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"What are you doing here—hey! Where're you going?"
It sounded like Ron's voice.
Hodge pushed the door open curiously and found Harry, Ron, and Hermione standing just outside. They looked a bit startled to see him. Hodge's gaze slid past Harry, catching sight of a tall, lanky red-haired boy hurrying away down the corridor, disappearing quickly from view.
"That was Percy," Ron said, staring puzzled at the end of the hallway. "Acting all sneaky. I was about to call out to him, but he just bolted. Weird, right… you saw him, didn't you?" He turned to Hodge.
"I did," Hodge replied, his expression neutral as he glanced at Penelope. He suspected Percy had been following her, maybe hoping to stage a "chance" encounter, only to be caught out by his younger brother.
He looked at the trio. Perhaps because they'd faced a troll together, they got along decently. But most of the time, they only crossed paths in class, exchanging a few words before drifting back to their own circles.
"What are you lot up to?" Ron asked, craning his neck to peer into the classroom. He hadn't expected an empty weekend classroom to be so packed.
"I've started a temporary club," Hodge said. "Today's our first meeting. Er, we're testing a new study method… want to give it a go?"
At the word "club," Ron shot Harry a surprised look, as if asking what that was all about. But when Hodge mentioned "a new study method," Ron's interest visibly fizzled out. Hermione, on the other hand, perked up, her eyes gleaming.
Lately, she'd noticed professors praising Hodge in class more than once.
Harry seemed intrigued too. He hadn't forgotten the impressive Blasting Curse Hodge had cast on Halloween.
"Would we be intruding…?" Harry asked hesitantly. He'd already peeked inside and noticed the room was mostly filled with Ravenclaws.
"Doesn't matter if you join or not—there's already a Gryffindor in there," Hodge said, nodding toward Parvati Patil. The twin sisters were split between Ravenclaw and Gryffindor.
So, the three stepped inside. At first, they felt a bit out of place. Ravenclaw was the smallest house after Slytherin, but now it felt like they were surrounded by Ravenclaws.
When Hermione sidled up to Parvati to chat, Hodge pulled three more cups from a classroom cabinet and poured them each a glass of pumpkin juice. Then, like a conjurer performing a trick, he produced a small bottle of blue potion and dripped two drops into his own cup.
"Anyone want to try?" he asked, holding up the glass vial for all to see.
"What's that?" Ron asked, curious.
"A Calming Draught," Hodge explained. "The textbook says it helps the drinker feel relaxed and eases tension. But, as we all know, potions often go through countless versions before they're finalized. I found one of those early recipes in the library—take a small dose, add a few mint leaves, and it helps you focus on your inner world. I've tried it a few times. Works decently, though it might make your face a bit flushed. Effect lasts about half an hour."
"Like a Tranquility Potion?" Penelope asked, inspecting the vial closely.
"More or less," Hodge said, setting the bottle on a table by the wall. "If you want to try, help yourself. Two drops are enough."
For Hogwarts students, taking potions was as routine as breakfast. A few people stepped forward right away. Egged on by Ron, Harry added two drops to his pumpkin juice, took a sip, and grimaced slightly.
"What's wrong?" Ron asked, lowering the cup he'd just raised to his lips.
"It's a bit cloying," Harry said, smacking his lips.
Hodge shrugged. "That's not the potion—it's the pumpkin juice. I added extra sugar to suit my taste."
After the small interruption, Hodge addressed the group. "So, how many of you have studied the Shrinking Charm?"
No one raised a hand. Penelope tilted her chin up slightly, though she knew the question wasn't aimed at her.
Hodge launched into an explanation of the Shrinking Charm's principles, guiding them through the incantation and wand movements a few times. Once he was satisfied with their technique, he moved to the next step.
He had everyone sit on cushions arranged on the floor. Beside each cushion was a mirror and the empty cup they'd used for pumpkin juice.
