This morning's Charms class was a joint session with Ravenclaw and Gryffindor.
Professor Flitwick, standing atop his usual stack of books, peered over the podium and addressed the students. "Today, we will be learning the Levitation Charm. Does anyone know the incantation?"
His gaze naturally landed on Ted, who was usually the first to raise his hand. But today, Ted seemed a bit out of it.
It wasn't due to lack of sleep—his deep sleep meditation had ensured he was well-rested. However, he hadn't expected today's lesson to be about the Levitation Charm.
That particular spell played a key role in a well-known series of events from the original timeline, and the realization momentarily distracted him.
Seeing that Ted hadn't responded, Professor Flitwick called on Hermione instead.
She answered correctly and earned five points for Ravenclaw. As she sat down, she subtly tilted her head toward Ted, whispering, "Are you alright? You seem distracted."
"I'm fine, just lost in thought for a second," Ted reassured her. Then, as an afterthought, he asked, "Wait, today's Halloween, right?"
Hermione nodded. "Yes, tonight is Halloween Eve. I heard there's going to be a grand feast."
Seated nearby, Harley interjected excitedly, "I heard from 'reliable sources' that Dumbledore invited a famous skeleton dance troupe to perform this year!"
Ted's mind raced. Halloween. That meant today was October 31st. And if the books and movies were anything to go by, something always happened at Hogwarts around this time of year.
Would the troll still show up in the dungeons?
Professor Quirrell remained as jittery and awkward as ever, but Ted had picked up on something odd about him.
After a few conversations regarding magical genetics and bloodline studies, it was clear Quirrell was incredibly intelligent—definitely more of a Ravenclaw than a cowardly professor.
His knowledge in niche areas of magic was advanced, yet some of his theories were borderline unethical, reminding Ted of a mad scientist.
Throughout the rest of Charms class, Ted remained unusually quiet, prompting Professor Flitwick to briefly wonder if he had somehow messed up his lesson plan.
In the past two months, the students had covered:
The Lumos Charm – a basic light spell, essentially a wizard's flashlight.
The Signal Charm – used to emit red, yellow, or green sparks for communication or distress calls.
The Fire-Making Charm – starting as nothing more than a glorified lighter but capable of becoming a full-fledged flamethrower in skilled hands.
The Severing Charm – mostly used for cutting parchment and cloth, though in duels, it could become quite dangerous.
Four spells in two months was decent progress. Of course, most students practiced outside of class as well.
That was Hogwarts' approach—providing the basics while expecting students to take initiative.
It created a divide: the lazy students coasted, while the ambitious ones became truly powerful.
By the time they got around to practicing the Levitation Charm, Ted was back in focus. His knowledge of spellcasting had grown to the point where this was an easy spell for him.
With a smooth flick and a clear "Wingardium Leviosa," his feather lifted effortlessly.
Then, something unexpected happened.
Ding! A strange sensation washed over him.
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[Ding! Levitation Charm have gained Experience: 80.]
[Your understanding of the spell deepens. Levitation Charm has advanced to Level 2.]
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For a moment, it felt as if a pathway in his mind had been unlocked. Spells that once required effort now seemed instinctive, like he could grasp them effortlessly. It was like a rush of enlightenment.
Of course, reality wasn't so exaggerated. No glowing aura surrounded him, nor did Dumbledore appear to bestow him with the title of Charms Prodigy.
Still, the sensation was fascinating.
After class, he took the opportunity to analyze Professor Flitwick with his identification ability.
[Spell Proficiency: Level 8.]
Ted nearly whistled aloud. That level of mastery meant Flitwick had likely never encountered a general spell he couldn't perform flawlessly.
The man was a legend in Charms, surpassing 99% of wizards in the field.
Even more intriguing, Ted had once glimpsed documents on the professor's desk about his research into ancient magic. It seemed Flitwick was delving deep into spellcraft beyond what was typically taught at Hogwarts.
If there was ever a professor worth learning from, it was him.
A new spell taught by him, and he would master it within a few days at most.
And for Ted, leveling up his spellcasting to level 2? Easy.
Over the past few weeks, Ted had been collecting data from different students, trying to understand how spell mastery developed. He managed to draw a few conclusions:
Generally, students who achieved an "Outstanding" in a subject on their O.W.L.s by fifth year were about level 3.
Those who scored "Outstanding" on their N.E.W.T.s by seventh year reached level 4.
That meant a skilled adult wizard typically had a level 4 proficiency in certain subjects.
Of course, some wizards continued refining their abilities after graduation, but for most, their skill level remained stagnant or even regressed. Magic was like a muscle—if you didn't use it, you'd lose it.
This realization made Professor Flitwick's level 8 spellcasting even more impressive. The sheer mastery he had over Charms was almost unfathomable compared to the average wizard.
While the class didn't award Ted any special achievements, the fact that his spellcasting level had increased was a win in itself.
Ron and Neville, having seen Ted succeed effortlessly, leaned in and whispered, "Got any tips?"
Ted often had good insights when it came to spellcasting, and his friends had learned to listen carefully whenever he shared advice.
Other struggling students around them subtly leaned in as well, hoping to catch a trick or two.
This time, Ted decided to have a bit of fun. With a mischievous smirk, he said, "Alright, listen closely.
You can't be too stiff when flicking your wand. You have to be smooth—loose, flexible, flicking, shaking—like a lightning-fast whip!"
He raised his wand dramatically and intoned, "Watch this—Wingardium Leviosa!"
The feather on his desk floated up instantly, hovering gracefully in the air, completely obedient to his will.
The students, feeling like they had cracked the code, excitedly tried it themselves.
Then—
BOOM!
Seamus once again managed to explode his own wand, covering himself in a thick cloud of smoke. His hair puffed up into an impressive afro.
Ron, on the other hand, swung his wand wildly, looking more like he was conducting an orchestra than casting a spell. At one point, he nearly poked Jerry in the head.
Jerry's wand, seemingly rebelling against him, flung itself out of his hand entirely—but before it could land on the floor, Ted smoothly caught it mid-air with another Levitation Charm.
The entire classroom erupted into laughter.
Later that day, the Ravenclaw common room was buzzing with curiosity. Something unusual was happening.
Ms. Gray, the house ghost who typically only appeared once a month, had been standing in front of the statue of Rowena Ravenclaw all morning, lost in thought.
Ghosts often had a warped perception of time, but they rarely lingered in crowded areas for long periods. Yet, Ms. Gray hadn't moved since dawn.
By lunchtime, Ted and Hermione returned to the common room after eating, only to find her still there.
As soon as Ms. Gray noticed Ted, her expression shifted slightly. It was as if she wanted to say something—but instead, she simply turned and disappeared through the wall without a word.
Hermione, ever the detective, turned to Ted with a raised brow. "You know her?"
"Of course. She doesn't appear often, but I've seen her plenty of times."
"She looked like she wanted to talk to you just now."
Ted shrugged. "Maybe. I did have a conversation with her this morning. She might still be thinking about it."
Hermione gave him a knowing look. "I won't pry. You should talk to her, though. If she stayed around that long, she obviously has something on her mind."
She glanced at the clock. "There's only one class left this afternoon. I'll leave you to it—I will contact you if anything comes up."
With that, she walked off with her textbooks.
Ted watched her go, smiling slightly.
Two months into the school year, and it was amazing how much everyone had grown—not just in knowledge and magic, but in character as well.
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