Kane sat in the Great Hall, completely unaware of Hermione's scheming. He perched on the bench, trying a little of this, sampling a little of that.
A bite from the left, a taste from the right, and just like that, he was full.
Next up was heading back to the common room to wait for Hermione to bring his books. Right now, studying magic was his only real option.
As for making the Alchemy Engine...
He was flat broke. And Harry's handful of Galleons wouldn't help either. There wasn't a Gringotts at Hogwarts, and even if he melted down every last coin, he wouldn't get enough gold for a single ingot.
"Whatever. I'm not in a rush anyway. Worst case, I'll wait until Christmas break and head back to the Muggle world to do some magic tricks for cash," Kane muttered to himself as he dropped onto the common room couch.
While Kane kept waiting, Harry and Ron wandered over. "Kane, we're going to ask Headmaster Dumbledore what those four words actually mean. Want to come?"
"I'm still waiting for Hermione's books. You guys go ahead. Tell him I said hi."
Kane waved off the boring proposal without a second thought. Every time he remembered Dumbledore's absurd expression from before, he felt he'd been not only stupid, but also incredibly bored.
So this time, he'd let Harry and Ron handle the tedious business themselves. Kane glanced up just as Hermione walked into the common room, arms loaded with six books.
Hermione set three of them in front of Kane. "I took a look on the way back. These are all really thorough. Professor McGonagall's recommendations are solid."
"Mm-hmm." Kane hummed in acknowledgment, picked up one of the books, and dove straight in.
This one was about how to control your imagination with precision.
For example, between two wizards with equal skill, the one with a richer, more detailed imagination would absolutely crush the one with a weaker mind's eye when it came to Transfiguration.
People with aphantasia couldn't even use Transfiguration at all. Apparently, there was even a term for it in the magical world: Transfiguration Squib.
What this book taught was how to make your imagination soar, your details sharper, and your focus sustainable.
If you had to compare it to something, it was like those right-brain training methods in the Muggle world.
Using your left hand more often, listening to music, writing poetry, taking in scenery, refusing to be a total bookworm—all of these could gradually improve your Transfiguration abilities.
Kane figured this improvement method didn't rely on raw talent at all, since he already did most of this stuff anyway.
Beyond that were the technical aspects of Transfiguration knowledge, like how to add intricate engravings when turning a match into a needle.
How to transform a table full of food that tasted amazing but had absolutely zero calories... this example specifically noted you had to use water or air for the transformation.
Reading this, Kane finally started to get it. The Summoning Charm and this technique worked on similar principles.
The former used air for transformation, the food it created was basically fake, zero calories.
The latter used your own magical energy for transformation, and the materials were abstract. But obviously, using air was way simpler than using your own magic, which was why Professor McGonagall had put this book on the list.
The book was thin. In about twenty minutes, he'd finished the whole thing. As he closed it and reached for the next one, he suddenly realized Harry and Ron had come back at some point and were staring at him with bitter expressions.
"Uh... what happened?" Kane asked automatically.
"We went to find Headmaster Dumbledore, but his office has gargoyle guards. We couldn't get in," Harry said glumly, looking pretty defeated.
"Some older students said you need a password to get into Headmaster Dumbledore's office. Kane, what was the password when you went last time? Maybe Dumbledore hasn't changed it yet," Ron said, turning to Kane hopefully.
"When I went, the two gargoyles just let me in," Kane said quietly from the couch.
"Why?!" Harry and Ron both exploded with matching shouts that made Hermione, who'd been reading peacefully nearby, jump. She shot them an irritated look.
"It can't be because they like your face, right? Do those gargoyles even have eyes?" Harry said helplessly.
"I think they actually do have eyes," Ron added, then continued with some wild speculation. "Or maybe you never actually went to Dumbledore's office at all? Maybe you made the whole thing up?"
"Do I really look like I have nothing better to do than wander around making up stories for you two?" Kane looked at the deadly serious Harry and Ron with half-lidded eyes, feeling pretty exasperated.
The two exchanged glances, then nodded.
"How about... you take us to see Dumbledore?" Harry scratched his head. He thought this was a good plan. Well, assuming Dumbledore wasn't busy with something important right now.
"Take you guys there?" Kane leaned back against the couch.
Actually, it wasn't a bad idea. Going to see Dumbledore now wouldn't be completely pointless, for instance, he could ask him for some gold and then make the Alchemy Engine.
Sure, Dumbledore probably wouldn't grant this ridiculously bold request, but what if he did? Might as well shoot his shot.
If it failed, he'd lose nothing. If it worked, he'd score big with zero risk.
"So... should we go?" Kane said, raising an eyebrow.
"Let's go!"
The three of them rushed out of the Gryffindor common room.
Hermione sighed helplessly.
The image of Kane as some kind of magical prodigy was already cemented in her mind.
Getting a custom wand where Ollivander ended up owing him money... being able to casually visit the Headmaster at Hogwarts was perfectly normal for him.
As for herself... she'd just keep working hard. Education was the key to changing your fate.
On the eighth floor of Hogwarts, the three of them followed the flickering light of their wands toward Dumbledore's office.
Of course, Kane walked in front while Harry and Ron trailed behind, whispering to each other.
"I still think Kane's bluffing. When we catch him in the lie, I'm never letting him live it down," Ron said in a low voice, not bothering to hide it from Kane.
"What are you planning to do?" Harry asked curiously.
"Well, don't you think those meatballs Kane makes are amazing? So I'm planning to make Kane cook dinner for me for a month.
You should think about what you want too," Ron said, tossing the question to Harry.
Harry raised an eyebrow. What could he ask for?
Maybe make Kane take Huginn back and care for him himself? Or go back with him during Christmas break to apologize to Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon?
Though he didn't want to go back either, just to prevent Kane from ending up homeless during the Hogwarts vacation...
Going back once was acceptable.
Kane glanced back at Harry and Ron's not-so-quiet whispers with some annoyance. "We're here. How much longer are you two planning to keep talking?"
Harry and Ron snapped to attention. Ron spoke first. "Oh, oh, honestly Kane, why don't we just head back? Headmaster Dumbledore's probably asleep by now. I'll just take your word that you could get in."
Kane looked at Ron and found him genuinely interesting.
Just moments ago he'd been planning to make Kane cook him meatballs, and now he was offering him an out. Yeah, he was a decent guy.
Harry was different though. He looked at Kane very seriously. "This is the entrance to Headmaster Dumbledore's office. Kane, go ahead."
Ron looked at Harry in shock, his expression clearly saying: Wait, mate, you're serious?
And Kane didn't disappoint them. He turned to look at the guardian gargoyles. "Don't you recognize me?"
The next moment, the two guardian gargoyles rumbled aside.
In an instant, Harry and Ron were even more shocked. "Wait, you're serious too?"