Chapter 108: The Silencing Charm
Outside the classroom, the stone wall hooted. Mr. Owl tilted his head, one talon comically adjusting his slipping pince-nez. His other foot clutched the parchment tightly, his large eyes gleaming with the same intensity they'd had the day Professor McGonagall appeared in the fireplace.
Beside Sean's usual soft cushion, next to Justin's gold-trimmed envelope, sat a neatly folded, comfortable-looking jumper. A letter lay on top of the blue and white wool:
My mother sent several jumpers. You're not the only one.
—Your friend, Hermione Granger
As if to prove her point, two other jumpers were placed beside it, clearly labelled: For Justin and For Neville.
A small, rare smile touched Sean's lips. It was barely a flicker, but enough to make the three figures peeking through the door crack freeze in place.
The owl portrait immediately began flapping its wings, hooting, "Little wizards! Foolish little wizards!"
"Please be quiet…" Justin whispered, pressing his hands together in prayer. Mr. Owl finally huffed, stopped shrieking, and spun his head a full 180 degrees to face the wall, though he cracked one eye open, still trying to see inside.
Sean folded the jumpers and placed them in the wardrobe. Just as he thought that was all, he noticed another, significantly larger jumper tucked beneath Justin's original parcel. A crumpled note lay on top:
Sean, I… didn't have anything else…
Sean's smile widened. His Quick-Quotes Quill scribbled a reply on the back of the note: Thank you, Neville. It's more than enough.
In one morning, Sean had received three jumpers. The dilemma of which to wear was secondary to a more pressing question: what should he give them in return? Friendship, like any relationship, required nurturing; it couldn't be a one-way street.
As the fire roared, Sean glanced idly at the door. Perhaps we should cast a Silencing Charm on Mr. Owl? That would certainly stop his hooting from echoing down the corridor. He guiltily put away the wand he'd been planning to practice with, gathered the three jumpers, and headed for the door.
The three figures spying in the hallway yelped and scrambled away towards the moving staircase.
"Hah! Foolish little wizards!" Mr. Owl laughed, before abruptly covering his beak with a feathered wing. "A Ravenclaw… owl… must not cackle so…"
Sean, confirming the coast was clear, pushed open the door and headed for Ravenclaw Tower, broom in one hand, jumpers in the other. The wind no longer felt cold.
"There's the turn—" Fred Weasley popped his head out from behind a tapestry.
"Strange… how did Ron know Green would be there?"
A identical face pulled the tapestry back. George blinked. "Unless he's the one who's been meticulously precise?"
"Precise about getting paid, you mean…" Fred started to say, then froze, his face paling. "Sss–"
"Are you impersonating a snake? Oh! A rattlesnake? Ssss… Snape." George finished, snapping to attention.
Professor Snape stared them down, his black robes billowing, his face like a thundercloud. He waved his wand at the secret passage, sealing it, then swept away without a word.
"Rare… truly rare…" Fred muttered, still frozen.
"We're alive?!" George prodded Fred anxiously, checking for injuries.
"This isn't right…" Fred slapped George's hand away.
"Of course it isn't right…" George agreed, and the two continued down the corridor, bickering, failing to notice their pockets were suddenly much lighter.
Sean spotted the Weasley twins' flaming red hair instantly. They were always bouncing, never just walking.
"That'll be two Galleons!" Fred announced with a dramatic bow.
"Though we nearly met our end…" George added, shaking his head as he handed over a complete set of clothing.
"But we accepted the job, and we accept the risks!" Fred finished, stuffing the boots into Sean's already full arms.
"Wait a tick…" George squinted at the jumpers Sean was holding. "Are you a jumper collector?!"
Before Sean could answer, Fred added, "No discounts for bulk orders!"
Sean, realizing he was trapped, simply retrieved two Galleons from his Mokeskin pouch, pressed them into Fred's hand, said, "Thank you," and walked away.
"He has an Undetectable Extension Charm! Did you see that, George?"
"If my eyes weren't blasted blind by that rattlesnake… I mean… we need more of his business!"
Back in his dormitory, Sean found he didn't have to choose which jumper to wear after all. Tucked amongst the clothes from the twins was a plain black jumper with a subtle green collar. He immediately thought of the dark, brooding eyes in the dungeon. Sure enough, a small note was attached:
Wear it.
As brief and commanding as ever.
He left the tower, the new jumper providing a welcome warmth against the biting wind, his mind already focused on his packed schedule. His Silencing Charm was at Novice level, nearly Adept. The Disillusionment Charm, however, was proving to be the most complex spell he'd yet encountered. Flitwick's notes on the subject spanned ten full pages, covering everything from its history to its most subtle applications, while the Silencing Charm had merited only three paragraphs.
Staring at the [Disillusionment Charm: Locked (0/30)] on his Panel, Sean's resolve hardened. His 'Blue' talent in Charms might not be enough to master it easily, but he only needed one successful cast. Just one. Then, the Panel would turn one into thirty. And at Apprentice level, new insights would come.
Iterative improvement doesn't care about base talent.
The wind howled, making the fire in the hidden classroom sputter, though a single hoot from Mr. Owl outside seemed to make it roar back to life. Justin and Hermione pretended to be busy, but kept stealing glances at Sean, who was practicing the Silencing Charm with intense focus. Only Neville seemed genuinely occupied, carefully tending to a pot of whispering Venomous Tentacula seedlings.
(End of Chapter)
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