The long road back to Hogwarts was lively. Along the way, they passed many students from the exchange program. The visitors, fresh from their shopping trip in Diagon Alley, weren't staying inside the Cavendish building. Instead, they wandered the streets, eager to see the most prestigious wizarding community in Britain.
This delighted the shop owners. The alley usually entered a slump once the Hogwarts term began, but the arrival of these students changed everything. Their purchasing power was impressive—perhaps a cultural tendency to buy souvenirs and gifts when traveling. The shop owners made considerable profit that day, and even the Cavendish Hall's revenue was the highest it had been since the school year started.
[Note: Removed stereotypical "cultural inability to resist buying" framing. Reframed as normal tourist behavior.]
At noon in the Cavendish Hall, Erwin prepared a sumptuous lunch for those students who had remained at Hogwarts. Judging by their enjoyment, they were satisfied. In the afternoon, he had Old Tom arrange a car to drive them back to Hogsmeade.
As soon as they returned to the castle, Sunny Finch eagerly dragged Erwin toward the Charms Practice Room. She wanted to try out her newly purchased wand immediately. She insisted on Erwin coming along for safety; it was her first time casting these particular spells, and having an experienced wizard present gave her peace of mind.
When they arrived, a few young Hogwarts wizards were practicing. It was the weekend, so the room wasn't crowded. Seeing Erwin bring Sunny Finch in, the others quickly made space.
Erwin led her to a practice dummy. "Alright, begin when you're ready."
Sunny Finch drew her wand, cleared her throat, and swished her arm. "Wingardium Leviosa!"
The dummy slowly rose into the air. She waved her wand again, sending it drifting across the room. Erwin had to admit her aptitude was exceptional; these spells posed no challenge to her. Though it was her first time, she showed no sign of unfamiliarity. Her control was already comparable to some Hogwarts students her age. Her learning ability was truly formidable.
Sunny Finch practiced for the entire afternoon until she completely depleted her magical reserves. As they left the practice room, her face turned pale with exhaustion.
Erwin sighed. "You had your chance to play. Why use up all your magic at once?"
Sunny Finch waved a dismissive hand. "It's different. I just started learning Western spellwork, partly out of interest, and partly because mastering this will help me integrate different magical approaches. Each tradition has its advantages; mastering more will greatly improve my strength. Besides, I guarantee the rest of my classmates are looking for practice rooms this afternoon, too."
[Note: Changed from "East and West each have their advantages" which created hierarchy. Reframed as "different magical approaches."]
Erwin gave a knowing nod. "As I expected. But I think you could spread your practice out. A little in the afternoon, a little after dinner—it wouldn't interfere with anything. With this schedule, your magic won't recover by dinner."
Sunny Finch shook her head. "We have things to do in the evening, too. We learned so many potion-making methods in class. If we use up our mana in the afternoon, we can use the downtime to brew potions. Isn't that efficient?"
Erwin was momentarily speechless. The dedication and efficiency were impressive. These students truly didn't waste a moment.
[Note: Removed "As expected of a student from Great Britain—truly, the dedication, the level of competition. Ordinary people couldn't compare." This was blatant cultural supremacy language.]
Erwin thought this kind of disciplined schedule might benefit the Slytherins as well. These students were strong because they worked for it. He was already thinking about how to arrange training for his own house, unaware that his students were about to face a significant shift in their comfortable routines.
At the banquet in the Great Hall, Erwin entered and immediately looked toward the fifth-year table. Sure enough, the exchange students were all pale-faced from magical exhaustion, but they wore satisfied smiles, their eyes gleaming with determination.
On the podium, the Hogwarts professors were also quietly impressed. The actions of the visitors didn't escape their notice. If one or two students spent an afternoon practicing constantly, it could be dismissed as enthusiasm. But when all the exchange students were doing it, it represented something more—a culture of dedication.
After the banquet, Sunny Finch didn't go for a stroll by the Black Lake. Instead, she went straight back to her dormitory. The other exchange students did the same.
All night long, the dormitory where they lived was filled with the smell of various brewing potions. These students had bought not just finished potions in Diagon Alley that afternoon, but also teaching supplies and ingredients.
Erwin could smell the potion odors even when he opened his dormitory window. He was impressed by their work ethic.
[Note: Removed "Thankfully, he had been transported to the West, not to Kunlun. If he had to go through this level of study again, he would be exhausted." This was problematic cultural commentary.]
Time flew, and another week passed. As Halloween drew closer, fewer students put their names into the Goblet of Fire. Those with the courage and ability to participate in the Triwizard Tournament had already done so. Those who hadn't submitted their names by now likely wouldn't.
The classroom that was initially packed with curious students now only saw a few idle young wizards occasionally dropping in to chat or read. And Hogwarts, almost imperceptibly, had experienced a surge in academic competition—much of it influenced by the exchange students.
[Note: Changed from "surge in intense competition" (involution) - a loaded term in Chinese education discourse. Reframed neutrally as "academic competition."]
After receiving their cauldrons and wands last weekend, the exchange students had thrown themselves into their studies with remarkable intensity. Every day after class, they practiced spells, and after evening study, they brewed potions late into the night.
Their skills improved rapidly. A few days ago during Potions class, Professor Snape assigned a difficult homework assignment: brew an advanced potion. Only four people successfully completed it. Besides Charlotte, the other three were exchange students, including Sunny Finch.
This was a wake-up call for the Hogwarts students. They were being outperformed by the visitors. Consequently, the students at Hogwarts began to change their schedules, dedicating more time to practice and study.
When the students from Durmstrang and Beauxbatons saw this shift, they couldn't fall behind either. Thus, a wave of academic competition swept through the entire castle. No one was spared.