Chapter 33: A Beacon of Hope, a Bronze-Tier Spell

Another night passed in quiet, focused work. Ciel looked at his system panel and shook his head with a faint, wry smile.

"The Lumos rating is still stuck at that critical point, hovering between Black Iron and Bronze," he murmured to himself. "There's been progress, but it still hasn't quite tipped over. It seems my magical talent doesn't lend itself to sudden, dramatic breakthroughs."

He felt no real disappointment, however. The advancement of the Lumos charm was inevitable, a simple matter of time and continued effort. It would happen in the next day or two. There was no need to rush; he would just follow the steps. Besides, even without the Bronze-level rating, his mastery of the spell was already far beyond that of his peers. The Lumos charm, at this stage, didn't require immense talent; it required practice. And when it came to sheer volume of practice, Ciel was supremely confident.

Getting a good rank in today's mini-test would be easy. As for the final test in two weeks, the one that would determine who received the exclusive, custom-made spell? By then, his Lumos charm would have advanced on its own. Adding the rewards from the maturing Lumos Shrooms and the next batch of Goldfish Vines… his mastery would undergo a qualitative change. He didn't believe any student in his year could possibly compete with him then.

A moment later, he left the greenhouse and made his way to the Charms classroom. He was surprised to find it already full. Normally at this time, the room would be mostly empty, populated only by a few sleepy-looking students. But today, the Hufflepuffs were all present, their faces screwed up in concentration as they diligently practiced the Lumos charm. Even more surprisingly, the Ravenclaws, who usually relied on their intelligence and were often a bit lazy, seemed to have arrived even earlier. Many of them had beads of sweat on their foreheads, a clear sign they had been practicing for some time.

Ciel was impressed, but he understood. This was Charms, Ravenclaw's signature subject. To lose to another house on their home turf would be a deep embarrassment. He had also heard that in Gryffindor's Charms class that Wednesday, Hermione Granger had displayed an astonishing mastery of the Lumos charm, earning effusive praise from Professor Flitwick. The professor had apparently lamented that such a clever witch hadn't been sorted into his own house. The Ravenclaws had clearly been spurred into action.

Their efforts had paid off. Their Lumos charms were significantly stronger and more stable than before. Though they were still a considerable distance from his own level, they had clearly pulled ahead of the Hufflepuffs.

After Professor Flitwick arrived and the lesson officially began, the students demonstrated their Lumos charms one by one, in alphabetical order. The Ravenclaws' level was, as expected, generally stronger than the Hufflepuffs', which brought a look of relief to their Head of House's face.

Even so, he couldn't see a single Lumos that could compare to the one Hermione Granger had cast on Wednesday. A familiar pang of regret went through him. Why, oh why, did such a talented witch go to Gryffindor?

He looked at the few remaining students who had yet to demonstrate the charm, his heart devoid of expectation. It seemed first place, both in this mini-test and the final test, was already a foregone conclusion. No one could use Charms better than Hermione Granger.

The Hufflepuffs were also a bit disappointed. If they couldn't get the bonus points, the two-week lead in the House Cup they had worked so hard to maintain would likely vanish. Though they were the most laid-back of the four houses, watching their lead slowly dwindle was disheartening. But they never made excuses. The Ravenclaws' Charms were simply more powerful. And Hermione Granger… well, even Professor Flitwick couldn't help but praise her.

Now, only a few Hufflepuffs were left. Could one of them pull off a miracle?

The next few students demonstrated their Lumos charms, but their levels were clearly not enough to earn any extra points. Finally, only Ciel remained.

The rest of the Hufflepuffs began to cheer and applaud for him.

"Ciel, don't be nervous!"

"Don't feel burdened!"

"Losing the lead is our fault; we should have worked harder."

"Even if you don't do well, no one will blame you. We Hufflepuffs never blame our companions."

"Go for it!"

Amidst their unreserved encouragement, Ciel walked toward the front of the classroom. As he felt the hopeful gazes of his housemates upon him, a strange, warm emotion welled up in his heart. Unknowingly, he had completely integrated into Hufflepuff, had become a part of this loyal, supportive family.

Their hard-won lead was about to be shaken? That wouldn't do. His aunt would be disappointed. These wonderful badgers would blame themselves.

"Then I'll just have to take these bonus points."

It was at that moment that his footsteps paused. A sudden, profound understanding seemed to click into place in his mind. He finally understood what his Lumos charm had been lacking.

Lumos. A faint glow in the darkness. Seeing it is a reassuring thing. Because though the light is faint, it represents hope. I have to cast this charm with a hopeful heart!

As the realization dawned on him, the Lumos charm on his system panel, which had been hovering just on the edge, was finally, completely enveloped by the burnished luster of bronze.

[Lumos (Bronze Tier)]!

His paused footsteps elicited even more enthusiastic applause from the Hufflepuffs. Hannah Abbott and Susan Bones were clapping so hard their palms were red.

Professor Flitwick sighed softly to himself. He knew how hard Ciel worked. He had seen the boy coming out of the greenhouse every morning and had even seen the light of his wand through the glass late at night. But sometimes, talent was just that cruel. No amount of effort could compare to a genius's casual casting. I hope this child isn't too discouraged…

Just as the thought flashed through his mind, a calm, clear incantation sounded through the classroom.

"Lumos!"

The tip of Ciel's wand suddenly lit up with a glow. Bright. Steady. Like a lighthouse on a distant shore seen from a storm-tossed sea, it radiated a sense of profound reassurance.

Professor Flitwick's eyes suddenly widened, his jaw dropping as if he had just seen something utterly impossible.

"This is?!"

(End of Chapter)

***

[Check Out My Patreon For More Chapters On All

Of My Fanfics!!] [www. p@treon.com/meowthtl]

[+300 Power Stones = +1 Bonus Chapter]

[+500 Power Stones = +1 Extra Chapter]

[Thank You For Your Support!]