"Expecto Patronum."
The Patronus Charm, also known by its incantation, Expecto Patronum.
One of the oldest and most powerful forms of defensive magic, it could repel magical creatures such as Dementors and Lethifolds.
The caster needed to concentrate and recall an intensely happy memory in order to summon a silvery Patronus.
These Patronuses usually took the form of animals and were said to reflect certain traits of the caster's personality.
Lucien quickly reviewed what he knew about the Patronus Charm in his mind, then briefly explained it to Salazar.
"That's the spell." Salazar nodded. "It reflects certain characteristics of the user's soul. Most wizards summon Patronuses in the form of ordinary animals without any unusual traits, cats, dogs, deer, and so on. A small number summon magical creatures such as dragons or phoenixes."
He paused, a meaningful glint flashing through his slit pupils as he looked at Lucien.
"An even smaller number possess rarer Patronus forms, such as extinct ancient creatures or beings from myth and legend..."
Salazar seemed to think of something.
"Hmm, I wonder whether you've heard of a Greek wizard named Andros. He could summon a Patronus in the form of a giant. It is said that his Patronus could even be used directly in combat, rather than merely defending against creatures such as Dementors."
Lucien's expression shifted slightly.
A giant?
"This spell shouldn't be difficult for you," Salazar continued. "You simply need to practise."
Lucien nodded.
Of course he knew about the Patronus Charm, but he had never deliberately studied it before.
It wasn't that the spell was unimportant. He simply hadn't encountered any situation where he urgently needed it, so there had always been other branches of magic demanding his attention first.
But a Patronus that could be used directly in combat?
That immediately caught his interest.
Ordinary Patronuses were generally used to drive away Dementors and similar dark creatures, while more advanced applications seemed to include carrying messages over long distances.
But this Andros could actually use a Patronus to fight?
It seemed he must also have possessed an extraordinarily "bright" soul.
Still, a Patronus in the form of a giant...
Wasn't that a little absurd?
Lucien couldn't help imagining a towering silver giant emerging from the tip of a wand and charging directly into battle.
That was quite different from his previous impression of the Patronus Charm.
As for Salazar's statement that a Patronus reflected certain characteristics of the soul...
Lucien was indeed very curious about that.
Strictly speaking, his soul did not belong to this world.
He was a visitor from another world, a transmigrated soul who had somehow arrived in this magical one.
His body belonged here, but his consciousness and memories originated somewhere entirely different.
So what form would the Patronus summoned by his Expecto Patronum take?
Would it simply reflect his present personality?
Or would there be something unusual about it because of the origin of his soul?
Lucien thought about it briefly, but there was obviously no way to reach an answer through speculation alone.
He could find out once he actually learned the spell.
Pushing the thought aside for now, Lucien asked another question.
"Head of House Slytherin, human wizards also possess magical circuits. Why don't they have innate magic like magical creatures... or other species?"
Salazar glanced at him, as though he found it a good question.
"A wizard's advantage does not lie in 'innate ability', but in learning," he said. "In compatibility."
He raised one hand slightly.
A ball of fire appeared in his palm.
The flames flickered for only a moment before transforming into clear water. The water then condensed into glittering ice crystals, which scattered and vanished without a trace.
"The principle is simple. A dragon cannot learn the racial magic of a Kelpie, and a Kelpie cannot breathe fire like a dragon. Their abilities are powerful, but they are also limited by what they are."
Salazar lowered his hand.
"But human wizards can learn both Incendio and Aguamenti."
Lucien nodded thoughtfully.
Indeed, the magic learned by human wizards might not be as powerful as the innate magic of magical creatures when compared directly in their respective specialties, but its real strength lay in its breadth.
A dragon's flames were naturally far more terrifying than an ordinary wizard's Fire-Making Spell.
But a dragon couldn't suddenly decide to learn water magic, Transfiguration, healing magic, or countless other branches simply because the situation called for them.
Wizards could.
By learning a little from one field and a little from another, then continuing to build upon that knowledge, human wizards ultimately became perhaps the most versatile and knowledgeable of magical beings.
"When we founded Hogwarts, besides wishing to protect wizards from persecution during the witch hunts, we also recognised the importance of systematic learning," Salazar said.
His voice gradually became more distant, carrying a trace of memories from a very different age.
"In that era, powerful wizards were truly powerful, while weak wizards were genuinely weak."
Lucien listened without interrupting.
"Most wizards did not possess magic as well-rounded as what even your young wizards have today," Salazar continued. "Magic was often passed down within families, or learned from whoever happened to be willing to teach it. What one person knew could be completely different from what another knew."
He gave a faint shake of his head.
"Many couldn't cast a proper Shield Charm and could only rely on instinct and luck when danger came."
As he spoke, a trace of reminiscence appeared in his eyes.
Lucien listened quietly, naturally recalling the history of Hogwarts.
The four founders of Hogwarts, Godric Gryffindor, Helga Hufflepuff, Rowena Ravenclaw, and Salazar Slytherin, had been among the greatest wizards of their era.
Each had possessed extraordinary ability and knowledge in their own right.
In Lucien's view, their meeting had been a collision of geniuses and an alliance of the strong.
To have equals of similar strength exchanging ideas, each possessing great depth in their own respective fields, was an extraordinary stroke of fortune.
For ordinary wizards of that era, finding even one sufficiently knowledgeable teacher might already have been difficult.
Yet the four founders had gathered together, exchanged what they knew, and ultimately created a place where magical knowledge could be taught systematically to generation after generation.
And regardless of whether their philosophies later diverged or their paths eventually separated, they had still secured a future for wizardkind.
They founded a school of magic and made Hogwarts a sanctuary where young witches and wizards could learn and grow in peace.
Perhaps that was the true strength of human wizards.
Not any single innate ability.
But the ability to learn, accumulate knowledge, and pass it on.
________
(^///^) Please support this fic and also read 12 chapters ahead at Patreon.com/DrakDevil1