The cramped attic storage room at Oak House Orphanage had become Lynn's only refuge. It was piled with discarded desks and chairs, dusty old picture frames, and miscellaneous clutter smelling of mothballs. Only a tiny skylight let in a little of London's gray daylight. Mrs. Smith, the administrator, would never easily cast her hawk-like eyes into this corner. With effort, Lynn dragged an old folding screen to the doorway, barely creating a relatively concealed space. Then he carefully took the dark blue Nameless Star Book from his clothes.
The cover was still icy cold, but a faint vibration, like the pulse of something asleep, clearly came through his fingertips. It resonated strangely with the stable-burning "spark" within him. Sitting cross-legged on the cold floor, Lynn held his breath in the dim light filtering through the skylight and opened the heavy cover with almost reverent solemnity.
There was no dazzling brilliance as he had imagined, nor any obscure Latin or runes. What met his eyes were yellowed ancient pages of an unusual texture, covered in dense and utterly unfamiliar symbols. They were not simple geometric shapes, but more like a bizarre fusion of abstract stellar paths, rippling energy patterns, and complex geometric structures. Their lines were sometimes smooth as a spilling Milky Way, sometimes sharp as tangled thornbushes. Interwoven and entwined, they formed deep, mysterious images. There were no written annotations, no page numbers—only these silent symbols, telling ancient secrets in silence.
With a trace of reverence and caution, Lynn stretched out a finger and lightly brushed a group of symbols on the page. The symbols formed a pattern made of three nested spirals and several sharp angles.
Bzz...
The page beneath his fingertip seemed to come alive! A vibration weaker than when he had touched the cover before, yet far clearer, instantly passed into him with an indescribable rhythm. At the same time, the "spark" inside him jolted fiercely. A faint but genuine current of warmth rose, following the pathways in his arm and the contact at his fingertip, as though it wanted to flow into the symbols on the page!
Startled, Lynn instinctively tried to pull his hand back. But in that split second, a powerful intuition seized him—Guide it!
He forced himself to steady his mind. Rather than resisting the warm current within him, he tried to use his thoughts to "look at" the "spark," imagining it separating off an impossibly fine thread of energy, as thin as a hair, and slowly, cautiously following his will toward his fingertip and into the strange symbol.
The vibration beneath his fingertip suddenly intensified! The once-motionless symbols seemed to have been infused with life. Along the edges of their lines appeared an incredibly faint silver flowing light, almost invisible to the naked eye! The light raced once around the pattern, then vanished in an instant. It had happened as quickly as a blink; if Lynn had not been completely focused, he would have missed it.
An indescribable sense of realization surged through Lynn's mind like a clear spring! Though he still could not understand the symbols' precise meaning, he clearly "felt" the kind of "state" they represented—a slight "disturbance" of energy, the first hint of a "tremor" in spatial structure.
It had worked?! He had really guided the power within him!
Overwhelming joy and disbelief instantly washed over Lynn. His heart pounded wildly, and fine sweat beaded on his forehead—not from exertion, but from intense concentration and the shock of success. He looked down at his fingertips, then at the symbols on the page, which had returned to stillness. The "spark" inside him seemed to have dimmed slightly after that "output," but it still burned steadily and even seemed to be slowly recovering.
"This feels... incredible!" he murmured, his voice trembling slightly. This was no longer the passive, overwhelming contact he had experienced at the library entrance. This was the first time he had consciously guided and used that mysterious power within him! The Starry Book truly was the key to understanding and mastering it!
He could not wait to try the next symbol. But when he focused and tried to guide another thread of energy from the "spark," a slight dizziness swept over him. A clear fatigue touched his mind, as if he had just completed an intense mental calculation. The "spark" within him also conveyed a sense of weakness.
"Looks like... this power needs training and recovery too. I can't overuse it." Lynn immediately sobered up. Suppressing his excitement, he closed the Starry Book. He understood that possessing a treasure invited disaster. Before he had fully mastered his power, caution and secrecy were essential. He carefully hid the book deep inside an old locked suitcase, covered it with several old clothes, and only then let out a breath.
That afternoon, in their familiar corner of the community library.
Hermione practically ran in right on time, her little face flushed and the curls over her forehead slightly messy. She had clearly hurried there. The moment she saw Lynn, her eyes lit up like two gleaming brown gems.
