18 A Grand Library Raid

The next class was herbology, and they had it with Hufflepuff. The herbology classroom was located in the southeastern part of the castle, in a separate greenhouse. This greenhouse was managed by Professor Pomona Sprout, who was both the head of Hufflepuff House and the herbology professor. It was filled with many magical plants and herbs, serving both educational and practical purposes. It was rumoured that Severus Snape had used some materials provided by Professor Sprout in his potion-making.

Professor Pomona Sprout was a short and grey-haired witch. She often wore a patched-up, thick hat and was usually covered in dirt because she spent most of her time in the greenhouse tending to the plants. She had an optimistic and compassionate personality, a typical Hufflepuff.

In her class, Kevin performed exceptionally well, thanks to his absolute memory and [Scholar's Touch]. His brain was like a super database that allowed him to retrieve any knowledge he had scanned or recorded. However, merely recalling knowledge didn't necessarily mean he could apply it practically. But in terms of answering classroom questions verbatim, Kevin excelled, and his Ravenclaw classmates quickly adapted to this.

After the class, Kevin hurried to the Great Hall, where he met Stephen. Stephen had also hurried to the Great Hall, but not for the same reasons as Kevin. Kevin wanted to finish his meal quickly so he could head to the library to read.

After a hasty dinner, Kevin went to the library, but instead of immediately diving into books, he began writing his homework.

Unlike the Muggle world, Hogwarts didn't provide specialised textbooks or workbooks with exercises. Most of their assignments involved writing essays, summarising key points from lessons, or expressing insights gained from their studies. These assignments were not word-count-based but rather length-based. Length meant the physical space covered by parchment, and professors didn't count lines or words but measured the amount of parchment used.

Today, they had three classes, which meant they had to write nearly two feet of parchment for their assignments. To make this process easier, many students preferred to complete their assignments in the library. They would write their essays while simultaneously consulting references, as copying from books was considered easier than coming up with entirely original work.

For Kevin, completing these assignments was no trouble at all. He had an extensive database of knowledge at his disposal, thanks to his absolute memory and the [Scholar's Touch]. He could easily write essays on various topics. However, he had one additional advantage: the [Copy Spell] which allowed him to dictate the essay and have his quill automatically transcribe it. Despite his willingness to share this handy spell with others, nobody approached him, and they all regarded his magical quill as an expensive shorthand pen.

Once he had finished his assignment, Kevin's real library mission began. The library at Hogwarts contained the most extensive and diverse collection of books in the British wizarding world. Besides the school's historical contributions, many accomplished alumni donated books to the library. Whether from pure-blood families, organisations like the Death Eaters, or even the Ministry of Magic, none could match the library's collection in terms of scope and variety.

For Kevin, the library was worth nearly half the value of his time at Hogwarts. So, when Harry and the others arrived at the library, they immediately spotted Kevin in a corner, wrestling with a massive pile of books.

These thick tomes were stacked together, almost three to four feet high, nearly burying him. Harry couldn't help but be taken aback, and he admired Kevin, saying, "He's reading so many books; no wonder he's so talented!"

Hermione made a disapproving sound and bit her lip, thinking, "The semester has just begun, and I'll catch up to you soon."

In the eyes of their fellow students, Kevin's method of reading books was rather unusual. He didn't follow the standard process of carefully turning the pages one by one, nor did he flip through them quickly. Instead, it was as if he were shuffling a deck of cards in front of his eyes, flipping through the pages from beginning to end.

Every book, regardless of how thick it was, took him no more than a minute to process. It was similar to the legendary concept of quantum speed reading. Of course, the young wizards and witches weren't familiar with the term "quantum speed reading," but they knew that this was beyond their comprehension. Kevin's expression was so intensely focused that it was indistinguishable from someone genuinely immersed in reading. This unusual sight left Harry and the others dumbfounded, and even Madam Pince, the librarian, furrowed her brow.

Irma Pince, the Hogwarts librarian, was infamous among the students. She was quite strict with the young witches and wizards who frequented the library. Under her rule, the Hogwarts library felt more like a dictatorship than a place of learning. She was strict because she aimed to maintain silence in the library and ensure the preservation of the books. However, her strictness often appeared excessive.

Currently, Irma Pince had her eyes on Kevin and his unusual reading approach. She approached him and said, "Young man, that's not how you read books; you won't gain any knowledge this way."

She had no knowledge of Kevin's [Scholar's Touch] ability, so she couldn't comprehend that he was indeed reading. Kevin decided to give her a live demonstration of what "memorising by heart" meant. He swiftly recited a portion of the book, showcasing his incredible memory. Afterward, Madam Pince left with a strange look on her face. Even from her seat, she would occasionally peek over to observe Kevin.

The other students were equally surprised. They couldn't fathom how the gap in abilities between them and Kevin could be so significant. Besides Hermione, the others had mostly given up on competing with Kevin, especially Ron. Ron's attention shifted from Kevin's reading technique to the pile of parchment on his desk.

"Um, Kevin," he stammered hesitantly, his face turning red. Kevin glanced at him and quickly understood what Ron wanted: he wanted to copy the homework. It was quite early to think about copying on the first day of classes. Kevin sighed and pushed his assignment towards Ron, not minding as long as it didn't interfere with his reading.

Kevin's goal for the semester was to incorporate the entire Hogwarts library's books into his mind. After he had scanned all the books on the table using the [Scholar's Touch], he stood up and headed towards the bookshelves. It was hard to deny that the library was enormous, with two levels, not including hidden areas, covering an area of thousands of square metres.

Countless tall bookshelves reached from the floor to the high ceiling, some requiring ladders to reach the higher shelves. Flying spells were not allowed in the library. As he wandered further into the library, Kevin spotted a dozen rows of bookshelves enclosed by screens and marked "Restricted Section."

Even from a distance, Kevin could sense the chaotic and potent magical energy emanating from the restricted section. According to magical rules, books containing powerful knowledge and magic would naturally radiate magical energy. Kevin estimated that within the restricted section, there were at least a thousand books brimming with magical energy. If the value of Hogwarts library was divided in half, the restricted section would contribute to half of the library's worth. To him, it was a treasure trove within a treasure trove.

However, Kevin decided to leave the restricted section for later. Now was not the right time to enter. As he saw it, muggle-born wizards were clearly opposed to the White Wizard while promoting White Magic and rejecting Dark Magic. This went against the principles held by Hogwarts throughout its history. Kevin did not agree with it, but Dumbledore, the headmaster, held the highest authority at Hogwarts, and what could he do? He wasn't the Boy Who Lived or the Chosen One of the dark wizarding world, so recklessly delving into forbidden knowledge would only arouse suspicion.

For an ordinary wizard like him, it was best to be modest during the first year and focus on learning the knowledge permitted by the school. It wasn't the time for nighttime adventures, sneaking into the restricted section, or breaking into forbidden forests. He silently vowed to himself, "If I act like Harry Potter and get into trouble everywhere, I'm a dog!"

However, for a transmigrator who considered everyone as NPCs and maintained a deep-seated pride, how long would he be able to stick to this plan?