The Gamer: Multiverse Travel

16 September

Monday arrived like an uninvited guest, dragging Daniel out of his dreams and into another day at Hogwarts. He went through his morning routine, splashing cold water on his face in an attempt to wake himself up more quickly. Once dressed, he headed to the common room to wait for his friends.

It didn't take long before they descended the dormitory stairs, still blinking sleep from their eyes. Together, they made their way to the Great Hall, where the comforting aroma of breakfast greeted them. Plates of toast, eggs, and sausages filled the long tables, and the sound of chatter and clinking cutlery filled the grand space. They ate at a leisurely pace, exchanging small talk about the day ahead before heading off to their first class, Transfiguration.

The moment Professor McGonagall entered the room, the casual murmur among the students died down. She was a strict teacher, and no one wanted to get on her bad side. When she saw that everyone was quiet, she wasted no time in getting started.

"Today, we will study the Transfiguration alphabet, and if we have time, we will practice more on the needles," she announced before turning to the blackboard.

With a flick of her wand, neat writing appeared on the surface, detailing a series of symbols. She explained that the Transfiguration alphabet consisted of 26 characters, each corresponding directly to the English alphabet.

Daniel listened, taking notes, but he had already memorized most of this from extra reading. When it came time for practice, he flicked his wand and effortlessly transfigured his matchstick into a needle.

Instead of practicing something he had already mastered, he spent the remaining time helping his classmates. 'If I can't challenge myself, I might as well level up my teaching skill,' he mused.

"The rest of the day followed a familiar rhythm, lessons, laughter, and the occasional tutoring when his friends became confused. Classes wrapped up at 4:45 P.M., and the students filtered back into their common rooms.

As they settled in, Daniel stretched his arms behind his head and glanced around at his friends, who were busy with their homework.

"So, do you want to do something today?" he asked, tapping his quill against the parchment.

Michael looked up from his book. "We'll finish in about two hours, so that gives us three more before curfew," Daniel added when he saw their questioning looks.

Michael's eyes landed on the Wizarding Chessboard sitting nearby. "We could play chess," he suggested with a shrug.

"I'm good with that," Anthony agreed.

The rest nodded, and after finishing their assignments, they dove into a series of chess matches. Daniel wasn't particularly skilled at the game, but his high wisdom stats helped bridge the gap, allowing him to enjoy the back-and-forth banter. The common room buzzed with warmth and laughter, making it easy to relax after a long day of lessons.

By the time curfew approached, most of the students had started heading to bed. Daniel, however, found himself staring at the ceiling, restless.

"Ugh, I can't sleep," he muttered under his breath, turning onto his side. He closed his eyes and tried to relax, but his mind refused to shut off. 'Too much energy. Might as well do something with it.'

A smile crept onto his face. 'Let's go exploring for a bit.'

Moving as silently as possible, he slipped out of bed and tiptoed toward the door. His heart pounded a little as he reached the dormitory exit.

His skillful sneaking paid off, and soon, he was in the common room. The dimly flickering lanterns cast long shadows against the walls. Daniel froze when he spotted a Prefect sitting by the fireplace, eyes glued to a book.

'Alright, gotta be careful… or,' he mused, 'I could just enter the ID and exit that way… but where's the fun in that?'

A grin spread across his face as he activated his sneak skill and stuck to the darker parts of the room, slipping past the Prefect unnoticed. The door creaked ever so slightly as he stepped out into the corridors.

"Easy," he whispered, grinning to himself.

The castle at night was an entirely different world. The usual bustling energy of Hogwarts was replaced by eerie silence. Shadows danced across the stone walls, flickering with the dim torchlight. The suits of armor stood still, almost as if they were watching him.

He made his way toward the Great Hall, curious to see what it looked like in total darkness. However, he hesitated before entering. 'No need to push my luck just yet.'

Instead, he wandered aimlessly, enjoying the thrill of being out when he wasn't supposed to be.

'Maybe it's time I explore the Room of Requirement?' he thought, turning toward the staircase.

But just as he was about to step onto the first stair-

A firm hand clamped down on his shoulder.

Daniel's entire body stiffened. A scream threatened to escape his throat, but he managed to swallow it and regain his composure. He quickly put some distance between himself and the source of his momentary panic, turning around with his hand already grasping his wand.

"I wonder what you are doing out at night, Mr. Wilson," a low, drawling voice sneered.

Even before he fully faced his captor, he knew exactly who it was.

"Professor Snape…" he muttered, his stomach sinking.

The Potions Master's gaze was sharp and unreadable, his black robes making him seem even more menacing in the dim corridor.

"Fifteen points from Ravenclaw," Snape announced coolly. "And you will receive another punishment. I will make sure this lesson sticks so you never sneak out after curfew again."

Daniel winced but knew better than to argue.

"Let's go. I'll escort you back to your common room," Snape added, turning on his heel without another word.

Daniel had no choice but to follow.

When they entered the Ravenclaw common room, the Prefect looked up, startled to see him accompanied by the notorious professor.

"I see you let a first-year sneak past you," Snape remarked with a sneer before striding away, his robes billowing behind him.

The Prefect let out a long sigh, rubbing his temples. "Sigh… go back to your dormitory." He walked Daniel all the way to the door before leaving him with one last look of exasperation.

Daniel slipped inside, relieved to see his friends still sound asleep. As he climbed into bed, he exhaled slowly, replaying the night's events in his mind.

'I should learn an invisibility charm or something before trying that again,' he thought with a smile.

With that final thought, exhaustion finally took over, and he drifted off to sleep.