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– "The Screen"
Light trickled through the green-tinted water outside the windows, casting rippling patterns on the dungeon walls. The Slytherin common room was waking up: hushed footsteps, yawns, the quiet rustle of robes, murmured complaints about morning classes.
Adam stirred on the sofa where he'd fallen asleep.
He blinked groggily, his eyes dry, head pounding like someone was hammering iron inside his skull. A low groan escaped his throat.
> "Merlin's bloody beard…" he muttered, rubbing his temples.
It felt like he hadn't slept at all. A prickling sensation crawled over his skin, as if static electricity danced beneath his veins.
He sat up slowly, frowning as a wave of dizziness crashed through him. His vision wobbled—
—then cleared.
And that's when he saw it.
A translucent, glowing rectangle floated in front of his eyes. Slightly bluish, shimmering faintly, letters crisp and impossibly sharp:
> [SYSTEM ONLINE]
User: Adam Sainz.
Condition: Minor Headache | Vital Signs Stable
Skill Tree: Locked
Quests Available: 1
Adam froze, his breath caught halfway in his chest. He glanced left, right—but the other Slytherins were chatting, gathering books, completely oblivious. No one else seemed to see the shining screen hovering in midair.
He swallowed, lifting a trembling hand toward it. The screen followed his gaze, almost as if it were pinned to his line of sight.
> "What the hell…"
Another line blinked into existence:
> [Tutorial Initiating…]
A jolt of panic shot through him. He slapped the screen with his palm—but his hand passed straight through it like mist. It rippled and re-formed, pulsing gently as though amused.
> [Congratulations, Player Adam.]
The System has chosen you. Prepare for growth. Prepare for survival. Quests will begin shortly. Good luck.]
> [Accept Tutorial? Y/N]
Adam felt his pulse racing.
> "This… can't be real," he whispered.
But as he stared at the glowing letters, a tiny icon pulsed like a heartbeat in the corner of the screen.
And in the pit of his stomach, Adam knew one terrifying truth:
Whatever this was… it had already begun.
_____
Adam's POV :
My eyes feel like sandpaper.
I'm sitting there on the couch in the Slytherin common room, staring at this… thing floating in front of me. A screen. Just like the ones in those games or the manhwa I sneak sometimes behind my textbooks. Letters glow faint blue against the greenish light filtering through the lake outside.
> [Accept Tutorial? Y/N]
I squeeze my eyes shut. Count to five. Open them again.
It's still there.
I glance around, hoping someone—anyone—is freaking out about a magical screen floating in midair. But no one notices. Nott is yawning into his sleeve. Pansy's gossiping with Daphne about hair potions. It's like I'm trapped in a snow globe no one else can see.
My chest tightens.
> This can't be real.
It has to be some prank. Or a hallucination. Maybe I fell asleep studying and I'm dreaming…
I reach out and try to swat it away. My hand passes through it, cold and tingly, like dipping my fingers into icy water. It shivers and reforms instantly.
> [Accept Tutorial? Y/N]
My pulse thunders in my ears.
A part of me wants to press Yes. To see what happens. To know why the hell this chose me.
But another part of me—the part that has survived Slytherin politics and kept my head down—wants to run screaming in the opposite direction.
> Nothing good comes for free. Especially in magic.
Especially at Hogwarts.
I take a deep breath, tasting the damp stone air.
> "No," I whisper. "Not right now."
I close my eyes and focus hard, willing the screen to vanish.
Nothing happens.
It just hangs there, blinking softly like it's waiting patiently.
> [Accept Tutorial? Y/N]
I stand up so fast the world tilts sideways. My head pounds like it's about to split open.
For thirty minutes I pace back and forth in the shadows near the fireplace. Back and forth. Back and forth.
My thoughts spiral:
> What if this is dark magic?
What if it's connected to Voldemort?
What if this is exactly how people go mad?
But…
> What if it's power?
What if it's answers?
My fingers twitch, itching to press Yes. But my gut tells me not to rush.
At last, I drag my hand through my hair, feeling the greasy strands clinging to my fingers.
