Alex shook his head gently.
The academic material he'd put together wasn't really meant for underage wizards from the start.
It was almost the same stuff adult Aurors had to learn, so younger students didn't need to dive too deep into the theory.
After all, who really understands tactical formations and crossfire at that age?
"Huh?" Hermione frowned in frustration when she heard that.
She had spent time the night before going over the textbook for today's class.
Even though she didn't fully grasp all the technical terms, she had memorized a lot.
But before she could say more, Alex shifted the topic.
"Speaking of theory, there's one thing I should make clear right away. Gryffindor and Slytherin had a charms class this morning, and Professor Flitwick must have already told you about the Levitation Charm."
"Yes, Professor! Flitwick said our main goal this month is to master that spell. But since we just learned it today, only a few of us have managed to cast it successfully," Harry nodded, realizing this was his first real conversation with Mr. Wilson.
Alex nodded thoughtfully.
He had asked Flitwick to move the Levitation Charm lesson forward.
Though the spells taught each year were mostly the same, the order often depended on Flitwick's mood.
"So, has anyone here learned the Levitation Charm yet?" Alex asked with a smile, scanning the room.
Hermione immediately shot her hand up high, worried that if she raised it slowly, Alex might not notice.
It turned out she didn't need to worry; no one else raised their hand.
Some students had managed the spell in previous classes, but none had consistent success.
Ron, sitting next to Hermione, rolled his eyes.
"Why's she gotta be so showy?"
"Very good! Five points to Gryffindor," Alex said with a smile, clearly pleased.
Then he pulled out a small metal ball from his pocket.
"You all know what this is, right?" he asked.
"That's... a sensory ball! It's on the list of required supplies we had to buy when we enrolled!" someone answered.
Maybe it was the extra points from earlier, but Hermione immediately jumped in, eager to answer.
"That's right! Here, Miss Granger, try using the Levitation Charm on this."
Alex tossed the induction ball gently into the air, and it hovered right in front of her.
"Wingardium Leviosa!"
True to her reputation as the top student at Lion Academy, Hermione's movements were precise and controlled.
She quickly took charge of the ball as she cast the spell.
The other young wizards from the surrounding four colleges watched quietly, completely puzzled by Alex's plan.
"How's it feel?" Alex asked with a smile, looking at Hermione. "Can you tell the difference between casting a spell on this induction ball and casting it on a feather, like in charm class?"
Hermione floated the ball above her head but frowned.
"This induction ball... why is it so hard to control? It feels kind of... slippery."
After a moment, she settled on the right word.
"You've got a good sense for this," Alex said, nodding. "This sensory ball is a special training tool. It has an irregular displacement device inside."
"So when you cast a spell on it, it's really tricky to keep steady. What you need to do is practice controlling it after you learn the levitation spell, and try to keep it floating as long as you can."
"That way, you're training your magical perception and control while constantly channeling your magic."
Hermione tried to hold the ball up for nearly a minute, but it finally slipped and dropped.
Just before it hit the ground, a sudden suction pulled it back, and it flew right into Alex's hand.
"So this is a way to train magic perception and control? Does that mean this kind of practice can actually improve magical sensitivity, like intelligence?" Hermione asked, a little frustrated she couldn't hold on longer but quick to catch on.
"That's exactly right, Miss Granger," Alex confirmed with a nod. "This training does boost intelligence, that's the whole point."
"Then besides sticking to your morning exercises every day, you should learn the levitation spell as soon as possible."
"The sooner you learn this basic spell, the sooner you can start boosting your magical intelligence!" Alex announced.
The young wizards around him immediately began chatting excitedly.
They had all been eager to find ways to improve their magical sensitivity, and they hadn't expected Alex to share this secret in their very first lesson.
"Yes, this is the foundational method for training your magical awareness," Alex explained, tossing a glowing induction ball gently in his hand. "But don't think it's as simple as it sounds."
He shifted the topic to something more serious.
"To really increase your sensitivity to magic, it's not enough to just cast a spell on the induction ball. The key technique is something called 'destructive mental compensation.'"
"Destructive mental compensation?" they repeated, eyebrows furrowed.
Alex nodded.
"Put simply, it means pushing your magic and spirit to their limits when casting a spell, using so much power that you completely overdraw and can barely hold on. After your magic recovers, you'll instinctively feel your spirit growing stronger. This effect is most noticeable when you first start practicing. Just casually casting a spell for a minute or two won't have much impact."
He compared it to physical exercise.
"Think of it like strength training, when you work out hard, your muscle fibers get tiny tears, and then as they heal, your muscles grow stronger. Training your magic works the same way. The key is to overload yourself, but not too much, or you risk injury. Finding the right balance is the most important part of this training."
He continued, "Once you've mastered the floating spell, we'll do a full sensitivity training session together so I can help you find your limits before you start practicing on your own."
"And perseverance is crucial," Alex added. "I recommend training for a short session before bed each day. That way, it won't interfere with your other activities. After"
"All in all, it's not easy to push your magic that far."
He clearly outlined the training methods and precautions while offering practical advice on how to build good habits.
"So, if we all learn the floating spell in the next class, can we start this kind of training?" Neville asked eagerly, his eyes shining with anticipation.
Because his intelligence was quite low, he was especially eager to improve it.
"If you can master it in the next class, then there really won't be any problem," he said confidently.
After speaking, he turned to glance at Hermione, who was sitting in the front row.
"But to reach that goal, I suggest you ask the students who have already learned it first."
Hermione immediately realized Alex was referring to her and raised her head with a proud smile, which made Ron roll his eyes in mild frustration.
Harry, whose intelligence had reached a??? level, asked eagerly, "You just said this is a basic training method. Does that mean there are more advanced ones?"
He knew his biggest advantage was his higher intelligence, so he was keen to develop it even further.
"Exactly," Alex replied with a slight smile, holding up the induction ball in his hand.
"After practicing magic power overdraft for a while, you'll notice your control over magic improving bit by bit. You'll find it easier to handle the induction ball, and before long, you might even manage to cast spells for an extended time. By this stage, everyone's levitation spell should be around level two or three. When that happens, you can try casting without your wands, controlling the induction ball purely through your own magical sense."
As Alex spoke, he tossed the ball lightly, and it floated silently above his palm.
"Once you get to this level, you can try more advanced tricks."
The induction ball danced around his fingers, zipping back and forth with an agility that made it seem almost alive.
"If you're still feeling comfortable at this point, try holding your spellcasting for longer periods," Alex continued.
He tossed the metal ball over his head, and it hovered quietly above his forehead.
"Casting spells continuously helps train your magical sensitivity. When you can keep a single induction ball balanced there all day without getting tired, try adding two or three more. There are many ways to play with the induction ball, you'll discover your own methods as you go."
Ron glanced enviously at the ball in the professor's hand.
"So this little ball can do all that?" he said, feeling a little down since he hadn't even mastered the Levitation Curse yet.
He shot a quick look at Hermione, wondering if he should ask for her advice.
Curious, Hermione asked, "Professor, did you use this method to train yourself too?"
Alex chuckled warmly.
"You could say that.
As the one who developed this training method, I practice it myself all the time."