The next day, Alex packed his things, said goodbye to Mother Triss and William at the orphanage, and made his way to the Leaky Cauldron alone.
When he arrived, Tom, the owner of the Leaky Cauldron, looked at him in surprise.
"You want to stay here alone until Hogwarts starts?" Tom asked, clearly taken aback.
"Yes, Mr. Tom. Don’t worry, I've got enough money," Alex said, pulling a few gold Galleons from his pocket to show he could pay.
"It's not about the money, Mr. Wilson," Tom replied, his face serious. "It's not safe for someone your age to stay here alone. I can't agree to this for your own good."
Alex nodded, understanding Tom's concern.
"I know it's dangerous, Mr. Tom. Professor McGonagall explained it to me yesterday, but I still think it's safer here than in the Muggle world. I'd rather be here, where there are Aurors around, than risk something happening in the orphanage."
Tom raised an eyebrow, thinking it over. After a moment, he sighed.
"Alright, but I'll give you a discount—five Galleons for a month and a half. You'll need to promise me you won't wander around at night. The curfew here is at eight o'clock sharp. You must be back in your room by then."
"Deal," Alex agreed, handing over the Galleons.
He took the room key and began moving his things upstairs.
The room was modest but comfortable, with just enough space for Alex to set up his belongings. He placed a small onion plant he had brought on the windowsill alongside some spices and even a poker set that William had given him. After settling in, Alex looked around. The room had space for basic exercises but not enough for the more dynamic martial arts he was used to. He could practice some tai chi, but other than that, his usual routines of punch and grapple techniques would be difficult to perform here.
With that in mind, Alex sat down and wrote out a schedule for himself.
- 6:30 AM: Wake up, wash up, morning exercises (stretching, standing practice, aerobic training, and boxing)
- 7:30 AM: Breakfast
- 8:00 AM - 12:00 PM: Study and practice magic spells
- 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM: Lunch
- 1:00 PM - 6:00 PM: More studying and practicing magic
- 6:00 PM - 7:00 PM: Dinner
- 8:00 PM: Evening exercises (boxing, standing practice, meditation)
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- 9:00 PM: Bedtime
He also planned to help Tom with any chores during meal breaks and downtime to stay useful and build a rapport with the innkeeper.
Once the schedule was set, Alex realized it was almost noon. He decided to head downstairs for lunch. After talking to Tom and seeing the rather limited menu of traditional British fare, Alex asked if he could use the kitchen. Tom, surprised but curious, allowed him. Alex quickly whipped up a few simple dishes using his own spices, inviting Tom to share the meal. The two of them enjoyed the food together, and Tom was visibly impressed. It helped smooth over their earlier concerns, and by the end of lunch, they were on much better terms.
With that done, Alex was ready to dive into his magical studies. He began with three books: Standard Spells for Beginners, Magical Theory, and The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Defense. His first goal was to learn a few basic spells quickly.
Transfiguration seemed too complex to attempt without guidance, so he decided to focus on spells that would be more immediately useful. Flipping through the books, Alex marked important sections and made notes where things were unclear. Hours passed quickly as he absorbed the information.
The next morning, after breakfast, Alex was ready to practice his first spell: the Levitation Charm. He had always been good with control and focus, so he felt confident starting with something practical.
Holding his wand, he pointed it at a book on the table.
"Wingardium Leviosa," he said, following the precise wand movements he had studied.
Immediately, Alex felt an invisible force linking him, the wand, and the book. With a small effort, the book began to float gently off the table. It felt... natural.
"So, this is the benefit of using a wand," Alex muttered to himself.
Satisfied with his progress, he put down the wand and tried to make the book float again without it like he used to practice at the orphanage. But no matter how hard he tried, the book stayed stubbornly on the table.
"Hmm, strange, why can't I feel the same magic flow when I don't use the wand?" Alex muttered to himself, puzzled. "Could it be that the wand is more than just a tool for casting spells?"
He pondered this for a while, trying to make sense of how the wand interacted with his magic. He picked up the wand again, casting the Levitation Charm several times. Each time, he paid close attention to the way the magic moved through his body and into the wand. He was feeling out the delicate shifts in power.
After some practice, Alex set the wand down and stood still. He bent his legs slightly and relaxed his body, clearing his mind. Instead of focusing on how he used to cast spells without the wand, he focused on recreating the magical flow he experienced with the wand in hand.
He visualized the trajectory of magic as it moved through him when he successfully cast a spell.
Slowly, Alex opened his eyes, and to his surprise, the book he had been practicing on floated before him, moving gently in the air.
"I see," he said aloud, amazed at his own realization.
"The wand doesn't just make spells easier—it makes the flow of magic more stable and efficient. The old way I used magic was too crude, so once I started using a wand, it didn't work as well without it."
Alex had unknowingly discovered the secret to wandless and silent casting. His years of practicing his own mind power had made him more attuned to the movement of magic, allowing him to master the Levitation Charm without a wand—something even experienced wizards struggled to achieve.