After seeing the reward information for the glow mushrooms, Char felt a wave of excitement and relief. Night vision was a genuinely useful ability, and even better, once the mushrooms matured, he'd gain insight into the Lumos charm—a spell far more practical for him than the Bubble-Head Charm.
For Char, every bit of progress mattered. Even if the enlightenment from the mushrooms was small, it would stack with his other efforts and help him master the glowing spell much faster.
"Aunt, I want to try cultivating glow mushrooms," he said with conviction.
Professor Sprout looked a little surprised. Glowing mushrooms were rarely chosen by Herbologists—they had little use beyond lighting, and required a lot of maintenance. But seeing Char's enthusiasm, she smiled and nodded. After all, she believed that interest was the greatest talent of all.
She fetched a generous amount of glowing mushroom mycelium for Char. "The conditions for growing glow mushrooms are quite simple," she explained. "The soil here is perfect. The only tricky part is that these mushrooms need to be illuminated by the Lumos spell for at least six hours every night after sunset. If you miss even one day, they might die."
She gave him a sympathetic look. "It's a lot of work, Char. Most people don't bother with them because the effort outweighs the reward."
But Char just grinned. For him, staying up late was no hardship. With his legendary vitality, he could go days without sleep and still feel fresh. In fact, he rarely went to bed before midnight anyway. The idea of spending evenings in the greenhouse, casting Lumos over his mushrooms, sounded almost relaxing.
Without hesitation, Char began planting the glowing mushrooms, carefully spreading the mycelium throughout his experimental plot. Professor Sprout reminded him, "Remember, they especially need the Lumos spell now, right after planting."
Char nodded, then raised his wand. "Lumos!" A gentle, steady light sprang from the tip, bathing the soil in a magical glow. Almost immediately, the mycelium seemed to come alive, and Char watched in delight as tiny reward orbs appeared before his eyes.
[You have successfully grown glow mushrooms]
[You will receive a reward: a slight improvement in night vision (Iron Level)]
[After the glow mushroom matures, the rewards will be upgraded to: slight improvement in night vision (Black Iron level), very small amount of understanding of the glow spell (Black Iron level)]
Char's face lit up with joy. Glow mushrooms matured faster than most magical plants—usually within four weeks, especially if given plenty of Lumos exposure. He checked his system panel and saw that his Lumos spell was now at Iron Grade, edging closer to Bronze. With consistent practice and the help of the mushrooms, he was sure he'd reach the next level soon.
"It took me almost two months to get my Soil-Loosening and Pruning Spells to Bronze," he mused. "But with these mushrooms, my Lumos might jump to Bronze in just a few weeks. That will make everything else easier, too."
Char continued to practice, casting Lumos again and again, watching the gentle light play over the soil. The weekend passed in a blur of wand-waving and quiet satisfaction.
By Monday morning, the mycelium in his plot was noticeably thicker, and the reward orbs above them had grown. Char smiled, pleased with the progress. "At this rate, they'll mature even faster than I thought."
He left the greenhouse and hurried back to the Hufflepuff common room, where a buzz of excitement filled the air. A new notice had gone up: flying lessons would begin today!
Even the usually laid-back badgers were animated, dreaming of soaring through the sky or maybe even making the Quidditch team. For many, flying was the only outdoor sport that truly captured their interest.
But not everyone was confident. Hannah Abbott, always a little clumsy, twisted her fingers nervously beside Char. "What if my broom doesn't listen to me? What if I fall? I get into enough trouble on the ground—what about in the air?"
Char couldn't help but smile. "Don't worry, Hannah. The professor will be watching closely. Besides, if you fly near me, I can catch you if you fall. And if you bring your Goldfish Vine, you'll feel even calmer."
Hannah's eyes sparkled with relief. "Really? Thank you, Char. I feel much better now."
Char grinned. He wasn't just being nice—his legendary vitality and resistance to falls meant he could handle even the wildest broom ride. If anyone could catch a falling classmate, it was him.
Meanwhile, in the Hogwarts infirmary, Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle were sneaking out. Malfoy's tooth had been magically repaired, but he still spoke with a slight lisp. Too embarrassed to attend classes, he'd convinced his father to get him a sick note. But his humiliation at Char's hands still burned.
"Char humiliated me. I'll get him back," Malfoy muttered, clutching a shiny silver rod. "This is an alchemical device from my father. It emits a light that can knock someone out. When Char gets on his broom, I'll zap him. He'll fall and break his bones!"
Crabbe and Goyle exchanged nervous glances, remembering all too well Char's strength. "But… we can't beat him. He's too strong."
Malfoy sneered. "We're wizards. Strength doesn't matter—magic does."
As the day of flying lessons dawned, excitement and tension filled the air. Char looked forward to the challenge, unaware of the trouble brewing in the shadows. But with his resilience and growing magical skill, he was ready for whatever might come—on the ground or in the sky.
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