Shadow Monarch in Hogwarts ( Harry Potter & Solo Leveling).

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[ Quest: Embers of Awakening ]

Objective:

– Complete a physical, mental, and magical test within 24 hours

→ Run 3 km within the castle walls (Physical)

→ Memorize and perfectly recite 2 advanced incantations from your year (Mental)

→ Successfully perform Lumos Maxima and sustain it for 10 full seconds (Magic)

Rewards (upon success):

– +2 to Physical Attribute

– +1 to Intelligence

– +1 to Magic

– [ Random Item Chest: Tier F ]

Failure Penalty:

– Fatigue status effect for 48 hours

– -10% experience gain for next 24 hours

– Pain Simulation: [Moderate Level]

___

Adam :

The moment the glowing screen faded, I just stood there for a few seconds, staring at the empty air where the letters had been. My chest felt tight, not with fear—but with something sharper. More electric.

Excitement.

This was it. My life had finally stepped off the rails everyone else was riding.

> A system… a real system, just for me. A Judgement of God.

I could practically feel the gears of destiny shifting under my feet. I closed my hand into a fist and felt my pulse pounding in my palms.

Then my eyes flicked open wider. I couldn't just stand here gawking—I had a bloody quest timer ticking down over my head now.

> Run three kilometers… memorize two advanced incantations… perform Lumos Maxima…

My lips curled into a grin.

Fine. Let's see what I'm capable of.

First stop: the library.

---

I slipped through the corridors of Hogwarts, keeping my head down, hood of my robe slightly pulled forward. Sunlight speared through high windows, catching dust motes that swirled like tiny stars around me. Voices drifted from classrooms—some laughter, some muffled shouting.

I ignored all of it.

My footsteps echoed along the stone floor as I approached the double doors of the library. They were tall, carved from dark oak, engraved with gilded letters spelling Bibliotheca Hogwartsia.

I pushed them open.

Immediately, the hush of the library swept over me like cool water. It smelled of parchment, leather bindings, and a faint trace of dust that no cleaning charm could ever fully erase.

The place was cavernous. Bookshelves towered so high that enchanted ladders glided silently from one end to the other, waiting to be summoned. Shafts of golden light filtered through the stained-glass windows, turning the motes of dust into drifting sparks. Tables were spaced in neat rows, each piled with open books, inkpots, and gently flickering candles trapped in glass domes.

I felt a strange comfort here. Like the very walls were humming with secrets waiting to be claimed.

> Two advanced incantations. That's the mental part. Easy enough…

I slipped past Madam Pince's desk, careful not to make eye contact. Her eyes were like daggers if she thought you were up to mischief. She was currently busy berating a terrified second-year who apparently dared to dog-ear a page.

Moving deeper into the stacks, I found the section I wanted: Charms – Advanced Studies.

The shelves loomed over me, packed with thick tomes. Gilt letters glinted on their spines:

Arcane Vocalizations and Their Resonance Effects

Practical Spellwork for the Aspiring Auror

High-Level Charms and Countercharms, Vol. II

I ran my fingers across the bindings, feeling the rough texture of cracked leather. The System's screen flickered back into existence in the corner of my vision:

---

[ Daily Quest Progress: Mental Objective Pending ]

→ Memorize and perfectly recite two advanced incantations.

---

I plucked a massive volume from the shelf and carried it to a secluded table beside the high, arched windows. Sunlight dappled the wooden surface, and a slight breeze stirred the edge of the pages as I opened the book.

The words glowed on the parchment, intricate and beautiful. Latin phrases twisted into runes, diagrams spiraling like constellations.

> "Tempus Suspendere… slows time perception for ten seconds within a 1-meter radius…"

"Spectralis Custodia… conjures a translucent barrier resistant to curses…"

Perfect.

I leaned closer, eyes drinking in every word. I read the spells, lips moving silently. I traced the wand movements in the air with my fingers. Again and again, until I could see the motions burned into the back of my eyelids.

