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*****
The class that left everyone eager for more ended with the cheerful ringing of the bell. Even after the lesson, as the students left the classroom, they continued to happily handle their wands, pulling the triggers to release little glowing orbs from the tips.
Most young wizards struggled to maintain the stability of the light orbs for long. The fleeting light, akin to a shooting star streaking across the sky, was brief but brought them genuine joy.
After the class ended, Harry did not rush to leave. Instead, he approached Professor Flitwick and politely asked, "Professor Flitwick, may I take a bit more of your time?"
"Of course, my child. Do you have any remaining questions?"
Professor Flitwick, who was stepping on a staircase made of floating books, paused. As a Ravenclaw, he had a keen appreciation for inquisitive and knowledge-loving students, as wisdom and learning were core values of his house.
"It's about my wand," Harry said, pulling out his ebony and ivory wand. "My wand—the ebony one—is seemingly a standard wand with no significant differences from others. It's powerful but has a subtle limitation in casting intervals, just as you mentioned."
"But this ivory one," Harry showed his Glock 18C, "seems a bit unusual. I haven't found any information on this kind of special situation in the books. May I demonstrate it for you?"
Professor Flitwick examined the Glock 18C closely. However, the Glock series of guns looked very similar, making it difficult to distinguish specifics. Flitwick couldn't immediately identify anything unusual.
"We need a target, right?"
At Flitwick's words, the desks transformed into rows of standard shooting targets. In a magical context, such minor changes posed no problem; any damage was easily reversible, as long as the pieces were intact, they could be restored.
"Thank you, Professor," Harry said, and then calmly raised his hand. Initially, he had intended to use Lumos as a demonstration, but with targets now available, his curiosity got the better of him.
[Since that's the case, let's use this instead.]
Harry focused intently, surveying the targets before him. He took a deep breath, and his grip on the Glock steadied.
"Shatter!"
As he pulled the trigger, a beam of crimson light shot out. This spell was the most destructive one Harry had mastered so far, and he had refined its proficiency to its highest level during the holidays through intensive practice.
With a stable rate of three shots per second, Harry drew a horizontal line of fire, causing countless wooden splinters to scatter as the powerful bursts shattered the targets.
Professor Flitwick, who had been watching with a relaxed and curious expression, stood stunned, his mouth slightly agape. This was not due to a lack of familiarity with rapid-fire magic or because a first-year student could handle a fourth-year spell, but because of Harry's peculiar method of casting.
A wizard with a steel gun shouldn't be able to fire only one spell per trigger pull. Continuous fire definitely existed, but what Flitwick saw was a different kind of rapid fire.
'Is this a single magic spell being continuously cast without repetition?!' Flitwick's eyes widened as he stared in astonishment at Harry's unmovingly pulled trigger finger.
"This isn't right! This isn't magic!"
After Harry demolished the dozens of targets in front of him, reducing them to a heap of splinters, Professor Flitwick muttered to himself, rubbing his face.
"This isn't right; your wand is unusual."
Grabbing Harry's wrist, Professor Flitwick scrutinized the Glock 18C once more, but still, he couldn't identify anything special about it.
"Did Ollivander really sell you this wand?"
He fixed his gaze on Harry, "I'd rather hear that wand-making has made a new breakthrough."
"Yes, although Mr. Ollivander didn't charge me due to some small mishap, both the ivory and ebony wands came from Ollivander's shop."
"Ollivander told me these two wands are twin brothers, made from ebony and ivory, with the core being the Great Lord's heart tendon."
Harry honestly shared what he knew about his wands. He was quite curious about the Great Lord's heart tendon—or what exactly the Great Lord was. Although Ollivander had told him he'd learn more at Hogwarts, it still itched at his curiosity.
"Oh, I see," Flitwick seemed to relax a bit, though his face bore a trace of disappointment. It appeared that wand lore had not changed significantly, at least not enough to reveal a genuine continuous-casting spell.
"If you use that thing, anything bizarre could happen."
Flitwick chuckled awkwardly, shrugging in resignation. It was clear that this was an anomaly, and widespread acceptance in the wizarding world was unlikely.
"So, Professor, are you saying that my wand's behavior is actually related to the Great Lord's heart tendon?"
"Indeed," Flitwick confirmed readily, "since this element carries inherent unpredictability. While most outcomes are not favorable, any unusual effects that occur are considered normal."
"I once saw a fortunate wizard whose wand was fixed in a launcher form and could only cast magic once a week, but that single spell..."
