Breeze Drops the Act (Counterattack)

With the five-inch essay assignment left by Professor McGonagall, the morning Transfiguration class concluded, though McGonagall kept Brie behind for a moment.

"I hope this does not intrude upon your rest, Mr. Oude."

"Not at all. I can head to the library a bit later."

Hearing that Brie intended to go to the library, even Professor McGonagall's stern features softened into a smile.

"It is just that I can see your talent for Transfiguration, so I believe I can make an exception for you. For instance, this book—it will be of help to you."

Professor McGonagall wrote something on a slip of paper and handed it to Brie, cautioning him, "You may only borrow this book, and you must not show it to other young wizards. For those who have yet to discover the structural theory of Transfiguration, it is dangerous."

Brie narrowed his eyes slightly, looked up with a smile, and said, "Of course. Thank you, Professor McGonagall."

Professor McGonagall nodded reservedly and dismissed Brie.

Brie looked at the library slip in his hand:

Mr. Breeze Order is permitted to borrow the book The Mysteries of Transfiguration from the Restricted Section -- Minerva McGonagall

The afternoon class was dull. Shared with Ravenclaw, Brie found himself drifting into a stupor. He hadn't even taken out the book he'd borrowed from the Restricted Section; listening to the voice from the podium, he realized it was an insurmountable force, and he slumped over.

This was entirely unlike him, which the little eagles and snakes found incredible, but as more and more young wizards collapsed onto their desks, this incredulity turned into a sense of shared camaraderie.

"It seems you aren't so perfect after all, hmph." Malfoy strained his willpower, diligently taking notes on History of Magic, while around him, Crabbe and Goyle had already fallen, and Pansy and Daphne were whispering about beauty-related reports.

Not until the end of class did Brie comfortably sit up, blankly watching the History of Magic professor—the ghost Cuthbert Binns—pass through the wall and depart in silence, seemingly indifferent to the young wizards... yet he had still left behind History of Magic homework. It was absurd; even in death, he wouldn't let the students be.

Brie had long understood that he and History of Magic were at odds. Although he had memorized the key points of the textbook, he treated it merely as a bedtime sedative.

As time passed, Wednesday arrived quietly. After finishing a day of Herbology and heading to the corner tower to read after dinner, Brie returned just in time...

"What is this?" Brie stood at the entrance of the Slytherin common room with a cold face. The floor was piled high with his clothes, study books, and his small trunk.

"Who was it?" Zabini? Brie wasn't sure, but he couldn't rule him out. That fellow was more arrogant than anyone; Brie could tell he didn't even hold Malfoy in his eyes.

Or perhaps it was a collective decision by many Slytherins. The protection period had just ended, and they were so impatient to strike—and in such a base manner. Or perhaps a lethal trap awaited him behind the door.

Brie should retreat and find Professor Snape or the Headmaster; that was the best way to resolve this, but...

Looking at his shredded messenger bag and diary, Brie rubbed his eyes, yet he could not dispel the cold, pure red in his gaze. Even his hair had faint silver tips, signaling his calm fury and sorrow.

Brie had washed the messenger bag today, and the diary had been by his pillow... The bag was a ninth-birthday gift from Betty, and the diary was the only item proving his legitimate identity in this world.

He shoved everything into his small trunk, carefully picking up the fragments of the bag and diary and placing them inside as well. However, seeing "Breeze Storm Order" written on the flyleaf of the diary, tears welled up in his eyes.

Brie had never cried since he was a child. He had always been rational, even when he discovered the memories and powerful natural magic within his mind; he had always restrained himself.

The wand on Brie's wrist trembled uneasily. Brie took it into his hand, soothing it, while the natural magic within his body—which he had never wanted to use—spread throughout his frame. The powerful force, aside from himself, was no longer gentle or friendly.

Brie was extremely rational; he understood that only natural magic could help him now.

He coldly recited the password, and the door slowly opened.

"Glory..."

There were quite a few people sitting in the common room. Aside from the few prefects in the lower years, most were there to watch the show. Of course, some who had no interest remained in their dorms, such as Malfoy, but more had chosen to spectate.

For instance, Brie's roommates Zabini and Pansy, and Millicent, who was worried about Brie but had no way to warn him.

Hearing the sound of the door opening, Arnold Flint stood up excitedly. This was the first time he had organized such a large scene, and it would bring him immense prestige.

"Yo, the Mudblood is back..."

As Brie brewed his magic, a crack was torn into the floor by the bursting power...

"Crushing Bones!"

"Ah!"

"Bang! Bang! Bang!" Upon hearing Arnold's voice, Brie unleashed a blasting curse. The massive magical drive sent Arnold flying like a cannonball, slamming him hard against the wall. People and objects nearby were caught in the wake and scattered. Arnold, rolling onto the floor from the wall, wailed incessantly, blood streaming uncontrollably from his face, his arm twisted at a grotesque angle, the white bone visible through the crimson.

"What are you doing!"