The System chimed softly:

---

[ Progress Update: Spectralis Custodia mastered. 1/2 complete. ]

---

I let out a quiet laugh under my breath. It was happening. It was really happening.

> I'm going to change everything. No more standing in the shadows while people like Hermione look at me like I'm a problem to solve. No more feeling like the rest of my life has already been written.

I flipped to the next spell.

> "Praesidium Mentis… a shield for the mind, blocks minor Legilimency probes…"

My grin widened. That one would be useful.

I bent over the book, murmuring syllables under my breath until the magic in the words seemed to vibrate on my tongue.

Another chime:

---

[ Progress Update: Praesidium Mentis mastered. Mental Objective Complete. ]

---

I sat back in my chair, heart hammering. The System's text scrolled into view again:

---

[ Mental Objective complete. 2 objectives remaining. ]

---

I snapped the book closed, feeling taller somehow. Stronger.

> Alright, Adam. Time to run laps like a bloody Gryffindor and light up the castle like the sun itself.

I stood, slipped the tome back onto the shelf, and turned toward the exit, determination blazing in my chest.

> This is my story now. Let the Judgement of God watch me rise.

____

Third point of view:

Adam closed the heavy tome with a satisfying thump, feeling the glow of accomplishment thrumming through his veins. The System's message still hovered faintly in the corner of his vision, reminding him that two parts of his quest remained unfinished.

He rose from the library table, scooping up his wand and smoothing the front of his robes. Light streamed through the tall windows, gilding the edges of his dark hair as he wove through rows of towering shelves. His steps were brisk, a spring in his stride that hadn't been there before.

> Only the run and Lumos Maxima left. Should be easy enough…

Adam pushed open the oak doors and stepped out into the corridor, the library's hush replaced by the echoing sounds of footsteps, distant voices, and the rustle of students moving between classes. The air smelled faintly of old parchment and stone, mingled with drifting scents from the nearby Great Hall.

He was halfway down the corridor, eyes scanning ahead for a clear path, when he saw them coming around the corner: Harry, Ron, and Hermione.

Hermione strode ahead purposefully, clutching an armful of books to her chest, her bushy hair bouncing with every step. Harry and Ron trudged behind her, faces drawn in expressions of mild despair. Ron's arms were stuffed with scrolls and ink bottles, threatening to spill at any moment.

The moment Hermione spotted Adam, her eyes narrowed. She slowed, planting herself directly in his path, one eyebrow arching high.

> "Look," she said, a touch of sarcasm in her voice. "Seems the demon decided to study. You two should learn to study too."

She shot a meaningful glare at Harry and Ron, who both winced as though she'd physically prodded them with her wand.

Adam tilted his head, his lips curving into a lazy grin. A low laugh rumbled from his chest.

> "Yeah, yeah, I know. Hell is empty and all the demons are here."

He swept an exaggerated bow, his dark hair falling forward.

> "So nice to see you here too, Miss Granger. But if you don't mind, my wisdom cannot stand and hear you."

He straightened, eyes sparkling with mischief, and added in a breezy tone:

> "See you later."

Hermione's jaw dropped slightly, color rushing into her cheeks.

> "You—"

But Adam was already pivoting away, lifting a hand in a casual wave, that grin still playing at his lips. He strode off down the corridor, leaving Hermione sputtering mid-sentence.

Harry and Ron watched him go, exchanging a look that was equal parts exasperation and fascination.

Hermione was still glaring after him, fists clenched around her stack of books.

> "He is impossible!" she hissed.

Ron scratched the back of his head.

> "Yeah… but you've got to admit, he's kind of entertaining."

Hermione rounded on him so sharply that Ron flinched.

> "Ronald! This is not entertaining. He's insufferable. And cryptic. And… and—"

But Adam, by now, was already halfway down the next corridor. His laughter floated back over his shoulder.

