Outside in the corridor, bullet-like raindrops had been pounding for days on end.
Minerva McGonagall picked up on a hint of hostility, but she couldn't quite pin down where it was coming from.
Her stern face flickered with a touch of confusion before she zeroed in on the half-exposed vial peeking from under those billowing robes—a Pepperup Potion, the go-to for wizarding colds.
Something clicked for her, and she stepped aside just a bit.
Snape, following her gaze, knew she'd spotted it. His face stayed blank as he brushed past Professor McGonagall. "I told you—I'll handle it."
His wide black robes swirled as he strode urgently toward the Great Hall, all elegance mixed with haste.
The young wizards along the way—who'd been goofing around or staring out at the rain—shrank back and cleared a path.
…
In the Great Hall.
Justin steadied Sean as he helped him along.
Hermione had just stepped into the hall, too rushed to even grab a bite, leading the way while chewing them both out indiscriminately: "Merlin's beard! It's so hot—Sean! When it comes to pushing yourself, you're really something else…", "And another idiot who needs a sick kid to tell him what to do!", "Professor Snape's right, you two should be hung on the wall!" All while muttering self-reproach under her breath, "…It's my fault too. I should've noticed sooner—his face looked off yesterday…"
Justin's usually mild face was hard to read, but he murmured a quiet "Yeah."
They reached the entrance soon enough.
Heavy footsteps echoed, and a black-robed figure approached slowly. Justin looked up and realized it was Professor Snape.
No fear or nerves from Justin—he and Hermione shifted right together, heads down, ready to slip past.
But the shadow loomed over them again.
"Hand him over."
The icy voice cut through.
Justin looked up, instinctively stepping right once more. His mind was stuck on "hospital wing," looping endlessly—he couldn't even process what the professor said.
"He needs to go to the hospital wing, Professor Snape."
Hermione didn't hold back.
"Hmph—clever Miss Granger,"
Snape's sneer made the nearby group of young wizards shiver.
"Then you should know what wizards take for a cold in the hospital wing…"
His face darkened completely as he spoke, noticing the supported young wizard wasn't registering a thing.
Sean's green eyes stared blankly, half-open, his lips trembling with each foggy breath.
"Give it to him. Now! Right now!"
Snape suddenly roared.
A vial dropped into Hermione's hand.
She blinked in surprise, eyes wide, then wasted no second getting Sean to down it.
Pepperup Potion worked fast—smoke started billowing from Sean's ears, just like the steam rising from the Hogwarts Express.
At the same time, clarity crept back. He saw the little McGonagall in front of him turn into big Hermione, and something like a giant black bat fluttering away.
Oh yeah, the big black bat had dropped a vial of Pepperup Potion.
…
In the practice room.
Sean, feeling a bit better, nervously opened the door from inside.
Amid the owl's odd tone—"Filius, it's you again, for Ravenclaw's sake, get in quick—" a short professor with a beaming smile stepped through.
"So glad—Mr. Green, you look much improved—"
Professor Flitwick hopped naturally onto the oak desk. The room's squirrels scattered out the window at his arrival.
"But my dear Mr. Green, sometimes rest is key to bigger strides. Are you sure you want to learn now?"
Sean pondered for a few seconds, recalling the description from The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection:
[I recommend young wizards master at least these spells to tackle the darkest parts of magic.
Green Sparks;
Red Sparks;
Knockback Jinx;
Smokescreen Spell;
Lumos.]
Of these practical ones, he only had the Smokescreen Spell and Knockback Jinx left to learn.
His Defense Against the Dark Arts notes covered the theory fine, but the practical spells were a gap.
These two were the final pieces.
Two days until Friday—he had to grind them to beginner level. So he nodded firmly.
Professor Flitwick sighed like he'd seen it coming, then perked up with enthusiasm: "Alright, Mr. Green, I won't go easy on you—especially not on a gifted kid like you—"
…
The Smokescreen Spell: a classic defensive charm for wizards. It blasts out a cloud of smoke to block sightlines, super handy in duels since it messes with the opponent's aim.
Garrick Ollivander was a pro at it.
Sean realized this smoke… felt kinda subjective, like it bent to the caster's will.
"Fumos!"
[You've practiced the Smokescreen Spell at beginner level. Proficiency +3]
Sean's wand flicked, and dark, all-obscuring smoke swirled around him.
Yeah, all-obscuring.
When he needed it, the smoke didn't just block views—no sounds escaped, and even light got swallowed up.
Way more versatile than Sean expected, kinda like Lumos.
Lumos shows up in Defense Against the Dark Arts texts, which seems odd at first, but the book explains: beyond lighting, it repels ghosts and spectral foes, like the Gytrash—a dog-like dark creature with a forked tail, pale skin and fur, fast and dangerous.
These beasts roam Britain's forests, including Hogwarts' Forbidden Forest.
Sean suddenly remembered a line from Miranda Goshawk in Standard Book of Spells, Grade 1:
[When wizards need it, spells appear. Those that seem useless have saved lives in magical history.
So, I earnestly remind every spell learner: No spell is useless—only wizards who misuse them.]
When Professor Flitwick left satisfied, Sean still had an ice pack on his head. Low energy did mess with spellwork. After one afternoon, he'd barely unlocked the Smokescreen Spell, and—
[Proficiency]
[Smokescreen Spell: Apprentice Level (150/300)]
A bit more effort, and he'd hit beginner by evening.
Friday, Friday…
Sean had been looking forward to that payoff.
In his stubborn grind, time flew to Thursday morning.
After his illness, Justin and Hermione kept a closer eye on Sean.
And soon, they spotted something pretty obvious.
---
(Note: All spells referenced, like Fumos (Smokescreen Spell), Green Sparks (Verdimillious), Red Sparks (Vermillious), Knockback Jinx (Flipendo), and the Gytrash creature, align with canon from J.K. Rowling's works, video games, and extended lore like The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection. Let me know if you'd like the next part!)The Smokescreen Spell