Chapter 552: Charms Study Group - Ironclad Charm
Chapter 552: Charms Study Group - Ironclad Charm
No one spoke, not even the older students.
The Weasley twins were notorious for their mischief, often loudly protesting or causing a commotion even when Dumbledore spoke.
But when Wade looked over, the two of them just smiled and gave a thumbs up.
Wade chuckled softly and said, "Great. I’m glad you all agree with my approach. This sets us off on the right foot."
"Today, we’ll start with the Ironclad Charm."
Wade turned and waved his wand. The chalk in the box leaped up and swiftly wrote the incantation and key points on the blackboard, even drawing a diagram.
A chorus of muffled gasps filled the classroom.
It seemed so effortless, a simple wave of the wand, and the chalk obeyed, writing at his command. No one else in the room could do that, let alone in complete silence—a feat that even seventh-year students found challenging.
"Why the Ironclad Charm?"
Wade put away his wand and looked at the group. "Because before you can defeat your enemy, you must protect yourself. In real combat, only those who survive have the right to speak of victory."
"The Ironclad Charm is a mandatory spell for Aurors. It can deflect most curses and hexes, including the Stunning Spell, Disarming Charm, and most dark magic. Of course, the spell’s effectiveness depends on the caster."
"By the way, most adult wizards, even those working at the Ministry, can’t cast a decent Ironclad Charm. This is one reason why Aslan’s Magic Workshop’s protective vests are so popular."
Fred and George grinned widely at this.
The protective vests were partly their venture, making these two brothers possibly the wealthiest in the Weasley family.
Of course, no matter how many Galleons they had, it didn’t stop them from occasionally swindling a few Knuts from their classmates.
"So, mastering this spell might already put you ahead of your parents in some ways. It also highlights the difficulty of learning the Ironclad Charm."
Wade continued, "Now, I need a volunteer to cast a spell at me so I can demonstrate the Ironclad Charm in action."
Several hands shot up immediately. Wade was a bit surprised that no one jumped up eagerly; they all waited to be called on.
"Angeline Johnson", Wade said.
A tall, black-haired Gryffindor girl beamed with delight, then drew her wand and stepped up to the front.
"Any spell?" she asked, tilting her head.
"Of course." Wade paused and then added, "Just to be safe, don’t use the Imperius Curse to test the charm."
"Alright, that’s reassuring."
Angeline swung her wand. "Stupefy!"
"Ironclad!"
Wade cast the spell almost simultaneously. A silver barrier sprang up, and the Stunning Spell hit it, creating ripples before bouncing back. Several students scrambled to avoid it, and a younger Gryffindor, who hadn’t seen it coming, was hit and fell unconscious.
"Thank you for your cooperation, Miss Johnson. You can return to your seat", Wade said.
The black-haired girl smiled and hopped off the platform to rejoin her friends.
Wade turned to the others, cast a counter-spell to wake the unconscious student, and said, "This is the Ironclad Charm. Among all spells, it’s one of the most life-saving."
He then used his wand like a pointer and detailed the incantation, wand movement, and key points. He also explained how to enhance its power if it was weak.
Wade always felt that Hogwarts professors lacked some teacher training. Even the highly skilled and experienced Professor Flitwick taught by demonstrating a few times, having students repeat the incantation a few times, and then engaging in repetitive, mechanical practice.
Students would go through countless failures in their repeated practice, and if they succeeded once, they would try to capture that moment and continue practicing until they mastered it.
But if the difficult spell was broken down like a skilled butcher dissecting a cow, students could understand and grasp each layer of knowledge, then reassemble it, saving them a lot of time and effort.
Of course, this method had its downsides. It was like tearing apart a ready-made bun and feeding it to students piece by piece, which was not as effective as having them make the bun from scratch.
But for many, including Harry, they didn’t need to know how to make the bun; they just needed to know how to eat it, how to enjoy it, and how to finish it.
After explaining the key points, Wade had everyone pair up, with one attacking and the other defending, to practice the Ironclad Charm.
To avoid serious injuries, the attackers could only use minor hexes like "Laceratus Hulahula" or the "Tarantallegra." Of course, if someone had already mastered the Disarming Charm, they could use that as well.
Soon, the classroom was filled with laughter and the sound of people dancing. Harry and others, who had already learned the Ironclad Charm, were tasked by Wade to cast counter-spells on those who failed to block the attacks, helping them stop.
Meanwhile, Wade wandered around the room, offering guidance on how to improve their movements or incantations.
"Don’t slice it like a cake. We need a smooth, fluid motion..."
"Relax your wrist. Let the magic flow naturally, like breathing. Not sure how to do that? Try shaking your arms a bit to loosen up."
"Emphasize the second syllable: pro-te-go, like this."
"Your resolve isn’t strong enough. Hmm... what do you love most? Cats? Alright, imagine your cat hiding in a corner, trembling, with a tiger about to pounce. What would you do?"
"Um..." Lene, a Hufflepuff, stuttered, "Run away?"
Wade: "Shouldn’t you protect it?"
"Actually..." Lene blushed and said shyly, "It’s usually the cat that protects me..."
Wade: "..."
Lene seemed to realize something was off. She looked up at Wade timidly and explained, "Sorry, I’m really clumsy... and weak... the Ironclad Charm is too difficult for me..."
Wade sighed and said, "Centuries ago, a cruel baron forced a Muggle boy to duel him. Just as the boy was about to be killed, a witch named Hannah cast the Ironclad Charm between them."
"The baron was thrown back by the spell’s force, suffering severe brain damage. For the rest of his life, he believed he was a donkey named Cyril."
"We don’t know when the Ironclad Charm was created, but it must have originated from the desire to protect someone or something. No matter how weak your magic is, if your resolve is strong enough, you can cast a spell beyond your usual abilities."
Looking at the furry head in front of him, Wade sighed. "Keep practicing. You’re doing well. With more practice, you’ll succeed."
Lene didn’t dare speak, just nodded.
As Wade turned to the next student, she suddenly looked up. "Wade..."
"What is it?" Wade asked, turning back. "Is there something you don’t understand?"
—Or did she want to quit?
Wade thought.
He wasn’t too concerned, but it would be embarrassing if someone dropped out at the start...
"Nothing", Lene said softly. "I just wanted to say... thank you, really."
After a moment, she raised her wand and added, "I’ll practice hard!"
(End of Chapter)
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