Breeze Was Ready

The librarian at Hogwarts, Irma Pince, was a gaunt, elderly woman who resembled an undernourished vulture. She kept a hawk-like watch over every one of Breeze's movements as he entered the library, only slowly retracting her gaze once she saw him carefully place his chosen book onto the reading table.

Then, Breeze watched as Madam Pince marched furiously toward a reading table on the other side, viciously shooing away a first-year Gryffindor who had accidentally dropped a book and let out an exclamation... Do Gryffindors even come to the library?

It seemed Neville had been brought along by Hermione. Now, both Neville and Hermione were being chased out, though Hermione was pleading desperately. Madam Pince, looking suspicious, let them off with a warning and returned to her desk, though her eyes never left Neville for a second, as if terrified he might make another sound or damage a book.

Well, Breeze found this Madam Pince quite agreeable; at the very least, she ensured a quiet environment for his studies.

"Hi..." Hermione pulled Neville over and whispered, "May I sit here, Breeze?"

With that, she sat down and gently placed a large stack of books on the table opposite Breeze.

Well, why even ask me?

Breeze could only smile and nod, then returned to the book in his hands—The Noble Slytherin.

Yes, Breeze needed to understand the rules to do what he liked within them. As time passed, the speed at which Breeze flipped through the pages grew slower and slower. By the time he finished and started looking back through it, his brow had furrowed.

Rubbing the space between his eyebrows, only two words remained in his mind: pure-blood.

A thousand years ago, Salazar Slytherin himself had never intended to teach Muggle-born wizards, or even half-bloods, which had led to conflicts with the other three founders who co-created Hogwarts. That was what the book said; Breeze didn't know the specifics, but he understood that the current state of Slytherin House had a great deal to do with those original divisions.

Breeze mused to himself in a voice only he could hear, "Just as a pure-blood identity can make a Slytherin smile and show favor, a pure-blood identity with talent can make a Slytherin treat one with respect, and a powerful noble pure-blood can make a Slytherin bow in submission... But my bloodline—who knows? I've always been in the Muggle world, and my understanding of magic was limited to the one month before school started... I am not powerful."

"However, I don't think this will be the status quo forever. Perhaps a half-blood or Muggle-born with real strength could make them shut up."

"Knowledge is also power. I learn quickly; that is my advantage. So, just like in Herbology today, I will demonstrate my strength and make them shut up."

Although young pure-blood wizards received some home education, they could not use magic at will before obtaining their wands at age eleven due to the nature of their own magic. One of the functions of a wand was to organize the chaotic and volatile magic of young wizards.

Therefore, the gap between Breeze and the first-year Slytherins was not large, and thanks to his learning talent and a magical aptitude he wasn't yet fully aware of, he was already ahead of them.

Breeze raised an eyebrow and smiled, slowly standing up. He had stayed long enough, and he had achieved his temporary goal: just as they wished, he would pretend to be a Slytherin striving for glory.

"No one stands at the top forever, not even Merlin."

He returned the book to its place and found a copy of Jokes and Dark Magic on the other side, which had been checked out many times.

"Some prank tricks won't hurt anyone, but they are quite embarrassing." This book was one of the few books on Dark Magic available; the more powerful and dangerous ones were in the Restricted Section.

Breeze looked toward the deepest part of the bookshelves, separated by a cordon. That was the library's Restricted Section, where books could only be borrowed with a professor's signed note, and lower-year students were restricted to books specified by professors.

"I wonder if anyone keeps watch at night, and if Mr. Argus Filch is diligent..."

Carrying the book, Breeze greeted Hermione, who was still buried in a sea of books, and Neville, who was already nodding off. He went to Madam Pince to check out the book and then left.

Neville sat in his chair, holding a book and propping up his head, while Hermione looked up to watch Breeze leave, then quietly stood up to go retrieve the book Breeze had just been reading...

It was nearly 12:30, and there was another class soon. With Herbology all morning and afternoon, Breeze could only grab a quick lunch before heading to the greenhouses...

"It seems we're fertilizing Luminescent Grass this afternoon..."

No wonder none of the first-year Slytherins or Ravenclaws were eating now. Breeze wondered what Professor Sprout used for fertilizer; he was certain it wasn't anything pleasant.

Breeze's face darkened, and he silently ate a bit more. It was already like this, anyway. He just hoped some simple little spells might help him. He had seen a deodorizing spell in a second-hand bookstore before, a branch of Scourgify; the incantation was Aera Fresca...

As time passed, Breeze earned another 7 points in Herbology.

Furthermore, as the week progressed, Breeze also earned five points in Thursday's Charms class and additional points in Thursday night's Astronomy class. Those first-year snakes stopped bothering Breeze, and the upperclassmen stopped paying attention to him—perhaps they were still observing. "Wait and see" was a trait of Slytherin. As for the two fifth-year prefects, they were somewhat surprised.

