36 Don't Accept Being Ordinary.

Adam was happy. Knowing that he could finally find the first inheritance, taking another step on the path of ancient magic.

He knew it couldn't be easy to get into the secret chamber now, and he didn't know what awaited him in the Inheritance, the dangers that might exist. But he couldn't stop smile.

'Of course, what Salazar left must be special too, but for me, what Merlin may have left inside is what really matters.' He thought excitedly.

''You're smiling really weird right now,'' Harry said, getting to his feet.

''You're the odd one,'' Adam snorted. ''Running through the castle at night. ''

''I was–'' Harry tried to defend himself, but stopped talking, not knowing what to say. But to his surprise, Adam said he did.

''No need to explain anything Harry, I understood everything.'' Adam said.

''Got it?'' Harry raised an eyebrow.

''Of course, you're a fan of mine,'' Adam chuckled.

''A fan ? '' Harry repeated, confused.

''Harry, Harry, Harry,'' Adam said smiling, his voice in the best imitation of Lockhart. ''No need to pretend. You ran because you wanted to visit me… Come, I never refuse a fan's autograph''

After that, there was silence and the two glared at each other before bursting out laughing.

''That was good,'' Harry said, clutching his stomach with laughter.

''I see you look great,'' Isabella spoke from the side.

'Looks like he's in perfect shape,' Hermione added.

The two girls, had displeased faces. They didn't seem to like the Lockhart joke.

''Come on, I already told you. He's a fake.'' Adam said, approaching them.'' I thought after the first class with him, you would have realized that too''

Adam was referring to the disaster that was the first Gryffindor class with Lockhart, and the Cornish imps.

''He was testing us,'' Hermione said, but Adam could see the doubt in her eyes.

''Fine,'' Adam said, a playful smile on his face.

''We'll make a bet then,'' He said, pointing to the two girls.

''What bet?'' Isabella asked.

''If, during that year, Lockhart is proven to be a fake, you two owe me a request, unable to back down,'' Adam said, after thinking of nothing necessary, chose to leave the request open.

''What if we win?'' Isabella asked, not wanting to back down.

''Can we order anything? '' Hermione spoke, her eyes twinkling.

Adam nodded. ''Anything.'' He placed his hand on his left chest and continued. ''I swear on my honor of Gryffindor.''

''That's not worth anything…'' They muttered.

But still they agreed, they did not want to back down.

''Come on, I'll walk you to the dorm,'' Adam said, taking the lead. I didn't want to leave the three of them alone with a basilisk lying around.

He was excited about the Inheritance, but he definitely wasn't going to run away now, especially after knowing he was in the chamber of secrets.

'How's the Occlumency study going?'' he asked.

''It's going well, I think. ''Harry said, scratching his head.'' It's a bit difficult.''

''Very difficult.'' Hermione added to the side, making Adam chuckle at her tired face.

''Difficult reading?'' he asked Hermione.

''Reading is great.'' She replied smiling. ''This Quinn West is a genius, his words are easy to understand''

Then she made an annoyed expression and continued. '' The problem is in the practical part. Empty the mind? Controlling your emotions, creating barriers to protect your thoughts, it all seems so…"

''Advanced?'' Harry finished.

''Yes, advanced.'' She said and looked at Adam doubtfully.

''Are you wondering if this isn't too much to ask of you? That this is something very advanced for your current level? '' Adam spoke,

Harry shook his head, denying it.

But Hermione confirmed it.

Adam chuckled, and explained. ''I never expected you guys to master this on your own, and how long has it been? One week ?. Trust me, if you could master even the bare minimum of that book in a week, I would be wanting to learn from you. ''

''Then ? '' Hermione asked, now confused.

Adam sighed and stopped in his tracks. ''Hermione, you are brilliant indeed,'' he said.

Hermione listened to Adam, but she wasn't happy, she could understand that it wasn't a compliment and a 'but 'would follow.

''But, you're only brilliant in the ordinary way.'' Adam completed.

''Ordinary?'' Hermione repeated.

'' Is Ordinary bad? '' Isabella asked, thought Hermione was brilliant, and after Adam was the best second year.

''Ordinary isn't bad,'' Adam chuckled, explaining. ''Being the best of the ordinary, could get her the position of minister of magic, maybe. Or a professor at Hogwarts. Ordinary indeed is not bad.''

