Sprout: Whomping Willow, You Are Not Allowed to Move

What happened last night has escalated, just as Regulus predicted, only in a slightly different direction.

He underestimated the young Wizards' desire to take shortcuts.

Especially those young wizards whose families have adult wizards, most of them come from Half-bloods families or Pure-bloods families that have only been passed down for a few generations.

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Compared to Muggle-borns, they have some knowledge, but it's clearly not enough.

They knew that the Shield Charm was difficult to master, and that many adult wizards in families couldn't cast it properly.

So Regulus's actions last night made them envious, as if they had discovered some incredible secret.

So that's how you train for the Shield Charm?

So this is how you train the Shield Charm?

So, someone can make a first-year student create a complete barrier with just a point of their wand?

So the reason my dad couldn't unleash the Shield Charm was because no one was helping him?

They didn't think about it deeply, nor could they think about it deeply.

No skilled enough wizard told them that the method was merely a trick, a way to get a premonition.

To truly master a spell, you have to practice it yourself.

They only see the results.

So overnight, those senior students who could cast the complete Shield Charm suddenly became highly sought after.

In the Corridor and Common Room, younger students were everywhere, crowding around to ask questions.

"Senior, can you teach me like Black did?"

"Senior, is there any trick to the Shield Charm?"

The expressions of those asked varied.

Some are honest and say directly, "I can't do that; it might require some unique skill or superior ability."

Some people who didn't know the answer before started to give vague answers after being asked so many times.

A fifth-year Gryffindor boy leaned back on a sofa in the Common Room and said to the first-years gathered around him, "Well... Black's method isn't something everyone can use."

"We need unique Spellcasting techniques. You're not quite there yet. Start by practicing the basics."

He spoke with a straight face, though he didn't really know what he was saying, but the first-graders nodded repeatedly.

Another fourth-year Ravenclaw girl said something quite insightful. She lowered her voice and said, "The trick to the Shield Charm is... don't tell anyone."

It's about imagining someone you really dislike, and then amplifying that feeling of not wanting to be near them.

She looked around and added, "It would be best to call him over and let him confess his feelings to you."

Several first-grade girls' eyes lit up. "Really?"

"Of course it's true." The senior student nodded with certainty.

A boy next to them who knew the truth rolled his eyes; he was the one who had been rejected back then.

She approached him shyly and said, "I can accept you, but you haven't confessed your feelings to me yet."

He was so excited he couldn't sleep all night.

The following evening, he changed into a new robe, held a bouquet of flowers, and confessed his love in front of the entire Common Room.

Then she rejected him harshly in front of everyone.

Now, listening to her earnestly imparting her secrets, he finally understood what was going on.

However, he no longer cared; he only blamed himself for being too young back then.

As for the truly Pureblood families, they didn't join in the fun; they have people to ask.

Many owls flew out last night, and this morning, replies also flew back.

However, the tone of the letter from home was not very polite.

Most of the time, they were told to practice the basics and not to think about anything else.

By the way, cultivate a good relationship with the heir of the Black family, but don't be too deliberate or make him dislike you.

A sixth-grade boy sighed after reading the letter.

The letter said that the method was indeed ingenious, but not suitable for ordinary junior wizards. Just read it and don't overthink it; continue practicing what you're supposed to practice.

He put the letter away and didn't tell anyone.

Back in Gryffindor, James Potter also heard about what happened last night.

Of course he knew about the Shield Charm; he was able to cast it last semester.

It's unclear whether he was originally skilled in dueling Magic, or whether he trained diligently after being repeatedly crushed by Regulus.

In short, he can release it, but his skill level is just barely enough to execute it.

Last semester he was able to block a few of Sirius's spells, but when this semester started, he realized something was wrong.

Sirius could break through his barrier with a single spell.

Once is a coincidence, twice is luck, but three times is not.

James had a question lingering in his mind, but he didn't ask it.

