“Magic, Harry, is as dangerous as it is wonderful. Take for example the Killing Curse, instantaneous death,” Maximilian said, pointing his wand at a trapped mouse. A flash of green—of death—and the mouse was dropped.
Harry flinched back in surprise, even when he expected the spell's outcome. “It’s one thing to read about it and have it explained to you, sir, but…” Harry shook his head, eyes warily following Maximilian’s wand, “it is very different seeing it.”
“Indeed Harry, however, not all Magic is as clear dark magic as the Killing Curse is. The Severing Charm, the incantation being Diffindo. It is used to accurately cut things, most notably the ropes of the Incarcerous conjuration spell.” Harry saw Maximilian brandish his wand at the now-dead mouse and performed a looping motion with his wand as several ropes wrapped themselves around the corpse. A moment later, the ropes were cleanly cut through, pooling around the corpse of the mouse. “Now, Harry, I want you to perform those same spells.”
Nodding his head, Harry took hold of Maximilian’s freely offered wand. Harry performed the same looping motions that his teacher had performed just before, “Incarcerous.” Thin ropes shot out from the wand, looping themselves tightly around the dead mouse. Repeating the same sweeping motion as Maximilian, Harry said, “Diffindo.”
As the conjured ropes were cleanly cut off, Maximilian clapped twice and the mouse's corpse was Vanished, leaving the ropes to dissipate. “Well done Harry, very good. Now tell me, what do you think you could do to improve your performance with these two spells?” Maximilian asked, pointing his wand at the chalkboard that floated over to where he stood.
“I guess I could improve on my timing? I don’t think I did anything wrong when performing the incantations of the spells,” Harry replied, brows pinched as he stared at the table the mouse's corpse had been.
“True enough, though I would say you could have forgone the spoken incantation and instead relied on the wand motions. Silent casting is also a good way to fool your opponents when in a duel, shout a spell and instead perform another,” Maximilian said after shrugging his shoulders. “It also helps when escaping an enemy you can’t reliably face, it would confuse them and buy you enough time to either mount an offence or escape to friendly territory. And timing as well, of course, so that you can perform other spells together with a chosen spell to keep an enemy on the back foot in defence.”
“Chainspelling sounds so cool, flinging spell after spell,” Harry said, and then pointed Maximilian’s wand at the wall opposite of them with glass vases lined along a table. “Alarte Ascendare! Diffindo!” Harry shouted, wand brandished and then swept in an up-and-down pattern. The glass vase shook and shot up to the roof above it and was cut in half, both pieces shattering on the ground.
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Snatching his wand back from Harry’s outstretched arm Maximilian sighed. “Please tell me when you’re going to suddenly cast spells like that young Harry, nearly gave me a fright,” Maximilian said while putting his back into its pocket up the sleeve of his robe. “Tilly, please clean the mess up once you’ve finished with any other of the tasks you’ve taken up for today, thank you.” A squeaked yes answered Maximilian’s request and loud pop as an Elf appeared next to the shattered vase. With a click of Tilly’s fingers and a dustpan and a broom appeared and started sweeping the remains of the vase.
“Sorry about that,” Harry chuckled while rubbing the back of his head, a grin stretching his lips as far as they could go.
“Don’t worry about it, we’re going to be using them for spell practice later anyway,” Maximilian sighed, breathing out through his nose. “Time for some lunch, and then we can get you practising on a broom after. Of course, can’t go too far like the first time unless you want to come across the Dragon again.”
Harry shivered involuntarily at the memory of meeting the Dragon again. “No sir, really don’t wanna meet that Dragon again,” Harry replied, standing up from his seat on the couch in the house's living room. Harry followed after Maximilian towards the kitchen bench of Number 6, Privet Drive of Little Whinging.
“Yous lunch be ready, sirs,” Tilly said, her voice sounding as if she hadn’t drunk any water for the past week. With a snap of her fingers, two plates with their meals floated across to the bench where Harry and Maximilian had sat, setting down gently in front of them. Well-done beef and roasted potatoes and pumpkin greeted them, still steaming from just being cooked.
“Thank you Tilly,” Harry spoke as he sat down, picking up the knife and fork that had jumped from the drawer they were stored to opposites sides of his plate.
“You’ve only been learning for about a week here, young Harry, but you’ve already learned more than most young Witches and Wizards would learn before they go off to their schooling,” Maximilian spoke, his posture upright as he sliced into the beef, “however, one day you will have to make a choice. Do you want to be a great Wizard, or do you want to be a mediocre Wizard?”
Harry stopped and scrunched his eyebrows as he parsed his teachers question. “Obviously I want to be a great Wizard,” Harry replied slowly, returning to cutting into his lunch, “but what makes a great Wizard? You’ve already told me all about Albus Dumbledore and You-Know-Who.”
“A very good question Harry. What makes a great Wizard? Well, an ignorant Wizard or Witch might say that knowing many powerful spells makes you great but it really doesn’t. What makes you great is being able to take a handful of spells and use them to great effect. A good example would be the Disarming Charm, Expelliarmus. A simple yet effective spell to end a Wizard Duel very quickly before your opponent can cast any spells of their own,” Maximilian said, absently stabbing his fork through a piece of potato.
“Couldn’t they just be able to pick their Wand back up though?” Harry asked.
“Sometimes, maybe. Usually your opponent would be distracted by the knowledge that they’ve lost their Wand, allowing you to cast the Incarcerous spell if you want your opponent captured,” Maximilian replied, “though, of course, sometimes your opponent may have a second wand and a cooler head then others and can catch you off-guard when you feel you’ve won. It’s how many a Dark Wizard has been felled, them gloating over their victory imminent when their opponent still has a wand up their sleeve.”
“Okay, I guess. So a great Wizard is a prepared Wizard?” Harry asked, his brows furrowed and his nose scrunched.
“Exactly that, Harry!” Maximilian exclaimed, head nodding up and down thrice. “Preparedness for any eventuality that may or may not happen is the hallmark of a great Wizard. Because when you’re prepared for something happening, if it does, it doesn’t catch you by surprise.”
“Right!” Harry shouted, fist pumping in the air, “I only have to learn about anything and everything then!”
Maximilian laughed heartily, “Of course, young Harry. Reaching such a lofty goal will certainly take a great deal of time and effort on your part, and my brilliant self as your teacher!”
“I’ll do the very best I can!” Harry exclaimed in return, turning his attention back to his lunch and cutting away at a slice of beef.