Charms Class

"Allen, you were amazing, but why didn't they make you Seeker? You spotted the Golden Snitch much faster than Cho Chang." Edward had watched his roommate train and was indignant on his behalf.

"Probably because of tactics." Allen did not feel regretful. Compared to searching the skies for the Golden Snitch, he preferred carrying the Quaffle and constantly attacking to score.

"Allen, are you really going to compete on that Cleansweep Seven? I heard Harry Potter got a Nimbus 2000." Edward was a little worried. Equipment was extremely important in Quidditch matches.

"Of course not. Professor Flitwick actually offered to sponsor me with a Nimbus 2000 in private, but I turned him down. There are no secrets in this world. If the others found out, they would probably all want one too. Besides, I have a Neptune."

"A Neptune?" Edward was utterly astonished. "That special-edition broom from the Cleansweep Broomstick Company? I heard there are only ten of them in total. Every bristle in its tail has been selected to make its streamlined shape perfect, and it is unmatched in balance and precision. That isn't something an ordinary person could get!" Edward exclaimed admiringly.

The moment Allen saw Edward's expression, he knew Edward was letting his imagination run wild. Smiling, he patted Edward on the shoulder. "Edward, what are you thinking? I was just lucky." Then Allen briefly explained how he had obtained the Neptune, leaving Edward extremely envious.

"What a rare opportunity! This is great! Our House will have a much better chance of winning the Quidditch Cup, and since our House points have always been far ahead, even the House Cup might go to us Ravenclaws." The more Edward thought about it, the more excited he became.

Allen truly could not bear to shatter Edward's daydream. At the end of term, Dumbledore would give Gryffindor a huge number of points. Ravenclaw's chances of winning were simply too slim.

Chatting and laughing, they arrived at the Charms Class classroom. "Susanna said Professor Flitwick will be teaching the Levitation Charm today. Her toad died yesterday, and she was in a bad mood, so Professor Flitwick invited her to his office. He used magic to make delicious little cupcakes dance across the table and even let slip what today's lesson would be about!" Edward's face was filled with envy and longing.

"If you're in a bad mood, the professor will comfort you too. For example, if he learns that Professor McGonagall scolded you for copying my homework." Allen teased.

"Shh, don't mention it. He'll scold me again." Edward guiltily looked around, afraid Professor Flitwick might overhear.

Although Professor Flitwick was small in stature, he was highly knowledgeable, mild-tempered, fair and just, and deeply concerned for his students. Thus, he had earned the respect and affection of Ravenclaw's young wizards.

Sure enough, Professor Flitwick announced in class that he believed they were ready to start making objects fly. After explaining the standard wand movement and the principles of magic, Professor Flitwick divided the class into pairs for practice.

Edward and Allen sat together, so they were assigned to the same group. With a flick and swish of his wand, Professor Flitwick made countless feathers float into the air and fly automatically to the desks of each pair of young wizards. It was unbelievably cool! The young wizards' enthusiasm was immediately stirred up. But they soon discovered that even making a single feather fly was no easy task.

Allen was also deeply impressed by Professor Flitwick's display. It required not only immense magical power, but also precise control over its distribution. His enthusiasm for learning was instantly ignited as well.

Allen drew his wand and pointed it at the feather. "Wingardium Leviosa!" The moment the words left his mouth, their feather rose from the table and hovered four feet above their heads.

"Oh, well done!" Professor Flitwick cried, clapping his hands. "Everyone, look! Allen has already succeeded! Allen is the fastest student to successfully cast a spell since I began teaching."

No one could remember how many times they had heard Professor Flitwick say this, but every time, the young wizards could not help looking at Allen with both envy and admiration.

"Oh, Allen, you're practically a genius! I still haven't figured out what to do. Hurry and teach me." Edward was immensely envious. Back in the Muggle world, he had been one of the best students too. Why did he suddenly seem so hopeless once he entered the magical world?

Allen lifted the charm, and the feather drifted back onto the table. "Pay attention to the flick and swish movement, and be careful with the pronunciation. It's Wingardium Levi-o-sa. You need to draw out the 'gar' clearly. Don't rush." Allen explained everything clearly. Edward trusted his roommate completely, and after a few attempts, he grasped the trick. The feather once again hovered above the table.

"Look, look! Not only is Allen outstanding himself, he also helped Edward in his group complete the charm. Truly excellent!" Professor Flitwick praised them loudly in his high-pitched voice.

"I'm the one who successfully cast the charm, so why is the professor still praising you?" Edward did not know whether to laugh or cry. The professor really favored Allen too much.

"All right, don't forget that subtle wrist movement we've been practicing!" As usual, Professor Flitwick stood atop his stack of books and squeaked, "A flick and a swish, remember, a flick and a swish. Getting the Incantation right is very important too—never forget the wizard Baruffio, who said 't' instead of 'f' and found himself lying on the floor with a buffalo standing on his chest."

Time passed bit by bit. The clever Ravenclaw students gradually mastered the trick, and more and more feathers floated above the desks. The smile on Professor Flitwick's face grew wider and wider. Privately, he felt that Ravenclaw students were the best of the four Houses—at least in Charms Class. At this point in the lesson, only Miss Hermione Granger in Gryffindor had managed to cast the charm successfully.

When class ended, every Ravenclaw wore a relaxed and cheerful expression. Since the entire class had successfully cast the charm, Professor Flitwick decided to waive the written homework for this lesson. They only needed to practice the spell more, which was a wonderful surprise when assignments from other subjects were becoming increasingly burdensome.

They hurried downstairs toward the Great Hall. After an entire afternoon of lessons, everyone was hungry, especially with the sweet scent of pumpkin drifting through the corridors.

When they entered the Great Hall, they were delighted to find it transformed by colorful Halloween decorations into something both eerie and dazzling. A thousand bats fluttered across the walls and ceiling, while another thousand swirled above the dining tables like low black clouds, making the candle flames inside the pumpkins flicker again and again. Delicious food suddenly appeared on the golden plates, just like at the feast on the first day of school.

Allen and Edward looked around as they ate the beef pies on their plates. They smelled delicious!