53 Charting Influence

The heavy oak door groaned softly as Lucas slipped into the deserted bathroom, his emerald eyes scanning every corner with a calculating gaze. The room was brightly lit, with a row of ceramic sinks lining one wall and a series of wooden stalls on the other. The air hung thick with the faint scent of mildew and the lingering traces of harsh cleaning potions. Satisfied there wasn't anybody even though it was already confirmed by his sensory spells, he focused his intent, channeling his magic as in the blink of an eye, his body faded from sight, the very air seeming to bend and distort as the invisibility spell took hold.

Moving with silent strides, the invisible Lucas emerged back into the busy corridor beyond. The hallway was alive with students walking next to each other as they chattered animatedly. Portraits lining the walls whispered to each other and pointed at the various students. Paying them no mind, Lucas broke into a sprint as he cast the Wind's Gale and Water's Swell support visualization.

An unseen force instantly propelled him forward, his strides lengthening as the elemental currents of wind and water gathered around him. His black robes creased with the sudden burst of speed, the Hufflepuff crest on his chest glinting in the torchlight. The stone floor seemed to blur beneath his feet as he harnessed the combined momentum, blurring past unknowing students. His dark hair whipped about his face as he moved with unnatural speed.

The moving staircases proved little obstacle as Lucas ascended them with ease with quickened yet silenced footsteps. His progress was quick, carrying him ever closer to the looming silhouette of Gryffindor Tower in the distance.

He neared the portrait hole and slowed his pace, every sense attuned to potential witnesses or eavesdroppers. The Fat Lady, clad in her pink silk dress, sat in her frame as she eyed the empty corridor with boredom. With a deft manipulation of the air around him, his voice emerged as a distorted murmur, "Caput Draconis."

The Fat Lady's portrait swung open obediently, and Lucas slipped through the entrance while leaving the Gryffindor students gaping at the mysteriously opening door. The common room was warm and inviting, with plush armchairs scattered about and a roaring fire crackling in the hearth. Students lounged about, some studying, others engaged in lively games of Exploding Snap or Wizard's Chess. Lucas walked past them, and ascended the stairs toward the third-year boys' dormitory.

The room was blessedly empty when Lucas arrived, the four-poster beds neatly made and the trunks sitting at their feet. He made a beeline for the one belonging to the Weasley twins, its battered exterior covered in an array of colorful stickers and scorch marks. A wandless Unlocking Spell saw the lid popping open with a muted click, and he quickly rifled through the contents - a jumble of prank items, spare quills, and crumpled parchments - until his fingers closed around the folded map he sought.

A small, triumphant smirk tugged at the corners of Lucas's mouth as he carefully stowed the Marauder's Map away in the expanded pouch secured in his robes. He couldn't risk leaving such a valuable asset in the hands of the twins, not when he wasn't certain his support visualization spells could conceal his movements from its all-seeing gaze within Hogwarts. Especially not when there was a big risk he could suddenly disappear from the map if his spells did work as intended.

Retracing his steps, Lucas descended from the dormitory and passed through the common room once more. This time, the bewildered Gryffindors were even more confused when the portrait hole opened and closed, seemingly of its own accord. A group of first-years huddled together and their eyes were wide as saucers as they whispered excitedly about the strange occurrence.

By the time Lucas reached the deserted bathroom once more, he lifted the invisibility spell and he emerged into the open as if nothing out of the ordinary had occurred. He straightened his robes, running a hand through his tousled hair as he glanced at his reflection in the mirror. His cheeks were slightly flushed from the exertion, but other than that everything looked fine.

He slowly made his way toward the library, and Lucas's smirk deepened into a self-satisfied grin. The Marauder's Map was now safely in his possession, eliminating any potential vulnerabilities or prying eyes that could compromise his activities within the castle walls. Soon it will be time for me to go pay a visit to the Chamber of Secrets and deal with the Basilisk. My "Glow of the Depths" and "Thermal Currents of the Vast Sea" sensory spells will ensure I do not need to use my eyes to view the snake's deadly gaze, though I hope I do not need to fight it. If I could communicate with it, that would be the best case scenario. Either way, I require the venom to proceed with the next step in the Room of Requirement so I can deal with the Horcrux… I do wonder if the Chamber of Secrets still has any other secrets than just a Basilisk, or if they've already been taken away by the descendants of Slytherin or Voldemort himself. I'll have to see.

