These little imps weren't controlled by Tver—truly, they weren't. He had only infused them with magic and the classroom's instructional parameters while reinforcing their link to their hosts.
In truth, the imps functioned much like Horcruxes, peering into the students' innermost worries and voicing them aloud. It was meant to help guide the students in their lessons. After all, good advice tends to sting.
Under the imps' "harsh (cold), honest (heated), and encouraging (biting)" remarks, the students gradually began correcting their mistakes, aligning themselves with classroom standards.
They were upperclassmen, after all. Hitting a stationary target shouldn't be harder than hitting a troll—so naturally, within half an hour, everyone could accurately strike their snowballs.
But soon, a new problem arose—The magic contained within the snowballs couldn't hold for long!
Some spells lasted only moments before vanishing completely, while others exploded before their casters' shocked eyes.
"You're the most talented young wizard I've ever seen," an imp said in mock admiration.
"It's nothing," the student replied with a modest wave, half proud and half shy.
"Absolutely. You can't maintain a single stable stream of magic. When it comes to being hopeless, no one surpasses you!"
This time, the imps' sarcasm alone wasn't enough to push the young wizards toward improvement. Sustaining magical output was something none of them had ever truly practiced before.
For them, magic meant gathering energy, chanting an incantation, making the proper gestures, and releasing it all at once. They'd never even considered maintaining control afterward.
Who continuously casts like a laser beam, holding a spell steady?
So, Tver had to intervene.
He waved his wand over their heads, reclaiming control of the imps' range and channeling his voice through them.
"This technique isn't new to you," he called out clearly. "It's similar to the Levitation Charm—continuous and steady control."
"But this time, you're controlling magical energy itself. Don't rush it. First, sense the flow of your magic. Once you can feel it, then try to regulate it."
After instilling this new lesson into the imps, Tver cut off the connection, leaving the students to explore the technique on their own.
He had underestimated it—communicating with over a hundred souls at once drained far more mental energy than he'd imagined. And given that he hadn't rested properly for the past two days, continuing like this would have had him collapsing into the snow for a nap.
That was the nature of advanced lessons, after all. The key was self-discovery. If it could be learned step by step, it would've been printed in a textbook long ago.
After Tver's guidance ended, the students' faces turned crimson as they strained to wrestle with their own magic.
To the spectators outside the barrier, though, it looked more like they were… struggling to pass gas—and failing at it.
"What are they even doing?" Cho Chang asked, glancing helplessly at Cedric.
Caught off guard by the sudden attention, Cedric stiffened, unsure what to do with his hands or feet.
"I… I don't know either. The professor never taught us this," he stammered, his face turning as red as the students inside.
Then, from the edge of the group, an excited voice piped up.
"I know!"
Everyone turned toward the sound—and saw an unexpected figure.
"Longbottom?" Malfoy, who had been lurking nearby, chuckled. "I suppose you'd know how to turn red like them, huh?"
The crowd burst into laughter, teasing eyes all turning toward Neville.
His round face flushed an even deeper red. The excitement faded from his expression, replaced by embarrassment and timidness. He let out a small "Um…" and looked down.
"Leave him alone, Neville. He's just another coward," Harry said, stepping forward to glare at Malfoy.
Neville: [・_・?]
Harry's words were… oddly phrased, but remembering Professor Fawley's encouragement, Neville gathered his courage.
Lowering his head slightly, he whispered, "Professor taught me this. He said it's an uncommon technique, but many advanced spells require sustained magical output—especially higher-level Transfiguration."
"Unlike basic Transfiguration, some advanced spells remain in a constant state of transformation."
"To reach that level, you need to maintain a steady flow of magic. The more balanced it is, the more stable the spell becomes."
"Can you actually do it?" Harry asked, surprised.
"Do I look like someone who could?" Neville replied, sounding surprisingly confident. "I've only learned how to keep the magic flowing. In the professor's words—'Even pouring water, I'm steadier than your magic output!'"
Inside the barrier, one of the little imps seemed to pick up on Neville's words and immediately launched into another round of encouragement.
Of course, by now, the students had heard enough of such remarks to develop some resistance.
"If your magic output were as single-minded as your brain, you could pull it off in three seconds flat," the imp sneered.
The young wizard, however, returned a gentle smile.
"My apologies, but the single-track in my brain is broken. I'd better stick to something else—like your incessant chatter~"
This technique, as Neville had said, was indeed essential for becoming powerful—not something easily mastered. Therefore, Tver didn't demand much from his students; he only required them to sustain a single spell within the snowball.
Besides, the Shield Charm within the snowball would also help them balance their magic to some extent.
"Professor, did I succeed?!" Percy exclaimed joyfully.
But his excitement caused the magic within the snowball to dissipate again.
Tver glanced over. "Well done. In a formal class, I'd award you extra credit. But next, you must ensure consistency—complete it as quickly and flawlessly as possible."
Soon, not just Percy, but many top students and those with exceptional talent mastered the technique. They even took the initiative to guide their classmates, especially when it came to those they fancied—their attention was almost excessive, bordering on holding hands to teach.
Progress varied among the students, but by the hour before dinner, everyone had mastered it.
Tver was pleased with the pace, or rather, he was somewhat surprised by the students' enthusiasm for helping each other. With Christmas approaching, how many new couples might emerge?
"Excellent work. Honestly, I'd be satisfied if half of you succeeded."
"Now that's settled, the next step is simpler: cast the Levitation Charm on your snowballs. No need for further explanation, right?"
The students burst into proud chuckles.
However, Tver still needed to seal the snowballs for them, as the students couldn't yet cast two spells simultaneously. He manipulated the nearby snowdrift, causing small snowballs to fly out. After supplementing each one, he let them land on the ground for the students to work with.
"Go ahead. This should be your first encounter with advanced magical application, so pay close attention. Even using the Levitation Charm will feel different."
"But be mindful—these snowballs contain a spell within them, so handle them with utmost care."
The students froze in unison.
Just levitating a snowball? How was that advanced?
Frankly, they felt a bit disappointed. What they were doing now seemed far from the flashy applications the professor had described.
But within a minute, their disappointment vanished into thin air.
It wasn't just floating a snowball!
The moment they cast the Levitation Charm, they sensed something unusual. It felt incredibly light—almost weightless. Many accidentally sent their snowballs soaring skyward.
It wasn't just the weight; the sensation from the Levitation Charm itself felt different. It felt like two spells had fused together, creating an entirely new magic.
And they had created it themselves!
They looked at Tver in astonished delight. The sheer sense of accomplishment left them speechless with excitement.
Tver returned their gaze with a smile. He remembered feeling exactly the same way when he'd first mastered the Protego Diabolica spell under his own teacher's guidance.
Speaking of teachers... Christmas break was approaching. Why not go back for a visit?
His heart already yearned for the reunion with his teacher. How he longed to see that look of surprise on his teacher's perpetually proud and confident face.
"I hope you all gained something from this lesson," Tver said to his students with a beaming smile. "But remember, there was an offensive spell inside that snowball?"
"So, for the next hour, we're going to have a snowball fight!"