บท 28: Chapter 28: Lighting Charm
Kyle didn't know much about Cho Chang, Cedric's future girlfriend and Harry Potter's unattainable crush, besides the fact that she was in Ravenclaw. But now, there was something new he could add to that: she was helpful.
After all, not every Ravenclaw would go out of their way to help others; many preferred to immerse themselves in their own thoughts, often revolving around schoolwork or intellectual pursuits. That didn't mean they were indifferent—they just tended to be more reserved. If someone asked them for help, they would usually oblige, but they rarely took the initiative.
Cho Chang was chatting with her friends nearby, so Kyle simply glanced at her and then looked away.
"It's only the first class, and we barely made it," Mikel groaned, clutching his hair in frustration. "What are we going to do for the rest of the year? We can't leave an hour early for every lesson! If this keeps up, I'm bound to be late one day."
"Don't worry, the professors at Hogwarts won't expel you for being late," Kyle reassured him, giving him a comforting pat on the shoulder. "At most, they'll just deduct some house points. Speaking of which, I've got something that might help you out."
"Something good?" Mikel and Ryan leaned in with curious expressions.
Kyle pulled out the map Cedric had given him and spread it across the table. "You can thank Cedric for this. Without it, you'd have been lost for much longer."
Mikel was still trying to figure out what it was, but Ryan, whose father was a wizard, immediately recognized it. "A map of Hogwarts?" he gasped. "Where did you get this? Can I make a copy? I swear I'll return it after class."
"Of course, we're roommates!" Kyle grinned, then turned to Mikel. "What about you? Want to copy it too?"
Mikel was tempted, but after some thought, he shook his head. This was his first time in the magical world, and he didn't want to miss any opportunity to learn, especially during an important class like Charms.
"Can I wait until after class to copy it?" Mikel asked.
"Sure," Kyle nodded, tapping his wand lightly on the map. "Geminio."
In an instant, a perfect duplicate of the map appeared beside the original. Kyle picked up the copy, gave it a quick once-over, and then handed it to Mikel.
"Here you go. The magic on this should last about a week, so you can copy it whenever you're ready."
Mikel took the map with a puzzled look, then glanced over at Ryan, who appeared equally confused. Ryan shifted awkwardly, glancing between Kyle and the duplicated parchment, his face growing warm. He was about to say something when a voice interrupted them from the front of the room.
"Nice Doubling Charm, Hufflepuff. Five points!"
Kyle jumped in surprise and looked up, his eyes locking on Cho Chang across the table. She was smiling slightly, but it wasn't her who had spoken. Upon closer inspection, Kyle realized there was someone standing right in front of him. The person was so short that they had been completely hidden behind the table.
"Thank you for your praise, Professor Flitwick," Kyle replied with a polite nod.
Flitwick smiled warmly. "I'm just being honest. Mr. Chopper, is that your name?"
Kyle nodded again. "Yes, Professor."
"Well, it seems my memory hasn't failed me yet," Flitwick chuckled, then turned his attention to Mikel. "May I take a look at that map?"
Mikel, initially unsure of who the small wizard was, quickly realized after hearing Kyle's address. He handed over the map with both hands, stammering slightly. "Yes… yes, Professor."
"Thank you." Flitwick took the map and examined it carefully, sensing the magic within. After a moment, he handed it back to Mikel with a satisfied nod. "Ah, the magic is stable. If nothing unusual happens, this copy should last until noon in about eight days."
He winked at Kyle before adding with a slightly regretful tone, "If the end-of-term exam was on the Doubling Charm, I would have given you an Outstanding. But for now, I can only award Hufflepuff three more points."
"Professor!" A young Ravenclaw witch raised her hand, looking curious. "Can't objects created with the Doubling Charm exist permanently?"
"No, Miss Mittal," Flitwick replied. "If that were possible, we wouldn't need so much parchment in Muggle stores. Copies made with the Doubling Charm eventually fade."
"And Dumbledore can't make permanent copies either?" another witch asked.
Flitwick shook his head. "Not even the headmaster can make them last forever. Even if the copies could last a hundred years, they would still eventually disappear."
"Now, that's enough about the Doubling Charm," he said, clapping his hands to refocus the class. "It's a bit advanced for you at this stage. Let's begin today's lesson."
Turning to the class, Flitwick addressed the room. "Today, we'll be learning one of the most basic and essential charms—the Lighting Charm. The incantation is Lumos. Everyone, pay close attention…"
Kyle wasn't surprised that their first lesson in Charms involved the Lighting Charm. It was considered one of the simplest and most fundamental spells in the wizarding world. There were no complex hand movements involved—just a wand, the correct incantation, and focus.
Historically, the Lighting Charm was even used to differentiate wizards from Squibs due to its simplicity and near-perfect success rate. If a person couldn't perform this charm, they likely weren't a wizard at all.
After demonstrating the casting process, Professor Flitwick encouraged the young wizards to try it for themselves. The room soon flickered with lights of various brightness as students attempted the spell.
Kyle wasn't the first to succeed, but when his wand lit up, the glow was steady and consistent. The light resembled a soft, steady electric bulb, shining with a calm, white glow. Unfortunately, there were no extra points for this, as Kyle wasn't alone in mastering the charm—seven Ravenclaw students across the room had also managed to produce stable lights with their wands.
Hufflepuff wasn't far behind, though. They had six successful wizards, making the competition between the two houses fairly close.
"Don't forget what I said earlier—stay calm," Flitwick reminded the class in his high-pitched voice. "You must remain steady, just like when holding something fragile. And remember, pronunciation is crucial! Don't mispronounce the incantation."
With the professor's encouragement, more students began producing steady, glowing lights with their wands.
Kyle glanced over at his two roommates—Mikel and Ryan were still struggling to get their wands to light up properly.
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