Soon after the desserts disappeared from the tables, leaving them spotless, Dumbledore rose to his feet. The moment he stood up, the entire hall fell silent, all eyes turning toward him.
"Ahem—just a few more words now that we are all fed and watered. I have a few start-of-term notices to give you," Dumbledore began, his voice calm yet commanding.
"First years should note that the forest on the grounds is forbidden to all pupils. And a few of our older students would do well to remember that as well." His gaze subtly drifted toward the Weasley twins, who simply grinned back, unfazed by the warning.
"I have also been asked by Mr. Filch, the caretaker, to remind you all that no magic should be used between classes in the corridors."
Adam nodded to himself as Dumbledore continued with the usual announcements. His mind, however, briefly wandered to the conversation he overheard on the train—the mystery surrounding Draco and the package he had delivered. Adam was torn about what to do with that knowledge. Reporting it to Dumbledore would bring unwanted attention to him, and the thought of the headmaster probing into his mind was an uncomfortable one. It was much better to be prepared for what might come soon.
Dumbledore's voice, however, soon pulled him back into the moment. "Quidditch trials will be held in the second week of the term. Anyone interested in playing for their House teams should contact Madam Hooch."
Adam made a mental note to watch the Quidditch trials, although he wasn't particularly interested in playing himself. And he also knew that it would be really hard to get into the team as a first-year if he is not Harry Potter. He glanced at Hermione, who seemed more focused on Dumbledore's next words.
"And finally, I must tell you that this year, the third-floor corridor on the right-hand side is out of bounds to everyone who does not wish to die a very painful death."
Many first-years laughed at this, including Neville, clearly thinking Dumbledore was joking. Hermione, however, turned to Adam for reassurance. Adam remained calm, giving her a small smile, which prompted her to laugh along. But Percy, ever the responsible prefect, leaned over and whispered to them that Dumbledore never joked about such things, adding that even the Prefects had no idea why the third-floor corridor was off-limits this year.
Adam listened carefully, his smile fading as Percy spoke. He felt a sense of relief knowing that the story seemed to be playing out much like the original. Still, the earlier encounter with Draco and that unknown figure in the train lingered in his mind. There were pieces missing—pieces Adam wasn't sure he wanted to involve himself with just yet.
As Dumbledore finished his announcements, the entire hall stood up to sing the school song. Adam found it odd how no one seemed to care how they sang it—some students rushed through the song, while the Weasley twins dragged it out, finishing long after everyone else. The hall erupted in applause, but before the students could leave, Professor McGonagall quickly walked up to Dumbledore and whispered something in his ear.
Dumbledore nodded, stopping everyone from rising further. "Please, sit down. There is one more important announcement to make."
The hall grew silent once again, and Adam perked up, feeling an odd sense of anticipation. This wasn't something he remembered from the original story.
Dumbledore waved his hand, and a letter materialized in front of him. He handed it to Professor McGonagall, who began to read aloud.
"To adapt to the changes of magic and also the wizarding world after the big event that occurred seventy years ago, the Ministry of Magic approves the proposal presented by the current Headmaster of Hogwarts, Albus Dumbledore, to establish an additional course lasting for three years after the original seven-year magical course. This additional course will allow students to study and research the new types of magic that have appeared as a result of the changes in the wizarding world. The course will be experimental and is set to begin after the graduation of the current year's first-year students."
As McGonagall was about to continue, Dumbledore interrupted. "That should suffice, Minerva."
The first-years exchanged puzzled looks, while some of the older students were visibly upset. A low murmur spread through the hall.
Dumbledore raised a hand to quiet them. "First-years, you need not concern yourselves with this just yet. You will have time to learn about this additional course as you become more familiar with Hogwarts and the magical world. As for the older students—there will be opportunities for you to apply to this course even after graduation."
The hall buzzed with excitement, but Adam was more focused on the specifics of what Dumbledore had said. New types of magic? Combat magic? These weren't things mentioned in the original story. It seemed that the world Adam was now in had changed even more than he initially thought. Dumbledore's next words only deepened Adam's thoughts.
"This additional course will teach advanced combat magic, body-strengthening spells, and advanced elemental magic—branches of magic that are still being developed. First-years should consider applying once you've thought it through, as there may be a limit to how many can enroll."
Dumbledore's tone grew serious as he added, "The world is changing. Not just the wizarding world, but even the muggle world is undergoing incredible transformations. And with these changes come dangers. To protect yourselves, your families, and your friends, you must strive to become stronger. Take what your professors teach you to heart."
