Things at Hogwarts grew dull soon. Despite some classes being interesting, most never changed.
Snape threatening, Trelawny screeching about the grim, Binns droning on.... Somethings never change. Be it magical, extra dimensional ..schools remained boring.
So Richard decided to what he wanted as well. His first idea of fun, was to Hunt for Pettigrew . But the bastard had his himself after the latest sighting of Sirius Black in Hogsmede.
So he went to his next plan.
Making the trio so op, Voldemort, the other contender with the title antagonist, would become a background bully.
"Expelliarmus!"
"Very good Harry" Richard tracked Ron's wand fly through the air, satisfied with the effect."I was right to tell you to practice that spell. It suits you well. A wizard without a wand is essentially a sitting duck."
He paused for a moment.
"Unless of course, that wizard is built completely different like me or Neville."
Their eyes turned sideways to see Neville attempting to do something with his eyes closed.
Crrraaaaaaccccckkkkkk
A root broke out of the earth slowly, as if it was winding up, and then-
THUMP
It hit the earth hard.
"Keep trying Neville. You can do it!"
Richard yelled while showing a thumbs up. Then turned to the trio.
"He's still learning the ropes. But I have great expectations for him."
"About that.." Ron Interjected, "any chance we can learn that stuff as well?"
"I thought you didnt want to?"
"More like Hermione didnt want to." Ron replied. "She always starts to nitpick whenever we start doing something fun."
Richard remembered those times as well.
"Wasn't she right though?"
"That's completely unrelated."
"It would help me loads if I could deal with the dementors like you did."
Harry replied as well prompting Richard to speak up.
"First of all, you can't deal with the dementors the same way I did, because only I can do it the way I did. " He didnt mean it condecendingly. He could do it based on his abilities. "Its a matter of personal ability. You can speak in parsley tongue while I cannot just like that I have things I can do while you have yours."
"And aren't you learning to deal with dementors from professor Lupin?"
"Yeah, but I'm not good enough with it."
"Come on Richard," Ron bargained."please.. If you promise to teach us, I'll beat up Malfoy for you."
In the end they came to an agreement. Richard would teach them his ways, and they would, in return do him a favor each.
It wasn't much of a favor that Richard asked, because them learning from him benefits him indirectly. They were learning from him, and their stories would be written with his influence.
"First thing I want you to know , is that what I'm about to teach the two of you, is a advanced version of the fundamentals. Not a dark art, or anything you'd have ministry monitor you 24/7. Even as we speak, professor Dumbledor and wizards from ministry as well as a well educated board are reviewing my papers, and I expect it to be accepted soon. Even if not, it would probably be classified into the same group as occulumcy."
Harry and Ron returned blank looks, prompting him to elaborate.
"Mind magic."
"You probably won't be able to use it immediately. I'd say about four months practice? Should be enough to get you to your starting point."
"What?"
"That long?"
"The schools probably gonna end by the time we get it done. I don't think I'll be able to practice with the Dursley's"
"It didn't take Neville that long right? "
Indeed it didnt. But the thing about Neville and the duo, was the difference of their circumstances. He knew, no to be accurate, he had an accurate idea of what Neville's circuit could be. His affinity to plants and his rather sub optimal talent for normal spell casting, but also that will..he was like a battle druid from video games.
But Harry on the other hand? He could fly, he had talent for combat magic. Shield charm, disarming charm,patronus. He had a battle mage build from Richard's perspective...but he wasn't sure.
Harry showed lots of talent, despite his poor manifestation.
Divination, occulumcy, instruction even curses and dark arts came to him naturally.
So while Richard knew Harry was a mage build, he didnt know what his specialization was. Same for Ron.
He had a strategist type build. Not book smarts, rather practical applications of existing knowledge in unconventional ways that would fit the situation.
But triggering those things to properly set the circuit? That's difficult. Even more when they were taught magic in a different way for their entire life.
Its like telling someone in the dark to go another way while pointing away from the only lighthouse. For Neville, he had an idea, he was able to give the directions. But for these two, all he could do was to simply set up sign posts in the directions he too could see.
" Its not like its a definitive. If you got it right, you could even pick up the pace and get a start on in a couple weeks. Depending on your talent of course." Richard reassured them after explaining the difference between circumstances.
"Everyone's has their own magic, According to how I see. It might look similar, heck, it could work the same way, but its like twins. They might look alike, sound alike and even act alike, but one's Fred and the other's George. George isn't Fred and Fred isn't George."