Now, upon hearing what Regulus had done last night, a thought suddenly popped into his head.

In the History of Magic class, no one was listening to what Professor Binns was saying.

James nudged Sirius, who was lost in thought and was startled by the nudity.

James lowered his voice, his expression mysterious. "Sirius, can you do that too?"

Sirius frowned. "Do what?"

James moved closer to him, lowering his voice even further, but he couldn't really hide it.

"Oh, that's it. You've improved so much over the holiday, do you also have that ability to teach people with a single point of a magic wand?"

Several young wizards nearby perked up their ears; some pretended to flip through a book, others pretended to look at the ceiling, but their attention all drifted over.

Sirius's expression froze for a moment. He opened his mouth as if to say something, but then swallowed the words back.

James is comparing him to Regulus, assuming that he can do anything Regulus can do.

He knew, of course, how formidable Regulus; that kind of overwhelming gap couldn't be bridged simply by rapid improvement.

He spent a month training with Hawk during his vacation, and then another month doing other training. When he came back, he was indeed able to widen the gap between himself and James.

But compared to Regulus--

There's no comparison at all.

But how do you put it?

They say my brother is far superior to me; if he can do it, why can't I?

Or is it that the Black family doesn't actually have any secret Magic, and it's just that Regulus himself is too abnormal?

Sirius's expression changed several times before he finally replied to James with a curt tone, "Pay attention in class."

James paused for a moment, then shrugged. He assumed Sirius was just uncomfortable talking about it in public and decided to ask him back in his Dormitory.

Not far away, Lily pricked up her ears, watching this side, blinking her eyes, seemingly lost in thought.

The situation is also escalating on Professor Flitwick's side; he was cornered by several Ravenclaw students.

"Professor, how did Black manage to use that Shield Charm?"

What is the principle behind it?

Can we learn it?

Flitwick stood on a pile of books, shaking his head with a smile.

"That's a very advanced technique. Simply put, it's using your own Magic Power to guide the other person's Magic Power, letting them experience what the spell should look like beforehand. It's not a shortcut, just an inspiration."

One student pressed further, "Can we be inspired by that too?"

Flitwick blinked. "You need someone exceptionally skilled to guide you. If you want to be inspired, you'll first need to find someone that skilled."

The students looked at each other and didn't ask any further questions.

Professor McGonagall wasn't so gentle; she scolded a few lower Gryffindor students as soon as they opened their mouths.

"Shield Charm? You haven't even mastered the basic Transfiguration, what are you thinking about? Go back and practice turning a Shield Charm into Match-to-Needle a hundred more times!"

The students slunk away.

In Professor Sprout's Greenhouse, the atmosphere was much more gentle, but the rejection was also quite decisive.

"No."

Regulus stood in front of her, but before he could say a second word, he was silenced.

The professor was repotting a Mandrake without even looking up.

Regulus thought for a moment, then rephrased, "Professor, I just want to study the Magic Power properties of the Whomping Willow."

Sprout looked up at him. "Research? With what kind of research?"

"See with your eyes, Magic Perception," Regulus said. "Don't touch it, don't break it, don't harm it."

Sprout stared at him for a moment, then sighed and put down her tools.

"Mr. Black, do you know how rare the Whomping Willow is?"

Regulus shook his head, but he knew the truth.

Sprout walked to the window and pointed to the willow tree in the distance that was still swaying.

"That tree is over two hundred years old. Do you know why it was planted there?"

Regulus thought for a moment, "Protect the entrance to the shed?"

Sprout shook his head. "That shed didn't exist back then."

She didn't say anything more, turned around, and looked at Regulus.

"There's another one, a seedling I planted myself thirty years ago. It's only just out of the seedling stage now, and it's still a long way from being mature."

She continued, "The growth cycle of the Whomping Willow is very long. It takes thirty years for the seedling stage, another thirty years for the growth stage, and then it enters the stable stage. It takes sixty years for a Whomping Willow to grow from planting to maturity."

