Will

Biodata

Feature	Value
Name	Will Behrens; born Will Howard 2
Alias(es)	Weiznan Berens, a name he used in Knockturn Alley that is also associated with his apparent future self 42 43
Species/Race	Wizard; commonly taken for Muggle-born, though a note identifies him as half-blood with German wizarding ancestry 1 7
Gender	Male 2
Affiliation	Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry; Slytherin House 6
Occupation/Role	Hogwarts student 6
Status	Alive as of Chapter 50 50
First Appearance	Chapter 1 1

Power Progression

Will’s system awards experience for practice, study and other experiences. The Chapter 2 status panel establishes several levels without showing when he reached them 2.

Stage / Realm / Level	Chapter	Notes
Transfiguration LV2; Dark Magic LV3; Potions LV2; Herbology LV2; Charms LV3; Cooking LV3	2	Initial documented status. Bonuses include increased Transfiguration experience, resilience against the effects of studying Dark Magic, improved potion observation, persuasive speech and enhanced cooking senses 2.
Charms LV4	2	Reached through study; chose Spellpower Burst, increasing spell effectiveness by 10% 2.
Transfiguration LV3	18	Documented in the updated status panel; Form Speed increases Transfiguration casting speed by 10% 18.
Potions LV3	14	Unlocked Potion Proliferation, increasing the yield of potions he brews by 5% 14.
Stamina LV2	14	Reached during prolonged Summoning Charm practice with Neville; Abundant Stamina increases maximum stamina by 10% 14.
Runes LV2	17	Reached during Quirrell’s lesson on runic Transfiguration; Rune Dissection helps identify runes in spells and rituals 17.
Charisma LV4	18	Neville’s gratitude supplied the final experience; chose Master Orator, which can sway listeners to some extent 18.
Curse Studies LV2; Herbology LV3	25	Reached during a month of continued study and practice 25.
Twisted Knowledge bonus	34	An insight connecting spells, Transfiguration and potion-making granted a 5% experience bonus to Charms, Potions and Transfiguration 34.
Dark Magic LV4	48	Reached after more than ten days of tutoring with Lupin; chose Dark Echo, increasing each Dark Magic spell’s effect by 15%, with a further 5% bonus against a target suffering ongoing Dark Magic damage 48.
Potions LV4	50	Reached by completing a brew after extra lessons with Snape; chose Potency Boost, making his potions 10% more effective 50.

Background and History

Will was born on May 16, 1980, to Dorothy Berens and Edward Fitzalan-Howard, the Earl of Arundel. Dorothy named him Will Howard, but Edward did not marry her, and the child was given her surname instead. Edward supplied a London house and monthly support on the condition that Will’s identity remain secret 2.

Dorothy became abusive, locking Will away and beating him. During one confinement, an outburst of accidental magic led to an out-of-body experience; a consciousness from another world then took over, retaining Will’s memories and knowledge of the Harry Potter novels. Will subsequently found the wizarding world on his own and began buying books and learning spells. After Dorothy died in a car accident, he lived alone and devoted himself to magic 1 2.

The Sorting Hat placed Will in Slytherin despite his preference for Hufflepuff. His first days brought conflicts with students who disparaged his perceived Muggle background; he defeated Ivan Selwyn, Auburn Nott and others in the dormitory, then beat a larger group led by Yaxley in the common room 6 7 10.

At Christmas, Edward summoned Will to the Howard estate while threatening to withdraw future support. Will learned that Edward viewed him as a useful family asset. He used the Imperius Curse to make Edward write bearer cheques, then stunned him and erased his memory. His uncle Hobert, by contrast, offered him support 26 40 41.

Sylvia’s family later showed Will a portrait of Weiznan Berens, a wizard who resembled him and had helped preserve their branch of the Lestrange family. Will concluded that Weiznan was his future self. A test with an alchemical object called the Wizard’s Eye confirmed his identity, and he received a Gringotts vault containing a substantial fortune and Hufflepuff’s Cup, which he recognized as a Horcrux 42 43 44 45.

Appearance

Will is described as thin at eleven, with fine features and distinctive silver-gray eyes. A portrait of Weiznan Berens looks like an older version of him 1 17 43.

