allendalepharm Chapter 165 An Itch in My Heart
Chapter 165 An Itch in My Heart
Chapter 165 An Itch in My Heart
It is not wrong to aspire to excellence.
Percy simply didn't receive much effective guidance from his father and teachers.
Mrs. Weasley, his mother, certainly played a positive role, but she only encouraged him to become a better person; this did not resolve his confusion.
The father, Arthur, had the opposite effect. As an invisible big shot who simultaneously possessed the power of independent legislation and law enforcement, his restraint in exercising his own power made him seem like an unambitious bum.
However, he was not so restrained. Arthur's abuse of power in his personal hobbies (misusing magic on Muggle items) and personal revenge (the massive search of Malfoy Manor) made it difficult for him to effectively guide Percy.
It's hard to imagine what kind of disaster Arthur would bring if he became Minister of Magic. Kindness cannot lead a great ship to great heights; wisdom is. Otherwise, Dumbledore would have chosen Fudge over Arthur.
Percy always seemed very organized, but probably no one was more confused than him.
His confusion stemmed from the fact that he had choices. Yes, his excellence gave him too many options, but he didn't know what to choose.
And so, on that rainy day, the boy saw the light.
Professor Lockhart waved his wand at the sky, and light poured down, instantly illuminating the path ahead.
Percy prayed for guidance.
He did receive guidance, but it still couldn't resolve his confusion.
Professor Lockhart seemed unwilling to say anything more, and simply ordered him to do the work.
Ok.
Let's get to work then.
Percy looked forward to receiving more in-depth guidance after helping the professor with his work.
But strangely enough, as he earnestly waved his wand, cleaning every corner and trying to use the Cleansing Charm more effectively and easily, his confused and wavering heart actually calmed down.
He felt an unprecedented sense of peace.
He gradually became somewhat obsessed with the wonderful things that magic brought him, a kind of wonderfulness he had never experienced before.
It's hard to describe in words how he used magic to his advantage in the past. It came from the sense of superiority he gained by comparing himself to others, from the praise of his professors, parents, and brothers, and from the envy or jealousy of his classmates.
However, at this moment, he felt the joy that magic itself brought.
He became increasingly proficient at this cleansing spell, which he had previously instinctively ignored, and the effects of the magic showed subtle changes that were clearly visible to the naked eye.
Finally, he thoroughly cleaned every corner of the small building. The light from outside streamed in, making the room so clean it seemed to glow, which filled one with satisfaction.
However, when he went to the professor to boast about his achievement, the professor simply shook his head and said, "Not enough, Percy."
Not enough?
It's already very clean, isn't it?
Percy was somewhat bewildered, and even felt a hidden resentment at being denied recognition, but in the end he turned back to continue cleaning the house. After thinking for a while, he began to try to use the repair spell to restore some of the damaged parts.
Then he received criticism.
"That's not how you use the Restoration Spell."
Lockhart appeared behind him at some point, examining the paint on the stair railing that he had repaired with his magic.
He shook his head. "You've ruined the historical feel of this century-old house. Don't you understand the principle of restoring the old as it was? You can make it look clean and shiny, but you can't destroy its character."
Percy was somewhat confused and at a loss for what to do.
"Breathing, do you understand the concept of breathing?" Lockhart pointed out. "Breathing is the foundation of life. It seems to be something that only the individual living being does, but it is actually the interaction between life and the world."
"Magic is the same. It may seem like it's your own business, but in reality, magic is the interaction between you and the object of your spell."
"When you're casting a spell, you can't just focus on yourself. Unwavering will, extraordinary wisdom, wondrous imagination, and boundless desire—those aren't enough!"
"You need to pay attention to the object you are casting your spell on, whether it is a person, an object, or even a thing. You have to pay attention to it, enter into it, interact with it, and feel its aura."
"It's like you're breathing."
Percy had previously demonstrated exceptional talent in mastering magical skills, but he seemed somewhat clumsy when it came to this mysterious realm.
The professor looked disgusted and shook his head. "If you don't understand this, don't touch my house again, or you'll ruin it."
Percy blushed instantly, unsure of what to do.
Fortunately, the professor was still willing to give him a chance. He picked up a ceramic crucible from a nearby shelf and casually smashed it on the ground.
With a loud crash, it shattered into pieces on the ground.
The professor glanced down at the fragments. "36 fragments. That means you have 36 chances to try and fix each one."
Magic is sometimes difficult to describe accurately in words. All theories of magic are actually wrong; they can only serve as a guide to the correct answer.
But this approach is not suitable for Percy.