.....
Halloween had passed a couple of weeks ago, but for some reason, Richard was starting to feel like he was dressed as a clown.
Three weeks. Thats all it took for those two to get the basic hang of their magic circuits. That's close to barely the same time it took for him to get his own magic circuit going on, and he was the supposed genius of the century.
He put a part of their success on his own teaching abilitily. But that still didn't mean he wasn't flabbergasted.
For some reason, they were closer to their true selves than him, who experienced an out of body adventure. Though in hindsight, stuffing the sword circuit was probably the reason for his relatively later awakening when comparing talents. Or these guys were just as talented as he was.
The first thing he told them to do the moment they got their powers was to keep their mouths shut.
There was a difference between teaching a group of selected students and teaching every Dick and Harry about super magic. Thats the job of the teachers. He was not a teacher.
Bang
"Good. But you need to reduce time for casting. No one's going to stand and wait until you start charging an attack."
Richard commented as he inspected the color vapor coming from the dummy.
"You need to practice more, otherwise its better to just simply use your wand."
Harry got magic blasts for his first skill. He also said that when he opens his circuit, he was able to see things more clearly, like he could see a world even beyond his eyes. Richard tested it just to see if he wasn't talking bull. And he was able to throw a rock exactly in his direction, missing him by just a foot, even after he blindfolded the guy and made him spin ten times on the spot.
So magic blasts and short range environmental control. He should have two more. Richard had tried to feel the circuit slowly building in his soul, using structural identification, and he was able to see two more branches along the short circuit. And on the other side, there was the horcrux. It would slowly start its own circuit, as well as the protection magic his mother left.
This guy was going to become a strong combatant.
Ron was different. He had a circuit with three skills growing. His immediate response when he opened his circuit was like the senses Harry had, but very much wider. And he said that he felt as if he was missing something. Probably to activate his other skills.
Richard called them to stop doing whatever they were doing. Blasting stuff was fun, but he was their teacher, and he had to give a proper lecture after finishing a section of their training.
"So, you learnt a new magic, under my guidance. " This was a momentus occasion. He could already feel the story shift a degree to his side. If only the three, Ron,Harry and Neville would stop smirking at him , then the occasion would be even grand.
"You have helped pioneer a new era, which you shall carry the weight this moment on."
He looked at the space above them, to stop his lips from twitching while summoning the regal tone he had practiced as a noble.
"As your instructor, I shall not forbid you from teaching what you learned to anyone else. But remember, that the people you taught will be your responsibility. As is what you decide to do with the powers you learned. And do not forget, the circuits you have are not the end. They can be developed. Grown, and new circuits can emerge. So never give up magic, and don't forget learning auxiliary circuit magic either. Because they can work together with your circuit magic
In the trying times and that are yet to come, and when gazing at the darkness on the horizon, never giveup. Never despair, but train. Grow so that you can weather the storms and-"
Snicker
"-"
"-weather the storms and fulfill your dreams and ambitions. As you move forward, look back from time to time and see what has happened, and where you are. But never dwell in the past, instead focus on the present and make plans for the future. Because time stops for no one."
Richard ignored the red faces that looked as if they would burst from holding in the laughter in, and turned his back to them. What did he expect from a bunch of kids anyway?
"Very well executed speech, Mr Cloverfield. I must say, you have a talent in this matter."
"Why thank you professor." At least someone had good taste.
"Still, Id expect the future pioneers to be able to follow the simplest of school rules. But evidence seems to tell otherwise."
"Wouldn't the same apply to you as well processed Lupin? ." Richard asked. "If I knew you would be out today, I'd certainly not be outside."
"Well" Lupin raised his eyebrow, but Richard stared back. "If you must know, I am only not allowed at certain times. You on the other hand are completely forbidden, from leaving your dorm rooms completely. Especially after the recent Sirius Black situation."
"So are we in detention?"
Richard asked.
"No, but only this one time. As long as you promise to never, and I stress this, NEVER, wander into empty classes or the corridors until this Black situation is sorted out."
He looked at Richard as if this was directed at him. "Are we clear."
"Yes."
"Right then, back to the dorms with me now."
They walked slowly behind Lupin.
"Hey, Richard.. Psst" the guys called out as they tried to apologize in the darkness. "We're sorry-"
"Talk to the hand buddy. Because the three of you are dead to me."
Richard turned to the other side and pulled his sheet over is head.