Man of Archives

The last exams passed quite calmly and without major issues. The students continued to prepare, but not as intensely as at the beginning. When the last exam was completed, you could feel the students exhale and relax a bit.

 

Now, we have to wait to find out what grades we received. The results will be known in three days, but the official documents won’t arrive until summer. The Heads of Houses invite each student to their office to share the news: whether they passed their OWLs or not, how well they did, and what their prospects are. Students who didn’t do too well will have discussions about whether they can continue studying at Hogwarts or will have to leave and seek their future elsewhere.

 

For me, the exams were over, just like for the other students. But that didn't mean I simply put aside my wand and books to enjoy doing nothing. I continued to study and practice. Now, without the worry, I could start preparing more thoroughly. I methodically worked through one spell after another, repeating them dozens of times until they were perfect. Fortunately, I retained the memories of this body's previous owner, so I could compare my results with his and see where I needed to improve.

 

On the third day, the fifth years were summoned by the Heads of Houses immediately after lunch. A schedule was posted on the notice board showing when each student should go to Professor McGonagall's office. Everyone was given roughly the same amount of time, but I was sure some meetings wouldn't take as long. My meeting was scheduled for early morning. I was the first to be called in.

 

At the appointed time, I approached the door and knocked lightly. After a second, the door, activated by magic, slowly opened. Stepping forward, I found myself in the office of the Gryffindor Head of House, who was also the Transfiguration professor and Deputy Headmistress of Hogwarts.

 

"Good morning, Professor," I greeted her, looking at the woman sitting at the desk. She was wearing a dark-colored robe that contrasted sharply with her fair skin, and her glasses glinted in the morning sunlight streaming in from the window. Her hair, streaked with silver, was pulled back in a tight bun. There was a lot of paperwork on her desk, but everything looked very organized, with neatly stacked files and color-coded tabs. The bookshelves lining the walls were equally immaculate, each book in its precise place. If you looked around, it might seem like a pedant lived in this room. Maintaining such strict order isn't easy. I think magic helps with that.

 

"Good morning, Mr. Jody," she nodded and gestured to a chair. "Please, have a seat."

 

"Thank you," I nodded back and sat down.

 

She looked at several documents. Her face was very pleased, like a cat that had eaten the best cream in the world. There was also an open official letter on her desk. I couldn't read what it said since magic obscured it.

 

"Well," she began. "I was pleasantly surprised by your OWL results. I congratulate you on receiving 'Outstanding' in all subjects, both practical and theoretical."

 

"Hoo," I exhaled and relaxed a bit. Yes, waiting for the exam results had kept me tense. I hadn't even thought about it.

 

"Yes, congratulations," she nodded. "Once again, I am pleasantly surprised and truly proud to have such a student in Gryffindor. But you're not here to hear my praises. Let's talk about your future."

 

"Yes, all right."

 

"You are being offered a Hogwarts scholarship to cover the next autumn term," she began. "In addition, this sum includes expenses for materials and living at the school. With this money, you can buy books, ingredients, a few robes, and other little things that might be useful."

 

She paused for a few seconds.

 

"Do you remember the rules for maintaining the scholarship?" she asked.

 

"Yes," I nodded. "I must receive 'Outstanding' in all future exams."

 

"Correct," she nodded. "Then I hope you won’t disappoint me. You've already proven you can study when you want to."

 

"Yes, Professor," I nodded. "I plan to focus more on my skills."

 

"Commendable," she nodded. "You will receive your Hogwarts letter at the usual time. Along with tickets and a list of materials, there will be a voucher for shopping in Diagon Alley. Any questions?"

 

"What if I don't spend the entire sum?"

 

"That's your money," she said after a brief pause. "But I wouldn't worry about that. In my memory, that has never happened before."

 

"What if prices rise and it's not enough?" I asked her.

 

"Don't worry," the woman said with a smile. "You will have enough money to prepare for the sixth year."

 

I nodded silently.

 

"Before we part, my advice," she began. "Don't tell anyone you've become a scholarship recipient. That's first. Try to keep it a secret at least until the start of the next school year. And second, I advise you to continue studying the books you have. It will greatly benefit your preparation."

