Chapter 167: Scouring Charm and Warm Healing
For Percy and Crabbe, this wondrous journey into the Muggle world was full of peculiar and mystical, dreamlike colors.
It was so interesting, yet also so vexing.
Because Lockhart had them write a travelogue, saying he was willing to teach them his writing skills, but first, he needed to see what they were made of.
Crabbe dutifully complied. His writing style was terrible, not at all like a 12-year-old wizard who regularly wrote essays, but rather like a kindergarten child's words. However, interestingly, Lockhart could sense a very unique simplicity within it.
This simplicity was rare, making this essay, a young wizard's observation of Muggle society, extremely valuable.
Yes, exceptionally valuable.
When Lockhart brought Crabbe's childish babbling of a "Day Trip to the Muggle World" essay to Dumbledore, the old wizard turned it over and over, reading it several times.
His expression was so peculiar, even bearing a distinct astonishment, as he looked at the article, then at Lockhart.
"Well?" Lockhart sipped his drink contentedly, looking quite pleased.
"I'd like to write a recommendation for him, to submit to Witches and Wizards at War," Dumbledore said very solemnly.
Witches and Wizards at War, which had existed for hundreds of years, could be traced back to the time of the Three Brothers of the Deathly Hallows. It was a newspaper journal in the field of Muggle Studies.
It had shown different biases in different eras. For instance, during the Muggle witch hunts, it was a staunch anti-Muggle journal. In Grindelwald's era, and then Dumbledore's, its direction would change drastically, focusing on discussing the survival relationship between wizards and Muggles.
Dumbledore intended to write a recommendation, not to add his own name to the article. His status, position, and influence no longer required such things. On the contrary, he planned to endorse the student, serving as a lightning rod.
—I also agree with this student's perspective!
If anyone intended to attack this article, the criticism would first be directed at him.
"I wrote on it too," Lockhart gestured to the final part of the travelogue.
Dumbledore nodded.
"But you might have to wait a bit longer. Percy Weasley is also writing. That child clearly thinks a bit too much, and thus writes slower," Lockhart said with a smile, placing his teacup on the table. "I plan to submit both of them together."
"Crabbe and Weasley..." Dumbledore narrowed his eyes.
"Oh, no, no, no..." Lockhart rolled his eyes. "Don't taint a child's innocence with dirty political thinking. For these two children, it's just a travelogue!"
Dumbledore smiled. "Isn't that the role of us professors? To shield fragile saplings from wind and rain, waiting for them to grow strong."
"Yes, to give them a chance," Lockhart nodded.
Percy realized this was an opportunity. Professor Lockhart had guided him, noting that Dumbledore actively participated in social activities during his student days, which provided him with infinite possibilities for stepping onto the international stage.
But the more he felt this psychological burden, the more painfully he wrote. He deliberated over every word, constantly recalling every detail of that brief yet dreamlike journey to the Muggle world, attempting to grasp that glimmer of interesting inspiration.
"You always think too much. This isn't necessarily a bad thing. I won't advise you not to think too much, although that's a truism. But you need to realize that this is a behavior driven by your inner self. If you think too much, then think too much..."
Professor Lockhart had given such guidance: "But your thoughts cannot remain superficial; you must think more deeply, think, think desperately. You must understand that your mind, under such intense desire, will burst forth with immense energy, finding glowing thoughts within your spiritual perception of the world. This is magic without magic, with the operation of magic involved."
From Auror in the Ministry of Magic to politics...
From academia to international organizations...
From magical power to Master of Magic...
The three paths the professor indicated did not demand an immediate choice. While leaning more towards guiding the magical path, he still kept open the possibility of the other two routes. This travelogue was the first step.
But it was difficult, truly very difficult.
So, on another weekend, Professor Lockhart once again took them to the Muggle world, for two consecutive days.
Sometimes, they would also return to the house in Hogsmeade Village for magical instruction.
Percy continued practicing the Reparo Charm, while Crabbe, under the professor's guidance, began to delve deeper into Warm Healing, a fire-based healing spell.
For this purpose, when they next went to the Muggle world, Lockhart specifically took the two young wizards to soak in a hot spring.
The three comfortably immersed themselves in the warm spring water, feeling completely enveloped and warm. All their complex thoughts and the physical fatigue from a long day's walk completely dissipated.
"Vincent, remember this feeling," Professor Lockhart instructed, gesturing for Percy to listen as well. "Healing spells actually have distinctions. Fiercely healing a wound like a Reparo Charm is one way; gently healing the body and mind is another."
