A certain Hogwarts professor of runes

Chapter 195 Neville's Wand

During the last class of the afternoon, when Felix saw a group of dirty-looking young wizards walk into the classroom, he looked at them strangely and asked, "What's wrong with you all?"

Neville, looking dejected, said, "I blew up the cauldron."

Standing next to him was a young wizard with light brown hair. Seamus Finnigan explained earnestly, "Professor, it was just an accident. Professor Snape was standing behind Neville, and Neville's hand slipped, causing a large handful of caterpillar slices to fall into the cauldron, while I was stirring the potion... Anyway, there was an explosion."

Felix silently waved his wand to clean the suspicious black smoke off their faces and robes, then looked at the others and dealt with them as well.

"Thank you, Professor," Neville said.

"You're welcome," Felix said to him. "Stay after class, I have something to tell you." Neville visibly flinched, and Felix added, "Don't worry, it's nothing bad."

He watched as Neville stumbled to a seat, and Hermione quietly crept over. "Professor?" Harry and Ron, sitting next to her, also listened intently.

Felix said briefly, "About the wand."

Hermione instantly understood. In her paper last semester, she mentioned that among the wizards she knew, two had inherited their wands and found them very difficult to use: one was Ron, and the other was Neville.

It seems Professor Hyp is going to suggest that Neville get a new wand.

She pulled the bewildered Harry and Ron back to their seats and began to whisper among themselves.

A minute or two later, Felix began the lesson.

"Today we will officially begin learning ancient magic script. Turn to page seven. The sentences are all very simple, but you will actually learn the complete chapter in fourth grade."

"If you do well in this lesson, it will definitely save you a lot of trouble in fourth grade," Felix encouraged the young wizards. "The first spell we'll encounter is pronounced Ken, which means light, and its shape looks somewhat like a torch."

"Based on known magical manuscripts, we have discovered that ancient wizards derived multiple meanings from it—"

The first meaning is light itself, and this light can illuminate the road ahead, especially the light emanating from darkness;

The second meaning can refer to the illumination of knowledge, which is more evident in older manuscripts. Perhaps this is because in times of ignorance, knowledge can dispel the fog of confusion…

The third meaning represents the opposite of evil. At a certain time, some wizards liked to use this word to flaunt themselves.

The fourth meaning can also refer to hope, especially hope in adversity;

... "

The little wizards below were scribbling notes, and soon the bell rang to signal the end of get out of class.

Felix clapped his hands. "This lesson is relatively simple. You only need to memorize the meanings of the twelve ancient runes. I won't assign any essays, but you must complete the contents of the 'Question Parchment'—all multiple choice questions, so I require you to get over 70% correct. I will spend a few minutes giving you a quiz next lesson."

The young wizards filed out, and Felix watched as Neville had already stepped one foot out of the classroom before calling out to him.

"Oh, sorry, I forgot..." Neville pulled his outstretched foot back.

Harry, Ron, and Harry dawdled as they packed their things. Hermione pretended to accidentally scatter a stack of parchment, while Ron and Harry moved more awkwardly, repeatedly weighing a book in their hands, trying to tell the professor that they wanted to flatten it.

Felix looked at Neville, whose round face showed some unease, and said gently, "Longbottom, I heard that your wand was inherited from someone else?"

"Yes, it's my father," Neville whispered.

Felix was afraid of touching on his painful past. He and Harry had met the boy during the summer holidays, and he was accompanied by an old woman, not his parents.

"Can you cast a few spells?" Felix asked.

"Now? In... here?" Neville stammered.

"That's right."

Neville clumsily drew his wand, his face flushed, and flailed it haphazardly through the air.

Harry, who was still packing his things, couldn't bear to watch any longer. He went over to Neville and encouraged him, saying, "Neville, don't be nervous. We practiced the Disarming Charm together. Think about how it felt!"

Felix glanced at him. "You two are fine staying here to eavesdrop, but you're openly interfering... I'll let you go since your word carries weight."

Neville did relax, and he shouted "Expelliarmus!" as a red light flashed and disappeared.

Felix pondered for a moment. "Harry, would you be willing to lend your wand to Neville temporarily to use the Disarming Charm?"

Harry hesitated for a moment. "Of course, no problem." He handed the wand to Neville.

Felix looked at Neville, who had a blank expression, and said to him, "Try Harry's wand, or use the Disarming Charm."

Neville tried several times, but he couldn't even produce a spark; instead, he ended up panting heavily.

It was as if Harry's wand simply wouldn't acknowledge him...

"Try Mr. Weasley's too. I remember you have the same core—unicorn hair?"

“That’s right, Professor,” Ron said. Before he knew it, he and Hermione had joined him.

Felix asked, "Weasley, would you be willing to lend your wand to Neville temporarily to use the Disarming Charm?"

Ron seemed to find the conversation cool, and he said with a straight face, "As you wish, sir." He then solemnly handed the wand to Neville with both hands.

This time, Neville successfully cast the Disarming Charm.

"Hmm..." Felix pondered.

"Professor, what does this mean?" Hermione was very interested in this phenomenon and wanted to add it to her notes.

Felix explained, "This means that Mr. Longbottom's wand just doesn't reject him, but it's not suitable for him. It will cause a lot of obstacles, and it would be better to get a different one."

Neville gripped his wand tightly.

"Professor, I don't want to change my wand."

Felix said calmly, "There are other ways to commemorate this..."

He glanced at Neville: "Wait a moment." He then took out a piece of parchment and wrote a string of smooth letters on it. Hermione recognized the inverted lettering as "Mrs. Longbottom."

Felix quickly finished writing a short letter and handed it to Neville, saying, "Send it to your grandmother and let her decide."

When Neville walked out of the classroom, his expression was very conflicted.

Hermione, remembering his forgetfulness, suggested, "Shall we go mail the letter now and come back for dinner?"

"I, I..." Neville bit his lip.

Harry understood his attitude perfectly; the wand was likely a keepsake from his parents, and he was using it to remember them. However, he also agreed with Professor Hyp's point that there were many ways to commemorate someone, and there was no need to force himself to use an inappropriate wand.

He pulled Neville aside and spoke to him in a low voice.

Hermione asked Ron with a puzzled look, "What's wrong with them?"

Ron shrugged, indicating he didn't know either, and then gloated about the twins' antics.

"Percy's been on the wrong drugs lately, he's been watching Fred and George all day..."

(End of this chapter)