Hogwarts Study Panel

Chapter 28: The Mischievous Elf
Hogwarts has a very relaxed curriculum; first-year wizards will have no more than three classes a day.

Ravenclaw has three different classes on Thursdays: Charms, Defense Against the Dark Arts, and Transfiguration.

For a power like a spell that provides immediate positive feedback...

Within just a few days of starting school, the young wizards showed varying levels of progress.

Most of the young wizards mastered the Fluorescent Blink, but could only produce a faint glow.

Some of the young wizards were still waving their wands, chanting spells loudly and deliberately.

But he still couldn't get the tip of the wand to glow.

And what about Sheen?

His practice of the Fluorescent Spell has reached the "proficient" level.

The light it emitted was not only brighter than that of other young wizards, but also more stable.

The logic of learning magic can always be explained in this way:

The first step is to understand.

You cannot use a spell if you do not understand it.

Therefore, without considering other factors, the more spells a wizard knows, the stronger he/she is.

Once you understand a spell, you need to practice it continuously to become more proficient.

This is the second logic behind how wizards become stronger—

The more skilled a wizard is at using spells, the stronger they become.

There are many examples of this, such as Professor Gilderoy Lockhart, who will be attending next year.
His mastery of the Oblivion Spell can even cause powerful wizards who are not afraid of vampires, werewolves, or trolls to capsize in the gutter.

Therefore, continuous practice is definitely the path to the origin of magic.

After reaching the beginner level of the Fluorescent Spell, Sheen clearly felt that his understanding of this spell had deepened.

Previously stiff gestures have become fluent, and pronunciation is no longer unclear but clear and powerful.

Sheen guessed that when his proficiency with spells reached a certain level,
Perhaps I wouldn't need to say the incantation aloud.
You only need to silently recite it in your mind.

The Standard Spells: Beginner mentions that this is a silent spell commonly used by high-level wizards.

As for the principle,

The theory of magic provides a clear explanation:
Since a spell is a specific word or phrase used to trigger or invoke magic.

Therefore, silent recitation is equally effective, which allows it to be used without uttering a sound.

This point will also be mentioned in Professor Snape's Defense Against the Dark Arts class in sixth year.

"Excellent! Excellent! Significant progress! Many people have learned how to use fluorescent flashing."
For young wizards who have just learned the Fluorescent Charm, continuous practice is crucial.

But for some of the extra little guys…

Professor Flitwick's voice was high-pitched, and as he spoke, he winked at Sheehan, Hermione, and a few others.

"I'll teach them another spell beforehand. Come on, those of you who learned the Fluorescent Charm last time, gather around."
As for those who haven't learned yet, don't rush. Remember my words: "Strike with each stroke, yearn for the light..."

Professor Flitwick is easy to underestimate, but when it comes to chanting spells, he is absolutely unambiguous.

A few outstanding young wizards, under his tutelage, began practicing another spell.

That is the Levitation Spell.

He practiced until the end of get out of class, and under the professor's guidance, Shin's proficiency in the Levitation Spell increased by a full 30 points.

We've reached (34/300).

Sheen walked contentedly down the long corridor of the Charms classroom, and the young wizards had ten minutes to make their way to the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom.

This wasn't a long time, so everyone walked briskly.

Until they encountered an uninvited guest.

"Ah ha! You little brat in first grade!"

Just as the young wizards were about to open a door, a ghost suddenly darted out from behind it, startling them all. It dumped a wastepaper basket on Seamus's head, and Seamus screamed:

"My head! Oh no! My eyes! Is it getting dark?"

But the ghost's mischief clearly didn't stop there; it suddenly pulled the rug off the young wizards' feet.

Even Michael tripped and fell. Just as he was about to get up, he suddenly felt a tightness in his nose. It was the ghost.
It grabbed Michael by the nose and screamed loudly:
"Pull your nose!"

Anthony and Terry instinctively took a step back, then gritted their teeth and moved closer to Michael.

Sheen was the quickest to react; he shouted:
"Pee-pee! Blood Man Barrow is here!"

The ghost shrieked and ran away in a flash.

Sheen and the other two immediately helped the still-shaken Michael to his feet.

The young wizards around him looked at Sheen with admiration.

"Oh, thank you, Sheehan, you've been a great help, and so have you all..."

Michael blushed, looked around, and confirmed that Peeves had left.

He then quietly moved closer to Sheen.

"Sheen, how do you know Peeves is afraid of Bloody Barrow?"

“It was Percy, the prefect of Gryffindor, who said it.”

Sheen wasn't lying; Percy did say that, but how Sheen knew that is another matter entirely.

On the spiral staircase, the frightened young wizards quickened their pace to leave.

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief when the flames appeared in the corridor.

Peeves is a very fitting name; he's mischievous and always flies screaming through the corridors of Hogwarts, playing all sorts of pranks.

Although it has no physical form, can pass through walls, and is translucent like a ghost,

But it is not actually a ghost.

Sheehan learned this while looking through "Dark Powers: A Guide to Self-Defense" in Defense Against the Dark Arts class.

Peeves is very noisy at Hogwarts, but he is not a ghost; he is a poltergeist, also known as a mischievous ghost.

Mischievous ghosts are a form of psychological energy, not a mark left by the dead.

The ghosts of Hogwarts all acknowledge that Peeves is not one of them.

Theorists generally believe that pranksters are a type of spirit caused by subconscious behavior—especially the subconscious behavior of the oppressed.

For centuries, Hogwarts students have endured considerable pressure, so it's not surprising that Peeves is a spirit born out of this pressure.

When Sheen first saw this explanation, he thoughtfully continued reading:

I advocate that young wizards should at least learn the following spells to deal with the darkest part of magical power.

Green Sparks;
Red Sparks;
Knockback Jinx;
Smokescreen Spell;

Wand-Lighting Charm (Fluorescent Flash)

Sheen read this section carefully, memorizing the first four spells.

Mastering these four spells should get you an excellent score in Defense Against the Dark Arts.

As for how to study, Sheen glanced at Professor Quirrell, who was stammering and speaking incoherently.

He sighed deeply and temporarily put the plan aside in his notebook.

He now had to confront that question that both excited and troubled him—

Practice brewing magic potions.

In that forbidden cellar where Professor Snape was stationed.

(End of this chapter)