The Young Wizards

The atmosphere in the compartment had turned strangely awkward, but Will paid the others no mind.

"There are all sorts of theories in the Wizarding World about the nature of curses. In Egypt, though, the prevailing view is that curses have a kind of 'legitimacy.' In other words, they believe curses are justified in a magical sense—a right granted to them by the 'gods.' That's why many Egyptian curses can last for thousands of years, while curses elsewhere tend to fade much sooner."

"Personally, I think there are still questions about this supposed 'gift from the gods.' The prevailing view in Europe is that curses are simply a variation of Magic, closer in nature to a small-scale Ritual Magic working. Over my years as a Curse-Breaker, every skilled curse caster or Curse-Breaker I've met has had a solid grasp of Ritual Magic. Some were practically Ritual Magic practitioners themselves."

"I often have to use various rituals in my Curse-Breaking work, too."

Will nodded without committing himself. Ritual Magic was a major branch of Ancient Magic, with a long history throughout the magical world. Rainmaking and Sacrifice in China, for example, were typical forms of Ritual Magic.

Will recalled an example he had read about in A Brief History of Eastern Magic and The Mysterious Magic of Asia: Zhuge Liang's Borrowing the East Wind. That, too, had been a large-scale Ritual Magic working.

Grrr. Only when Will's stomach growled did he close his book. He loved good food as much as knowledge. Knowledge might feed the mind, but it could not fill his stomach.

Will pulled several metal lunch boxes out of his trunk.

When he opened them, steam was still rising from the food. There was Beef Curry, Stir-Fried Snow Peas, that famous British dish Coronation Chicken, and a box of white rice. The portions were small, but their aroma filled the compartment.

The other three stared, wide-eyed. Sylvia and Hermione both cried out in surprise.

"You brought lunch?"

"Your food's still hot! Is that Magic?"

Sylvia and Neville were astonished that Will had brought cooked dishes onto the train. Hermione was more interested in how they were still steaming after an entire morning in ordinary metal lunch boxes. Someone had almost certainly used Magic on them.

Will's stomach felt painfully empty. He took a bite of Beef Curry before answering.

"Yeah. I heard we wouldn't reach Hogwarts until evening. I put a Warming Charm on the food. Oh, it's in both A Feast at the Flick of a Wand and The Magic of Cooking."

Hearing Will rattle off those titles so casually, Hermione felt a flicker of anxiety. She had never even heard of those books. Will had clearly read quite a few books on Magic already, and it seemed he had gotten ahead of her again.

Will glanced at the three of them, waved his Wand, and turned several toothpicks beside the lunch boxes into spoons.

"Would you like some?"

[Someone has taken a liking to you. Charisma Experience +1] ×3

Will's lips curved upward. Every little bit counted.

"Transfiguration? You've already learned Transfiguration? I tried a few times using A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration, but I couldn't do it. How did you manage it?" Hermione's attention went straight to the Magic, as always.

Will knew she was afraid of falling behind. She worried that children from Wizarding families had already learned far more Magic while she had only just entered the Wizarding World. But those worries were unnecessary. There were no magical primary schools, and most young Wizards studied at home before starting Hogwarts.

Half-blood families might send their children to Muggle primary schools. Pure-blood wizard families taught their children themselves if they had to, while wealthier noble families might hire tutors.

"It's not that hard, is it? Are you sure you don't want any?" Seeing that none of them reached for a spoon, Will did not press them. He popped a piece of Coronation Chicken into his mouth.

Neville looked ready to cry. "Of course it's hard. I haven't mastered a single bit of Magic yet. I've barely even looked at those books. Merlin's beard, what if Hogwarts expels me? I knew I had no talent."

"Don't be silly, Longbottom. I've never heard of anyone in your family being expelled. In fact, I've never heard of a Wizard being expelled for lack of talent. Some have been expelled for other things, though. That Magical Creature expert, Newt Scamander, for instance." Sylvia's tone was a little cool, but Neville seemed heartened all the same.

As a member of the Lestrange family, Sylvia had made a point of learning about Newt.

"You mean that Magizoologist was expelled from Hogwarts?" Hermione could hardly believe it. In her view, expelled students were hopeless troublemakers, failures beyond help. Yet Newt Scamander was a famous British Magizoologist, traveler, and travel writer—and the author of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.

She remembered that it was a textbook for Care of Magical Creatures at Hogwarts.

"That's right. Hogwarts isn't the final authority on everything." Will swallowed his food before adding his own thoughts. "Besides, some Wizards in the Wizarding World don't attend any school at all. They study under a teacher as apprentices, though that approach has major drawbacks."

"How do you know so much? Do you come from a Wizarding family too?" Hermione finally asked what had been on her mind. Will seemed more like a child from a Wizarding family than Neville did, but he and Hermione had been classmates in primary school. There was no denying that.

"Of course not. Everyone related to me by blood is a Muggle. I've just read a few more books."

Hermione felt the pressure mounting. Her classmate really had gotten ahead of her again. She silently resolved to work harder. She could not let him keep outdoing her.

"Goodness, Behrens, you're a born Ravenclaw," Neville said with genuine admiration. "I'll probably only get into Hufflepuff."

"There's nothing wrong with Hufflepuff. Newt Scamander came from Hufflepuff, and so did plenty of other famous Wizards. Grogan Stump, for example, was Minister for Magic in England from 1811 to 1819. Then there's Professor Silvanus Kettleburn, who teaches Care of Magical Creatures, and Hengist of Woodcroft, the Wizard on a Chocolate Frog Card who founded Hogsmeade.

"They're all remarkable Wizards. There's nothing wrong with Hufflepuff. Its students are honest and dependable—the sort of people who make the best friends."

Will had seriously considered joining Hufflepuff. The young badgers would not disturb his peaceful life, and he would be close to the Kitchens. He could study and eat to his heart's content. His Charisma skill might even level up quickly in Hufflepuff House.

Neville seemed moved by Will's explanation. "I guess there's nothing wrong with Hufflepuff after all."

"Hufflepuff may be good, but I think Gryffindor is the best house. Dumbledore graduated from Gryffindor, you know," Hermione insisted.

"What about you, Sylvia? Which house do you want?"

"Most of my family were in Slytherin," Sylvia said calmly, as though she already knew she would be placed there.

"So this compartment might have students from all four houses?"

Will kept eating his warm lunch without arguing. He still was not sure where he would end up. Ravenclaw or Hufflepuff?

He certainly did not want to be stuck with those reckless young Wizards in Gryffindor. Seriously, shutting out the best students? What were they thinking?

As for Slytherin, he doubted he would get along with those "Pure-blood nobles" who looked down on Muggle-born wizards.