https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-348-Sleeping-Dragon-Do-Not-Disturb/13460660/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-350-Seventeen-Year-Old-Dumbledore/13460662/
Chapter 349: The Limits of Modern Magic?
Chapter 349: The Limits of Modern Magic?
The professor from Beauxbatons seemed somewhat disappointed, having failed to gather any significant information. In fact, Felix could detect a subtle hint of an alliance being proposed. As someone who was both a professor at Hogwarts and a trustee at Beauxbatons, he was the most suitable person to bridge the gap.
However, it was premature to rush into forming alliances when the details of the competition were still unclear. It was nothing more than wishful thinking.
Felix had no intention of getting involved.
If he had to choose between the two schools, it would undoubtedly be Hogwarts. If asked the same question, Nicolas Flamel would undoubtedly choose Beauxbatons.
Over the next few days, Felix spent his time in the Beauxbatons Library, poring over interesting materials to expand his knowledge.
His greatest discovery was not a specific spell but a novel perspective on knowledge.
Felix first noticed something unusual in the alumni donation section of the Library. Schools like Hogwarts and Beauxbatons regularly purchase new books to stock their libraries, but they also accept donations from alumni, including valuable ancient texts and academic works by notable alumni.
For example, Professor Mcgonagall's insights on Transfiguration, Flitwick's spell research, and Snape's potion formulas, if not designated to a specific heir, would all remain at Hogwarts.
Felix observed that the understanding of the same spell in Beauxbatons' collection differed slightly from his own knowledge. This was not a personal discrepancy but a systemic one.
This difference was hard to describe in words, yet it was undeniably present. It was like two compasses, one deviating 0.01 degrees to the left and the other 0.01 degrees to the right.
The gap between Beauxbatons and Hogwarts was evident.
...
One night, the sky was as clear as a black velvet cloth, with the full moon having passed only a few days ago.
In a temporary office, Felix spread out a parchment, trying to record a sudden burst of inspiration—
"If a fine veil is placed over one's eyes, over time, it becomes invisible. It doesn't affect your vision, yet it truly exists.
If we use colors to represent the differences, Hogwarts is a transparent silver-white, while Beauxbatons is a sea blue. The color itself is not the issue, but everything you see is tinged with this color."
"Perhaps this is the subtle difference in the perception of magic brought about by cultural differences, which doesn't affect casting but still...", he paused, deep in thought.
Felix couldn't help but wonder if he was being too sensitive, but he quickly found a way to test this hypothesis.
The next day, he borrowed a stack of thick books from the Beauxbatons Library.
Then, using Occlumency, he temporarily blocked his knowledge of the Shield Charm, including human-form armoring charms and Total Protection, along with all related magical knowledge. He picked up a thick book and began reading about the Shield Charm from the beginning, as if he were a blank parchment, a young wizard with no prior knowledge.
This process was awkward. Whenever his old knowledge surfaced, he would immediately block it, treating himself as a novice.
His goal was to temporarily set aside his previous understanding and experience of magic, starting from the basics and learning the Shield Charm anew, while minimizing any previous interference.
He wasn't sure if this would be effective, but his intuition told him it would be a valuable experience.
He had tried starting with the simplest spell, "Lumos", but unfortunately, it had become an instinct for him. He could block tangible magical knowledge but not his instincts.
After some consideration, he chose the Shield Charm. As one of the sixth-level spells he had mastered, it had great potential, unlike simpler spells whose effects remained unchanged no matter how much he practiced.
It took him less than an hour to relearn the spell, and a thin magical barrier appeared before him.
Felix couldn't help but comment, "I've never cast such a weak Shield Charm; it can be broken with a flick of the finger." But this was the level of the Shield Charm he had successfully cast for the first time before entering Hogwarts.
That memory was so distant.
"It's been a long time since I felt this invigorated. I hope this will be a pleasant surprise. Next, it's all about becoming familiar with the magic. Besides extensive practice, there's also the analysis of the spell", Felix mused. He was well-versed in this process and looked at the stack of books before him, all of which were related to the Shield Charm.
He opened one of the books and read the content carefully. After understanding it, he adjusted his movements according to the instructions, paused to read more, and then continued practicing, repeating the cycle.