Adam's mind raced. Changes in both worlds? What kind of danger could make such a big change in the storyline? He thought of the conversation on the train again, the mention of ingredients, and Voldemort's return. Things were escalating beyond the original timeline he knew. This additional course was more proof of that.
Before he could dwell on it further, Dumbledore dismissed them for the night. Percy, the Gryffindor prefect, began leading the first-years toward their dormitories. Hermione stayed close to Adam, her face reflecting a mixture of awe and nervousness.
"I heard from Percy that we'll have classes from 9 AM until 4:30 PM. And lunch is at 1 PM," Hermione said worriedly as they walked through the corridors. "There's hardly any time for extra reading or magic practice."
Adam nodded absentmindedly, still thinking about Dumbledore's announcement. "Yeah, but we'll have weekends free, so it's not too bad."
Hermione huffed. "When will we practice magic, though? I wanted to explore the library more."
Adam finally snapped back to the conversation. "We'll be able to practice magic in class, and we'll get some free time here and there. We'll figure it out as we go." He added, "We could explore the castle in the mornings if you want. There's still so much to see. I'm going to be up early tomorrow for exercising as well."
Hermione looked at him, conflicted. "But we won't have much time with assignments and everything…"
Before she could finish, Percy's voice interrupted, reminding the first-years to be mindful of the changing staircases. Adam was captivated by the sight of the moving staircases, marveling at how they constantly shifted. He couldn't help but wonder how they were designed—something created by Rowena Ravenclaw herself.
After navigating the shifting staircases, Percy finally brought them in front of a large portrait of a fat lady in a pink silk dress.
"Password?" the Fat Lady asked.
"Caput Draconis," Percy answered, turning to the first-years. "Remember this password, or you'll get locked out. The password will change from time to time, and the Prefects will inform you. Don't share it with students from other houses."
The portrait swung forward, revealing a round hole in the wall, and the first-years scrambled through into the Gryffindor common room. The room was warm and inviting, with plush armchairs and a large sofa near the fireplace. Adam looked around, taking in the cozy atmosphere—it was far better than the inn at the Leaky Cauldron, though it wasn't quite like his home either.
Hermione seemed to want to continue their earlier conversation, but they were soon separated as Percy directed the girls to one dormitory and the boys to another. Adam found himself in a room that he shared with Harry Potter and Ron Weasley. Harry seemed like he wanted to talk to Adam, but Ron distracted him, and Adam didn't have the energy to figure out what was going on between the two.
Maybe it was because Adam had been in the train all day long, or perhaps it was the sheer amount of food he'd eaten at the feast. Adam closed his eyes, reflecting on the day's events. He thought about meeting the senior Grangers at the station, traveling to Hogwarts with Junior Granger, befriending Neville, and meeting and helping Harry Potter and Ron Weasley—the main characters of the original story. Everything had gone somewhat according to plan so far.
However, Adam's mind lingered on the odd conversation between Draco and that mysterious person, whom Adam strongly suspected was Professor Quirinus Quirrell. Even though he knew from the original story that Quirrell was working for Voldemort, something still didn't feel right. He had not seen the person's face, and that left him wondering—what if it had been someone else entirely? The ingredients Draco had delivered were definitely for a potion, but what kind of potion? What was it meant to achieve?
Adam also pondered the role Severus Snape would play in this story. Would Snape still be loyal to Dumbledore, or would he aid Voldemort from the start this time? If Snape was part of the First Year plot, it could spell disaster for everyone.
Adam's thoughts drifted to Dumbledore's announcement about the establishment of the additional course that would teach combat magic and other advanced forms of magic. In the original world, Cornelius Fudge, the Minister of Magic, would never have allowed Dumbledore to implement such drastic measures. But something had clearly changed in this version of events. There was definitely a looming threat that even the Ministry couldn't ignore anymore.
At least Voldemort's plot didn't seem to deviate too far from the original timeline. The biggest difference so far was the conversation between Draco and the unknown person on the train. Everything else was aligning with the original storyline— the restricted section of the third floor, for instance, was still off-limits, which meant the Philosopher's Stone was still at play.
Adam really wanted to try out these trials. He already knew about the Philosopher's Stone, so he wanted to see if he could get it from this trial, even if he couldn't use it. He was sure that Dumbledore wouldn't let him get away with it, but at least he could see it.
Eventually, Adam slowly drifted into a deep sleep. As usual, the strange dream that had been haunting him reappeared. In the dream, Adam found himself stuck, unable to wake up, forced to watch until it ended. When he awoke the next morning, as always, he couldn't remember a thing from the dream. Just like Harry could see Voldemort's actions in his sleep, Adam was sure his own dreams held significance, but he never remembered anything about it. And unlike Harry, he had no horcrux to explain these visions.
