Sebastian sat on the chair, leaning slightly forward, his hands clasped on the table, looking at Madam Longbottom with a gentle yet firm gaze.
"Madam," Sebastian said with a smile, "As a Professor of Muggle Studies Class, I would like to share with you a 'Bamboo Law' that is widely spread among Muggles."
Bamboo Law?
What does this have to do with Neville?
Madam Longbottom raised her eyebrows in confusion, looking at Sebastian with a hint of bewilderment.
"Bamboo spends four years growing only three centimeters, and these three centimeters are deeply buried underground," Sebastian continued, his voice slow and persuasive.
"But, starting from the fifth year, it will grow wildly at a rate of thirty centimeters per day, reaching fifteen meters in just a few weeks."
"Muggles say that's because in the first four years, the bamboo was constantly rooting, so it could grow rapidly in the fifth year."
Sebastian chuckled softly: "Of course, I'm not a botanist, so I don't know the scientific validity of this law. But we might as well learn from the principle behind this story."
Sebastian turned to Neville and asked gently, "Neville, tell me, how long does it take for a Mandrake to grow from a seedling to maturity?"
Neville trembled slightly, looked up, and whispered, "Almost a year."
"Very good," Sebastian nodded, his tone encouraging. Then he continued to ask, "So, how long does the growth process of Bubotuber take?"
"About three months," Neville answered quickly, his voice much firmer than before.
Sebastian smiled and patted his shoulder, praising him, "That's a very good answer, Neville."
Then, he looked at Madam Longbottom and said earnestly, "Madam, the growth cycle of every plant is different. We cannot force a Mandrake to mature in three months like a Bubotuber."
"Moreover, no one can say that a Mandrake that takes a whole year to mature is inferior to a Bubotuber that matures in three months, don't you agree?"
Madam Longbottom nodded slightly, a thoughtful expression flashing in her eyes.
"In fact, people are the same," Sebastian's tone was gentle yet firm, "Everyone is an independent individual, with their own growth pace."
"Blindly comparing oneself to others will only bring anxiety, pressure, and a lot of negative emotions."
Sebastian looked at Neville, then raised his head and said softly, "Madam, you just said that Neville's performance is not as good as a Squib, and I personally strongly disagree with that."
"Neville is a very excellent child. At Hogwarts, his grades are actually above average."
"You just saw it; I casually asked him two questions about herbs, and he answered them fluently. He is Professor Sprout's favorite Herbology assistant."
Hearing this, Neville secretly looked up at Sebastian, and an indescribable warmth rose in his heart.
Since childhood, he had rarely heard others praise him to his grandmother.
This feeling of praise made him feel a little overwhelmed for a moment.
Sebastian continued, "Neville's learning pace is a bit slower than others, and his memory is not as good as other students, but he possesses a quality that most students do not have, and that is perseverance."
"Perhaps, what others can learn in one go, Neville needs to practice five or ten times, but he never gives up easily."
"In the Duelling Club, Neville is often the last one to practice, and his homework is always completed very diligently."
An appreciative expression appeared on his face: "As a Professor, from my perspective, Neville's performance has already surpassed more than ninety percent of students. If it were me, I might not have done as well as him."
Madam Longbottom pursed her lips, her expression slightly moved. Although she still maintained her usual seriousness, the hardness in her eyes seemed to have softened somewhat by Sebastian's words.
"As the owner of Swan Alchemy, I have always been a good judge of character," Sebastian's tone was full of confidence.
"Over the years, I have discovered countless talents. I can say with certainty that Neville is one of those late bloomers. As long as he is given a little more patience, he will surely achieve brilliant accomplishments."
Late bloomer!
Am I really as good as the Professor says?
Hearing this, Neville was already so touched that his eyes were red. He secretly lifted his sleeve and gently wiped away his tears, his heart full of gratitude.
At this moment, Sebastian had become his most respected and beloved Professor.
Sebastian gave an example: "Due to the Dementors, over the past month, the Professors at Hogwarts have been teaching students the Patronus Charm."
"As a third-year student, Neville has already been able to stably cast a non-corporeal Patronus Charm."
Sebastian smiled slightly, "Madam, you know the difficulty of the Patronus Charm. You should be able to appreciate how remarkable it is for Neville to be able to do this under the limitations of his wand."
One month?
Stably cast a non-corporeal Patronus Charm?!
A hint of surprise and relief instantly flashed in Madam Longbottom's eyes. She couldn't help but look at Neville and asked proudly, "Neville, why didn't you tell me?"
Neville looked up, a hint of awkwardness on his face, and explained softly, "I... I wanted to tell you after successfully casting a corporeal Patronus Charm."
Madam Longbottom's gaze completely softened. She looked at Neville and spoke the first words of praise today: "Neville, your performance truly exceeds my imagination."
"Even your father and mother, at your age, had not successfully cast a non-corporeal Patronus Charm."
"They would be proud of you."
Looking at Madam Longbottom, Sebastian took the opportunity to say, "Neville has already worked harder than others, so we absolutely cannot let this wand continue to hold him back."
"At the very least, getting a suitable wand will definitely improve his learning efficiency and save his study time."
"After changing his wand, I am confident that Neville will successfully cast a corporeal Patronus Charm before Halloween."
One month?
Have Neville cast a corporeal Patronus Charm?!
Madam Longbottom smiled and shook her head: "I understand the difficulty of the Patronus Charm. No matter what, one month is too exaggerated."
"You know, many powerful Wizards never manage to cast a full Patronus Charm in their entire lives."
"I would be very satisfied if Neville could master the Patronus Charm within a year."
"How about this," Sebastian said confidently, "If Neville can do it, I hope you can agree to one condition of mine."
"That is, in the future, don't be so strict with Neville. Try to be more tolerant and encouraging towards him."
"I believe that for Neville, encouragement from family is more effective than strict supervision."
"You've convinced me, Professor," Madam Longbottom nodded slightly, looking at Sebastian with a hint of respect and gratitude, "Hogwarts is truly fortunate to have a Professor like you."
"Thank you for your recognition, Madam."
Madam Longbottom glanced at Neville and bid farewell to Sebastian.
"Thank you for everything you've done for Neville, Professor Swan."
"Now, I'm taking Neville to Diagon Alley to buy a new wand."
Saying that, she stood up, tidied her handbag, and called Neville to leave the coffee shop with her, walking briskly towards the public Floo Network in Hogsmeade New Town.
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