Hermione had an amazing birthday, no question about it. When her parents' faces appeared, she was so overwhelmed she nearly cried.
Sean and Justin tactfully gave her some space, lingering outside the classroom. Sean flipped through a book while Justin rambled excitedly. After a while, Hermione's soft voice called them back in.
Her parents' faces radiated warmth, showering Justin with praise until his cheeks turned red. Sean wasn't spared either, getting equal doses of their affection. Under the Grangers' caring gazes, Hermione unwrapped her gifts.
Justin's gift was a set of lunar charts and astronomical tools—perfect for the astronomy homework she'd been tackling. Sean gave her his meticulously organized notes, which even Hermione had to admit were a lifesaver for any young wizard over a busy weekend. Their clarity, structure, and even a touch of fun made them leagues better than the dry, vague textbooks.
Not to mention, his notes included an almost perfected version of A History of Magic, widely passed around among the students. Late that night, when the dormitory was quiet, a small note appeared at the top of the notebook. Hermione paused, glanced at her sleeping roommates, and read it carefully:
[Hermione, I just want to say, no matter what anyone thinks, your worth never changes. I know you already know this, but let me say it again.
—Your friend, Sean Green]
It was enough to bring a tear to Hermione's eye, especially after her recent low moments. Sharing these special moments clearly brought people closer, and the bond between the three young wizards in that classroom grew stronger.
But it also made Hermione and Justin notice something: Sean was busier than ever. He was out early and back late, collapsing in the common room, chugging odd potions, only to collapse again from exhaustion.
On the flip side, his Transfiguration and Levitation Charm skills were skyrocketing. Justin watched in awe as Sean made classroom chairs float and turned a pebble into a tiny stone figure wielding a sharp weapon—though it only took two steps before crumbling. In Transfiguration class, Sean transformed a desk into half a snarling boar with razor-sharp tusks. He collapsed onto a stool seconds later, but the sight terrified a group of passing Slytherins.
Goyle couldn't even imagine what a hit from that boar would feel like. Word reached Theodore, who was already in detention, and he quietly abandoned any thoughts of revenge. His Dancing Charm didn't stand a chance against a charging boar.
It was a bright Saturday. Owls swooped in with their usual haul of letters. Justin received a gold-rimmed envelope and carefully opened it to find a letter from Mrs. Finnley:
[Dear Justin,
Your letters are filled with moments worth cherishing. I'm so pleased you've found good friends. As I've said, hold them close—the kind and honest ones don't always survive easily in a world that's neither kind nor honest.
Forever proud of you,
—Liliana]
Justin tucked the letter away, his gaze drifting to the figure surrounded by owls. He recalled a conversation by the fireplace.
"Sean, I mean, there's a fireplace here, and it's connected to the Floo Network. If you…" Justin had started.
"I don't have anyone to contact," Sean replied, then went back to practicing Transfiguration.
The Great Hall was buzzing with noise. Young wizards loved it here, maybe for the warm fireplace or the lively chaos. Some munched on snacks, others played games, debated passionately, or tackled homework.
"Hermione, have you noticed?" Justin's voice was low. "Aside from that one letter from… you know, Sean never gets any mail."
Hermione froze, then cast a Muffliato Charm to keep their words private. "Of course I've noticed… so…"
They exchanged heavy glances, a shared weight in their expressions.
After reaching the Proficient level with the Levitation Charm, Sean was thrown off by an unexpected snag. At the Beginner level, practicing the charm earned him 3 proficiency points per session. But now, at Proficient, standard practice only gave him a measly 1 point, and even Proficient-level practice only yielded 3. Meanwhile, Expert-level practice still granted a whopping 50 points.
He could feel it: low-level practice was yielding fewer insights. The techniques were too basic, and the areas he needed to improve were dauntingly vast. The insights he gained were scattered and sparse.
This pushed him to chase more advanced techniques and climb higher. But it also meant his time was stretched thin. To hit Expert level with the Levitation Charm by the end of the week, he cut back on trips to the dungeon and the Transfiguration office. After learning Neville was back and that Senior Bruce was often in the greenhouse, Sean even asked Professor Sprout for a few days off.
Saturday afternoon, Sean emerged from the Transfiguration office looking pale, having pushed himself to the brink. But it was worth it:
[Name: Sean Green]
[Proficiency]
[Summoning Charm: Beginner Level (3/900)]
[Aguamenti Charm: Beginner Level (2/900)]
[Levitation Charm: Proficient Level (1200/3000)]
The Proficient level wasn't cutting it anymore. Sean started puzzling over how to reach Expert. Flipping through his Charms notes, he landed on something Professor Flitwick had said:
["If you can make a feather spin, why not try it on that little table? Once you've barely mastered the first-year charms, you'll find the mysteries of the Silencing Charm waiting. Knowledge is never too much!"]
"Silencing Charm, huh?" Sean muttered to himself.
While Charms posed its challenges, Potions was no walk in the park either. Professor Snape had grown stricter—not with his usual biting sarcasm, but with more detailed guidance. This led to a rather unfortunate outcome.
When Sean completed a Proficient-level Swelling Solution and left the dungeon, he gave himself a mental pep talk: he'd survived Snape's grueling training once again! Quite the feat!
In the midst of Snape's intense, fast-paced instructions, Sean hadn't even had time to test his theories about the role of emotions in potion-making. Glancing around, he sighed. Despite memorizing every school rule, here he was, wandering the halls after curfew.
As if things couldn't get worse, a soft meow cut through the owls' cooing near his neck. He looked down to see two glowing yellow eyes, bright as lanterns.
It was Mrs. Norris.
Though she was spirited and adorable, Sean, who usually followed the rules, had always viewed her with fondness. But tonight, everything felt different.