By the time Ivan entered the classroom, the bell had rung and the sixth year students were already seated, their eyes fixed on him.
"Good morning, everyone!" Ivan walked straight to the front of the stage, looked at the audience, and spoke with a relaxed expression. "Although we are all familiar with each other, it is customary to introduce myself first. I am your new Professor of Magical Studies and Practicals…"
A Hufflepuff wizard suddenly raised his hand and asked curiously, "What are you going to teach us in this class? Professor…Hales, we haven't received any new textbooks either!"
"That's a good question!" Ivan said slowly. "Since this class is new this year, there are no textbooks available, which means you'd better take out your notebooks and write down all the important information in my class."
However, most of the students did not react, and only Hermione and a few other studious girls brought out quills and parchment.
Ivan took all this in and then added lightly, "I'm sure this knowledge will come in handy for the exams!"
As soon as he finished speaking, there was a sparse noise in the classroom. All the young wizards immediately placed their notebooks on the table. This concerned this year's final exam, and no one dared to neglect it.
"As for what will be taught in this class, it will be divided, as its name suggests, into practical exercises and magical theory studies," Ivan explained.
"I'm sure you've all read the Daily Prophet for the past two years, and know that the wizarding world is not a peaceful place these days. In fact, there was an attack on Hogwarts at the end of the school year… so I hope you'll all take this class seriously and be able to protect yourselves better in times of danger."
Neville, Ron, and the others shuddered when they heard this. They had been present during Grindelwald's attack on Hogwarts that day and were still haunted by it.
"Well, if you have no further questions, we will begin the lesson now!" Ivan said abruptly, looking around the room, scanning the faces of the students. "Does anyone know the exact steps to casting a spell?"
Below the stage, a fair arm immediately rose up, faster than anyone's!
"Hermione, you answer that!" Yvonne laughed.
"It's wands and spells and gestures!" Hermione shouted back.
Yvonne gave a non-committal nod, but then pressed on. "So what do you think is the most important thing?"
The little witch was completely stunned. She frowned and thought for a long time, but she could not come up with an answer.
"I think it's a wand … if a wizard disarms his or her wand in a duel, he or she will never be able to perform magic again!" cried Hannah Abbott, raising her hand.
"Really? You really think so?" Yvonne glanced at Hannah and placed her hand on the lectern.
The next moment, under everyone's gaze, the one-meter-tall desk melted and transformed. In just a few seconds, an exquisite lion statue appeared in the classroom.
It was only then that Ivan spoke up. "Obviously you are not quite right, Miss Hannah Abbott. As you can see, I did not hold my wand, but managed to perform a Transfiguration!"
Hannah's eyes widened in shock as she stared at the statue of the lion. It was the first time she had ever seen anyone cast a spell with their bare hands.
Harry, Neville, Malfoy, and the others were equally surprised, but Hermione remained calm, as she had seen Ivan's wandless spell-casting skills before.
"Could it be a spell? Wizards can't cast magic properly if they say the wrong spell…" Ron said uncertainly.
However, before Ivan could reply, Hermione interrupted. "No, there are many wizards who can do it without a spell, so a spell is certainly not the most important!"
"That can't be a spell-casting gesture, can it?" Ron muttered in confusion. Ivan didn't even need a wand to cast a spell, let alone change his gestures!
There was a quiet discussion among the students, but no one could give a definite answer, so they all looked at Ivan, waiting for his answer.
"It's very simple. It shows that wands, spells, and gestures are not the key to the spell!" Ivan revealed the answer directly.
The students opened their mouths to retort. They had come to Hogwarts to learn the spells and gestures necessary to cast magic, and now Ivan was telling them that none of them really mattered?
This was hard for them to accept, but Ivan had just performed a non-jinx and non-cannon spell in front of everyone, proving his words true.
"So what's the key to our magic?" Harry asked, raising his hand.
Instead of answering directly, Ivan asked, "Harry! Do you remember how you made a piece of glass disappear in the zoo before you came to Hogwarts? You didn't have a wand in your hand, let alone any spells."
Harry was momentarily caught off guard by Ivan's question, and eventually replied haltingly, "I…I don't know…I was just trying to free the snake…"
Harry suddenly realised something and looked at Ivan, asking urgently, "Is it because I was desperate to save it that the glass disappeared?"
"Yes, a strong will triggers the magic and causes you to unknowingly release it!" Ivan explained, presumably to the audience. "I'm sure you all had similar experiences during your first magic bursts!"
"When I was eight years old, I was chased by a dog, and an explosion of magic turned it into a parrot…" began a Ravenclaw girl.
The other young wizards also self-destructed, experiencing their first magical outburst and realising that they had inadvertently cast a wandless spell.
"Which means we don't have to buy charms, let alone learn how to change them and gesture, so why are we being taught these at school?" Hannah was confused.
Ivan laughed and replied, "Of course it makes sense. The steps of the spell will make it easier to cast and will make your spells more accurate!"