 

"Thank you for the advice," I nodded to her. I was planning to do that anyway, but the reminder doesn't hurt.

 

"Excellent. Do you have any questions on the topic?"

 

"Probably not," I nodded. I had many questions, but they were all about magic. The few minutes she would give me wouldn't be enough to clarify everything. So, I'll continue studying the books.

 

"Good," she nodded and smiled. "Then I wish you a wonderful summer."

 

"Thank you, Professor," I nodded, standing up. "You too."

 

The professor nodded and set my papers aside. I was sure they were mine, most likely some kind of personal file.

 

Stepping out into the corridor, I exhaled and saw Isolda, who was next after me. The girl was waiting impatiently, and when I stepped out, she slipped past me without saying anything. It seemed she wanted to know her results as soon as possible.

 

Returning to the Gryffindor common room, I collapsed into one of the free soft chairs. Adam immediately approached me, looking anxious. He wasn't the only one. All the other fifth-year Gryffindors were also nervous because they didn't know how well they did on the exams.

 

"Well? How did it go?" Adam asked me. He was almost at the end of the schedule. Second to last, to be precise. There was one more student after him, but he was such a fool that he likely failed the exams.

 

"It went fine," I nodded to him. "Worse than I expected."

 

"I understand," he nodded. "I feel like I got a great grade. I think I might even get a contract from some guild."

 

"Really?" I said, hiding my surprise. "Well, that's great."

 

But I had a feeling the results might be disappointing. Very often, I met wizards in Fiore who worried about making mistakes on their theoretical exams for rank advancement, and just as often, I saw overconfident jerks fail spectacularly.

 

couldn't relax for long. I played a few games of wizard chess with a fourth-year student. Naturally, I lost, but it was interesting. After that, I headed back to the library to try and find more books using Archive Magic. As soon as I stopped thinking about magic, new ideas came to mind that I wanted to test.

 

The library was empty; no one wanted to spend their last days in this cool room. Madam Pince sat at her desk, reading a magical journal. I took a book on Charms and, hiding behind it, meditated to access new information.

 

I could have done this in bed, but I felt more comfortable here. The secret ingredient to studying something new was the silence and peace. So, what idea came to my mind?

 

The updated Archive Magic allows me to download information from the local information space, which I understood after using Analysis. The mechanism is roughly the same, just a bit more complex. In my previous world, Archive Magic needed a physical copy of a book to load it into the database. Here, a physical copy isn't necessary because the books are already stored in the information space. I don't fully understand the mechanisms at work, but I think I'll figure it out someday. So, any book that appeared or was created here is in the information space.

 

Considering this: many hundreds, if not thousands, of students have passed through Hogwarts. Among them must have been those from wealthy or ancient magical families, who likely received notes from their parents or teachers detailing everything they should know to become strong wizards. That's why my current query might be the most accurate one I've ever made.

 

In the search bar, I wrote: "How to become a good wizard" or "What is needed to become a well-developed wizard."

 

This search query might not have been very precise or correct, but even so, I got quite a few different books that could be useful in the future. There were just over a dozen such books. Some were small, the size of a brochure, while others were large, bigger than the Transfiguration and Charms books combined.

 

First, I loaded a brochure and immediately began studying it without using Analysis. It had a lot of interesting topics I was unaware of, as well as ones I had never heard of and couldn't have imagined.

 

Next, I tackled the massive book. Loading it turned out to be incredibly difficult. But I discovered another capability I hadn't known before. I can pause the loading and then resume from where I left off. This was a useful discovery because when I felt nauseous from using too much magical energy, I could take a break.

 

Adam returned from his meeting looking like a storm cloud, but he wasn't the only one. After the meetings with the professors, there was a gloomy atmosphere among the fifth-year Gryffindors. During dinner, it turned out that the same mood was present among other fifth years. Perhaps only Slytherin hid it better than the others.

 

"Isolda," I called to the girl. She seemed to be the only student from our famous House who wasn't particularly worried and was incredibly calm. The same could be said for her friend, but something was off. "Do you know why everyone is so gloomy?"

 

"Haven't you heard?" she asked quietly, so as not to attract attention.

 

"What?" I asked quietly, not really understanding what was happening.

