The next few weeks fell into a perfect, structured routine for Harry, centered entirely around optimization and resource extraction.
Harry's private training sessions with Oliver Wood started immediately.
Wood, a dedicated Quidditch fanatic, ran Harry through intense drills early every morning, often before breakfast.
System Note: Quidditch Field (Grinding Zone).
EXP Rate: High AGI/Flying. Danger: Moderate (Fall damage).
Harry utilized his high AGI and Dex combined with his Undetectable Focus trait.
While Wood saw Harry's talent as raw instinct, Harry was, in reality, running real-time, high-speed calculations of wind resistance, velocity, and trajectory.
During every practice, a notification would pop up:
[Flying] Skill Proficiency Increased.
He mastered the complex maneuvers quickly. After two weeks of intense morning sessions:
[Flying] Skill has reached Level 5! Broom Control increased by 20%.
The experience was tangible: his broom felt less like an unwieldy branch and more like an extension of his will.
This physical activity was essential for balancing his otherwise overwhelming mental stats.
During the day, Harry stuck close to Hermione.
She was thrilled by his Quidditch success—seeing it as a triumph of Gryffindor spirit—and, crucially, she found his sudden, sharp interest in arcane research utterly fascinating.
"Harry, why are you cross-referencing The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection with the fifth volume of Nature's Nobility?"
Hermione asked one chilly afternoon in the main library, her nose buried in a Charms text.
"The texts describe similar principles of binding energy, Hermione,"
Harry explained calmly.
"I want to see if a defense mechanism can be adapted from a simple harvesting charm. It's for practice, you know, pushing the boundaries."
[Knowledge Acquisition] Skill Proficiency Increased.
This smooth, plausible explanation satisfied Hermione's need for logical rigor and kept the Knowledge Acquisition Grind flowing smoothly.
However, Harry's hunger for MAG and INT development far outpaced the general curriculum.
He quickly decided the Restricted Section was necessary.
[SIDE QUEST: Forbidden Knowledge]
Objective: Gain access to the Restricted Section of the Hogwarts Library.
Reward: 500 EXP, [Skill Scroll: Minor Dark Arts] (Random), Access to High-Tier Knowledge Grind.
Failure Condition: Being caught by Madam Pince (Librarian).
"Hermione,"
Harry said one evening, lowering his voice conspiratorially,
"I need to look up a particular theory—a unique form of non-verbal defense. The book is definitely in the Restricted Section. The headmaster mentioned that this kind of spell is vital for seekers." (A necessary lie, tailored to her love of authority.)
"Harry! That's against the rules! You need a signed note from a professor!"
Hermione whispered, horrified.
"I know,"
Harry said, projecting careful sincerity.
"But I don't want to bother Professor McGonagall with something so specific. It would take a lot of explaining. We just need a way in. Your knowledge of cataloguing is important—is there a loophole?"
Hermione's Knowledge Acquisition trait immediately kicked in, seeing the challenge as an intellectual puzzle rather than an act of defiance.
"Well,"
She frowned, tapping her quill against her lip.
"Only the professor can open the chain, but… the catalogue room back door? It has a weak locking charm. A simple Alohomora might not work, but a subtle, non-verbal Basic Clean-up Charm directed at the internal gears...?"
Hermione was effectively providing the blueprint for a high-tier Stealth/Dex check.
"Brilliant, Hermione,"
Harry praised, making sure she felt like the true mastermind.
"Pure genius."
Later that night, Harry donned his invisibility cloak (a surprise Legendary Item drop from his father's possessions, accessed via the Inventory), tucked his wand into his sleeve, and slipped into the library.
He found the back door to the Restricted Section.
Instead of using a noisy spell, Harry employed his most practiced skill.
System Check: Basic Clean-up Charm (LVL 22) + Silent Casting (LVL 20) + Dex (115).
He aimed a focused, silent charm at the lock mechanism, cleaning the grime and dust from the internal tumblers, disrupting the mechanism just enough.
[Stealth Check] Successful!
[Dex Check] Successful!
[Skill Proficiency Increased: Stealth, Basic Clean-up Charm.]
The lock clicked open. Harry slipped inside, a wave of cold, powerful Dark Magic hitting him. The books registered as knowledge items.
Harry spent the next hour locating and absorbing the key texts, scanning for the highest-value information.
He found the Forbidden Knowledge he sought—and a small, thin scroll tucked into an ancient copy of Secrets of the Darkest Art.
[SIDE QUEST COMPLETE: Forbidden Knowledge]
Reward: 500 EXP, [Skill Scroll: Minor Shadow Step], Access to High-Tier Knowledge Grind.
EXP: 50 + 500 = 550 / 1750 (Toward Level 13)
The scroll dissolved into his mind, granting him a basic, non-verbal movement skill perfect for his high AGI and Stealth focus.
Harry knew this single night had provided more advanced development than the entire curriculum would offer in three months.
His alliance with Hermione and his willingness to break rules were the keys to unlocking Hogwarts' true potential.
Little Spoiler: Mother's love and a philosopher's stone
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