Magic world textbooks were surprisingly decent. They weren't like those 'anti-self-study professional textbooks' he had encountered in university in his past life.
Take 'The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 1' in his hand as an example. It used both text and illustrations to demonstrate the effects of each spell, casting methods, incantations, tips, common mistakes, and more. It was packed with practical information.
Most importantly, it got straight to the point. When teaching a spell, it only wrote about the spell. It was clear the author genuinely wanted to teach the reader, rather than starting with 'The Significance of Magic' or 'The History and Origin of Spells'—a bunch of seemingly useful but ultimately empty fluff.
Makiya found learning quite enjoyable.
Practice was the best teacher. Rote memorization had never been Makiya's strong suit. Rather than forcing knowledge into his brain, he preferred using his body to remember the feeling of casting.
The Levitation Charm, the Mending Charm, the Severing Charm, the Softening Charm...
One by one, the spells went from clumsy to refined in Makiya's hands. His casting became increasingly effortless.
Harry watched in stunned silence. Seeing Makiya learn and practice magic from scratch made him wonder who the real savior was. For a moment, he felt incredibly inadequate.
But Harry was an optimistic boy. He quickly pushed those messy thoughts aside, drew his wand, and joined Makiya in practicing.
With the aid of magic, productivity skyrocketed. The three of them spent only a single day setting up the basic frames for two small wooden cabins.
Three more days passed, and the two simple cabins were basically finished. Of course, perfecting the various functions and details would take a lot more time, but once furniture was added, the cabins were habitable.
Makiya and Harry's owls had been swamped lately. The two had ordered a massive amount of daily necessities, and the poor snowy owls had to work overtime transporting the orders. They had visibly lost some weight, looking leaner and tougher.
A screech echoed from the sky. A snowy owl, its feathers pure white and unblemished, dove down while clutching a large package.
This one was Makiya's, named Jimmy.
Jimmy released his grip as he neared Makiya. The package plummeted like an aerial bomb, bouncing twice before coming to a precise halt at Makiya's feet.
Makiya tossed two fat voles. Jimmy let out a happy cry, snatching them out of the air before flying to a large tree to feast.
The package contained several quilts and cashmere blankets. The ones Makiya bought a couple of days ago were too thin; the midnight air was surprisingly chilly in this weather. He decided to just buy a full set of bedding to prepare for winter.
The package had been enchanted with weight-reduction and shrinking charms.
Makiya pulled out the instructions, looked them over, opened the package, and cut the binding rope. He spread the items across the bed; in a few hours, the charms would wear off automatically.
Makiya's cabin had a very simple layout. A wooden board divided the space into two parts. The inner section held a bed and a large tree stump serving as a table.
The floor of the outer space was paved with large stone slabs. In a corner sat a desk with 'Magical Drafts and Potions' spread open. Beside it stood a crude but massive bookshelf. Makiya's two cauldrons were already set up, their contents currently brewing.
The shelves were packed with books and magazines. Aside from required textbooks, he had subscribed to the Daily Prophet and professional journals like 'Transfiguration Today', 'Magical Theory', and 'The Wonder of Alchemy'.
Two exceptionally thick volumes were particularly eye-catching. These were birthday gifts Harry had given him the day before yesterday: 'The Book of Abramelin' and 'The Testament of Nicholas Flamel', both beautifully bound.
Makiya skimmed a few pages before putting them high on the shelf. The knowledge within was not suitable for current study; the barrier for entry was high, requiring an immense amount of prerequisite knowledge.
Real physical samples were sewn onto the pages with thin twine to help the reader understand. Many of the magical materials were quite expensive; little Harry must have spent a fortune on these two books.
'How should I return the favor?'
Makiya felt a bit of a headache. He hadn't decided on a proper birthday gift for Harry yet.
Time flew by, and in the blink of an eye, it was mid-August.
Makiya spent his time alone in the cabin reading and practicing magic. Harry had long since given up trying to keep pace with him. He realized that Makiya and normal people were simply two different species; Makiya read incredibly fast, remembered everything, and mastered spells at an alarming rate.
When the gap between two people is small, the one behind tries to catch up. When the gap is somewhat large, the one behind feels envy. But when the gap is like night and day, Harry could only feel admiration.
Knock, knock, knock!
Makiya was studying a spell when he heard a knock. Without looking up, he called out, "Come in."
Harry pushed the door open and stepped inside, immediately greeted by a rich aroma.
"Whoa... Makiya, what are you cooking? It smells amazing!"
A large black Neapolitan Mastiff squeezed past Harry's legs into the room, heading straight for the two cauldrons Makiya was using.
It was Hagrid's pet dog, Fang. The rich scent had Fang jumping up and down, drool pooling on the floor. However, the pungent spice mixed in kept stinging his sensitive nose. Fang opened his mouth wide, about to sneeze.
"Petrificus Totalus!"
Makiya reacted instantly. Before Fang could sneeze, a Full Body-Bind Curse froze the giant dog in place.
Fang's body went stiff as a board. He started to topple over but was caught by a Levitation Charm, floating slowly out of the cabin.
"That was close. Fang almost ruined everything!" Makiya said, wiping away imaginary sweat.
Harry's eyes widened. "Non-verbal casting? Makiya, you just used the Levitation Charm without saying a word!"
After days of studying and Hagrid's explanations, Harry was no longer a magical novice. He knew exactly how difficult non-verbal casting was, which explained his shock.
"What's the big deal? I've used the Levitation Charm hundreds of times over the past few days. Being able to cast it silently is only natural," Makiya said with a dismissive wave, leaning over to check the two cauldrons.
One cauldron contained a brewing potion, while the other held a hot pot base—spicy, with enticing red oil and peppers covering the surface, swirling as the soup boiled.
"Alright, it's about ready. Let's go. This is the spicy hot pot I told you about."
Makiya first released Fang's petrification, then summoned a breeze to blow the smell out of the room.
He flicked his wand, and the cauldron containing the hot pot base rose into the air, following steadily behind Makiya.
Harry swallowed hard. The Dursleys didn't really eat spicy food, so he wasn't sure if he could handle Makiya's spicy hot pot, but the mouth-watering aroma had him drooling.
Makiya led the cauldron toward Hagrid's stone hut, with Fang wagging his tail behind them.
Just before leaving, Harry caught a glimpse of the book spread open on Makiya's desk. Out of curiosity, he leaned in to take a look.
Even if a poor student can't keep up with a top student's progress, they're always curious about what the top student is studying.
The illustrations in the book clearly demonstrated the spell's effect. Harry realized it was a defensive spell.
"Um... Expelliarmus?"
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