When Ryze entered the castle that morning, he was carrying a small bundle wrapped in parchment—inside were a few pumpkin pasties. The Great Hall was already lively, filled with the chatter of students enjoying breakfast. As he stepped inside, his eyes briefly swept across the Ravenclaw table before shifting toward Gryffindor.
He noticed Percy deep in conversation with Penelope at the long table. Without lingering, Ryze quickly averted his gaze and walked toward Harry, who was seated at the Gryffindor table, eating breakfast with a somewhat sleepy expression.
Without saying much, Ryze casually tossed two pumpkin pasties toward Harry.
"These are pumpkin pasties made by Hagrid," he said with a faint smile. "I brought two for you. They're quite sweet."
The moment Harry heard that they were made by Hagrid, his expression subtly stiffened. A faint, almost phantom-like ache seemed to pass through his teeth.
Recently, Harry had been visiting Hagrid about once a week. It wasn't that he disliked the visits—in fact, he enjoyed Hagrid's company—but there was one persistent issue: Hagrid's cooking.
More specifically, his rock cakes.
Harry and Ron had tried them once, and the experience had been... memorable. The rock cakes were so hard that both of them had nearly chipped their teeth trying to bite into them. Since then, they had developed a complicated relationship with Hagrid's culinary generosity.
The real problem wasn't just the food—it was Hagrid himself. His kindness was so genuine and wholehearted that neither Harry nor Ron had the heart to refuse him. As a result, they often found themselves sitting awkwardly in Hagrid's hut, each holding a rock cake and staring blankly into space, unsure how to proceed.
At one point, Hermione had noticed the pained expressions on their faces as they held those infamous rock cakes. Initially, she had misunderstood the situation entirely. Seeing their strained expressions, she had assumed that Hagrid was somehow punishing them for misbehavior.
It wasn't until she visited Hagrid's hut herself that she realized the truth.
Hagrid had greeted her enthusiastically and immediately handed her a rock cake. As she hesitated, she watched him happily bite into one himself, chewing with complete satisfaction as if it were the most delicious treat in the world.
That was when Hermione realized she had been entirely mistaken.
At the same time, she gained a new level of respect for Ryze. Unlike the others, Ryze visited Hagrid frequently—at least three or four times a week, regardless of the weather. Rain or shine, he would make the trip without hesitation.
It was no wonder Hagrid trusted him so much.
Not only had Hagrid allowed Ryze to help feed Fluffy, but Ryze also seemed to possess an impressive amount of knowledge about magical creatures—far more than most first-years.
Back in the Great Hall, Harry eyed the pumpkin pasty in his hand with caution. Since Ryze had only thrown him two, and not an entire pile, his skepticism eased slightly.
Pumpkin pasties couldn't be that bad… right?
He took a tentative bite.
The moment the flavor hit his tongue, his expression changed.
It was sweet.
Incredibly sweet.
It felt as though half the pastry was made of sugar. The sweetness was so intense that it took him a moment to process it before he could even swallow. He quickly reached for his drink, taking a large gulp of water to wash it down and suppress the overwhelming taste.
After recovering slightly, Harry looked at Ryze with a faint hint of accusation in his eyes.
Ryze, however, only laughed lightly and waved his hand dismissively.
"Take your time," he said. "It's actually pretty filling if you eat it slowly, especially when you're hungry. But if you eat too much at once, it gets sickeningly sweet."
Harry didn't look entirely convinced, but he continued eating, albeit more cautiously this time.
Ryze leaned casually against the table and added, "Just wait. Next month, when the magic rice seeds Hagrid got are fully grown, I'll make fried rice for you. That'll be something worth looking forward to."
That statement immediately caught Harry's attention. Compared to rock cakes and overly sweet pastries, properly cooked food sounded like a dream.
The morning passed quickly, and soon it was time for Charms class.
Today's schedule was relatively relaxed. Ravenclaw had Charms all morning, and the afternoon was free. With the Halloween feast planned for the evening, Ryze intended to spend some time exploring the castle grounds later, possibly searching for a Special Raven before dinner.
