The moment everyone heard the eagle door knocker’s riddle, they fell into deep thought.
Mord, however, already knew the answer.
“It’s hair,” he said confidently.
“It’s black when you’re young, turns gray in middle age, and finally becomes white when you’re old.”
“Correct.”
Before anyone else could answer, the bronze eagle accepted Mord’s response.
With a soft rumble, the stone door slowly swung open.
“Mord, you’re amazing!”
One of the first-year students, Anthony, patted him on the shoulder in admiration.
The system chimed repeatedly.
[Ding!]
The future Demon King has displayed exceptional wisdom.
Darkness Points +1
Darkness Points +1
Mord smiled to himself.
Choosing Ravenclaw had definitely been the right decision.
What other House rewarded you with Darkness Points just for opening the common room door?
Only Ravenclaw.
Stepping inside, Mord’s eyes immediately lit up.
The spacious common room was decorated entirely in shades of blue and bronze.
Above them, a magnificent domed ceiling shimmered with countless stars, while the deep-blue carpet beneath their feet resembled the night sky itself.
The peaceful atmosphere felt like a blend of the sea and the heavens.
Standing proudly at the center of the room was a marble statue of Rowena Ravenclaw, the founder of Ravenclaw House.
Mord nodded in satisfaction.
The common room had exceeded all his expectations.
Penelope Clearwater addressed the first-year students.
“The boys’ dormitories are on the left, and the girls’ dormitories are on the right.”
“Each room has a nameplate.”
“Get plenty of rest tonight. Your first class tomorrow morning is with Professor Flitwick.”
Following her directions, Mord climbed the staircase leading to the boys’ dormitories.
At the very end of the corridor, he found a single nameplate.
First Year – Mord Black
He blinked.
“I’m… the only one?”
Apparently, there weren’t enough first-year boys in Ravenclaw to fill another room.
Terry Boot, whose dormitory was next door, looked over sympathetically.
“Mord… are you staying by yourself?”
“It certainly looks that way.”
Mord shrugged.
Sympathetic?
Not at all.
Having an entire dormitory to himself was something countless students could only dream of.
He was practically the chosen one.
Chuckling to himself, Mord stepped inside.
The room was beautifully decorated in the same blue-and-bronze style as the common room.
A large floor-to-ceiling window overlooked the castle grounds, allowing both sunlight and moonlight to flood the room.
Standing by the window, Mord gazed across Hogwarts.
He could see the classrooms below, the central courtyard, and the sprawling green lawns beyond.
One day…
He hoped to stand above everyone else, just like an eagle soaring through the sky.
“System.”
“Wake me up at seven tomorrow morning.”
[Understood, Lord Demon King.]
At exactly seven o’clock the next morning, the system woke him as requested.
After getting dressed, Mord grabbed his toiletries and headed for the washroom.
Although Ravenclaw Tower had its own facilities, they were much smaller than those in the main castle.
As he stepped out of the washroom, he accidentally bumped into someone.
“Ouch!”
Fortunately, Mord reacted quickly and caught it before it hit the floor.
“Here.”
He handed the cup back with an apologetic smile.
“Sorry about that.”
Cho shook her head.
“No, it was my fault.”
“I was walking too fast.”
She gently rubbed her forehead before asking curiously,
“We don’t have class until nine.”
“So why are you awake so early?”
Mord smiled.
“I want to visit the library.”
“I’ve also heard that Hogwarts’ staircases like to move around.”
“I’d rather learn my way before classes begin.”
He tilted his head slightly.
“But you’re up pretty early yourself.”
Cho hesitated.
“Well…”
“It’s… a little different for me.”
She mumbled vaguely without offering any explanation.
Seeing that she didn’t want to discuss it, Mord simply smiled.
Everyone had their own secrets.
Together, they descended Ravenclaw Tower.
By the time Mord entered the Great Hall, only a handful of students had arrived.