> "Later," I mutter. "I'll decide later."
I glare at the screen.
> "Go away."
It doesn't go away. Instead, it shifts:
> [Tutorial Pending…]
I let out a frustrated breath. Fine. It can wait.
I shut my trunk, tug on my green-and-silver tie, and smooth my robes. My headache's still there, throbbing behind my eyes, but there's no time to dwell.
Professor Snape's class waits for no one.
And the last thing I need is him suspecting something's off.
____
Scene – Snape's Classroom
The dungeon classroom was cold enough that breath fogged faintly in the air. Rows of cauldrons simmered gently, releasing faint, bitter scents of herbs and minerals. Bottles gleamed on shelves behind Professor Snape's desk, each labeled in his sharp, spidery script.
Adam slipped into a seat at the far right, eyes still shadowed from his restless night. The glowing screen flickered occasionally in his peripheral vision, but he forced himself not to look at it.
At the front of the room, Snape swept in, robes billowing like a thundercloud.
> "Wands away. Books open. Eyes on me."
His black gaze swept the room, lingering briefly on Adam, but sliding past him with apparent disinterest.
> "We shall begin with a few questions, since it seems certain people in this class believe they can coast into their NEWTs on fame alone."
He prowled between the desks, his voice a soft hiss.
> "Miss Granger. What is the key stabilizing agent in the Elixir of Clarity?"
Hermione's hand shot up.
> "Powdered moonstone, sir."
> "Correct."
He didn't even look at her as he kept speaking.
> "Miss Granger. Which ingredient, when added at the wrong stage, turns Felix Felicis toxic?"
> "Ashwinder eggs, sir."
> "Indeed."
> "Miss Granger. What is the recommended brewing time for Amortentia to reach full potency?"
> "Twenty-four hours, sir."
> "Correct."
> "Miss Granger. How does infusion of wormwood affect the Draught of Peace?"
> "It makes it stronger but can also cause drowsiness if not balanced with syrup of hellebore."
> "Yes."
> "Miss Granger. Name one alternative ingredient to crushed scarab beetles in a Strengthening Solution."
> "Firefly thoraxes, sir."
Snape paused, a flicker of disdain on his pale face. He waved a hand dismissively.
> "Astounding. I'd offer you a medal, Miss Granger, but we'd be here all day."
Hermione blushed crimson, shrinking a little in her seat.
Suddenly Snape's head snapped around toward Harry and Ron, who were slouched side by side.
> "Potter. Let's see if the Boy Who Lived can manage one correct answer this morning."
Harry sat up straighter, eyes wary.
> "What is the primary purpose of knotgrass in Polyjuice Potion?"
Harry swallowed.
> "Er… to… thicken it?"
> "Incorrect," Snape sneered. "It's a binding agent for the potion's transformative properties."
He stalked closer.
> "Potter. What is the antidote for Drowsing Draught?"
> "Er… pepper-up potion?"
Snape rolled his eyes.
> "Wrong again. Cowslip essence."
A dangerous quiet fell over the classroom as Snape loomed over Harry's desk.
> "And lastly, Potter—name one use for powdered bicorn horn."
Harry glanced at Ron, panicked.
> "Er… hair tonic?"
Several Slytherins snickered.
Snape's lip curled in utter disdain.
> "Almost six years, and you, Potter, still couldn't learn anything properly."
He straightened up, robes swirling around him as he turned back to the rest of the class.
> "Let this be a lesson to all of you. Some people may believe talent excuses ignorance. It does not."
He paused, surveying the room with his dark, glittering eyes.
> "Today we begin a new topic: the brewing of Invigoration Draught. Useful for counteracting fatigue, shock, or magical exhaustion—a potion that may well save your life in combat or after casting powerful spells."
He gestured to the board, where words began scrawling themselves in chalky script.
> "Invigoration Draught requires the following: stewed daisy roots, powdered unicorn horn, and sliced peppermint. Accuracy in chopping and timing of additions is crucial, lest the potion cause severe restlessness or even manic energy."
