The Charms Class classroom was located at the end of a corridor on the fourth floor.
It was much more comfortable here than the gloomy dungeons or the garlic-scented Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom.
The afternoon sun spilled in through the massive arched windows, illuminating the mountain-like piles of magic books.
At the front of the classroom, the diminutive Professor Filius Flitwick was standing atop a high stack of books, trying to make himself visible to the students below the podium.
"Now, roll call!"
Professor Flitwick pulled out a piece of parchment and called out in a squeaky voice.
When he reached the name "Tamara Riddle," his voice seemed to tremble for a moment, though it might have been an illusion.
He looked up from behind his thick glasses, his shrewd eyes staring at Tamara for a while; there was no fear in his gaze, but rather a sense of curiosity and scrutiny.
"Riddle... Ah, yes."
Professor Flitwick rubbed his hands together excitedly, nearly sliding off his stack of books. "Quite a few Professors have specifically mentioned you to me, saying you possess extraordinary talent. I hope you can bring us some surprises in Charms."
Tamara nodded slightly, polite yet distant. "I will do my best, Professor."
"Excellent! Then, let us begin!"
Professor Flitwick waved his wand, distributing a pure white feather to every student.
"Today we are learning one of the most basic, yet most important spells—the Levitation Charm."
"It is not as simple as just making an object fly; it tests a Wizard's fine control of magic and their concentration."
He drew the wand's movement trajectory on the blackboard.
"Don't forget that wrist movement we've been practicing!" Professor Flitwick squeaked, waving his arms like a conductor. "Swish and flick! Remember, swish and flick!"
"And the pronunciation of the incantation: Wingardium Leviosa. Make the 'gar' nice and long, and the 'o' clear."
After the theoretical explanation ended, the classroom was immediately filled with the sounds of incantations rising and falling.
"Wingardium Leviosa!"
Draco Malfoy was still the most proactive one.
Following Professor Flitwick's instructions, he gave a flexible swish and flick of his wrist.
The feather wobbled twice and then slowly drifted up, hovering about two feet above his head.
"Look! I did it!" Draco shouted excitedly, turning to look at Tamara. "How about this time? Perfect enough?"
Tamara glanced at the feather, which was still trembling slightly as if it might fall at any moment.
"The control is acceptable, Draco."
Tamara shifted her gaze back to the feather on her own desk.
She didn't chant the spell loudly like the others, nor did she perform that exaggerated swish-and-flick motion.
She merely held her wand lightly, as if holding an expensive quill.
Her wrist turned in an extremely subtle arc.
"Wingardium Leviosa."
That pure white feather didn't just float up.
It danced.
It left the tabletop gracefully, tracing a beautiful spiral in the air.
Guided by Tamara's wand, the feather began to waltz in mid-air.
It spun, leaped, and hovered; every movement was frighteningly precise, without a single redundant tremor.
With a light tap of Tamara's wand, the feather even flew in front of Draco, gently tapped his nose with its quill, and then elegantly flew back into Tamara's palm.
"Oh—!"
Professor Flitwick let out a gasp of amazement, nearly knocking over his stack of books in his excitement.
"Brilliant!!"
He jumped down from the books and ran to Tamara's desk, looking at the feather as if it were a rare treasure.
"This kind of control... it's as if you've given the feather life!"
"Ten points to Slytherin! For this wonderful demonstration!"
Tamara smiled faintly.
A spell of this level was as simple as breathing for her.
However, just as she was about to enjoy the peace belonging to a top student...
"Thud!"
A dull sound came from beside her.
Goyle was sweating profusely, gripping his wand like a fire poker and stabbing viciously at the feather on his desk.