A Professor of Magic at Hogwarts

Chapter 349: The End of Modern Magic?

Professor Felix Harp, with a tinge of disappointment, wasn't able to glean much information from Beauxbatons. In fact, he sensed a faint notion of alliance forming, and being both a professor at Hogwarts and a trustee at Beauxbatons, he seemed the most suitable intermediary.

However, rushing to join hands without even knowing the details of the competition was perhaps overthinking the situation.

He had no intention of getting involved.

If he had to choose between the two schools, there was no doubt he'd side with Hogwarts. Just as if you were to ask Nicolas Flamel the same question, his answer would certainly lean towards Beauxbatons.

Over the next few days, Felix stayed in the library at Beauxbatons, poring over fascinating materials to enrich his knowledge.

His greatest gain wasn't a specific spell, but rather a fresh perspective on knowledge itself.

Felix's greatest insight came not from a particular spell, but from a new way of looking at knowledge. It was as if he had discovered a different angle of perception.

Felix's early discovery in the alumni donation section of the library was quite revealing. Just like Hogwarts and Beauxbatons, these schools acquired new books every year to enhance their libraries. Yet, apart from this, they also accepted donations from their alumniprecious ancient texts and the academic achievements of renowned graduates.

For instance, Professor McGonagall's insights into transfiguration, Flitwick's charms research, Snape's potion formulationsall, if not bequeathed to specific heirs, would ultimately find their place at Hogwarts.

However, Felix noticed a subtle difference between Beauxbatons' collection on a particular spell and what he already knew. This wasn't just an individual's deviation; it was a systemic divergence.

This feeling couldn't be put into words, but it existed tangibly. It was like two compass needles, one slightly skewed to the left by 0.01 degrees and the other by 0.01 degrees to the right.

Between them lay Beauxbatons and Hogwarts.

...

On a deep, moonlit night, when the sky was as pure as a piece of black velvet, barely a few days after the full moon had passed.

In a makeshift office, Felix Harp laid out a piece of parchment, attempting to jot down a sudden burst of inspiration

"If you place a fine veil before your eyes, over time, it becomes unseen by natural sight. It doesn't impair your vision, yet it exists distinctly.

Using colors to represent the distinction, Hogwarts is transparent silver-white, while Beauxbatons is deep ocean bluethough it's not about colors, it's about how everything you see becomes tinged with that hue."

"Perhaps this is the difference in magical perception brought about by subtle cultural nuances. It doesn't affect spellcasting, yet..." He paused, pondering deeply.

Felix couldn't help but reflect if he was being too sensitive, but soon he found a way to test this theory.

The next day, he borrowed a stack of thick tomes from the Beauxbatons library.

He then used the Occlumency technique to temporarily block his understanding of the Ironclad Charm, including the humanoid Ironclad variant and all its derivative spells. He even sealed off all knowledge related to those spells. Afterward, he picked up one of the hefty books and started reading about the Ironclad Charm from the beginning.

This process was awkward; every time familiar magical knowledge surfaced, he'd block it out immediately, treating himself like a blank parchment, a novice wizard knowing nothing.

What he aimed to do was temporarily detach from his prior understanding of magic, the confines of experience, and relearn the Ironclad Charm from the very foundation, excluding any previous distractions.

He wasn't certain if this would be effective, but his intuition told him it was a promising way to experience magic.

He had attempted starting from the simplest Lumos spell, but regrettably, it had become second nature to him. He could block out tangible magical knowledge but not instinct.

After weighing his options, he settled on the Ironclad Charm. As one of the six-level spells he had mastered, it held tremendous potential. Unlike some simple spells, no matter how much he practiced them, their effects remained limited.

In less than an hour, he had regrasped the spell, a thin magical barrier appearing before him.

Felix couldn't help but jest at himself, "I've never cast such a feeble Ironclad Charm before, it could be broken with a snap." Yet, this was the level at which he had successfully cast it for the first time before enrolling at Beauxbatons.

It's just that the memory of that event was too distant.

"It's been a while since I felt this kind of exhilaration, hopefully, it will bring me a surprise. Next comes the process of familiarizing myself with the magic. Besides practicing extensively, there's also the analysis of the spell." Felix was adept at this process. He looked at the stack of books before him; all of them related to the Ironclad Charm.

He opened one of them, read its contents carefully, grasped its essence, adjusted his movements accordingly as described, paused for a moment, then continued to read, practice, and repeat.

Felix's understanding of the Ironclad Charm was progressing at an astonishing speed. The power of the spell was continuously strengthening. Soon, he reached the level of the second, third, and then even the fourth tier, and he gradually sensed something different.

