The morning air in the castle was cool and still, the sun barely peeking over the distant hills as Harry made his way to the library. Most students were still in the Great Hall, enjoying their breakfast, but Harry had other plans. Today was about research—and exploration.
The Hogwarts Library was vast, older than many countries, and packed with shelves rising higher than the eyes could track. The scent of old parchment and ink filled the air, oddly calming to Harry as he stepped inside. He made his way to the section on higher-year theories, quickly pulling out a few books on fourth and fifth-year Transfiguration and Charms.
Settling into a quiet corner, he immersed himself in the text, absorbing advanced concepts and annotating them mentally. He found most of the theory familiar—either from his past life or from what he'd already accessed in the Arcane Library—but it never hurt to refresh the fundamentals.
"Studying ahead?" a calm, feminine voice interrupted.
Harry looked up to see a Ravenclaw student standing nearby, curiosity flickering in her sharp eyes. "Yes," he answered casually. "Just brushing up."
She stepped closer, arms crossed, an amused smirk on her face. "I'm Penelope Clearwater. Fifth year. That book you're holding—Advanced Rune Theory—do you even understand half of it?"
Harry smiled politely. "More than half, I think. Actually, some of the assumptions in chapter three are flawed due to changes in magical paradigms over the last few centuries. Especially when considering the Germanic interpretations."
Penelope blinked. "Wait… what?"
A few minutes of discussion later, Penelope found herself listening more than speaking. The younger boy before her corrected her twice, quoted obscure authors, and pointed out theoretical gaps in modern rune interpretation.
By the end of their short exchange, Penelope was thoroughly flustered. "Well… if you ever need help… which seems unlikely now… let me know."
Harry nodded with a small grin. "Thanks. I might take you up on that—for fun."
She walked off with a mix of confusion and embarrassment, and Harry went back to his reading, a bit more amused than before.
Later that evening, as Harry roamed the castle to familiarize himself with lesser-known passages and secret corners, he crossed paths with a hunched figure carrying a lantern—Argus Filch, the castle's infamous caretaker.
Filch narrowed his eyes suspiciously. "Wandering, are we? Not planning to get into trouble, are you, Potter?"
"Just exploring," Harry replied calmly.
Filch huffed. "Well, you watch yourself. I've got my eye on you. One wrong step and I'll see to it personally that you're scrubbing chamber pots for a week!"
Harry gave a polite nod, though inside, he was intrigued. As Filch turned away, Harry activated his subtle perception abilities, brushing the man with a soft magical scan.
Interesting, he mused silently. His magic core is… present. Normal even. But… blocked? Suppressed?
He made a mental note to investigate further. The Arcane Library's deeper scan might reveal the exact physical or magical affliction. And if necessary, Harry wouldn't hesitate to knock the man out quietly when the opportunity presented itself. Not out of cruelty—but for understanding.
With a calm smile and a mind full of secrets, Harry continued his quiet walk through the halls of Hogwarts.