Thirststone Pendant

For some purebloods, a Muggle-born witch marrying into a Sacred 28 family instantly went from being a dirty mudblood to a respected Mrs. Weasley. That's what they considered moving up in the world. Unfortunately, Percy turned out to be unreliable, and eventually, Penelope couldn't tolerate him any longer and ended the relationship.

Aldric walked briskly to Professor Flitwick's office, quickly checking his appearance to make sure everything was in order before knocking. When he heard Flitwick's slightly high-pitched voice from inside, he pushed the door open and stepped in. 

As soon as he entered, a rich, sweet scent filled the room, coming from a steaming cup on Flitwick's desk. "What are you just standing there for? Have a seat," Flitwick said, flicking his wand to pull out a chair opposite him. "How have you been lately, Aldric?"

"Not bad," Aldric replied casually, though his eyes kept drifting back to the mysterious drink. The sweetness in the air was almost overwhelming. Noticing Aldric's curious gaze, Flitwick waved his wand again and replaced the cup with a fresh brew. "That was left by the last visitor. They had quite the sweet tooth."

Aldric wonder who he was, but he have some guess. 

"Looks like you've already found that room, huh? What do you think? Not bad, right?" Flitwick asked.

"Absolutely amazing! That room is like a wish-granting machine, whatever I wanted, it just gave me. And I could actually feel the magic there. It's hard to explain," Aldric said, trying to sound excited.

"You could sense it? How is that possible?" Flitwick's eyebrows shot up in surprise, almost as if they might fly off his forehead. "You really are the most gifted young Ravenclaw I've ever met."

Aldric took a sip of the fresh tea, a proud smile spreading across his face. "Being able to sense magic means you already have what it takes to become a true wizard. Back when spells weren't simplified, only those who could perceive magic were considered worthy to learn it. 

Even in those golden days of wizardry, few kids your age had that ability. You honestly surprise me."

"Thank you for the compliment, Professor Flitwick," Aldric said.

"From now on, your task is to meditate regularly. Meditation will help strengthen your perception and control of magic. 

But be careful not to meditate for more than ten minutes a day, you're still young, and your mind isn't strong enough yet. Overdoing it can leave you mentally drained, and prolonged exhaustion might even cause lasting damage to your psyche.

This isn't a joke, so please be very careful," Flitwick warned.

Aldric nodded but couldn't help wondering. He usually meditated for about half an hour every day without any problems. Maybe his previous life as an adult had made his mind stronger, or perhaps it was because of the drink he often had. 

Meanwhile, Flitwick was practically buzzing with excitement. He jumped down from his special high-backed chair and paced back and forth across the office on his short legs, as if searching for something. 

"Aha! Found it. Aldric, this is for you." Flitwick tossed him a wooden box. "Outstanding young wizards deserve rewards. Go ahead, open it."

Aldric caught the box and opened it. Inside was a pendant shaped like a raven. It was jet black but shimmered with an eerie glow, especially in the raven's eyes, where light seemed to swirl like it was alive. 

Aldric couldn't tell what material it was made of, but it felt cool to the touch. He imagined it would feel refreshing against the skin on a hot summer day. 

"What are you waiting for? Put it on and try it," Flitwick urged impatiently. "This is an antique, crafted by ancient wizards to help young witches and wizards sense and control magic. Fewer than ten people in the entire wizarding world can still make pendants like this."

Aldric slipped the pendant over his head. Surprisingly, it wasn't as cold as he expected; instead, it gave off a gentle warmth, kind of like jade. "Does it have a name?"

"Of course. It's one of Ravenclaw's treasured heirlooms, called Thirststone. It stands for never giving up the thirst for knowledge."

"Thirststone, huh? I like it! Thanks so much, Professor Flitwick."

Flitwick smiled and waved his hand. "Like I said, exceptional young wizards deserve rewards. By the way, how are your flying lessons going?"

For Aldric, flying lessons were a mixed experience. In his previous life, he had been a bank robber, not some old-fashioned crook from the '80s, but a high-tech criminal of the new century. 

You know what that means? Someone who uses all kinds of black-market trick. 

Aldric even thought that if he hadn't failed the civil service exam, he might have become a federal agent. With that kind of background, flying wasn't new to him: parachuting, paragliding, even wingsuit flying, he'd done it all. So riding a flying broomstick should have been second nature.

The flying brooms in the wizarding world were unlike anything Aldric had imagined. Unlike the soft, magical cushions he had pictured, the school-issued broomsticks felt more like sitting on a hard wooden stick.

The whole experience was far from comfortable. Steering the broom was especially tricky, it depended entirely on the rider's balance, and one wrong move could send you tumbling off. 

Aldric's first flying lesson was over quickly because he just couldn't get the hang of it. Only those young witches and wizards with a real passion for flying could push through those early difficulties. 

Still, Aldric managed to fly better than most of his classmates, experience really made a difference. "Uh, it's okay, I guess," Aldric said, trying to sound casual. "Why do you ask?"

"Harry Potter just joined Gryffindor's Quidditch team," Flitwick replied. "He's the youngest player ever. If you have time, find Penelope, she can take you to watch some Quidditch matches. I have high hopes for you, Aldric."

Flitwick gave Aldric a warm, almost fatherly smile. Aldric shivered slightly, not from cold, but from the strangeness of it. A paternal expression on Flitwick's pixie-like face was... well, disconcerting. It was rather like being offered life advice by a particularly kindly garden gnome. 

Quickly thanking Flitwick, Aldric left the office. Feeling the gentle warmth of the Thirststone pendant against his chest, he couldn't help but smile. He never expected Flitwick to be so generous. 

This pendant was truly a treasure. Aldric could already feel his magical senses sharpening under its influence, and even the magic that had felt uncontrollable before seemed to loosen its hold. 

Something like this, if it were out in the open, would probably cause a huge commotion. Excited and energized, Aldric hurried toward the Ravenclaw common room. There was no time to waste, he had more important things to focus on.