Chapter 27: The Making of a Grinder
[You have fully processed a nettle to the Apprentice standard. Proficiency +1]
[You have fully processed a nettle to the Apprentice standard. Proficiency +1]
…
[Herbology Knowledge: Unlocked]
[New Title available in the field of Herbology. Please view.]
[A new Wizarding Talent has been discovered. Please view.]
After two full days of diligent work, Sean had finally unlocked the Herbology title. He eagerly opened his Panel to view the results.
[Title: Herbology Apprentice]
[Effect: Slightly increases your affinity for magical plants. Slightly improves your raw talent in Herbology.]
Increases my affinity for plants? That sounded promising. He read the next line.
[Wizard: Sean Green]
[Herbology Talent: Green (Average)]
Boosted by Title: Herbology Apprentice. Original Talent Grade was White.
When it came to being a letdown, his natural talent never disappointed.
Alright, he thought with a sigh. At least I can grind my way out of it.
He experienced the benefits of his new, artificially-boosted talent almost immediately. When identifying mature dried nettles, a strange intuition guided him to a perfectly ripe specimen. After processing it, he achieved his first 'Novice' rating in Herbology.
[You have fully processed a nettle to the Novice standard. Proficiency +3]
It truly is a magical world built on talent, Sean thought, his cynical view of magic deepening.
"Excellent processing, Mr. Green! Two points to Ravenclaw!" Professor Sprout announced, walking over with a look of pleasant surprise. "Everyone, come and observe this! Notice how the stinging hairs and downy fuzz have completely vanished. This is a key characteristic of a perfectly prepared nettle material." As the other students gathered around, she leaned in and whispered to Sean, "You're making rapid progress."
The Herbology class soon ended. As they were leaving the greenhouse, Sean overheard the whispers of his classmates.
"Is that…?"
"Sean Green. You haven't heard of him?"
"On the contrary, I'm getting a bit tired of hearing about him. They say he's brilliant in Charms and Transfiguration. Is he from a wizarding family?"
"That's the most terrifying part. I heard he's Muggle-born…"
When Sean glanced in their direction, the two gossiping students flushed red and hurried away.
"Well, Sean, it looks like you're famous," Michael said with a wide, teasing grin. "And why shouldn't you be? I've never seen a wizard who's a natural at everything… except for Potions, of course."
Michael's teasing came to an abrupt end when they had to climb to the Astronomy Tower that evening.
"…Stairs, stairs, and more stairs," he panted. "Terry, can you even see the top?" He shot a worried glance at Sean, whose face was once again deathly pale.
"I heard the Astronomy Tower is the tallest tower in all of Hogwarts," Michael said, sharing another tidbit of gossip while subtly slowing his pace to match Sean's. "Even taller than Ravenclaw Tower…"
"Is that so?" Anthony replied, casually moving closer to Michael. The two of them now flanked the pale, silent wizard, subtly shielding him from the jostling crowd.
Their Astronomy professor was a witch named Aurora Sinistra, who carried herself with an otherworldly grace. She taught them how to observe the night sky through telescopes, learning the names of the different stars and the movements of the planets. The classroom at the top of the tower was filled with fascinating instruments—lunascopes, moon charts, star charts, and telescopes of all sizes. The only thing that distinguished it from a Muggle observatory was the breathtakingly beautiful night sky visible through the open roof, and the quiet whirring of intricate magical devices.
Due to his familiarity with the principles of a telescope, Sean quickly caught Professor Sinistra's eye. He was even given permission to use a large, metal orb to predict the trajectory of Jupiter's moon, Io. This made Terry almost sick with envy. The usually quiet boy asked Sean no fewer than three times what it felt like to use it.
Sean described it in detail, and Terry's longing was palpable. "Oh, Merlin! It must have been marvelous! That's an incredibly rare magical astrolabe…"
By the time Astronomy class was over, it was nearly curfew. The two long climbs had taken their toll on Sean, but it didn't stop him from organizing his notes. The first-year curriculum, he recalled, was focused on learning the names of stars and the orbits of planets. It wasn't a difficult task—just a matter of memorization. The only real challenge might be drawing the star charts, but for Sean, that too was a simple matter.
Never underestimate the power of a proper Muggle education.
After organizing his notes, he pulled out his Potions and History of Magic books. His prep work for brewing was complete. Now, he was combing through the texts, searching for any hint or clue about technique.
He found a small, vague description in one of the books:
When making the Boil-Cure Potion, one must stir twice counter-clockwise, and then three times clockwise. The force must be moderate…
But what was 'moderate force'? He found the answer, of all places, in A History of Magic.
The Self-Stirring Cauldron… is a cauldron enchanted to stir potions automatically. Its spoon frequently breaks the surface tension, shattering the bubbles…
That's it, Sean realized. A moderate force is one that's just strong enough to break the bubbles.
History, it seemed, was an excellent teacher, even in the magical world.
The Ravenclaw common room was always quiet, but that didn't mean its inhabitants were always studying. In fact, wizards of this age were naturally playful. Michael, having finished his History of Magic essay, had already been playing Gobstones for an hour.
Seeing Sean still completely immersed in his studies, he exchanged a look with Terry, who was examining a collection of rocks. He waited for Sean to switch books, then spoke.
"Sean, not to be a bother, but I've never seen you do anything other than study. There has to be more to a wizard's life than just books, right? You're already so far ahead in Charms, Transfiguration, History of Magic… Merlin, how far ahead are you? Don't you ever get bored?"
Sean looked up.
Bored? What are you talking about? This is magic!
It provided an absurdly high level of immediate, positive feedback. The more he learned, the more interesting it became, and the more motivated he was to learn more. Every ounce of effort was transformed into real, tangible power that he could see and feel. It was a practical, versatile, and miraculous art.
Then, he realized something he had overlooked. For the other young wizards, magic was an innate part of their being. Perhaps that was why they didn't treasure it as much.
But Sean had spent three months wasting away in an orphanage bed, his heart growing as numb as his body. It was the owl, braving the snowstorm to crash through his window, and Professor McGonagall, who had paid for his supplies out of her own pocket and secured him a scholarship, who had rekindled his hope and his passion for life.
Having known the mundane, Sean cherished the miracle of magic all the more. He loved the feeling of creating something wondrous, something that could change the world, from his own hands. And the Proficiency Panel was the ultimate, irrefutable proof of his progress.
"Hey, Sean, have you had a change of heart? Want to play a round of Gobstones?" Michael asked hopefully, seeing Sean put his book away.
"I'm sorry," Sean said, shaking his head as he pulled another book, Advanced Potion-Making, from his bag. "I just want to study."