His process matched almost perfectly, and his visualization of the black hole had worked. It gave him the sa sense of easy accomplishnt he'd felt when learning the Levitation Charm. While most spells demanded repetition, Occluncy seed to click effortlessly.
"Am I just naturally skilled at Occluncy?" Alex wondered aloud. "Or is it all the physical and ntal training I've done? Maybe all those years practicing 'superpowers' helped control my mind and emotions."
Pushing the thought aside, he resolved to continue practicing every night. He sensed that, while he had achieved a basic understanding, he still needed repetition to refine his control. Once he mastered Occluncy, he planned to start training in Legilincy, suspecting it might not be as difficult.
Over the next few days, Alex maintained his routine: helping around the Potters' ho, delving into rune studies at the workbench, and dedicating his nights to perfecting Occluncy. Each day brought a new layer of understanding, and he could feel himself steadily growing stronger.
As the holiday break drew to a close, Alex packed his belongings for the journey back to Hogwarts. Thanks to the seamless extension bag Sirius had sent, he could carry everything with ease. Reflecting on his break, he realized how much he had gained—his expanded knowledge of runes alone would take ti to fully absorb.
On his final morning at the Potters', he joined them for breakfast, neatly dressed and ready to go. "All packed up?" Lily asked with a smile as he ca downstairs.
"Yes, thank you," he replied, settling down to eat and handing little Harry an apple to play with.
As Alex teased Harry with the apple, making him chase it, Jas chuckled. "You and Harry have really bonded, haven't you?" he said with a grin. Then, with a nod to Lily, he added, "Alex, we have a parting gift for you. We think you'll find it very useful."
Alex looked surprised. "A gift? I already loved the Christmas presents you gave ."
Lily approached with a package. "This is sothing extra. For helping us, for protecting Harry during that difficult night. And since we know how interested you are in rune studies, Jas and I put this together just for you."
Alex opened his mouth to politely refuse, but Lily insisted. "Don't be quick to say no; open it first."
She carefully unwrapped the package, revealing a stone disc about the size of a washbasin, with a smooth, tallic sheen. Beside it lay a thick, blank book.
"This is a rune disk," Jas explained. "Think of it as a portable rune workbench. It lets you write and combine rune characters on the go, so you can practice anyti."
Lily added, "It's simpler than a full workbench—it doesn't store or test combinations—but it's perfect for personal study. The book on top is a Magic Symbol Collection Guide. It's empty now, but it can hold up to 100 rune symbols and 10 rune combinations."
Handing the book to Alex, she continued, "I've already recorded over 40 common three-dinsional runes in it. For flat runes, you don't need to record them here; this book is for the more complex structures. If you co across any unique runes you'd like to keep, you can add them to the guide as well."
Alex's heart swelled with gratitude. This was far more than he'd expected, and the thoughtfulness behind the gift touched him deeply.
"Thank you, truly," he said, feeling a warmth spread through him. "This will help so much with my studies."
Jas clapped him on the shoulder with a grin. "It's alright, Alex, no need to be overly formal with us. We should get going if we're going to make it to the station on ti."
With that, Alex bid farewell to the Potters and Sirius, preparing to return to Hogwarts as his Christmas break ca to a warm and morable close.
After saying goodbye to Jas at the station, Alex boarded the Hogwarts Express, where he found his friends, Vivian and Charles, already in a carriage, sharing so treats Vivian had brought back from France. Charles waved him over with a grin.
"Hey, Alex, my aunt told everything. You're incredible—" Charles said enthusiastically, but Alex quickly shook his head, giving him a subtle look to stay quiet.
Vivian noticed the exchange and raised an eyebrow. "What's so amazing? What are you two talking about?"
Alex shrugged casually. "Oh, nothing special. I just won a little prize over Christmas, that's all. Nothing worth going on about." He wasn't about to tell Vivian about his run-in with Death Eaters, especially since he was in Slytherin and didn't want the news spreading.
"Really?" Vivian asked skeptically, eyeing Charles, who imdiately made an excuse about eting friends and shuffled out of the compartnt to avoid any further questions.
With Charles gone, Vivian sighed in exasperation but dropped the subject, pulling out her snacks again. Soon enough, she and Alex were caught up in conversation, with Vivian sharing stories about her holiday in France as they made their way back to Hogwarts.
Once back at school, Alex returned to his routine, though he made a few changes to his study schedule. Knowing that so of the more advanced spells were still beyond his current magical strength, he divided his ti between basic spell practice, Transfiguration, and his new rune studies using the rune disk. Each night, he also devoted thirty to forty minutes to practicing Occluncy.
The day after his arrival, Alex couldn't resist a visit to Hagrid. He ca prepared, having bought so new spices and condints with a plan to cook up a hearty al together. Finding no one ho, Alex lit a fire in the fireplace to warm the place up, filling the cabin with a cozy glow. He boiled so water, poured himself tea in one of Hagrid's enormous mugs, and settled by the fire with a book, savoring the warmth and quiet.
So ti later, the barking of a dog signaled Hagrid's return, and Alex looked up to see Rhine, Hagrid's loyal dog, running in excitedly to greet him.
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