Chapter 30: Magical Growth Spurts
Vaisey's tone was full of contempt, a clear disdain for the "Selwyn family" name. In his anger, the serpentine beauty's face took on a different, sharper kind of attractiveness. Though he had dropped the word "Death Eater," he was among the highest caliber of Hogwarts students; the term did not provoke fear or hostility.
He did not dwell on the topic, however, and quickly changed the subject. "To tell you the truth, I have always hoped Ryan would form a small group of his own. Today, that wish has been fulfilled. So I would like to share with you the one saying from the Selwyn family that I actually believe in." He looked around the circle, his eyes sharp and appraising. "Choose the winner."
The quintessentially Slytherin statement left the room in a slightly awkward silence.
Next, the Weasley twins stepped forward. They declared that their original goal had been to open a joke shop, and if it weren't for Ryan "conscripting" them, they'd still be in their dorm room inventing prank products. It wasn't that inventing was a bad thing, they clarified, but the Adventurers' Club opened up a whole new world of possibilities.
Soon, only the three first-years were left: Hermione, Harry, and Malfoy.
Hermione, taking a deep breath to steel herself, went first. "Hermione Granger, first-year, Gryffindor. I… I passed Ryan's assessment. I'm very happy to be here with all of you, and I hope we can learn a lot together..." She trailed off, then added in a rush, "And I hope we can all be friends!" She then practically ran back to her seat.
Finally, only Harry and Malfoy remained. They shot each other a look, and in a mutual display of stubborn pride, they both tried to go next, grabbing at each other's robes. Ryan was hit with a sudden feeling of déjà vu, like watching two kindergarteners fighting over a piece of candy.
In the end, the smaller Harry lost the contest of brute strength, and could only watch as Malfoy swaggered to the center.
"Draco Malfoy, first-year, Slytherin, from the House of Malfoy," he announced. Then, mustering his courage, he looked directly at Ryan. "I would like to ask Ryan a question… why did you invite me?"
"Because of what I have seen," Ryan replied calmly. "And because you are worthy. Draco, you must learn to believe in yourself, not just in the Malfoy family name." He spoke with absolute confidence, as he did, in fact, have intel about Draco's future.
"But…" Malfoy began, a faint flush rising in his pale cheeks.
"But Mr. Lucius Malfoy did everything in his power to have me expelled in my first year?" Ryan finished for him.
Malfoy nodded meekly.
"You are you," Ryan said. "You are Draco Malfoy. Your father's actions have nothing to do with you. And, believe me, Mr. Lucius Malfoy is a true Malfoy. Though I do not agree with his parenting style or his antiquated way of thinking, he is, without a doubt, a Malfoy."
Draco nodded, though it was clear he didn't fully understand. The only thing he could grasp was that, in Ryan's eyes, the conflict from his first year was so trivial that it wasn't even worth remembering.
In truth, Ryan felt incredibly lucky. His "rival" was a disfigured, regional terrorist, not the globe-trotting "Dark Lord" with a legion of loyal followers. As long as it wasn't a true battle of ideologies, other conflicts were just minor squabbles. The worst he would do was give them a sharp warning, something to make them regret their actions for a little while. And the cunning Malfoys were exceptionally good at making the "correct choice."
A true battle of ideologies, on the other hand, was a fight to the death.
And for now, Dumbledore was still the one on the front lines, which gave Ryan plenty of room to maneuver.
Finally, Harry stepped forward. He took several deep breaths, then began by thanking Hogwarts, the Headmaster, Hagrid, all the professors (except Snape), and Ryan. After he had exhausted his list of thank-yous, he asked the same question Malfoy had. "Ryan… why did you invite me?"
"Because of the future I have foreseen," Ryan said with a mysterious smile, appearing to hold the secrets of the universe in his gaze. In reality, he was trying to intimidate Harry into not asking any follow-up questions.
Harry, being a good and considerate boy, didn't press him, though he was still bursting with curiosity.
