"So… it’s not big enough?" Alex asked, starting to understand.

"Exactly. The Shield Charm, or Protego, requires a lot of magic. It’s designed to block spells and dark curses, so it needs a strong, constant flow of power. Even if you have the control, your body is still young, so your pipe—or magic capacity—is smaller. It just can’t handle the amount of magic this spell needs, at least not yet."

Alex’s eyes lit up with understanding. "So, for stronger spells, my pipe needs to be bigger, or I need to push magic out faster to keep the shield stable. But if I try forcing more magic out now, it could hurt me, right?"

"Exactly," Lily nodded, pleased with his response. "As you grow, your body will naturally handle more magic, making spells like Protego much easier. And yes, you could try to pressurize your magic, but that’s dangerous for your current stage. Forcing it could cause harm, like burst pipes in a plumbing system. The spell failing right now is your body’s way of protecting itself."

Alex nodded, absorbing her words. It made sense now why the charm was giving him trouble, even though he had no problem with simpler spells. He thought back to other spells he’d learned, like the Sectumsempra curse, which had impressive power yet was relatively easy to cast. It seemed to need less raw magic, making it all the more dangerous because it could be performed so effortlessly.

"I get it now. I can’t just rely on brute force spells until I’m older. If magic power is tied to my physique, then training my body will help, right? And maybe… eating foods that boost my strength?" he asked thoughtfully.

Lily chuckled. "Absolutely. Physical conditioning and magical diets can improve your magical stamina. You’re clever to think of that. Magical creatures’ ingredients—like dragon liver—can support growth, but take it slow and safe."

Alex made a mental note. He’d have to talk to Hagrid about rare magical ingredients that could help with his training. But for now, he knew he’d have to put off mastering the Shield Charm until his body could handle it. With that plan set, Alex turned back to Lily, a new spark of excitement in his eyes.

"Then, until I’m ready for those heavy-duty spells, I want to focus on something else. Could you teach me about runes and alchemy? I’d love to make protective charms and enchanted items, like the amulet you gave me."

Lily’s face softened, impressed by his eagerness to learn. "You have a good head on your shoulders, Alex. Runes and alchemy are wise areas to study. I can teach you what I know, though I’d recommend going to Professor Dumbledore if you want to explore advanced alchemy. There’s also Edgar Burns, an expert on alchemical theory."

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Alex shook his head, smiling. "I’m sure I’ll learn a lot from you, Lily. Your amulet’s design alone is brilliant. I’d love to make something just like it."

Lily blushed slightly, though she waved him off modestly. "Well, if you’re that interested, I’ll gladly teach you. Runic theory is the foundation of every magical enchantment, and with time and practice, I think you’ll be able to craft some powerful charms of your own."

"Alright then, we’ll need a different setup," Lily said.

They moved to the study, where Lily began to gauge Alex’s knowledge. "So, ancient runes and their combinations—how much do you know about them?"

Alex replied honestly, "I’ve read An Easy Guide to Ancient Runes, and I have a Rune Dictionary and Magic Phonics Table. I can recognize most runes with a bit of help, but I’m still unsure about how to combine them into functional runes."

Lily looked at him, impressed. "That’s quite a lot for someone in their first year. Most students don’t start learning this until third year. So tell me, how do you understand runes and their uses?"

Alex thought for a moment, recalling his knowledge. "From what I know, ancient runes are a magical script. They’re believed to be inspired by markings on magical creatures’ bones, and some even say the gods created them. Over time, wizards decoded their meanings and functions. We’ve lost many runes to history, but by combining them, we create new runes with more focused magical abilities. If ancient runes are like letters, then runes are words or even phrases."

Lily’s eyes lit up. "That’s an excellent way to think about it. Many spells and enchantments are created by combining ancient runes into unique patterns. Scholars have dedicated their lives to translating and recreating these scripts, and even today, new runes are being discovered or rediscovered."

Alex was intrigued. "New runes are still being found?"

Lily nodded, enjoying his interest. "Yes, and recovered runes can sometimes lead to powerful spells. Edgar Burns, whom you’ve met, is a leader in this field. He recently deciphered a lost word from the Ice-Making Spell, which translates to ‘preserve,’ allowing it to be combined with other runes in unique ways."

Alex was impressed. He hadn’t realized the bearded man he met was such an expert.

Lily went on, "The real magic lies in knowing which runes to combine. For instance, many runes hold multiple meanings. Look at this one." She sketched a rune on a piece of parchment. "This symbol can mean ‘fly,’ but it can also mean ‘leave’ or ‘depart.’ It’s one of the words used in the Levitation Charm."

"So, combining it with other runes can change its function?"

"Exactly," Lily confirmed. "If you combine it differently, it could mean ‘expel’ or ‘banish,’ which is part of the Expulsion Charm. Practical runes like this are valuable in spells and enchanted items."

She then explained the structure of rune combinations. "When designing complex spells or alchemy props, we start with a ‘core rune’ or ‘base rune’ and add other runes around it. Unlike regular writing, runic combinations can form circles, rectangles, or even three-dimensional shapes. To study these properly, we use a special tool called the Rune Workbench."

Alex’s eyes widened. "A Rune Workbench? I had no idea such tools existed."

"Yes, I’ll show you," she said, taking out her wand and tapping the air.