Chapter 26 - Charms
Lunch ended with the usual rush of first-years scraping benches and hurrying out of the Great Hall. I walked with Jack, Corin and Callum through the corridor that dips slightly before rising again toward the Charms corridor. Everything smelled faintly of chalk and old stone. My robe swished around my ankles as we turned the corner and stepped into the small and bright Charms classroom.
The room looked cheerful. Sunlight fell in strips across the floor and the desks were close together which looked more cosy than formal. A stack of spell-books sat on the far side. I noticed a small raised platform at the front where the professor will stand. Perfect for someone with short height.
Students settled in slowly. Jack and I took the first bench, the same way as before, and Corin and Callum slipped onto the bench behind us. Gabriel Iglesias and Louis tumbled in two breaths later, bumping into each other and whispering so loudly it barely counted as whispering at all.
"Do you think Charms is easier than Transfiguration?" Louis asked him.
Gabriel shrugged, "Should be. Smaller things, yeah? Less chance of it squealing."
Louis nodded, "Yeah but what if we light something on fire?"
"Then we run very fast," Gabriel replied with a wise nod.
I sighed under my breath. 'They're hopeless, but they're entertaining'.
A squeak of excitement popped from the door. Professor Filius Flitwick entered with a bounce in his step. He was small as a child but bright as a spark. His eyes were shining and his robes fluttered behind him as if they were trying to keep up with his enthusiasm.
"Good afternoon, good afternoon!" he greeted in a high cheerful voice. "Welcome to your very first Charms class! One of the most important subjects you will learn at Hogwarts. Oh, I do hope you're ready, because today-"
He hopped onto his stack of books, wobbling once before balancing with expert grace.
"-today we begin with one of the simplest yet most essential charms in everyday magic. The Wand-Lighting Charm. Lumos. A marvel of illumination!"
A quiet wave of awe filled the room. Flitwick beamed at us.
"Now then," he continued happily, "Charms is all about control. You must combine clear intention, 'What you want', with correct pronunciation, 'How you say it', and the right wand movement. Mix those things together properly and magic responds like a friend. Mix them poorly and well...", he chuckled, "...you may get smoke, sparks, or a sneeze."
Louis snorted in laughter. Gabriel elbowed him to keep quiet.
Flitwick raised his wand. It looked almost too big for his hand, but he handled it like a conductor.
"The wand movement is a gentle upward flick. Not a jab - oh heavens no, and no poking! And not a lazy waggle either. Firm. Light. Like lifting a teacup without spilling it."
He demonstrated, "Lumos".
The tip of his wand glowed like a tiny sun. Golden and warm.
Several students gasped in awe.
"Yes, yes, marvellous, isn't it?" he said as the light faded. "Now, meaning. Lumos comes from Latin for 'light.' A very fitting name. Say it clearly. Not 'Loo-moose'! Not 'Lummus'! And certainly not 'Lumoooooooos', unless you wish to sound like a singing toad."
A ripple of laughter spread through the room.
"Right then!" he clapped once. "Everyone take out your wands. When you're ready, point the wand in front of you, not at each other please, and try your best. Remember:- intention, pronunciation, movement. Begin!"
The classroom burst into soft muttering and flicks of wands.
Jack tried instantly, "Loomus".
"Nothing," he sighed as it did not succeed.
Corin tried behind us. "Lumos!"
A spark shot out and hit Callum's sleeve.
"Oi!" Callum yelped, patting it down.
"Sorry!" Corin whispered.
Gabriel poked his wand right at his own face. "Lumo-"
"No!" Louis whispered urgently. "Don't point it at your eyes! What if it blinds you?"
"I'll point at your eyes instead," Gabriel muttered.
"Boys," Flitwick warned, "I see wand tips wiggling dangerously. Please aim forward unless you wish to illuminate each other's noses."
The class snickered again.
Flitwick was moving along the rows, watching people try. Tiny sparks from some desks, a few soft glows that die out. I waited. My wand sat in my hand comfortably, already familiar. I have casted Lumos hundreds of times in practice. It was the one spell I could do as casually as breathing.
