He jumped from the top of the staircase and curled onto himself in a specific way to protect his neck from snapping like a twig - something he learned in his skydiving training - while in mid-air.


    His heartbeats reached a new crescendo as he plummeted down the stairs.


    Just when he was expecting the hard floor of the orphanage to greet him, he felt like he had fallen on a trampoline that was submerged in water.


    It was a weird feeling, something that couldn''t be described properly in mundane terms.


    He was tossed back into the air with less momentum than his fall indicated and safely landed on the floor of the orphanage, which was somehow soft like a cushion.


    "Awesome," he exclaimed getting on his feet, his hands and legs shaking at his stunt.


    He felt like a missing piece of his soul snapped into position making him feel complete.


    Leon tapped the floor, it was hard. Whatever magic he did already disappeared.


    Channeling the feeling he felt when he hit the orphanage''s floor he stared at some dust and willed it to move.


    And move it did, though it took some staring like he was stopping himself from sneezing.


    "Excellent," he beamed.


    Leon knew jumping off stairs was a drastic measure.


    Humans are averse to self-harm, especially when it''s an uncertain solution to a problem that doesn''t negatively and immediately affect them.


    He was able to jump only because his mind was already conditioned to such stunts due to his love of extreme sports.


    ''But what choice do I have, when little Voldy and Lily can do impressive things even before Hogwarts?''


    Granted this looked like an alternate universe, but being ahead of others is an instinctive desire of every human, more so for him.


    After all, he believes that the famous slogan ''Magic is Might'' has some truth to it.


    Although moving some dust doesn''t come under his list of impressive things, he must start somewhere.


    And Flitwick would have fixed any broken bones in an instant. So, Leon had to try as he didn''t see any downsides of trying.


    Happy he got the feel of magic, he ran back to his room.


    It was the time for the MC to face-slap the nay-sayers, the mockers.


    As he opened his room''s door, the naysayer, the paper fluttered, mocking him again.


    Leon decided to tear the paper into tiny bits, ending its life for mocking a protagonist.


    He aimed his palm at the paper and willed it to get shredded.


    As his eyes bulged in effort, the paper got crumpled. No tears appeared on the paper.


    After once again trying to tear it with no success, he sprawled on his bed.


    *Flutter* Flutter*


    He got up and shoved the paper into his pockets before stomping down to freshen up and eat.


    ....


    Leon sat in his spot in the playground after informing the head matron that a professor would visit the orphanage for him.


    Seeing it was still early in the morning for any visitors, he decided to practice his magic again. He played with the dust near him, holding a book to stop people from seeing the constipated look on his face.


    A diminutive figure entered the playground, wearing a suit, catching his eye. Round glasses adorned his face, and along with his long mustache, he gave off a mischievous and unruly vibe.


    Leon observed Professor Flitwick walk towards him with a grin and spring in his step.


    "Hello, Mr. Astraeus. I am Professor Filius Flitwick, the Charms professor at the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry." The Charms professor introduced himself.


    "Astraeus?" Leon prompted him. It was a last name worthy of a Transmigrated MC, so Leon was hoping he would have a nest egg to let him buy some books and, of course, some cool magical things.


    Things like an Auto dictation quill or a fire-breathing quill… it spews fire what more a boy(man) can wish for?


    "I will fill you in about your last name as we get your supplies. Let''s go!" he said, catching Leon off guard.


    "What? Aren''t you going to convince me that magic is real?" Leon asked, looking at the professor who went off script.


    ''Wasn''t he supposed to wow students by making kettle talk or something.''


    "No need! No need! I could sense you using magic as I stepped into your wonderful home."


    "Really! How?"


    "Don''t worry about it! When you reach my age, you learn a trick or two," he said and walked away.


    Leon hurriedly followed him.


    "Did you inform the head matron?"


    "Yes! Yes! Delightful woman. And I should congratulate you, Mr. Astraeus, for that was some fine wandless magic you did. You will make a great wizard," The professor praised him before giving him his hand.


    Leon looked at him before gripping the professor''s hand.