His understanding of the Shield Charm was rapidly improving, and the spell's power was increasing. It quickly progressed from level two to three, and by the time it reached level four, he began to notice a difference.
The new version of the Shield Charm took on a deeper color, no longer transparent. It was a dark red and iron gray intertwined, with edges that seemed to have been scorched, and protruding edges that glinted with a brass sheen.
"What's going on?" Felix felt a bit confused for the first time.
Indeed, he had been practicing using the books from Beauxbatons. Each person who left notes in the Library was skilled and wouldn't casually give incorrect answers.
He had a hunch. After learning magic, the external characteristics of spells would vary from person to person. However, these minor differences were generally considered normal and no one really cared about them.
Even the same person casting the same spell wouldn't produce the exact same result every time. Most wizards saw this as a non-issue, and if someone insisted on delving into the details, others would think they were being overly picky.
Casting distance, spell power, and flying speed all varied from person to person. These were common knowledge in the wizarding world, and no one would overthink them.
Felix had anticipated some differences, but he hadn't expected such a significant discrepancy, even when starting from the same point—
The Shield Charm he learned at Hogwarts, when practiced to level six, manifested as a golden half-armor, or a shield. However, the Shield Charm he learned from Beauxbatons, when practiced to around level four, looked like a rusty, worn-out piece of iron.
"I seem to have discovered something significant", Felix's eyes lit up. He decided to temporarily set aside the Hogwarts version of the Shield Charm and practice the Beauxbatons version to level six to see what the result would be.
He had another intriguing idea—
If he combined his understanding of both level six Shield Charms, could it elevate the spell to a new level? Could this be the level achieved by the four founders of Hogwarts?
"Magical creatures, magical creatures..." He remembered Rowena Ravenclaw's words.
But he had no idea how to achieve it until now.
Now, he had a plan: combining the two understandings of the Shield Charm might bring it to level seven.
Would it work? He wasn't sure, but it was worth a try.
The power of a level seven spell was secondary. Felix estimated it wouldn't be stronger than the Ancient Magic he already knew. However, it might give him a glimpse into the true nature of the Shield Charm.
Yes, the true nature.
He had always been curious about one thing: would modern magic still have casting limitations at its peak? Or, to put it another way, would the ultimate goal of modern magic be to make it a wizard's instinct, to wield it effortlessly?
As he had told the young wizards at the Rune Club, "Perhaps we are just rediscovering our casting instincts."
Like the simple spells Lumos and Aqua Eructo, Felix could now cast them just by thinking about them.
This process required no verbal incantation; he just 'wanted' the cup to come, and the magic did the rest. It was similar to how young wizards could perform incredible feats when in danger, driven by strong emotions.
However, Felix's magical instinct was stronger, and he didn't need to amplify his emotions.
He had read a quote in a book: "The magic surges of young wizards might not be powerful, but each one is a splendid display of complex magic. In the moment of magic's bloom, they are omnipotent gods."
...
Felix pondered this, thinking that the reason the same spell could result in two different forms was likely because he had been like a blind man touching an elephant, only perceiving a small part of the magic's true nature.
It was like two people climbing a mountain from the same starting point but taking different paths. When they met at the summit, they realized there were multiple routes to the top. Or perhaps they met halfway and had to work together to complete the final leg of the journey.
He recorded these thoughts and stored them in his Mind Chamber. To young wizards, these ideas were like fairy tales, akin to "Mick's Magical Misadventures." But for old wizards who studied magical theory, they were invaluable treasures.
On the day before school started, Felix bid farewell to Madame Maxime. Beauxbatons students would only go to Hogwarts in October, and he promised to host a welcoming party for everyone then.
He first went to Diagon Alley to entrust his company to Lupin. Before Lupin could pull out his wand and cast a curse, he returned to Hogwarts.
Returning to the long-absent Ancient Runes Office, he felt surprisingly at ease. He took out a silver pocket watch from his pocket and let Niffler Valen out. He smiled and said, "This is your new home."
Niffler Valen, wearing an Order of Merlin medal and holding an hourglass, looked around curiously. The meaning was clear: Can I dig for treasures here?
Felix glanced at it, and a quill on the table suddenly jumped up and transformed into a small stool. Valen instinctively straightened up, waved a hand, and sighed.
(End of Chapter)
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