When Adam woke up early in the morning, his body moved instinctively, following the routine he had set for himself since receiving his Hogwarts letter. He had been exercising regularly, even meditating with Hermione during their everyday practice. The morning exercise and mental discipline helped him stay sharp for magic.
He quietly dressed in his exercise clothes and slipped out of the dormitory, careful not to wake Harry and Ron. As he descended the stairs into the common room, he was surprised to see Hermione pacing back and forth.
"Good morning. Did you wake up early, or couldn't sleep in this new place?" Adam greeted her.
Hermione, startled by his voice, relaxed when she saw it was only Adam. "Good morning," she replied with a smile, though her bloodshot eyes told a different story. Her hair was even messier than usual, and Adam could tell she hadn't gotten much rest.
"You look like you didn't sleep at all," Adam teased, stepping back slightly, half-joking, "You might scare the ghosts looking like that."
Hermione glared at him but then sighed, "I'm not used to waking up this early. I didn't know when you would wake up so I got up early. You only said we'll explore in the morning but not at what time."
"Sorry about that. Maybe you should sleep in," Adam said with a chuckle instead of apologetic face.
"Didn't you ask me to join you for the morning exercise after curfew lifted? I've been waiting here for twenty minutes, so let's just go now." Hermione said, irritation creeping into her voice.
Adam scratched his head, realizing that Hermione had misunderstood his invitation. He had meant for her to join him only for exploring the castle, not for the exercise part.
"Sorry to keep you waiting, but… are you really going to exercise wearing jeans?" Adam asked, changing the topic as he noticed her outfit.
Hermione looked down at herself, flustered. "I don't have anything else! Do you want me to exercise in my pajamas?" she shot back.
Adam sighed, feeling a bit guilty, especially since she had clearly made an effort to join him. Then an idea hit him. He quickly opened his system shop and customized a pair of 'durable stretchable yoga pants,' tweaking the design to suit Hermione better. He chose red and pink colors to make them a bit more feminine and bought two pairs—just in case. He couldn't change the size of the clothes he could buy since it seemed to be adjusted for himself but luckily he and Hermione weren't much different in height, atleast at this age.
"Here, take these," Adam said, handing the yoga pants to Hermione. Hermione seemed to have gotten used to Adam taking stuff out of nowhere. She even promised herself to find out the reason on her own since Adam always avoided it. "They're brand new. You can use them for the exercise."
Hermione stared at the pants with a confused expression, her eyes darting from the pants to Adam. "These are yours?" she asked hesitantly.
"Yeah, but I've never used them. They're brand new," Adam replied without thinking.
Hermione's expression turned even weirder. She hesitated again before saying, "I think you should keep them."
"Come on, Hermione! Just wear them for the exercise. I promise, they're brand new! And You can keep them too." Adam said, pushing her toward the stairs that led to the girls' dormitory.
"It's not that…" Hermione began, her face reddening slightly before she ran up the stairs, muttering something under her breath, "I didn't know you had that kind of hobby."
Adam blinked, confused, before her words finally registered. His face flushed with embarrassment as he yelled after her, "I DON'T HAVE THAT KIND OF HOBBY! HERMIONE! TRUST ME, IT'S A MISUNDERSTANDING!"
Hermione's laughter echoed back at him as she disappeared into the dormitory. Adam groaned, feeling completely out of his depth. He wasn't great at handling girls in his previous life, and now, it seemed like his awkwardness was following him into this one.
After a few minutes of waiting and mentally berating himself, Hermione returned wearing the pink yoga pants. Adam walked up to her to explain again, but she simply laughed at his anxious expression and accepted his apology. Although she still asked why he had those yoga pants, she didn't push him when he hesitated to answer.
By this point, it was already too late for Adam's usual morning exercise, so he suggested they warm up and do some basic exercise before exploring the castle to locate their classrooms. Adam, still feeling awkward, walked alongside Hermione, who seemed more relaxed now.
The rest of the exploration was a bit of an adventure in itself. With 142 moving staircases and various hidden passageways, finding their way around the castle was no small feat. Adam had half a mind to steal the Marauder's Map from Fred and George, given how often he and Hermione lost their way. But in the end, they found the classrooms they were looking for: Charms, Transfiguration, History of Magic, and Defense Against the Dark Arts.
After their tiring exploration, Hermione was clearly worn out, having never exercised before. She excused herself to shower before breakfast while Adam being unfazed by this little exploration headed to the Great Hall, still feeling a strange hunger despite the feast from the night before.
"Well, it has already been whole night..." Adam thought to himself as he entered the Great hall.