Hogwarts' First Class

The Hogwarts morning was awakened by a peculiar energy, a blend of excitement and chaos.

As the first rays of dawn pierced through the circular dormitory windows, illuminating the motes of golden dust dancing in the air, the entire Gryffindor tower buzzed like a disturbed beehive, instantly filling with vibrant, noisy energy.

"Merlin's holey socks! Who hid my textbook?" It was Seamus Finnigan's voice, frantically searching under his bed.

"Harry! Wake up! If you don't get up, we'll miss breakfast. I heard they're having singing sausages!" Ron Weasley was already dressed and shaking Harry's bedpost with great force, his face alight with anticipation for food.

Harry groggily poked his head out from under the bed curtains. His perpetually untidy black hair was even messier than yesterday. He put on his glasses and stared blankly at the lively scene before him, not yet fully awake from the dreamlike feeling of "I'm really at Hogwarts."

Amidst this chaotic backdrop, Lin Yuan's bed was a picture of tranquility.

He had already woken up, or rather, he hadn't really "slept" much at all.

After a night of high-intensity soul "cruising" and a clear realization of the world's "disregard for the Great Dao," his spirit was not only not tired in the slightest but felt exceptionally clear and exhilarated, having identified his path forward.

He slowly and deliberately put on his brand-new school uniform, smelling of ink and parchment. He tucked his holly wand into an inner pocket of his sleeve – a secret pocket he had reinforced with magic himself last night for quick access.

"You don't seem nervous at all, Ryan," Harry said, struggling with his tie, looking at him curiously.

"Why should I be nervous?" Lin Yuan countered, his tone as calm as if he were discussing the weather.

"Easy for you to say," Ron grumbled from the side. "I bet we'll get lost on the stairs on our first day. Percy made it sound so scary yesterday, like the castle is alive and eats people."

As it turned out, Ron's premonition was quite accurate.

After they finished a hearty breakfast – during which hundreds of owls flew into the Great Hall like bomber formations, precisely delivering letters and packages to students, causing considerable chaos – they received their class schedules.

"Oh, brilliant," Hermione said, holding her schedule as if it were a treasure map, her eyes gleaming with the brilliance of a top student. "Our first class this morning is Charms, with Ravenclaw. Then Transfiguration, with Slytherin. In the afternoon, Herbology... Oh, the Charms classroom is Room 7 on the second floor, east side. I know the way, follow me!"

She led the way confidently, like an experienced tour guide.

However, the Hogwarts stairs clearly didn't play by the bookworm's rules.

They had their own agenda.

Just as they reached a fork in the path, and Hermione confidently pointed left, saying "It's this way," the staircase beneath their feet suddenly shuddered. With a grinding sound of stone, it shifted ninety degrees, connecting to a corridor leading in a completely unfamiliar direction.

"Uh..." Hermione's cheeks flushed slightly. "Okay, A History of Hogwarts did mention the stairs' unpredictability, but it didn't say they were this... opinionated."

"We're doomed," Ron said despairingly. "We're going to be late for our first class, and Professor Flitwick will turn us into slugs!"

"Don't worry, Ron, the professors are probably used to it," Harry consoled, though he himself was nervously looking around.

Just as everyone was flustered like headless flies, Lin Yuan stopped.

He closed his eyes, and the tendrils of his soul spread out like invisible ripples.

The map imprinted in his sea of consciousness last night came in handy.

He could clearly "see" the flow of magic throughout the entire castle, like an incredibly complex diagram of the Heavenly Stars.

And their current location was merely a tiny node in the flow of the formation.

"Follow me," Lin Yuan opened his eyes and pointed to a passage behind them, adorned with a tapestry depicting a troll dancing ballet. "Go through here, then down two spiral staircases, and you'll reach the correct location."

"How do you know?" Hermione looked at him suspiciously.

"Intuition," Lin Yuan replied concisely.

Ron and Harry exchanged glances and, with the mindset of "might as well try anything," followed him. Hermione hesitated for a moment before quickly catching up.

Miraculously, Lin Yuan's intuition was incredibly accurate. They lifted the uniquely tasteful tapestry, and indeed, a spiral staircase leading down was hidden behind it.

At the bottom of the stairs, they successfully bypassed the capricious main staircase and returned to a familiar corridor.

"Merlin's beard, Ryan, you're like a human GPS!" Ron exclaimed.

