On the streets of London, a young Muggle girl pointed at the sky and cheered.
"Mummy, look at all the birds!"
Curious Muggles around her looked up. Hundreds of owls were flying across the sky, heading in different directions.
"Wow! So many owls! There are so many!"
"Usually, you only see a dozen or so. Why are there so many this time?"
"Good thing they're just owls, not aggressive. Otherwise, it would be a real problem!"
"Why don't the authorities do something? Think of the mess all those birds will make! It's terrible for the environment!"
The owls soared through the air, flying over mountains and seas, arriving one by one at the homes of witches and wizards.
Lindenberg Dumpes, an unremarkable, ordinary wizard with little to do, loved nothing more than reading the newspaper.
Right now, he was waiting by his window for the arrival of his owl, Hootsgo. A grey owl flew across the sky, a newspaper clutched in its beak.
Hootsgo landed on the windowsill and delivered the paper to Dumpes.
Dumpes patted Hootsgo's head and pulled a treat from his pocket for the owl.
"Thank you, Hootsgo!"
"Hoot!"
Hootsgo responded, ate the treat, and then flew off into the sky once more.
Dumpes took the paper and settled into his armchair, leisurely opening it up.
In the wizarding newspaper, the pictures of people were vividly animated, so lifelike they could talk and even duel right on the page.
The moment Dumpes opened The Daily Prophet, the headline story leaped out at him.
"THE DAILY PROPHET: Hogwarts' New Combat Magic Professor, Jack, Outlines Six Tiers for Combat Magic and Six Ranks for Mages in Public Lesson!"
Dumpes shot to his feet so fast his armchair tipped over backwards.
He hurried to his desk, took a sip of coffee to steady his shocked nerves, and continued reading.
The paper prominently featured a moving photograph of Jack, who was in the middle of explaining the classification system, exactly as it had happened in the classroom.
"Let's start with the grading of Combat Magic," the picture of Jack seemed to say. "Combat Magic is divided into six tiers.
They are: E-Rank, D-Rank, C-Rank, B-Rank, A-Rank, and S-Rank...
Higher-tier Combat Spells require more magical power to cast and possess greater destructive force...
I have similarly divided mages into six ranks.
They are: Apprentice Mage, Junior Mage, Intermediate Mage, Senior Mage, Special-Class Mage, and Shadow-Level Mage...
Anyone with magical power in their body is considered an Apprentice Mage...
A Junior Mage should have a flow of magical power inside them as thick as their arm...
When the flow of magic within you is as wide as a small stream, you are ready to test for the rank of Senior Mage."
Dumpes's hand, holding the coffee cup, trembled slightly. Mages... ranked?
This was something the wizarding world hadn't achieved in thousands of years, and now a young Hogwarts professor had done it?
As hard as it was to believe, the fact that The Daily Prophet was publishing this meant the Ministry of Magic was tacitly allowing it.
Even if the Prophet wasn't afraid of the Ministry, it wouldn't openly defy them on such a major scale.
Dumpes grew curious. Just who was this Professor Jack? How was he so remarkable?
He read on. Below the article, there was actually a brief profile on Jack.
"THE DAILY PROPHET: Jack. Age: Unknown. Power Level: Unknown. Joined Hogwarts one month ago.
At the Start-of-Term Feast, Albus Dumbledore stated that Professor Jack is a wizard whose power far surpasses his own.
Upon joining Hogwarts, he introduced a new subject called Combat Magic!
Combat Magic categorizes all known spells as 'Ordinary Magic,' while Combat Magic is born specifically for battle and is divided into six tiers.
Spells already demonstrated include the E-Rank Three Basic Jutsu: Clone Technique, Transformation Technique, and Replacement Technique! The D-Rank Combat Spell, Fire Style: Great Fireball Technique!
Combat Spells of unknown tier: Wind Style: Vacuum Wave! Water Style: Water Dragon Bullet Technique! Lightning Style: Lightning Ball! Earth Style: Earth-Style Wall! Wood Style: Four Pillar Prison Jutsu!"
Next to each Combat Spell was a moving picture showing Jack casting it in its entirety!
Dumpes stared at these Combat Spells, his mouth agape. These spells were incredible!
Unheard of! Unseen before!
"According to analysis," the article continued, "Combat Magic includes offensive spells, auxiliary spells, and control spells.
Furthermore, Combat Magic can easily summon elements like wind, fire, water, earth, and wood for attack, belonging to a previously unseen category of magic!
And Hogwarts' Professor Jack is the originator of Combat Magic!"
Are young people just built differently these days?
Long after finishing the article, Dumpes's mind was still reeling.
Hogwarts. Combat Magic. He really wanted to see it for himself!
A sudden, powerful urge surged within Dumpes—a desire to go to Hogwarts, to witness this Combat Magic firsthand.
He looked inward, at the magic flowing within his own body. It felt like a steady, continuous stream.
So... I'm a Senior Mage!
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