What Was Lily Lacking?

At 8 p. m. on Sunday, the Third Floor Corridor was quiet. The torches were far apart, casting a dim, yellowish glow that illuminated the stone walls in a half-light, half-dark manner.

The door to the Abandoned Classroom was ajar; Regulus pushed it open and went inside.

Tables and chairs were piled on both sides, leaving an open space in the middle. The half-erased writing on the blackboard was still there, too blurry to recognize what it said.

He stood in the middle of the classroom and waited for a while.

The door was pushed open, Lily walked in.

She wore her regular school uniform today, unlike the previous two times when she made a point of changing her clothes.

Classic Gryffindor color scheme, collar turned up, headband casually tied, red hair tied into a ponytail, walking with a breezy air, exuding a neat and tidy vibe.

It's quite pretty; the little witch from Gryffindor is very youthful.

Regulus glanced at her and noticed a hint of sadness in her expression, as if she were suppressing some emotion in her eyes, but she was trying to compose herself.

Her brows were slightly furrowed, but the corners of her mouth were turned up, like the kind of expression that shows she's in a bad mood but doesn't want anyone to see it.

He didn't ask any further questions, but simply greeted her in his usual gentle and unhurried voice, "Lily."

Then watch her and wait for her to be ready.

Lily raised her head, pursed her lips, straightened her chest, and took a deep breath. When she exhaled, a smile was already on her face.

Her voice brightened. "Regulus."

She wiped the slight gloom from her face, her eyes becoming serious and focused.

This is the third time.

The first two times, Regulus went through her basic spells from beginning to end, letting her try each one one by one and then let her feel the difference herself.

The changes are obvious.

In the past, when Spellcasting, you had to think hard and recite the incantation in your mind several times before the Magic Power would obey.

It's like trying to move something that's not listening to you—it's strenuous and difficult.

I never thought there was anything wrong with this before; I assumed that was the feeling one should experience when Spellcasting.

But after Regulus gave them individual instruction, the differences became immediately apparent.

Now, with a single thought, the Magic Power flows out along the familiar path, the incantation emanating from the tip of the staff, smooth and solid.

She felt as if the spell was becoming more obedient.

That feeling of ease and skill was something I'd only experienced before when making Potions.

Therefore, she cherished this opportunity.

Her posture, the way she held her staff, and the look in her eyes as she gazed at Regulus —all were serious.

But beneath the surface, there might be something else: fear of wasting this opportunity, fear of not being good enough, fear that Regulus would find teaching her uninteresting.

She herself wasn't quite sure.

All she knew was that she should try her best to digest what he taught her and practice even harder when she got back.

Regulus was her good friend, but a good friend's time and effort don't come for nothing, and she had to repay his kindness.

Lily became even more serious.

Regulus glanced at her, and seeing her expression, nodded in satisfaction.

Lily is an excellent little witch, certified by Professor Slughorn, a Potions genius, and indeed she is.

His help was helpful, but not decisive.

Those spells weren't particularly profound; they were just basic spells from the textbook.

The young wizard is quite ambitious; he practices on his own, and with enough practice, he'll eventually find the Spellcasting method that best suits him.

First practice according to the professor's instructions, then practice according to the textbook, and you will be able to release the spell.

If it feels awkward, adjust it slowly by yourself, a little bit today and a little bit tomorrow.

Those with a spiritual connection will find it easier with practice; they don't necessarily have to follow what professors or books teach.

There aren't many young wizards like this; most of them just follow the instructions given.

If you have a skilled shaman in your family, they can provide guidance, pointing out what's wrong and suggesting which direction to adjust.

If not, you can only practice repeatedly until the Magic Power itself becomes familiar with the path of the spell.

But actually, the effect isn't that different. It's just a basic spell, and the upper limit is limited. No matter how well you practice, it's still the same.

The applications are quite diverse; with enough basic spells, one can become a respectable wizard.

Most junior wizards end up like this after graduation: they learn some basic spells, find a job, and that doesn't interfere with their daily lives.

But at higher levels, basic spells alone won't suffice; that level requires something else. Simply practicing basic spells is far from enough.

Lily is different; she has talent and a natural flair. All she lacks are those things that no one has taught her.

Regulus filled in the gaps in her knowledge, which saved her time, so now she could move on to the next step.

I'm in third grade now, it's time to learn some advanced Magic, there's no point in always staying stuck in the basics.

Harry Potter learned about the Patronus in his third year, what is Lily lacking?

The Patronus is not simply a complex Magic, though it is indeed complex.

Even adult wizards find it difficult to summon a complete physical Patronus; most people can only release a wisp of silver light after a lifetime of practice.

Vague and intangible, it was enough to repel Dementor.

But Regulus believed that the significance of the Patronus was far deeper than whether it could be summoned or whether it could be used to defeat Dementor.

The Patronus is not an ordinary product of spells; it is the manifestation of the wizard's truest desires and core spirit, a projection of the brightest area of the soul.

The ability to summon a physical Patronus indicates that the wizard possesses something sufficiently firm and pure within his spirit.

That kind of thing can condense, manifest, and exist in this world in a concrete form.

This in itself is a process of clearly seeing one's own heart, a powerful spiritual affirmation, and a profound self-exploration and confirmation.

From Magic perspective, the Patronus Charm allows wizards to intuitively experience how to transform abstract concepts like emotions and beliefs into concrete Magic power.

This is one of the thresholds to higher levels of Magic.

Regulus had crossed that door long ago on his own Magic path, so he knew what it meant.

Those who can step through that door will gain a higher level of understanding of Magic, a level that cannot be reached by simply accumulating a large number of spells.

Lily is capable of controlling the Patronus, but that's for the future, not now.

