My excellent updating skills, Aurelle? When did I last put up a chapter – three weeks ago? What you said in your review was exactly what I was thinking. I haven't really been pleased with a chapter since Chapter 8. That's why I stopped writing. I wasn't writing very well. Hopefully I've regained some of my writing skills. So, chapitre quinze … (sorry, I feel French)

 

Chapter 15: Harry's Charm

They followed Professor Gabriel along the corridor, outside and to the spell-casting paddock. It was about a hundred yards long and fifty yards wide. Professor Gabriel took out his wand and tapped the door. "Nobody," he told them sternly, "and I mean NOBODY, is to enter the paddock without permission. It is the only place you can practise certain dangerous spells without the risk of demolishing the building. I would advise you to wear sports robes in here, because they give you the maximum movement possible without wearing," he coughed, "Muggle clothes."

Harry checked to see what he and the others were wearing. He was dressed in bright red England Quidditch robes. Ron was wearing his Chudley Cannons strip; Rudolf was wearing what looked like the Heidelberg Harriers' kit, red with white stripes down the sides and a picture of a large bird on the chest; and Lizzy was wearing plain yellow robes. Hannah, however, was wearing what looked like some kind of fashionable blue dress. "Shall I get changed?" she asked Professor Gabriel.

"I think so," said the Auror. "Quickly."

Hannah ran off back into the building and the others entered the paddock. Professor Gabriel went and stood in the centre and the students gathered around. "Best wait for Miss Brittain," murmured the teacher. Hannah ran out looking flustered a few minutes later, now wearing the red and green robes of the Caerphilly Catapults. Professor Gabriel frowned at her. "You're ready now, I hope," he said. "Now, today we're going to start to produce our own spells. Has anybody here done this before?"

There was a murmur of "no".

"I should hope not," replied Professor Gabriel. "The process is strictly controlled by the Ministry of Magic. It can be, however, important to an Auror to be able to create his own spells. This can be very dangerous, so you must not try it outside the spell paddock without my own supervision."

Harry thought of Luna Lovegood's mother – killed by her own experiment spell when her daughter was still below Hogwarts school age. 

"I hope that is clear," continued Professor Gabriel, surveying the students. "Now today our lesson will be practical, which is of course why we are outside. Many of our lessons will be theoretical in my classroom, but I thought it a good idea to start you off out here. Any questions?"

The class remained silent.

"OK. Let's go on. I trust many of you have read Create Your Own Magic, or at least part of it, and will know some of the basics of spell-creation. Can anyone give me a brief description of what a spell is?"

Everyone remained silent for a few seconds, waiting to see who would volunteer. Then Harry put his hand up.

"Mr. Potter?"

"It is a – erm," replied Harry, "a concentration of the force known as magic."

"Good," said Professor Gabriel. "Can you tell me a bit more?"

Harry thought for a second, remembering what he had read, then said, "Wizards generally use wands to concentrate magic into spells and, er, they tend to give off heat and light as well as the desired effect of the user."

"And how does a wizard do this?"

Before Harry could answer, Rudolf replied, "Vith a spell vord and vand action."

"Very good, O'Hare," praised Professor Gabriel. "Yes, the wizard will use a spell word and a wand action to help him concentrate on casting the spell. He will come to associate the incantation and movement with that particular spell and so he can use it when he wishes to. But the important thing about a spell is the intent of the user, and the action and incantation are merely things to help him to do it more effectively. Many of you can probably do simpler spells without using the spell word. Understood?"

The five pupils nodded, and Professor Gabriel continued.

"I hope you all have wands." He smiled.  "They are very important in the casting of spells. In my pocket I have a second-hand wand that I no longer need. If I take it out we can look at and study its structure." He drew a battered wooden rod out of his pocket. "What is the outside of the wand made from?" he asked.

This time Lizzy answered. "Wood," she said. "The caster needs to be able to get his or her magical intent through the wood to the core."

"Very good," replied Professor Gabriel. "Yes. The core, a powerful magical substance, allows the wizard to cast the spell. If I remove the top of this wand with my own, we can take out the core, which is in this case a unicorn hair. The intent of the wizard travels through the wood to the core, which then converts it into magical force which is shot out of one end of the wand, where the wood is generally thinner, often emitting waste heat, sound and light in the process. Different wizards need different types of wood, as some woods will not allow certain intentions through very well, and a different core to convert their feelings into the correct magic. All this is very important in creating your own spell, and we will now begin."

The trainee Aurors all looked eagerly at their teacher, who smiled back at them. "Wands out and line up against the wall." Everyone drew their wands and ran back to the metal-plated wall of the college. Professor Gabriel followed.

"Now we know that we need an incantation, or spell word, and a wand action to help us concentrate our intent. We must bear in mind that different people will perform the spell differently, depending on their wands. But first, we must decide what we want to do. Choose something simple, please."

Harry thought. What spell would he like to have? Maybe he could Conjure something? No, he knew how to do that. He looked over at Ron, who was also thinking hard in his Cannons strip. That was it! He could make a spell that projected a heavy iron ball at another.

"Have you all chosen?" asked Professor Gabriel. "Good. Now we need an incantation. Spell words are generally Latin, so that they are not accidentally used in everyday life, but now we may as well use any word that sounds good, preferably one related to the spell. Then choose a wand action, bearing in mind that you don't want lots of pretty flicks for a murderous jinx, not that any of you would be doing one."

A spell word. Harry thought. Maybe catapultus. It was stupid, but it didn't matter. And an action. A quick stab would be good. Harry practised one. It seemed to work. He looked expectantly at Professor Gabriel. He wanted to try out his new spell.

"Everyone ready?" asked the Auror a few minutes later. "Good. I'll call you up one by one, and you can try your spell. Aim it at the target board over there if you need to. Firstly, Mr. O'Hare?"

Rudolf stepped forward and grinned apologetically. "Raindown!" he yelled, giving his wand a quick twist. Nothing happened. "I vos trying to make it rain," he explained to Professor Gabriel.  

"May I suggest a slightly slower movement," said the teacher. "Miss Brittain, next!"

Hannah came forward. "Jesuisbeau!" she yelled, swirling her wand over her head. There was a flash of yellow light, a crack and she was standing with her face dripping with what looked like wax."

"Good incantation, from French I see, and movement, but it lacked the intent and I don't think it had the desired effect. Maybe you ought to go to the first aid room. Mr. Weasley, you next."

Hannah ran back inside and Ron stepped forward. He paused for a few seconds then yelled, "BLAST!" There was a noise like thunder and a streak of red light sped from his outstretched wand towards the target board, but otherwise nothing happened.

"Ah," said Professor Gabriel. "Maybe you could improve your incantation. And you need to think about a bit more that light and sound for anything to happen. Miss Pullman?"

Lizzy walked forwards. "Nicewaftus," she said calmly, holding her wand straight in the air. A cloud of black smoke arose form it and surrounded her, emitting a smell like rotten eggs. She began to choke and Professor Gabriel had to clear the smoke himself. "It was meant to make a nice smell," coughed Lizzy.

"Well, once again you didn't quite have the intent," said the teacher. "But a bit more work and it could be used very effectively against your enemies. Mr. Potter?"

Harry steeped forwards. He couldn't imagine what would happen if his spell backfired. He lifted his wand, stabbed and shouted "Catapultus!" There was a noise like a gunshot and a black ball appeared form the tip of his wand, travelling at enormous speed towards the target board where it hit the bullseye and disappeared in a puff of smoke. Professor Gabriel clapped his hands. "Charming work from you, Mr. Potter! A brilliant spell! There are a few things you could improve though…"