As the students gathered in the Charms classroom, Professor Flitwick stood at the front, his expression bright and cheerful.
"I can see that everyone has been working very hard over the past month," he announced, his voice filled with satisfaction.
For weeks, the students had been practicing the Unlocking Charm and the Locking Charm. While they had made considerable progress, many of them had grown thoroughly tired of dealing with locks.
Now, finally, they were moving on to something new.
"The Levitation Charm," Professor Flitwick continued.
The moment those words were spoken, the classroom erupted into excitement.
For first-year students, the Levitation Charm was one of the most anticipated spells. The idea of making objects float freely in the air was undeniably appealing.
However, before allowing them to begin practicing, Professor Flitwick raised a cautionary finger.
"There are important things you must understand," he said seriously.
"The Levitation Charm cannot be used directly on a person. However, it can affect a person's clothing, which may cause them to rise into the air temporarily. That said, the effect is unstable and potentially dangerous. Very few witches or wizards attempt to use it in this manner."
He paused briefly, allowing his words to sink in.
"I know that many of you will be curious about what it feels like," he continued. "To prevent reckless experimentation outside of class, I will demonstrate it here."
Immediately, several hands shot into the air.
After scanning the room, Professor Flitwick smiled and selected Ryze.
"Mr. White, if you would come forward."
Ryze stepped up without hesitation. His reputation among the first-years was already well established. Many of his classmates respected him, and his participation would carry more weight than a simple demonstration.
Standing in front of the class, Ryze relaxed his posture as instructed.
Professor Flitwick raised his wand, aiming it carefully.
"Wingardium Leviosa!"
His voice was clear and precise, and his wand movement was deliberate, demonstrating the proper technique for the students.
Almost immediately, Ryze felt a strong upward pull.
It wasn't his body directly—it was his clothing.
The fabric of his robes tightened slightly, tugging him upward with surprising force.
For a brief moment, Ryze instinctively considered reacting. Within him, Ailey stirred, ready to deploy its protective shield if necessary.
However, he quickly suppressed that impulse.
There was no need to interfere.
A simple Levitation Charm wasn't powerful enough to cause real harm, and if Ailey activated its shield now, it might embarrass Professor Flitwick. Ryze had no intention of damaging the goodwill he had built.
Gradually, he was lifted about half a meter off the ground.
The sensation was… strange.
His body hung in midair, supported only by the tension in his clothing. It wasn't smooth or stable like riding a broomstick—it felt awkward and restrictive.
Professor Flitwick maintained the spell and looked up at him.
"Mr. White, could you describe how it feels?"
Ryze shifted slightly, testing his balance before speaking.
"It feels… unusual," he said thoughtfully. "Being suspended like this is quite restrictive. The pull from the clothing is uncomfortable."
He paused, considering his words.
"It's very different from flying on a broomstick. Even though I'm not very high off the ground, I still feel a bit insecure. Since the spell relies entirely on the clothes lifting the body, it seems like it would be easy to fall if the clothing isn't strong enough—or if the spell becomes unstable."
Professor Flitwick nodded approvingly and gently lowered him back to the ground.
"Well said," he remarked, clapping lightly. "Two points to Ravenclaw."
He then turned to address the entire class.
"What Mr. White has described is accurate. Using the Levitation Charm on someone without their consent is not only unsafe—it can also be considered a serious provocation."
His expression became more serious.
"If any of you are found using this spell recklessly on your classmates, even if no harm is caused, you will face consequences. House points will be deducted, and detention may be assigned."
The students quickly nodded in understanding.
This wasn't the first time Professor Flitwick had emphasized safety. For every spell with potential risks, he always provided clear warnings.
The Fire-Making Charm, for example, was never to be used near flammable materials. The Unlocking Charm was not to be used for mischief.
His approach was consistent: learn the magic, but respect its dangers.
Once he was satisfied that everyone understood, Professor Flitwick smiled again.
"Now then," he said, raising his wand. "Let us begin practicing the Levitation Charm."
The classroom buzzed with renewed excitement as the lesson continued.
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