> "Making the Ice Queen angry is my new favorite habit," he murmured to himself, a wicked glint in his eyes.

And with that, he disappeared around the corner, the sound of his footsteps fading as he moved on to finish his quest—and whatever else the System had in store for him.

---

____

Adam's POV:

I slipped around the corner, leaving Hermione's outraged sputtering behind me like the echo of a distant storm. My footsteps fell softly on the stone floor, each step tapping out a steady rhythm that matched the thudding of my pulse.

The corridors were quieter now, the morning rush fading. Sunlight angled through narrow windows, slashing bars of gold and shadow across the floor. Dust drifted lazily in the beams, and portraits lining the walls leaned forward to watch me pass, their painted eyes glimmering with curiosity—or suspicion.

I could still feel the grin tugging at the corners of my mouth. Merlin, riling up Hermione Granger might be the highlight of my day. But my thoughts were already shifting.

> Alright. Enough games. Two more parts left.

The System's faint glow flickered at the edge of my vision like an afterimage. I summoned the screen again with a mental flick. Immediately, ethereal letters appeared before me:

---

[ Daily Quest Progress ]

→ Physical Objective: Run 3 km within the castle walls → Pending

→ Magical Objective: Perform Lumos Maxima, sustained for 10 seconds → Pending

[ Time Remaining: 20:42:13 ]

---

My eyes narrowed as I studied the countdown, the hours ticking away one by one.

> Over twenty hours left. Plenty of time. But I'd rather not be cramming this in at the last second.

I shoved my hands into my robes as I walked, my fingers brushing the wand hidden inside. The castle seemed more alive than usual somehow—like the stones themselves were humming with hidden knowledge. A pair of Hufflepuffs passed me, laughing about something trivial, but their chatter washed over me like white noise.

> Running three kilometers indoors might be a pain. But if I loop the fourth-floor corridor a dozen times, that should cover it. Or maybe jog up and down the moving staircases. Hell, that'd probably count double.

A crooked smile tugged at my lips.

> Then Lumos Maxima. Easy. At least, I hope it's easy. Ten seconds is a long time to sustain that much magical output. Especially when my mana core is still listed as 'Inert.'

I felt a flicker of uncertainty then—a tiny chill skittering down my spine.

> But I'm not going to fail my first bloody quest. I don't care if I have to blind half the bloody school.

I kept moving, weaving past students chatting in groups. A few shot me curious looks. One Ravenclaw girl whispered something to her friend as I passed, eyes wide as though she'd spotted a creature from the Restricted Section.

> Let them whisper. Let them wonder.

I glanced back at the screen, watching the timer pulse softly.

> Twenty hours. Two challenges. Let's see just how far I can push myself.

My shoes scuffed the stone floor as I turned toward the grand staircase, feeling my blood heat with anticipation.

> Time to run like I'm being chased by Dementors… and then light this place up like a star.

____

I stood at the edge of the marble landing on the fourth floor, arms crossed, staring down the central well of the Grand Staircase.

Students passed behind me in pairs and groups, chatting and joking as they descended to their next class. Some gave me a wide berth—maybe they saw something in my face, or maybe my reputation was starting to precede me. Either way, I wasn't in the mood to explain. I had a quest to finish.

> Three kilometers inside a castle.

At first, I thought I'd just sprint laps through the hallways—up and down the fourth-floor corridor, maybe circle the Astronomy Tower a few times. Simple. Efficient.

But now that I really looked at the castle…

No. That wasn't enough. Not for me. Not for what this was.

> I've been given a system. A divine judgment. I'm not just going to jog like some Quidditch dropout in training robes.

I'm going to run this castle like it's mine.

A plan unfolded in my mind like parchment under a flame—mad, brilliant, and impossible to resist.

---

Step 1: The Route from Hell

The moving staircases.

They connected all seven floors of the castle. Ever-shifting, cursed, unpredictable. No one ran on them—no one wanted to.

