According to an Auror's autobiography that Wayne had read, the bare minimum requirement to qualify as an Auror was to perform the Protego Charm nonverbally.
After all, if you couldn't even protect yourself, how could you be expected to go catch Dark wizards?
"You should already know the incantation — Protego."
When pronouncing it, "te" needs extra emphasis, and it should connect closely with "go".
Wayne explained the techniques to Hermione in great detail: "Remember, when casting the spell, your wrist should flick upward, and the wand should stay perpendicular to your body."
As he spoke, he demonstrated the proper form.
"At the same time, focus your thoughts. Imagine an indestructible shield forming in front of you."
"The effectiveness of the Shield Charm isn't just about magical power — it also depends on how strong your will is."
"Magic is shaped by the mind. Willpower and imagination play a huge role. Don't think of it like a Muggle would — this shield needs to be magical, wondrous."
Wayne explained fluently, while Hermione nodded constantly, absorbing all the key points.
"Now, you try it."
After his explanation, Wayne let the little witch practice it herself.
In truth, Hermione had a natural talent for spellwork. Wayne had only explained it once, and she was already replicating everything step by step, carefully and precisely.
Within the hour, she managed to cast a rudimentary version of the spell.
But when Wayne sensed it, he realized her Protego was… dry and weak. Not smooth at all.
He couldn't help but probe it.
And that's when things went wrong.
Pfft!
The sound of a balloon deflating echoed clearly through the quiet room. Wayne was stunned.
Was that a Shield Charm or a leaky balloon? A light poke would break it!
Hermione's face flushed red, and she stammered in defense:
"I-It's just my first time casting it… I'll get better with practice…"
Wayne didn't respond right away.
Sure, part of it was that she hadn't fully mastered the technique yet — but the main issue was…
Her magical power was too low.
Those pure-blood families insisting on bloodline superiority weren't entirely without reason.
Most pure-blood children genuinely had more magic than Muggle-borns like Hermione.
Take Malfoy. Or Harry.
If either of them had Hermione's level of talent and discipline, their magic reserves would easily support a complete Shield Charm.
"…What are you thinking?" Hermione asked cautiously, worried that she'd disappointed him.
"Nothing," Wayne snapped out of it. Seeing her pout and looking on the verge of tears, he smiled to reassure her: "You're already doing great. This isn't your fault."
"In another year or two, once your magical power develops more, you'll be able to master the Protego Charm naturally."
Hermione didn't respond, so Wayne took the chance to ruffle her fluffy hair, looking very pleased with himself.
He'd been wanting to do that for a while. But their relationship hadn't been quite there yet, and there hadn't been a good opportunity.
Now was the perfect opening.
Sure enough, Hermione didn't push him away — she even leaned forward slightly, moving a bit closer to Wayne.
"So what now?" the little witch asked gloomily. "If my magic is so weak, what kind of spells can I learn?"
"It's not weak — it's just average," Wayne corrected her. "Most students don't learn the Protego Charm until their fifth or sixth year."
Hermione tilted her head and asked softly, "Then what about you?"
"Me? I learned it before I even came to school."
As he spoke, a gentle, invisible barrier formed around Hermione.
Not only was that a silent, wandless casting — it also showed extreme mastery of the spell.
"Well? Cool or not?" Wayne raised his eyebrows, smugly showing off.
That made Hermione grit her teeth. She was already frustrated, and now Wayne was rubbing it in.
"So unfair! We're both Muggle-born — how come your talent is so ridiculous?"
Because I'm a cheat character, Wayne thought silently.
With his SS+ rating in Dark Arts Defense, there weren't many people in history who could outclass him.
Even though the system hadn't revealed everyone's ratings, Wayne guessed that only legends like Godric Gryffindor, Salazar Slytherin, or maybe even Merlin himself could reach an SSS rank. Not even Dumbledore could match it.
With that kind of talent — plus his ability to draw cards — Wayne had already mastered the Protego Charm at an advanced level, using it effortlessly.
Since Hermione couldn't quite handle that spell yet, Wayne shifted gears and taught her something else.
Like the Savior's favorite: the Disarming Charm — Expelliarmus.
Simple, practical, low on magic consumption, and fast-flying — it was very hard to block.
After all, for most wizards, once they lost their wand, they were no different from Muggles.
Wayne waved his hand, and some nearby wooden dummies floated over, each holding various random objects.
"First focus on success rate. Then learn to control the direction the enemy's wand flies. After that, we'll work on accuracy — and finally, casting speed and distance."
With Hermione fully occupied, Wayne sat off to the side and read a book.
At the same time, he began mentally calculating whether there might be a chance to draw an item that could boost Hermione's magic.
Inside the Room of Requirement, Hermione's voice rang out non-stop as she practiced her spells.
She was fueled by stubborn determination — determined to prove that she was more than just a walking encyclopedia.
Time ticked by until 5 p.m. Hermione's throat was dry, and she'd used up nearly all of her magic. Only then did she stop.
Wayne handed her a bottle of Focus Potion.
"Drink this and go to bed early tonight. Otherwise, you'll probably have a hard time waking up tomorrow."
He reminded her gently: "When practicing on your own, don't go overboard like today. Always leave some magic in reserve, okay?"
Hearing his caring tone, Hermione's heart felt warm and fuzzy. She smiled like a flower blooming, hugging the potion close to her chest.
This bad guy's actually pretty thoughtful…
Wayne smiled too. He reached out once again and ruffled the little witch's soft, fluffy hair.
So soft!
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