"Have you ever seen a single explosion spell that could demolish a six-hundred-meter-high hill?" Professor Flitwick mused, his eyes reflecting a hint of nostalgia. "In that battle, he defeated hundreds of foes, creating a massive indentation in the battlefield. Even now, thinking about it is quite breathtaking."
Professor Flitwick seemed lost in reminiscence, smacking his lips and thoughtfully stroking his chin.
"Professor, could you tell me what exactly the Great Lord is?"
Harry finally voiced his long-standing curiosity. It was clear that Professor Flitwick was quite knowledgeable about the subject.
"Well, it's not exactly a secret," Professor Flitwick began, his tone becoming more serious. "At Hogwarts, you'll officially learn about it in your third year in the History of Magic course, which will explain everything in detail. But since you've asked, I can give you a brief overview."
Professor Flitwick adopted a more formal demeanor. "Extend your hand. We need to form a simple magical contract. Until you officially study this in third year, you mustn't disclose what you learn here to other students. It's a long-standing rule. Exceptions can be made, but only sparingly."
Harry nodded earnestly and extended his right hand. With a light shake, a simple magical contract was established. Unlike binding contracts that could lead to severe consequences, this one's breach would result in magical backlash equivalent to the combined magical energy of both parties involved. While this could be quite painful, it generally wouldn't be fatal.
After the contract was completed, Professor Flitwick proceeded without further hesitation. The subject was too well-known to be kept from students entirely; it was simply a matter of protecting their innocence during their younger years.
"The Great Lord is actually a term used to describe a certain class of beings," Professor Flitwick explained. "Thousands of years ago, the magical world fought a relentless enemy. We have many names for it—Abyss, Underworld, Hell, Shadow Realm, and so on. Different regions of wizards use different names for it. This enemy's primary tools of combat against the magical world are the Demon Kin, which we in Europe refer to as the Demons."
"Just as light and dark are inseparable, magical creatures in our world and the Demons are two sides of the same coin. We are in constant conflict, each striving to annihilate the other, though achieving this is incredibly difficult."
"The core of your wand, the Great Lord's heart tendon, is actually the essence of a Demon Lord who was slain. Unlike us, Demons do not merely use magic—they consume it. If they were not alive, Demons would be the best magical material in existence."
"You heard correctly." Seeing the hint of shock on Harry's face, Professor Flitwick nodded. "They are indeed the finest magical materials. Demons, by consuming magic, forge their bodies into exceptional magical substances. The essence left behind after their death possesses extraordinary properties."
Professor Flitwick gently tapped Harry's wand. "Cherish it. A wand is an extension of a wizard's being and will be a lifelong companion."
"Well, Professor Flitwick," Harry said, still processing the astonishing information, "what about the ebony wand?"
Harry held up the black M1911 in his left hand. "Since these two wands are twin brothers and both use the Great Lord's heart tendon, what about its abilities?"
Compared to the distinctive Glock 18, the seemingly ordinary M1911 appeared quite mundane. While it was indeed a well-crafted and comfortable wand, its effects seemed to pale in comparison to the ivory wand.
The ebony wood did amplify spell power, though this enhancement came with significant drawbacks—such as a one-second casting interval and nearly doubled spell consumption per use. With these limitations, the amplification effect seemed less impressive.
Consider this: when Harry became proficient with spells and could cast at a rate of ten spells per second, would the modest increase in strength from the ebony wood be sufficient? With the ivory wand casting nearly twenty spells in the same time, the quantity clearly overshadowed the quality.
"What's special about this wand?" Professor Flitwick asked, raising an eyebrow as he examined the M1911. The gun's design wasn't rare—perhaps one in every hundred wizards had one. Although high in commonality, it still suggested a level of competence.
High versatility does not equate to ordinariness; rather, it indicates a certain degree of excellence, though within normal parameters. True outliers are rare.
For example, Flitwick's M500, despite its significant flaws, had an astonishing enhancement effect on spells. Even in its unadorned state, it surpassed many wands with decorative skins.
The M1911, however, did not seem to be an outlier.
"Give it a try, Mr. Potter. Perhaps its uniqueness lies in something less obvious."
Harry believed that if the two wands were indeed twin brothers, there shouldn't be a disparity with one being ordinary and the other exceptional. Such an imbalance was contrary to the principles of wand lore. The Ollivander family, renowned for their expertise in wand-making, wouldn't produce such flawed products.
