Hogwarts Study Panel

Chapter 78: The Silent Curse
In Hogwarts, the Silent Charm is taught in the sixth year.

Defense Against the Dark Arts, Charms, and Transfiguration all require students to master silent spells, and logically, most adult wizards in Britain should also be able to use silent spells.

However, all courses in the sixth and seventh grades are electives, and it is possible that some people did not choose any of these three courses, which led to a wide range of abilities among wizards in silent spells.

"So, you want to learn the Silent Spell?"

In the afternoon, Professor Flitwick stood in the classroom, looking at Sheehan with surprise and relief.

"Yes, Professor."

Sheen nodded.

"Then let me see your levitation spell—"

Professor Flitwick pointed to the chairs in the classroom. Before he finished speaking, they heard Sheen chanting a spell. Immediately, the wooden chairs floated up and spun around a few times.

"This is truly an amazing improvement!"

Professor Flitwick couldn't help but clap his hands in praise.

"Then, Mr. Green, let me hear what the advantages and disadvantages of the Silent Spell are."

"Your opponent doesn't know what magic you're planning to use, which gives you a momentary advantage."

Sheen thought for two seconds, then added,
"Of course, if the enhanced accuracy and emotional fluctuation brought about by the action of 'shouting' are lost, the power of the spell will be weakened."

Sheen’s first answer was a verbatim copy of “Standard Spells: Level Six”, and the next sentence was his personal reflection.

In the original story, the power of a spell spoken aloud is greater than that of a spell spoken silently.

In the fifth book, the Battle of the Department of Mysteries, Hermione was injured by the Death Eater Dolokhov. Afterwards, she explicitly stated that if he had spoken aloud, the damage would have been more severe.

"Excellent answer!"

Professor Flitwick was even more surprised, with a hint of delight mixed with his surprise.
“When a wizard is mature enough to accurately visualize the intention of casting a spell in his mind when he is meditating, he can learn to use silent spells. Clearly, Mr. Green, it is time for us to climb to a higher level.”

As the professor spoke, he waved his wand, and chairs began to fly around the classroom. Not only chairs, but also bottles, jars, and books began to fly.
Even the squirrel professor who had just entered the room through the window was not spared, which looked quite fantastical.

"The trick to the silent spell is extreme concentration. When wizards use spells, they unconsciously pronounce them aloud, which leads to the failure of the silent spell. Therefore, the user must have a specific incantation in mind... Give it a try, Mr. Green."

Sheen's quill ticked away beside him; that's the beauty of magic—he could take notes while he thought.

Professor Flitwick was clearly more satisfied, remaining patient even after Sheehan failed three times in a row.

Sheen was troubled; a wizard accustomed to chanting spells felt very awkward trying to use a silent spell.

He would have a strong, physical urge to pronounce the word, so he had to suppress the urge with great willpower, which resulted in his lips tightening or moving silently—this in itself was a distraction.

It feels as unnatural as trying to hold back a sneeze.

But eventually, under Professor Flitwick's guidance, Sheehan became more and more accustomed to it, and only when he had made no sound at all did Professor Flitwick say:
"What rapid progress! Let's move on to the next step—using the silent spell while focusing on both the incantation and the emotion!"
Only with immense concentration and willpower can one recite a spell silently in their mind... This is extremely difficult..."

Emotions, unwavering will, and the exact incantation?
Sheen thought.

Then he waved his wand—

[You practiced the Levitation Charm to expert standard, proficiency +50] "Merlin!!!"

……

October is approaching, and a damp chill permeates the grounds and seeps into the castle.

Raindrops the size of bullets pelted against the castle windows for days on end.

The lake water rose, the flower beds were covered in mud, and the pumpkins next to the hut in the Forbidden Forest swelled up to the size of a flower shed.

Perhaps it was because the Silent Charm was too taxing on willpower, perhaps because Professor Snape's potion-making instruction was too rigorous and exhausting, or perhaps because the night air was too cold.

In short, Sheen caught a cold right after learning the Silent Spell.

His breathing was heavy, his nostrils flared, and his cheeks and forehead were flushed. He felt dizzy and sometimes couldn't even tell whether the person in front of him was Hermione or Little Mag.

After all, just yesterday, Professor McGonagall was teaching Sheehan in her office, and Hermione was instructing Justin in the hallway.

Michael took two photos by the window in his office; Hermione's expression and movements were exactly the same as his dean's.

"There's no Transfiguration practice today. Go to the auditorium and have some pumpkin juice, child."

Professor McGonagall covered the young wizard's forehead, which was so hot it looked like an egg could be fried on it.

Sheen was led to the auditorium in a daze, and even as he sat down at the long table, he didn't forget to check the progress.

He successfully used the Silent Levitation Charm this morning, Wednesday. Now, all he needs to do is learn the Smoke Charm and the Repel Charm, and he will be able to obtain the scholarship he has been longing for.

Although Professor Flitwick was eager to give him private lessons, could he still cast spells in his current state?
He thought of many things, and finally he thought of the lady from the school hospital.

That's right, she was also praised as Lady Pomfrey, who could save the wizard as long as she had a breath left.

She can set bones in a second—Ginny Weasley's injured ankle was healed in the blink of an eye; Harry Potter's fractured skull was stitched up immediately.

In the second book, after Gilderoy Lockhart performed a strange and clumsy repair on Harry, she used Bone Regenerator to help Harry Potter regrow all 33 bones in his arm in no time...

His record is fully verifiable; he's practically a superman.

Just as Justin was anxiously watching Sheehan, Sheehan uttered a few words in a low, hoarse voice:

"Let's go to the school hospital."

This brought Justin, who was in a panic, back to his senses, and he grabbed Sheehan and started to leave.

At that moment, Professor McGonagall had already left the auditorium with great efficiency.

Hogwarts made ample preparations for the young wizards' colds, including a magical cold medicine.

This potion is very effective, but the highest quality potion is the one brewed by a certain Slytherin headmaster himself.

At the end of the corridor, Professor McGonagall quickly found Snape:
"Severus, I need some medicine for my cold."

Snape was silent for a moment, then said in a chilling tone:
“Professor McGonagall… if I remember correctly, I was in charge of treating the students’ colds…”

(End of this chapter)