"Hiss…"
Char stared at his system panel and couldn't help but gasp in amazement.
The improvement he saw was nothing short of astonishing.
The Soil Loosening Spell, which had previously seemed so far from gold level, was now blazing with golden light. The brilliance almost swallowed the words entirely—just a little more, and the Soil Loosening Spell would reach gold level! If Char had been left to practice on his own, he suspected it would have taken him nearly a month to achieve this.
And that was just the beginning. The changes in the Luminescent Spell were even more remarkable. For a while, his Fluorescent Spell had been steadily progressing at gold level. Now, amid the dazzling golden light, he could see the faintest trace of platinum. He realized, with a thrill, that he was on the verge of being promoted to platinum level. Although the effort required for this last step might be greater than all his previous work combined, the speed of his progress was far beyond his expectations.
"If this keeps up," Char thought, "the next time I harvest glow mushrooms, the Luminescent Spell will definitely reach platinum level—it'll be the first spell in my arsenal to do so!"
He noticed, too, that a faint platinum light had appeared on the Pruning Spell. Unfortunately, he hadn't yet found a magical plant that could provide rewards for deepening his understanding of the Pruning Spell, so its advancement was slower than the Luminescent Spell. Still, with the "accelerator" effect of the Divine Sword Shadowless Spell, his progress was much faster than with any other spell.
Speaking of the Divine Sword Shadowless Curse, Char's magic still wasn't strong enough to actually use this black magic in practice. But on his system panel, he saw that the Divine Sharpness Spell, once rated at Black Iron grade, had quietly become the half-real, half-virtual [Divine Sword Shadowless Spell (Bronze Level)]!
Even more dramatic were the changes to the Upside-Down Bell Spell. Perhaps it was because Char had read so much about the analysis and creation of the Inverted Bell Curse that his mastery of the Hanging Golden Bell Curse had soared overnight from Black Iron to Silver level. And, since the Inverted Bell Spell was closely practiced with the Floating Spell, he now had a brand new [Floating Spell (Bronze Level)] as well!
Char looked at his system panel, which was almost unrecognizable from before, and felt a surge of emotion that words could hardly describe.
"If I'd tried to do all this on my own," he mused, "I'd have had to practice hard for at least two months. But now, after absorbing some of Snape's magical insights from his notes, I've made such a leap forward. If I could thoroughly study all of Snape's notes, maybe ten years would be an exaggeration, but it would save me at least five."
He smiled, a hint of envy in his expression, recalling the awe he'd always felt for academic giants in his previous life. "There's a saying: the greatest significance of the life-long achievements of mediocre scholars may be to save an afternoon for some future genius. On the other hand, what a genius can achieve in an afternoon may be something an ordinary person cannot accomplish in a lifetime."
Char realized this was just as true in the wizarding world as it was in his old one. But he didn't mind not being a genius himself. Just having Snape's notes to guide him and help him avoid detours was a gift. He felt no jealousy or dissatisfaction—only gratitude and excitement.
He tucked the Half-Blood Prince's textbook safely away and headed for Charms class.
There were still some things he hadn't fully understood from the Half-Blood Prince's notes. On his system panel, many spell ratings had been upgraded, their light bright and dazzling. Yet, if he looked closely, the light still seemed a bit unreal and hazy.
From experience, Char knew this meant his attainments had improved, but his foundation wasn't yet solid. It wasn't a big problem, though. With a little consolidation and a deeper understanding, that haziness would naturally disappear.
And what better way to solidify his knowledge than to consult a master of spells? "The Hogwarts teaching staff really is extraordinary," Char thought. "If only professors could freely share all they know, instead of having to pace themselves for every student. Voldemort was a good example—he got everything out of Professor Slughorn about making multiple Horcruxes!"
His eyes sparkled with anticipation. He couldn't wait to see Professor Flitwick and ask his questions in class.
But as Char made his way through the corridor, he suddenly sensed something was off. Every student he passed, regardless of year, looked at him with strange expressions. Some gazed at him with a mix of fear and curiosity, as if he were some kind of exotic creature.
Char frowned, puzzled. Just then, he encountered the first-year Hufflepuffs, their faces flushed with anger. Hannah Abbott, who'd dressed as a bunny the day before, now looked as if she might bite someone. Yet when they saw Char, the little badgers tried to act nonchalant—though Char saw through it in an instant.
"What happened?" Char asked, genuinely confused and curious.
He figured the giant monster incident from yesterday couldn't be kept secret, but why was everyone looking at him so strangely, as if worried he might eat them alive?
The little badgers exchanged uneasy glances. After a moment, Hannah spoke up, her voice gentle but serious. "Char, I just want you to know—don't be angry or sad. They're just making up rumors. Even if it was true, we wouldn't care. You'll always be our good friend."
Char's confusion only deepened. Finally, Hannah explained, "There's a rumor… I don't know where it started. They say you're a giant hybrid."
The realization dawned on Char. No wonder so many students looked at him like he was a rare beast. Some seemed to think he was half-giant.
He knew, of course, that half-giants weren't welcome in the wizarding world. Rumors, discrimination, and prejudice followed them everywhere. Just look at how Hagrid had been treated—blamed for Myrtle's death and expelled from Hogwarts, something that would never have happened to a pureblood or even a Muggle-born. Even Madame Maxime, headmistress of Beauxbatons, had been reluctant to admit her own half-giant heritage.
Char understood why people stared. But as for the source of the rumor? He didn't need to think twice.
With a small wave of his hand, Malfoy—who was snickering with Crabbe and Goyle nearby—was suddenly yanked forward by an invisible force and landed flat on his face.
Char walked over, looking down at Malfoy. "Let's talk," he said coolly. "You're the one spreading the rumor that I'm a half-giant, aren't you?"
Malfoy, still dazed, blurted out, "How did you know that?"
Char scoffed. "Of course—no one knows a son better than his father."
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