The towering shelves of the library soon appeared before him, the musty scent of aged parchment and leather bindings filling his nostrils as he stepped inside. The room was a haven of quiet study, with long tables scattered about and towering windows that let in shafts of golden sunlight. He spotted the cluster of Hufflepuff first-years already hard at work on their Transfiguration homework with their heads bent over books and parchments as quills scratched furiously against the vellum.

Hermione was the first to look up as he approached as she waved him over with an eager smile. Her robes were immaculate, the Hufflepuff crest proudly displayed on her chest as she sat surrounded by a small mountain of books. Justin and Neville flanked her, and Neville in particular looked a bit overwhelmed by the sheer volume of information before him.

"Harry!" Hermione exclaimed, her voice a bit too loud in the quiet library. She flushed slightly as Madam Pince shot her a stern look from behind her desk. "We were just discussing the key principles of Transformation and the exceptions to Gamp's Law. It's all so fascinating, isn't it?"

Lucas chuckled softly as he slid into an empty seat at their table. "Indeed it is, Hermione. I'm glad to see you're all taking the subject so seriously." He leaned back in his chair, and his shoulders relaxed as he looked over the group.

Justin grinned at him and his blond hair fell into his eyes as he tapped his quill against his parchment. "We figured we'd get a head start on the homework," he said with a shrug. "No sense in putting it off, right?"

Neville nodded in agreement, though his round face was slightly pale as he glanced down at his own notes. "I just hope I can keep up," he whispered. "Transfiguration seems really tough."

Lucas reached over and gave Neville's shoulder a reassuring squeeze. "You'll do fine, Neville," he said with a smile. "We're all here to help each other out. I'm sure you'll figure it out with all of us here to help."

Neville looked up at him, a grateful smile spreading across his face. "Thanks, Harry," he said softly. "That means a lot."

Sally-Anne and Lily, who had been quietly working on their own assignments, looked up at Lucas's words. Sally-Anne's red hair was pulled back in a neat braid and her freckled face broke into a grin as she nodded in agreement. "Absolutely," she said firmly. "We're all in this together."

Lily, her dark hair falling in waves around her shoulders, smiled shyly at Lucas. "It's nice of you to join us, Harry," she said softly. "I know you probably have a lot of other things you could be doing."

Lucas waved off her concern with a chuckle. "Nonsense," he said firmly. "There's nothing more important than helping out my fellow Hufflepuffs. Now, let's see what you've got so far."

The group settled into their study session, but Justin let out a frustrated sigh, drawing everyone's attention. He held up his quill, a splotch of ink staining his fingers. "Is it just me, or is writing with these quills incredibly difficult?" he asked with a frown on his face. "I keep smudging the ink and making a mess of my parchment."

Hermione glanced up from her own work with her quill moving smoothly across the page. "It takes some getting used to," she admitted with a sympathetic smile. "But I practiced a lot with a quill in the months before coming to Hogwarts. I noticed that they always use quills in the wizarding world, so I wanted to be prepared."

Lucas nodded in agreement. "Same here," he said with a shrug. "I figured it would be good to get a head start on some of the basics."

The others exchanged curious looks, and Neville spoke up hesitantly. "We've been using quills our whole lives," he said, gesturing to himself and the other wizard-raised students. "It's just normal for us."

Lily, however, tilted her head in confusion. "But if you don't use quills," she asked softly, and her dark eyes were wide with curiosity, "what do you write with?"

The three Muggle-raised students shared a knowing look, and Hermione jumped in to explain. "In the Muggle world, we use pens," she said, pulling a sleek ballpoint pen from her bag. "They have their own ink supply inside, so you don't have to keep dipping them like you do with quills. And the ink dries much faster, so there's less smudging. But sadly we are required to use quills, so it's useless for essays."

The wizard-raised students leaned in to examine the strange writing implement with bewilderment. Justin grinned at their reactions. "They come in all sorts of colors and styles, too," he added. "Much more convenient than quills and inkwells, if you ask me."

Lucas, sensing that the conversation was veering off-topic, gently steered the group back to their homework. "As interesting as this is," he said with a chuckle, "perhaps we should focus on our Transfiguration assignment. I was thinking it might be helpful to quiz each other on possible practical applications for the Transformation branch. It could help us generate ideas for our essays."

The others nodded in agreement, and Lucas took the lead. "For example," he said thoughtfully, "Transformation could be incredibly useful in construction and architecture. Imagine being able to temporarily modify materials or structure layouts for visualization and testing, allowing architects and builders to experiment with designs before committing to the final construction. It could save a lot of time and resources, and improve safety and efficiency in building projects. Even if the structure is built with magical materials, Transformation could still be valuable for design experimentation."