With the introductions complete, the reputations of several students, like Vaisey and Percy, had grown considerably in the eyes of their peers.
"Now that we all know each other," Ryan began after Harry had returned to his seat, "I've been thinking about what we should discuss in our first meeting." In his mind, he was actually thinking, How can I drop a bombshell big enough to win their immediate and undying respect? Outwardly, the ever-so-sincere Ryan asked, "I'd like to ask if any of you know about the two most important exams a wizard will ever take."
"The O.W.L.s in our fifth year, and the N.E.W.T.s in our seventh year!" Hermione's hand shot up instantly.
Ryan smiled at her. "Miss Granger, I don't actually plan on awarding or deducting points in the Adventurers' Club. We are all friends here. There is no need to be so eager to answer, and certainly no need to raise your hand."
Hermione stuck out her tongue in a playful gesture.
"As Hermione has just correctly stated," Ryan continued, "the two exams are in our fifth and seventh years. Now, can anyone tell me why they are in those particular years, and not at any other time?"
The students from the other three houses exchanged confused glances. This way of thinking—of questioning the very foundations of their world—was completely alien to them. To them, it was just a rule, something to be followed, not investigated.
The seventh-year Ravenclaw prefect, Pablo Pierce, thought for a moment. "I remember very clearly," he began, "in the first half of my fifth year, I suddenly felt my own magical power growing at an incredible rate. And now, in my seventh year, I feel the same thing. Is that the reason?"
Several other older students nodded in agreement, saying they had experienced the same phenomenon. When they had asked their professors or written to their parents, they had all been told the same thing: "It's normal."
Ryan clapped his hands. "Exactly. The reason the exams are set for our fifth and seventh years is to monitor and test a young wizard's control and use of their magic during their magical growth spurts."
As he spoke, he conjured the words "Magical Growth Spurts" in the air.
"In my research," he explained, transfiguring a chart in the air, "I have labeled the periods of a young wizard's rapid natural magical growth as 'magical growth spurts.' The first of these generally occurs in their fifth year, around the age of fifteen." He made a note on the chart above the fifth-year mark.
"And the seventh year, I call the second magical growth spurt." He added another note to the chart and labeled the axis beyond the seventh-year mark as "Adult Wizard."
"This is just my personal research," he cautioned, seeing Penelope and Hermione starting to take notes. "A personal theory. It does not cover every case, so there's no need to write it down."
He waited for them to put their quills down, then continued, "The how of these growth spurts is something I hope we can all uncover together." A few of the most brilliant older students were now looking thoughtful. The rest of the club members just stared at him in utter shock. Aren't you a Seer?! Isn't your magic just a bit stronger than ours?! How are you also a leading magical researcher?! Can't you leave us even one path to success?!
Ryan, still smarting from the intellectual beating he'd received from the two true geniuses in the Forbidden Forest, basked in the awe-filled gazes of his peers.
It felt good.
He traced the line on the chart. "As you can see, a young wizard's magic is constantly growing, but the growth rate between the first and fourth years is quite slow." On his chart, the line had a slope of less than ten degrees. But between the fourth and fifth years, and the sixth and seventh years, the line shot up at an almost eighty-degree angle. According to his calculations, the magical growth between the first and fourth year was less than thirty-five percent. But between the fourth and fifth year, the increase was over eighty percent.
"Of course," he reiterated, "every wizard's magical capacity and growth rate is different. This is just a general model."
"This is also how I classify underage wizards," he said, "into 'junior' and 'senior' students. It's a broad classification, based mainly on magical capacity. For a more precise assessment of a wizard's skill, one should look at their exam results." He made copies of the chart and sent them floating to each member.
"As you can see," he said, pointing to the end of the chart, "after the seventh year, I have labeled the category 'Adult Wizard.'"
A hand went up. "Ryan," a student asked, "if underage wizards are measured by their magical capacity and exam results, then how are adult wizards measured?"