Five days later, Jerry stood in his room, his wand firmly grasped, pointing nervously at the wooden door. His voice emerged as a hesitant whisper:
"Alohomora!"
A subtle current of magical energy flowed from his body, guided by both incantation and intent. The energy travelled down his arm and into the wand, which amplified significantly before erupting as a blue beam of light that struck the locked door.
"Click-clack!"
The previously secured wooden door shuddered with a mechanical rattle before swinging open of its own accord.
"Finally, success!" Jerry exhaled deeply, relief washing over him.
Two days earlier, he had used the "Refreshing" function to methodically study the magical knowledge and spells contained in all four textbooks, committing everything to memory. However, merely understanding theoretical knowledge didn't guarantee practical success with spellcasting.
Even these introductory spells, the most basic and simplest in the curriculum, required practice to execute properly.
From his comprehensive reading of the four texts, Jerry understood that wizards could perform magic because they possessed a special hereditary trait, wizard blood, which granted them access to an innate power called magic. All magical effects are derived from this fundamental energy, transformed through proper incantations and focused intent to produce various extraordinary outcomes.
Successfully casting a spell required, first and foremost, magical energy within one's body, explaining why Muggles and Squibs remained incapable of spellcasting despite potentially knowing the correct incantations.
Beyond magical energy, a wand was essential.
The wand functioned as both amplifier and stabiliser it magnified and regulated the caster's magical output, allowing for more controlled and effective spellcasting. While wandless magic wasn't strictly impossible, it demanded exceptional magical power and extraordinary control, capabilities far beyond most first-year students.
Different wands offered varying degrees of amplification and stabilisation.
A well-matched wand facilitated easier casting and produced more potent results. Conversely, an ill-suited wand made spellcasting increasingly difficult, potentially rendering certain spells entirely inaccessible for the wielder.
Beyond possessing magic and a compatible wand, successful spellcasting required solid theoretical understanding and precise execution. Each syllable needed clear, accurate pronunciation, and the rhythm of incantation necessary to meet specific requirements.
The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 1) recounted the cautionary tale of a wizard named Baruffio who, through imprecise pronunciation, substituted an 'f' sound with an 's', and subsequently found himself sprawled on the floor with a buffalo standing on his chest.
Proper spellcasting, therefore, demanded rigorous practice. A wizard could develop the necessary for reliable magical performance only through repetition.
Naturally, more advanced spells incorporated additional complexities not covered in beginner textbooks. Such magic typically requires guidance from experienced instructors to master gradually.
After two days of determined practice, Jerry had finally discovered the right technique and successfully performed his first spell, the Unlocking Charm. With this initial breakthrough, his subsequent practice would proceed more smoothly. He felt confident that mastering the remaining first-year spells would soon follow.
Ten days later, Jerry continued practicing various spells in his room, moving his wand with increasing confidence with each motion.
The first-year curriculum primarily consisted of relatively simple spells that consumed minimal magical energy. Even with Jerry's current magical reserves, he could easily cast them, though their effects remained noticeably weaker than a trained wizard might produce.
Among his four textbooks, or more accurately, three practical books, since Magical Theory contained only theoretical explanations, he had encountered fourteen distinct spells: Softening Charm, Severing Charm, Unlocking Charm, Levitation Charm, Locking Spell, Mending Charm, Transformation Spell, Reversal Spell, Curse of Bogies, Fire-Making Spell, Knockback Jinx, Smokescreen Spell, Wand-Lighting Charm, and Wand-Extinguishing Charm.
With the exception of the Transformation Spell, which continued to challenge him, Jerry had essentially mastered all the others. However, among these fourteen spells, only the Severing Charm and Fire-Making Spell offered any offensive capability, and even those remained limited. His Severing Charm barely cut through fabric at his current magical strength, while his Fire-Making Spell produced only a small flame comparable to a cigarette lighter.
Jerry had initially expected to find the Full Body Bind Curse among his textbooks, the spell Hermione had used against Neville in the film. Its combat practicality seemed obvious; with such a spell, he could simply "petrify" any potential attackers upon his return.
To his disappointment, this spell wasn't included in the first-year materials. Hermione had likely discovered it in the library's collection or perhaps in an advanced textbook, explaining Ron and Harry's bewildered reactions when they witnessed her casting it. Despite their academic shortcomings, those two wouldn't have been utterly ignorant of all first-year spells by term's end unless the Body-Bind hadn't appeared in their assigned readings at all.
Nevertheless, despite their limited offensive power, even these elementary spells represented genuine magic. Jerry suspected that using creative methods might yield surprising results. For safety's sake, however, he needed to experiment with various spell combinations before attempting anything serious.
Such experimentation would also generate more Little Red Stars, as his supply had been depleted entirely.
Jerry recalled hearing that underage wizards couldn't perform magic outside school without triggering the Ministry's monitoring system. Yet this restriction didn't apply to students before their formal education began. In the film, Hermione had mentioned successfully practising several spells at home before starting at Hogwarts.
This suggested he could freely cast spells during the pre-Hogwarts period without Ministry interference, provided he wasn't caught in the act. The probability of such direct apprehension seemed negligible.
The wizarding population was relatively small, and his orphanage wasn't located in central London but rather in a small Surrey town. By exercising basic precautions, he should avoid any complications.