 

"No, you really don't know..." she said, surprised. "The Ministry has canceled contracts for Hogwarts students who passed their OWLs."

 

"What?" I was shocked. "Are you sure?"

 

"Don't you believe me?" she asked coldly.

 

"No," I raised my hands immediately. "I was just surprised. Sorry if I offended you."

 

"You're forgiven," she nodded. "Judging by your reaction, this doesn't affect you. That means you got a guild contract. Congratulations."

 

"Thank you," I nodded, not revealing that I received a scholarship from Hogwarts. In this situation, it's better to keep it a secret. "You too, right?"

 

"Yes," she nodded. "But that was expected. And Dorsani as well."

 

I glanced at Isolda's quiet friend, who was always with her and never took the lead. Dorsani Merrylittle. I wonder if she got a guild contract too? Or was it paid for her?

 

"And how many students will stay for the sixth year?" I asked her.

 

"Only three from Gryffindor," she said quietly. "You, me, and Dorsani."

 

"Wow," was all I could say.

 

And indeed, it was true. In the Gryffindor common room, I found a fresh issue of the "Daily Prophet" and was surprised to read on the fifth page that the new Minister of Magic had canceled the program for providing contracts to less successful students. Since the "Daily Prophet" is a government newspaper, it immediately explained why this decision was correct. I wasn't very interested, so I set it aside.

 

I can only sympathize with the students who didn't score high enough on their OWLs to get a guild contract. It seems this will affect their education even more. Of course, they can try to retake their OWLs, but that will cost money. Not cheap, but not expensive either.

 

For the next few days, the students were depressed and angry. No one hurried to talk to them or help in any way. Some had nervous breakdowns, which Madam Pomfrey treated. There were many such cases. The hospital wing was half-filled with students suffering from nervous breakdowns. Two days before all the students left, those who had trouble accepting reality were given enough calming potion to make them almost zombie-like. The silence in our room was like a tomb.

 

I continued to work through the massive book and managed to finish it by the end of the year. I started the analysis and realized it would take much longer than anything I had analyzed before. The whole analysis took three days and finished just in time for the evening. During this time, everyone was packing their things.

 

No conversations, jokes, or anything. All the fifth-year students who failed their OWLs came to understand that their time at Hogwarts was over. Now they were on their own in the wizarding world. What their lives would be like and what they would do was unknown.

 

The end-of-year feast was festive for everyone except the fifth years. Slytherin won the House Cup, as they had for several years, so no one was particularly surprised.

 

What drew most of my attention was Headmaster Dumbledore. He was an incredibly powerful wizard who preferred wearing flamboyant robes. I don't know if he likes seeing how people react to such outfits, or if there's something else, but I'm sure if he wore business robes and suits, interacting with other wizards would be more difficult. His light, strange clothing distracts from his power.

 

In the morning, we had our last breakfast, and then all the students headed toward the Hogwarts Express. All our belongings were already packed. House-elves carried all the trunks, bags, and pet cages to the station. At the station, there were several Ministry workers, some Hogsmeade residents, and a dozen conductors helping the youngest students and keeping order.

 

I got a compartment one of the first, using a few tricks I learned when using Heartfilia trains in Fiore. You just need to work your elbows correctly to get the best seat, which is further from the toilet.

 

"Can we join you?" Isolda asked. Dorsani stood behind her.

 

My compartment was empty since Adam left with other fifth years right after breakfast. He stopped talking to me after finding out he failed his exams and wouldn't be returning to Hogwarts, even if the Ministry hadn't canceled the contract program.

 

"Sure," I nodded to them.

 

The girls didn't need to be asked twice. They immediately entered, threw their bags onto the upper shelves, and sat across from me. Isolda pulled out a chess set and invited me to play. I didn't refuse. I didn't particularly feel like studying any material. I needed to mentally prepare for meeting my parents.

 

"I still can't understand," Isolda said after I lost another game. The game really captivated me, so I was concentrating on it.

 

"What is it?" I asked curiously, setting the pieces back. For a second, I got distracted and mixed up the positions of the queen and king.

 

"I asked my father to find out which guild offered you a contract," she said. "And you know what I found?"

