After a brief but hurried lunch break, Allen and the other first-years made their way up to the fourth floor. Their destination was the Charms classroom, located in the left-hand corridor. Unsurprisingly, they spotted the perpetually grumpy caretaker, Argus Filch, and his ominous cat, Mrs. Norris, lurking nearby.
The entire student body was hyper-aware that the right-hand corridor of the fourth floor was strictly off-limits, thanks to Dumbledore's ominous warning at the feast: "No one should enter the right-hand corridor of the third floor unless they wish to meet an accident or a painful death." (Allen corrected the slight geographical difference in his mind: third floor corridor, fourth floor classroom.)
No one wanted to risk being locked up or suffering a 'painful death,' so the first-years obediently turned left and settled down to await their Charms lecture.
Professor Filius Flitwick, Head of Ravenclaw and Hogwarts' Charms Master, was uniquely diminutive; he had to climb upon a precise stack of books to elevate himself high enough to reach the podium comfortably.
He pulled out his roll call list and began calling names. When he reached Harry's name, he emitted a surprisingly high-pitched shriek of excitement, promptly lost his footing, and vanished momentarily behind the stack of books.
Allen found nothing humorous in the incident. He was convinced that Professor Flitwick's outburst wasn't a celebrity reaction to Harry Potter, the 'Savior,' as most young wizards viewed him. Professor Flitwick was a deeply academic wizard who had studied magic for decades. Harry was the only known survivor of the most potent Unforgivable Curse, the Avada Kedavra, cast by the Dark Lord himself. The fact that such a powerful Killing Curse failed Harry and violently rebounded upon the caster was the profound, academic reason for Professor Flitwick's shock and excitement. This was a world away from the trivial nosebleeds caused by less potent, weaker wizards who cast the curse without sufficient magical power or willpower.
Despite possessing a comprehensive Encyclopedia of Spells in his mind, Allen listened intently to Professor Flitwick's explanations and took meticulous notes. While understanding the correct wand movement and syllable pronunciation was crucial for successful spellcasting, grasping the underlying principles was far more fascinating.
If successfully casting a spell was the work of a skilled laborer following established theory, Allen, the quintessential Ravenclaw, was far more interested in researching and discovering the foundational principles used by the spell inventors themselves. He believed this was the true path of a 'magical scientist.'
Charms was rapidly proving to be Allen's strongest subject. He finished the practical exercise—a simple color change charm—faster and with better results than anyone else.
"Allen, ten points for that absolutely flawless rendering of the charm!" Professor Flitwick exclaimed, looking at Allen with an incredibly kind, grateful expression. Ravenclaws, who typically preferred their own work and personal achievements and often disdained showing off, had been overshadowed by the boisterous Gryffindors and the ambitious Slytherins for too long. Allen's exceptional performance was a golden opportunity for their Head of House to start racking up points.
In the subsequent Herbology class, Allen, utilizing his photographic memory, flawlessly answered Professor Sprout's question about the proper care of Mandrakes, earning Ravenclaw five more points. The Ravenclaw students quickly caught on and swelled with pride, secretly nicknaming Allen the "Point Controller" and the "Point Master."
Allen's subsequent performance proved he was more than deserving of these titles, thanks to his superior magical aptitude compared to his peers and the benefit of a year's worth of pre-Hogwarts magical practice.
Even in Flying Lessons, Allen was demonstrably the most gifted flier among the Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff first-years. Both his older brother and sister had been on their House Quidditch teams, indicating a strong natural talent within the Harris family.
While Allen found riding a broomstick less comfortable than flying in an airplane from his previous life, the Cushioning Charm, invented by Elio Smythe in 1820, made the experience significantly more palatable. Furthermore, the sheer thrill of taking off at will, executing sharp turns, and circling freely—a freedom unattainable in a conventional aircraft—was exhilarating.