He clapped his hands sharply.
> "Your task: prepare half a vial of Invigoration Draught before the end of class. Work alone. And do not test it on yourselves. I have enough chaos to manage without students bouncing off the ceiling."
Cauldrons clanged as students hurried to gather ingredients. Hermione was already arranging her supplies in precise little rows. Harry looked shell-shocked. Ron was poking gingerly at a jar of peppermint leaves.
And in the far corner, Adam exhaled shakily, the flicker of a ghostly blue screen still hovering faintly in his vision.
____
Scene – Brewing Chaos:
The dungeon hummed with the low bubble of simmering potions. The clink of knives on chopping boards echoed off stone walls as students chopped, measured, and stirred under the watchful eye of Professor Snape.
Hermione was leaning over her cauldron, brow furrowed in intense concentration. Harry was staring at his textbook as though hoping the words might suddenly leap off the page and brew themselves. Ron was glaring at his peppermint, muttering curses under his breath.
But in the far corner, Adam stood frozen.
He was gripping the edge of his workbench so tightly his knuckles were white. His eyes kept flicking upward—toward the faint, glowing screen still hovering in the air, visible only to him:
> [Tutorial Pending…]
[Accept Tutorial? Y/N]
His heartbeat thudded painfully in his chest.
> What if I accept it and become something… that I don't want
What if I ignore it and lose the chance to protect myself—or… …
He barely noticed Snape prowling closer until—THWACK!
Something hard smacked him on the back of the head.
Adam winced, nearly knocking over a bottle of unicorn horn powder.
Snape loomed beside him, wand in hand, a look of lethal irritation on his face.
> "Why aren't you working, Mister Sainz?" Snape's voice was soft and deadly. "Or are you waiting for me to brew your potion for you?"
Adam's mouth fell open, words tripping over each other in his throat.
> "No—no, sir. I just… got distracted. A bit."
Snape's eyes narrowed into black slits.
> "Then by all means, do us all the honor of not wasting my oxygen and begin."
Snape swept away in a swirl of black robes, leaving a few Slytherins snickering behind their hands.
Adam swallowed hard. He blinked at the ingredients laid out on his bench. His head felt like it was stuffed with cotton, his thoughts running in circles:
> Tutorial… or no tutorial…
Power… or safety…
Am I even the same person I was yesterday?
His hands moved almost mechanically. He added the stewed daisy roots. The peppermint leaves. Measured out the powdered unicorn horn, his fingers trembling as he sprinkled it in.
The potion hissed and glowed faintly blue.
He stirred it clockwise, then counter-clockwise, eyes half-glazed over as the screen flickered again in his peripheral vision. He barely noticed Hermione shooting him worried glances from across the aisle.
By the time the smoke cleared, Adam blinked—and found himself staring at a cauldron of shimmering, perfectly brewed Invigoration Draught. Its surface shone like molten sapphire.
He stared at it, utterly bewildered.
> How… did I even…?
Snape's voice cut through the silence:
> "Surprisingly, one can understand the point of a lesson."
Adam looked up to find the entire class staring at him.
Hermione's mouth was hanging open. Harry and Ron were gawking like he'd just sprouted wings.
Adam's voice came out small but edged with sudden defiance:
> "I… I am useful at the end."
Snape paused, considering him, eyes cold but… almost approving.
> "Good," he said curtly. "Perhaps some of your classmates might be inspired to finish their work instead of butchering ingredients like trolls with mallets."
He turned on his heel and stalked off, barking at the others to hurry up.
Adam exhaled, chest tight, mind still spinning. As he stared at his perfect potion, a thought crept through him—chilling and thrilling all at once:
> Maybe this System… isn't such a curse after all.
____
The clang of cauldrons and scrape of benches filled the dungeon as Snape dismissed the class.
**"Get out. And if any of you manage to explode a cauldron next lesson, do me the courtesy of dying quietly."**
Students packed up their books, chattering in low voices, eager to escape the cold dungeon air. Adam shoved his things into his bag, head still pounding. The flickering screen in the corner of his vision taunted him—**[Invigoration Draught: Brewing Successful]**—but he ignored it, desperate for fresh air.
