Immediately afterwards, his voice rang out again, seeming to come from every direction.
"It is not merely a tool for crude disguises or pranks. Its essence lies in deception, in misleading human perception."
His figure reappeared in the same spot, as though he had never moved.
"The core of the standard Disillusionment Charm and its many variations is not disappearance, but blending and refraction."
He began explaining at a steady pace, expanding upon the key points of using the Disillusionment Charm in different situations.
Most Wizards never progressed beyond the basic stage of using it to conceal themselves and failed to develop the spell to its full potential.
Under the influence of the Mechanical Mind, the students' thoughts worked with exceptional efficiency, greedily absorbing every word.
Sagres's explanation was profound yet easy to understand. He covered the flow of magic within the Disillusionment Charm, how to fine-tune magical output to achieve the most effective optical camouflage, and how to temporarily attach the spell's effects to small objects. Every point was explained clearly and thoroughly.
He even demonstrated how to apply the principles of the Disillusionment Charm to create a temporary mirage in front of himself, capable of deflecting certain non-corporeal attack spells.
"Remember, a skilful Disillusionment Charm is not about making yourself completely transparent, but about making your presence seem natural."
"This requires the caster to pay close attention to every sound and disturbance in the air they create while concealed. It places extremely high demands on their control of magic."
"To evade purely magical detection, it must be combined with other anti-detection spells. Understanding its limitations is just as important as mastering its applications."
He demonstrated several complex wand movements and techniques of magical manipulation, each belonging to an advanced application of the Disillusionment Charm.
"Finally, there is one point that is frequently overlooked."
Sagres continued, "The Disillusionment Charm has a significant weakness. It cannot deceive the senses of certain creatures, such as Kneazles or Billywigs, nor can it completely conceal heat or scent."
He waved his wand again, and more than a dozen students in the first two rows instantly vanished from sight, leaving behind only faint impressions on their seats and barely perceptible ripples in the air.
"You now have one minute to change positions."
He then turned towards the still-visible students in the middle and rear rows.
"As for the rest of you, draw your wands and attempt to locate your concealed classmates using the Colour-Change Charm."
He paused before adding an important restriction.
"Remember, each of you has only two attempts."
The atmosphere in the classroom immediately grew tense.
The faint scraping of desks and chairs came from the area occupied by the hidden students, followed by a suspenseful silence.
Meanwhile, the students in the rear rows gripped their wands eagerly, their eyes gleaming with the excitement of hunters.
Several dozen seconds later, once the hidden students had fully taken their positions, Sagres smiled and announced the beginning of the exercise.
At his command, the seekers immediately sprang into action, gripping their wands and cautiously scanning the apparently empty space for the slightest irregularity.
At first, the only sounds in the classroom were careful footsteps and nervous breathing.
Suddenly, a Ravenclaw girl spun sharply to her left and thrust out her wand.
A brilliant stream of colour shot forwards and struck a slowly moving patch of empty air with perfect accuracy.
The next moment, an Ilvermorny boy stumbled into view, annoyance written across his face.
Her success immediately encouraged the other hunters, who began firing at every place they considered suspicious. More than a dozen brightly coloured spells streaked across the classroom, striking several unlucky students and revealing their positions.
Those who had used both of their attempts could only withdraw helplessly alongside the students who had been hit.
Just then, a vase at the back of the classroom toppled without warning and shattered against the floor with a sharp crash.
Almost every gaze and wand instantly turned towards the sound.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
Several streams of coloured light shot towards the area around the vase, but none struck their target.
The chaos did not end there. Textbooks on several desks began falling to the floor one after another. The commotion immediately drew another barrage of spells, but once again, every attack missed.
The hunters quickly understood the tactic. The hidden students were deliberately creating false noises to draw fire and exhaust their opponents' limited number of attempts.
At the same time, some of the hiders adopted even cleverer, or perhaps more shameless, strategies.
One student curled up beneath a long table, completely avoiding the open areas. Another, bolder student silently climbed onto the podium and lay motionless across the lecturer's desk.
Most impressively, one student quietly moved behind Sagres.
He shamelessly used the professor as cover, knowing perfectly well that none of his classmates would dare fire a Colour-Change Charm near him, thereby creating an absolutely safe hiding place.
The boldest hider, however, adopted a moving strategy.
She followed closely behind a slowly advancing seeker, perfectly matching every step and pause.
Her breathing was almost synchronised with the person in front of her, while the disturbance in the air caused by her movements was concealed by the seeker's body. She truly seemed like the other person's shadow, without revealing the slightest flaw.
Not only that, she would occasionally extend her wand and quietly manipulate objects around the classroom, causing them to fall and draw large amounts of fire, further disrupting the hunters' judgement.
The girl following the seeker pushed this game of cat and mouse almost to its limit.
She used a Levitation Charm to make a distant quill suddenly rise into the air, while also causing a stack of parchment to shift without any breeze.
Whenever a hunter was distracted by one of these movements, she seized the opportunity to change position and find another person to shadow.
"Time's up."
Sagres gave his wand a light wave, and all the hidden students immediately reappeared.
A collective murmur of realisation swept through the classroom.
"An excellent practical exercise."
Sagres surveyed the room, his gaze lingering briefly on several of the more outstanding students.
"Now, let us examine the problems you encountered."
He first looked towards the Durmstrang boy who had revealed himself through sound.
"Remaining in motion was the correct idea, but controlling your rhythm was crucial. Steps taken too hastily can become the drumbeat that gives away your position."
Next, his gaze moved to the student lying on the lecturer's desk.
"Choosing a high position was clever, but remember that the more unexpected your hiding place, the more difficult it may be to escape once discovered."
When his eyes fell upon the student who had hidden behind him, a ripple of good-natured laughter passed through the classroom.
"Making use of every available resource, including the professor," Sagres said, the corner of his mouth curving slightly, "was very clever. However, in a real battle, you may not always find such a safe place."
Finally, he turned towards the Castelobruxo girl.
"The finest concealment does not come from remaining still, but from becoming part of the environment. Your moving camouflage and diversionary tactics were exemplary. For that, I believe you deserve everyone's applause."
Enthusiastic applause immediately filled the classroom, and the Castelobruxo girl's cheeks flushed with emotion.
"However, you must also understand," Sagres continued, his tone shifting, "that today's exercise was intended to broaden your thinking. Real combat is full of unpredictable variables."
"For example, when facing several concealed enemies, the strategy must change completely. Rather than searching for each one individually, it may be better to alter the entire environment and leave them nowhere to hide."
He casually offered several examples.
"A sweeping wave of fire that engulfs the entire area, or a mist that conceals you while revealing the enemy's movements. Of course, Hominum Revelio remains the most direct solution."
As the students returned to their seats, Sagres waved his wand again, removing the paint from everyone struck by the Colour-Change Charm.
"I will emphasise this one final time. The Disillusionment Charm is not merely a means of concealment. It is a delicate dialogue with the environment and a silent contest of wits with the observer."
"To truly master it requires far more than knowing the incantation. It demands absolute control over your magic and a complete awareness of your surroundings."
Sagres surveyed the classroom, taking in the enlightened, excited, and thoughtful expressions before him.
"Now, are there any further questions?"
The classroom remained silent.
"Practise the spell. You will be dismissed afterwards."
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