 

"What?" I asked, genuinely interested. I didn't expect anyone to be interested in this. Although, given that many fifth-year students failed their OWLs, it makes sense. She was probably curious about which subject I excelled in to attract a guild's attention. "What did you find?"

 

"Nothing," she said, closing her eyes. "You didn't receive any contract from any guild. That means you either got a Hogwarts scholarship or found the money somewhere else. Do you want to know something even more interesting?"

 

"Why not," I said. The door was closed, so there was no escaping. Running would be the wrong thing to do. She hadn't suggested anything that threatened my life. Any other problems can be solved.

 

"The examiners my father spoke with said you are a very talented wizard who can achieve great heights in the future," she said, as if repeating a phrase. "That's if I summarize."

 

She paused, seemingly expecting me to say something. But I remained silent. Attracting the attention of a powerful family like Isolda's wasn't something I wanted, but it had already happened. My exam results had put me on the radar of various interested parties. This was neither good nor bad.

 

"Then I started thinking," she continued. "It wasn't money because I kept an eye on you recently. Although it's impossible to get a Gringotts statement, I'm sure you're as poor as a church mouse right now. So the second option: you became a Hogwarts scholarship recipient."

 

I continued to remain silent, surprised by the girl's train of thought.

 

"Since my father is one of the Trustees, it was easy for him to get this information," she said, satisfied, then pointed her finger at me. "You're a Hogwarts scholar. Am I right?"

 

"Who knows…" I said, tilting my head slightly. I picked up this habit from an acquaintance I helped a few times.

 

"You're a sneaky one," she said. "I would never have thought you were like that. I can only congratulate you. I didn't prepare any gifts, but I have one."

 

I was surprised.

 

"Dorsani, show him your boobs," Isolda said.

 

Her friend, who had been silently sitting all this time, didn't need to be asked twice. Before I could say anything, she slowly pulled down her robe, baring her chest. My mouth went dry as I took in the sight of her smooth, bare skin and the gentle curve of her breasts, her nipples hardening in the cool air. I had experienced sex in the other world, though not as much as I would have liked. Here, I hadn't had any yet, and the sudden intimacy overwhelmed me.

 

Exhaling, I tried to calm my heart, which was pounding loudly in my chest. My eyes lingered on her, tracing the soft lines of her body, and I felt a familiar tightness growing in my pants. The room seemed to heat up, and the air between us felt charged with an undeniable, electric tension.

 

"Do you like it?" Isolda asked with a smirk, squeezing Dorsani's nipple. "Do you want me to give her to you for a while?"

 

"Excuse me?" I asked, finally looking at Isolda.

 

"Dorsani is my servant, raised to serve me," she said as if it were self-evident. "So I can do anything I want with her. By the way, she hasn't slept with anyone yet."

 

My mind went blank. Even my arousal subsided. I had never been in such a situation. Let's say this: the situation here is very complicated for me. If Dorsani belongs to Isolda, the latter sees her as a thing. And recalling all the times I noticed their strange interactions, it becomes clear. If I agree to this, I might be sticking my head in the lion's mouth, which will happily use me to achieve its goals and ambitions. I remember a guy from my guild who started dating a girl who controlled his life with her "cave." He was ready to do anything for such pleasure.

 

"I'll have to decline," I said, looking straight into Isolda's eyes. "It was a wonderful offer, but I'm not ready for this yet."

 

"Well, okay," she nodded, then ordered Dorsani. "Get dressed."

 

The girl didn't need to be asked twice. She immediately pulled her robe back on, covering her chest. Ahem. Yes.

 

"Then maybe you'll sell yourself to me?" Isolda asked, leaning forward slightly. "Will you sell me your talent, and I'll give you something in return?"

 

"Isolda, hold on," I stopped her. "You're a wonderful person. And I would be happy to talk to you about various topics. But not now."

 

"Okay, Timothy," she nodded. "Then, when we return to Hogwarts next year, we'll talk again."

 

"Of course," I smiled at her and winked at Dorsani. She looked away slightly. She wasn't a soulless doll, ready to obey Isolda's every command.

 

A sweets vendor entered our compartment, but we declined to buy anything. I refused because I didn't want to spend money on it, and Isolda because she didn't particularly like sweets. After that, the conversation didn't flow as easily, so I immersed myself in meditation to study the book I had recently acquired. I started the analysis as soon as the last page was loaded.

