Ark whispered the incantation so softly that no one but Robert heard him.
But though Robert clearly caught the words, it was as if he hadn't. His eyes went glassy, his pupils trembling ever so slightly along with his body. A moment later, he mumbled in a daze.
"Live alone? Sure… living alone is fine…"
The same Robert who had just been bristling with disapproval now agreed without hesitation.
The onlookers found it odd, but none of them realized he'd been hexed.
That was the power of the Confundus Charm—it muddled the target's mind, made them follow the caster's suggestion, or interfered with the function of objects. It was quick, silent, and usually left no trace. For a group of underage students fresh into Hogwarts, there was no chance they'd notice, unless Ark had brandished his wand openly.
But Ark hadn't used a wand at all. He had cast wandlessly, which meant no one could possibly detect it.
That wasn't easy. The Confundus Charm was already a difficult spell, and to cast it silently and without a wand took the kind of skill only seasoned witches and wizards usually possessed. Ark had only been studying magic for a month—even with his extraordinary talent, there was no way he could pull off a silent, wandless casting yet. Still, he had just barely managed a wandless one.
Sure, spells cast without a wand tended to lose some of their power and precision. But Robert wasn't exactly formidable. He had no hope of resisting Ark's magic, and afterward he wouldn't even notice anything had happened.
And so, with Robert's "permission," Ark secured the privilege of a dormitory all to himself.
Ravenclaw dorms weren't especially large—at least, not when filled to capacity. But for one person alone? The space felt huge.
Like the common room, the dormitory was decked out in Ravenclaw's sky-blue motif. Curtains and hangings matched the hue, while several four-poster beds were draped with velvet canopies of the same color, their silken comforters soft and inviting. A breeze drifted in through the window, making the whole room feel airy, restful, and welcoming.
"So this'll be my home for the next few years, huh?"
After spending the past year in a drafty shack, sleeping on a hard wooden cot, Ark was in high spirits.
At Hogwarts, dorm assignments almost never changed without special circumstances. Which meant, if all went well, Ark would be living here for the next seven years.
He paced the room, noticing that his luggage had already been brought up from the train. Everything was neatly arranged, as if the school knew in advance he'd be moving in alone.
"House-elves must've handled it."
Spotting a steaming cup of milk set on the table, Ark pondered for a moment, then drew his wand.
Since it was his space alone, he might as well make a few bold changes.
He began waving his wand, fluid and graceful like a conductor leading an orchestra. At once, the room stirred to life.
The trunk sprang open. One by one, objects flew out. At first they were small, but many swelled back to their true size midair before floating neatly into place.
Clothes zipped into the wardrobe and hung themselves. Books soared onto empty shelves. The spare beds slid into the corners and transfigured into new bookshelves and desks. The last remaining bed shifted against the wall, growing larger as it transformed from a single to a double, practically inviting someone to flop down and roll around on it.
The Moving Charm, the Levitation Charm, the Placement Charm, the Engorgement Charm, the Transfiguration Charm… Ark flicked them off like it was nothing. Anyone watching would have sworn he was a practiced wizard, not a first-year who'd only been studying magic for a month.
When he finally turned the unused blankets and canopies into plush, sky-blue rugs that spread across the floor, the transformation was complete. His dormitory now looked like a luxurious suite.
Admiring his handiwork with a satisfied nod, Ark put away his wand and collapsed onto the fluffy bed.
"Mm. Perfect."
Sinking into a mattress that soft after so long made him grin.
"When I go home for the holidays, I've got to redo the whole place," he decided.
For the past month he'd thrown himself into studying magic, poring over books, and hadn't spared a thought for using spells to improve his living conditions. Which was why he was still putting up with such a shabby hut. No more—when he went back, it was time to raise his quality of life.
As those thoughts drifted through his mind, a long-forgotten voice suddenly echoed in his head.
[Annual Event (1) triggered: The First-Year House Cup.]
[Objective: At the end of your first year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, help your House win the House Cup.]
[Reward: Talent · Universal Alchemy.]
[Annual Event (2) triggered: First-Year Top Student.]
[Objective: At the end of your first year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, achieve first place overall in your year.]
[Reward: Talent · Universal Potionmaking.]
[Annual Event (3) triggered: The First-Year Quidditch Cup.]
[Objective: At the end of your first year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, help your House win the Quidditch Cup.]
[Reward: Talent · Flight.]
Ark shot upright in bed.
"Well, damn. Not a word for a whole month, and now you come out swinging like this?"
He was stunned, but also thrilled.
That excitement dimmed as soon as he read the event details more carefully. His brows furrowed.
These weren't going to be easy.
First, winning the House Cup for Ravenclaw. That was no small feat. If he remembered right, Slytherin had already claimed the Cup six years in a row. They were gunning for a seventh, and their entire House—Head of House included—was determined to crush the competition. For Ravenclaw to topple such a streak, against an opponent they hadn't beaten in six years straight… difficult didn't begin to cover it.
And then, of course, there was the original story. This was the year Harry Potter, The Boy Who Lived, started making waves. Not just this year, either—the next few as well. Time and again, Harry's adventures would bring Gryffindor massive point gains, securing them the House Cup.
Beating Gryffindor under those circumstances? That might be harder than unseating Slytherin.
The second event, becoming top student of the year, seemed a little more attainable. Ark was diligent, more so than most young wizards, and his Mind Guidance talent gave him a sharp edge in both efficiency and progress. By rights, he had a good chance of pulling it off.
Except for one obstacle. The omniscient know-it-all herself—Hermione Granger.
She was the undisputed prodigy of the original story, a girl who loved books, loved learning, and cared deeply about her grades. Brilliant, driven, and relentlessly curious, she mastered concepts far beyond her peers. And coming from a Muggle family, she carried a quiet insecurity about her background that made her all the more desperate to prove her worth. That year, she studied harder than anyone else.
Because of it, Hermione quickly became the brightest witch in their year, and in the end, she took first place.
So, to outscore her? Maybe not impossible—but it was going to be brutally tough.
As for the third event, the Quidditch Cup… that might be the hardest of all.
Harry Potter's greatest gift was flying. From his very first flying lesson, he would display such astounding talent that Professor McGonagall herself broke tradition to put him on the Gryffindor team as a Seeker. He would go on to catch the Golden Snitch again and again, earning the title of a born Seeker.
True, Gryffindor didn't always win the Cup. Circumstances often got in the way. But that never meant Harry was anything less than the star of the pitch.
Ark had no idea how good his own flying might be, but he doubted he'd surpass Harry.
And with Harry's protagonist aura? Who knew what kind of miracles might happen in his favor?
"This… could be a problem."
Ark let out a wry laugh.