Charms and Calculations

Zephyr followed Harry, Ron, and Hermione through the crowded corridors of Hogwarts, still turning over the events of Defense Against the Dark Arts in his mind.

That wasn't normal.

But what does it mean? Was Voldemort actively watching through Quirrell? Or was there something more? And if he sensed me, why didn't he act? Did he really not aware that he has a son and here I am? 

Zephyr shook the thoughts away as they arrived outside the Charms classroom. The last thing he needed was to get caught brooding.

Charms should be a welcome distraction. Besides, Flitwick wasn't the kind of professor to make his skin crawl.

The classroom itself was small, with desks arranged in neat rows. At the front of the room stood Professor Flitwick, a tiny wizard barely taller than the stack of books on his desk. As the students settled in, he cleared his throat and beamed at them.

"Welcome, welcome! Today, we will begin with the most fundamental aspect of Charms control! Magic is not just about force but precision. Let's start with something simple: the Levitation Charm."

Zephyr glanced at Hermione, who was already sitting at full attention, quill poised over her parchment. Ron, on the other hand, looked like he'd rather be anywhere else.

"Swish and flick,"

Flitwick instructed, demonstrating the proper wand movement.

"And don't forget the correct pronunciation—Wingardium Leviosa!"

The class got to work. Chaos ensued immediately.

Seamus's feather caught fire.

Dean's floated for two seconds before dropping like a rock.

Lavender's ended up in her hair, and Neville somehow sent his across the room into Parvati's face.

Ron grumbled as his refused to move at all. "This spell is useless."

"Maybe the spell isn't the problem," Zephyr said with a smirk.

"Alright, show-off," Ron grumbled. "Let's see you do it."

Zephyr flicked his wand lazily. "Wingardium Leviosa."

[System Notification]

[Observation: Spell Effectiveness Increased Beyond Standard Parameters]

[Analyzing… Identifying Source…]

[Error: Unknown Origin Detected]

Zephyr's eyes flickered slightly. The system never gave him errors. What did it mean by 'unknown origin'?

The feather floated perfectly, hovering midair as if weightless.

Hermione turned, raising an eyebrow. "You didn't even swish properly."

Zephyr just smile and explain. "I don't know how, but I guess magic and I have an understanding."

Yet, even as he said it, he felt a strange sensation, a pull, a whisper at the edge of his mind, as if something was watching. Not Voldemort, not Quirrell. Something older. The thought sent a chill through him and it has similar feeling to the wand.

Flitwick, who had been observing, gave an approving nod. His gaze lingered on Zephyr for a fraction too long before he spoke. "Excellent work, Mr. Rid! Five points to Gryffindor."

He hesitated, as if about to say something else, but merely gave a thoughtful hum and moved on.

Hermione, still skeptical, tested the charm again. Her feather lifted smoothly, and she gave a satisfied nod. "It's all about proper wand movement and focus."

Ron scowled. "Well, maybe my wand's defective."

Zephyr chuckled but kept quiet. The truth was, his magic didn't function the way it should. The Levitation Charm was easy, yes, but was it because of skill, or because his magic responded differently?

His broom reacted too well in flying lessons.

His transfiguration had gone beyond normal rules.

And now, even something as simple as Charms felt… off. Like he wasn't just casting the spell, he was commanding it.

He tapped his fingers against the desk, thinking. If Voldemort noticed something in DADA, how long before others start asking questions too?

[System Update]

[Skill Efficiency Increasing… No Manual Input Required]

Zephyr exhaled slowly. It wasn't just his perception, his magic was evolving on its own, and even the system was struggling to keep up.

Flitwick continued to guide the students through the lesson, stopping every now and then to assist those struggling. He passed by Zephyr's desk and gave a nod of approval.

"Well done, Mr. Rid. You seem to have a natural grasp of spellwork."

Zephyr nodded, keeping his expression neutral. He wasn't sure if that was a compliment or not.

At the other corner of the class, a loud thump echoed through the room as Ron's wand jerked sideways, sending his feather smack into Neville's face.

"Oh, for Merlin's sake," Hermione muttered, exasperated. "You're saying it wrong. *Wingardium Levi-O-sa, not Levio-SA."

Ron rolled his eyes. "Yeah, yeah, like you're an expert."

"I am," she said matter-of-factly, and with a swish of her wand, her feather hovered elegantly above her desk.

A few students clapped, and Flitwick beamed. "Splendid! Splendid! Another five points to Gryffindor."

Ron groaned. "Brilliant. Now I'm behind both of you."

Zephyr smirked. "Don't worry, mate. I'm sure you'll get it… eventually."

As class ended, Hermione strode ahead, clearly pleased with herself. Ron still looked annoyed, while Harry sent Zephyr another thoughtful glance.

"Where to next?" Zephyr asked, trying to shift the topic.

"Herbology," Ron groaned. "More learning."

They exited the classroom and made their way down the corridors, passing groups of students chatting about their lessons. The energy at Hogwarts was different from any other place Zephyr had ever been—alive, buzzing with history and magic.

Harry walks beside him. "You're really good at this stuff."

Zephyr shrugged. "Guess I just pick things up quickly."

Harry studied him for a moment before nodding. "Still… it's different."

Zephyr raised an eyebrow. "Different how?"

Harry hesitated. "I don't know. You just seem like… like you've done this all before and... it looks like this is not your first time learning it."

Zephyr forced a laugh. "Maybe in my past life."

At that moment,

[System Prompt: Unknown Data Fragment Detected]

[Memory Anomaly – Incomplete Lineage Recognized]

A flicker of something, an image? A feeling? crossed his mind.

A name he didn't recognize, a voice he had never heard.

The system didn't usually reference his past. It was gone before he could grasp it, leaving only a strange, lingering unease.

Something was stirring in his magic, a power or a curse. He does not know, but maybe, Voldemort being my father wasn't the only secret this body held, and the real question right now was

What else was hiding inside me?"