Chapter 25: Making Your Wishes Come True is Magic
After completing the demonstration and setting the black tea to steep on the small stove, Professor Flitwick asked, "Well? What did you see?"
After a moment's thought, Ethan replied, "It contains traces of Aguamenti, Levitation Charms, and some kind of fire magic. I'm not sure if there are other spell effects, but the key point is that no incantations were spoken."
He wasn't sure if he was right.
He looked at Professor Flitwick, awaiting his answer.
"It seems you've mastered quite a few spells. Your observation is excellent. Take another look." The professor nodded.
This time, Flitwick placed the wand in his other hand, and with a flick of his slender fingers, a teacup floated out from a cabinet that opened automatically. A thin stream of powdered sugar fell from a jar beside him into the cup.
Finally, the teapot tilted, filling the cup about seven-tenths full, and it floated onto the coffee table in front of Ethan.
"Spellcasting without a wand?"
"Yes. Non-verbal spells and wandless magic are advanced abilities that most young wizards only encounter later in their education."
"As for the connection between these abilities and magical control, I can only say that they are completely unrelated."
Seeing Ethan's astonished expression, Professor Flitwick laughed heartily. "Just kidding. Actually, these abilities are all signs of a wizard's highly developed skill."
"The reason these concepts aren't taught in first year, aside from your current limitations, is that young wizards' magical power grows rapidly, making it difficult to maintain such control."
"Once you reach sixth or seventh year, when the growth of your magical power slows, you can practice controlling your magic's effects, as well as wandless magic and non-verbal spells."
Ethan was somewhat reluctant. "Professor, do we really have to wait until our later years to learn this?"
Flitwick took a sip of hot black tea. "Of course not. It's just that practicing in the lower years is less efficient. Besides, you're quite safe at Hogwarts and not fighting for your life, so you don't need to practice these combat-oriented skills."
*Safe? Hogwarts has been the most dangerous place in recent years!* he thought to himself.
"Professor, how should I practice these skills if I want to?" For the sake of his future, he still planned to learn them.
"Well, besides extensive practice, you also need to understand one thing: what matters most in magic."
The most important thing?" Ethan didn't understand what Professor Flitwick was talking about, so he could only try to answer based on his own understanding: "Is it magic, spells, or knowledge?"
"None of those are right. Think about it again." The professor shook his head.
He thought for a long moment, but still couldn't come up with anything more important than those three. "I don't know, Professor."
"It is thought, Jones. Our magic is controlled by our thoughts."
"As I mentioned in class, when casting a spell, you must be resolute, without hesitation or distraction, because only by focusing your mind on the spell can you achieve your desired goal."
"Think back to before you started school. Did you ever produce any effects that normally require spells?" Professor Flitwick patiently guided him.
"Yes," Ethan answered with certainty. Since his accidental magic had awakened, he had set his room on fire, made a dead tree blocking his path vanish, and restored a damaged road to its original condition.
"Back then, you hadn't learned any spells, couldn't chant incantations, and your magic was newly awakened and not yet strong. So how did you manage to do all that? Was it simply because you wanted it badly enough?"
The realization struck him, and he exclaimed, "Yes, Professor, because I wanted that tree out of my way and the road fixed so I wouldn't have to go around, and it all just happened!"
Professor Flitwick proudly declared, "This is the power of thought, the most important driving force for us wizards."
Magic is the power to make your wishes come true!
Ethan suddenly understood. "So, I need to firmly believe that I can do it, and with enough practice and repetition, I can do it, right, Professor?"
"Very clever, Jones. It's a shame you weren't sorted into Ravenclaw," Professor Flitwick said, looking regretful.
Ethan just smiled.
"We wizards, like many magical creatures in ancient times, were born free and could cast magic without any incantations, wands, or other auxiliary items."
However, due to the passage of time, the dilution of bloodlines, and other factors, most wizards today cannot do these things. That's why spells and wands were developed. What we are trying to do is actually return to our most primal state.
He paused for a moment and explained, "Of course, that level is rather advanced. It's legendary. I don't think even Dumbledore could achieve that."
A nonverbal spell is simply a spell that is not spoken aloud, but rather cast silently through thought. To achieve a state where no incantation is needed at all is perhaps only possible for a wizard with true talent.
He thought about it and decided to reveal his talent to the professor, who had done nothing wrong. Besides, it wasn't a secret he had to keep hidden forever; he would use it sooner or later.
He opened his palm, and a fireball appeared in his hand, burning steadily. "Is that so, Professor?"
Professor Flitwick examined the fireball in Ethan's hand closely. "Is this your bloodline talent? Can you control it easily?"
"Yes, Professor." Having chosen to trust him, Ethan held nothing back. The fireball expanded and contracted, shifting shapes, no longer confined to a simple sphere.
Professor Flitwick clapped his hands excitedly. "Excellent! Excellent! Ethan, this is the highest level of magic we can aspire to! I increasingly regret that you didn't join Ravenclaw, and at the same time, I understand why the Sorting Hat placed you in Slytherin."
"It's like using innate magic. You don't need to chant incantations or use a wand. You need only your thoughts and your heart to control it."
"I remember you're Muggle-born, right?" After Ethan confirmed, he continued, "Then you must have read the Bible. What we wizards seek is the omnipotence of God."
"The wizard is your own god; you must remember that."
Ethan murmured, "Are wizards gods?"
"Absolutely correct." Professor Flitwick glanced at the clock on the wall. "It's getting late. You should head to the Great Hall for lunch soon. Let me teach you some techniques for controlling magical effects, and you can try them out."
"Okay, thank you, Professor!" Ethan tucked those words away in his memory, intending to savor them again once he left the office.
After some time, Professor Flitwick finished explaining how to control magic and cautioned, "You can try it, but don't force it, or you might hurt yourself."
Before Ethan left, Professor Flitwick added, "Judging from your talent, you may have a knack for dark magic and fire magic."
Really? Ethan hadn't expected such a bonus.
This is just a guess. You might learn some related spells and try them out. Of course, we don't encourage dark magic. You could start by learning some offensive curses and experimenting with them first. The library has books on minor curses you could browse.
"Thank you, Professor!" Ethan thanked Professor Flitwick before leaving the West Tower.
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