 

The first thing that interested me was mental magic. It had a rather large section, but compared to others, it wasn't very extensive. In Fiore, there weren't many mages who could do anything like this. I know there's someone in Fairy Tail with such abilities, but nothing beyond that.

 

Here, it's an entire science that I must master. For now, I set aside thoughts of increasing my power. It's better to get comfortable with what I have and then think about it. That seems like the best approach.

 

We arrived at the station around lunchtime. I was fascinated by the city. It was incredibly large, I'd even say enormous. No city in Fiore could compare to London in size and population.

 

When the train stopped, I immediately noticed the numerous wizards waiting for their children. Among them, the red robes of Aurors stood out, but no one paid much attention to them. Every wizard is a walking weapon, and only the most foolish and weakest don't hone their magical skills.

 

I let Isolda and Dorsani go ahead. They disappeared into the fluid stream of other students. I waited a bit longer before stepping out of the carriage. The noise was overwhelming, but I ignored it. I quickly found a small cart for my trunk and began pushing it towards the exit.

 

I had studied this part of Timothy's memory thoroughly, so I knew well how to find my parents. I paused for a moment, then slowly walked through the passage. Moments later, I found myself on the other side of the station.

 

I immediately saw Timothy's parents. His mother came over and hugged me. His father was calmer, giving me a firm handshake.

 

"We've been waiting for you so long," his mother said.

 

His mother's name is Cindy. She's a teacher at an elementary school near our home. She enjoys her job, which is the main thing. His father, named Aaron, is a plumber. He works for a company and earns decent money. In general, a normal family.

 

"I'm glad to see you too," I told them with a smile.

 

"Let's go quickly," Cindy said. "We'll stop at McDonald's on the way home. It just opened in our neighborhood. They say the burgers are very tasty."

 

"Okay."

 

His father took my cart and pushed it. Some people around us, of whom there were many, looked at my clothes with interest, then went back to their business. The station was big and filled with all sorts of people. We exited to the road, which was packed with cars. There were especially many black cars with the word "Taxi" on them. His father also had a car, parked not far from the entrance. From my memory, this type of car is called a minivan. Everything is very interestingly arranged in this world. The division between the magical and non-magical parts is very noticeable, unlike in Fiore. Here, non-magical people don't know about the existence of the magical world.

 

"So, tell us how your year went?" Cindy asked when we were in the car. It started smoothly, and his father drove out of the parking space. "What interesting things happened at school? How did you do on your exams?"

 

"Well," I began. "The year went pretty normally, nothing special happened. There were Quidditch games, where Slytherin won, and not much else. And the exams went very well. I got the highest marks and received a scholarship from the school."

 

"Oh!" she exclaimed, turning to me and briefly distracted by a cyclist trying to cross the road. "Was it hard?"

 

"Yes," I answered honestly. "It was very tough. I had to study day and night, even buying stimulant potions."

 

"Are you okay?" Cindy immediately asked, worried. It felt nice and simultaneously somewhat uncomfortable. I was in her son's body but not really her son. "Do you need to see a doctor?"

 

"No need," I said. "I'm perfectly healthy. The school doctor is an excellent specialist."

 

"Then that's good," she nodded. "You know, maybe we should get you an owl? Even though I'm allergic to their feathers, I can manage a few times."

 

"There's no need," I shook my head. "I don't have many friends to correspond with via owl post. I might try to create a small enchantment so we can communicate over a distance."

 

"You remember you're not allowed to do magic outside school until you're seventeen, right?" his father asked.

 

"I remember," I nodded and sighed. "But magic doesn't always require a wand. So I'll still try to make it... or buy it in Diagon Alley."

 

"I think buying it would be the best option," Cindy said.

 

At that moment, we arrived at a small restaurant with several cars already parked outside. At the entrance was a tall figure of a clown, smiling welcomingly. But the large "M" on the white background attracted the most attention.

 

Cindy and I took a small table in the corner, while his father and I went to the counter, where a young girl slightly older than me took our order. His father paid for everything, and we returned with trays. The local food turned out to be quite unusual and tasty. I'd never tried anything like it before. The drinks were good but too sweet for my taste. Butterbeer is better.