"Perhaps... you have an innate sense for ancient magical architecture?" Hermione began trying to explain what had happened with theory, looking at Lin Yuan as if he were a rare magical creature.

"Perhaps," Lin Yuan smiled noncommittally.

He couldn't exactly say that in their eyes it was a castle, but in his sea of consciousness, it was a mountain-protecting formation he had already fully deduced.

They finally arrived at the Charms classroom, panting, in the last minute before the class bell rang.

The classroom's layout was completely different from what they had imagined. There were no neat rows of desks; instead, various cushions and floor mats of different heights were scattered around, allowing students to sit wherever they pleased.

Sunlight streamed in through the large floor-to-ceiling windows, making the entire room bright and warm.

And their professor was standing on a large pile of books at the front of the classroom, so all the students could see him.

Professor Filius Flitwick was an extremely short wizard with snow-white hair.

Standing there, he wasn't even as tall as Ron when he sat down.

But no one dared to underestimate him. His eyes, sparkling with wisdom, and the condensed yet lively magical aura emanating from him, all proved that he was a powerful wizard.

"Ah, possesses Goblin blood," Lin Yuan judged inwardly the moment he saw him. The quality of this magic was different from Professor McGonagall's "sharp as a sword" or Dumbledore's "vast as the sea."

It was more like a spiritual flow coursing through a meticulously crafted artifact, filled with creativity. It was mixed with a trace of ancient aura, not belonging to human wizards, that had a natural affinity with the earth and precious metals.

"Goblin magic... known for its exquisite skill in artifact forging and enchantment. It seems this Charms class is not just about waving a wand and reciting incantations."

Lin Yuan was filled with anticipation for the upcoming lesson.

"Good morning, students!" Professor Flitwick called out in his slightly high-pitched but energetic voice. He cleared his throat and began taking attendance.

When he called out "Harry Potter," he let out a yelp of excitement, slid off the pile of books, and disappeared behind the podium.

The students burst into laughter.

Professor Flitwick scrambled back onto the pile of books, a faint blush of embarrassment on his face.

After taking attendance, he officially began the first lesson.

"Welcome to Charms class!" he said, waving his wand cheerfully. A feather flew out from his sleeve and circled above his head. "Charms are the most fundamental and captivating branch of magic! Unlike Transfiguration, which fundamentally alters an object's essence, or Dark Magic, which aims to cause harm."

"The art of Charms lies in 'imbuing'! We imbue objects with new properties, making them fly, shine, dance, even sing! We use magic to add a touch of color and convenience to this mundane world. It's an innate talent for wizards, and a testament to our intelligence!"

His opening was lively and infectious, captivating even the least studious student, Ron.

"So today, we're going to learn one of the most basic and useful spells – the Levitation Charm!"

Professor Flitwick paused, his gaze sweeping over the excited faces of the first-years.

"Alright, now, please take out your wands. Don't rush to wave them! Remember, your wand is an extension of your will, not a stick to be swung around carelessly."

He cleared his throat and said in a very standard, academic tone, "There are three key elements to casting the Levitation Charm. First, the correct pronunciation. Repeat after me: Wingardium – Leviosa."

The students began to imitate him, their voices a jumble.

"Wingardium what... Leviosa?"

"Winger... dium... Savadika?"

The classroom was immediately filled with a cacophony of strange accents.

"No, no, no," Professor Flitwick corrected patiently. "Notice, the 'gar' needs to be drawn out, and the 'vi' needs to be clear and round. Let's try again: Wing – gar – dium – Levi – o – sa!"

"Second, the correct wand movement." He picked up his own wand and gave a graceful demonstration. "Remember, it's 'swish and flick'! Like this, a gentle swish, then a nimble flick of the wrist. Feel the magic flow from your body, through your arm, to the tip of your wand, and then be 'flicked' out."

"Finally, and most importantly," Professor Flitwick's expression turned serious, "is your 'intention'! You must clearly and strongly 'think' in your mind that the feather in front of you should fly! If your focus wavers, the spell won't work. Alright, now, pair up. You all have feathers on your tables. Let's begin practicing!"

The classroom erupted in an instant.

Everyone picked up their wands and, pointing them at the light feather before them, began their first attempt at casting.

"Wingardium, Leviosa!" Seamus Finnigan shouted, poking the feather forcefully.

"Bang!"

