Chapter 91: Charms Learning Plan
Sunday.
Hidden Classroom.
Sean heard the distant chime of the Hogwarts clock tower. He automatically closed his notebook and picked up his Nimbus 2000. It was time. The Flight Test. Although his flying skill had reached 'Adept' – joining his 'Expert' Levitation Charm and 'Adept' Transfiguration as his highest proficiencies – a knot of nervousness tightened in his stomach. He only had one chance.
It felt like a long time since he'd arrived at Hogwarts. He had made tangible progress in every subject. Adept Transfiguration, one Expert and five Novice Charms, plus the General Counter-Spell (Finite Incantatem) he was currently learning. To be safe, he planned to grind Finite straight to Expert level. As for longer-term goals like the Shield Charm (Protego) or the Disillusionment Charm, he doubted Professor Flitwick would teach those to a first-year yet. Besides, his Charms title was still only Novice. He needed to get three more spells to Expert level to unlock the next title, which would undoubtedly accelerate his learning of more difficult magic.
Transfiguration, his strongest suit, wasn't far from the Expert threshold either. He quickly checked his Panel:
[Name: Sean Green]
[Status: Wizard]
[Titles: Charms Novice, Transfiguration Adept]
[Proficiency]
[Levitation Charm: Expert (200/9000)]
[Wand-Lighting Charm: Novice (600/900)]
... [Other Novice/Apprentice Charms listed]
[Next Tier: Charms Adept (Requires six Adept-level or three Expert-level Charms)]
Three Expert Charms? Besides Finite, he needed one more. He considered for a moment. Transfiguration covered his offensive needs. Finite would provide defence. Perhaps something for concealment, like the Disillusionment Charm?
He scrolled down, having neglected to check his full stats recently.
[Transfiguration: Adept (6100/9000)]
[Next Tier: Transfiguration Expert (Requires Expert-level Transfiguration)]
[Wizarding Talent]
[Potions: Green (Average)]
[Herbology: Green (Average)]
[Charms: Blue (Rare)]
[Transfiguration: Violet (Epic)]
[Dark Arts: Gold (Legendary)]
[Flying: Gold (Legendary)]
It was a world away from where he'd started.
Sunday afternoon. The weather was bright but cold.
Sean carried his Nimbus 2000 towards the changing rooms. He still only had his school robes for warmth. Inside, Harry and the rest of the Gryffindor Quidditch team were changing into their scarlet robes. Sean heard a familiar voice clear his throat.
It was Oliver Wood. "Alright, men."
"And women," Angelina Johnson interjected pointedly.
"And women," Wood agreed. "This is it."
"The big one," someone else echoed – Fred Weasley, Sean realized, peering through a gap in the changing room curtain.
"The moment we've all been waiting for," George Weasley finished.
"We know Oliver's speech by heart," Fred whispered to a bewildered-looking Harry.
"We were on the team last year," George added.
"Shut up, you two," Wood snapped. "This is the best team Gryffindor's had in years. We're going to train hard, right? For our best chance!" He glared at them all fiercely.
"We know, Oliver," Fred said, dropping his voice as Wood turned away, still whispering to Harry. "You're the best Seeker we've had in ages."
"No one's better," George agreed.
"And you've got the new Nimbus 2000! Merlin, only one in the whole school," Fred added, eyeing Harry's broom with envy, making Harry blush.
"Right! Now, study those plays!" Wood commanded. "As soon as that first-year's flight test is over, it's our turn!"
Hearing them, Sean quickened his pace.
Madam Hooch was waiting for him on the pitch. She held up a dark red, leather-bound ball. "The test is simple, Green. Catch the Quaffles, dodge the Bludgers. You have fifteen minutes. Catch three Quaffles and avoid all Bludgers, and you pass." She stated the rules briskly, then surveyed Sean, her tone softening slightly. "Don't worry about actually getting hit; I'll be watching closely. But if I do have to intervene, you fail! Right then, Mr. Green! What are you waiting for? Mount your broom and do a couple of warm-up laps!"
Suppressing his nerves, Sean swung his leg over the Nimbus, a thrill running through him. The moment his feet left the ground, a calm focus descended. He circled the pitch twice, then executed a few sharp turns around the goalposts to get a feel for the new broom.
As he flew, two figures appeared furtively in the stands above.
"Justin, are you sure this is the right time?" Hermione whispered, scanning the empty pitch below. Apart from two distant figures zipping around, there was no one else there – the pitch hadn't been cleared yet.
"I see Sean!" Justin exclaimed loudly.
Hermione looked skeptically in the direction he pointed. All she saw was a blur – moving too fast to identify. Justin handed her a pair of Omnioculars. This time, she saw Sean's face clearly.
"How could you possibly see him? Never mind, do you have another pair of those…?" Before she could finish, Justin produced a second pair of Omnioculars with a flourish. "Of course! Mother always plans ahead."
"Alright, Mr. Green!" Madam Hooch called out, waving him over. "Eyes open now! Releasing the Bludger! Just like we practiced – avoid it!"
Sean watched as she tossed a heavy, black ball high into the air. It immediately shot towards him like a cannonball.
Bludgers were enchanted balls used in Quidditch, programmed to indiscriminately attack the nearest player. Originally, they were made of stone, but this had a major drawback: fifteenth-century Beaters, using magically reinforced bats, often shattered them, showering the pitch and spectators with dangerous rock fragments. As the magical artifact expert Agatha Chubb wrote: "They are Bludgers, not Blunderbusses." Left unchecked, they would relentlessly pursue the closest player, hence the role of Beaters – to deflect the Bludgers away from their own team.
Sean, however, had no Beaters.
(End of Chapter)
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