The group murmured in appreciation, jotting down notes as they considered Lucas's suggestion. Hermione's hand shot up. "Oh, I've got one!" she blurted out. "What if we used Transformation for packing or cleaning up? Like, turning your clothes into tiny squares to fit more in your suitcase, or making a messy room tidy by turning everything into neat little stacks.

Justin grinned, nodding along with Hermione's idea. "That's brilliant," he said. "And imagine using it in the kitchen! You could change a big block of chocolate into little pieces for cookies, or make a whole pumpkin into slices all ready for baking!"

Neville, usually quiet, raised his hand a bit shyly. When everyone looked his way, he blushed but continued, "I was thinking about using it for gardening. Like changing hard soil into good dirt for plants, or making a tiny seed grow into a little plant right away."

Sally-Anne clapped her hands, smiling at Neville. "That's awesome, Neville!" she exclaimed. "And think about using it in medicine! Like making a yucky herb taste sweet, or changing a dangerous plant into something we can use to get better."

Lily, who had been deep in thought, finally spoke up with a gentle smile. "And for art and music too," she suggested softly. "We could transform a simple paintbrush into one with bristles that paint different patterns, or turn a plain piece of wood into a fancy flute."

Lucas smiled warmly at his classmates and nodded his head. "These are all fantastic ideas," he said. "It's clear that Transformation has a wide range of practical applications across various fields. I think we've got more than enough material to work with for our essays now."

The group finished up their essay and began packing up their belongings, quills scratching out the last few lines on their parchments. Lucas casually waved his hand and in a subtle display of wandless magic, his quill and roll of parchment rose smoothly into the air before gliding towards him and tucking themselves neatly into the folds of his robe.

Lily Moon's eyes went wide and her mouth formed a small 'o' of surprise as she witnessed the effortless feat of magic. Next to her, Sally-Anne Perks let out a soft gasp with her hand flying up to cover her parted lips as she gaped openly at Lucas.

In contrast, Hermione, Justin, and Neville barely reacted at all, clearly more accustomed to Lucas's casual displays of skill. Hermione's eyes flicked briefly towards the hovering quill before she continued packing her bag, while Justin simply grinned and shook his head in amusement.

Their muted reactions, however, stood in stark contrast to the whispers that spread through the library like wildfire. Older students scattered among the towering shelves turned to gawk openly when their eyes followed the path of Lucas's levitating writing implements. Madam Pince, the hawkish librarian, peered over the rims of her glasses with a scandalized expression with her lips pressed into a thin line.

"Did you see that?" a Ravenclaw girl at the next table over hissed to her friend. "Potter just did wandless magic!"

"Merlin's Beard, he's good," a burly Gryffindor boy muttered as his eyebrows were raised high on his forehead. "I thought only elderly wizards could do that sort of thing."

The whispers grew louder and filled the once-quiet library. Heads swiveled, fingers pointed, and books were momentarily forgotten as the students craned their necks to catch another glimpse of the Boy-Who-Lived.

Lucas, seemingly oblivious to the stir he had caused, simply gathered his belongings and rose smoothly to his feet. He flashed a warm smile at Lily and Sally-Anne, whose mouths were still agape.

"Shall we head to our first Potions class, then?" he asked casually, as if he hadn't just performed a feat of magic that most adult wizards struggled with.

Sally-Anne was the first to recover, blinking rapidly before nodding and hastily shoving her books into her bag. "Yes, of course," she said, her voice only slightly higher than usual. "We don't want to be late for Professor Snape's class."

The mention of the infamously strict Potions Master seemed to jolt the others back to reality. Neville paled slightly as he scrambled to his feet. Justin and Hermione exchanged a wide-eyed look before hurriedly gathering their things, while Lily simply nodded mutely, her eyes still fixed on Lucas with awe.

When the group made their way out of the library, the whispers followed them like a wave, ebbing and flowing with each step they took. Lucas walked calmly in the center of the small cluster with a serene expression that made it clear he was unbothered by the attention.

It was only when they had rounded the corner and were safely out of sight of the library that he allowed a small, satisfied smirk to tug at the corners of his mouth. The whispers and stares were exactly what he had intended, a way to reinforce his reputation and cultivate an air of mystery and intrigue.

After all, a little bit of awe and speculation never hurt, especially when it came to securing his place in the minds and hearts of his peers.