Even in Potions, the subject of the most intense and alarming gossip among the young wizards, Allen's performance gave Professor Severus Snape, the perpetually greasy-haired Head of Slytherin, nothing to criticize. Allen's answers were concise and textbook-perfect, lacking the aggressive 'know-it-all' tone of Hermione Granger. This diminished any potential animosity Snape might have harbored towards Allen due to his friendship with Harry Potter.
Thanks to the fine manual control developed through his body hardening techniques at Maclean, Allen's precision in preparing the soothing ointment was unrivaled among his fellow students. Yet, he completed the task purely by following the textbook instructions. Professor Snape's occasional practical interjections made Allen realize he still had a considerable amount to learn in this subject.
"Harris, you took an age to finish that ointment. If you had left it stewing any longer, the patient's wound would have healed on its own! Adding a dash of mint will make the unguent more soothing and the smell more tolerable for spoiled brats like you… Press this with the handle of your silver knife; it will extract the juice more easily." Professor Snape chastised Allen, who had been the first to finish the ointment, without even cracking a smile.
"Doesn't Snape ever think?" Edward muttered furiously under his breath. "Who makes an ointment when they're injured? It should all be prepared beforehand!"
"Edward, that is Professor Snape," Allen whispered back, already helping Edward chop his herbs. "He's teaching us skills you won't find in a textbook."
"He did so well, and yet he didn't even award you a single extra point!" Edward was still seething.
"Look, I followed his advice, and now your salve is even better!" Allen dropped the finely chopped herbs into Edward's pot, and the salve instantly turned a vibrant blue-green, emitting a refreshing minty scent.
"It simply means I have room for improvement," Allen explained softly, looking at the utterly bewildered Edward. "Professor Snape's dedication to teaching these specialized techniques shows he is a true Potions Master. These methods are likely unpublished, and his willingness to share them deserves our respect." Allen theorized that perhaps due to the novelty of having competent students, combined with the stressful start to the term, Snape was unknowingly letting slip some of his unique Potions techniques during class, despite his sharp tongue.
[System Notification]
"I am pleased to see the host is not arrogant. This is a timed quest with a three-month deadline. The host must read all the Potions-related books in the Hogwarts Library, excluding the Restricted Section. A copy of the 'Potions Master's Compendium' will be granted as a reward upon completion."
While three months sounded generous, factoring in time for eating, sleeping, and attending eight different subjects, Allen knew his time was extremely limited. However, if he could gain and deeply understand the insights of a Potions Master, the entire realm of Potions would open up for him. Fortunately, the requirement was merely to read the books, not fully master their complex contents.
"Allen, what are you spacing out about? Class dismissal is over," Edward said, hurriedly gathering his things, jolting Allen out of his System contemplation. "While what you said about Snape makes perfect sense, I don't want to stay in this cold dungeon any longer. Besides, dinner is about to start, and I definitely need to sit close to the pudding tonight. I only managed three pieces yesterday."
Edward's similar appetite for sweets, much like the future Luna Lovegood, spurred Allen into action. Not just for his own appetite, but more importantly, to finish his dinner quickly so he could rush to the library and begin reading.
Allen, having swiftly devoured his meal, was the first student to arrive at the library that evening, beating even the notorious know-it-all, Hermione Granger.
Madam Irma Pince, the Hogwarts Librarian, who was famously difficult and had often made the Hogwarts Library feel more like an authoritarian state than a place of learning, looked at Allen with a gaze far less intimidating and stern than rumors suggested.
As a high-achieving, already well-known first-year student, being intelligent, talented, and hard-working clearly impressed her. Of course, the most crucial thing was that this model student appeared to value her beloved book collection.
Allen quickly finished his minimal homework, then pulled out a colossal stack of Potions textbooks. Utilizing his photographic memory, he began flipping through the pages with extreme speed. Deep, immediate mastery wasn't the goal; completion was the key to his quest.
Less than half an hour later, a large crowd of students streamed into the library, all searching for information or struggling with homework. The quiet, secluded rows Allen had chosen quickly filled up.