Harry Potter and the Cataclysm

"Wingardium Leviosa!" Carnie pointed his wand at the feather on his desk, completely ignoring the precise wand movements. Simple, direct, and efficient.

Rather than floating gently, the feather soared into the air under Carnie's control.

He made it circle around the classroom a few times before stopping it right above Neville's head.

"Excellent! Absolutely outstanding!" Professor Flitwick exclaimed, his voice filled with excitement. "Carnie Strann has already mastered precise control over levitated objects! This is an advanced application of the Levitation Charm."

"Gryffindor, ten points!"

Carnie flashed a smile. Getting points was this easy, and yet Gryffindor was still in last place. There was no helping it—Slytherin was simply too overpowered. They even had students earning points in History of Magic.

That's history! The whole class is just endless droning about witches getting burned, wizards accomplishing great things centuries ago, and magical breakthroughs no one cares about. The lectures are mind-numbing. I just sleep through the entire class.

Gryffindor had no such prodigies. On top of that, Snape openly favored his own house, holding extra lessons for them while docking Gryffindor points at every opportunity.

That little stunt with the feather barely cost Carnie any magic. After all, it was just a feather—light enough that a simple breath of air could keep it afloat.

Having secured his points for the class, Carnie's mind began to wander.

Tonight's troll—should he intervene? And what about Hermione? Should he intercept her now, or wait until she was already in the bathroom?

He didn't have strong feelings for Hermione. At first, maybe a little—after all, first-year Hermione was quite cute—but her personality was… something else. Arrogant, bossy, obsessed with being right, and striving for perfection in every subject. Her looks weren't enough to make up for that.

Everyone had their flaws.

Ron was no better. Lazy, unmotivated, and content to remain mediocre—not because of his circumstances, but because he didn't push himself.

Harry, on the other hand, had no such issues. Sure, sometimes Ron's bad habits rubbed off on him, but otherwise, he was a solid guy. Despite his rough childhood, he didn't act like Ron, constantly whining about his situation.

Guess it's true—poverty builds character.

Well, they were still kids. Flaws were normal.

I had everything growing up—except money. Now? I'm not exactly poor anymore, and I have no flaws. I've transcended. I'm practically perfect. ╮(╯▽╰)╭

Now that he thought about it, Ron and Hermione really were a good match.

For the first two years, it seemed like Hermione and Harry had a shot, but then Cho Chang entered the picture, and that was the end of that.

Also… why did they all turn ugly later on? Seriously. Do-gooders always end up looking worse.

Meanwhile, Malfoy actually got more handsome. Was being good-looking a villain trait? If so, Carnie was definitely destined to be a villain.

Wait… but Voldemort was the ultimate villain, and he had no nose, no eyebrows, and no hair.

Terrifying. No thanks.

Then again, Malfoy redeemed himself later on.

That's it! I'll start bad, then switch sides. That way, I get to be cool, keep my good looks, and still be on the side of justice. Perfect! Women will be falling into my hands, unable to escape my grasp! Muahahahaha!

Wait. No. That was too forward-thinking. He was still a kid. Calm down.

Back to the problem at hand—dealing with the troll.

He definitely had to get involved. Gryffindor was in dead last, and Dumbledore would definitely give points for this. This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!

Saving Hermione? Meh. He'd intercept the troll before it reached the bathroom. Comforting her afterward? No experience. Not my thing. Pass!

After Charms class, Carnie and Neville walked out just in time to see Hermione bump into Harry and rush off.

"What's wrong with Hermione?" Neville asked.

"Who knows…" Ron replied, sounding a little guilty. He even glanced at Carnie.

"What?" Carnie raised a brow.

"Carnie, you're incredibly talented, but you don't show off. You're easygoing and helpful, even with assignments," Ron muttered. "Unlike some people who are full of themselves and always need to be the best."

⊙▽⊙ Wait, was that a compliment?

Oh… oh no. He totally used me as an example to roast Hermione. Did I just indirectly make Hermione cry? Damn, being this exceptional really makes you a target.

They didn't see Hermione for the rest of the afternoon. She even skipped class. Ron looked more and more unsettled.

Is it really that serious? Drink some hot water, you'll be fine!

Carnie had been through this kind of thing before, but he was a guy, not a girl—he had no clue how they worked.

After classes, Carnie split from Harry, Ron, and Neville. He skipped dinner entirely—he had a troll to intercept.

He positioned himself in the first-floor corridor, pulling out his wand and activating his magical perception.

He stayed alert, keeping an eye on his surroundings. If he bumped into Quirrell, things could get messy.

He stayed far enough from the dungeon stairs and the bathroom to give himself room to work. The last thing he needed was professors showing up mid-fight and stealing his kill.

Quirrell wouldn't have immediately run to the Great Hall to warn everyone. He would've stalled for time, ensuring the troll made it upstairs before leading the professors in the wrong direction. The troll couldn't be dealt with too quickly—it needed to cause chaos.

God, I'm a genius. Carnie smirked. He knew the whole sequence of events.

He crouched, waiting. Dinner was probably in full swing by now.

A faint stench filled the air.

It smelled like dirty socks worn for ten days straight, mixed with body odor and foul breath.

Carnie barely stopped himself from gagging.

Yep. The troll's here.

At the end of the corridor, a massive shadow appeared.

A hulking figure emerged from around the corner, dragging a club behind it.

Twelve feet tall, covered in dark green skin caked with dirt and mud, especially around its legs and back. Its muscles bulged, resembling granite.

Its head was a mess of yellowed, blackened teeth. Its lips couldn't even cover them.

It wore ragged, barely-there animal hides. Its tree trunk-like legs supported its massive frame, and the club it carried was covered in jagged spikes.

It looked strong enough to smash a skull like a watermelon.

The troll spotted Carnie, let out a guttural roar, and lumbered toward him.

"Condense—Water Arrows!" Carnie raised his wand.

Four water arrows materialized, floating before him.

This spell was second nature to him now.

Four arrows—his current limit for controlled attacks.

They shot toward the troll's eyes.

There was no point attacking its thick hide. Not without enhancement. But the eyes?

"ROOOAAARR!"

The troll howled in pain, dropping its club to clutch its face.

Thick, green liquid oozed from its eyes.

Guess that's troll blood.

It flailed wildly, smashing everything around it—armor displays, vases, torches.

"Wingardium Leviosa!"

Carnie levitated the club.

Then slammed it onto the troll's head.

A voice echoed in his mind: "First Blood!"

The troll staggered, dazed.

Again.

"Double Kill!"

And again.

"Triple Kill!"

The troll's skull cracked open.

One final smash.

The troll collapsed.

The club dropped beside it.

Carnie instinctively looked at his feet.

No "Legendary Kill" announcement.

Disappointing. Zero stars. Would not recommend.