Professor Flitwick's Most Perfect Lesson

As a new day began, Andrew still had not figured out who his roommates were.

Whether because they had been too tired the day before or for some other reason, all the first-years got up late. After collecting the day's answers from the prefects, who were sporting dark circles under their eyes, they hurriedly washed up, changed clothes, grabbed their books, and rushed to the Great Hall. They wolfed down a few bites before heading to the classroom for their first day of lessons.

Their first class was the main event—Charms.

Setting aside its importance, the professor alone was an unquestionable authority: Ravenclaw's Head of House, Filius Flitwick.

That was quite an opening show. Though the professor was not tall and did not seem especially imposing, the title of Head of House alone was enough to keep the class under control—not to mention his spellcasting, which was like art.

At the start of the lesson, the professor merely gave his wand a casual flick. Books began placing themselves beneath his feet as he stepped forward, one after another. At last, they closed together into a tall stack, allowing him to stand atop knowledge and look down at the students below.

That definitely wasn't a simple Levitation Charm, nor was it a crude Summoning Charm... It was a spell that combined various object-moving charms.

Andrew muttered inwardly. It was no simple spell—anyone with a little common sense could see that. It was practically like giving himself countless nimble, controllable arms with magic.

"Charms... are the manifestation of control over all magic."

Professor Flitwick's voice rang out. "I believe most of you have cast spells accidentally before, but in the vast majority of cases, you have been unable to repeat the miracle of magic you just displayed."

A piece of chalk flew rapidly across the blackboard, writing as he spoke.

"And Charms are the most stable factor in all spellcasting. Just as the books say, clear incantations and fixed wand movements ensure that your magic produces controllable results every time, rather than all sorts of chaotic accidents."

He looked at the students, a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth before he forcibly suppressed it.

"For example, the Levitation Charm. Due to certain recent events, this most basic of spells has become widely known among first-years. Just a few days ago, I even heard Healers at St Mungo's complaining about the dangers caused by people's incorrect casting."

The spell immediately captured every student's attention. Their posture straightened at once.

"The Levitation Charm—Wingardium Leviosa."

As his wand traced a perfect arc, the chalk on the lectern rose into the air. Not one piece, but all of it. They scattered through the air, flying upward at different speeds and forming the incantation in midair. Then, with a tap of the professor's wand, they gathered together again and drifted soundlessly into the chalk box like a feather.

"The Levitation Charm is not merely about making something fly."

Amid the students' astonished stares, he continued, "In the early stages of practice, you should indeed focus on levitating increasingly heavy objects. But the stability and dexterity of the spell are equally important."

"Is that what the ninth-level assessment requires?"

One student could not hold it in. In the silent classroom, nearly everyone heard the question clearly.

Professor Flitwick, however, was not angry. He answered with a smile, "Assuming nothing unexpected happens, I believe so."

"Wow!"

Everyone exclaimed in unison. Even Andrew joined in to avoid standing out—though he felt like he was about to dig himself a tunnel with his toes.

"Then remember these principles and the most basic incantation."

As Professor Flitwick spoke, the chalk had already covered half the blackboard with notes. They were not particularly complicated, though—just enlarged diagrams of the wand movements and detailed explanations of the pronunciation, syllable by syllable.

After repeating the material and leading them through the incantation several times without wands in hand, the attentive professor finally decided to hand out feathers and have them try casting the spell.

It was almost effortless.

Andrew even noticed someone more skilled than he was. He considered himself fairly practiced with the incantation already, but that student could make the feather perform all manner of fancy movements in midair as though it were being pulled by an invisible string!

That outstanding display earned Slytherin three points from Professor Flitwick on the spot.

"A perfect demonstration of the spell—"

There was a touch of delight in Professor Flitwick's voice. "Now then, shall we try two?"

Two feathers were indeed more difficult, but the Slytherin student still made them float at the same time—and brought them down at the same time as well...

"Very good... You may put more effort into the Levitation Charm. Five points to Slytherin."

The lesson ended perfectly. Since everyone had successfully cast the spell, they were not even assigned an essay. They were merely told to keep practicing and preview the next lesson's material.

Back in the staff room, Professor Flitwick finally revealed the smile he had been holding back throughout the lesson. Several professors without classes immediately gathered around to ask what had happened.

"A perfect lesson—perhaps the most perfect lesson in all these years."

That was how he described it to his colleagues. "Every student had previewed the textbook in advance, and they had all practiced the spell quite well."

"Everyone cast the Levitation Charm!"

"Professor Flitwick," said Professor Taylor, who was reading the newspaper nearby, with a mischievous grin in his voice, "I don't think the next lesson will go quite so smoothly."

"Of course not," Professor Flitwick said without the slightest denial. "I would wager that they began frantically practicing the Levitation Charm the day they read that story—but it doesn't matter. Charmwork is cumulative. Whether intentionally or not, practicing one spell gives you an advantage when learning others."

"That's true," another professor agreed. "What a pity Dumbledore learned too little—if he had properly studied every course, we would probably have had a much easier time..."

And just like that, the atmosphere in the staff room became exceptionally cheerful.

"Just going by the lessons, I'm a little ahead of schedule..."

"First, I'll see what the group's regular gatherings are like. Then I can consider a self-study plan for the library..."

After class, Andrew practiced the Levitation Charm for a while before making these plans. "Also, I need to ask the older students whether there are any empty classrooms suitable for practice—I expect the group has resources like that..."

Now that he had joined a group, he naturally had to learn how to reasonably ask those who had come before him for advice. He had considered that before joining.

I wonder what the new story will be changed into—no, don't think about that. I need to study magic seriously!

That was what Andrew Ostrich thought.