Chapter 28: The Illumination Charm

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Kyle didn't know much about Cho Chang—Cedric's future girlfriend and Harry Potter's first love interest. He had never interacted with her. All he knew was that she belonged to Ravenclaw.

But now he learned something new: she was helpful.

Not every Ravenclaw went out of their way to help others. Most preferred to immerse themselves in their own world, focusing on studies or other pursuits.

Of course, that didn't mean Ravenclaws were cold. They just had different personalities. If someone asked for help, they'd gladly offer it.

In short: they didn't initiate, but they didn't refuse either.

Cho was chatting with her friends, so Kyle only glanced her way briefly before looking elsewhere.

"It's just the first class—what are we going to do for the rest of the year? We can't start leaving an hour early every time!" Mikael groaned in frustration, running his hands through his hair. "If this keeps up, I'll definitely be late someday."

"Don't worry. Hogwarts professors won't expel students for being late. At worst, they'll just dock a few points," Kyle said, patting Mikael on the shoulder. "By the way, I've got something useful to show you."

"Something useful?" Mikael and Ryan leaned in with curiosity.

Kyle spread out the map on the table. "Thank Cedric for this—otherwise, you'd probably stay lost for a while."

"Is that... a Hogwarts map?" Mikael was still puzzled, but Ryan, who had a wizard father, recognized it immediately. "Where did you get this? Can I copy it? I promise I'll give it back after class."

"Of course, we're roommates after all!" Kyle nodded, then turned to Mikael. "What about you? Want to copy it too?"

Mikael was tempted but hesitated. As someone new to the magical world, he didn't want to miss any opportunity to learn, especially in a crucial class like Charms.

"Can I copy it after class?" Mikael asked.

"No problem," Kyle agreed. He then gently tapped the map with his wand, saying, "Gemino."

Instantly, another identical map appeared on the table.

Kyle examined the copy to ensure everything was correct before handing it to Mikael.

"Here, this one's for you. The magic will last for about a week, so you can copy it whenever you want."

"???"

Mikael accepted the map, looking baffled. He turned to Ryan, who was just as stunned.

Ryan was speechless, staring at Kyle and then at the parchment in front of him, his face flushed with embarrassment. Just as he was about to say something, a voice came from in front of them.

"Excellent use of a duplication charm—Hufflepuff earns five points!"

Startled, Kyle looked up, first seeing Cho Chang across from him. Then, he noticed someone else standing nearby.

The person was so short that they were completely hidden behind the table. It was only after looking closely that Kyle realized who it was.

"Thank you for the compliment, Professor Flitwick," Kyle said.

Flitwick smiled warmly. "I'm just stating the truth. You're Mr. Chobart, correct?"

Kyle nodded. "Yes, Professor."

"Seems my memory is still sharp," Flitwick remarked, then turned to Mikael. "May I see that map for a moment?"

Mikael hadn't immediately recognized the small wizard, but after hearing Kyle's greeting, he quickly realized who it was. Nervously, he handed the map over with both hands.

"Of course, Professor."

"Thank you."

Flitwick took the map, examining it briefly before returning it to Mikael.

"Oh, the magic is quite stable. If nothing goes wrong, this copy should last until noon, eight days from now," Professor Flitwick said, giving Kyle a wink. Then, in a somewhat regretful tone, he added, "If the final exam was on duplication charms, I'd definitely give you an Outstanding. But for now, I'll just add three more points to Hufflepuff."

"Professor!" a curious Ravenclaw girl called out, "Can't objects created with the duplication charm exist permanently?"

"No, Miss Mital," Flitwick replied. "If duplication could make objects permanent, Flourish and Blotts wouldn't have so many parchment scrolls for sale."

"Not even Dumbledore can do it?" another young wizard asked.

"Unfortunately, no," Flitwick shook his head. "Even if the headmaster could make his copies last a hundred years or more, they still wouldn't be truly permanent."

"Well, that's enough on the duplication charm for now—it's still too early for you to worry about such things," Flitwick said, moving back to the podium and addressing the whole class. "Today, we're going to learn the Lumos spell. This is one of the most basic spells in the wizarding world. The incantation is Lumos. Watch closely…"

Kyle wasn't surprised that the first spell in Charms class was the Lumos charm. It was one of the simplest and most straightforward spells in the magical world.

There were no specific wand movements to worry about. As long as you were a wizard, had a wand, and could speak, you were almost guaranteed to be able to cast it.

In earlier times, the Lumos charm was even used to identify wizards from Squibs, with near-perfect accuracy.

In fact, if someone couldn't cast Lumos, they simply weren't a wizard.

Given this, Professor Flitwick only briefly demonstrated how to cast the charm, then let the students try it themselves.

Soon, the classroom was filled with twinkling lights—some bright, some dim, some stable, some flickering.

Kyle wasn't the first to succeed, but the light from his wand was steady and unwavering.

It shone like a powered lightbulb, emitting a consistent, soft white glow around him.

Unfortunately, no points were awarded this time.

That's because Kyle wasn't the only one to manage such stability. Across the room, seven Ravenclaw students had also produced steady lights with their wands.

As for Hufflepuff, while fewer students succeeded, they weren't far behind—just six fewer students than the Ravenclaws had managed.

"Remember what I said earlier: stay calm and don't rush," Professor Flitwick reminded the class in his high-pitched voice. "You need to be as composed as you would be while holding any other object. Pronouncing the incantation correctly is equally important—don't get it wrong!"

With his guidance, more and more students succeeded in producing steady "lightbulbs."

Kyle glanced over at his two roommates… they were still trying.

(End of Chapter)