Most first-years were undoubtedly still asleep.
Well…
Almost all of them.
Mord walked directly toward the Gryffindor table and sat beside Hermione.
“I knew you’d be up early.”
Hermione looked up in surprise.
“Mord!”
She suddenly remembered that she had intended to ignore him after he had frightened her the previous evening.
Then she paused.
An entire night had already passed.
Did that count as one day?
Watching her internal struggle, Mord smiled knowingly.
“I think I know why you got up so early.”
Hermione blinked.
“Oh?”
“Then tell me.”
“What was I planning to do?”
“The library.”
“Just like me.”
“We can go together after breakfast.”
As soon as he finished speaking, breakfast appeared on the table.
Fresh pumpkin pie, sausages, and a glass of milk filled the plates before them.
Hermione’s face brightened.
She had always believed Mord was an exceptionally hardworking student.
Now she even had someone to study with.
As they ate, she suddenly asked,
“But…”
“This is the Gryffindor table.”
“Shouldn’t you be eating with Ravenclaw?”
Mord laughed.
“There aren’t many people here yet.”
“Besides, who says Ravenclaws can’t sit with Gryffindors?”
“I simply wanted to keep my friend company.”
Hermione lowered her head slightly.
A small smile appeared on her face.
For some reason…
His words made her unexpectedly happy.
The system chimed again. Read this novel at g.com for the best experience.
[Ding!]
The future Demon King has stirred a young girl’s heart.
Darkness Points +2
Mord silently protested.
System, don’t misunderstand.
I’m only doing this for the Darkness Points…
It’s a necessary sacrifice.
After finishing breakfast, the two headed straight toward the library.
The librarian, Madam Pince, glanced at them with obvious displeasure.
Hermione leaned closer and whispered,
“Why does she look like she doesn’t want us here?”
“When I was at my Muggle school, the librarian loved seeing students read.”
Mord smiled knowingly.
“That’s because she loves the books more than she loves the students.”
“If nobody ever borrowed a book again, she’d probably be delighted.”
Hermione couldn’t help laughing quietly.
The two entered the rows of towering bookshelves and began searching for reading material.
While browsing, Mord opened his system panel.
Lord Demon King: Mord Black
Magic Rating: Wizard
Known Magic:
– Dark Light Blindness Lv.2
– Persistent Filth Curse Lv.1
Recipes:
– Life and Death Wand
– Medicinal Poison Frog
Items: None
Followers: None
Darkness Points: 115
Nothing had changed except the steadily increasing number of Darkness Points.
It wasn’t that Mord didn’t want to spend them.
He simply hadn’t unlocked anything worthwhile during the past two days.
Using Darkness Points merely to upgrade his existing Dark Arts felt wasteful.
For now, practicing them naturally would be far more efficient.
His current priority was unlocking entirely new abilities.
Thinking it over, Mord decided that Charms offered the greatest opportunity.
There were still plenty of first-year spells he hadn’t mastered.
Perhaps a reference book could help.
He searched the shelves carefully until he finally found exactly what he wanted.
The old book’s cover was badly worn from years of use.
The Standard Book of Spells: Beginner’s Annotations
Mord’s eyes immediately lit up.
A study guide.
Perfect.
Returning to his seat, he opened the book.
Compared to the standard textbook, this version offered much more detailed explanations.
It discussed common mistakes, practical examples, and useful techniques for beginner spellcasters.
Skipping the earlier chapters, Mord turned directly to the spell he wanted most.
Incendio.
If any first-year spell had the potential to trigger a darkened version, surely it would be this one.
For the next hour, he studied every page carefully.
By the time he finished, he finally understood the mistake he had been making.
“So that’s it…”
“My pronunciation was slightly off.”
He was eager to try casting the spell immediately.
This time, he was certain he could succeed.
Just then, Hermione closed her own book and looked at the clock.
“Mord.”
“It’s almost time.”
“We should head to class.”