You're Very Special

Dumbledore looked utterly unconcerned as he said casually, "You're worrying too much, Filius."

"Worrying too much?" Flitwick spread his hands in displeasure. "Albus, have you forgotten Sybill's prophecy?"

"Of course not. But you know as well as I do that prophecies have always been vague. Besides, you've always had a good relationship with Mr. Ollivander, and you've praised his granddaughter several times."

"Yes, yes, but I must remind you that Grindelwald is an ambitious man!"

"Of course I know. To put it bluntly, no one understands him better than I do." Dumbledore glanced at a wand in the cabinet. "Oh, I remember this wand. You won it from Young Webb. Even after all these years, I still remember that stunning Silent Petrification Charm of yours."

"Then you surely haven't forgotten that Young Webb's father was once a follower of Grindelwald, have you, Albus?" Professor Flitwick was quite dissatisfied with Dumbledore changing the subject.

"Of course not, Filius." Dumbledore's clear lake-blue eyes resembled the surface of a tranquil lake as he gave Flitwick a faint smile. "I'm not worried about that. There's someone else who deserves more of my attention."

"Something to do with those mechanisms you set up?"

"Yes, Filius. I must say, the Flying Charm you cast on the key was exquisite."

"They were just little tricks." Flitwick waved a hand dismissively, then frowned in puzzlement. "But I don't understand. Why put the real key in there?"

"We'll see the result." Behind his glasses, Dumbledore's wise eyes still held a smile.

Meanwhile, Sean and Stephanie were walking back to the Common Room. By then, there were already few students left in the castle corridors. After dinner, Hogwarts students generally preferred spending time with their companions in the Common Room.

Sean glanced at the silver-haired girl beside him. Though she was already a third-year, she was noticeably shorter than him. Sean had shot up quickly, but girls at this age generally weren't shorter than boys.

She was almost excessively petite.

The two stopped and waited for the staircase ahead to rotate into the right position.

At last, Stephanie spoke. "I want to start a club. One about wands."

"Wands?" Sean asked, puzzled.

She was Ollivander's granddaughter, so it was only natural that she was interested in wands. But every student already had their own wand, and he couldn't imagine how such a club would attract members.

Making wands? Sean didn't think that was realistic.

The staircase rotated into place, and Stephanie stepped onto it with a little force before continuing her explanation. "My grandfather said that the wand chose the wizard, and throughout a wizard's life, so long as nothing unexpected happened, that wand would remain with them for life."

"That's right. After all, Mr. Ollivander spent so long choosing mine." Sean smiled slightly.

"That wand truly suits you." The girl glanced at him through her glasses, and Sean was about to look away by reflex again.

"You don't need to avoid me. That's also why I chose you." She continued staring directly at Sean.

Sean raised an eyebrow, his expression puzzled. "Forgive me, but I don't quite understand why."

"I have Veela blood," Stephanie explained calmly. "You should have noticed that."

As expected, Sean nodded.

"When I first met you, I didn't have much of a premonition. But yesterday, I confirmed that you really are special."

"Special?" Sean carefully recalled his few encounters with the girl. He didn't seem to have done anything particularly special.

The two had arrived outside the Ravenclaw Common Room. Facing him, Stephanie removed her glasses.

Without them, the girl's beautiful black eyes seemed to have suddenly drawn in an entire starry night. Flecks of light adorned velvet darkness, as though they were about to pull Sean's entire mind into them.

He stared at Stephanie in a slight daze, as if he were facing a lover he had not seen in a very long time.

No! Sean's mind jolted, and he suddenly came to his senses. He unconsciously took a step back.

Stephanie put her glasses back on. To his surprise, though he felt a trace of regret, the obsession he had felt toward her vanished the moment she wore them.

Seeing the clarity return to his expression, Stephanie murmured, "Just as I thought..."

"Uh, Miss Ollivander? I don't quite understand..."

The girl looked deeply into his eyes. "Your resistance to me is getting stronger and stronger. Before long, you'll be able to look directly at me and speak to me normally.

"That's good. Very good."

Sean showed a look of realization. "So that's why you chose me?"

"That's right." She nodded. "I want my assistant to be a normal person in front of me, not someone who stares at me blankly like a Muggle-born Ferret and occasionally repeats a few words."

Before Sean could speak, Stephanie lifted the hem of her Wizarding Robes and gave him a slight bow. "I'm sorry for taking up so much of your time. I'm only making a suggestion, and the club is still in preparation. You can refuse me, but I hope you'll consider it during this time."

After saying that, she pulled the Eagle Head Knocker behind her. Once she easily answered its question, she pushed open the door and walked inside.

"Good night. Sweet dreams." That was the last thing the girl said.

Outside the door, Sean blinked at the eagle head. What a... self-assured and incredibly charming girl.

Life at Hogwarts was becoming more and more interesting.

The next day, after the surprise in Potions, everyone was full of anticipation for the classes to come. Ravenclaw, meanwhile, had three brand-new classes in a row.

Defense Against the Dark Arts, Charms Class, and Transfiguration.

To Sean's disappointment, Quirrell, who did not wear a turban, was equally unremarkable as an instructor. It was all textbook after textbook, and he seemed to be simply reading straight from them. The only thing that caught Sean's attention was Quirrell's discussion of several "Improved Magic" spells studied at Newmontgard.

However, the Charms Class that followed was much more exciting. After Professor Flitwick demonstrated several impressive spells, they spent the entire lesson casting the Levitation Charm on a feather.

Hands-on practice was always more motivating, especially since they were taking the class alongside Gryffindor.

"Mr. Finnigan! You've already blown up your fourth feather!" Professor Flitwick said to Seamus, whose face was blackened and whose hair had exploded outward.

Sean smiled despite himself as the feather before him trembled and floated into the air.

Unfortunately, Hermione was simply too dazzling beside him, so he still failed to earn any points.

That afternoon, Sean finally got the class he had been looking forward to most: Transfiguration.

Thanks to the Nascent Soul cultivator from Qingshan Psychiatric Hospital for the reward, as well as Lijiageqian and Spicy Shredded Pork with Pickled Mustard. Thanks as well to all the readers who voted and commented.

How about I ask for some votes again? Recommendation votes would be enough~