Hogwarts: Chill, I’m Not That Tom Riddle

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After teaching a lesson to his clueless roommates, Tom finally let out some of the frustration he'd been bottling up.

He ordered the three of them to wash up and sleep—fast. Only after the dorm went quiet did he slip into his study space."

"You're late," Andros remarked the moment Tom entered.

Tom had shut off the space right after dinner, so Andros had no clue what had happened afterward. When Tom sighed and explained everything, Andros burst out laughing.

"Reality is even more magical than the books, huh? Pure-bloods? Please. What does bloodline matter when you've got real power?"

He gave Tom an approving nod. "You did well today. When it's time to act, don't hesitate. If you go too easy, no one learns anything. But go too far and the professors get involved. What you did was just right."

"It's not that simple," Tom replied, shaking his head slightly. "This is just the beginning. Trust me, the real trouble's still to come."

He sighed, clearly exasperated. "I just want to focus on my studies. Why'd I have to end up in Slytherin?"

Andros scoffed. "Kid, I didn't say this before because I wanted to respect your choices. But after digging through all this Hogwarts info, I can say with confidence—Slytherin is the house that suits you best."

"…Huh?" Tom blinked.

Crossing his arms, Andros looked serious as he explained, "Knowledge is important for a wizard, sure. But from the dawn of time till now—including after I died—I can tell you with absolute certainty: no wizard has ever become truly powerful through knowledge alone."

He tapped his temple. "You know what really matters for a wizard?"

Tom answered without hesitation: "Magic power and willpower. Together, they can reshape reality."

Now it was Andros's turn to shake his head. "You're forgetting one thing—emotion."

Tom frowned. "Isn't that part of willpower?"

Every basic theory book he'd read lumped them together. None had ever drawn a clear line between will and emotion.

Andros just smiled. A wand appeared in his hand—a rare sight—and he raised it high above his head.

"Expecto Patronum!"

A massive Patronus took shape above him, radiating overwhelming pressure. When Andros spoke, his Patronus echoed him, their voices blending into one:

"Powerful magic, unshakable will, and overflowing emotion."

"Magic power is the source—your foundation for casting spells."

"Willpower affects how successfully you can channel that magic, helping guide and convert it."

"But emotion… emotion is what determines a spell's ceiling."

"Remember this, Tom—magic is driven by the heart. Your heart may be vast, but it needs something to anchor it. That anchor… is emotion."

"The chaos those Slytherins are causing you? Think of it as a trial. It's pushing you to find the perfect balance between will and emotion. Don't waste the opportunity."

Andros's words hit Tom like thunder. He stood there in stunned silence.

What Andros said sounded simple—but it carried a deep, almost spiritual truth. On the surface, it made sense. But the more Tom thought about it, the more he realized it touched the very essence of magic… something not easily understood, let alone mastered.

For the first time, Tom entered the Turbo Mode—to fully absorb and process what he'd just learned.

Ten silent minutes passed.

Slowly, his vacant eyes regained focus. There was something subtly different about him now—something you couldn't quite put into words. A new depth in his gaze.

Mimicking Andros, Tom raised his wand:

"Expecto Patronum!"

A silver mist burst from his wand, taking on a human shape. It was vague—just an outline, really—but it was a start. Compared to Andros's colossal, clearly defined Patronus, Tom's was small and faint. It barely stood taller than he did.

Even so, Andros was clearly impressed.

He had taught Tom the charm before, and by the third day, Tom already managed to produce a Patronus—only for Andros to shatter it himself.

Why? Because once a Patronus's form is fixed, changing it later becomes nearly impossible. Creating a unique Patronus like his had taken Andros years of trial and error. 

The hardest part was always the initial shaping of the form.

Tonight, Andros had only meant to adjust Tom's mindset—not expecting such a new level.

[Instructor "Andros" has reached 50% approval of the host. Reward unlocked… Reward obtained.]

[Congratulations. Host has gained the trait: "Absolute Justice."]

[Absolute Justice: Non-dark magic attack spells cast by the host receive a power boost. The boost scales with the host's growing magical strength.]

[First personal tutor's approval at 50%. New system feature unlocked: "Embodied Learning."]

[Embodied Learning: The tutor can temporarily cast spells through the host's body to increase teaching effectiveness. Time limit: 5 minutes.]

[Note: Duration can be increased by 10 seconds per additional point of tutor approval. Cooldown: 24 hours. (Host can cancel at any time to regain full control.)]

As soon as the reward kicked in, Tom's Patronus visibly surged, growing to two meters tall.

Andros had no idea Tom wasn't just benefiting from his teachings—he was also using his traits. So he only marveled at how far Tom had come, wondering if he had underestimated the boy's talent.

Still savoring the surreal feeling of summoning a humanoid Patronus, Tom finally let the magic fade.

Even though the Turbo state had ended, some lingering inspiration still buzzed in his mind. He didn't want to waste it.

"Hey, Andros… I've got a few more questions."

These weren't simple questions either. Even elite Aurors might've been stumped by them. Most Aurors were skilled in technique, but that didn't mean they had the theoretical knowledge to match.

But Andros wasn't like most.

Back in his day, the technical side of spellcraft was still in its infancy. If you wanted to master magic, you had to dive deep into theory and figure it out yourself.

So despite looking like a brute and having a brawler's temper, Andros was, at heart, a true academic.

An hour later, they finally took a break.

Andros had taught Tom two more spells—not anything newly invented, but ancient magic, simple and practical.

One was a food-testing spell to detect poison. The other was a passive defensive spell that would activate a shield if someone tried to ambush him.

Tom memorized both and exited the learning space.

His three roommates were already snoring, but Tom just couldn't fall asleep.

He'd experienced the power of Turbo mode firsthand. In the right moment, ten minutes in that state could be worth ten days of hard work.

Glancing at the 300+ credits in his system, Tom sighed.

"…When am I finally gonna feel rich?"

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