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    "Do we fly?" Leon asked, playing his part as a newbie wizard.


    "No! I have something faster in mind. You would want to close your eyes for this," the professor said before the world twisted in front of Leon.


    He experienced great suction that forced him into a small hole in the space before ejecting him, quite harshly at that.


    Leon gasped and looked at the Professor who had a mischievous smile.


    "You didn''t even give me time to close my eyes," he accused. Though he wouldn''t have closed his eyes even if you gave him money. After all, when would he get to experience Apparition again?


    The professor just snickered at that and started walking.


    "Mr. Astraeus, you are the last member of your house. The wizarding war took your house members as causalities. While House Astraeus had deep pockets- you don''t, I checked. So, you will have to use Hogwarts'' special fund for your school supplies. It seems there are some conditions you have to fulfill if you want access to your family vault, the conditions were set by your house''s late head," Flitwick explained as he greeted the members of Leaky Cauldron, waving at what felt like everyone he came across.


    "Just remember that you are not alone, Hogwarts will be home and your new family." He said seriously and paused.


    "Observe this and remember it." Flitwick tapped the brick wall in a certain order, making the wall split open in the middle.


    A bustling street came into view.


    Leon''s gaze was instantly attracted to two gigantic brooms- each the size of a bus- that were maneuvering in an invisible boundary with great speed.


    The said brooms suddenly crashed into each other, splintering into 7 brooms each. These brooms then performed multiple flying maneuvers before joining together to make two gigantic brooms again.


    They only flew above a building that looked like a hoop – an honest-to-good circular hoop.


    And the building wasn''t unique.


    Most of the building''s architecture was so messed up it left Leon disoriented by the chaos incarnate the Diagon Alley is.


    Leon followed the professor like a lost duckling marveling at the wonders the wizards created.


    A building changed in color with live drawings across it, the drawings depicted a witch and wizard drinking different colored potions that made them breathe fire, become young, and many more magical effects.


    The building they were beelining towards was even more eye-catching. It changed shapes as if it were no one''s business.


    One minute it was a house-sized square before it contracted and became a bus-sized rectangular trunk before popping back to its original size as a sphere-shaped building.


    "Come on, now," Professor Flitwick giggled at the gobsmacked Leon before entering the shop.


    The sphere cracked and little pieces that looked like trunks fell as Professor Flitwick darted towards the sphere and vanished.


    Leon quickly followed him and ran through something that felt like a smoke film before finding himself in a cozy shop.


    The shop had a generic counter and sofa with tiny trunks- the size of fists- displayed on racks that were attached to the walls.


    ''A crazy but awesome Illusion for advertisement.'' Leon thought, still reeling from the magical experience.


    ''It felt so real.''


    "Ah! Flitwick how are you?" A man got up from behind the counter.


    "Marvelous and It seems you weathered through the surge in one piece," Flitwick teased and continued speaking.


    "And we won''t impose on you too long. Just need a Hogwarts special trunk."


    Pity flashed across the man''s face. Before a tiny truck floated towards the Professor.


    Professor Flitwick quickly paid for the trunk.


    "It is a nice trunk, Mr Leon, though standard. It has increased space for storage and featherweight charm for ease of movement." Flitwick said, noticing Leon''s gaze linger on the shining little trucks that were displayed as he ushered him out.


    They ran through some shops, like potions, and stationery, before deciding it was time to buy uniforms.


    "A Hogwarts special set coming right up," a woman dressed in all mauve said after she saw him entering with the tiny professor.


    "Just standard Hogwarts robes, Madam Malkin. The special set isn''t needed."


    "If you say so Filius." Madam Malkin waved her wand making a set of robes to pack themselves before they shrunk down and floated towards the professor.


    He kept it in the trunk with the rest of Leon''s things before shrinking the trunk, again.


    "A little welcome gift from me," he said winking an eye at me.


    "Thank you, professor."


    Though Leon would have preferred a book, at least the professor didn''t bring a haughty but loyal owl and expected him to be her human.


    Leon wouldn''t have any problems if the professor gets him Hedwig though. But it''s about the principle, what if he wanted a cat or something?