• Eyes: Silver-gray; their resemblance to Weiznan’s helps draw the Lestranges’ attention 43.
• Scars: His childhood injuries left scars hidden beneath his clothes 2.

Personality

Will prizes understanding how magic works over memorizing instructions. He studies intensely, sometimes missing sleep, meals and classes; after Dumbledore warns him about losing himself in that pursuit, he adopts a healthier routine without giving up his studies 1 17 18 49.

He is guarded about family and slow to trust, but shares food, helps classmates and patiently teaches Neville. He usually avoids affairs that do not concern him, yet responds forcefully to threats. The Mirror of Erised shows an older Will passing the great wizards of history, which he interprets as a desire to surpass them all 5 7 14 17 24 40.

Abilities and Skills

Wizard’s Eye

An innate magical sight that Will can activate to see the flow and forms of magic 2.

• Reveals the intricate magical patterns in McGonagall’s transformed desk 8.
• Lets him observe Neville’s uneven magical flow, though it does not establish the cause 14.
• Gives him a potential advantage in research requiring observation of changes in magic 28 29.

Spellcasting and Defence

Will can cast nonverbal magic before starting Hogwarts and has practised the Shield Charm extensively 3 10.

• Uses Protego to withstand Yaxley’s Stunning Spell while testing his defences 10.
• Uses rapid spell combinations, Transfiguration and Confringo against older students 10.
• Performs wandless household magic and stops a spill on the Knight Bus without his wand 36 41.

Research and Teaching

Will gains substantial experience by investigating magical principles and can explain spells through practice as well as theory 15 29.

• Teaches Neville the Summoning Charm through repeated demonstrations and corrections to pronunciation and wand movement 14.
• Studies the relationship between runes and modern spells with Flitwick, then identifies an unconventional possible connection between spells and potions 15 34.
• Reads Ethan Abdullah’s disturbing research but chooses to consult established experts rather than repeat his dangerous experiments 28 29 30.

Equipment, Weapons and Items

• Primary wand — acacia, phoenix feather, twelve and a quarter inches; bought from Ollivander before Will entered Hogwarts 1.
• Old wand — used while studying magic and travelling discreetly before Hogwarts; still in his possession during the Howard visit 2 40.
• Enchanted trunk and books — carry the material he reads and studies extensively 2 3.
• Nimbus 2000 — a gift from Hobert; Will considers selling it to increase his savings 40.
• Golden Wizard’s Eye — an alchemical object distinct from his innate talent, used to test his connection to Weiznan 43 44.
• Gringotts vault key — grants access to the fortune associated with Weiznan; the vault also holds Hufflepuff’s Cup 44 45.
• Dragon-hide potion-making gear — clothing and gloves given by Sylvia for protection during advanced brewing 45.

Relationships

• Dorothy Berens — mother; her abuse shaped Will’s guarded independence, and he felt no grief at her death 2.
• Edward Fitzalan-Howard — biological father; Will rejects his attempt to control him through family ties and financial support 2 26 40 41.
• Hobert Howard — wizard uncle who welcomes Will, defends him to Edward and continues offering financial support 40 41 49.
• Sylvia Lestrange — Slytherin classmate and close friend who repeatedly looks out for him and welcomes him into her family 7 17 42 45.
• Neville Longbottom — friend and pupil; Will helps him master the Summoning Charm and other first-year spells 14 18 34.
• Hermione Granger — former primary-school classmate and Hogwarts friend; she admires his learning while feeling pressure to keep up 3 8 33 34.
• Professor Flitwick — mentor who teaches Will spell theory and welcomes regular questions 1 15 30.
• Professor Snape — Head of Slytherin and demanding Potions instructor who grants Will access to restricted reading and teaches him brewing technique 15 31 50.
• Albus Dumbledore — Headmaster who supports Will’s learning but warns him against dangerous magic and consuming ambition 13 17 18.
• Remus Lupin — holiday tutor in Defence Against the Dark Arts; Will helps him in return with practical suggestions and a possible job lead 47 48.

Trivia

• Will dislikes Quidditch enough to read a Potions book during a match, but says he would like to learn to fly under his own power rather than on a broom 14 22.
• His system lists Magic LV? as unavailable because of the world’s unusual nature 2 35.
• Despite his skill in magic, Will is a poor Wizard’s Chess player 34.