 

Afterwards, we headed home, where I took a shower first. The non-magical world was slightly more advanced technologically than the magical one, but I think that won't last long. What takes non-magical people a lot of time to achieve, wizards can do with the right calculations. But that's because wizards are in a unique situation. In my previous world, magic and technology developed roughly simultaneously, complementing each other. Though there weren't such skyscrapers and not everyone could afford a magical carriage, such options existed.

 

In the evening, relatives visited. These were grandparents, uncles, aunts, and rare cousins. My new family turned out to be quite large. They say we have relatives in the South and North of the country.

 

To all relatives, I was studying at a private school, where my parents sent me because I won a grant. This was the story they used to prevent unnecessary questions. From memory, I knew this wasn't unusual for this country. If parents have extra finances, sending their child to a private school is the best decision.

 

"Have you found a girlfriend yet?" Grandma Emma asked. She is a relative on my mother's side. "When are the grandchildren coming?"

 

"Mom," Cindy said. "He's only sixteen."

 

"So what?" Emma was surprised.

 

"He's still too young for that."

 

"My sister was pregnant with her first child at fifteen," she said. "Her future husband was also fifteen then. So, sixteen is just the right time for such talks."

 

"I haven't found anyone yet, Grandma Emma," I replied calmly. "There was no time."

 

"And you did right by studying," Grandma Sally said. "You can think about girls later. Otherwise, you'll end up like Anthony."

 

There was a moment of silence. Anthony was a cousin of my father's, known for chasing after married women and being an alcoholic. He was a womanizer until an enraged husband of one lady shot off his balls. This happened in Wales, and Anthony never went back there. With no other entertainments, he drank himself to death within a few years.

 

Talking with several cousins was easy, as they were all younger than me. They were curious about my private school. I didn't tell them much, but even what they already knew and a few additions made their eyes light up with excitement and interest.

 

The next day I woke up early, but my parents were already gone. Cindy had to finish the school year, making the final preparations for the transition to summer vacation. Aaron didn't have vacations, so he went to work at the company.

 

So, what do I need to do? First, I unpacked my suitcase, setting aside clothes that needed replacing. These were torn socks and underwear. Besides, I needed new shirts and pants, as they were getting too small.

 

Then I went for a walk around the neighborhood, curiously observing how the locals lived. The local society here is very different from Fiore's. People are more conservative. Girls don't wear revealing clothes, and boys don't talk loudly.

 

Several places caught my interest. There was a small library and a school. If I want more information and knowledge, I should go there and study the assortment in detail before loading it for study and analysis. But something tells me I won't have much time.

 

In the evening, during dinner with just our family, Cindy suggested we go on vacation to Spain. Aaron agreed, as he planned to take a few days off at the end of the month. I had a small problem... no money. I didn't have any funds for my ideas and desires. So... I'll need to find a way to earn some. But how? That's a good question.

 

Of course, I don't need to worry about food and shelter, but I don't want to be completely dependent on them. What options do I have? The first and possibly most effective is to become an OWL tutor for students entering their fifth year. I'm sure that after the recent Ministry decision, many parents will be concerned about preparing their children for exams.

 

This could be a way for me to earn some money and also practice some spells. I'll set a low price, as I'm not a professional teacher or a ranked mage of any guild. The next question is, can I offer my services at all? I wouldn't want to find out later that my actions were illegal. That would mean a fine and a slightly tarnished reputation.

 

Who can I ask? I could write a letter to some of my acquaintances from the wizarding world, but will they reply... that's the main question. Isolda would definitely answer. But then I'd owe her something. No, I don't need such entertainment for now. Maybe write to Professor McGonagall? I think she wouldn't mind helping me with this. Well, I hope so...

 

Having made this decision, I went to study the book during meditation. Early in the morning, I went to London. My parents left me some money for pocket expenses. I also had a few Sickles for sending a letter. Diagon Alley greeted me with a light quietness. There weren't many people around, as wizards were busy with their own affairs. It becomes a hive of activity at the end of August.

 

Quickly writing a letter and sending it with one of the owls, I decided to walk along the street, curiously looking at everything around me.