Bennett Wilder said to Jennifer Carrow with surprise, "I didn't expect it. He has the temperament of a little Badger and the mind of a little Eagle... Cedric, just like that third-year top student in Hufflepuff."

Jennifer Carrow gave a cold snort and didn't respond.

Bennett Wilder shook his head, not provoking her further, but instead comforted her, "Perhaps it's just a bit of cleverness. To excel in every subject takes more than just hard work; it requires talent. He's just a wizard who is likely Muggle-born."

This was a failed investment, and it looked like Breeze had some talent, but unfortunately, Jennifer Carrow wasn't firm enough.

Thursday went by quite normally, but in the evening, Breeze's roommate actually spoke to him, which was quite pleasant.

"Ockham and Guss are half-blood wizards without family inheritance rights, and Guss's brother is a pure-blood in Ravenclaw who is very smart, which is why they targeted you."

Zabini sat at his desk, back to Breeze, speaking coldly as if to himself, "Your performance yesterday and today was quite good. However, it isn't easy to become a Slytherin. Only if you can achieve 'Excellence' in your subsequent courses can you truly be considered to have joined Slytherin. Muggle-born wizards without lineage always have it harder; many pure-bloods despise you."

After saying this, Zabini went back to reading in silence, as if he hadn't spoken at all.

Breeze narrowed his eyes and said, "Including you."

It was a statement of fact.

Shrugging, Breeze picked up Jokes and Dark Magic and began to read. The book introduced various minor hexes; there weren't many, but the explanations were very detailed... well, the parts warning young wizards not to use them and to be a kind white wizard, explaining the dangers of Dark Magic, were very detailed.

"Trip Jinx, Pimple Hex, Laughing Jinx, Densaugeo..."

Breeze was engrossed. He had been studying this book for the past two days, though he had no target for experimentation yet, and he didn't know the power of his own casting. Still, just in case, he memorized all the incantations. However...

After reading the book, Breeze knew—casting any Dark Magic required matching malice.

"No one's heart is entirely red, is it? Everyone must have some flaws. But there is an old Chinese saying: 'Do not think a vice is trivial and practice it.' Hmm... but returning evil with kindness is not my character."

Putting the book down, Breeze picked up his Potions textbook. Tomorrow morning was Potions, which he had with Gryffindor. Previously, Breeze's Herbology was with Ravenclaw, and Charms and Astronomy were with Hufflepuff. Hogwarts' schedule was like this; due to staffing, two houses always had class together.

As for his own Head of House, Breeze had a very clear understanding—a greasy, giant bat. He didn't look bad, but he didn't know how to take care of himself. That really wasn't very Slytherin.

Thinking of the first-year girls starting to paint their faces, Breeze found it amusing. It wasn't that girls couldn't pursue beauty, but every age had its own unique beauty; why pursue maturity when they were all just children?

"Clang..."

Zabini went out, and Breeze shrugged, preparing to wash up before lying in bed to read, making it easier when it came time to sleep.

After finishing his wash, Breeze took his book and lay on the bed, falling asleep very quickly...

"Where are you going?"

Draco Malfoy was playing chess with a boy in the common room. Seeing Zabini come out, he raised his eyes to ask. After all, although there was no prefect for the first years, because the Malfoy family held the most prestige and influence in this year's cohort, everyone in the first year—except for Breeze—tacitly accepted Malfoy as their leader, or at least observed the formality on the surface.

"Nothing, Malfoy. I just wanted to come to the common room to read for a while."

Malfoy nodded, looking at the chessboard without saying anything more.

Wizard's Chess had rules similar to international chess, but the pieces were like little people; they could move and had their own emotions, and if a player's skill was poor, they would be met with the pieces' disdain.

"Theodore, it's your turn."

"Let me think a moment longer, Malfoy."

Theodore Nott was a childhood playmate of Malfoy's, though he was gloomy by nature and looked quite frail.

Sitting on either side of Malfoy were two girls: one was the black-haired Pansy Parkinson, and the other was the blonde girl who had just recently attached herself to the group—Daphne Greengrass. Like Parkinson, Nott, and Malfoy, she was also from one of the Sacred Twenty-Eight pure-blood families.

Not long after, it seemed someone called for Zabini, and he walked silently toward the boys' dormitory corridor.

Daphne glanced over, her beautiful blue eyes deep in thought. Clearly, this girl was very clever. She looked at Malfoy and said, "Dear Young Master Malfoy, aren't you going to do something about that Blaise?"

"What does it have to do with me? There is no prefect in the first year."

The implication was that whatever happened would not affect him.