King of Lightning [HP FANFIC]

"By Merlin . . . your experience has truly opened my eyes. It makes me realize even more that there are no shortcuts on the path of magic, and that consistent practice will undoubtedly be rewarded". Professor Flitwick was so excited he nearly jumped for joy. After hearing about Anduin's experience, his determination to delve deeper into magic grew even stronger.

"I agree with that view, Professor Flitwick. In fact, I'm not entirely satisfied with myself at the moment. I sincerely hope to receive more guidance from you, Professor. I've already mastered most of the first-year material, and I'm eager to go even further". Seeing how enthusiastic the professor was, Anduin thought it would be a missed opportunity not to gain a little advantage from the moment.

"Mm, indeed. I won't say anything like 'don't bite off more than you can chew.' An endless thirst for knowledge is, in fact, the most powerful drive for a wizard". Professor Flitwick nodded approvingly and continued.

"If you want to learn more advanced knowledge about Charms, you can head to the advanced Charms classroom. Many old books left behind by former students are still on the shelves there. Second, I'll write up a reading list tailored for you, and you can borrow those from the library yourself. Also, if you run into any questions while studying Charms, feel free to come to me. I'll personally help you". After a brief pause, Flitwick added,

"I'd like to invite you to join my Charms Study Club. I've never invited a first-year before, but you can audit the sessions at first — I believe you'll be able to keep up. You should know Lily did exceptionally well in my Charms Club back in her time". Professor Flitwick, perhaps a little too excited, seemed almost eager to take Anduin under his wing as one of his own house's students.

"Thank you very much, Professor Flitwick, for your recognition and appreciation". Anduin gave the professor a respectful bow, genuinely touched by his words.

"Keep it up, Anduin! Stay persistent and hardworking — your future is limitless!". exclaimed Professor Flitwick, looking up at the young wizard who was already taller than him.

Anduin finished his conversation with Professor Flitwick. With the reading list and club invitation in hand, he left the Charms classroom with a heart full of joy.

To receive such a reward on the very first day of school was truly beyond anything he'd imagined.

"First things first, just like Professor Flitwick said, I'll go to the advanced classrooms and look for higher-level textbooks. After all, you have to take one bite at a time; rushing won't get you far". Having laid out his plan, Anduin made his way to the Great Hall, grabbed a light lunch, and then began wandering through the various advanced classrooms.

"Alohomora". Anduin cast the unlocking charm on the door to a fifth-year Charms classroom.

He had already explored several classrooms from different years and had found quite a bit. Old textbooks filled the lockers in nearly every room.

Some were incomplete. Anduin even came across textbooks that had been half burned. After prioritizing the most intact ones, he skimmed through their contents.

Some books were missing pages, likely torn out by mischievous young wizards to make paper airplanes. The more complete textbooks varied in condition; some were packed with handwritten notes. Anduin found many of the comments insightful, undoubtedly making them more valuable than blank or clean copies.

He thoroughly searched the remaining sixth-year classrooms and discovered seven truly valuable books.

Why seven? Because two of the sixth-year books were rich with detailed annotations, each different, but in Anduin's eyes, both extremely worthwhile.

He even found Lily Evans's Charms textbook in the fifth-year classroom, which contained many of her personal thoughts and reflections on spellwork. Most importantly, Anduin found several notes about protective magic. Perhaps Lily had already begun to conceive of the idea of an amulet back then.

He cherished those books. After packing them away carefully, he realized it was almost time for the afternoon lessons, so he gathered everything and headed toward the History of Magic classroom.

At Hogwarts, Anduin discovered, classroom arrangements differed greatly by subject. For the seven core subjects like Charms, Potions, Transfiguration, and Defense Against the Dark Arts, each year had its own dedicated classroom. Herbology was usually taught in the greenhouses, Astronomy in the Astronomy Tower, and Anduin had assumed History of Magic would also have a classroom for each year, but to his surprise, there was only one.

He quickly understood why: the History of Magic teacher, Professor Cuthbert Binns, was actually a ghost.

"They say that years ago, when Professor Binns was still alive, he fell asleep in front of the fireplace in the staff room. When he woke up and rushed to class, he forgot to take his body with him. He died that night, but that little detail didn't stop him from continuing to teach. Rumour has it he didn't even realize he was dead". Vivian was once again sharing gossip with Anduin from who knows where, but in his opinion, it was probably true.

Looking at the ghostly professor standing at the lectern, lecturing on the history of the modern magical world, Anduin grew thoughtful.

"It seems that becoming a ghost doesn't limit your memory to the events of your lifetime, because the history he's explaining clearly took place after his death".

However, Anduin's interest in this class probably stopped right there, as Professor Binns's lectures were mind-numbingly dull. Most young wizards in the room were dozing off, while Vivian sat upright, listening attentively.

So Anduin began openly drifting off, pulling out a second-year textbook he'd just found and diving into it with enthusiasm.

He later made his way to the library, where he found Madam Pince and borrowed all six of the books from Flitwick's list. He took them back to his room, along with the seven old textbooks he had gathered. His plan was to isolate himself for a while and fully absorb the material.

Anduin still prioritised the advanced textbooks, believing that mastering the core content first would lay a stronger foundation. He discovered that the material covered in the third- through sixth-year books was both vast and rich in detail, while the seventh-year content, though much shorter, was extremely profound.

It was said that this was because seventh-year students could either graduate early or take on internships, and those who stayed behind prepared for the so-called 'Ultimate Wizarding Exam.' Most of the textbook material related to that, including instruction on Apparition.

Two days passed. Anduin, who felt like he'd stumbled upon a treasure trove, spent nearly all his time studying spells, apart from the moments he spent attending his regular classes.