Chapter 103: Spell Combinations
The Disillusionment Charm was advanced magic, typically not taught until the upper years. Sean's determination to learn it now, therefore, took Professor Flitwick by surprise. His first thought was of illicit night-time wanderings, but he dismissed it just as quickly – Mr. Green's adherence to the rules was well-documented.
That left only one other explanation.
"Oh, my dear boy," Flitwick beamed, his eyes crinkling, "I had the very same idea at your age! Learning different combinations of spells, becoming a dueling master…"
Sean's intentions had been read like an open book. He simply nodded, which only made Flitwick smile wider.
"Dueling… ah, the memories. But if you're learning the Disillusionment Charm, why not learn the Silencing Charm (Silencio) as well?" Flitwick suggested.
The Silencing Charm was in The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 1, its purpose simply to make things quiet. Sean instantly saw the application – one spell to eliminate vision, the other to eliminate sound.
"But first, let me see what spells you've prioritized," Flitwick said, clearly intrigued by Sean's choices. "Show me, Mr. Green."
Sean nodded and, with a decisive flick of his wand, transfigured a nearby teaching robe into a snarling boar.
"Advanced intermediate Transfiguration! Truly astonishing!" Flitwick exclaimed, his eyes full of admiration. "I am delighted to see you putting your talents to such appropriate use." His words were pointed.
"So, the Disillusionment Charm and the General Counter-Spell…" Flitwick hopped excitedly down from his chair. "A wise selection. But, Mr. Green, why not try this?"
The professor waved his wand. A robe floated into the air, flattened itself into a shield in front of him, and then, with another flick, elongated into a spear.
"What did you just see, Mr. Green?"
"A combination of the Levitation Charm and Transfiguration, Professor," Sean replied, his mind racing. A new continent of possibilities had just opened up. He immediately thought of Dumbledore's duel with Voldemort, summoning a silver shield to block a curse, then turning it to dust. This was high-level spell combination.
But a question immediately surfaced.
"A wizard cannot cast two spells simultaneously, can they?" Flitwick asked, his squeaky voice full of wisdom.
"But, as far as I know, truly powerful wizards can cast two spells at once… Casting a single spell requires three key elements: the correct wand movement, the precise incantation, and a highly focused intent. To cast two, a wizard must divide their concentration, channeling magic to both spells simultaneously. This is an immense mental challenge."
As Flitwick spoke, he transfigured the spear back into a sword, which then began circling Sean protectively. Sean realized the professor was, in fact, maintaining two spells at once. His green eyes shone with a fierce hunger for knowledge.
Flitwick, reading the look, smiled and returned the sword to its robe form, letting it fall gently into Sean's hands.
"So, you must be wondering how it's done, especially for a young wizard… The answer, of course, is non-verbal casting."
The professor instructed Sean to non-verbally levitate a teapot, then continued, "If a wizard can cast one spell non-verbally, they can, in theory, speak a second incantation while casting the first. An even more practical method is to first establish a sustained magical effect, and then cast an instantaneous spell. Try to maintain the levitation on that teapot… now, cast a Wand-Lighting Charm, Mr. Green."
Sean focused, levitating the teapot. He noted that once it was stable, maintaining the charm required significantly less magic and, thanks to his high proficiency, very little conscious thought.
"Lumos!"
Just before the teapot began to wobble, the tip of his wand lit up. A second later, however, he heard a crash as the teapot fell to the floor, his concentration broken.
"Astonishing talent!" Flitwick clapped. "The key, Mr. Green, is providing two separate channels for the magic. Do not let them interfere."
Sean nodded thoughtfully. He had felt the two streams of magic, and the burst of energy for Lumos had tangled with the delicate stream maintaining the levitation, causing it to fail.
"Proficiency, Mr. Green. You must achieve absolute proficiency," Flitwick advised, repairing the teapot with a flick of his wand.
Sean understood. His Lumos proficiency wasn't high enough. But the potential… if he mastered this, could he disarm an opponent with a non-verbal Levitation Charm while simultaneously hitting them with a Knockback Jinx? Or distract them with a levitated object while casting an offensive spell? Or, like Flitwick, transfigure an object and then animate it with a Levitation Charm? His combat effectiveness would skyrocket.
He knew he wasn't ready to cast two spoken spells at once, or maintain two complex sustained spells. Even Flitwick had fully transfigured the robe before making it fly. Hermione, he remembered, had mentioned in her fifth year that she couldn't maintain a Stunning Spell on Winky the house-elf while simultaneously casting a Disillusionment Charm on Harry. The more difficult the spells, the harder they were to combine.
But even just Levitation plus anything was a significant upgrade. And if he became proficient with two advanced spells?
Knowledge is never too much!
For the rest of the lesson, Flitwick meticulously explained the Disillusionment Charm – a spell to make oneself blend in like a chameleon, normally taught to fifth-years.
"Stand still," the professor said with a smile.
Sean stood obediently as Flitwick approached, tapping him lightly on the top of the head with his wand. A strange, icy sensation, like an egg being broken over him, flowed down his entire body. He felt himself blend into his surroundings, not just in colour, but in shape and shadow, as if he'd been wrapped in an invisible, watery film. He knew this was the charm's full effect – total invisibility, just like his father's cloak.
(End of Chapter)
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