    Like the protagonist, he was, what if some Raven or mutated Basilisk was waiting for him to bond with?


    ''Jokes aside. Selecting what will be a major part of someone''s life without their input rarely ends well. Speaking of Hedwig, I wonder what time I am in with respect to canon if there is a canon at all.''


    "Now is the time for you to get your wand, Mr. Astraeus. And by the time you select your wand, I will be back with your books." The little professor said and hurried away.


    ''Why do I feel like, he doesn''t want to take me to a bookstore?'' Leon wondered, before entering the slightly run-down wand shop.


    All shops in Diagon Alley were entrenched in magic in one way or another, except the Ollivander''s Wands.


    It looked like a normal shop but ancient with cracks running through the walls, and the sign crooked and lifeless.


    Leon pushed the door, watching out for the wand maker. The bells attached to the door rang, announcing his presence.


    He quickly entered the shop not deterred by the creeping shadows and dust accumulated on the corners, keeping an eye out.


    "Hello, little wizard." A soft voice emanated from behind Leon.


    Leon jumped and turned back, nearly snapping his neck in the process.


    Ollivander creepily grinned at Leon before going behind the counter.


    ''Here comes the creepy man who intimately knows the details of every Britain wizard''s wand.'' Leon snickered.


    "Dominant hand?" The wand maker asked ignoring his snickering.


    "Right!"


    "This wand is made of a Phoenix feather, the symbol of rebirth, and a branch from a Birch tree, symbolizing new beginnings. Give it a whirl," Ollivander explained, before taking it back, not even letting Leon touch it.


    As Ollivander searched his shop, muttering things like Yew, Oak, Rowan. Leon spoke.


    "Why a wand, Mr. Ollivander, why not a ring, a staff?"


    "Excellent question, little wizard. But…. sometimes the journey is the answer. I can give you a hint if you prefer," Ollivander said selecting two more boxes.


    Leon nodded.


    "Look into Roman wizards, young wizard. Even though we live in a magical world, everything has a reason for being what it is," Ollivander said before gesturing to Leon to take a wand.


    After taking away three more wands before Leon could even touch them, Ollivander peered at him.


    "Curious! Curious! Something''s telling me you are going to be treat to deal with. What''s your last name little wizard?"


    "Astraeus it seems," Leon replied, thinking about his supposed wizarding house.


    ''Damn! Now I think about it. Professor Flitwick timed our entrance to Diagon Alley so that I would be distracted from the ''sad'' news he delivered about my family and me being poor. Sneaky!''


    While Leon gained a new appreciation for his charm''s professor. Ollivander looked like Christmas came early as he giggled and squealed before running to the back of his shop.


    Just when Leon was getting impatient, Ollivander came running back with a box clutched in his hands.


    "A member of house Astraeus commissioned this before my grandfather''s time."


    "Though the wand''s components are weird, just like any proud wandmaker, the Ollivander of that time took up the challenge and created this beauty here."


    He removed its lid revealing a transparent wand with a stream of black mist flowing through it.


    ''Woah!'' The wand gave off an otherworldly feeling like it was not from this reality.


    "Try it, Mr. Astraeus. In all of my years, no wizard''s magic resonated enough for me to even take it out," Ollivander whispered, eagerly.


    Leon clutched the wand in his hand and raised it.


    The clam black mist in the wand roiled, tainting the whole wand black.


    Leon could instantly feel the connection with the wand like it was a lost part of his soul.


    Ethereal pulses unnoticed by even the eccentric wand maker emanated from Leon along with a soul-chilling cold that fogged the windows of the shop.


    "Marvelous, Marvelous! Crystallised essence of a Vaelix- freely given-and a Dementor''s remains make up this wand, Mr Astraeus," he whispered, his eyes lighting up in wonder.


    "I will owe you a favor if you update me on the properties of this wand, things like which branch of magic the wand leans toward, even irrelevant minute details like which charm it likes," Ollivander said eyeing the wand.


    Leon just nodded lost in the lingering feeling the wand made him experience.