He could bring the time forward, and he couldn't just let her summon it and be done with it; he planned to teach her his understanding as well.

Patronus, with endless uses.

As for why he did this, if he had to give a reason, it's because Lily is his friend, and he wants her to become strong.

War is imminent, Voldemort's power is expanding; that's obvious.

In a few years, war will engulf all of UK, and no one will be able to remain uninvolved.

Some people willingly step into it, while others are passively drawn in. The outcomes may differ, but no one can escape being drawn in.

Unless we find a place to hide and wait for the war to end, letting the bravest or craziest wizards take the lead.

Otherwise, individuals actually have very few paths to choose from.

Therefore, in the current situation, wishing someone strength is the most practical blessing.

Besides, Lily was Muggle-born witch, Voldemort's side couldn't tolerate people like that.

Regulus snapped out of his thoughts.

"No basic drills today," he said casually, looking at Lily. "It'll be a practice test; we'll spar."

Lily paused for a moment, then her eyes suddenly lit up, a light rising from the depths of her eyes that completely overshadowed her previous emotions.

She tightened her grip on the wand, her lips curled into a smile, and she seemed to brighten up.

Regulus looked at her and smiled, "I'll let you win. Fight freely, don't hold back. I want to see how you use what you've learned in a real fight."

Lily raised her chin, her green eyes looking over, a hint of defiance in her voice. "I don't need to give way."

Regulus smiled and said, "Okay."

He took a few steps back, creating some distance, his wand hanging casually at his side.

Lily gripped her wand tightly and took a deep breath.

She remembered what Regulus had said: anticipate the opponent's position, don't attack where the opponent is, attack where the opponent is going.

The principle is simple, but putting it into practice is another matter entirely.

She assessed the situation: Regulus was relaxed, but his weight was shifted to the right. If she attacked from the left, he should dodge to the right.

"Expelliarmus!"

The red light shot straight towards Regulus's left side. Lily anticipated that he would dodge to the right, so she attacked from the left, waiting for him to move past.

But Regulus did not dodge.

The spell flew past him by about half a foot, struck the wall, shattered into a shower of red Spark Spell, and left a shallow crater.

Lily pouted and muttered to herself, "Why didn't you dodge?"

Regulus then spoke up, "Your judgment is correct, but your prediction is based on the premise that I will dodge. Your opponent may not dodge, and sometimes it is easier to just confront them head-on than to dodge."

Therefore, we need to prepare a second approach simultaneously: the first approach forces him into a corner, and the second approach targets the outcome of his choice.

Lily listened attentively, then nodded. Regulus was right.

She raised her wand again, this time with a different approach, casting Disarming Charm directly at Regulus's chest—fast and at the perfect angle.

Regulus didn't dodge. The spell hit him, exploded, and a thin layer of Silver Light flashed across his body before disappearing completely. The spell dissipated without a trace.

Lily's mouth gaped open, she froze for a moment, her eyes widened as she looked at Regulus, and blurted out, "What's that?"

Regulus smiled, offering no explanation, only saying, "You've improved. Your spellcasting speed is faster, and your power is more consistent. You're a significant improvement over last week."

Lily's ears turned slightly red. She didn't lower her head, her green eyes fixed on Regulus, and the corners of her mouth couldn't help but turn up in a smile.

She quickly suppressed her emotions, raised her wand again, and decided to ask that question after the fight; for now, she would continue.

Regulus understood: Lily's Spellcasting speed was indeed faster, her rhythm smoother, her Magic Power output more stable, and her basic healing was effective.

Lily's own talent is also contributing, so the progress is not slow.

Regulus raised his wand, and with the two about five meters apart, he cast a Stunning Spell. The Charm was slowed down, its trajectory was clear, and its power was moderate, giving Lily enough time.

Lily reacted quickly, activating her Shield Charm. The red light struck the barrier and bounced back, leaving her standing firmly with her eyes fixed on the direction of his wand.

Regulus followed with his second spell, Slowing Charm, but it was still slow and not very powerful.

Lily withdrew the Shield Charm and dodged to the side, but the spell was off-angled and struck her shoulder.

She took two steps back, frowned, and raised her wand again.

Regulus said, "You withdrew the Shield Charm too early. The next one hadn't even arrived yet, and you dodged to the side. Your intention was too obvious; your opponent could predict your next move."

Lily nodded vigorously. "Understood."

She cast the Shield Charm again, and this time she held firm. Regulus threw another spell at it, but the barrier remained solid, and Lily stood inside, steady and secure.

Regulus nodded, his tone approving. "That's right this time."

Lily snorted, "I know you're playing along."

Regulus raised an eyebrow, not denying it.

Lily looked over with her green eyes, then smiled and said, "But I did block it."

Regulus earnestly agreed, "Yes, that's really impressive."

Lily glared at him, snorted, and resumed her stance.

"Next, we move," Regulus said in advance.

He began to move, his steps slow but rhythmic, and Lily followed. The two of them spun around the classroom, spells flowing back and forth between them.

Lily began to grasp the meaning of movement; it wasn't just about dodging, but also about finding angles and gaps in Regulus's Spellcasting, and entering the moment he changed his hand gesture.

She unleashed a spell, cutting in from the side, and Regulus was sent flying to the side. It was a pretty good, tricky spell.

"That's good," Regulus paused, genuinely praising, "The timing was perfect, cutting from the side, forcing the opponent to take an extra step to block."

"That's the feeling. A little faster, a little more precise, and it could really threaten me."

Lily's lips curled up and her eyes shone, but she was immediately forced to concentrate on dealing with Regulus's next spell. She activated her Shield Charm and took half a step back to regain her footing.

I was completely engrossed in Chapter 253 of Cola, "Where is Lily Lacking?"