"I've noticed something odd about the suits of armor in the corridors," James began carefully. "They seem to be aware of people passing by, but when I tried detection spells on them, I got no results. The same thing happened when I tested the castle walls. Modern detection charms show nothing, as if Hogwarts itself has no magical enchantments at all."
Flitwick let out a delighted laugh. "My dear Mr. Acton! Not even a full week at school and you're already immersed in the mysteries of Hogwarts!" He controlled himself, still chuckling. "Usually I tell students to concentrate on their coursework lest they fall behind, especially first-years. But since you're already so far ahead, I'll indulge your curiosity."
James explained the various detection spells he'd tried, carefully omitting his testing of the third-floor corridor and the Room of Requirement's door. He described his research in the ancient language sections of the library, his attempts to find the archaic spells used to build the school.
Flitwick held up a hand, interrupting. "Let me stop you there, Mr. Acton. You're confusing something, though I can't blame you since the information isn't widely available. What you're calling long archaic spells and what we refer to as ancient magic are completely different things."
"Sir?"
"It's not surprising you mixed the two, most people do. But the archaic forms of spells are just like today's spells, only with more words and more elaborate wand movements. They're essentially the same magical theory applied differently. Ancient magic, however, was something completely different."
"How different, sir?"
"No one knows for certain," Flitwick admitted. "And those who might know aren't talking about it. Ancient magic was as different from our current magic as the magic of house-elves or other creatures is different from witch and wizard magic. It operated on entirely different principles."
Flitwick continued, his tone becoming more scholarly. "When books say Hogwarts was made with ancient magic and provide no further details, it's because they genuinely don't have any details to give. Ancient magic was believed to be more powerful than modern casting methods, but it fell out of fashion or was left behind because it was significantly more difficult to learn and use. Modern spellcasting made it easier for witches and wizards of all ability levels to perform magic effectively."
"So ancient magic was abandoned because modern methods were simpler?"
"That's one theory. There are different schools of thought on what ancient magic was and how it was cast, and why it's no longer in practice. Many witches and wizards have been researching the answer for centuries without success. Apart from Hogwarts, only two other major magical schools were built using the same Ancient Magic. Hogwarts was among the last buildings created with ancient magic before the practice disappeared entirely."
"Was it only used for building, sir?" James asked, curious.
"Not at all! I only mentioned buildings because you asked specifically about Hogwarts castle. But you should take everything I've said with a grain of salt, Mr. Acton. I may be wrong. Everything about ancient magic is conjecture at this point. There are far more knowledgeable people than me who have dedicated their entire lives to studying the topic. Someone else might have completely different opinions on it."
James absorbed this information, his mind already racing through the implications. "Thank you for explaining, sir. That clears up quite a bit of confusion."
"You're welcome. Now, how do you plan to handle your regular coursework, given that you're almost done with the entire Charms curriculum?"
"I'd like to be kept quiet about my progress, sir. I'm not particularly fond of attention."
Flitwick nodded approvingly. "Understandable. What about your other subjects?"
"I've read the course books for all subjects, but having the knowledge and practice are of course different things. After Charms, my second-best is Transfiguration. I plan to work on that once I've finished the seventh-year Charms coursework completely."
"That's a solid plan. I'll excuse you from homework assignments in Charms, but you'll still need to take the end-of-year exam. You may work on your own research during class time, but I'll expect you to demonstrate each spell we cover in lessons before moving on to independent work. And depending on how your projects progress, you may get leeway to skip classes entirely, provided you're working on Charms-based projects."
"Thank you, sir. That's very generous."
"Speaking of projects, the expandable bag or furniture piece you want to create counts as one. Once you've successfully created expanded space in something, we'll move on to another project." Flitwick paused, then added, "I'll also give you a restricted section pass, but with specific books listed."
James's eyes widened. "Sir?"
"I doubt you'll stop researching ancient magic, I wouldn't want you to either, as I see no danger in such research. But the pass will have specific book titles listed. You'll only be able to access those particular volumes, not browse the restricted section freely. When I have time, I'll review the restricted collection and create a proper list for you. Sounds fair?"
"More than fair, sir. Thank you."
James stood from his chair, preparing to leave. He glanced at his watch and was shocked to see how much time had passed. "I apologize for taking up so much of your Sunday, Professor."
Flitwick waved the apology away cheerfully. "Not at all! It's completely understandable when immersed in such fascinating discussions. Magic theory is meant to be explored and debated. Come find me anytime you have questions."
"Thank you again, sir."
"Oh, and Mr. Acton? Welcome to the world of magical research. It's a wonderful journey you're embarking on."
James left the office with his mind buzzing with new information and possibilities. Ancient magic was something entirely different from what he'd assumed. The castle's mysteries ran deeper than he'd imagined. And he had a professor's explicit permission and support to pursue his research.
The corridor outside Flitwick's office was quiet, most students enjoying the Sunday afternoon. James checked his watch again, well past two in the afternoon. He'd spent hours in conversation with the professor.
His stomach growled, reminding him that he'd skipped both breakfast and lunch. But his mind was too active to focus on food.