Chapter 429: Course Selection
Dawn broke over the castle.
The hospital wing remained quiet. Sean's bed was practically barricaded by a fortress of sweets. At some point during his stay, the rumor had spread across Hogwarts that the "Great Green" possessed a legendary sweet tooth. Consequently, the avalanche of Chocolate Frog boxes and bottles of sparkling juice could no longer fit on his bedside table and had begun to colonize the floor.
Sean had organized them neatly so as not to block the aisle, and Madam Pomfrey had grumpily allowed them to stay.
Now, peeking through the discarded wrappers, Sean was looking at a specific photograph as the morning mist drifted through the ward. It was the photo Justin had taken of their Christmas gathering in the Great Hall, but it had been altered by a subtle, unsettling magic.
To any other wizard, the photo looked perfectly normal. But when Sean focused his gaze, certain figures within the frame lost their vibrant colors, fading into a dull, ashen monochrome.
Professor Dumbledore's grey-white eyes remained kind; Professor Snape's dark robes looked even more imposing in the muted tones. Every few inches in the crowd, a monochrome figure appeared. No one else knew what it meant, nor did they know the catalyst for the spell.
In the clear morning light, a tiny silver squirrel suddenly darted out of Professor Quirrell's colorful robes in the photo. Sean watched as it scurried around the edges of the frame, sniffing at things, before disappearing back into the stillness.
His mastery of the Patronus Charm had granted him a new level of insight. As the sun climbed the stone walls of the infirmary, illuminating the parchment, he studied the extra figures in the background.
A handsome, weary-looking Sirius Black was seen downing a glass of red wine; a neatly dressed Lupin was raising a silver goblet... The liquid in their cups sloshed in a perpetual loop, but compared to the vibrant Sean in the foreground, their images were ghostly and faded.
The castle bells tolled, and Sean tucked the photo away. The Patronus had revealed his subconscious worries—thoughts he had kept buried were now bleeding into his magic.
Do the endings of these wizards truly match the suffering they've endured? he wondered. As for me... I've already received more than my fair share from Hogwarts.
The ward was now fully lit. Sean rose and prepared to leave. Madam Pomfrey had officially signed his discharge papers.
In the corridor, Sean continued to practice his wandless casting. He focused his intent, causing his textbooks to hover steadily at eye level as he walked, sensing the flow of magic without a focus.
Magic without a wand was "savage." This was the term Sean had coined after a series of rigorous experiments. Without the wand to channel and refine the intent, the raw power was significantly higher, but it was temperamental and prone to catastrophic instability. It was like the accidental magic of a child—violent and untamed.
To master it required a level of mental fortitude and technical precision that most adult wizards never achieved. Guided by the memories of Rowena Ravenclaw, Sean had managed to stabilize two specific charms.
The Levitation Charm and the Scouring Charm. Two of the spells he was most intimately familiar with.
Because it was early, the halls were empty. Sean's notebook floated beside him, a blue quill scratching a fresh set of objectives onto the page:
[Push four more charms to Master level.]
[Verify if Legilimency can be stacked.]
These were his immediate priorities. In the Wizarding World, a wizard's only true security was the depth of his own power.
He noted with satisfaction that his proficiency in the Levitation Charm had jumped another three hundred points. He looked up just as he reached the Transfiguration department and spotted two familiar figures.
"Professor McGonagall, is it true? I can really take all of them?" Hermione was asking, a wide, irrepressible smile on her face.
"Miss Granger, you are a model student of this institution. Your academic record has earned you this privilege," McGonagall replied. Her lips were pressed into a thin line, but her eyes held a rare look of approval.
"Oh, Professor... thank you! I... I was worried that..." Hermione seemed on the verge of mentioning someone else, but she stopped herself. She wondered if the "other" person had already been granted whatever magical item she was about to receive.
"What is it?" McGonagall asked.
"Nothing, Professor! I just mean—this is brilliant!" Hermione chirped.
"I agree, Miss Granger. I trust you will use 'it' wisely."
McGonagall turned and swept away. Hermione watched her go, then looked out at the grass where the last of the snow was melting. She blew a puff of warm breath into her hands, her face still red from the winter chill, and headed for the Great Hall.
Sean watched her from the shadows for a moment before continuing on his way.
When he reached the Great Hall, the atmosphere was electric.
Sean glanced at the noticeboard: a Hogsmeade weekend was approaching. That explained the surge in student energy. But as he looked closer, he saw a second notice—one regarding the upcoming course selections for the next year.
Sean paused. It was easy to forget that despite everything, he was still a student.
Hogwarts offered five electives starting in the third year: Care of Magical Creatures, Study of Ancient Runes, Muggle Studies, Arithmancy, and Divination.
The choice was a significant one. On one hand, the students had limited time and energy; on the other, the school waited until the third year for these subjects to ensure the students' core magical foundations were stable enough to handle the specialized theory.
"Right, everyone. Listen up."
Justin had produced several sets of bound notes the moment Sean sat down. "I've spoken to some of the Hufflepuff upper-years to get the breakdown on these electives. I've summarized the difficulty and the career paths for each."
"You're a lifesaver, Justin!" Hermione said, reaching for a set. "We have to be careful; these choices will define our entire future."
Harry and Ron were already busy marking up their lists with frantic ink strokes.
"Thanks, Justin. You're always on top of things," Harry sighed. "But honestly, the only thing I really want to do is drop Potions."
"Not an option, mate," Ron said gloomily. "We have to keep all the core subjects. If it were up to me, I'd have binned Defense Against the Dark Arts months ago."
"But that's a vital subject!" Hermione cried in shock.
"Not the way Lockhart taught it," Ron countered. "Aside from 'don't let the pixies out,' I didn't learn a single thing from that man. Do you remember that test? 'What are the most important guidance roles Mr. Green played in Professor Lockhart's career?' Honestly."
The table erupted in sniggers. Justin and Hermione shared a quiet, knowing look with Sean.
Hermione's eyes sparkled with triumph—they had been the ones to bring the fraud to justice. Justin, meanwhile, offered a gentle, satisfied smile. They had done the right thing.
[End of Chapter 429]
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