"They have applications in different scenarios, but never overlook the power of slow healing. It's more powerful because it can heal physical damage that your current abilities cannot immediately heal."
"Its healing power penetrates matter and reaches the soul, changing the state of the soul and leveraging the soul itself to invisibly release magic to resonate with your healing spell, collectively altering the physical body."
"Influencing the superficial body from the deepest level of the soul, thus achieving complete integration of body and mind, such magic is full of tension."
Crabbe listened, somewhat bewildered, but diligently took notes.
Percy thought a lot and realized that what Professor Lockhart was describing could also be applied to the Reparo Charm.
As the saying goes, one learns everything by mastering one thing. There aren't that many or that complex truths in the world. This is why people with high comprehension always excel in different fields simultaneously.
Percy was exactly such a perceptive child.
He might not be able to deeply perceive the difference between 'soul' and 'physical brain/mind' like Professor Lockhart, but he keenly grasped that subtle feeling.
He eagerly, impatiently, drew his wand. Under the curious gaze of the professor and Crabbe, he pointed it at the hot spring he was soaking in. "Scourgify!"
A very unique, invisible light flashed.
The hot spring water seemed to change, yet seemed to remain the same.
"That's it, that's it, hahahaha..." Lockhart burst into laughter. "That's it! The hot spring water is still hot spring water; it didn't turn into pure water because of the Scouring Charm. On the contrary, it became even more active!"
"That's it!"
"The beauty of magic blossoms right here!"
"Percy, welcome officially to the world of magic!"
Percy stood still, holding his wand, not speaking, as if still immersed in the unique realization from his recent spell-casting.
It was a magical experience unlike any he had ever had.
So wonderfully profound.
"Professor, I can too!" Crabbe raised his hand, his simple face full of eagerness to show off, like a kindergarten child vying for a gold star.
"Oh, really? Come, you try too."
Lockhart encouraged him, somewhat curious to see what Crabbe would do.
"Soul Fire!"
Crabbe waved his wand. In the ripples across the hot spring's surface, a faint, two-toned firelight, orange-red and dark blue intertwined, shimmered.
Lockhart and Percy could both feel the heat in the spring water increasing, but this heat remained within a comfortable range for the body; it didn't feel scalding.
His movements didn't stop; he continued waving his wand.
"Warm Healing!"
Instantly, the pool water seemed to glow.
It was also as if it reflected the faint glow of the evening sky, shimmering with light.
Yes, Crabbe did it!
The vitality radiating from the pool water instantly combined and amplified, reaching an incredibly exaggerated threshold.
This didn't mean Crabbe's magical power was stronger than Percy's, but rather the unique effect of "joint spell-casting."
The effect of 1+1 is sometimes greater than 2.
From individual spell-casting to collective spell-casting, this technique is common in departments like the Aurors. It can unleash an intensity far exceeding two individual casters.
Lockhart had mentioned this when promoting the fairytale adventure at school. Cedric had mastered this aspect best, often leading the Hufflepuff students to perform exceptionally well in the Four Houses Competition.
Of course, the scene before them was even more interesting.
Percy performed a subtraction on the hot spring, while Crabbe performed an addition, yet both, remarkably, produced a beneficial effect.
Even better, the Warm Healing spell, at its core, is a fire-based power that stimulates the earth's inclusive, nurturing life force. And now, Crabbe had expanded its scope.
From the power of the earth to the power of nature.
This expansion was precisely the mark of breaking through barriers.
Crabbe, too, had embarked on this wondrous magical path!
"Nice~"
Lockhart gave a thumbs-up, comfortably sinking his entire body into the hot spring, lazily unwilling to speak any more. He felt the hot spring's healing effect on his mind and body. The accumulated, imperceptible fatigue from his busy life since crossing over was gradually dissipating.
He had to admit that, in terms of the current effect, he actually couldn't do better than Percy and Crabbe combined. But this was precisely the joy of teaching.
Teaching according to aptitude, guiding students towards excellence based on their own talents.
If this excellence couldn't surpass his own, a professor not particularly adept in this area, then the teaching outcome would actually be discounted.
A disciple need not be inferior to his master; a master need not be more virtuous than his disciple.
How wonderful.
At least Lockhart was currently enjoying the best hot spring in the world.
The sunset dyed the sky. The three of them were lazily silent, soaking in the hot spring, either emptying their minds or delving into the deepest thoughts, so quiet that only the faint murmur of the distant world remained.
....
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