The moment the door was opened, a scent mingled with the fragrance of lavender and magical ink wafted out.
Unlike the somber atmosphere of Professor McGonagall's office, Professor Flitwick's space felt exceptionally warm and inviting.
The walls were covered with various spell scrolls, some of which were still fluttering gently.
The bookshelves were filled with beautifully bound books, and small magical trinkets were squeezed in between, shimmering with a soft glow.
Professor Flitwick was standing next to a long table covered with blue velvet.
He stood on a low magical platform, barely reaching the height of the tabletop.
He held a slender hazelwood wand in his hand and was intently chanting incantations over a pile of feathers on the table.
"Whoosh—" Professor Flitwick gently blew a breath, and the wand at his fingertips emitted a soft silver light.
The feathers that were originally scattered and disordered were instantly drawn together as if by invisible threads, and arranged neatly into an exquisite fan shape, with the curvature of each feather being exactly the same.
Upon seeing Draco enter, he immediately turned around, his face beaming with a bright smile:
" Draco! You've finally arrived! I thought you'd forgotten!"
As he spoke, he raised his hand and waved it, and the feather on the table automatically flew back into the crystal jar next to him.
At the same time, a comfortable armchair slowly slid from the corner to Draco's front.
Several spellbooks were scattered on the long table.
One of the books, " Advanced Guide to Defensive Spells," automatically flipped to the page on " Banishing Charm."
A small silver timer sat nearby, clearly indicating that he had prepared for this assessment well in advance.
Draco walked to the long table and sat down, scratching his head and confessing with a hint of helplessness:
"Professor, I'm so sorry, I've been so busy. Not only was I punished by cleaning the Trophy Room, but I also have to go to Professor McGonagall for Transfiguration tutoring tonight. I'm completely overwhelmed."
Professor Flitwick leaped down from the magic platform, his small figure shuffling lightly across the carpet, a gentle smile still gracing his face.
"Oh, I've heard about that!"
He raised his wand, and the teapot on the table automatically poured out a cup of hot cocoa, which floated to Draco's face.
" Professor McGonagall has high hopes for you, Draco!"
"She rarely offered private tutoring to first-year students; even Wood and his classmates didn't get that treatment back then."
"Thank you, Professor." Draco smiled at Flitwick, then picked up his hot cocoa, took a sip, and felt the warmth spread down his throat.
Professor Flitwick continued, "At dinner, several of us professors were discussing this at the faculty table."
As he spoke, he walked over to Draco, patted his arm encouragingly, and said:
" Professor McGonagall has always had a keen eye; she's never wrong about your talent for both Transfiguration and Quidditch."
"But you've certainly been working hard, dealing with extra tutoring, preparing for Quidditch trials, and now having to find time to practice Banishing Charm —but these are all recognitions of your abilities, aren't they?"
"Thank you, Professor. No matter how busy I am, I will do my job well. Now, shall we begin evaluating the Banishing Charm?"
Professor Flitwick's eyes lit up, and he immediately nodded. "Excellent! Let's begin."
As he spoke, Professor Flitwick's gentle smile faded slightly, his small frame straightened a bit, and a hint of solemnity flashed in his eyes.
He tapped the corner of the table lightly, and a transparent magical barrier opened in the corner of the office, with a mischievous imp doll that looked somewhat like Peeves floating inside.
It was clearly a test target prepared in advance for the evaluation.
However, Draco thought to himself, this probably has no basis in reality, unless the real Peeves is brought here.
At that moment, Professor Flitwick floated down to the edge of the magic platform and lightly waved his wand.
The doll then jumped and scurried around inside the barrier, making strange, chattering noises, just like the Peeves.
"The spell to banish Peeves is inherently more powerful than a regular Banishing Charm, as it contains magical energy that targets spirits. If its power is not controlled properly, it can at best cause the little spirits in the castle to panic and run around, and at worst burn Peeves ' spirit."
"While it won't be fatal, it will hold a grudge for years, making it even more aggressive."
He looked at Draco as he spoke.
"You were able to successfully expel it before, which suggests you controlled the magic instinctively, but a formal assessment is needed to confirm—can you precisely control the power of this spell, enough to expel it without harming the spirit?"
Reaching the barrier, Draco raised his wand, a wisp of pale silver magic coalescing at its tip. His gaze fixed on the dolls leaping and bounding within the barrier, he said:
"The professor can keep an eye on things. I've tried a few times, and I know how to maintain proper boundaries."
Professor Flitwick nodded, raised his hand to adjust the transparency of the magic barrier, and said in a deep voice:
"Very good, let's begin."
"Remember, Peeves ' spirit, though mischievous, is exceptionally sensitive. The magic of a spell should be like a thin veil enveloping the target, not like a sharp blade piercing through it."
"Use 70% of your magic power, focusing on the intention to 'expel' rather than 'attack'."
Draco took a deep breath, gripped his wand firmly, and fixed his gaze on the doll bouncing inside the barrier.
With Professor Flitwick's guidance, Draco deliberately slowed down the flow of magic.
"Expulso!" ( Banishing Charm )
As the deep incantation subsided, the pale silver magic emanating from the tip of the staff ceased to be a sharp beam of light.
Instead, it transformed into a soft halo, precisely enveloping the doll.
The doll instantly stopped its grotesque laughter, writhed a few times in the halo of light, and then, as if pushed by an invisible force, slowly retreated to the corner of the barrier, curling up into a ball, no longer displaying its previous mischievous behavior.
There were neither scorch marks from the magic nor signs of excessive fright or mania; it achieved the effect of "repelling without harming."
A hint of approval flashed in Professor Flitwick's eyes. He raised his hand and removed the barrier, and the doll automatically floated back into the box on the corner of the table.
"Excellent!" He strode up to Draco, his delight undisguised.
"Precise control of magic, clear communication of intentions, and a perfect grasp of proportion."
"That's better than many third-graders! It seems you not only have talent, but you're also willing to put in the effort."
Professor Flitwick then turned and pulled a yellowed booklet from the bookshelf, handing it to Draco:
"This is Guide to Banishing Spirit Creatures I compiled when I was younger. It records techniques for adjusting spells for different spirits such as Peeves and House-elf. You can take a look."
" Professor McGonagall had you practice Transfiguration, which is the foundation, while defensive and banishing spells will give you an extra layer of protection both on the Quidditch field and in the castle."
As Draco took the booklet, the rough texture of the cover warmed his heart even more.
Draco carefully put the booklet away. "Thank you, Professor!"
Professor Flitwick waved his hand, his gentle smile returning to his face:
"Alright, the evaluation passed! You can go back and rest now. Don't overwork yourself—even geniuses need a balance between work and rest, don't they?"
Draco nodded, stood up, bowed to Professor Flitwick to thank him, and then turned and left the office.
Thinking about all the things that happened today, Draco couldn't help but smile.
Although busy, it made life at Hogwarts exceptionally fulfilling.