"Are you okay?"
Michael carefully held Sean,
while the young wizard was still gasping heavily.
"I'm fine."
After a few minutes, Sean regained his senses.
He had clearly overestimated his body, still recovering from a serious illness.
He decided to walk slower next time and to prioritize learning to fly, making it his first goal after earning a scholarship.
"All right."
Michael's eyebrows drooped, and his gaze flickered.
Once back in the dormitory, Sean's tasks became much simpler.
He only had to face the straightforward homework for History of Magic, Transfiguration, Potions, Charms, and Defense Against the Dark Arts.
Originally, these were assignments with a week's deadline, but Sean clearly didn't plan to drag them out.
He finished the Defense Against the Dark Arts essay in just half an hour, and the Charms essay didn't last more than twenty minutes in his hands.
The only one requiring more attention was the one-foot-long History of Magic essay.
Although there was a lot, Sean had basically completed it last time, leaving only the conclusion.
"This is ridiculous…"
Michael, who had watched the whole process, looked stunned.
"You just… like that… finished three assignments? Including that terrifyingly long History of Magic essay?"
Sean turned his head, his long eyelashes trembling slightly.
"Don't look at me with that 'This is normal, can't you do it?' expression!"
Michael slammed his book shut.
"I swear, no one could finish all these assignments at this time!"
He said this and quickly left the dormitory, returning shortly with two more wizards—Terry and Anthony.
"Sorry to bother you,"
Anthony greeted politely.
"Michael said there's—"
Terry began shyly, but the black-haired young wizard quickly covered his mouth.
"Sean, see? No one's finished theirs."
Michael proudly held up two pieces of parchment, nearly three inches of writing each, but still far from a foot in length.
"So, please teach us!"
Sean felt a little puzzled. Although it was indeed a lot, it shouldn't be this difficult…
Looking at the three pairs of eager eyes, Sean nodded and picked up his own parchment.
"In fact," Sean pointed to his own writing,
"completing a history essay is very simple. Professor Binns gave the topic of Emeric and the Monster Ulric.
The first step is to draw a timeline and locate the eras in which these two wizards lived…"
Sean handed his carefully drawn timeline to the three, who dared not glance away.
"Next, we can understand the context of their lives. The content in History of Magic is already detailed enough.
Then comes step two: analyze their actions in relation to the context. There's a saying in the book: judging someone without context is nonsense.
Step three: reassess their actions and present your own argument.
Step four: compare them with other figures and events in historical records, combining analysis with history. This is the core of a history essay.
Finally, you can write a conclusion or discuss the value of your argument. Adding a deeper perspective wouldn't hurt either."
Sean seemed to remember something and flipped open a notebook, already half filled:
"Because the timelines in History of Magic are confusing, I've organized them using the timeline and several other books, like Famous Wizards and Curious Magical Failures and Their Lessons. You can use my notes directly."
He finished speaking and watched the three young wizards' expressions brighten from dazed to alert.
Finally, Michael reverently took the notes and murmured,
"Sean, you are Merlin's angel sent to save us… This is my bible… Parchment, my parchment? I will battle with it for three hundred more rounds!"
Terry and Anthony also erupted with unimaginable enthusiasm, and the three of them pored over Sean's notes.
The dormitory was soon filled only with the soft "scratch-scratch" of quills and the "crackle" of flames in the fireplace.
Anthony's earnest thanks still lingered in Sean's ears, and he nodded before effortlessly finishing the Transfiguration essay.
In fact, that method could be applied to all his assignments.
Sean didn't mind the extra two students in the room.
He set aside the Potions homework and wrote the second step of his plan in his notebook:
[Find the ingredients for potion brewing]
He had already grasped the basic method for handling ingredients; as long as he had the materials, the preparatory work for brewing potions would be done.
But where would the ingredients come from?
The enrollment list didn't require students to buy materials; young witches and wizards used the potion ingredients provided by Hogwarts.
Could they use them after class?
Sean thought they probably could, but the probability of Professor Snape agreeing was infinitesimally close to zero.
He thought, without reason, of Snape's face filled with rejection.
He let out a slight sigh.
If there was anything more terrifying than having no talent, it was having no talent and running into Professor Snape.
What was he supposed to do?
The question circled in Sean's mind as twilight settled over Hogwarts.
Blue and bronze silk drapes hung from the vaulted ceiling, tinted by the thin moonlight streaming through the windows into an almost night-like indigo.
The air carried the faintly rough scent of old book pages, the supple smell of parchment, and a crispness like post-rain air.
Sean's gaze turned to the massive arched window outside,
his emerald eyes shrouded in a mist common to Scottish autumns and winters, reflecting the flickering light from the fireplace.
"There will always be a way." Sean said to himself, "This is Hogwarts, the castle of magic."
The long night passed, and the castle awoke again.
The statues along the corridors caught the first warm streaks of amber light,
prompting young wizards holding books to raise their hands to shield their eyes.
Wednesday.
Ravenclaw had no first-period classes, so the freshmen were still lost in slumber.
Sean, however, had risen early.
At this time, back in the orphanage, it had been breakfast; once missed, it wasn't replaced.
Thus, Sean had cultivated the habit of early to bed, early to rise.
He entered the Great Hall, sweeping through pumpkin soup, chicken-and-ham pies, and Cribbitch wizard crackers.
By his side, Justin's gentle smile remained steady.
"Good morning, Sean."
"Good morning."
Sean nodded and saw Justin pull out a thick Directory of Contemporary Famous Wizards to leaf through.
"Hogwarts is really amazing. If Professor Binns hadn't assigned that one-foot essay, I think I would have had more time to explore the castle and the kitchens next to the common room…"
Mentioning homework, Justin's brow furrowed slightly, a shadow crossing his sunlit face.
"Hmm."
Sean's large green eyes lit up at the mention of kitchens.
'Damn Sorting Hat… I want to be a Hufflepuff with free access to snacks too…' he thought.
Then he noticed something strange.
"Professor Binns gave Hufflepuff a one-foot essay too?"
"Too?"
Justin looked up in surprise.
"Could it be that…"