Often, after a new spell is developed, it takes a long time to streamline the incantation. A practical spell might go through years, decades, or even generations of refinement before it is simple enough for public use and wide circulation.
Senior Vanessa's research into the Extraction Charm had also made progress. The technique she developed to enhance casting accuracy, which Alan called "Precise Control," required intense magical perception. Currently, only a few upper-year students in the Charms Club could successfully perform it. Alan, however, believed this technique was invaluable and could be applied to almost any spell. His own Levitation Spell reaching the extraordinary realm was largely due to his mastery of this very concept.
For his own research topic, Alan decided on "Development Ideas and Application Directions for Sonic Spells." He had already mastered foundational sound-related magic like Sonorus, Muffliato, and the Silencing Charm, and the corresponding runes were relatively straightforward. Furthermore, Quirrell's work on the Amplifying Charm provided a perfect reference point.
He pursued two research directions. The first was ultrasound. By utilizing high frequencies and imitating the echolocation of bats, he hoped to develop a spell that functioned like directional radar. Such a spell would allow a wizard to discern their environment and locate enemies in total darkness or through a Disillusionment Charm.
The second direction was infrasound. Powerful infrasound is highly lethal and possesses immense penetrative power. In humans, it can cause dizziness and nausea; at high enough intensities, it can be fatal. If he could harness this, it would be equivalent to developing a powerful area-of-effect skill capable of both interference and direct damage.
Unlike Quirrell, who had to draw runes on paper and translate them into experimental incantations, Alan had a massive advantage: his refined magical perception and experience with nonverbal casting. With his Rune Disk, his efficiency was on an entirely different level. Throughout the Easter break, Alan barely left his room, oscillating between analyzing sonic runes on his disk and sketching formulas on parchment.
He also began a disciplined regimen of Baruffio's Brain Elixir. The effect was immediate. Alan could feel his thinking speed accelerate, his memory sharpening and his reactions becoming more fluid. It significantly boosted his research output.
From his potion texts, Alan learned that the elixir is best utilized during periods of intense mental labor. Taking it without using one's brain is a waste; the effects simply dissipate. Only by actively thinking and memorizing during the period of consumption can the cognitive benefits be made permanent. It was similar to protein powder: if you take it without exercising, you simply gain weight and lose it later. But if you train while taking it, the supplement converts into lasting muscle.
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Following the major battle at Christmas, large-scale conflicts in the wizarding world subsided into sporadic skirmishes. However, reading the Daily Prophet, Alan could see the war was steadily escalating toward a fever pitch.
As the end of the term approached, Alan considered his summer plans. Sirius was constantly on the move, seemingly a prime target for Death Eaters. As for the Potters, they remained unreachable; Alan couldn't even send them a letter.
"I suppose I could return to the Leaky Cauldron, but Diagon Alley isn't exactly safe these days," Alan mused. He had considered asking Professor McGonagall if he could stay at Hogwarts over the summer, but a letter changed everything.
It was an invitation from Augusta Longbottom. He remembered the strict yet kind grandmother well. She invited him to stay at the Longbottom estate for the holidays, and Alan jumped at the chance. He immediately wrote back, expressing his gratitude and his pleasure at the prospect.
Augusta's reply was swift and welcoming. She provided her address but explained that since she was caring for young Neville alone while Frank and Alice worked at the Ministry, Alan would need to make his own way there.
Not wanting to arrive empty-handed, Alan spent fifty Galleons commission Hagrid to buy a whole Tebo Warthog ham and two bottles of Ogden's Old Firewhiskey. He also packed four bottles of his own Euphoria Potion into gift boxes to round out his offerings.
The final weeks of the term flew by. In his seven final exams, Alan achieved five "Outstandings" and two "Acceptables." The lower marks were in History of Magic and Astronomy—subjects he had neglected in favor of spell practice and rune research. Thanks to a week of intensive tutoring from Alan, Vivian managed to pass all her courses, even scoring an "Outstanding" in History of Magic. It seemed everyone truly did have their strengths.
The Transfiguration exam was exactly what McGonagall had hinted at: transforming a mouse into a snuffbox. Alan found it baffling that some students still failed despite knowing the question in advance.
On the final night of the term, Hogwarts held the end-of-term feast. Dumbledore announced that Ravenclaw had won the House Cup. Slytherin and Gryffindor had spent the year in such a fierce rivalry that their points had effectively bottomed out. Vanessa was devastated, and Alan suspected that given the current political climate in the Slytherin common room, she might go all seven years without ever touching the cup.
In the Great Hall, beneath the blue banners of Ravenclaw, Alan celebrated the conclusion of a first year that had been anything but peaceful.