Inside, after a brief inquiry, Director Henry took out a deck of cards and placed it on the table. "I presume you two already know how to use magic? Please demonstrate it first; feel free to use your skills."
Hermione glanced at Draco, Draco gestured for her to go first. Hermione understood, drew her wand, and chanted, " Accio!"
The entire deck of cards on the table rose up with a sound and Accio straight towards Hermione, who used her wand to keep it suspended in mid-air. Draco, following Hermione's lead, tapped his wand, and the cards emerged from their shells.
Pulled by an unseen force, the playing cards rose into the air once more, one after another, heart and spade intertwining to form wings, diamonds forming claws, and clubs adorning the tail feathers. Moments later, manipulated by Transfiguration, a playing card bird hovered in mid-air.
Of course, this was within the examiners' expectations. After receiving Draco's application, the professors had already guessed that the two children could use magic, but that was not the kind of student the school wanted.
The female examiner on the left said to them, "Your magical skills are solid, which we greatly appreciate. However, our school does not admit students who wield wands."
"Wands are merely tools; what we aim to cultivate are individuals who can wield magic without relying on any tools. So now, please refrain from using your wand and demonstrate once more."
After the female examiner finished speaking, Director Henry added:
"I imagine this is difficult for you. After all, you've been using wands since you enrolled, and you've developed a dependence on them. But that's the school's requirement, and I hope you understand."
Hermione turned to look at Draco, a hint of hesitation in her eyes.
Draco pretended to put his arm around Hermione's shoulder.
He then explained to her the logic of Wandless Magic:
"No need to chant spells, no need to rely on a wand. Lock onto the target with your mind, find the magic within, and push it outwards directly. The magic is already within us; the wand is merely a channel for guiding it."
The examiners were quite surprised that a wizard who always used a wand to cast spells could explain the secrets of Wandless Magic. But surprise is one thing, saying it and doing it are two different things. The result would depend on whether they could truly step out of the comfort zone of using a wand.
Hermione listened and nodded seriously. She took a deep breath and was about to try it when a strange feeling suddenly surged up. This feeling was very familiar. The familiar magic in her body was no longer bound by the narrow channel of the wand, but flowed smoothly like a stream flowing into the sea.
She seems to... learn it instantly.
Hermione opened her eyes abruptly, looking at Draco in shock. Draco winked at her and gave her a sly smile.
Hermione paused for a moment, then understood, and a knowing smile curved her lips. She put her wand into her sleeve, placed her palm against the floating card owl, and gently pushed it forward.
" Depulso."
With a thought, the playing card eagle owl changed direction, glided across half the room, and landed lightly in the center of the examiner's table.
The examiners were truly stunned.
I just heard Draco explain the secret to Hermione with my own ears, which means Hermione didn't know how to Wandless Magic beforehand.
But she only listened once, and within seconds, she executed it flawlessly. How could that not be astonishing?
The five examiners exchanged glances, each reading the same thing in the other's eyes: astonishment at Hermione's incredible talent.
The male examiner, seated on the far left and wearing a bow tie, leaned forward and asked incredulously, " Miss Granger, may I ask... were you really unable to Wandless Magic before?"
Hermione nodded readily. "Yes, sir. I've never tried this before. This was my first time."
After those words were spoken, the examiners' expressions became even more interesting. They had seen talented young wizards before, but this was the first time they had ever seen one so extraordinary.
The male examiner shook his head, finally unable to suppress a sigh of admiration. " Miss Granger, your talent is truly..."
"Amazing."
The female examiner who raised the issue also said, "I think we should at least give both of you an additional basic test."
"Now it seems," she closed the notebook in her hand,
"It seems unnecessary."
The examiners exchanged glances again. Without saying a word, they all agreed that Hermione had passed the interview.
"Next, it's Mr. Malfoy's turn."
Draco nodded, pointed his right index finger at the paper owl on the table, and the paper owl turned its head back towards him.
Then Draco pointed his index finger upwards and drew a circle in the air.
The air beneath the paper owl's feet began to swirl, the airflow gradually expanding into a small whirlwind that lifted the paper owl up, and it climbed upwards along a spiral trajectory.
The changing suits of playing cards are like colorful ribbons.
The paper owl rose to eye level with the examiners before stopping, no longer ascending, but simply spinning in place.
The examiners were once again stunned by Draco's move.
This time, however, their reaction was not as strong as when facing Hermione. After all, someone who could so clearly understand the secrets of Wandless Magic must have extraordinary abilities, so it was understandable that they would have such strength. But even so, this exquisite control over wind and form still made the examiners secretly startled.
Director Henry couldn't resist touching the paper owl, but just as his hand approached the edge of the whirlwind, he felt a swirling current suddenly grab his fingers, and his hand was even pulled to the side by the current.
Director Henry smiled. At that moment, Draco stopped, the whirlwind suddenly dissipated, and the card animals, no longer supported, floated down and landed in Henry's outstretched palm.
Henry held the playing card eagle owl, examining it from all angles, then looked at Draco and the other man with a mixture of surprise and delight.
Finally, Director Henry turned to look at the two professors on his right.
He asked, "What do you think?"
The male examiner, wearing a bow tie, first commented, " Miss Granger possesses an exceptionally remarkable comprehension; she grasps concepts instantly."
"What's even more remarkable is that she remained calm and composed while casting the spell, without any sign of panic. Such talent is extremely rare, appearing only once in a century."
The female examiner next to him commented on Draco, " Mr. Malfoy's control over magic is extremely refined, especially his mastery of airflow, which is approaching the level of a mature wandless wizard."
The examiner to Henry's left also agreed, saying, "Not only that, his understanding of theory far surpasses that of his peers. His ability to teach others instantly shows that he has truly mastered it."
The white-haired professor on the far right stroked his beard and concluded, "The two cooperated seamlessly and trusted each other. This is an extremely rare quality in the study of magic."
"Well then," Henry stood up and solemnly announced after the professors finished their evaluations, "I hereby declare you both to have passed the interview."
Draco and Hermione exchanged a smile, then bowed to the examiners in thanks. After thanking them, Draco reiterated their purpose. "Headmaster, professors, we are students from Hogwarts. We have come to your esteemed school to study magic for two months. After that, we will return to our classes."