Harry Potter and the Cataclysm

After dinner, Carnie returned to the common room and found a group of students gathered around one of the tables. Among them were Harry and the others, as well as a few familiar faces from their year.

"Carnie, you're back!" Neville greeted him.

"What are you guys up to? Illegal gambling? Count me in!" Carnie joked.

"We're practicing Transfiguration from this morning!" Ron said.

"Wow, you're all so hardworking!" Carnie feigned surprise.

"Haha, it's nothing! Carnie, why don't you show us some of your skills?" Ron grinned.

On the table, several matches were laid out, and quite a few students were attempting the spell, including Harry.

Seeing the lively atmosphere, Carnie felt his hands itching to give it a try. He had failed multiple times during class and had started to suspect he might not have a talent for Transfiguration. But after an afternoon of magical practice, his confidence had returned.

"I'll give it a shot," Carnie said, picking up a matchstick.

As soon as he prepared to cast the spell, everyone stopped what they were doing and turned their attention to him.

"Huh? Why are you all looking at me?" Carnie blinked. "I'll get stage fright, you know."

"Carnie, you showed off big time this morning. Your Transfiguration must be amazing," Seamus said, patting his shoulder.

"All I did was ask Professor McGonagall a few simple questions," Carnie replied, puzzled. "That's not exactly impressive. Besides, I didn't even manage to change the match."

"Yeah, right. We didn't understand a word of what you were asking, but Hermione did. She told us she succeeded by using your incantation. You're definitely hiding your skills!" a random girl chimed in.

Carnie dramatically placed a hand on his forehead. "So… I've been exposed. Ever since I entered Hogwarts, the headmaster has given me his special favor. I told him he should be fair and treat all students equally, but alas! He insists on spoiling me alone!"

Everyone in the room collectively facepalmed.

"All right, fine. Watch and learn," Carnie said with a grin.

"Sharp and thin as a needle!" He omitted the redundant part of his incantation. After spending the afternoon refining his magic control, he had figured out that simpler, more focused words were better.

A spark of light emerged from his wand and enveloped the matchstick.

A moment later, the match transformed into a gleaming silver needle. Carnie picked it up, pressed it between his fingers, and confirmed—it was solid and not just for show. Perfect! The shape, though, was still a bit crude.

The room erupted into gasps. After all, nearly everyone had failed in class. The difficulty of this spell was evident.

"Whoa, Carnie! How did you do that?" Ron's eyes widened. He had been skeptical of Hermione's words earlier, but now that he had seen it firsthand, there was no denying it.

"You just need to take good notes and follow what's written," Carnie said simply.

"You're kidding, right? We all took notes!" Ron protested.

"Do you actually understand what's written in them?" Carnie asked.

"I… kind of do…" Ron admitted, scratching his head.

"You need to fully comprehend it. If you don't understand one lesson, and then another, and then another, it keeps piling up. Eventually, you'll never catch up," Carnie said seriously.

He spoke from personal experience. In his past life, he had started by slacking off, thinking missing a little wouldn't hurt. Then he slacked off again, thinking he could still keep up. Before he knew it, he had fallen so far behind that catching up was impossible.

"I get most of it, but I still can't succeed. Carnie, do you have any tips? I know it's a lot to ask…" Harry, despite being late to class, had taken the lesson seriously.

Of course, he's the protagonist. A little effort and he's already ahead of everyone. Carnie thought, recalling how Expelliarmus had gone from a simple disarming spell to something capable of countering Voldemort.

"No problem. I'll give you all some pointers. No need to bow and call me master," Carnie joked.

The surrounding students instantly ignored the last part and eagerly gathered around.

"First, the incantation matters. The closer the descriptive words are to the result you want, the better. Second, clear your mind. Imagine the shape of the needle as vividly as possible. Focus completely. Then recite the spell while moving your wand," Carnie explained.

"That sounds easy!" Neville said.

"Sharp and thin as a needle!" Harry focused, raising his wand toward the match.

A flash of light shot into the matchstick. A moment later, the match partially transformed—it was now a slightly thicker silver needle.

"I did it! Carnie, you're amazing!" Harry exclaimed.

For the first time, he had successfully cast a spell. This felt far more real than anything before.

"Sharp and thin as a needle!" The others, seeing Harry succeed, followed suit.

Most lessons at Hogwarts were rather vague in their explanations, making them hard to grasp. But for Carnie, a 21st-century student, the concepts weren't that difficult.

"You all better get me a Christmas present!" Carnie reminded them. No fees—just gifts.

"No problem! Tomorrow, I'm going to show off in front of Fred and George. They never managed this in their first year!" Ron was overjoyed.

Ah… Ron's Christmas gift is probably gonna be a sweater. Carnie mused. And I bet it'll have a big 'K' on the front…

Even Neville, slow as he was, managed to succeed before bedtime. He was so overwhelmed he couldn't even speak.

Carnie watched it all unfold with an expression of absolute superiority. Hah… peasants.

Back in the dormitory, the first thing Carnie did was wash up. After training all afternoon, he had been feeling uncomfortable for ages.

Once done, he had another goal in mind.

Sitting by the window, facing the moon, he crossed his legs and leaned against the wall.

Time to meditate.

"Carnie, what are you doing?" The four other boys in the dorm looked at him, baffled.

"Can't sleep?" Harry asked. That spot—right by the window—was the same place he had sat last night. It really did have a great view of the moon and the Black Lake outside.

"I'm cultivating immortality," Carnie replied with his eyes closed.

"…Cultivating what?" The strange term instantly grabbed their attention.

"Cultivation is a technique that grants immense strength, the ability to fly, eternal youth, and even immortality. With enough training, one can crush mountains with a wave of their hand and split the earth with a stomp," Carnie explained matter-of-factly.

"No way! That's impossible!"

"Yeah! What kind of magic can destroy a mountain?"

"Oh, it exists. But of course, you can't reach that level immediately. The longer you practice, the stronger you become. However, there are two small risks," Carnie continued.

"What risks?" Harry asked.

"First, whenever you reach a breakthrough, the heavens send down lightning to smite you. If you're lucky, you'll be crippled. If not, you'll be a pile of ash," Carnie said nonchalantly. "And the further you progress, the stronger the lightning. At later stages, one bolt can erase your entire existence."

Silence.

"…And the second risk?" Neville asked nervously.

"Sometimes, while cultivating, your body just randomly bleeds from every orifice and you drop dead on the spot. No warning," Carnie said casually. "So… anyone interested? I'll teach you. Guaranteed results!"

"No, thank you!" The four boys answered in unison.

"…Will lightning really strike down?" Neville asked in a whisper.

"No," Carnie replied.

"…Will you bleed from every orifice?" Neville asked again.

"No," Carnie said. Then, pausing, he added, "But I do know that if someone doesn't shut up and go to sleep, they're gonna get punched."

Neville immediately pulled his blanket over his head.

The dormitory fell into silence.

(￣-￣) Carnie resumed his meditation.

He began adjusting his breathing, practicing rhythmic inhalation and exhalation—an attempt to absorb the moon's energy.

Wait… the window was closed.

Should I open it?