Chapter 110: The Grinder's Progress
In the wizarding world, talent was paramount. A gifted wizard could grasp a concept instantly, while a less talented one could struggle for years with little to show for it. The magical community rarely praised effort. When Hermione achieved top marks, everyone called her "brilliant" or "gifted," not "hardworking." And she was a genius, learning everything quickly; her diligence was merely the icing on the cake.
This meant that unlocking a new Charms title was Sean's most critical task, as it would directly improve his base talent. By grinding three less-demanding spells to 'Expert' level first, he could elevate his aptitude, making the subsequent grind for more difficult spells like the Disillusionment Charm significantly easier. It was a simple strategy: use early gains to fuel later ones.
Sean silently crossed 'Disillusionment Charm' off his list and replaced it with 'Silencing Charm.' His Expert-level "set" was now: Finite Incantatem and Silencio. He still needed a third.
As Sean began practicing the Silencing Charm on the squeaking Fanged Geraniums, the hidden room's other occupants began to arrive. Mr. Owl hooted his usual "Little wizards! Foolish little wizards!" before granting them entry.
"I heard the giant Fizzing Whizzbees in Hogsmeade can make you float for an hour," Justin said cheerfully. He walked over to a newly installed sky-blue bookshelf near the entrance, swapped his 'Herbology' notebook for one labeled 'Charms', and joined Sean.
"Hmph. I'm more interested in the Tooth-Flossing Stringmints at Honeydukes," Hermione said, joining them. She neatly swapped her 'Defence Against the Dark Arts' notebook for Justin's 'Herbology' one.
Sean's notebooks had become a communal resource. Thanks to his powerful analytical skills and scientifically precise descriptions, his notes made the vague, often confusing official textbooks obsolete. Students often joked that the original textbooks couldn't possibly have been written in English, because no one could understand them until they read 'Green's Notes'.
"Oh, I wish we were third-years already," Justin sighed. "Right, time to practice. Still on the Levitation Charm, Sean?"
"Counter-spell," Sean replied, nodding. The two began their daily routine, Justin practicing his Wingardium Leviosa while Sean practiced Finite Incantatem.
[You have practiced the General Counter-Spell once to the Expert standard. Proficiency +50]
[You have practiced the General Counter-Spell once to the Expert standard. Proficiency +50]
A small wooden block, levitated by Justin, spun twice in the air before freezing and clattering to the desk. Sean silently waved his wand, and a notebook, adorned with photos of the four friends, floated over. He updated the 'Levitation Charm' entry under Justin's name to [Adept], then sent it flying back to the bookshelf where they kept their progress chart.
Justin retrieved it, his face beaming. "Yes! Finally hit Adept!" Below it, his chart also showed 'Novice' for Finite Incantatem and Aguamenti. Hermione glanced over, pretending not to be interested, before sniffing dismissively. She had reached Adept weeks ago.
The wizarding world had no formal system for grading individual spell proficiency. O.W.L.s provided broad grades (Outstanding, Exceeds Expectations, etc.), but those were comprehensive assessments. The Ministry certainly didn't have the resources—or the inclination—to test every wizard's skill with every single spell. This lack of clear benchmarks often discouraged students, who had no way to measure their progress.
Sean, however, had inadvertently solved this. It had started as a personal project to test the limits of his Finite spell – what proficiency level of Finite was needed to counter what level of jinx? But his "testing" had evolved into a full-blown leveling system, complete with defined tiers, which proved incredibly motivating. It was like a boss suddenly sprouting a health bar; the clear, tangible goal made everyone eager to practice.
"For spells of equivalent difficulty, a matching proficiency level of Finite is highly effective," Sean wrote in his own notes, adding, "Effectiveness drops sharply against higher-level magic. Maintaining a counter-spell is magically more taxing than an initial cast. Simply blocking the flow of magic is not enough."
This must be why powerful curses require specific counter-curses, he mused. Transfiguration and its reversal, Sectumsempra and its healing incantation...
The sky outside the windows darkened to a deep, hazy purple. The chill of the evening crept into the room, but the fireplace roared merrendly. Sean put away his wand. His Finite proficiency had climbed from (2200/3000) to (2650/3000). He had gained 450 points in one session. He would easily unlock the Expert level tonight.
Learning the non-verbal version had been surprisingly simple. The main hurdle with non-verbal magic was suppressing the physical urge to speak the incantation – a distraction that often caused the spell to fail. But Sean had already overcome that mental barrier while grinding the Levitation Charm. The three key components – emotion, willpower, and precise intent – were now second nature to him.
Thus, when Justin had cast an Aguamenti, and Sean, with a silent, elegant flick of his wrist, had instantly neutralized the stream of water, Hermione had stared for a long, quiet moment. Neville's jaw had simply dropped wide enough to fit a goose egg. Seeing Sean's effortless mastery, a new fire lit in Neville's eyes, and he turned back to his own hovering feather with a grim determination.
"Now that's a real wizard..." Justin had breathed, his admiration genuine. "Right," he said, checking the time, "it's almost time to meet the older students. Shall we head out, Sean?"
(End of Chapter)
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