Deal with the Headmaster

Hagrid's heavy steps caused the forest floor to tremble slightly as he emerged from the shadows, his lantern casting flickering beams of light.

Hermione and Ron trailed close behind, their eyes wide with curiosity and concern.

"What's goin' on 'ere?" Hagrid's booming voice broke the tension as he glanced between Alex, the boys, and the darkened forest.

His gaze landed on the unicorn's glowing hoofprints fading into the distance. "That poor unicorn, someone's been after 'em again, haven't they?"

"Yes, Hagrid," Harry said quickly, pointing in the direction where Quirrell had disappeared. "It was a cloaked man, and he tried to drink the unicorn's blood! But Alex stopped him!" Harry gestured toward Alex and the silver blood pool on the ground.

Hagrid's bushy eyebrows knitted together as he scrutinized Alex. "And who might yeh be?" he asked, his tone suspicious but not unkind.

Alex offered a polite smile. "My name is Alex, I couldn't stand by and let such a majestic creature suffer."

Hermione stepped forward, her brown eyes filled with curiosity. "Hello, my name is Hermione. You can heal unicorns?" she asked, her voice tinged with disbelief. "That's incredible magic. I've never read about any magic or anyone outside the wizarding world who could do that." Hermione added, looking at the pool of blood.

Alex chuckled softly, looking at this curious baby. "I've... had some unique abilities."

Ron nudged Harry with his elbow, muttering under his breath, "Bet he's a secret wizard or something."

Hagrid, however, seemed uneasy. He towered over Alex, his keen eyes trying to decipher the stranger. "Well, Alex, why don' yeh come back to my hut? The forest ain't safe at this hour."

Alex nodded amiably. "Thank you, Hagrid. I'd be honored."

The warmth of the fire and the smell of freshly baked rock cakes greeted Alex as he stepped inside Hagrid's cozy cabin.

Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Draco squeezed into chairs around the massive wooden table, while Alex chose to stand by the door.

Hagrid busied himself with pouring tea, occasionally casting cautious glances at Alex.

Hermione, however, wasted no time. "So, where did you study magic?" she asked. "Hogwarts? Or perhaps Ilvermorny?"

Alex gave her an enigmatic smile. "Nowhere officially. I've learned a bit here and there during my travels."

Hermione frowned, clearly unsatisfied with such a vague answer.

Ron, on the other hand, whispered to Harry, "He's probably a vagabond wizard. Bet he's seen loads of cool stuff."

Draco, leaning back in his chair, crossed his arms and studied Alex with a calculating gaze. "You say you're not a Muggle, but you don't seem like a proper wizard either. What are you, really?"

Alex met Draco's gaze evenly and smiled. "Guess."

Before Draco could retort, a soft knock echoed through the hut.

Hagrid opened the door to reveal none other than Professor Dumbledore himself, his robes shimmering faintly in the firelight.

"Ah, Hagrid," Dumbledore said, his voice warm yet commanding. "Thank you for your letter. I believe I should speak with our guest privately." His piercing blue eyes immediately found Alex.

Hagrid nodded, ushering the students out with a gentle but firm hand. "Off with yeh now. Back to the castle. No arguments."

Harry and the others reluctantly filed out, their whispers trailing behind them.

"And you must be Alex. I believe we have much to discuss." The headmaster's presence filled the room with an air of authority.

"Hello, Professor, I'm Alex Anderson," Alex said with a slight smile. 'Dumbledore indeed looks authoritative and powerful despite his age,' Alex thought as he looked squarely at the old Headmaster.

"You seem to know me," Dumbledore began, his tone calm but probing. "And yet, I cannot recall meeting you before."

Alex's lips quirked into a faint smile. "Professor, let's just say I've studied your work extensively. You're something of a legend, are you not?"

Dumbledore tilted his head. "I've had my fair share of achievements, you could say that."

"I came from America," Alex said smoothly. "I've traveled far to learn more about magic, and Hogwarts seemed like the perfect place to start."

Suspicion flickered in Dumbledore's eyes. With a subtle motion, he attempted to cast Legilimency on Alex, seeking the truth within his mind.

However, the spell backfired almost instantly, causing Dumbledore to stagger slightly and his glasses to crack.

[He wanted to read your thoughts, stupid old man,] Lily's voice echoed softly in Alex's mind, a hint of amusement in her tone.

Hagrid's mouth fell open in shock. "Professor Dumbledore! Are yeh alright?"

Alex sighed, shaking his head. "Professor, it's rather rude to read someone's mind without permission."

