising his wife's culinary skills, and Atlas savored every bite of the meal.

However, as soon as they finished eating, Atlas's mother asked him to stay back for a talk. He could sense that something serious was coming, and his heart sank. His mother used her wand to clean the dishes, and they neatly arranged themselves on the shelves. Then, she sat down with Atlas and started talking about the responsibilities that came with owning his own wand.

Atlas listened intently as his mother explained that he wouldn't be allowed to cast spells anymore, now that he owned his own wand. She reminded him that the Trace would now be applied to him, as it would to all underage wand owners, and underage wizards weren't allowed to cast magic outside of school. As his mother spoke, Atlas's mind raced with thoughts of disappointment and confusion. He had completely forgotten about the Trace after being allowed to cast magic with his mother's wand, and his previous thoughts of being able to practice magic outside of school now seemed like a distant dream.

Atlas's mother continued, her voice softening as she noticed the look of devastation on her son's face. She reassured him that he could still practice brewing potions, and she would help him learn the theoretical knowledge in his new magic books.

Atlas was determined to learn legilimency before he even stepped foot in Hogwarts. He knew that it would be the fastest way to find the hero, unless he or she was wearing a T-shirt that said, "I'm a hero from another world."

He started by reading and memorizing as much as he could from his book, "My Thoughts, Your Thoughts, Our Thoughts: A Guide to Learning Legilimency and Occlumency." He needed to practice, but he had no one to practice on.

Atlas nervously approached his mother and asked if she could teach him legilimency. Atlas was eager to practice his newly learned legilimency skills and approached his mother with a request to practice on her. But to his disappointment, his mother rejected his request. Atlas didn't take no for an answer, played the part of a spoiled brat, and continued to pester her until she finally gave in. But there was a catch. His mother would only agree to let Atlas practice legilimency on her if he also agreed to learn occlumency and allow her to practice legilimency on him.

Atlas was taken aback by the proposal. He wasn't sure if he wanted his mother to invade his mind like that. What if she found out something he didn't want her to know? What if she discovered his true identity? The thought frightened him.

Atlas hesitated, feeling a sudden surge of panic at the thought of his mother delving into his mind. If she can use legilimency, what if she already found out his secret? But then he remembered that his parents would never treat him differently if they knew about his origins.

His mother noticed his hesitation and tried to reassure him. She explained that legilimency was a powerful tool and that it should only be used with great care and responsibility, and that she only wanted him to understand what he asked of her. She also reminded Atlas that his privacy was just as important as anyone else's, and that she would never use legilimency on him without his consent.

Despite his mother's reassurances, Atlas was still unsure. He didn't want to risk his privacy, but he also didn't want to miss the opportunity to practice his legilimency skills. In the end, he decided to decline his mother's offer, but not before his mother gave him a final piece of advice: "Remember, Atlas, the ability to read someone else's mind is not a privilege, it's a responsibility."

In addition to that, without a wand, he had to rely solely on his own mental abilities to learn the art of legilimency. He tried practicing on himself, trying to read his own thoughts and emotions. It was difficult at first, as his own mind was cluttered with various thoughts and worries. But slowly, he learned to calm his mind and focus his thoughts, which made it easier to read his own mind. If he was completely honest with himself, he wasn't sure he succeeded, and he scolded himself for thinking reading his own mind was a good idea or made sense in any way. But then a new plan emerged in his head.

Atlas felt a twinge of guilt as he walked towards Jason's house. He knew that he shouldn't be practicing legilimency on someone without their consent, but he couldn't shake the thought that he needed to be prepared for whatever challenges awaited him at Hogwarts.

As he knocked on the door, he took a deep breath to steady himself. When Jason answered the door, he was all smiles and greeted Atlas with a warm hug. They chatted for a bit about their summer activities, and Atlas found himself struggling to concentrate on the conversation. He couldn't stop thinking about the possibility of delving into Jason's mind.

After a while, they went up to Jason's room to play some video games. Atlas suggested that they try out a new card game that he had brought over, one that required a bit of mental focus. He used this as an excuse to start practicing his legilimency skills.

At first, it was difficult for Atlas to concentrate on both the game and his attempts at reading Jason's thoughts. But slowly, he started to pick up on little snippets of information. It was like trying to tune in to a distant radio station, but once he managed to get a clear signal, he could at least read his surface thoughts, like what cards he had on hand or what cards he needed at the moment. Most of the time, it was more like feeling his emotions than actually reading his thoughts.

As they wrapped up their game, Atlas couldn't help but feel conflicted. He wanted to be the best wizard he could be, but he disliked betraying his friend's trust. He left Jason's house feeling uncertain about how to balance his thirst for knowledge with his sense of morality.

As he continued to practice, he started to notice that he was becoming more attuned to the thoughts and emotions of those around him. With a bit of focus, he could tell when someone was feeling happy or sad and could sometimes sense when someone was lying to him. It was a small victory but still quite unreliable, but it gave him hope that he could use legilimence in his search for the hero.