With a simple wave of his hand, Professor Flitwick restored the classroom's wreckage to its original state. The targets reappeared before Harry. This time, he set aside the striking ivory wand and grasped the unassuming ebony wand.
"Shatter!"
As the trigger was pulled, the red spell burst forth once again. Compared to the crisp magical explosions of the ivory wand, the ebony wand's sound was deep and resonant—a low rumble rather than the sharp 'pop-pop-pop' of rapid fire.
The spell's impact on the target was nearly double in strength. Rather than merely splintering into small pieces, the wooden target exploded into a cloud of splinters, embodying the very essence of the spell's name. Collecting the debris would yield a handful of coarse, large wood dust.
"To cast a second spell, it requires an interval of about one second," Harry said, pulling the trigger again and shattering another target.
"It seems there isn't much remarkable about it," Professor Flitwick observed, noting the effects with a more discerning eye. "Though the results are decent, they don't quite break the norm. What about the magical consumption?"
"It's roughly double that of the ivory wand," Harry explained. "However, the ivory wand seems to compromise its power for the sake of rapid casting, so its consumption is lower. This is my guess. The ebony wood's consumption should be about one and a half times that of normal casting, with power close to but not quite double."
"Excellent observation. How did you come to this comparison?" Professor Flitwick looked at Harry with admiration. For a first-year student, such an assessment was impressively astute.
"There's a standard spell that quantifies certain magical effects. I tested it over the holidays and made some comparisons. Though not perfectly precise, it should be close."
"Which spell did you use?" Professor Flitwick asked, curious.
"Fossilize into Mud," Harry said with a grin. "I found it in 'Standard Spells: Level 3'. It has a standard strength that turns a three-foot cube of stone into mud. I used this standard for testing."
"Clever approach. A spell with a tangible quantification standard is indeed very fitting."
"Unfortunately, since this was an experiment done over the break, I can't award you any house points for it," Professor Flitwick said with a playful shrug. Among the Hogwarts professors, Flitwick was arguably the most lively, his demeanor seeming younger than his contemporaries like Professor McGonagall. Perhaps his fairy blood contributed to a longer life and a more youthful outlook?
"That's too bad, but I'm sure if I work hard, you won't be stingy with the points, Professor," Harry said with a smile.
"Every bit of effort and intelligence deserves recognition," Professor Flitwick agreed. "Let's continue experimenting. We might uncover more."
The testing resumed with a monotonous rhythm, as Harry quickly dismantled various targets conjured by Professor Flitwick, using a one-second interval between spells. While Flitwick was a master of dueling and spellcasting, his Transfiguration skills were also quite advanced, though he admitted they didn't quite match Professor McGonagall's level.
The unfortunate targets—mostly desks—were subjected to all sorts of destruction, varying in form, position, and manner of demise. Yet, no significant breakthrough emerged.
Then, Professor Flitwick cast the Shield Charm on the targets, giving them a noticeable boost. "Try again, Harry. Use the new target."
With renewed interest, Professor Flitwick applied the Shield Charm again. This time, the shield was visibly more solid, transforming from a faint, transparent barrier into a defined protective contour.
"Shatter!"
Harry intoned the spell once more, and the red burst of energy hit the target, reducing it to splinters.
"Try again! Try again!" Professor Flitwick's excitement was palpable as he conjured increasingly robust shields. The final shield, on the far right, was almost a tangible entity, its protective layer appearing nearly physical.
"It seems we've discovered the ebony wood's little secret," Professor Flitwick said, gesturing for Harry to continue testing. The targets were rapidly disintegrated under the Crushing Spell's force. Before Harry could finish all the targets, a realization dawned on Professor Flitwick.
"Harry, it looks like the ebony wood has an enhanced ability to penetrate through reinforced protections," Professor Flitwick said thoughtfully. "While its power and consumption might not surpass the ivory wand in raw numbers, its effectiveness against heavily shielded targets is significant. This might explain its less flashy but crucial role in spellcasting."
Harry nodded, understanding the importance of this newfound knowledge. The ebony wand's ability to overcome magical defenses added a valuable dimension to its utility, showcasing that even seemingly ordinary objects could hold hidden strengths.
"Continue with each target," Professor Flitwick instructed.
"But from the fifth to last target onwards, I can't shatter them anymore," Harry protested.
"Doesn't matter, keep going."
"Alright."
A few seconds later, Harry, who had been casting spells rapidly, rubbed his sore arms.
"Professor, is the ebony wood's effect essentially armor-piercing?"