"Petrificus Totalus!" The older students reacted, immediately casting spells at Brie, but Brie countered with a Petrificus Totalus of his own. The vast magic instantly enveloped that entire area, leaving several of them unable to move.

Only then did they notice Brie's abnormality. Some with profound family backgrounds felt a tremor in their hearts upon seeing Brie's red eyes, but before they could speak, they were hit by Brie's spell.

"Stop, you'll be expelled, you..." The third-year prefect hadn't finished speaking before Brie threw a spell at him, instantly knocking him aside, blood flowing freely.

"Petrificus Totalus!" An upperclassman found an opening to attack Brie. Brie frowned and stepped back, then used a spell he had never successfully cast before.

"Protego!"

This was a high-level defensive charm that even some upperclassmen or graduates could not cast effectively. However, under the influence of Brie's natural magic, a layer of protective energy instantly gathered around him, and the clumsy Petrificus Totalus was instantly reflected back onto the attacker.

Conviction—yes, magic is a product of conviction. Before, Brie had never possessed the conviction to protect, but now, it was different.

"Stupefy!" The sixth-year prefect, seeing the situation spiraling out of control, was the highest-ranking male prefect present. After his initial shock, he quickly made a decision. What he didn't see was the sixth-year female prefect beside him secretly moving away, staring at Brie's eyes with a thoughtful expression.

When she retreated to the corner, she found Child Enid already standing there watching Brie—the most beautiful Slytherin in the fifth year, and the one who had set her sights on Brie at the private Slytherin banquet.

"Some people are about to lose their greatest treasure for the sake of stupidity, my lady sixth-year prefect, wouldn't you agree?"

The female prefect was of a rigid nature; she did not refute Enid, but instead said, "Breeze Order... could he really be related to that lord?"

The sixth-year male prefect's spell took effect, but it only left Breeze dazed for a split second before he snapped back to reality, and what greeted the prefect in return was a powerful Crushing Bones!

"Pfft!" The intense pain sent the sixth-year prefect collapsing to the side, and the rest of the little snakes who had intended to strike also scrambled toward the dormitory corridor, but Breeze would never let them have their way.

Channeling the greatest amount of magic he could muster, Breeze swung his wand fiercely and shouted, "Petrificus Totalus!"

A violent wave of magical energy rippled throughout the entire common room. Breeze rubbed his temples; although casting spells didn't deplete his mana, mobilizing such a massive amount of power still left him struggling, his mind feeling somewhat hazy. Yet, looking at the wreckage of the common room, he smiled with satisfaction.

They were just a bunch of young masters and misses raised in ivory towers; even those with some ability were fools... or perhaps they hadn't intended to act, choosing instead to watch from the sidelines. Their prying gazes made Breeze feel nothing but disgust.

Silently observing those who had long since found their spots to watch this twisted show, Breeze didn't let them off so easily. He had, after all, written down everyone who provoked him in his diary.

With eyes glowing an even deeper crimson, Breeze pointed his wand at the two second-year boys who had blocked his path in the lounge earlier.

"Expelliarmus!" Two spells whipped the pair aside, their faces slamming hard against the wall. Breeze didn't care to use his own fists to pummel these guys who were frozen stiff by magic.

"I know it was you, Zabini. Using these idiots to strike at me—the undisguised loathing and arrogance in your eyes have long since betrayed you. Your scheme was clever, but it's a pity; I trust my intuition." Breeze walked unhurriedly to Zabini, who was hiding to the side, kicked him over, and stepped on his face. "It's quite obvious: I was right."

Glancing at the others, Breeze was surprised to find Malfoy missing, though Pansy and several others were present. Seeing the terror in their eyes, Breeze suddenly lost the desire to continue tormenting them; it bored him. The red in his eyes faded slightly; using spells at such high intensity was still a strain, and he needed rest.

Of course, it wouldn't be in Slytherin.

"As you wish, I will leave this place. Seeing you all is just as tiresome for me."

Breeze walked out the door, picked up his small suitcase, and headed toward the tower on the eighth floor. Very well, these fellows had chosen a good time; right now, only Filch was likely wandering the castle, hunting for young wizards out after curfew.

Using his powerful sensory abilities, Breeze walked safely to the eighth floor, lowered his head, and said coldly, "Keep staring and I'll burn you all."

He didn't bother looking at the portraits that shifted from pointing fingers to panicked cursing afterward. Breeze trusted these fellows would know how to keep their mouths shut; after all, he had been driven out, hadn't he? Breeze had always been an obedient child, rarely going against the will of the majority.

Breeze tapped the stone brick beside the portrait of the great tree with his wand and walked inside quite briskly.

It was a fine single bedroom, though it seemed rather desolate tonight—in the corner tower of the East Attic, there was only a pile of books and Faner the snake spitting lamp oil onto a solid wood table.

(Finally reached this point. I originally wanted to write this sooner, but I thought about how the magic classes are a unique feature of Hogwarts, so I wrote out Breeze's state in each course, which lengthened things a bit and buried some foreshadowing and settings not in the original outline, so I need to reorganize the outline.)