Typically, these study sessions were only attended by students who struggled with the subject. But today, there were far more participants than usual—over seventy percent of the house had stayed behind to watch. The reason was simple: Hogwarts students sucked at Defense Against the Dark Arts. With the constant turnover of professors, nearly half of the students were either barely passing or outright failing. And tonight's session wasn’t just theory—it would include practical spellcasting. And, of course, there was another draw: Alex himself. He wasn’t just another upperclassman—he was a famous wizard hero. Anyone who cared about self-defense knew it was a rare opportunity to learn from him.
Seeing the sheer number of students, Alex rubbed his chin, thinking for a moment before making a decision. “Louis, Lewis—help me stack the chairs in the corner. We don’t have enough space for this many people, so I’ll run an open class today,” he instructed two of his assistants. Then, he turned to the crowd. “Since you’re all interested in Defense Against the Dark Arts, make some space. Shorter ones in front, taller ones in the back. Line up in alternating rows.”
The students quickly shuffled into formation, clearing out the center of the stone hall. Alex stepped into the open space, while the others gathered around him in a wide U-shape. Satisfied with the setup, he pulled out his wand. "Defense Against the Dark Arts," he began, his voice carrying easily through the chamber, "is about learning how to defend yourself against dark spells and dangerous creatures. Most of you have read about magical creatures from the textbook, so we won’t waste time on theory tonight." His sharp gaze swept over the crowd. "Tonight, we focus on practice."
In the open space ahead, a spell-casting dummy materialized out of thin air—his latest training device. "Defense Against the Dark Arts mainly focuses on self-defense spells and counter-curses," he began, his voice steady. "In reality, these spells aren’t fundamentally different from ordinary magic." He glanced at the crowd gathered before him. Their eyes were filled with curiosity, but some of the younger students still looked uncertain. "Every wizard’s ability to cast spells boils down to three fundamental qualities," Alex stated calmly.
The room fell silent as students exchanged puzzled looks. Three fundamental qualities? This was the first time any of them had heard such a concept. "The first is magical power—the amount of magic you possess determines how many spells you can cast."
The moment Alex finished speaking, a pulse of magical energy erupted from his body, rolling across the room like an invisible tidal wave. The pressure was overwhelming, pressing down on the students with suffocating force. Even though the sensation only lasted for a few seconds, it left the entire crowd breathless. Some gasped, while others instinctively took a step back. That fleeting moment of oppression had been enough to make their hearts pound.
For the first time, they truly felt the strength of their Prefect. Most had only heard rumors of Alex’s abilities, but now they understood why he was so feared and respected. He had barely done anything—just released a fraction of his magic—and yet it had left them shaken. "The second quality…" Alex continued, completely unfazed by their reactions. His tone remained steady, his confidence unshaken. "…is magical sensitivity. Many people mistake this for ‘magic perception,’ but there’s a fundamental difference. Magic perception is simply one expression of magical sensitivity. In reality, this quality affects much more than just our ability to sense magic." He paused for a moment, then added, "It also determines our control, affinity, and accuracy when using magic."
Alex lowered his wand and casually reached into his robe pocket. A moment later, a dozen small copper Knuts floated into the air, moving smoothly as if controlled by an unseen force. The coins began to weave through his fingers, gliding over his wrists and forearms in a perfectly synchronized display. They twisted and turned, snaking around his hands, as if they were alive.
The students were mesmerized. The way Alex manipulated the Knuts wasn’t just simple levitation—it was mastery. Even more impressive, he was doing it without a wand. Many of the upper-year students, some already preparing for their N.E.W.T.s, felt their faces heat with shame. Even they couldn’t match this level of control.
"Not everyone has the same level of magical sensitivity," Alex continued, still idly spinning the Knuts through the air. "It’s difficult to measure on your own. The only way to improve it is through consistent spellcasting. The best method?" He smirked slightly. "Push yourself to exhaustion. Deplete your magic completely—feel what it’s like to be empty—and then focus on the process of recovery." He let the words hang in the air for a moment before adding, "It’s not a pleasant experience. But those who endure it will understand magic far better than those who don’t."
Many of the younger students still looked confused, but the older ones were beginning to catch on. They had never thought about magic in such a structured way before. They were simply used to casting spells until they worked. But Alex was explaining it as if magic itself was a skill that could be trained like a muscle. "And the third quality…" He raised a finger to his temple. "It’s your mind—your thoughts. Flexible thinking and a rich imagination determine how detailed and precise your Transfiguration spells are," he explained. "Meanwhile, emotions—whether positive or negative—directly affect your spellcasting power."
Alex turned slightly, making eye contact with several students in the crowd. "Greater emotional intensity fuels stronger spells. The more powerful your emotions, the greater the surge in magic." He took a step back, lowering his hand. "Positive emotions are especially important for protective magic. Take the Patronus Charm, for example."
Closing his eyes briefly, Alex exhaled. Then, with a firm, clear voice, he called out, "Expecto Patronum!" A burst of brilliant silver-white light erupted from the tip of his wand. The misty glow quickly coalesced, forming the shape of a raven, which spread its wings and soared around the room. Students watched in stunned silence as the spectral bird glided through the air, its ghostly glow illuminating their faces. For a moment, no one spoke. Even among upper-year students, few had ever seen a full-fledged Patronus before, let alone cast one themselves.
Many of them looked at Alex with envy—his command over magic was on a completely different level. "But just as positive emotions strengthen defensive magic," Alex continued, letting the Patronus fade away, "negative emotions empower dark magic." He turned his gaze toward the gathered students, his expression unusually serious. "Some say that black magic lures people to corruption. I think it’s more complicated than that.Hatred, rage, resentment—all of these emotions amplify the power of dark spells," he explained. "But dark magic, in turn, amplifies those same negative emotions within the caster."
There was an uncomfortable shift in the crowd. "If you have a strong enough will, you might be able to resist its effects," Alex admitted. "But even then, black magic feeds on emotions. It burrows into your mind, twisting your thoughts, making it harder and harder to stop using it." He let his words sink in before adding in a cold, firm tone, "If you’re reckless, you won’t realize you’re being consumed until it’s too late."