''If it's not bad, what is?'' Harry asked.

Hermione was his friend, he thought she was amazing, if Adam didn't see Hermione as excellent, what would come of him, just any Harry?

Adam stopped for a while. By the look he saw on the three of them, he knew they were listening carefully to his words.

''Ordinary is not bad. It just isn't enough. It's just... Ordinary'' He explained. ''Dumbledore, Grindelwald, Flamel, even Snape or Voldemort. All true geniuses, even if on different levels, had something in common. You know what ?''

''Aren't they Ordinary? '' Harry ventured.

''Yes. But not just that.'' Adam paused and looked at the three of them, wanting them to get the main point. ''The most important thing is that they don't accept being ordinary, they want to be the best, always above.''

''They don't accept being ordinary…'' The trio murmured, as if Adam's words were hypnotizing them.

Adam spoke with confidence. Geniuses did not accept being Ordinary, being equal to others. They sought greatness, they aimed for the top.

''So, if you want power, if you seek the truth, or if you want to protect, don't accept being ordinary.''

Adam was silent and let them absorb his words, he had let some of their influence meld with what he said. They wouldn't force them to do things they didn't want to do, but a seed of doubt would be in their minds.

After a while, he smiled and said, ''This is the Club's first lesson.''

The three were stunned a bit, then smiled at the thought.

''So we're in? '' Harry asked excitedly.

''From the moment you accepted the book,'' Adam said.

''What's the name of the club?'' Hermione asked, her smile bright with the thought of learning from Adam.

It wasn't just her, Harry and Isabella were the same.

The three remembered well how Adam did amazing things that morning, besides having the best grades, and being considered by the teachers as a genius.

''A name ? '' Adam muttered. He hadn't thought of that, then his eyes lit up and he said.

''I haven't thought of one yet, but what do you guys think about :The Little Death Eaters?''

No one said anything, and an awkward silence circled. Harry and Isabella didn't have very amused faces. And Hermione was shaking her head in horror.

''Too early ? '' Adam asked, and the three nodded.

He laughed and started walking again.

Adam followed the three of them down the rest of the stairs, and soon they were at the front of the common room.

''Keep reading the book, just study the words, don't think too much about practice. When club activities start, I'll help them with that part'' Adam spoke.

''Alright, good night man,'' Harry said, stopping in his tracks before going inside. ''Great show this morning, making Malfoy pee'' He said, laughing and went inside.

''Good night, Adam,'' Hermione said, still thinking about Adam's words. ''I- I won't be second-best student forever,'' She said, blushing and running into the common room.

"Looks like you've turned up the heat for number one between the two of you.'' Isabella chuckled.

''That's good, if she understands her biggest mistake, she might have a chance to outdo me,'' he said.

''really ? '' Isabella asked.

''Not. ''Adam laughed.'' But it would make it more awesome.''

''Stupid'' Isabella stuck out her tongue.

''Aren't you going to come in?'' Adam asked, smiling.

Isabella, hesitated a bit, looked worried.

''Are you really okay? '' She asked, a little shyly. ''This morning, what happened…''

Adam looked at the girl in front of him for a moment and smiled. ''You know, that was just a minor thing for a genius like me.''

''I know…'' She rolled her eyes. ''Is not it…''

Isabella looked at Adam and said. ''It's not about the spells, I asked.'' She said, making Adam frown in confusion.

''What Malfoy said, about you, your parents…''

Adam was stunned for a moment. He looked at Isabella in surprise, not expecting that to be what worried her.

He stared at Isabella and didn't say anything for a while. The girl, was ashamed, but did not look away.

Slowly, he placed his hand on top of her head.

''Thanks for worrying about me.'' He said, a bright smile on his face.

Isabella got frozen when she felt Adam's hand on her head, looking at that smile, she freaked out. Her face turned red, and she didn't even respond, walking into the common room and collapsing onto the sofa as if she'd had a short circuit.

She didn't even understand what she felt, but it was good...

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Short chapter because I had a hard day. I hope you understand.

Fun fact: This chapter almost went in a completely different direction than what I ended up writing.

At some point, I thought about making the basilisk threaten to attack them while they were talking in the corridors. Nothing too big was going to happen, and so I ended giving up.

It seemed like a risky idea, one that would need a non-jaded writer today, to take a risk.