Bones chuckled. "Not exactly. I just wanted to see if you could even hold the orb in the first place. Most students your age either can't grasp it or end up breaking it by accident. But when you mentioned sensing the magic within, I adjusted the orbs a bit to test something."
"So, my reaction… is unusual?" Alex asked, beginning to grasp the significance.
"Yes, very," Bones replied with a small smile. "Your control over magic is impressive for your age—better than most older students. Even more impressive is your ability to sense magic itself. Have you heard of the term 'magic sensitivity'?"
Alex nodded. "Professor Flitwick mentioned it to me. He said my sensitivity to magic was unusually high, which is why he invited me into his magic club. I've been training it for a long time."
Bones nodded, though internally he was shocked. Magic sensitivity was typically considered an inborn trait, not something that could be trained. He made a mental note to discuss it with Flitwick later. For now, he returned to the lesson.
"Since you have strong control and sensitivity, you might be ready to learn advanced skills like silent and wandless casting," Bones said.
At that, Alex raised his hand toward the ink bottle on the table. Without a sound or even a whisper, he made it float, hovering gently between them.
Bones' eyes widened, his words catching in his throat. Alex had not only mastered silent casting but could also perform wandless magic, a rare skill even among adult wizards. Bones could barely contain his excitement, realizing that Alex was a truly gifted student.
"Alright, I see you're even more skilled in magic than I thought," Bones said, smiling as he opened his desk drawer and handed Alex two thick books. "These should help with your studies."
Alex looked at the covers: 49 Spells: Dismantling and Combining Formulas and The Complete Guide to Aggregate Runes. The first was packed with advanced theories on modifying spells, while the second was a foundational text on runes.
"Thank you, Professor," Alex said gratefully, holding the books as if they were treasures.
"With your abilities, theoretical books might not be enough to keep you challenged. Practical guidance would be better for you." Bones paused, then asked, "By the way, have you thought about which area of study you'd like to focus on—spellcasting or alchemy?"
Alex tilted his head, considering. "Is there a big difference?"
Bones smiled, relaxing. "Both fields are similar, but they differ too. Focusing on spells involves knowing how to develop, optimize, dismantle, translate, and cast them. Since you're already skilled with silent and wandless casting, that part will be easier for you. But if you create a new spell or modify an old one, you'll need to understand the language of spells." He continued, "For instance, my specialty lies in dismantling, restoring, and optimizing spells. Creating new spells is tough, but I have experience breaking down unfamiliar runes to figure out the spells within."
Alex remembered that Lily had told him Bones worked with ancient runes and had once restored an ancient rune spell, which had fascinated him.
Bones then explained alchemy. "Alchemy, on the other hand, is about spell development, enchantment, and material knowledge. It requires steady hands, a good sense of space, and patience—traits highly valued among alchemists."
"A sense of space?" Alex asked, curious.
"Some spells need to be engraved within complex, often curved objects. Even a tiny misalignment can make the spell fail—or worse. Many alchemists have seen their work explode because of small mistakes," Bones said, raising his eyebrows at the memory.
Alex nodded, beginning to understand. "I'm interested in both, but I've been leaning toward spell development. In the charm club, I'm actually working on a sound-based spell."
Bones' eyes lit up with curiosity. "A sound spell? Tell me more."
Sitting up straighter, Alex shared his idea. "I'm calling it an echolocation spell for now. It's inspired by how bats navigate. Bats send out ultrasonic waves that bounce back when they hit something, allowing the bat to sense its surroundings. I want to make a spell that works the same way."
Bones was intrigued but also a bit lost in the technical details.
Alex continued, "I noticed most sound-based spells use the 'control' rune as the base. It seems to be essential for sound spells. Why is that?"
Bones relaxed, glad to be back on familiar ground. "Good observation. The 'control' rune is essential because it's used for spells that need guidance and precision. Many common spells—like the Levitation Charm and Shield Charm—are based on control."
He went on, "Other spells, especially ones involving physical changes, use the 'change' rune. This rune handles transformations—like with the Shrinking Charm or Extension Charm. It's also key in Transfiguration spells."
"For spells that release elements, like Aguamenti or Incendio, the base rune is 'element,'" Bones explained. "The effect you want determines the base rune, and then you add other runes around it."
Alex thought this over, nodding. "So, if the spell doesn't change an object's shape, it uses 'control' as the base; if it changes shape, it uses 'change,' and if it's elemental, it uses 'element.' Are there more types?"
Bones smiled. "Yes, there are. Memory-related spells use the 'thought' rune, while darker magic, like the Unforgivable Curses, use 'soul' runes. Soul-based magic is highly complex and dangerous, which is why it's restricted."
With his questions answered, Alex returned to his spell idea. "So, I'm using 'control' as the base, but since the spell needs to send and then receive sound waves, I added 'sound,' 'emission,' 'induction,' and 'present' runes to create a positioning effect."
Bones raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "Show me how you've combined them."
Alex began arranging the runes on the table, carefully placing each one. Bones watched with growing respect, noting Alex's precision. Once it was set up, he examined the structure.
"Have you tried casting it?" Bones asked.
Alex nodded, looking slightly disappointed. "I tried, but it just made a buzzing sound without any feedback."
"What do you think went wrong?" Bones asked, encouraging Alex to reflect.
"I think it's because the frequency of the sound waves wasn't high enough to mimic ultrasonic waves," Alex replied, sharing his theory.
Bones nodded. "You're on the right track, but there's a small error here." He pointed to a part of Alex's rune setup.
"Is something wrong?" Alex asked, puzzled.
"Yes. Your spell sends out high-frequency waves and receives them, but what will you do with the feedback? How will you 'see' the information it gathers? Through sound or sight?"