"It might seem that way, but the effect is different," Professor Flitwick replied, having moved back to the top of his pile of books. He levitated the remaining five unshattered targets in front of him.
"Look here, this surprising outcome. While armor-piercing or magical penetration is indeed a rare attribute, the ebony wood's effect and principle are completely different."
"At first, when you shattered the first target, I thought that might be the case. But subsequent tests disproved that conclusion."
"Firstly, while armor-piercing properties are rare, they aren't extraordinary, certainly not comparable to the rapid-fire properties of your ivory wand. Since the ebony wood and ivory wand are twins, they should each have roughly equal special attributes."
"Look at this final target, Harry."
Professor Flitwick directed Harry's attention to the last target, which had a noticeable bulge, roughly the size of a ping-pong ball, within the shield. This bulge was located about one-fifth of the way through the thickness of the shield. The Crushing Spell hadn't shattered the shield but had created an internal cavity.
"It's not about magical penetration; it's about magical penetration through the shield."
Professor Flitwick was emphatic. "Any protective spell weaker than the ebony wood's penetration strength cannot stop the spells cast from it."
"Before, it wasn't that you first broke through the shield and then shattered the target. Rather, the Crushing Spell penetrated through the shield and destroyed both the shield and the target simultaneously."
"Not just armor-piercing, but a step further—penetration?" Harry asked, incredulous. This attribute seemed to rival the ivory wand's rapid-fire capability.
"It's about ignoring protective magic of a certain strength. Remember, it's 'ignoring,'" Professor Flitwick clarified.
"The ebony wood doesn't consume power when penetrating through a certain level of protection. It doesn't reduce the protection's effectiveness. It simply ignores it until it reaches the threshold where it can interact with the protection. This is a crucial distinction."
"Is this important?" Harry was puzzled by Professor Flitwick's insistence.
"It's crucial," Professor Flitwick said solemnly. "Because it could mean that you might accidentally harm a classmate."
"..." Harry stared at Professor Flitwick in disbelief. "Are you saying I might become a Hogwarts executioner if I'm not careful?"
"Indeed," Professor Flitwick nodded without hesitation. "If you're not cautious, it's an inevitable consequence."
"Why?" Harry was completely bewildered.
"What is Hogwarts' full name?" Professor Flitwick asked, looking intently at Harry.
"Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry," Harry answered.
"Exactly. Hogwarts was founded with the purpose of training competent warriors and soldiers!"
Professor Flitwick's declaration shocked Harry.
"Not every graduate will meet this standard, but the intent remains unchanged."
"Hogwarts trains talent, but we also cultivate soldiers for the battlefield!"
"Practical combat is an inevitable part of education. Every competent soldier is forged through countless spells. During the seven years of study, if a student doesn't cast spells thousands of times, Hogwarts will not award a diploma."
"A wizard who doesn't frequently use or master magic is not a true member of the magical world."
"Things were different in the past, but now..." Professor Flitwick paused and waved his hand, his mood darkening slightly.
"After the first semester of your first year, once you've completed the basic spell lessons, you'll begin practical combat training. At any time, anywhere within Hogwarts, temporary battlefields can be created."
"A giant magical array covering the entire school will provide a magical barrier. The strength of this barrier is calculated based on the wizard's total magical power and corresponding level tests. You can think of it as a health bar. Once the barrier is breached, the defeated will be magically transported to a separate location for punishment."
"And the ebony wood's magical penetration..." Professor Flitwick's expression grew troubled. "Only the top students in the sixth or seventh years might have barriers strong enough to withstand its penetration."
Harry, now deeply contemplative, realized the gravity of the situation. This new insight into the ebony wood's properties highlighted a potential risk if not handled with utmost care. The powerful but potentially dangerous attributes of his wand added a new layer of responsibility to his magical education.
"If you use it in combat, it's essentially cheating," Professor Flitwick said.
"And if we hadn't discovered this today, a single Crushing Spell or any other destructive spell from you might have been enough to make an unfortunate student's rescue unnecessary."
"A one-and-a-half times power boost is already considerable, and anyone who can withstand such a blow with their body is at least not a pure-blood human."
"If it were armor-piercing, it would be acceptable because penetration would be monitored by the magical barrier. The worst that could happen is minor injuries, which is within acceptable limits. After all, some spells naturally have magical penetration or penetration effects."
"But with your ability to completely ignore a certain level of magical defense, without even consuming magic power, the magical barrier can't detect it at all. Magic has its limits, and the inability to detect means that even if I wanted to optimize the magical barrier, I wouldn't know where to start."