"So in all of UK, there are only two decent 'Whomping Willow': one at Hogwarts, and the other I'm still raising."

Regulus paused for a moment, then asked, "Then... can I buy it?"

Sprout shook his head. "There's nowhere to buy them. Occasionally, seedlings appear on the Black Market, costing five to eight thousand Galleon each."

However, the survival rate is extremely low; if you buy one, it will most likely be dead. Even an adult one has a price, but nobody will sell it.

Regulus did some mental calculations.

Eight thousand Galleon.

One Mandrake costs 150, twenty mandrakes cost 3,000, and 8,000 Galleon can buy more than 50 Mandrake.

It is indeed expensive, but not unaffordable.

The investment of Mandrake resulted in the Severing Charm, which can be used as a trump card.

Even if the Whomping Willow is several times more expensive, it's worth it as long as new spells can be developed from it.

But it's not worth spending Galleon on a seedling that has a high probability of not surviving.

Regulus then asked, "What about the wild ones? Do you know where there are wild Whomping Willow *?"

Sprout glanced at him. "Still not giving up?"

Regulus lowered his head, looking a little embarrassed.

Sprout said, "There are a few in the Bulgarian Magical Reserve, wild mature plants, and also on the edge of the Romanian Dragon Sanctuary, mixed in with the Fire Dragon's habitat."

There's an old manor in Southern France that reportedly has a private collection of one. It's also said to grow deep in the German Black Forest, but no one has confirmed this.

She looked at Regulus: "What, thinking of going abroad to find one?"

Regulus shook his head. "Just asking."

Sprout stared at him for a moment, then suddenly laughed, "I think I know what you're up to."

Regulus raised his head, but said nothing.

Sprout walked back to his workbench, picked up a pot of Mandrake Seedling, and looked at them as he spoke.

Regulus raised his head, but said nothing.

Sprout walked back to his workbench, picked up a pot of Mandrake Seedling, and looked at them as he spoke.

"The Magic Power properties of the Whomping Willow' are indeed very special. When it attacks, it doesn't rely on brute force, but on Conduction."

Its attacks penetrate the target's interior using Magic Power, causing shockwaves within.

The stone was struck, leaving only a mark on the outside, but it might have already shattered inside.

Regulus murmured two words to himself: vibration and Conduction.

Then he thought of the Reducto Reducto, which is an explosion that blasts the target apart from the outside.

The shattering of the Whomping Willow is different; it breaks off from the inside out.

This is a smarter approach than mere destruction.

It is especially effective on tightly connected objects; the physical structure of stone, metal, and Magic creations can all be its targets.

Isn't this exactly what he wanted?

The Severing Charm's disintegration tube is alive, Whomping Willow's pulverizing tube is hard.

One addresses life, the other addresses matter.

They complement each other perfectly.

Regulus then asked for more details: how Magic Power Conduction, how vibrations are triggered, and what the differences are in their effects on different types of matter.

Sprout answered all of them, explaining everything in detail and without hiding anything.

After she finished speaking, she asked Regulus, "Is that enough?"

Regulus nodded gratefully. "That's enough, thank you, Professor."

Sprout waved his hand. "Alright, go ahead. Remember, don't even think about that tree in the Castle. That doesn't belong to me; it belongs to Hogwarts."

Regulus smiled. "I promise I won't touch it."

He turned to leave, but Sprout called him back.

"Mr. Black."

He turned around.

Sprout looked at him seriously. "If one day you really find the Whomping Willow and figure anything out, remember to tell me."

Regulus nodded solemnly and sincerely, "Definitely."

He pushed open the door and went out.

Inside the Greenhouse, Sprout watched the door close and shook his head.

She could roughly guess what the child was planning to do, but she didn't intend to stop him.

It's his skill that he was able to figure it out.

If he can't figure it out, that's his problem.