17 Friends, Tests and Invader

The next morning, Adam didn't choose to stay in his room and read. Yesterday, after feeling the feelings held in his heart, he understood an important thing.

'I need some time. Not just advanced studies, everything else'

Ever since his magic was awakened, Adam has always focused on studying and increasing his magical power. During the trip he just studied but it was still passable, it was a whole new world of knowledge and he was like a sponge soaking it all up, he didn't take a break and just studied, reasoned and kept what he thought was useful.

When he came to Hogwarts, he continued in the same way. As much as I had some interaction with Terry, Isabella and the others, it was always when I had time. As a minor thing.

He never put others as a priority, it was always magic.

Of course, he didn't regret it. After all, if today he had the confidence to be able to defend himself against most adult Wizards and even beat them, it was because he made that choice.

He looked down at his briefcase at the foot of the bed and sighed.

'The journey to the top of the wizarding world seems so… lonely'

He remembered Merlin, who reached the top and even today his legend was told.

He knew that if he continued the way he was doing, he could really reach the top, a unique place, above everyone else.

But when that moment came, would he really be happy? He asked himself about it.

And the answer he got was no, he wouldn't be, not truly happy.

'' Is there true happiness if you have no one to share your important moments with? ''

Adam thought of the reflection he saw in the Mirror of Erised. He remembered Adam who seemed to be like a sun, absolute in the sky. Standing on top of the world, indifferent to anything.

That night, that was the desire in his heart.

'But what about today? what would i see if i looked in the mirror..would i still be alone?'

For a moment he thought about going to check it out, but discarded that idea right away.

There were two points to this; first was very close to the date of Harry and Quirrellmort's confrontation. He didn't want to risk entering the room during this sensitive time. Perhaps Dumbledore is monitoring the room at all times?

And the second reason, in the end it was just a reflex. If he wanted his journey to be less lonely, it wouldn't be looking at a wish on a mirror screen. But your attitudes that would make the difference.

In the Ravenclaw common room, some first year students were playing chess while studying.

''Where can I find a Bezoar? ''

''In a goat's stomach'' replied Terry, as he moved a pawn one square forward. '' Come on Anthony, ask harder questions.''

Anthony rolled his eyes. ''You say that now'' Snorted. ''But who didn't know that they should boil the slugs in the potion for boils? ''

''I knew it…'' murmured Terry then his eyes lit up and he said, ''Of course I knew it. I was just testing to see if you knew. Come on, what a great friend I am, right?''

Anthony nearly hit his head on the board.'' How can you be so brazen?''

He then smiled at the thought of a new question.

''History of magic.'' He said.

Anthony smiled in satisfaction seeing Terry's expression, he knew his friend barely paid attention to that discipline, of course he was the same. And that was the good part, if Terry didn't pay attention in class, how would he know if Anthony asked a question he wasn't taught.

''When was the werewolf code of conduct developed? ''

Terry frowned in response, how the hell would he know that?.

''Are you sure we learned that this year? '' he asked suspiciously. He could have sworn that Anthony was playing a prank on him.

He hoped that was it indeed. Why else would I have to do a whole overhaul on the history of magic content. And he didn't want that.

Anthony smiled when he saw Terry not answer. ''Too bad..'' He sighed. '' Maybe this is goodbye ? we won't be together next year..''

''Who won't pass?'' Terry snorted indignantly. ''Wouldn't I become a joke? the first Ravenclaw to fail a year.''

Anthony chuckled at the idea. ''So what year was it? '' he asked again, very pleased to piss Terry off.

''It was in the year of ….''

''1637'' Someone nearby replied.

''That's 1637.'' Terry said. ''I knew all along.''

Then he saw who answered, the best student in the entire first year, Adam.

''Hey Adam..'' Anthony was going to talk to Adam who arrived but felt his foot being kicked by Terry under the table.

''Did you talk to anyone, Anthony? '' Terry asked pretending not to see anyone.

Anthony blinked for a moment before he understood. '' I ? do not. I was just talking to you, congrats on getting the answer right.''

Adam sighed and sat on the side. ''Come on, don't be like that. '' Said while looking for something inside the robe.

''See, I even brought you a present.'' He showed a gift box.

Anthony stared at the box for a moment before widening his eyes and looking at Adam, who blinked in response, nearly making the blonde burst out laughing in anticipation.

''A gift?'' Murmured Terry staring at the box….

''Adam, it's you,'' he said a moment later, putting his arm around Adam's shoulder.

''Yes yes. Here, this is for you'' Adam handed the box an apologetic smile on his face, ''I ended up forgetting about friends, but you forgive me right?''

''Forgive?'' Terry said with a smile. ''What's there to forgive? How long did you go almost without talking to us? one or two days?'' he asked

''Several weeks actually,'' said Anthony from the side.

''Several weeks? look it was almost nothing'' Terry said as he looked at the gift box.

''Aren't you going to open it?'' asked Adam, as he surreptitiously walked away.

Terry nodded and tugged on the loop at the top of the box, so he took the lid off in anticipation. But in the next moment, he felt his body go cold. ''Ahhh !! '' He shouted throwing the box away, when a spider jumped in his face.

Adam and Anthony fell to the floor laughing. Many Ravenclaw students looked up from their books in anger at the noise, but when they saw the scene of Terry running in circles and a spider stuck in his face, they couldn't contain their laughter.

''It's good to have you back.'' Anthony said.

'' It's good to be back ''

''I'm going to kill you'' Both boys saw an angry Terry running towards them.

''Is this the part where I run?'' Asked Adam, who was already running away without waiting for an answer.

The chase ended when they encountered McGonagall on the stairs to the first floor. And the trio returned to the common room.