Professor Flitwick spread his hands helplessly. At least for now, he couldn't think of a way to counter this seemingly unscrupulous effect.
"Well, maybe I just won't use the ebony wood in combat," Harry said, realizing how problematic the effect was. Although cheating was tempting, he had no real interest in using it.
"But that wouldn't be fair to you. Combat should be fought with full effort, otherwise, the practical training we implement would lose its original effect."
Professor Flitwick looked troubled. If an excellent warrior couldn't go all out, what was the point of such training? To him, Harry was a fantastic prospect. The shooting test had already shown that Harry had surpassed the level of a first-year student. Although his spell knowledge was still limited and his theory was extremely lacking, his precision was remarkable. He never saw Harry aiming when casting spells; it was all done instinctively. While he might not hit the head every time, hitting the target's chest and abdomen was always accurate.
This natural talent for spellcasting was extremely rare, especially in combat.
"I'll try to find a solution," Professor Flitwick sighed, acknowledging the troublesome nature of the problem.
"Actually, I've already got an advantage, Professor Flitwick. I still have the ivory wand," Harry said nonchalantly. Even if the ebony wood was impractical, he had an excellent backup, and it was quite powerful.
"No one else can perform rapid-fire spells, but I can. That's already quite unfair to others."
"Why do you think spells can't be cast in rapid succession?" Professor Flitwick asked, slightly surprised. Considering it was Harry's first day, his lack of understanding was normal.
"Spells can indeed be cast rapidly. However, continuous casting of a single spell, like you're doing, is a bit unusual. Simply put, each spell has an inherent casting cooldown period. The more powerful the spell, the longer the cooldown. Although this time can be reduced, it cannot reach the level you're achieving."
"But this inherent cooldown is independent, meaning there's no conflict between different spells' cooldowns."
"Therefore, there's an important technique in spellcrafting that everyone needs to learn."
Professor Flitwick transformed his wand into a submachine gun shape, resembling a mini Uzi.
Harry was stunned. "Wait, the magazine can actually be removed?! Are those 9mm galleons, silver sickles, and bronze knuts supposed to be real bullets?"
Harry rubbed his eyes in disbelief as Professor Flitwick removed the magazine. However, instead of bullets, the magazine contained blue crystal casings, matching the wand's material but without bullet tips.
"Since spells don't share inherent cooldowns, to enhance a wizard's combat effectiveness, early spell scholars developed a new casting method called 'spell grouping.' This involves arranging different spells in a specific sequence and activating them all at once."
"By combining different spells, a wizard not only greatly increases their casting speed but also significantly boosts the destructive power through the interactions between spells."
"For example, a Cutting Spell followed by a Crushing Spell: a single Cutting Spell can cut ten centimeters into rock, and a Crushing Spell can shatter ten centimeters of stone. When used in sequence, the same rock will be blasted into at least a twenty-five-centimeter-deep crater."
"This is a rough combination, but the effect is noticeably enhanced."
"To achieve this, our wands require an additional attachment, a magazine or cartridge."
"But don't worry about acquiring them. When you enter your second year and start learning spell grouping, the school will provide them for you. They will integrate perfectly with your wands."
"And this is what spell grouping can achieve."
Professor Flitwick created a row of scattered targets and, without looking, pressed the trigger. In an instant, dozens of spells were unleashed from the mini-Uzi's barrel, showering the targets with a spectrum of magical light. All targets were hit, none missed.
"On a standard duel field of fifty meters," Professor Flitwick said proudly, blowing on the barrel, "few wizards can withstand my spell grouping."
A faint smile appeared, and Professor Flitwick radiated a dazzling aura of invincibility.
"Professor! I want to learn this!" Harry exclaimed without hesitation.
"Want to learn? Good."
Professor Flitwick, his mood lightened, descended the floating book stairs.
"I'll teach you."
"Come to my office this weekend. My duel club welcomes you."
He nodded at Harry with a smile. "I'm glad to have you join, Harry Potter."
"Thank you, Professor Flitwick! Thank you!"
As Harry joyfully bid farewell, Professor Flitwick left the classroom, his smile widening as he punched the air in excitement.
"Champions of the dueling competition for the next seven years! Hogwarts will win!"
Flitwick strode back to his office, his joy apparent, while Harry felt equally thrilled.
"This world is truly magnificent!"
"Indeed."
Though only a glimpse, the dazzling colors of the magical world had already been revealed to Harry, enchanting and mesmerizing.
(End of Chapter)