Harry sat cross-legged, staring oddly at his reflection—it was like another version of himself was sitting there, listening along.
Hodge wove through the group, lighting a few scented candles. Soon, the classroom was filled with the faint aroma of sandalwood.
Hodge settled onto a cushion of his own, one hand propping up his chin.
"Where to begin? Let's start with the Halloween feast. Everyone knows a troll got into the school that night." The group perked up, listening intently. Ron puffed out his chest proudly.
"…After the troll went down, it wasn't completely out. I think it was because the club broke. So, I used a Blasting Curse. Here's how it went…" Hodge described the vivid images that had flashed through his mind at the time.
"You imagined a Patronus in your head?" Goldstein asked, astonished.
"Not quite that dramatic," Hodge said modestly. "I asked Professor Flitwick about it, and he thinks that, in certain situations, witches and wizards can cast magic beyond their usual ability when under intense pressure. Magical Theory also mentions that a spell's effect can be tied to emotions."
Hermione nodded as she listened, clearly absorbing every word. Aside from her—and Penelope—most of the others looked utterly lost.
"So, I thought, why not create that kind of environment on purpose? It doesn't have to be pressure—it could be something else. I tested it on myself a few times and made some tweaks… drawing on manuscripts left by Adalbert Waffling and Rowena Ravenclaw."
His words only half-landed. Most people knew Rowena Ravenclaw as the founder of their house, but Waffling? That name sailed right over their heads. Hodge was about to give a quick explanation when Hermione raised her hand.
"Er, Granger?" Hodge said, a bit thrown. She was treating this like a proper classroom.
"Adalbert Waffling was a British wizard who studied magical theory and is believed to have written All About Magic. Nearly every modern wizard has read his work, as he's the author of Magical Theory."
"Five points to Gryffindor."
Hermione beamed, then immediately realized what had happened and shot Hodge a fierce glare. The group stifled their laughter, with the Patil sisters doubling over in giggles.
"Ahem," Hodge cleared his throat. Then, he asked everyone to close their eyes.
To achieve the desired effect, Hodge had pulled out every trick he could think of. Drawing on techniques from Understanding Your Mind, he made his voice calm and ethereal, as if it were drifting down from the heavens.
"Feel the magic in your body… It's okay if you can't sense it. Either way, it's there, in every cell… Imagine it's alive, aware of your emotions. It's your friend. Your job is to share your understanding of the spell with it… Now, pick up your cup. Picture this: you're infusing the cup with magic that carries your will, magic that holds everything you know about the Shrinking Charm… Good. Set the cup on the floor."
With a touch of magic, Hodge's voice seemed to whisper softly in their ears.
Penelope watched the scene like an outsider, intrigued. Maybe it was Hodge's convincing tone, or perhaps the calming candles, but he'd managed to create a mystical atmosphere.
But Hodge was doing far more than that.
"…Remember how it felt to look in the mirror? Like there was another you, right? Now, imagine you're in the future… Time keeps moving—hours, weeks… Think of the Shrinking Charm. By now, you've mastered it, no question…"
Harry tried hard to picture himself weeks from now. Maybe he'd have caught Snape in the act, brought him to justice… No, that probably wasn't what Hodge meant. He sneaked a glance at the others. Ron was scratching his head frantically, as if Hodge had secretly cast a Tickling Charm. Hermione was hunched over, brows furrowed, lost in thought. When Hodge looked his way, Harry quickly shut his eyes and focused. Gradually, he felt his thoughts aligning with Hodge's words.
"Recall what it felt like to cast the spell successfully… Maybe it worked perfectly the first time, or maybe the effect was faint. That's fine—those moments are in the past… You tried again, and this time, it worked as expected. Hold onto that feeling… Carry it with you and try again. Wave your wand, no spell yet… Good… Open your eyes."
The group opened their eyes, a mix of excitement and confusion in their gazes.
"Now, wave your wand and say the incantation."
A chorus of spellcasting filled the room.
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