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Chapter 14: Charms Class
Chapter 14: Charms Class
Magic was a force that could make one's thoughts a reality, and Transfiguration was the perfect example of this.
Many students believed that their unsuccessful attempts at Transfiguration were due to unclear or inaccurate incantations, or perhaps an unconfident wave of their wand. So, they experimented with various techniques. However, when Professor McGonagall had transfigured the table into a pig, there had been no intricate movements or complex spells; with just a light touch of her wand, the table had transformed.
Victor raised his wand and pointed it at the matchstick.
In his mind—a clear image;
A steadfast belief;
And unwavering confidence.
If one's concept of a "needle" was vague, or if doubts crept in—thoughts like "This is really difficult," "Is this even possible with magic?," "I can't do it," or "I'll definitely fail at first…"—then the spell would most likely fail.
The wand was like a conduit for the wizard's magical power, making it more obedient and calm. Meanwhile, spells, wand movements, and magical rituals were more like tools to reinforce one's belief, a form of self-hypnosis for the wizard.
A skilled wizard could change the world with their will alone, without any superfluous actions.
"Very good, Miss Granger!" Professor McGonagall suddenly praised, interrupting Victor's thoughts. "A clear transformation. Ten points to Gryffindor."
The surrounding students craned their necks to see, and indeed, the matchstick in front of Hermione had not only become pointed at one end, but its color had also turned slightly silver-white, resembling a needle.
The brown-haired girl struggled to contain her excitement, her eyes sparkling.
"Miss Granger," Professor McGonagall said, "perhaps you would be so kind as to demonstrate the transformation process once more for the class? Given that…"
Before Professor McGonagall could finish her sentence, a chorus of exclamations erupted from the other side of the classroom.
Victor's matchstick had transformed into a slender, sharp needle with a tiny hole at the blunt end, its surface shimmering with a metallic luster.
Professor McGonagall quickly made her way over, levitated the needle with her wand, and inspected it closely. A look of relief and satisfaction spread across her face. "A flawless transformation. Ravenclaw, twenty points!"
She returned the needle to its original form and asked the young witches and wizards to gather around Victor for a demonstration. Under the watchful eyes of his classmates, Victor whispered the incantation and gently touched the matchstick with his wand—
In an instant, the matchstick elongated and changed color, transforming into a delicate silver needle that lay on the table.
A collective "Wow!" escaped the lips of the onlookers.
Victor lifted his eyes, his gaze passing over Hermione, who wore a slightly disappointed expression, before locking with a pair of emerald green eyes.
The boy with messy black hair smiled at him, his eyes reflecting surprise and admiration. Beside him, the red-headed boy with freckles across his face wore a goofy grin.
"They say Ravenclaws are the smartest," Ron said to Harry as they left the classroom. "I'm starting to understand why."
……………………
Transfiguration class was immediately followed by Charms, with only a brief ten-minute break in between to change classrooms. After Professor McGonagall assigned their homework, the students rushed off to their next lesson—Charms class, which was also a joint session with the Ravenclaws and Gryffindors.
"Victor," Hermione said, ignoring the house division and sitting down next to him. "Do you have any other plans after class?"
"I was planning to head to the practice room," Victor replied.
"Good," Hermione breathed a sigh of relief. "I was thinking of going there to continue practicing Transfiguration. How did you manage to succeed so quickly? Do you have any tips?"
"The key is to have unwavering faith in yourself," Victor began to explain, but he was interrupted by the arrival of Professor Flitwick.
Professor Filius Flitwick, the Charms master and Head of Ravenclaw House, was barely over one meter tall, similar in height to a three or four-year-old child, yet he had long white hair and a fluffy white beard. To teach his towering students, Professor Flitwick stood atop a stack of thick books on his lectern, resembling a staircase.
Some students couldn't help but giggle at the sight.
"Now, now, children," Professor Flitwick said, holding his tiny palm up, his short wand in hand. "Perhaps some of you are wondering why this little teacher is teaching you?"
Many students burst into laughter at the professor's self-deprecating remark, and it seemed that he didn't mind the lighthearted jest.
"Or perhaps, what could he possibly teach me?"
As Professor Flitwick spoke, he waved his wand, and a flock of tiny birds flew from the tip of his wand, circling above the students' heads. With another tap of his wand, two books sprouted slender arms and legs like bamboo branches and began to dance in the air.
The students applauded, thoroughly impressed. In just two short minutes, they had grown fond of this diminutive professor—he was neither timid like Quirrell nor boring like Professor Binns, nor as stern and intimidating as Professors McGonagall or Snape. The Ravenclaws couldn't help but swell with pride, thinking—Our Head of House is surely the best professor at Hogwarts!
"Thank you! Thank you for your applause," Professor Flitwick said in his soft voice. "I believe that Charms is the most fascinating subject. A wizard who doesn't know Charms can hardly be called a wizard. Of course, before we begin, I'd like to take attendance and get to know my lovely students."
Professor Flitwick proceeded to call out the names on the register, and everything went smoothly until—
"Harry Potter!"
Before there could be an answer, the professor let out a shriek and tumbled off the stack of books.
The students were left stunned, exchanging bewildered glances, and many of them looked towards the black-haired boy. Harry Potter awkwardly raised his right hand and hesitantly said to the empty stack of books, "I'm here, Professor."
A small squeak came from behind the pile of books, and it took a while before the disheveled Professor Flitwick crawled out, muttering, "Oh, of course... You're certainly here in my classroom... I should've known..."
The elderly professor stroked his beard, casting a Scouring Charm on himself, and then eagerly looked at Harry Potter, saying, "It's wonderful to see you, child."
Harry nodded and smiled shyly.
Vidt didn't know if Professor Flitwick saw a shadow of someone else in Harry Potter, but the professor fell silent for a moment before continuing to take attendance.
The first Charms lesson, of course, began with theory, and the only spell they learned was the simple Lumos, which young wizards could master with a couple of practices before starting school. Therefore, by the end of the class, everyone had successfully mastered it, and Professor Flitwick generously awarded both houses with roughly the same amount of points. He didn't assign much homework either—just three inches, which was basically a summary of the key points covered in class. If Vidt were a bit lazy and submitted his in-class notes, it would probably suffice.
(End of Chapter)
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