Shouting erupted from around the corner. James hurried toward the sound along with several other curious students.
The corridor near Filch's office was filled with brown smoke and an absolutely horrific stench. A group of Slytherin students stood in the middle of it, covered in what appeared to be dung, gagging and cursing. Filch himself was emerging from his office, his face purple with rage.
"WHO DID THIS?" he bellowed. "WHO SET OFF DUNGBOMBS IN FRONT OF MY OFFICE?"
No one answered, though several students were fighting to contain laughter.
"I'LL FIND OUT!" Filch continued raving. "I'LL CATCH THEM! AND WHEN I DO, THEY'LL BE SORRY THEY WERE EVER BORN!"
The Slytherins were attempting to clean themselves with varying degrees of success. The smell was overwhelming, and students began backing away, covering their noses.
James caught a glimpse of red hair disappearing around a far corner. The Weasley twins, no doubt, are celebrating the end of the first day of classes with their trademark chaos.
Despite his intention to remain uninvolved with pranks and mischief, James couldn't help but smile. The twins' timing had been perfect, and their target selection impeccable. Filch was notorious for his hatred of students, and the Slytherins had apparently been the collateral damage. It certainly was a double win for the Weasley twins, considering their love for the members of Slytherin.
The smile faded quickly as James remembered where he was supposed to be.
Professor Flitwick's office.
He turned and hurried through the castle, navigating by a combination of memory and asking portraits for directions. Flitwick's office was near the Charms classroom, a small but comfortable space with a door that bore a bronze plaque reading: Professor F. Flitwick, Charms Master and Head of Ravenclaw House.
James knocked.
"Come in!" came the cheerful voice.
He entered to find Flitwick's office was exactly what he'd expected: books everywhere, magical instruments on every surface, papers stacked in precarious piles, and the tiny professor sitting behind an oversized desk on a cushioned chair that had been elevated with additional pillows.
"Ah, Mr. Acton! Punctual. Excellent. Come in, come in. Have a seat."
James sat in the chair across from Flitwick's desk.
"Now then," Flitwick said, his expression growing more serious though no less kind. "You said you've practiced all the spells in the first-year textbook. That's quite an accomplishment for someone with no magical family. Tell me, how did you manage it?"
James had prepared for this question. "I have an eidetic memory, sir. Once I read the instructions for a spell, I can recall them perfectly. And once I perform a spell successfully, I can remember exactly how the magic felt, which makes it easier to replicate."
"Eidetic memory?" Flitwick's eyes widened. "My dear boy, that's extraordinarily rare. No wonder you've progressed so quickly. Though I should note that perfect memory alone doesn't guarantee magical success. You clearly have natural talent as well."
"Thank you, sir."
"Well then, let's see what you can do, shall we? Stand up, if you would. Let's start with the basics and work our way up."
For the next hour, Flitwick put James through his paces. Simple charms first, then progressively more complex ones. Lumos and Nox. Wingardium Leviosa, making various objects float around the office. Alohomora on a locked drawer. Reparo on a broken quill. Incendio to light the fireplace. Aguamenti to fill a cup with water.
James performed each spell smoothly, efficiently, his wandwork precise and his incantations clear.
Flitwick watched with growing amazement. "Remarkable. Truly remarkable. Your control is excellent, far beyond what I'd expect from a first-year student. You're performing at a third-year level, at least."
"I practiced a lot, sir."
"Clearly!" Flitwick beamed. "Well, Mr. Acton, I think it's safe to say you don't need to sit through basic Charms lessons covering material you've already mastered. Here's what I propose: continue attending classes. But I'll provide you with more advanced texts to study during class time. When and if we reach material you haven't yet covered, rejoin the lesson. Does that sound reasonable?"
"Very reasonable, sir. Thank you."
"Excellent! Now, I'll need to test you as we go through the year to ensure you're actually learning and not just coasting."
"Yes, sir."
Flitwick hopped down from his chair and retrieved several books from his shelves. "Start with these. Second and third-year material. When you've mastered those, come back, and I'll give you fourth-year texts." He kept quiet, not informing Flitwick that he had already gone through these books and remembered everything in them.
Since he has already shared his eidetic memory, it would be easy enough for anyone to understand that he has already gone through all seven years of course material.
He just needs to ensure that he is able to cast every single spell in these books easily. But he'll give it some time, gradually reveal the extent of his constantly increasing knowledge and abilities. He doesn't want to be tested out of any class before the third year. He plans on getting a time turner in his third year.
James accepted the books along with copies of Intermediate Charms, Advanced Wand Movements, and The Theory of Charm Integration.
"One more thing," Flitwick said, his expression growing more serious. "Your talent is a gift, Mr. Acton. Use it wisely. Don't use it to make others feel inferior, and never, ever use magic to harm others unless you have absolutely no choice. Understood?"
"Understood, sir."
"Good boy. Now, off with you. It's nearly dinner time, and you shouldn't miss meals. Growing boys need nutrition!"
James left Flitwick's office with his new books and a feeling of deep satisfaction. His first day at Hogwarts had gone better than he'd hoped. He'd demonstrated his abilities without being too flashy, earned house points without drawing excessive attention, and secured guidance from a charm expert that would hopefully keep him challenged.
The castle was quieter now, with most students at dinner. The corridors echoed with distant laughter and conversation, but the immediate area around Flitwick's office was relatively peaceful. James made his way through the winding passages and past portraits that called out greetings or offered unsolicited advice about shortcuts.