章節 74: Chapter -73 Because this is Science.
Chapter -73.
Can you believe it? Halloween was just around the corner!
Thanks to the fantastic success of "Dragonlance Chronicles," Dursley was feeling pretty good about his finances for now. But he still had a little adventure ahead—he needed to head into the Forbidden Forest. Dursley had already explored that magical place at least twenty times and had even started mapping out where all the different magical plants and creatures were. There were some truly rare materials there that you just couldn't find anywhere else.
Take the venom from the eight-eyed giant spider, for example. Not only is it super pricey—one pint costs a whopping one hundred galleons—but you can only get it from the Forbidden Forest. It's a hot commodity, but also a bit tricky to obtain.
Why? Well, those eight-eyed giant spiders are no joke! An ordinary wizard might handle one, but if you spot one, chances are there's a whole bunch nearby. They're carnivorous, really smart, and quite aggressive, plus they reproduce like crazy. Their eggs are classified as Class A non-trade goods, and as of now, there's no way to tame them in the wizarding world.
They're definitely a dangerous bunch!
But the Forbidden Forest is crawling with them—almost everywhere you look!
When Dursley and his training group returned to the castle, they were greeted by the mouthwatering smell of roasted pumpkin wafting through the halls.
Oh, that roasted pumpkin aroma was simply delightful, especially the ones grown by Hagrid. They were not only huge but also sweeter than anything you'd find in the shops.
If you had to sum it up, you could just say it was all about "color and artistry."
Wizards celebrate Halloween too, but in their own unique way—there's no trick-or-treating here!
Dudley overheard some little wizards chatting about how Dumbledore had invited a skeleton band, and it sounded like a fun celebration was in the works.
This was Dudley's first holiday at Hogwarts, and it would have been perfect if it weren't for Charms class.
You see, Dudley had once faked a "Levitation Charm" using the "Lumos" spell, and ever since then, Professor Flitwick had been keeping a close eye on him, convinced Dudley had a real knack for charms.
He had even suggested more than once that Dudley should be transferred to Ravenclaw, but that idea was shot down.
So, Professor Flitwick focused on Dudley's charm skills in every class.
"Today's Charms lesson is all about making objects fly," Professor Flitwick announced, giving his wand a little wave. "Levitation Charm! This spell is super handy; it can save you a lot of effort."
With a flick of his wand, everything on the podium—textbooks, quills, you name it—started to float!
After showing them how it's done, Professor Flitwick let the little wizards give it a try, but unfortunately, they all struggled.
Dudley didn't even attempt it; he just stared at the feather, deep in thought.
"One wave, one shake—remember that! And don't forget to pronounce the spell correctly. Just ask Wizard Baruffio, who mixed up his 'f' and 's' and ended up with a buffalo on his chest!"
Pronunciation is super important, especially for young wizards just starting out.
"Wingardium Leviosa!"
Professor Flitwick recited the spell again, and the feather floated gently into the air as he spoke.
For the little wizards, the Levitation Charm was quite a challenge and one of the trickiest spells for first-years.
Many of them struggled, some even accidentally setting their hats on fire!
And then there was Hermione, who had a habit of being a bit too blunt.
Without hesitation, she scolded the little wizard in her group—the one who almost set Harry's hat ablaze.
Seamus.
"Your pronunciation, your gestures, everything is all wrong!"
"You can't cast the spell like that!"
"Since you're so good at talking, why don't you give it a shot?!"
Seamus, used to being in a group with Neville, shot back angrily.
"Wingardium Leviosa!"
And guess who was the first to get it right? Yep, Hermione!
With a graceful flick of her wand, the feather on the desk wobbled and then floated up.
"Perfect! Gryffindor gets a point!" Professor Flitwick cheered, pointing at the feather in the air.
In that moment, Dudley saw his chance while Professor Flitwick was busy admiring Hermione's work. He slowly took off his scarf and started rubbing the feather on the desk like crazy until it stuck, then grabbed his wand and rubbed it with the scarf too until he heard a faint 'crackling' sound.
His scarf was made of wool.
Then, he confidently said, "Wingardium Leviosa!"
He mimicked Hermione perfectly, right down to the movements.
Okay, we can overlook Dudley's rather hefty build.
That feather actually floated up!
"Oh my gosh!"
Professor Flitwick exclaimed, pointing at Dudley.
"Look, Dursley did even better! I think he's really got the hang of the Levitation Charm. Just a little higher, and he'll have it mastered!"
"It's hard to believe a little wizard could nail it on the first try!"
Seeing Professor Flitwick's excitement made Dudley wonder if he might faint from all the enthusiasm.
"Slytherin gets two points!"
He easily racked up those points.
Dudley shrugged; it all felt so casual.
The little Slytherins nodded to each other, thinking, 'Of course, Mr. Dursley can handle Malfoy, chat with Carlo, and master the Levitation Charm so effortlessly.'
So, the big question is: Can Dudley really perform the Levitation Charm?
The answer is...
Not a chance.
He didn't know the spell at all.
But he could make the feather 'fly' up.
It was super easy; even without knowing any magic, he could do it.
Because this is science!
The trick was in that wool scarf; Dudley rubbed the feather with it, causing the scarf to lose electrons and become positively charged, while the feather gained electrons and became negatively charged, making it stick to the desk.
When he rubbed the wand with the scarf, the wand also became negatively charged, and that 'crackling' sound was just the result of the positive and negative charges neutralizing each other.
The feather and the wand repelled each other because they had the same charge, creating an upward force that made the feather float.
It looked just like the Levitation Charm was working!
In reality, it was just a simple physical phenomenon.
Or what you might call the static electricity octopus phenomenon.
Dudley looked around at the little wizards who were admiring him, feeling a bit sorry for those poor kids who were missing out on the science behind it all.
He might not know magic, but he sure understood science!
"Dudley, you're amazing!"
Only Hermione looked at him with a hint of amusement.
She clearly recognized Dudley's little trick but didn't spill the beans.
Let's not forget, Hermione was a top student at her school, and a simple physical phenomenon was nothing she couldn't handle!
****
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