The feather didn't fly. Instead, like a firecracker, it emitted a puff of black smoke and exploded into ashes.

"Oh, Mr. Finnigan," Professor Flitwick sighed, "it seems your 'intention' was mixed with too much 'explosion'. Gryffindor loses one point."

Meanwhile, Harry and Ron were also struggling.

"Wingardium, Leviosa!" Harry waved his wand, but the feather merely rolled twice on the table.

"That's not right," Ron lectured like an expert. "You need to make the 'swish' bigger! Watch me! Wingardium, Leviosa!"

He swung his wand as if chopping wood, hacking fiercely at the air.

"Ron, stop it!" Hermione's sharp voice cut in from the side. "You'll poke someone's eye out! And your pronunciation is wrong! It's 'Levi-O-sa', not 'Levio-SAR'! The emphasis is on the 'O', make it clear!"

"Oh, really? Then you do it, Miss Know-it-all!" Ron, his face flushed, retorted ungratefully.

Hermione ignored him. She straightened her back and raised her wand with a textbook-perfect posture.

"Wingardium, Leviosa."

Her voice was clear and confident, her wrist movement elegant and precise.

The feather before her trembled slightly, then, steadily and gracefully, it floated up from the table and rose into the air.

"Oh! Wonderful!" Professor Flitwick clapped excitedly. "Look, everyone! Miss Granger has succeeded! A perfect cast! Gryffindor gains five points!"

A proud and satisfied smile spread across Hermione's face. She glanced triumphantly at Ron, who was still wrestling with his feather.

Stimulated by her glance, Ron's face turned red. He picked up his wand, pointed it at the feather, and roared with all his might, "Wingardium – Leviosaaa!!!"

He poured all his frustration and defiance into that single roar.

However, no miracle occurred.

The poor feather not only failed to fly but also let out a "poof" and a small burst of orange-red flame erupted from its base. It quickly burned up, leaving a small pile of black ash on the table.

"Mr. Weasley," Professor Flitwick rubbed his forehead, his tone filled with helplessness. "Your emotions... seem a bit too fiery. That's the Levitation Charm, not the Burning Charm."

Ron's face had turned the same color as his hair.

He dejectedly threw his wand onto the table, wishing he could disappear into a crack in the floor.

Amidst this chaos, only Lin Yuan maintained an air of detached calm from beginning to end.

He didn't rush to wave his wand like the others, nor did he attempt to pronounce the awkward incantation.

He simply gazed at the white feather before him, as if entering a state of deep contemplation, akin to the "investigation of things" in ancient philosophy.

His soul, like an invisible, all-seeing eye, completely dissected and understood the entire "casting" process.

"So that's how it is..." His mind was clear.

To him, "spells" were like a form of "talisman art" within the myriad arts of cultivation.

The "true words" of "Wingardium Leviosa" were the "key" to communicating with the laws of this world, the "talisman header" to declare one's intentions to heaven and earth.

The "hand seals" of "a light wave and a quick point" were to guide one's own magical power and lock onto the target's "footprint."

As for the wizard's own magical power, it was the "ink" necessary to draw this talisman.

And the most important "thought" was the "spirit" and "core" of this talisman.

Hermione succeeded because her true words, hand seals, and thoughts were united, drawing a perfect "Levitation Talisman" that was recognized by the laws of heaven and earth.

Seamus and Ron failed because their thoughts were impure and their true words were erroneous, causing their magical power to surge in reverse and attract surrounding exotic energies, resulting in "spell backlash."

"So, true words and wands are actually a type of 'magical artifact'," Lin Yuan concluded, "They are auxiliary tools designed to allow ordinary wizards whose souls are not strong enough to resonate directly with the laws of heaven and earth to conveniently borrow a trace of the great power of heaven and earth."

"Then... what if I bypass these formalities and communicate directly with this world using my primordial spirit?"

A bold idea arose in his sea of consciousness.

Although his primordial spirit, due to the incompatibility of the Great Dao, could not devour spiritual energy to strengthen itself, its fundamental power and the purity of its soul were far beyond ordinary people.

It might... serve as a higher-level credential to directly "communicate" with the laws of this world.

He decided to try.

He did not pick up his wand, nor did he even move his lips.

He simply sat quietly, highly condensing a wisp of his soul power, like an invisible thread, gently wrapping around the feather in front of him.

Then, he did not use his own strength to "lift" it.

