The Magic of Gestures

"Casting techniques? Why bring that up?" Ryan asked curiously, looking at Kate as she shook her lion-like head.

"This award is named after the master of gesture magic, Barnabus Finkley. It is given to those with outstanding casting techniques," Kate said smugly when she saw that Ryan did not know.

"Gestures? They are merely another interpretation of incantations, a nonessential byproduct that lowers the difficulty of casting. From a magical standpoint, this award has little real value. No wonder the Chocolate Frog manufacturers did not include this honor," Ryan said to Kate through Telepathic Communication. After all, magical knowledge could not be overheard by the driver.

"Teacher Ryan, why would you say that? Many famous wizards have claimed that gestures can strengthen a spell's power." Used to it by now, Kate replied in her mind, blinking her large, curious eyes.

Ahhh, so cute. From Ryan's perspective, Kate looked like one of those schoolgirls from wholesome Japanese films in his previous life, calling out, "Ryan-sensei."

"Mhm, mhm. Let Ryan-sensei teach you," Ryan said with a righteous expression.

"Sensei?"

"It means teacher. Don't worry about the details. Ravenclaw loses five points!"

"Do you know what public speaking is?" Ryan asked.

"What does public speaking have to do with gestures?" Kate asked, puzzled.

"Muggles have studied this too. Haven't you noticed that when some speakers become excited, they always wave their arms around? Why do you think that is?"

"To make people believe them more? To boost their confidence?" Kate guessed.

"Exactly, to boost confidence. A fountain can never rise higher than its source, and the power of a spell also depends on a wizard's confidence. It is like Nonverbal Spellcasting: with firm enough belief, one can cast successfully even without speaking an incantation. That is an advanced technique Hogwarts only teaches in the Sixth Year." Ryan paused, then continued through Telepathic Communication, "Gestures work the same way. Do you know Uagadou?"

"Uagadou? I know it! The coolest wizarding school. Do you know how they recruit students? Through dream messengers! A 'dream messenger' leaves a token while a young wizard is asleep, usually a small stone carved with words! As far as I know, no other school recruits students that way!" Kate became so excited that she forgot to use Telepathic Communication, and the long string of words spilled uncontrollably from her mouth.

"Then do you know what makes them special?" Ryan asked.

"I knew all this when I was seven," Kate replied.

Ryan could not help feeling startled. Why emphasize being seven?

Kate introduced it confidently. "Uagadou is an ancient school with at least a thousand years of history. It is the largest of all wizarding schools and recruits students from every corner of the vast land of Africa."

"It is the only wizarding school that does not hide its location. Its address is the 'Mountains of the Moon,' an awe-inspiring stone-carved structure built into the mountainside. It is hidden in mist and sometimes seems to float." Kate continued talking without pause. Hogwarts probably had few wizards willing to listen to stories about a magical school in Africa.

"And their students are all so cool. Many of their spells and magical arts only require a point of the finger or a gesture. With a wave of the hand, they can make someone's jaw drop. They are also skilled at self-transfiguration. Unlike Animagi, they transform into animals common in Africa. Young wizards around fourteen can freely turn themselves into elephants and cheetahs!" Kate continued, her eyes full of longing.

"Hold on, Kate. You just mentioned gestures. Yes, gestures. Why do Uagadou wizards only need gestures? Because the hand itself is a form of incantation." Ryan paused. "But modern magic in Britain is not without merit either. It is stable. A triangle is always the most stable structure. Gestures, incantations, and emotions—this triangle means young wizards no longer face risks when casting spells."

"It is powerful too. Compared with gestures alone, modern magic requiring all three elements is far stronger than African magic that relies only on gestures. Otherwise, why would Uagadou's combat methods mainly rely on self-transfiguration?" Ryan emphasized in Kate's mind.

"You should know that Voldemort traveled as well, seeking breakthroughs in magic. If gesture magic were truly so powerful, why did he still focus on modern magic afterward?"

"The reason so many famous wizards claim that gestures can strengthen spell power is because gestures boost their confidence. Or perhaps their gestures happen to resemble those of certain powerful ancient wizards, aligning with them and stirring some indescribable force. Those are not things you should understand yet, Kate." Ryan prepared to end the discussion.

Going any further would involve dangerous territory. Without the system, modern magic alone was enough for a wizard to study for a lifetime. Knowing too much was not always a good thing.

Like Luna's mother—she had died in the original story because of a magical experiment. Even more bizarrely, Luna's family kept an Erumpent horn at home, believing it to be the horn of an imaginary Crumple-Horned Snorkack.

An Erumpent horn would explode at the slightest touch.

Seeing Ryan end the subject, Kate was somewhat dissatisfied. But when she thought about how she had discussed her favorite school with the little guy she liked, that dissatisfaction immediately vanished.

"Ryan, our first stop today is Vampire Castle. What exactly are vampires like? I'm so curious!" Kate thought of vampires again.

"Vampires? Oh, Kate, Kate. That is something taught in Third Year Defense Against the Dark Arts, along with werewolves," Ryan teased.

"All right, Teacher Ryan's little class is in session again."

"Vampires, to be precise, are undead that attack people in order to drink blood. Ministry of Magic classification: XXX. Vampires exist widely around the world. They are monsters that can transform into bats and fly about, reveal their true forms before sleeping people, bite open their necks with their teeth, and drink their blood."

"Not only that, after those whose blood has been sucked die from weakness, they become vampires themselves, rise again, and drink blood everywhere. Most of them attack those close to them, such as family members. If one digs open a vampire's grave, the corpse inside will look as fresh and soft as a living person, with somewhat bright red skin."

"To defeat vampires, one can use crosses and garlic. Some people also believe that if you make bread from a vampire's blood mixed with wheat flour and eat it, you will not be attacked by vampires."

"Of course, that is complete nonsense. The most effective way to eliminate a vampire is to dig up its grave, pierce its heart, and cut off its head. If you want to be extra careful, burn the corpse to ashes. Then nothing can go wrong," Ryan concluded.

"If you have read Eldred Worple's Brothers in Blood: My Life Amongst the Vampires, you will probably understand these creatures better. As popular science, it is fairly well done."

Thanks to Taishi Yumi Xu for the reward, monthly vote, and investment support.