But I don't want to be first again. That would be careless. Too showy.
I faked a few attempts.
"Lumos," I whispered softly, with the wrong movement.
Nothing.
Jack squinted at me. "Mate, are you sure you're doing it right?"
"Maybe," I replied with a shrug.
Behind us, Corin muttered, "This is harder than it looks."
Callum said, "At least nothing's exploded."
A sudden clear "Lumos!" rang from the Ravenclaw side.
I glanced to the side and notice one of the Ravenclaws. A boy with neatly combed black hair and a very serious expression. He has been quiet since we sat down. I recognised him as he sat across the room in Transfiguration. He always looked like he was doing silent maths in his head.
Sheldon Cooper.
His wand tip blazed bright white, steady and sure. He lifted his chin, expression faintly proud but not smug. Like he expected nothing less.
Flitwick gasped. "Oh! Splendid! Splendid work, Mr. Cooper! Ten points to Ravenclaw!"
Sheldon nodded once, almost like a bow. His face remained serious, though I could see the faintest twitch of satisfaction.
Good. He deserves it. And now I don't have to be the first again.
I gave the class a few more minutes. People were muttering, trying again, sparks popping here and there.
Then I let myself focus properly.
I lifted the wand with a firm, gentle motion. I pictured the light and imagine it blooming like a tiny star on the end of the wand. Then, I let the breath out.
"Lumos."
The wand tip flared with clean white light. Strong and steady.
Jack's jaw dropped. Corin and Callum leaned forward to see.
"Oh, now that's very clean magic indeed!" Flitwick squeaked as he rushed over. "Excellent control, Mr. Dursley! Very, very good for a first lesson. Five points to Hufflepuff!"
"Thank you, Professor."
Gabriel gasped, "Ooooh, shiny."
Louis elbowed him, "Stop staring, you look like a magpie."
Gabriel shrugged, "Well, it is shiny."
Flitwick moved around to help others, correcting wand angles and pronunciation. Someone accidentally lit their wand and shrieked. Someone else lit their wand and then dropped it, making a bright spinning circle on the floor. Flitwick put it out in seconds.
Gabriel tried again with exaggerated focus. "Loooo-mos."
"No," Louis groaned, "It's Lumos. Say it normal!"
"I am saying it normal!"
"No you aren't, you sound like my grandmother's old kettle."
"Do kettles talk?" Gabriel asked.
"Only when you're around," Louis muttered.
Flitwick chuckled lightly. "Mr. Louis and Mr. Iglesias, try less chatter, more intention. Charms respond better when your mind is not worrying about kettles."
The whole class laughed again.
We continued practicing. Sparks, lights, giggles, and a few frustrated groans filled the room. Bit by bit, more wands started glowing. Some faint, some flickering like nervous fireflies.
Jack managed a soft glow and cheered. Corin got a blink of light. Callum managed a steady but dim shine and beamed like he had won a prize.
When the bell finally rang, everyone let out a breath.
"Excellent start, everyone!" Flitwick said while clapping his small hands together. "For homework, practice your wand movement holding a pencil or quill. Do not practice the spell in the corridors, unless you wish to blind a prefect. Class dismissed!"
We packed our things. The room was filled with happy noise again.
Jack grinned as we walked out. "That was brilliant. Much easier than Transfiguration."
"Speak for yourself," Corin groaned. "I nearly set my sleeve on fire."
Callum patted his shoulder. "Progress is progress."
Sheldon Cooper passed us with his usual straight back and unreadable expression. He gave me a small nod. It was neither friendly nor unfriendly, just acknowledging competition.
I returned the nod.
Gabriel and Louis joined us in the corridor, still arguing softly.
"I swear mine lit up," Gabriel said.
"It lit up for half a second and only because you hit it".
"I tapped it gently."
"You smacked it."
"Gently."
I laughed as we walk toward the staircase. "You two are going to make Flitwick retire early."
"He likes us," Gabriel declared confidently.
Louis corrected, "He tolerates us."
"He likes us," Gabriel was very confident.
We continued along the corridor with the easy chatter of a good day behind us. Another class done.
---
End of Chapter 26 - Charms