Acquiring a Diligent Student

Attracted by the wail of the Peeves, the footsteps of Filch drew closer.

"The door is locked..." Ron exclaimed in despair, pushing the door with all his might, hoping it would burst open.

"Let me handle this!" Hermione, now showing her resolute side, drew her wand, tapped the door lock, and said softly, "Alohomora."

The lock clicked, and the door suddenly opened. The young wizards rushed inside, closed the door behind them, and pressed their ears to it, listening for any sounds from the other side.

"We should be safe now," Harry sighed with relief, sliding down the door to sit.

"What's wrong, Neville?" Neville had been tugging at the hem of his robe.

He turned to look, and his throat seemed to constrict when he saw what awaited them on the other side. They hadn't entered an ordinary room. Instead, they had arrived on the forbidden fourth-floor corridor. Now Neville understood why this place was off-limits. The others didn't look much better off either.

Only Kevin, grinning with amusement, seemed to truly appreciate the curiosities in this room. However, these were no ordinary wonders. There was a monstrous three-headed dog, a creature that filled the entire space from ceiling to floor. It had three heads, each with fierce, rotating eyes, three twitching, quivering noses pointed in their direction, and three drooling mouths with saliva that looked like sticky, smoky ropes. Each time a strand of saliva fell to the ground, it produced a sizzling "hiss."

Kevin knew this to be Hagrid's three-headed dog, Fluffy, but the creature before him was clearly different from the one in the original story. Kevin could detect a heavy scent of sulphur, characteristic of infernal creatures. Furthermore, the creature exuded a strong fire elemental aura.

Kevin was certain this wasn't the ordinary Fluffy. This was a genuine infernal creature: the "Hellhound." In the original Harry Potter series, there was no mention of hell or inferno. This difference made Kevin think of his knowledge of Cirilla and the Drowner Brain.

In this world, there were some noticeable differences from the original Harry Potter storyline. However, the main plot hadn't deviated. The trapdoor beneath Fluffy was still the entrance to the Philosopher's Stone. Kevin believed that Dumbledore had intentionally set this test for Harry. If Dumbledore genuinely didn't want Voldemort to obtain the Philosopher's Stone, he could've easily consulted with its true owner, Nicolas Flamel, and destroyed it. There was no need to take such a risk.

Kevin had no intention of altering Dumbledore's plan. He didn't possess the power or necessity to challenge them at this point. Though he had participated in tonight's main plot alongside Harry, he was sure that Dumbledore wouldn't unnecessarily scrutinise or suspect him. To act too differently from the original Harry would only arouse unnecessary suspicion.

Kevin turned his attention back to the four petrified friends. Fluffy was tied down with a thick iron chain. Given its length, it was impossible for the beast to reach them. Still, it was normal for young wizards to be afraid.

Kevin, however, waved his wand, and a shining point of light appeared between its tips. The light danced like a firefly and floated towards Fluffy. The point of light danced in front of Fluffy, swaying around like a butterfly. Fluffy immediately became engrossed with the light, ignoring the young wizards completely. The three heads were fixated on the light, their mouths agape, ready to catch it.

At that moment, Fluffy resembled nothing more than a common dog trying to catch a butterfly.

"While I have its attention, let's get out of here," Kevin quietly reminded the others.

Hermione was the first to react, and she opened the door. The young wizards swiftly made their escape. By now, Filch had probably lost track of where they were. The five of them parted ways at the stairwell, each returning to their respective dormitories.

However, just before leaving, Hermione pulled Kevin aside.

"What's up, Miss Granger?" Kevin asked curiously, his eyes filled with weariness.

"You can call me Hermione, Mr. Green."

Hermione appeared somewhat embarrassed, but her thirst for knowledge quickly overcame her shyness. She asked, "Kevin, please... please tell me, what kind of magic did you use to hide in the trophy room? At first, I thought it might be the disillusionment charm, but it seems much more effective than disillusionment."

Kevin nodded and replied with a mischievous grin, "You're right; the disillusionment charm is typically learned in higher grades, and what I used is not the disillusionment charm."

"Because my magic is much more potent than the disillusionment charm," Kevin continued as he noticed Hermione's wide-eyed amazement.

"Stronger than the Disillusionment Charm? How is that possible?" Hermione inquired, her mouth agape.

"Of course, it's possible, because I used my own creation—a spell called [Invisibility Charm]," Kevin explained.

"Invisibility Charm? So, does this magic mean that.." Hermione's voice trailed off, still struggling to believe.

"Exactly as you guessed, the Invisibility Charm can achieve true invisibility, just like wearing an invisibility cloak," Kevin said.

"So, you've created something that completely outperforms the disillusionment charm and even the invisibility cloak?" Hermione asked with a hint of disbelief.

Invisibility cloaks were magical garments made from the hair of invisibility creatures, which allowed the wearer to become completely invisible. Because their effectiveness surpassed the Disillusionment Charm and wasn't vulnerable to the Revealing Charm, invisibility cloaks were highly sought after, even though they were expensive and had a limited duration.

As a side note, Harry Potter's invisibility cloak was unique; as one of the Deathly Hallows, it not only provided permanent invisibility but also shielded against prophecy-related magic, allowing him to escape the attention of the Deathly Hallows symbol.

Indeed, Kevin's claim to have invented a spell that surpassed the Disillusionment Charm and invisibility cloaks meant that his magical achievements exceeded those of many historical geniuses, making it hard for Hermione to believe.

To prove his point, Kevin cast the [Invisibility Charm] right in front of Hermione, turning himself transparent without a trace of deception. He then reappeared behind her.

"If you were to cast the Revealing Charm, you would find that it doesn't affect the Invisibility Charm," he explained. The Invisibility Charm, based on the arcane magic system, wasn't susceptible to the Revealing Charm in the wizarding world.

Hermione, still in awe of what she had witnessed, approached Kevin. She was unable to contain her excitement as she reached out and held his hand. "Mr. Green, please teach me!"

"What?" Hermione's cheeks turned red as she mustered the courage to ask, "I mean, I want to learn magic from you, not just the Invisibility Charm but also the Lumos spell that makes lights dance."

"You mean the [Dancing Lights] spell?" Kevin asked.

"Yes, that's it. Can you teach me, please?" Hermione pleaded.

Her admiration had eclipsed any previous feelings of rivalry. If in the first week of school, she had seen Kevin as a competitor, now he had become her goal. Her heart was filled with admiration and anticipation. After all, the Invisibility Charm was incredibly powerful, and not everyone was willing to reveal their unique skills.

Kevin's warm smile dispelled any doubts Hermione may have had. "Of course, I'd be happy to have someone willing to learn my magic. You know where to find me."

"Yes, I do. Thank you, Mr. Green!" Hermione couldn't find the words to express her joy.

"Call me Kevin," Kevin said with a wave of his hand. "It's quite late and staying up late can lead to acne."

"Yes, that's true."

"Then, Hermione, shall we meet again tomorrow?"

"See you tomorrow, Kevin!" Hermione walked away with a spring in her step, disappearing from Kevin's view.

It seemed that young girls were indeed quite charming, and just a few words of assurance and care could evoke their most genuine emotions.