"Lynn!" She hurried over, dropped her heavy schoolbag onto the table, and eagerly pulled out Basic Charms and Introductory Magical Theory. Her voice rose slightly with excitement. "Look! I tried that 'Mind Guidance' again last night! Nothing still appeared, but I felt... I felt like the air was a little different! Like... like that slight trembling right before water starts to boil!" She did her best to describe the mysterious sensation, gesturing in the air with her small hands.
Seeing her excitement, Lynn's heart stirred. Hermione's talent for sensing energy really was innately sharp! Though she had not truly awakened her magic yet, her intuition already far surpassed that of ordinary people.
"Really? That's wonderful, Hermione!" Lynn praised sincerely, his gaze warm. "That means your 'senses' are very sharp. Maybe you're already very close to finding that 'key.'" He used the metaphor of the "key" he had mentioned before.
Hermione nodded vigorously, her face radiant with the joy of being acknowledged. "Mm! I believe it! Oh, Lynn," she suddenly leaned a little closer, curiosity and a trace of mischief shining in her large eyes, "yesterday... you seemed very interested in that strange book on the lost-and-found shelf?" She meant the Starry Book.
Lynn's heart tightened slightly, but he kept his expression calm. "Oh, its cover was very distinctive. It had a silver star pattern, so it stood out on a rainy day. Then the librarian let me borrow it, saying no one had claimed it." He selectively revealed part of the truth.
"Really? Let me see it!" Hermione's curiosity instantly ignited, and her little hand shot out eagerly.
Lynn hesitated. The Starry Book was too mysterious and too likely to draw unwanted attention. But as he looked into Hermione's clear, knowledge-hungry eyes, a thought flashed through his mind—perhaps he could share a tiny, "safe" secret? He needed someone who understood the common sense of this world to discuss things with, and Hermione was undoubtedly the best choice, provided they were careful enough.
"The book... is rather old, and very unusual. The librarian told me to take good care of it." Lynn chose his words carefully. "But when I tried reading it yesterday, something... a little strange happened." He deliberately lowered his voice, creating the feeling of sharing a secret.
"What happened? What happened?" Hermione was immediately drawn in. She leaned forward, nearly lying across the table.
Lynn spread out his palm, facing upward. "I tried to focus, like... well, like how you sensed the 'air trembling,'" he said, guiding Hermione's train of thought. "Then I felt like there was a tiny bit of... a very weak warm current inside my body, like a Little Spark." He avoided a more concrete description of the "spark," using the vaguer terms "warm current" and "Little Spark."
"And then?" Hermione held her breath.
"Then I tried imagining that I was guiding it to my fingertip." Lynn extended the index finger of his right hand. "Just now, while I was reading here, I tried it again..." He deliberately paused to build suspense.
Hermione's eyes widened round as she stared intently at his fingertip.
Lynn took a deep breath and summoned the "spark" within him, which had recovered somewhat. Carefully and exceedingly slowly, he guided out a thread of warmth several times weaker than what he had used on the Starry Book, gathering it at his fingertip. This time, he touched nothing. He merely let the energy become faintly "active" beneath the skin of his fingertip.
One second... two seconds...
Under Hermione's tense gaze, the tip of Lynn's index finger glimmered—so faintly it was almost an illusion!
The light was as weak as the most inconspicuous firefly on a summer night. It flashed and vanished, not even as bright as the daylight coming through the window. Unless someone stared at it with complete focus, it would have been nearly impossible to notice!
"Ah!" Hermione let out a short, muffled cry. Her little hand flew to cover her mouth, and her large eyes filled with incredulous shock and wild delight. "I saw it! Lynn, I saw it! Your fingertip! It... it lit up just now! It was tiny, tiny, like... like that flash when you first strike a match!" Her voice trembled with excitement, and her little face was flushed bright red.
Lynn put on a timely expression of surprise and faint "confusion." "Really? You saw it too? I thought my eyes were playing tricks on me from staring at books for too long..." He withdrew his finger, and the faint warm current dispersed with it.
"It was real! I swear!" Hermione was so excited she nearly jumped up. She grabbed Lynn's wrist before he had time to pull it back, her little finger anxiously poking the spot on his fingertip that had just glowed. "Right here! It lit up right here just now! Lynn! Could this... could this be...?" She did not say the word, but the meaning in her eyes was utterly clear—this was the manifestation of the "power" described in the book!