Which is exactly why I would.

> If I can time the movement, leap to the next set mid-turn, take every detour—then every floor, every landing, every shift counts.

Distance by chaos.

I grinned.

I'd need to touch each of the cardinal wings—the West Tower corridor, the East Greenhouse hall, the South Dungeon spiral, and the North Owlery staircase—twice. Add the loops, and I could build a total running path that crisscrossed the entire castle. An architectural nightmare turned into a personal obstacle course.

Mad? Yes. Dangerous? Probably.

But effective? Without question.

---

Step 2: Activation

I opened the System screen again, standing still in the center of the stairwell platform.

---

[ Begin Physical Objective? ]

→ Objective: Run 3km within the castle walls

Penalty for failure: Fatigue status + experience loss

[ Confirm: Yes / No ]

---

I didn't hesitate.

Yes.

A low chime echoed through my mind like a starter pistol.

---

Step 3: The Run

I launched forward. My boots slammed against the stone floor with a satisfying crack. I tore down the corridor like a blast of wind, my robe flaring behind me.

Students blinked and jumped aside. A couple yelped as I nearly bowled through a group of Ravenclaws. I ignored them. Every second mattered. Every step was counted.

I hit the base of the staircase and leapt onto the nearest set before it began to shift. Timing was everything.

The stairs moved. Slowly at first, then jerking into motion mid-climb. I lunged forward, grabbing the banister and vaulting to the adjacent set before it locked in. My muscles burned instantly from the explosive movement.

> Keep breathing. Rhythm. Momentum.

Up—down—sideways—across.

On the fourth switchback, I nearly missed a stair that vanished under my foot. I twisted midair, slammed onto a landing, rolled, and kept going.

> Perfect. That counts as distance. Chaos distance.

I dashed through the West Wing, vaulted a trick step on the third floor, spun around a floating suit of armor that clanked in protest, and slammed open the door to the Astronomy passage.

Halfway through, my legs started to protest. My thighs screamed. Sweat soaked the collar of my shirt.

> Don't stop. This isn't just running. This is proving that I belong to something bigger now.

Down a side stair, through a hidden passage behind a tapestry, up a shortcut staircase that only appears every other Thursday (thankfully, today was Thursday), and across the creaking beam of the ancient sixth-floor balcony.

> Almost there. Push harder.

The castle itself seemed to resist me—doors tried to seal, staircases shifted in the wrong direction, portraits shouted at me to slow down. I ignored it all.

---

Step 4: The Finish

I burst out into the North Tower hallway, boots slipping on polished stone. I hit the final corner, heart hammering like a war drum, and the screen flickered back to life in front of me:

---

[ Physical Objective Complete ]

Distance Logged: 3.14 km

Time Elapsed: 00:42:17

Status: SUCCESS

Rewards:

– +2 Physical Attribute

– +1 Endurance

– [ Item Unlocked: Minor Recovery Elixir ]

– [ Bonus XP: 25 ]

---

I staggered to a stop, chest heaving, lungs pulling in air like I'd just swum across the Black Lake.

> Worth it.

I sank against the cold stone wall, closing my eyes, letting the System's soft blue glow wash over me like light from a hidden god.

---

> "One more left…" I whispered between breaths. "Just one."

I lifted my wand slowly, sweat trickling down my neck, and whispered:

> "Lumos Maxima."

A flicker of light sparked at the tip of my wand… then dimmed. Not yet.

> Later. After I catch my breath.

I tilted my head back and smiled.

> This is the beginning.

____

Third POV:

Adam pushed off the wall, wiping a sheen of sweat from his brow. His robes were half askew, his hair plastered to his forehead. Despite the burning in his legs and the hammering of his heart, a wild grin was stretched across his face.

> One more quest. Just one more, and Level 1 is in the bag.

He lifted his wand again, determined to blast the next corridor into daylight with Lumos Maxima—

—when a sharp voice cut across the quiet hallway like a whip.

