When they arrived, Alex noticed they would be sharing the css with Gryffindor, which made him raise an eyebrow. Slytherin and Gryffindor were notorious rivals. He hadn't expected to be pced in csses together, especially not in their first year.

  Ihe , Alex spotted Charles already seated in his Gryffindor robes. They exged brief nods of aowledgment before Alex found a seat with Vivian. A few mier, the bell rang, signaling the start of css.

  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 seehe podium. Despite his size, Flitwiahe room with enthusiasm as he began the lesson. For the first css, Flitwick went over the basic theory behind spellcasting, expining the importance of pronunciation and wand movements.

  While the other students listened with wide-eyed fasation, Alex felt his i 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 part 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 aioning that he had been sorted into Slytherin—a revetion he expected would shock Sirius. He also added a o Sirius and Lily, asking for advi 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 expihe proper way to move the wand and say the intation before instrug 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 oable.

  Alex rolled his eyes. 'Vivian must've spent all her time gossiping instead of practig spells.' The Professor had made it clear how to pronouhe intatio she still got it wrong.

  Meanwhile, Alex noticed Sample Travers, one of his Slytherin cssmates, mao 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 poi 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 intation or the precise wand movement. It was sed 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 correg her hand movements and reminding her of the correct pronunciation, Vivian finally mao lift her feather off the table just before css ended.

  When the lesson ed up, Flitwick dismissed the students with a homework assig: 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 notipletely.' He g Vivian aured 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 practig silent casting, aren't you?" Flitwick asked with a small, knowing smile, his eyes calm and focused.

  "Uh, yes, Professor. You just call me Alex," he replied, his voice softer now, feeling a bit uneasy uhe Professaze. It was hard to know where aood these days. The cautious Alex wasn't sure who to trust.

  "Don't be nervous, Alex." Professor Flitwick waved his waly, 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 manage under pressure." Flitwioticed the tension in Alex and softened his tone. "e now, tell me, how are you finding my Charms css?"

  As Alex assessed the Professor, he didn't feel any ill i, so he started to rex.

  "Well, your teag is great, Professor. You break dowheory very clearly, and it's..." Alex began, but Professor Flitwick cut in with a pyful smile.

  "It seems you've been paying attentio you still found time to write letters during the first css 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, Professonagall 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 n to intimidate him.

  "Sorry, Professor. I didn't mean to be distracted in your css. It wasn't out of disrespect," Alex said early.