Hogwarts Study Panel

Chapter 481, page 479: Subtracting to Find the Empty

"Okay, Sheen, I'll tell you something interesting."

Before leaving, Ron said mysteriously.

At this moment, the Gemini also came over.

"That's right—Percy got a girlfriend."

"Ron said."

Fred dropped a stack of books on George's head.

"what?"

Fried asked.

"It's a Ravenclaw prefect named Penelope Crivart."

Ginny told me that Percy wrote her so many letters last summer.

Percy was secretly dating her in various places around the school. One day, Ginny even caught them kissing in an empty classroom.

Ron was open and honest, and casually shrugged.

"I hope you won't make fun of him."

"I would never dream of thinking that way."

Fred said, but judging from his happy expression, it was as if his birthday had come early.

"Absolutely not."

George answered, chuckling to himself.

And so summer vacation began.

Amidst laughter.

After the Hogwarts Express left, Hogwarts Castle became much quieter.

This would also give Sheen more space to practice the Fiendfire spell.

Now, even if he set the entire cellar on fire, he wouldn't harm the Slytherins who were also in the Hogwarts underground.

At these times, time becomes a vague unit.

Sheen only knew that he had practiced his Fiendfire spell from the Apprentice level all the way up to the Beginner level.

Sheen's progress in mastering black magic was so rapid that it always left him somewhat puzzled.

However, after achieving the Master level in Fiery Curse, he will be able to obtain a second Master level title.

This summer vacation.

So Sheen's life became completely regular:
Early in the morning, under the watchful eye of Professor Snape, he practiced Occlumency and Legilimency;
At noon, practice the hundred ways to brew magic potions;

In the afternoon, it became a gas cylinder...

Occasionally, Dumbledore would suddenly appear and invite them to afternoon tea with a smile.

Soon, it was afternoon.

Owls flew in from the auditorium, not many, only four or five of varying sizes.

Having spent a long time at Hogwarts, Sheen was able to recognize the owners of these owls.

The short, chubby owl is Professor Flitwick's messenger; the barn owl is Professor Sprout's "Fluffy Ball"—that's the name the professor gave it; the elegant, snow-white-feathered one is Professor McGonagall's pet; and the one in the lead, and the fastest flyer, is Whitey.

It brought the latest newspaper, which Sheen gently unfolded without reading it.

His gaze fell on the panel on one side.

[Barrier Charm: Master Level (1800/?)]
Petrification Spell: Master Level (1100/?)

Divine Sharpness Shadowless Spell: Master Level (2300/?)
Shattering Spell: Master Level (100/?)
Explosion Charm: Master Level (100/?)
The Spell to Repel Enemies by Three Feet: Master Level (500/?)
Fiendfyre: Proficient Level (10/900)... ...

[Advanced: Seven Master-level Dark Arts spells, which can unlock the Master-level title in the Dark Arts field (6/7)]

The Fiery Curse had already reached a skilled user, and when Sheen looked back, he realized that only half a month had passed.

Naturally, the advancement of magic slows down as you progress to higher levels, but this progress was just too fast. During the meal in the auditorium, Sheen couldn't help but ponder the key to it.

He did not choose any cruel belief, so why does black magic always embrace him?
He also thought of something even more important: how exactly does a wizard become powerful?
Inside the auditorium.

Only one poor young wizard remained at the long table of the four houses, but almost all the professors were present at the head table.

"Another year has come to an end, Minerva. Spring in Scotland is too short and winter is too long; the days fly by like a happy bird flitting through the window."

Dumbledore seemed to be sighing.

"A summer at Hogwarts is not short."

Professor McGonagall replied and then turned her gaze to the newspaper, where a moving magical photograph showed a chubby Ministry of Magic employee.

The caption below the photo reads: "Ministry of Magic employee wins big prize."

"Really? I know wizards always use clocks to record time, but did you know that some wizards use magic to record time?"

Dumbledore blinked and turned his gaze to the focused young wizard.

He was holding a large piece of parchment, recording his progress in learning magic and organizing the thoughts in his mind.

"During the [Blind] period, wizards were adept at manipulating their emotional power. They did not need to rely on spells or wands. Magic at this time was frenzied and savage."
During the Age of Order, ancient wizards emerged with ancient magic and nearly defeated all the dominant forces in the magical world at that time.

Compared to modern magic, ancient magic inherited the ferocity of the previous era.

Although wizards who have a complete grasp of ancient magic are very rare, they are extremely powerful.

The most outstanding of them all was the wizard Merlin.

Sheen continued to ponder, his quill pen swaying gently as he filled in the gaps in "The Wizarding Chronicle".

"Wizards seek within themselves, establishing an unshakeable order within their hearts; magic is the external manifestation of that inner order."

The so-called "wisdom" is more like the external laws that wizards seek for magic...

After a period of study, wizards will eventually come into contact with silent spellcasting, and once a wizard has mastered silent spellcasting, it becomes very difficult for him to use spells.

Just like Sheen himself, he hadn't uttered the levitation spell or the cleansing spell in a long time.

"After wizards came into contact with silent spellcasting, they quickly learned wandless spellcasting as well."

For example, when Harry's broom went out of control, Principal Dumbledore simply pointed to the sky to protect Harry; Professor Snape could close the window simply by waving his robes; and Voldemort's ability to fly did not require spells or wands.

If spells and wands can enhance a wizard's magical power, why do wizards always...

Sheen thought for a moment and wrote down a few words:

"Subtract to find emptiness."

The only sounds in the auditorium were soft conversations and the energetic swishing of Sheen's quill pen.

"Did the wisdom of wizards truly raise the upper limit of wizards' magic? Or did it only raise the lower limit of wizards' magic, which is why it was promoted?"

If this can be definitively proven, then Sheen will know how wizards' magic can truly become powerful.

Is it about constantly familiarizing oneself with the spell? Or is it about constantly familiarizing oneself with the gestures?
Or is it about defining magic according to one's own will?

"If wizards enhance their magic because they are familiar with the external laws of magic, then newly created magic should be primitive and weak."

But the truth is quite the opposite. For example, Dumbledore's Vulcan's path, and Grindelwald's improved Fiendfire..."

Sheen suddenly understood.

By reducing and seeking emptiness, order endures.

Could this be the true essence of magic?
(End of this chapter)