Chapter 178: The Test
Chapter 178: The Test
Felix smiled, "Anytime, Potter. I'll move in temporarily to keep you company. But I need to go back to the school first to arrange some things. You can also think about your schedule."
He stood up, "The training will be tough, Potter. Be mentally prepared. From my personal experience, the period right after a Magic Outburst is the best time to learn Spells. You'll progress very quickly."
Harry didn't hesitate and agreed immediately.
Felix found Tom, the owner of the Leaky Cauldron, a bent, wrinkled Wizard. On Tom's recommendation, Felix chose Room 12, right next to Harry's.
He waved at Harry, who was standing at the foot of the stairs, then turned and left the bar, using the public Floo network to return to his office.
He went over his recent work. Besides trying to incorporate the Scrying Mirror into the curriculum, he had a few more good ideas. He rolled up these half-finished plans and tucked them into his ring.
Next, he checked the observation records of the Wand Tree, a task he and Professor Flitwick did daily. For now, this responsibility would fall solely on Flitwick.
He then went to the Spell Professor's office and informed Flitwick about his conflicting schedule. The short professor quickly agreed, smacking his lips and saying, "A Magic Outburst... I wonder what Potter has been through. Having you around will reassure Minerva."
Felix also saw Snape's figure in the school. He was striding quickly, his black robes billowing behind him.
"Severus?" Felix called out, "You're back so early?" He knew that Snape usually returned home for the summer and only came back to the school on the day of the term's start.
Snape's face was stern, his frustration evident as he said, "You'll have to ask our esteemed Headmaster Dumbledore. He called me back to brew a particularly revolting potion."
In a foul mood, he flung his cloak and swiftly slid away.
What kind of revolting potion could it be? Felix wondered, watching Snape's retreating back.
A few minutes later, Felix was back in Diagon Alley. He knocked on the door of Room 11 and saw Harry's bed cluttered with various items—textbooks, parchment, ink bottles, and a broom repair kit.
"Professor, I'm checking my homework. Um, I still have three History of Magic essays, two Potions essays, and one Spell essay left to write."
"History of Magic..."
Harry clearly heard Professor Hup's disapproving grunt, but the professor didn't say much more. He sat down opposite Harry.
"Time is precious, Potter", Felix said, "I'll help you with your homework—during your free time."
...
The owner of the Leaky Cauldron provided an empty basement, which, according to him, had been abandoned for a long time.
Old Tom, hunched over, smiled toothlessly, "I remember there are some protective charms here, but they might have worn off. You'll need to handle them yourselves."
He snapped his fingers, and the torches embedded in the walls lit up. He then bowed and backed away, leaving the room.
Felix waved his wand, clearing the accumulated dust and cobwebs from the room. He then smoothed out the broken floorboards. When his wand touched the floor, it rippled like a wave, making Harry feel as if he were on a small boat, reminiscent of the first time Hagrid took him on a boat ride.
Once everything settled, the wooden floor transformed into an exotic carpet.
Harry took a few steps, finding it not as soft as he had imagined. Professor Hup explained, "I can't just give you some cushions to make your magic practice comfortable."
Under his watchful eye, a few small items flew out of Professor Hup's ring, transforming into a small square table, two armchairs, and some humanoid targets.
Felix sat in one of the chairs, looking at Harry from behind the table.
"First, Potter, let's practice your strongest spell one hundred times."
Harry's hand holding the wand trembled involuntarily. This wasn't quite what he had expected...
He had imagined himself dodging Professor Hup's attacks, like a frantic squirrel, while the professor calmly cast spells, showcasing his power.
But now, Professor Hup was sitting quietly in a chair, looking more like a teacher from his Muggle school, complete with a pair of wire-rimmed glasses.
Harry looked at the target about seven or eight meters away. He waved his wand and shouted, "Expelliarmus!" A red beam shot from the tip of his wand and hit the wall, missing the human-shaped target by about two feet.
"Uh, sorry, I missed."
"That's fine, keep going."
So Harry continued to wave his wand, red beams flying out one after another. After about half an hour, he called out the spell with a hoarse voice, "Expelliarmus..." but his wand only emitted a series of sparks.
"Alright, let's take a break. Come sit over here", Felix said.
Harry walked wearily to the other side of the table and sat down. He watched Professor Hup, who was scribbling on a parchment. After a moment, he looked up. "I have a good understanding of your spell now. Well done, we've completed the first test."
"Just a test?" Harry exclaimed, feeling utterly exhausted, every cell in his body screaming in protest.
Felix's lips curled into a smile, and he spoke in a seductive tone, "Potter, at your age, my understanding of the Disarming Charm was already on par with that of an average adult wizard. And you have the potential to match that."
"Besides the Disarming Charm, you mentioned the Shield Charm, which you're not quite proficient in yet."
"And the Tongue-Tie Curse. I can even teach you a couple of simple, practical spells..."
Harry swallowed hard, the bright light from the basement fire revealing what he felt was a devilish smile on Professor Hup's face. But he had to admit, he was tempted.
Professor Hup didn't say what mastering these spells would bring, but Harry couldn't help but imagine the admiration of his classmates, extra points in class, and perhaps even a chance to show off his skills in front of the girl he liked...
He spoke with a trembling voice, "Professor, I'll follow your instructions." He felt his tone was filled with a sense of tragic determination, as if he were about to be led to the gallows.
Felix handed him a piece of chocolate. "Eat something first. We'll move on to the second test next."
Ten minutes later.
Felix and Harry stood about seven or eight meters apart, facing each other.
"Potter, this time we'll test the maximum power of your spell. You need to fully engage your emotions. Remember what was mentioned in Dueling Class? Resolve, confidence, and most importantly, the Disarming Charm is for protecting yourself, to disarm your opponent and prevent them from harming you."
Harry nodded, took a deep breath, and imagined standing opposite Malfoy, who suddenly turned into a troll with platinum blonde hair, waving a club and approaching him...
"Ha!" He burst into laughter. "Uh, sorry."
After a moment of gathering his emotions—
"Expelliarmus!"
Harry shouted with all his might, a thin red beam shooting straight at Felix and hitting an invisible barrier.
"Not enough, Potter, show me your potential!" Felix urged.
Harry gritted his teeth and summoned all his magic. At one moment, he truly felt something different, the "active magic" Professor Hup had spoken of. He silently repeated to himself: disarm, make the enemy unable to harm me...
He thought of the real enemies: Professor Quirrell, the Basilisk, and... Voldemort!
The red beam trembled for a moment, and Felix almost thought Harry had failed. But the next second, a scorching beam shot from Harry's wand, spanning the seven or eight meters and instantly colliding with Felix's Shield Charm.
The two spells clashed in mid-air, the low rumbling sound echoing through the basement.
(End of Chapter)
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