He tried to slip toward the door—
But Hermione Granger stepped right into his path.
Her eyes blazed like molten bronze, and she planted both hands on her hips.
**"How did you do it, Adam?"**
Adam blinked, startled. **"Do… what?"**
Hermione's hair quivered with righteous fury. **"Don't play dumb! You barely touched your ingredients, you looked half-asleep the entire time—and then you brewed a perfect Invigoration Draught! That's NEWT-level magic. How did you do it?"**
A few lingering students slowed, their curiosity piqued. Harry and Ron hovered near the doorway, exchanging glances.
Adam clenched his jaw. The words sat heavy on his tongue—*I didn't even try. It just… happened.* But admitting that would only raise more questions. Questions he couldn't answer.
So he smirked instead. **"Maybe I'm just better at this than you."**
Hermione's nostrils flared. **"That's impossible. I followed every step precisely—**
**"And yet,"** Adam cut in, tilting his head, **"mine turned out perfect. Funny, isn't it?"**
Her fingers tightened around her book strap. **"You must have cheated."**
The accusation hung in the air, sharp as a knife. A hush fell over the students still within earshot. Even Ron winced.
Adam's smile vanished. **"Cheated?"** He took a step closer, voice dropping low. **"Because Merlin forbid someone outshine the great Hermione Granger without a thousand pages of theory to back it up."**
Hermione's cheeks flushed. **"This isn't about me! This is about you doing something that shouldn't even be possible!"**
**"Or maybe,"** Adam said, bitterness creeping into his tone, **"you just can't stand not having all the answers."**
She drew herself up, eyes flashing. **"If you're not going to explain, then—**
**"Then what?"** Adam challenged. **"You'll report me? Run to a teacher because you can't handle not being the best?"**
Hermione recoiled as if struck. For a heartbeat, something like hurt flickered across her face—but it was gone just as fast, replaced by steel.
**"Fine,"** she said coldly. **"Keep your secrets. But magic isn't something you can just fake. Sooner or later, the truth comes out."**
Adam gave a small, mocking bow. **"Looking forward to it, Miss Granger."** "Maybe knowledge isn't only in your books that you read, Hermione."
Her mouth fell open, indignant. Adam didn't wait for her to reply. He gave a small, mocking bow.
> "Have a nice day, Miss Granger."
He pushed past her and strode out into the dungeon corridor, his footsteps echoing off stone.
---
Adam's POV – Twisted Thoughts
(First Person)
I walk fast, the corridor blurring around me, students pressing back to avoid me like I'm some disease.
> Hermione bloody Granger…
My fingers curl around the strap of my bag.
She's so sure she knows everything. So sure the world runs by the rules in her books and neat little essays. But I saw the look in her eyes when she watched me brew that potion.
She doesn't like mysteries she can't solve.
> You know what, Granger? Keep your perfect answers. I've got my own now.
A twisted smile tugs at my lips as the screen flickers into sharper focus in front of me:
> [Tutorial Pending…]
[Accept Tutorial? Y/N]
I stare at it for a long moment, weaving through the crowds headed for lunch.
My thoughts spin like a storm:
> All my life, I've let stupid, loud people think I'm nothing. A nobody. Just another face in the dungeon shadows. They see me standing there and think: loser. Weakling. Unimportant.
> Fine. Let them keep thinking it.
> Because shadows watch. Shadows listen. Shadows haunt.
My hand hovers over the pulsing Y on the screen.
> "You know what…" I whisper under my breath, voice barely audible as I stalk past groups of students laughing and joking like nothing in the world is changing.
> "I wanted this life. And I let stupid-headed people think I'm nothing but a loser. Yeah… I am the shadow that haunts them."
My finger clenches into a fist, hovering just above the glowing word.
> "Then let me accept this… and make things a little bit more interesting."
I press YES.
The screen flares blinding white.
---
[End of Chapter]
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