Dumbledore straightened, his expression unreadable. "My apologies. It seems you're more than you appear, Mr. Anderson."

"No harm done, Professor," Alex replied. "To put it simply, I'm not here to cause any harm. I'm here for knowledge. I have no interest in the Philosopher's Stone either, or anything else you might suspect."

Dumbledore's eyebrows rose slightly. "And yet, you know of the Stone?"

Alex raised his hand, allowing a swirling ball of energy to materialize above his palm. It pulsed with power, radiating a golden light that filled the room.

"Professor," Alex said, his voice steady, "I wield power far beyond what the Stone could ever offer."

Hagrid gasped, while Dumbledore's eyes narrowed in contemplation. "And what is it that you seek, Mr. Anderson?"

Alex lowered his hand, letting the energy dissipate. "What I seek, Professor, is an agreement. Allow me to stay at Hogwarts to study magic.

Grant me access to the library, including the restricted sections. In return, I'll share something valuable with you: Voldemort's greatest weakness and how to defeat him."

Dumbledore's silence stretched, the crackling of the fire the only sound in the room. After a moment, he leaned back, folding his hands thoughtfully.

Then, with a small nod, he said, "You ask for much, Alex, but I believe this is a gamble worth taking. Welcome to Hogwarts. I will arrange a position for you while you remain here to learn magic directly from me."

"That won't be needed, Professor." After Alex finished speaking, his body glowed with golden light and changed into that of a young boy, around 11 years old, similar to a first-year.

He had mastered this ability during late-night conversations with Lily, often about his inability to go to bars and drink alcohol.

Hagrid's jaw dropped. "Blimey! That's amazin'! Looks like Metamorphmagus magic, but... different."

"How about this, Professor? I will join as a student and enroll next year as a second-year."

Dumbledore's eyes twinkled with intrigue. "A remarkable display, Mr. Anderson. Very well, I will arrange for your enrollment."

Alex paused for a moment, then asked, "Professor, before you go, I'd like to see the power of the Philosopher's Stone firsthand. Could you demonstrate it for me?"

Dumbledore tilted his head slightly. "You wish to witness its capabilities?"

"Just a simple demonstration. Something like turning a nail into gold," Alex requested, his tone calm but inquisitive.

Dumbledore studied him for a moment before retrieving the Stone from inside his robes and holding it out.

With a soft wave, he muttered an incantation under his breath. The Stone's glow pulsed briefly, and a simple iron nail on the table transformed into a solid piece of gold.

"Now, please change the other nail using your transfiguration, Professor," Alex added.

Dumbledore cast a transfiguration spell on a nail, changing it into a gold coin.

Alex's sharp gaze followed every flicker of transformation. He could examine the material at sub-atomic level, absorbing the nuances of magic as it reshaped the nail.

If explained in real-world physics, even though both iron and gold nuclei are made of the same protons and neutrons, the ratio of protons to neutrons in the nucleus, along with the total number of electrons, gives each element its unique characteristics.

To change iron into gold, you would have to alter the number of these subatomic particles in the nucleus of the iron atoms, which would require a tremendous amount of energy.

Magic essentially manipulates matter at a subatomic level, reshaping its composition with the caster's intent.

Another notable characteristic Alex observed is that gold created through transfiguration spells leaks magical energy, causing it to revert back to its original state.

However, the magical energy from the Sorcerer's Stone does not leak out. This may be the basis goblins use to determine the difference between real gold and transfigured gold.

The method was simple yet powerful, and Alex's mind raced with the possibilities of such magic.

He realized that his limitless energy resembles the properties of the Philosopher's Stone, but higher in purity, which means his transfiguration spells are permanent.

"Impressive," Alex muttered to himself.

"I trust that was sufficient, Mr. Anderson?" Dumbledore asked, his eyes glinting under his half-moon glasses.

"Yes, thank you, Professor," Alex replied, his focus still on the glowing gold before him.

"It's useful magic to understand," Alex said thoughtfully.

Dumbledore smiled knowingly. "I'm sure you will, Mr. Anderson. I will send you a letter, like the other students, next year."

He turned to Hagrid. "Hagrid, please take Alex to the Leaky Cauldron for the night, and guide him to Diagon Alley tomorrow."

Hagrid nodded. "Right, Professor," watching as Dumbledore strode away toward the castle.

The story of a powerful, handsome wizard saving a unicorn in the Forbidden Forest and taming it spread through Hogwarts, causing quite a stir.

However, Alex would remain unaware of the tale until he started school the following year.