Harry Potter : This Progress Too Much

A few days later, David once again stood before the entrance of the Leaky Cauldron.

This time, unlike his previous visit, the pub was bustling with activity. It was afternoon, and wizards of all kinds were gathered inside, chatting, drinking, and enjoying their meals. The sight of a young wizard walking in alone didn't attract much attention—after all, plenty of students passed through here every day, heading toward Diagon Alley.

Following Professor McGonagall's instructions, David approached the brick wall behind the pub, raised his wand, and tapped the correct brick three times. Almost instantly, the passageway to the wizarding world opened before him.

As he stepped inside, his eyes fell on the trash can near the entrance. A mischievous idea crossed his mind—perhaps he could test a little spell, just for fun. However, after thinking about it for a couple of seconds, he dismissed the thought. He had more important things to do today.

His destination was Flourish and Blotts.

Last time, he had visited the bookstore with Professor McGonagall to purchase his first-year textbooks. However, the basic spellbooks lacked many of the spells he wanted to learn—spells like the Shield Charm, the Undetectable Extension Charm, and Occlumency.

The Undetectable Extension Charm, though technically restricted, was clearly not impossible for students to access. After all, Hermione had used it without much trouble, meaning the spell wasn't hidden in some forbidden section of the library. More likely, the Ministry restricted its use to keep businesses selling magical tents and trunks in demand.

David also had another concern—Legilimency.

There were at least two skilled Legilimens at Hogwarts, and he didn't want to risk having his thoughts read. Dumbledore, at least, had strong moral principles. He wouldn't invade a student's mind without consent. But Severus Snape? That was a different story.

Although Snape was a responsible professor in his own way, his deep-seated grudges—especially concerning Harry Potter—made him unpredictable. If he ever suspected David of being a threat, there was no guarantee that he wouldn't use Legilimency to pry into his mind.

With these thoughts in mind, David entered Flourish and Blotts and headed straight for the academic section.

Just like his last visit, the bookstore was filled with young wizards selecting their schoolbooks. As the only bookstore in Diagon Alley, it held a monopoly on educational texts.

David methodically picked out the books he needed:

Intermediate Transfiguration and Advanced Transfiguration Guide

The Standard Book of Spells (Grades 2–7)

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (Though not strictly necessary, it was an interesting read.)

Advanced Potion-Making (A particularly expensive book at nine Galleons.)

As he continued browsing, a store clerk approached him, looking slightly puzzled.

"Excuse me, young man, but are you a first-year student?"

David nodded.

The clerk raised an eyebrow. "You do realize that most of these books aren't needed until later years? In a couple of years, the textbooks might even be updated, and you'd have to buy new ones."

David smiled. "I appreciate the advice, but I prefer to get a head start."

The clerk sighed, shaking his head. "You must be a Ravenclaw in the making."

With that, he stepped aside, leaving David to continue shopping.

Moving to the magic section, David's eyes landed on an interesting title: As Long As You Have a Wand, There's Always a Way.

"That sounds promising," he murmured, adding it to his growing stack.

He also grabbed several books on magical theory and history:

Major Discoveries in Modern Magic

A Guide to Medieval Witchcraft

Forgotten Ancient Magic and the Power of Runes

The Development of Modern Spellcraft

The Rise and Fall of Dark Magic

A List of Contemporary Famous Wizards

Then, in a dusty corner, he finally found what he had been searching for—On How to Close Your Mind.

The book was covered in dust, suggesting that few people had bothered to pick it up in years.

Occlumency was an uncommon skill. Pureblood families often passed it down through private lessons rather than through books. Most wizards without family guidance probably wouldn't be able to master it from a mere textbook.

Nevertheless, David was determined to learn.

After finalizing his purchases, he was relieved to find that Flourish and Blotts offered a free home delivery service for orders over 50 Galleons. Given that he had spent a staggering 127 Galleons, his books would be delivered directly to his home without charge.

As he exited the bookstore, he felt a pang of concern—his money pouch was now completely empty.

I need to figure out a way to make more Galleons.

To clear his mind, he headed to Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour, one of the more relaxing spots in Diagon Alley. He ordered a sundae and took a seat in the outdoor seating area.

As he scooped up a spoonful of rich, creamy ice cream, he marveled at the flavor. This has to be made from the milk of some magical creature. No way is regular ice cream this good.

Just as he was finishing his treat, a shadow passed over him.

Looking up, he saw a girl taking the seat across from him.

She didn't even acknowledge him as she placed her own ice cream on the table and started eating.

David took in her appearance—waist-length golden curls, striking dark green eyes, and delicate facial features. She seemed vaguely familiar.

Then, he remembered—he had seen her earlier in the bookstore.

At the time, she had been near him while he spoke to the clerk, and she had overheard their conversation.

Curious, David glanced around. The once half-empty rest area was now completely full. So she took this seat because it was the only free spot.

Shrugging, he quickly finished the last of his ice cream and got up to leave.

As he walked away, he felt the girl's gaze on his back.

Unbeknownst to him, she had been observing him carefully.

Just moments after David had bought his books, she had done the same—picking out all the standard textbooks for the next several years.

She hadn't needed them immediately, but after witnessing David's confidence in his choice, she had followed suit.

David may not have realized it, but he had already left an impression.