He had discovered this when he was teaching Hermione. These children who were conservative and liked to learn by rote should not be instilled with too much theory, as this would only lead them astray. Instead, they should be allowed to try things out, and they would get a feel for it after trying more.
Lockhart cast a repair spell on one of the fragments, and some fine powder on the ground quickly gathered up and glued the fragment back together. Not only that, some of its defects were also repaired, but it still looked like it had been used extensively and looked very weathered.
If you look closely, you can almost see stories from the past about the owner of the crucible and how it was used.
"This is my suggested answer for you."
With that, he turned and left.
This is a very old-fashioned teaching method: the master provides the answer, and then the apprentice thinks about how to achieve that answer.
Thus, experiences related to "feel" and "inspiration" are passed down.
This method is inefficient and difficult to standardize; it can only provide one-on-one guidance over a long period of time.
Most importantly, sometimes even the master himself goes astray, and there's nothing that can be done but wait for the apprentice to grasp the feeling and then reflect on, discern, and correct it himself.
Percy picked up the repaired fragment and stared at it blankly. He glanced at the professor's back with a somewhat bewildered look, then finally squatted down, drew his wand, and began to try it out earnestly.
Around noon, the professor invited him to have something to eat at the Pig's Head Bar next door, but didn't say anything to him before returning to his own business in the small building.
Percy then immersed himself once again in studying the Restoration Charm.
Not long after, someone knocked on the door again.
He went to open the door and found that it was the second-year wizard, the chubby little follower who always followed Malfoy, Vincent Crabbe.
Crabbe didn't come on his own initiative; Lockhart called him over.
According to school rules, second-year wizards are not allowed to visit Hogsmeade Village on weekends. If Crabbe wants to come, Professor Lockhart has to personally go to Professor McGonagall to apply.
The 12-year-old wizard had lost his parents. A professor was willing to take him under his wing and teach him more. Professor McGonagall looked at Crabbe's dull and simple-minded appearance, sighed, and approved the application.
But Crabbe was actually there to do the work.
The child, who had been taught by Lockhart earlier, clearly picked up the task more quickly, carrying a torch to clear away any dark forces that might lurk in the nooks and crannies of the wooden house, which looked to be hundreds of years old.
Interestingly, the two young wizards who were studying under Lockhart looked so different.
One was extremely clumsy, and the other was extremely intelligent, yet they both stumbled along his magical path in a manner that was both awkward and full of spirituality.
One moves towards "reality," and thus, grounded in reality, spirituality blossoms.
One walks toward the "mystery," and thus the feet leave the ground, and the spirit is no longer bound.
Lockhart observed the two young wizards with great interest, offering occasional pointers.
"Professor, we've found something here!"
Crabbe suddenly raised his hand and waved the torch vigorously, the flames surging and illuminating the dark corner with a soft glow.
Percy reacted quickly, striding forward and instinctively stepping in front of the younger students, gripping his wand tightly. "What happened?"
"Yeah, what did you find out?" Lockhart chuckled as he munched on an apple he'd casually brought from the Great Hall during lunch, offering no further guidance, simply observing whether they could handle the impending crisis.
"I don't know." Crabbe answered decisively. He was straightforward in this regard. Under Lockhart's guidance, he carefully sensed the information emanating from the flames again. "It's like an itch in my heart."
"???" Percy, who had been all serious and wary, turned around and looked at Crabbe with a bewildered expression, as if to confirm that he hadn't misheard. "What, an itch in my heart?"
"An itch in your heart?" Lohat nodded, acknowledging Crabbe's perception of this dark magic power.
That's good; it's already reached a depth that touches upon the nature of magic.
"that is-"
Crabbe scratched his head, looking troubled and unsure how to describe it. In the end, he could only gesture as he scratched his own hand, "It's like it's really itchy, but when I scratch it, I can't reach it. It's deeper inside."
"It is a creature of dark magic."
Lockhart pointed and looked at Percy, "You tell me, what kind of dark magic creature would have such an effect?"
"Troublemaker!" The answer was clear. As a bright and intelligent student, Percy didn't need any further guidance; he instantly found the answer.
"It can make people feel restless and uneasy, but it's hard to pinpoint exactly how it's caused by their thoughts. If such a dark magical creature appears in a home, it can cause wizards and Muggles to experience insomnia, mood swings, and being unable to fall back asleep after waking up. But it doesn't affect any life forms other than humans."
This is what a top student is.
Percy finally saw a satisfied look on the professor's face, and he couldn't help but puff out his chest, quite pleased with himself.
"So, Percy, how do we solve this?"