The new version of the Ironclad Charm was taking on a deeper hue. It was no longer colorless and transparent; instead, it was a blend of rusty, dark red, and iron gray, with traces of scorching on the edges and a brass metallic sheen at protruding break points.

"What's going on here?" Felix felt puzzled for the first time.

Indeed, he was practicing based on Beauxbatons' library materials. Anyone capable of leaving insights in the library wouldn't possess meager skills. At the very least, they wouldn't casually make things up, offering incorrect answers.

He had a suspicion. In truth, after individuals learned magic, the outward manifestation of spells would differ subtly. However, these nuanced issues... in fact, no one cared about them. They were all attributed to normal phenomena.

Even if the same person cast the same spell, it couldn't be the same every time. To the vast majority of wizards, this was far from being a problem. If you pushed too hard for an answer, others would think you were obsessed.

Casting range, spell potency, flight speed, and the like would vary from person to person. These were common understandings in the magical world, things nobody would deeply ponder.

Felix foresaw possible differences, but he hadn't expected the disparity to be so significant when starting from the same point

The Ironclad Charm he learned at Hogwarts, raised to a level six spell, conjured a radiant golden half-suit of armor or even a shield. However, the Ironclad Charm he learned at Beauxbatons, when brought to around level four, resembled a corroded piece of scrap metal.

"It seems I've stumbled upon something remarkable." Felix's eyes gleamed with excitement. He decided to temporarily set aside his initial understanding of the Ironclad Charm and, in a short span, raise the Beauxbatons version of the spell to the level of a sixth-tier spell. He wanted to see the outcome.

He also had an intriguing idea

What if he combined the understanding of both level-six Ironclad Charms? Could that propel it to an entirely new level? And would that level be akin to what the four founders of Hogwarts achieved?

"Magical creatures, magical creatures..." He had never forgotten Lady Rowena Ravenclaw's words.

But how to achieve this was previously beyond him.

Now, he finally had a directionto amalgamate the understandings of the two Ironclad Charms. Perhaps, it could lead to the creation of a seventh-level spell. He wasn't certain, but it was worth a try.

The power of a seventh-level spell was secondary; Felix estimated it wouldn't surpass the ancient spells he had already mastered. However, this endeavor might offer him a glimpse into the true essence of the Ironclad Charm.

Yes, the true essence.

He had always been curiouswould modern magic eventually be constrained by numerous limitations? Or, to rephrase, was the culmination of modern magic the transformation of magic into a wizard's instinct, to be controlled with ease?

Just like he mentioned to the young wizards at the Magical Linguistics Club, "Perhaps we're merely reclaiming the instinct of spellcasting."

Just as he could easily produce a Lumos or an Aguamenti spell by thinking about it. There was no need for an incantation; it was a matter of simply 'wanting' the outcome. It was similar to how untrained young wizards, when faced with danger, could perform inexplicable feats through the sheer power of their emotions.

Yet, Felix's magical instincts were stronger; he didn't need to amplify his emotions.

He had once read a sentence in a book, "The magical eruptions of young wizards might not be overwhelmingly powerful, but each eruption is a splendid medley of complex magic. In that moment of magical flourish, they are gods who can do anything."

...

Mulling over things, Felix thought the reason the same spell had two different forms was likely because he had been in a state of partial blindness, only touching upon a fraction of true magic.

It was like two climbers starting from the same point but then choosing different paths, only to meet again at the summit, discovering more than one route to the top. Or perhaps, they met midway, collaborated, and together completed the final stretch.

He recorded these speculations, storing them in his Pensieve. For young wizards, these notions were utterly fanciful, on par with "The Little Wizard Mick's Adventures." Yet, for those devoted to magical theory, they were undoubtedly treasures.

On the eve of the new term, Felix bid farewell to Madame Maxim, promising to welcome the Beauxbatons students to Hogwarts in October. He made a detour to Diagon Alley to entrust the company affairs to Lupin, who reluctantly pulled out his wand before Felix returned to Hogwarts.

Back in his long-forgotten Ancient Runes office, Felix felt surprisingly at ease. From his pocket, he retrieved a silver pocket watch, and out came Snuffles, carrying a Merlin's Order of Distinction around its neck and holding an hourglass in its paws, eagerly surveying its surroundings. The message was clearCan I dig for treasure holes here?

Felix glanced at it, and suddenly, a feather quill on the table sprang up and transfigured into a small stool. Snuffles immediately straightened its posture and waved its paws, sighing.

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