> "Mr. Adam!"

Adam flinched so hard he nearly dropped his wand. He spun around, heart leaping into his throat.

Professor McGonagall was standing not ten feet away, arms folded tightly over her tartan-clad chest, her spectacles glinting like twin hexes waiting to be cast. Her lips were pressed into a line so thin it looked capable of slicing parchment.

Adam blinked. He couldn't remember how long she'd been standing there—but judging by the look on her face, it had been long enough.

---

McGonagall: "Would you care to explain to me why you have been tearing around this castle like a Niffler possessed?"

Adam stared at her, chest still heaving. He tried to speak but only managed a faint wheeze.

"Er… Good morning, Professor."

McGonagall tilted her chin upward.

"Mr. Adam. Would you care to explain precisely what you were doing?"

Adam hesitated. He flicked his wand in a little circle, as though words might appear like smoke from the tip.

"Well, you see… I was… exercising."

McGonagall blinked once. Slowly.

"Exercising."

Adam (finally catching his breath): "Er… cardio?"

---

McGonagall's eyes narrowed.

---

McGonagall: "Cardio."

She repeated the word as though tasting something bitter.

---

Adam: "Well, yes, Professor. Good for the heart. And, um… the soul."

---

She took one step closer, robes swirling around her ankles.

---

McGonagall: "Mr. Adam, in the past forty minutes I have received reports that you have:

nearly toppled two suits of armor,

burst through a secret tapestry passage without the proper password,

startled half a dozen first-years into dropping their cauldrons,

and—my personal favorite—leapt over a moving staircase while shrieking something about chaos distance."

---

Adam scratched the back of his neck, trying to suppress a laugh.

---

Adam (muttering): "Well… it was chaos distance."

---

McGonagall held up a hand, silencing him.

---

McGonagall: "Need I remind you, Mr. Adam, that Hogwarts is a school, not a training ground for stunt doubles in a Wizarding action picture?"

---Technically, Professor, I didn't break anything. Except maybe a few rules about proper stair etiquette."

McGonagall's lips twitched as though suppressing a smile. She stepped closer, lowering her voice : "Since you appear to have so much… energy to expend, I have a task for you."

---

Adam blinked rapidly.

---

Adam: "A… task?"

---

McGonagall's eyes gleamed, half stern, half wicked.

---

McGonagall: "Yes. Professor Sprout's new batch of Mimbulus mimbletonia has become… shall we say… highly agitated. They have developed an unfortunate habit of spraying Stinksap at anything that moves."

---

Adam swallowed. Hard.

---

McGonagall (speaking briskly): "Professor Sprout requires someone agile enough to dash among the pots and help re-pot the largest specimens while simultaneously dodging high-velocity jets of Stinksap. You, Mr. Adam, seem uniquely… qualified."

---

Adam's jaw dropped.

---

Adam: "You… you want me to help… re-pot carnivorous stink plants?"

---

McGonagall gave a single, crisp nod.

---

McGonagall: "Consider it an opportunity to channel your… boundless enthusiasm… into something productive. You will report to Greenhouse Three immediately."

---

Adam stared at her, eyes wide, looking as though he'd just been sentenced to Azkaban.

---

Adam (weakly): "But… Professor… I still have—"

---

McGonagall cut him off, raising one finger.

---

McGonagall: "Greenhouse. Three."

---

Adam opened his mouth again—then snapped it shut as McGonagall gave him the kind of look that could reduce bricks to dust.

---

She turned sharply on her heel and strode away, tartan robes billowing behind her like a war banner.

Adam watched her go, still rooted to the spot, his wand dangling limply at his side.

---

> "Making the Ice Queen angry might be my favorite habit," he muttered to himself, "but this… this is getting out of hand."

He groaned and trudged off in the direction of Greenhouse Three, shoulders slumping under the weight of inevitable doom.

---

[ End of Chapter ]

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