When they arrived, Alex noticed they would be sharing the class with Gryffindor, which made him raise an eyebrow. Slytherin and Gryffindor were notorious rivals. He hadn't expected to be placed in classes together, especially not in their first year.
Inside the classroom, Alex spotted Charles already seated in his Gryffindor robes. They exchanged brief nods of acknowledgment before Alex found a seat with Vivian. A few minutes later, the bell rang, signaling the start of class.
The Charms professor, Filius Flitwick, was a small man with a high-pitched voice. He had to stand on a stack of books just to be seen over the podium. Despite his size, Flitwick commanded the room with enthusiasm as he began the lesson. For the first class, Flitwick went over the basic theory behind spellcasting, explaining the importance of pronunciation and wand movements.
While the other students listened with wide-eyed fascination, Alex felt his interest waning. The material was too basic for him. He had already studied most of these spells on his own and could perform many of them with ease.
Instead of paying attention, Alex discreetly pulled out parchment and began replying to the letters he had received earlier. He wrote polite replies to both Lily and Sirius, detailing his experiences so far at Hogwarts and mentioning that he had been sorted into Slytherin—a revelation he expected would shock Sirius. He also added a note to Sirius and Lily, asking for advice on navigating the school and dealing with any potential challenges. After all, they were both seasoned graduates.
By the time Alex had finished his letters, Flitwick had moved on from the theory and was now demonstrating their first practical spell: the Levitation Charm, Wingardium Leviosa. Flitwick explained the proper way to move the wand and say the incantation before instructing the students to practice making a feather float.
Around him, students struggled to lift their feathers. Some, like Vivian, were fumbling with both the pronunciation and the wand movement.
"Wingadim Leviosa!" she muttered, her face turning red with effort. Despite her attempts, the feather stubbornly remained on the table.
Alex rolled his eyes. 'Vivian must've spent all her time gossiping instead of practicing spells.' The Professor had made it clear how to pronounce the incantation, yet she still got it wrong.
Meanwhile, Alex noticed Sample Travers, one of his Slytherin classmates, manage to lift his feather, though it wobbled precariously in the air. Travers looked around with a smug grin, clearly pleased with himself.
When Flitwick approached Alex's desk, Alex knew he couldn't simply sit there doing nothing. He casually raised his wand and pointed at the feather, which floated effortlessly into the air, perfectly still.
Flitwick's eyes widened with delight. "Excellent, Mr. Wilson! That is a near-perfect Levitation Charm! Five points to Slytherin!"
The other students looked over, some with admiration, others with envy. Alex felt a bit embarrassed. He hadn't even realized he'd cast the spell without using the incantation or the precise wand movement. It was second nature to him at this point.
Vivian leaned closer and whispered, "Didn't you just cast that spell without saying anything?"
Alex hushed her quickly. "Shh, don't say that out loud." He didn't want to draw too much attention to himself, especially so early in the school year. Standing out too much could make him a target, and Alex preferred to keep a low profile.
As Flitwick moved on to help other students, Alex turned his attention to helping Vivian. After correcting her hand movements and reminding her of the correct pronunciation, Vivian finally managed to lift her feather off the table just before class ended.
When the lesson wrapped up, Flitwick dismissed the students with a homework assignment: a six-inch essay on the Levitation Charm. However, just as Alex was about to leave, Flitwick called out, "Mr. Wilson, could you stay for a moment, please?"
Alex sighed inwardly. 'I knew I didn't escape his notice completely.' He glanced at Vivian and gestured for her to go on without him before turning back to face the Professor.
"Professor, I..." Alex was about to speak, but Professor Flitwick quickly interrupted him.
"Mr. Wilson, if I'm not mistaken, you're practicing silent casting, aren't you?" Flitwick asked with a small, knowing smile, his eyes calm and focused.
"Uh, yes, Professor. You can just call me Alex," he replied, his voice softer now, feeling a bit uneasy under the Professor's gaze. It was hard to know where anyone stood these days. The cautious Alex wasn't sure who to trust.
"Don't be nervous, Alex." Professor Flitwick waved his wand gently, and two chairs floated over. He sat down on one and motioned for Alex to take the other.
"You know, your spell was not just a fluke. As I said earlier, it was near-perfect, better than what many adult wizards can manage under pressure." Flitwick noticed the tension in Alex and softened his tone. "Come now, tell me, how are you finding my Charms class?"
As Alex assessed the Professor, he didn't feel any ill intent, so he started to relax.
"Well, your teaching is great, Professor. You break down spell theory very clearly, and it's..." Alex began, but Professor Flitwick cut in with a playful smile.
"It seems you've been paying attention. Yet you still found time to write letters during the first class and daydream during spell practice." Flitwick's eyes twinkled with amusement.
Caught off guard, Alex's face flushed with embarrassment. He could only muster an awkward smile.
"I've heard a bit about you, Alex, even before you joined Hogwarts. Though I'm not part of the Order of the Phoenix, Professor McGonagall has mentioned your... exploits before school. She's quite impressed. And Lily Evans—she was one of my brightest students—spoke highly of you in her letters. It seems she admired your talents as well."
Hearing this, Alex's initial worry faded, now he realized that Flitwick was not trying to intimidate him.
"Sorry, Professor. I didn't mean to be distracted in your class. It wasn't out of disrespect," Alex said earnestly.