Feeling Hermione's warm, tight grip around his wrist and seeing the incomparable excitement and admiration shining from her because of him, Lynn's heart filled with an indescribable warmth and satisfaction. The closeness born of sharing a secret—especially such a wondrous secret—far exceeded anything ordinary. He gently clasped Hermione's hand in return—her wrist was very slender—and smiled as he nodded. His eyes held encouragement and a trace of mystery. "Maybe... this is a little hint from that 'key'? It's telling us we're heading in the right direction."
"Mm! It must be!" Hermione nodded hard, her brown curls bouncing with the motion. She was completely immersed in the thrill of this great discovery and the excitement of sharing a secret with Lynn. She even forgot to let go of the hand holding his wrist. "It's amazing, Lynn! You're incredible! I'm going to work even harder at 'feeling' and 'guiding' when I get home!" She seemed to have been filled with endless motivation.
"We'll work hard together." Lynn's smile was gentle and sincere. The faint warmth lingering at his fingertips seemed to travel to Hermione's wrist, which he held lightly. In that small corner, two hearts exploring the unknown became tightly connected through one "Little Spark," filled with pure joy and sweet understanding.
But the lovely atmosphere did not last long.
"Lynn Li!" A cold, stern voice filled with obvious displeasure pierced the warmth of their corner like an icicle. Mrs. Smith, the orphanage administrator, had somehow appeared not far from their seats. She wore her ever-present dark gray suit, her hair combed perfectly neat. Her face was expressionless, but her eyes behind the lenses swept sharply over Lynn before settling on Hermione—and then on the wrists they were still holding together.
Lynn's heart skipped a beat, and he let go of Hermione's wrist almost reflexively. Hermione also jumped in fright, pulling her hand back like a startled rabbit. The excitement on her face was instantly replaced by nervousness.
"Mrs. Smith." Lynn stood, doing his best to keep his voice calm.
"I seem to recall saying that free time is not for you to spend all day in the library, much less for you to..." Mrs. Smith's gaze swept over Hermione again, full of scrutiny and undisguised coldness, "waste your time here with irrelevant people. The orphanage has its rules, Mr. Lynn. Has your room been cleaned? Have you written next week's community service proposal?"
Her tone was icy, every word falling like the crack of a whip. Hermione nervously clutched at the hem of her clothes, her little face turning pale. She could feel this woman's severity toward Lynn—and her... lack of welcome toward herself.
"I... I'll go back and do it now, Mrs. Smith." Lynn lowered his eyes, hiding the coldness in them. He could not start a conflict here, especially not in front of Hermione.
"Now. Immediately." Mrs. Smith's command left no room for negotiation. She shot Hermione another glance, as though saying: Stay away from him.
Lynn took a deep breath, turned to Hermione, and forced out a reassuring smile. In a low voice, he said, "Sorry, Hermione. I have to go back first. We can... continue tomorrow?"
Hermione looked at Lynn, then at the cold-faced Mrs. Smith. Her large eyes were full of worry and reluctance, but she still nodded obediently. "Mm... see you tomorrow, Lynn. You... be careful." She added the last part quietly.
Warmth stirred in Lynn's heart. He nodded, no longer looking at Mrs. Smith. Picking up his simple cloth bag, which held only a few ordinary books, he quickly left the library. He could feel Mrs. Smith's icy stare behind him, as well as Hermione's worried gaze.
As he stepped outside the library, London's evening wind blew coldly into his face. The secret of the Starry Book in the attic, his successful guidance of the "Little Spark" at his fingertip, the sweetness brought by Hermione's excited, admiring eyes... all of it was instantly dulled by the cold reality Mrs. Smith had brought with her.
The orphanage was not a place where he could stay for long. Hogwarts' letter of admission had become his only—and most urgent—hope. He needed power. He needed to master the Starry Book's secrets as soon as possible. He needed a place where he and Hermione could freely explore magic, far away from such cold eyes.
He raised his head toward the dim sky and clenched his fist. His fingertips seemed to retain the feeling of that faint warm current, along with the warmth of Hermione's wrist. To protect this newly budding bond and their secret, he had to grow stronger faster! At their next meeting in the library, he hoped to bring Hermione more than just a faint "Little Spark."
Before you continue