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Chapter 196: The Problem with the Size-Altering Charm
Chapter 196: The Problem with the Size-Altering Charm
Felix had a very busy first weekend of the new school year.
With the first Duelling Class approaching, he needed to quickly finalize the selection of the third resident professor. Privately, he consulted both Flitwick and Professor Mcgonagall.
Professor Mcgonagall politely declined, citing her role as Deputy Headmistress, which required her to handle many of the school's day-to-day affairs.
"If it were just occasional visits, I would be quite willing", she told Felix.
On the other hand, things went smoothly with Flitwick. Almost as soon as Felix mentioned it, Flitwick happily accepted the invitation, as if he had been waiting for this moment.
From a neutral perspective, Felix also acknowledged that Flitwick was the most suitable choice for the position.
As the head of the Duelling Class, he had to consider the difficulty and learnability of the spells he would teach, given that he would be instructing students from all seven years of the school.
As an experienced Charms professor, Flitwick undoubtedly possessed a wealth of techniques to simplify the learning process of spells.
In contrast, Transfiguration had a higher barrier to entry. To use Transfiguration effectively in duels required a wizard to have a high level of proficiency in silent and rapid casting, as well as a vivid imagination for dueling scenarios.
Even Hogwarts' upper-year students found it challenging to perform mature Transfigurations silently, let alone in a combat situation.
"Transfiguration is the domain of geniuses, representing the boundless creativity of magic", wrote a dueling master skilled in Transfiguration in his magical notebook. Felix partially agreed with this sentiment.
In the Ravenclaw Head of House's office.
After resolving the invitation issue, Felix and Flitwick spent nearly a day discussing the improvement of the Size-Altering Charm.
"The Size-Altering Charm doesn't perform well on magical creatures. Of course, this might be because our test subject is only the Flobberworm, which is not representative", Felix said, taking out a stack of test data from his ring and handing it to Flitwick.
The Flobberworm is a ten-inch-long worm, usually brownish in color, and prefers damp environments. They can be found in the shaded areas of the Forbidden Forest. While the Flobberworm's slime can thicken potions, they are not highly valued due to their commonality, much like the Kneazle. They serve as a food source for other magical creatures in the Forbidden Forest, occupying the bottom of the food chain.
Thus, Felix had no qualms about using Flobberworms for testing, knowing there would be no legal issues. However, the results were often far from ideal. The already ugly caterpillars developed pus-filled blisters, making them look even more terrifying.
Moreover, he couldn't pinpoint the problem.
Flitwick sat in a chair with a blue cushion, his feet dangling in the air. He examined the data, deep in thought. "Could it be related to an imbalance in the magic?"
"An imbalance?" Felix asked.
"Yes, I recently re-examined this spell. The Size-Altering Charm is one I completed by referencing modern magical theories, essentially a composite spell. Therefore, there might be issues with the continuity of the magic at the points where the components join."
Felix thought for a moment and said, "I considered that possibility, but I didn't feel any irregularities during the casting, nor any sense of hesitation."
"Let's give it a try!" Flitwick hopped off the chair. "We can divide the work. You cast the spell, and I'll sense the magic."
Felix understood what he meant. "You want to use other magic to amplify your senses and feel the formation and flow of the spell? It's definitely worth a try. I don't have the conditions to do this on my own."
Flitwick chuckled. "Isn't that the essence of cooperation?"
He pointed his wand at himself and whispered, "Enhanced Perception... Keen Senses... Magic Manifestation... Adimo's Voice..." Streams of magical light flickered around Flitwick.
Felix watched in admiration. Few could achieve this; just resolving the issues of multiple spells affecting each other was enough to stump ninety-nine percent of wizards.
Soon, Professor Flitwick completed his work. His appearance became quite peculiar: his ears turned into long, bronze trumpets, his eyes turned a hazy gray, and his face, resembling a goblin's, shimmered with different colors, looking like a rainbow of light bulbs.
Flitwick's expression was odd as he struggled to maintain the effects of the spells. He forced out a few words through gritted teeth. "Hurry... I can't hold it for long..."
Felix's expression was solemn. He deliberately activated his magic, making it more active. A pale blue light gathered and then burst into a brilliant beam.
His spell struck a quill, which emitted a series of "crackling" sounds and rapidly expanded. It grew from the size of a dagger to a somewhat bent spear in the blink of an eye, and it continued to change.
When the quill extended to half the length of the office, it finally couldn't withstand Felix's magic and exploded with a loud bang, sending a massive shockwave spreading out.
The entire office was left in disarray, as if a storm had just passed through.
Felix, protected by a Shield Charm, stepped back two paces. Flitwick, who had to maintain the spells, was thrown back, his small frame tumbling through the air. He quickly pointed his wand at himself and slowly drifted down.
In mid-air, Flitwick stared at the blue powder that was falling like a brilliant blue river of stars. He couldn't help but exclaim, "Felix, your magic is too powerful. It has completely altered the structure of the quill."
Once he calmed down, he warned, "Don't use this spell on anyone until it's fully perfected."
Felix nodded. "I was thinking the same thing. Filius, did you discover anything interesting just now?"
"Wow, it's truly amazing... I did find something intriguing." Flitwick waved his wand, repairing the room's furnishings with a Reparo, then he flicked his wand, releasing a bronze-colored mist.
The mist continuously transformed, taking the shape of a wizard casting a spell. Felix recognized it as a scene of himself casting the spell.
"Here, here, and here, these three points have extremely subtle imbalances", Flitwick explained using the mist-figured wizard to illustrate what he saw.
Felix stared at the image and murmured, "I never noticed that before."
Flitwick laughed heartily. "It's indeed difficult to spot when you're working alone, but at least we have a new lead."
After leaving the office, Felix visited the Potions Professor's office to discuss the new year's curriculum with Snape and informed him about inviting Flitwick.
Snape looked at him suspiciously. "I thought you'd invite Lupin."
Felix stared at him without speaking. You don't know why?
Perhaps his gaze was too direct, making Snape feel embarrassed and angry. "I have other matters to attend to. If you don't mind, Felix..."
...
In the evening, Felix was organizing the Rune Club's materials in his office when Hermione knocked to receive her Runic Script training. He realized he had missed dinner.
(End of Chapter)
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