''Wait a minute,'' grumbled Terry. ''We'll have a duel in a few years, and settle it like wizards.''

''We can have one now,'' offered Adam.

''It wouldn't be fair if I beat you now.'' Terry said, making up an excuse. ''I've just learned a new, very powerful spell.''

''Know ''

''I'm serious, you would explode in one hit''

''You had no difficulty with the spell that the prof''''

''Shut up Anthony''

Adam smiled satisfied, it was moments like this that made it worth being alive...

''Come on Adam. it's your turn to ask the questions'' said Anthony throwing a bunch of pieces of parchment with questions for the review.

Adam skimmed through the questions, checking to see if he thought anything important was missing, but there wasn't. Terry and Anthony were Ravenclaws in the end.

Going through the questions he chose one.'' Who was the first minister of magic? ''

''That I know..'' Murmured Terry trying to remember. ''Something Gamp''

''Ulick Gamp'' Anthony said rolling his eyes.'' Didn't you write that question? ''

''I just wanted to see if you knew''

''Know ''

''Next question …''

With Adam leading the review, soon Terry and Anthony had most of the answers in their heads, and felt confident for the tests.

So with a lot of revision and some jokes, the days passed and the tests arrived.

It was time for students to show the results of their study for this year.

Many were nervous and struggled, especially on the practice tests. But for Adam, the exams were disappointing to say the least.

'I understand it's freshman year, but… damn how can a pineapple tap dance?'' He remembered the test for Charms class.

Professor Flitwick asked them to make a pineapple dance on the table. Adam used the tarantallegra spell and got full marks.

Of course Flitwick would give him full marks even if he blew up the pineapple, half Goblin knew Adam's capabilities well.

On the Transfiguration exam, McGonagall wore a weary expression as she watched Adam turn a rat into a snuffbox.

She remembered the incident with the Troll on Halloween well. At the event in question, she saw Adam masterfully master two advanced Transfiguration spells. Wasn't asking him to turn a mouse into a snuffbox a waste of time?

''Well done Mr. Davies'' She said studying the shiny box encrusted with beautiful gemstones, there was no telling that it was once a mouse.

''It was nothing, Professor.'' Adam smiled smugly. '' I learned from the best this year, I would be ashamed if I couldn't do something so simple ''

McGonagall looked as serious as ever as she said .'' It seems that you, Mr. Davies, also expect to earn O in Flattery this year?''

''I won ? '' He asked laughing.

For the third exam, it was Potions.

Potions was without a doubt one of the most dreaded exams for everyone. Many already considered making potions complicated, and this time they would have to do it with Snape scrutinizing them more than usual.

Adam didn't care about any of that, he sat down at his desk and started separating the ingredients one by one in an orderly fashion. The potion for the exam would be a forgetfulness potion.

Adam was separating the amount of water for the potion, he was already in the part of joining the ingredients.

'So far so good'

It looked like everything would go off without a hitch, and he would have another perfect grade this year. But not everything was destined to go undisturbed.

Right when he had taken 100 ml of water, he felt a strong magical fluctuation.

Of course, it was strong for him, for two simple reasons: he was sensitive to magic, and second, he was the target.

'Who ?' asked before finding the answer. 'Snape'

Adam could feel the sweep coming from where Snape was standing a few tables to the right. Besides, he doubted there was another first year who could try to read his mind, especially in such a well-disguised way.

'If it weren't for my mental barriers, he would have walked in without any problems, and I wouldn't even have known.' He understood this, and sighed contentedly that he had improved his mental defenses, 'Of course, I would still feel the magic fluctuation'

Adam gave no evidence that he discovered an intruder, he didn't move or lift his head. He continued as if nothing had happened, sorting out the ingredients for the potion.

Meanwhile, he was still watching the invader. 'Is he going to force his way in? ' He thought for a moment. But the answer came soon after, when he felt the invader leave, as if he wasn't even there.

'He kept his distance from my defenses, so he must think I didn't notice…' There was no way Snape couldn't understand that even a child would know to have his defenses attacked. If he didn't go ahead and put Adam on his toes, it was because he was just doing some sort of check.

But his intentions were thwarted and the moment he realized that Adam had mental defenses, chose to retreat.

Adam struggled not to throw a counterattack, in Snape's mind as he backed away. Having your mind invaded by others was unacceptable. When he did it with other people it was fine, but with him it couldn't happen. That was a hypocrisy he gladly accepted.

As he finished the potion, Adam began to try to understand why the professor tried to read his mind.

'I'm sure it's not to know if I'm cheating'

Adam would bet that every time in the movies and books that Harry thought the professor was reading his mind, he really was. But he wasn't Harry, he knew Snape was on his mind.

'Looks like someone is interested in me' He laughed inwardly, thinking that he must be in the sights of a certain 'good old man'.

The truth is that after the event on Halloween Adam already expected Dumbledore to pay more attention to him. But he ended up not noticing any of the director's moves against him, and ended up not paying much attention to it.

'Dumbledore, Dumbledore… what do I do with you?' Adam knew he didn't have the power to face the Headmaster now, and he didn't know if he would have that power in years to come either, no matter what you thought of Dumbledore, one thing was absolutely true, he was powerful, very powerful.

And deep down he felt that having the old man alive was much more useful than having him dead. 'After all, the enemy of my enemy is my ally? '

Adam sighed and felt an impending headache coming on for years to come.

'Only with absolute power can one truly be free…'

With no further mental intrusions, Adam finished his potion masterfully. Before leaving he still smiled at Snape, who was looking at him with a deep look. Nobody knew what the professor had in mind at that moment.