Harry Potter: From Muggle Cousin to Conceptual Wizard

Chapter 117 Teaching Assistant's Speech: On Mind and Tools!

"That's good, that's good! Assistant Dursley, it's a good thing you were here, otherwise, a student might have been injured today."

Professor Flitwick waved his short arms, his emotions running high.

After expressing his gratitude to Dudley, he immediately glared at Ron, his beard bristling.

"Ron Weasley! I don't know whether to praise you or punish you! The last person to accidentally use the Buffalo Summoning Charm was a wizard named Balfio many years ago."

But Balfeo didn't mispronounce the Levitation spell; he mispronounced the 'f' in another spell as an 's', and the Levitation spell doesn't contain the 'f' syllable.

How incredibly careless and reckless could you be to pronounce the levitation spell like that?!

Even more outrageous is that you actually used the Buffalo Summoning Charm, a spell that clearly has spatial magic properties, at Hogwarts, where Apparition is completely forbidden. In a sense, you really are a genius!

But even if you're a genius, you can't summon a bison in class! Since it wasn't intentional, you're deducting ten points from Gryffindor! Go back and write a ten-inch-long essay on the levitation charm on standard parchment, and hand it in to me in my office before the next class!

"I understand, Professor Flitwick." Ron lowered his head dejectedly, forcing himself not to cry.

Hermione quickly reached out and gently patted Ron's back to comfort him, ignoring the feathers floating in the air and letting them drift down.

Seeing this, Harry cast another levitation spell, controlling his and Hermione's feathers to slowly fall back onto the desk.

"Everyone, keep practicing the Levitation Charm! Remember, the pronunciation and the hand gestures for waving your wands must be accurate. Come on, repeat after me..."

Professor Flitwick resumed his teaching, which was as dogmatic and rigid as ever.

Dudley could no longer remain silent and immediately spoke up, "Please pause for a moment, Professor Flitwick. I feel that your teaching focus is somewhat off."

Upon hearing this, the students in the classroom were once again taken aback.

Professor Flitwick was also taken aback. His gaze, which had been sweeping across the students, returned to Dudley. He wasn't angry, just genuinely puzzled:

"Dexter Teaching Assistant, what do you mean?"

Dudley stood calmly in the open space between rows of desks in the classroom, slowly pacing back and forth, looking at the students, and began his self-directed and self-acted narration:

"What is the most fundamental thing that wizards rely on to cast spells?"

"By using spells? Then why are there techniques for silent spells? Why can I make objects levitate without chanting spells?"

As Dudley spoke, without chanting any incantations, he waved his hand, and the bison carcass on the open ground by the door floated into the air, quickly circling the field, scaring the freshmen of Gryphon and Slytherin pale-faced.

"With a wand? Then why are there techniques for casting spells without a wand? Why can I enlarge or shrink objects without a wand?"

As Dudley continued his narration, with a thought, the bison carcass floating in the air first expanded and grew as large as a wild elephant, occupying a large space above the classroom, and then shrank and shrank, becoming as small as a mouse, floating above Dudley's palm, like a small toy model.

The series of questions, coupled with the stunning magical effect, completely baffled the freshmen of both academies, while also piquing their curiosity.

“Dexter’s teaching assistant, silent spells and wandless spells are advanced techniques that only outstanding senior students would learn. This is too early for freshmen.”

Professor Flitwick interjected.

He admired Dudley's abilities, but he didn't understand Dudley's intention in teaching such advanced material to the freshmen. He thought it was forcing them to learn too much too soon.

"No, Professor Flitwick, you're wrong! You've all been wrong!"

Dudley refuted Professor Flitwick's view, "This is not early at all. It's already considered late if the young wizards are only told these things in their first year!"

Wizards cast spells using magical power, and through their hearts and will! As for spells and wands, those are merely tools!

Otherwise, how could Harry and I have created the Tranquility Charm without having a wand or reading a spellbook?

Professor Flitwick, you are the Charms professor, but you can't just focus on charms and wand gestures.

You need to have your students use their mental powers to clarify what effect they want to achieve with magic before casting a spell. Once they have a firm idea in their minds, then they can recite the spell.

By doing this, even if the spell is mispronounced, it won't lead to absurd situations like the levitation spell turning into a bison summoning spell.

You overemphasize the role of spells and wand gestures, causing students to focus all their attention on spell pronunciation and hand movements.

This is tantamount to students handing over the power of spellcasting to a few syllables and a wand, making them slaves to magic rather than its masters.

The mind is more important than tools. If you don't teach this principle to your students now, how many detours will they have to take to figure it out on their own?

Even some wizards of average talent never grasp this principle in their entire lives, spending their lives rigidly adhering to the spells left by their predecessors, thus stifling their own creativity!

The current magical world is facing a shortage of talent and a decline in its traditions. To put it bluntly, this is inextricably linked to the rigid and dogmatic teaching methods of spellcasting!

Humans are born with the ability to swim, but without training and familiarization after birth, they will gradually lose this skill.

Wizards are born with magic. They all experienced magical upheavals in their childhood. Without wands or spells, they can still achieve what they want to a certain extent, albeit in a daze.

However, after starting school at the age of eleven, he picked up a wand and began chanting spells, neglecting the power of the mind. He became dogmatic and rigid, completely forgetting the magical feeling of a magical outburst, throwing it to the back of his mind, and without trying or practicing, he eventually became mediocre.

Professor Flitwick, haven't you ever noticed this problem? I believe that young wizards need guidance, not just rote memorization, especially in the field of Charms.

Professor Flitwick stared blankly at Dudley, who was giving a passionate speech, his heart filled with mixed emotions.

He hadn't really thought about this question. His understanding of silent spells and wandless spellcasting was mostly limited to the level of practice makes perfect.

He had always known about the power of mind and will, but he had always taken it for granted and ignored it.

He knew that most adult wizards in the magical world were the same.

At that moment, he suddenly understood where the difference lay between an excellent wizard like himself and a top wizard like Dumbledore.

Besides the limited potential of their talents, the ability to actively and consciously utilize mental power is also a crucial factor in widening the gap in their strength.

"I have indeed not given enough importance to spiritual strength in the past, and I should reflect on that!"

I am extremely grateful to the Dursley teaching assistant for sharing his secrets and truths! This has been of great significance to my teaching level and my own improvement!

I think we should all bow to him in respect and keep in mind what Assistant Professor Dursley just said!

Professor Flitwick spoke up, jumping down from the towering pile of books with great sincerity, walking up to Dudley, and bowing solemnly.

The new students from Gryffindor and Slytherin had no choice but to obediently stand up and salute Dudley.

But in reality, very few of them can understand the meaning and importance of what Dali just said, and digest and absorb it to help them become stronger.

This is similar to how a secret martial arts manual can be made public, but it doesn't mean that there will be too many masters of the art.

There are far too few people with insight and understanding.