The day before Halloween dawned bright and full of promise. Tonight, the castle would come alive with Halloween festivities, and—most importantly—the Great Hall would host a feast fit for a king.
By early morning, the scent of roasted pumpkin drifted through the corridors, making every passing student twitch their nose and smile in anticipation. The holiday spirit was infectious; grins bloomed everywhere.
Adam drifted along with the crowd, pausing now and then to savor the delicious aromas. He could hardly wait for the evening's banquet.
Up ahead, Harry and Ron were deep in conversation about Quidditch.
As tradition dictated, November would bring inter-house matches—each team battling for a spot in the final. Gryffindor's first match was only two or three weeks away. For the first time, Harry would take the field as Seeker, filling the shoes of the recently graduated Charlie Weasley.
With so little time left, nerves were inevitable. Despite all his extra training, Harry still felt he hadn't quite clicked with the rest of the team.
"I really don't want to be the one who lets Gryffindor down…" Harry muttered, worry creasing his brow.
"Er, don't stress out so much…" Ron tried to reassure him, though comforting words weren't exactly his strong suit. About the best he could offer was, "Hey, you've got Qin on your side. Just do your own job and you'll be fine."
Still, after a while, Harry's anxiety eased enough that he could enjoy his breakfast.
Adam listened to their exchange, looking forward to the match himself. He was always eager for new experiences—and at Hogwarts, every day seemed filled with the unknown.
Of course, what he truly anticipated wasn't just the feast or the Quidditch match.
...
After breakfast, the first-years made their way toward the Charms classroom on the fourth floor. But as they started up the stairs to the second floor, Harry noticed that Adam, who'd been right there a moment ago, had vanished.
"Probably off to sneak a nap again," Ron shrugged, utterly unsurprised.
"I think I saw him slip into the storage room next to the girls' bathroom on the first floor," Neville chimed in. "He goes there a lot for a quick rest—says it's quieter."
"Let's hope he makes it to class before Professor Flitwick notices," Harry muttered.
Just then, Hermione, already far ahead, waved at them to hurry up the stairs. The boys broke into a jog, heading for the fourth floor.
As for Adam's absence? They'd all gotten used to it by now. Even the professors knew he was a notorious napper. As long as he didn't break any other rules and kept up with his studies, they mostly let it slide.
Sure enough, Charms class was well underway when Adam finally strolled in. Professor Flitwick simply told him to find a group and join the practice.
"I'll go over the basics of the Levitation Charm once more… Remember, it's a swish and a flick…"
To help the latecomer, Professor Flitwick repeated the demonstration, his tiny hands mimicking the wand movement as he recited the incantation:
"Wingardium Leviosa!"
A long feather floated gently into the air, suspended by invisible magic.
With the demonstration over, the students began to practice.
Adam slid into a seat beside Neville and Hermione, forming the only three-person group in the room—everyone else had already paired up.
Neville, determined but flustered, waved his wand and muttered the spell. The feather on his desk didn't budge. He tried again and again, but the result was the same. Once, the feather twitched ever so slightly, but it might just have been Neville's breath.
Anyone who'd studied magic knew: even the slightest mistake in wand movement or pronunciation could doom a spell to failure.
So Neville wasn't alone—most of the class was struggling to get their feathers airborne.
Malfoy noticed this and, ever cautious, decided not to try right away. He didn't want to fail and give Harry Potter and his friends something to gloat about.
"Ugh, I guess I just can't do it…" Neville slumped, looking utterly defeated.
"Don't worry, Neville. Take your time. Once you find the right feel, it'll come easily," Hermione encouraged him. She spoke from experience—she'd struggled at first, too, until Qin Yu had patiently corrected her wand movement and pronunciation.
With the right guidance, all it took was practice and a bit of intuition.
"Wingardium Leviosa!"
Hermione pronounced the incantation with perfect clarity, flicked her wand, and pointed at the feather on her desk.
It floated up, light as air—the spell had worked!
A hush fell over the class as everyone turned to stare. Hermione was well-known among the first-years, and more than a few had been watching to see if she'd pull it off.
No surprises—Hermione Granger became the first student in the room to master the Levitation Charm.
Seeing Gryffindor take the lead, Malfoy immediately regretted holding back. He should've had the confidence to try first—he was sure he could have done it.
Just as he told Goyle to step aside, another voice rang out.
He turned instinctively. It was that unremarkable Gryffindor, Adam Quinn, waving his wand.
As if you could do it, you mudblood from some backwater place like Egypt! Malfoy sneered.
But his smirk froze on his lips—Adam's feather was floating, too!
Impossible!
Malfoy's face went from pale to flushed with shock and frustration.
Damn Gryffindors—even second place!
He couldn't wait any longer. If he hesitated, someone else would surely succeed.
Malfoy glanced across the room, locking eyes with Harry Potter. The two of them seemed to read each other's minds, turning away at the same moment to attempt the spell.
"Wingardium Leviosa!"
Malfoy recited the incantation quickly. Nothing happened.
He tried again, but still, the feather didn't move.
"Don't worry, Malfoy. It's a tough spell—look, hardly anyone's done it yet," Goyle offered, trying to be helpful.
Malfoy shot him a murderous glare, and Goyle immediately shrank back, deciding it was wiser to keep quiet.
Bad news: I still haven't done it. Good news: neither has Harry Potter.
Malfoy took a deep breath, forcing himself to focus. He closed his eyes, replaying Professor Flitwick's instructions in his mind, along with the secret techniques taught by his "mysterious mentor."
Slowly, his nerves settled. Time seemed to stretch and compress at once. He felt himself growing familiar with every detail of the spell.
When he was ready, he opened his eyes, swished and flicked his wand with careful precision, and spoke the incantation:
"Wingardium Leviosa!"
"The feather's flying!" Goyle gasped.
Malfoy's cool expression broke into a triumphant grin as he watched the feather float upward. He lifted his chin, casting a smug glance toward Harry—only to see Harry's feather was floating, too.
Malfoy hadn't seen who managed it first.
"Hmph. I'll admit you managed it at the same time as me," he muttered, clearly dissatisfied.
With Hermione as a friend and Qin Yu as a powerful upperclassman, it was no surprise Harry had learned the spell so quickly. For Malfoy to keep pace? That was impressive.
Not bad, Draco. Not bad at all.
He felt much better, silently thanking his "mysterious mentor" for those late-night lessons.
Next time, I'll beat them all—just wait and see!
...
The day sped by in a blur of lessons and excitement. When classes ended that afternoon, everyone made their way to the Great Hall, anticipation buzzing in the air.
The room was decked out in spectacular Halloween finery, every corner shimmering with magical splendor and mystery. The festive atmosphere was palpable.
When Qin Yu entered, Hermione was already seated, beaming with happiness as she waited for the feast to begin. The sight made Qin relax—at least today, she wasn't hiding away in tears.
Maybe, just maybe, things really had changed.
But as the banquet began, his eyes swept the room. There was still no sign of Professor Quirrell.
A familiar unease crept into his heart.
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