He merely, deep within his sea of consciousness, visualized with his primordial spirit, issuing a perfectly clear "command" to this world.

This process took less than a breath in the real world.

While Harry and Ron were still worrying about the pile of ashes, and Hermione was still enjoying the joy of success...

The feather in front of Lin Yuan moved.

It did not tremble in the slightest, nor did it make any sound.

It simply, ignoring all the physical rules of this world, rose vertically from the tabletop in an absolutely smooth and absolutely silent manner, without a sound.

One inch, one foot, three feet, four feet... It rose at a steady pace, with a sense of harmony that secretly conformed to the rhythm of heaven and earth, finally hovering steadily in mid-air.

It stopped there, motionless, not even the flow of air causing it to sway in the slightest.

It was a scene... that transcended magic itself, almost a "manifestation of rules."

This silent miracle was more shocking than any explosion or triumphant cheer.

The first to notice the anomaly was Professor Flitwick.

He was about to walk over to see what difficulties the student from the East, who had impressed him during the Sorting Ceremony, was facing, when he witnessed this scene that would remain unforgettable for his entire life.

His mouth slowly formed an "O" shape.

As Hogwarts' Charms professor and a former dueling champion, he had seen countless Levitation Charms in his life.

Some were shaky, some went up and down, some were elegant, and some were clumsy... but he had never seen one like this.

Spellcasting without a wand!

Silent spellcasting!

In a first-year freshman's very first class!

This could no longer be described as "genius."

This was... this was a monster!

Even Dumbledore in his youth couldn't have done this well?!

What he found most incredible was the absolute perfect control!

The feather didn't seem to be held up by magic; it was more like the rule of gravity had temporarily ceased to apply to it!

"Mer... Merlin's beard..." Professor Flitwick felt his brain was a bit oxygen-deprived.

His loss of composure quickly drew the attention of the surrounding students.

Harry, Ron, Hermione, and the nearby Ravenclaw students all followed his gaze to Lin Yuan... and the feather suspended before him like a work of art.

"..."

The entire classroom fell into an eerie silence.

"Ryan... you... how did you do that?" Harry stammered, feeling his worldview had been shaken.

"He... he didn't say the incantation, nor did he use his wand!" a Ravenclaw girl whispered to her companion.

Hermione's eyes widened more than a Galleon; her pride, her success achieved through diligent study, seemed so insignificant in the face of this scene.

Her mind raced, trying to find a reasonable explanation from all the books she had read.

"Spellcasting without a wand... silent spellcasting... this... this should be an N.E.W.T.s level skill! Even... more advanced! How is this possible..."

My goodness, what talent, and what composure and humility!

Professor Flitwick felt a surge of ecstatic joy, as if he had discovered a peerless treasure.

He felt as if he were witnessing a second Dumbledore, or even... a being with a purer magical talent, rising in his classroom!

"Success! Of course, it's a success!" Professor Flitwick's voice grew even sharper with excitement. He jumped down from the pile of books and strode quickly to Lin Yuan, looking up at him with an unprecedented gleam in his eyes. "Child! You are the most talented student I have ever seen! No, there isn't another! Your perception and control of magic are simply... simply a gift from heaven!"

He waved his arms excitedly: "Gryffindor! Ten points! For this perfect, textbook-level Levitation Charm!"

Ten points!

The entire classroom erupted in an uproar.

Ten points awarded for a single spell in the very first class of the term was extremely rare in the history of Hogwarts.

The little lions of Gryffindor immediately let out enthusiastic cheers. Ron's dejection vanished, and he patted Lin Yuan's back with a sense of shared pride.

Harry was also genuinely happy for his friend.

Only Hermione was still frowning, her gaze scanning back and forth between Lin Yuan and the feather with an inquisitive look.

She felt that things weren't that simple.

The feather's initial state of stillness... was too un-magical.

Meanwhile, amidst the cheers of the crowd, Lin Yuan calmly retracted his wand, letting the feather slowly descend.

His heart burned with fervor.

The deduction was successful.

His guess had been confirmed.

The path to eternal life could not be walked directly.

But a brand new path, full of infinite possibilities, "Investigating Things to Attain Knowledge, Proving the Way Through Magic," had clearly unfolded at his feet.

"The first step is complete," he thought. "Next, I need to read through all seven volumes of the Standard Book of Spells, and everything else I can find in the library."