HP: The Boy who Planted

The gentle, steady glow at the tip of Char's wand filled the Charms classroom with a reassuring light. For a moment, Professor Flitwick, who had just been worrying that Char might be disappointed, was left speechless with surprise.

Char's Lumos wasn't just good—it was extraordinary. The spell was as bright and steady as Hermione Granger's had been on Wednesday. Professor Flitwick had thought he wouldn't see that level of mastery again in this test, especially not from a student he'd considered less talented. Clearly, Char's hard work had paid off in ways Flitwick hadn't expected.

For a moment, Flitwick was lost in admiration. To reach this level in just two weeks, a student needed either rare talent or relentless effort. In Char's case, it was clearly the latter.

As the class waited, Flitwick realized he hadn't said a word. The little badgers, nervous and hopeful, watched him anxiously. Flitwick quickly composed himself and spoke up, his voice ringing with genuine praise.

"Excellent Lumos, Char! You've truly grasped the heart of this spell. Remember, everyone: magic is deeply connected to your will and your emotions. To master a spell, you must understand its spirit. Char, you've done just that."

He smiled and added, "Five points to Hufflepuff—for extraordinary effort and understanding."

The little badgers, who had been confused by the earlier magical theory, immediately understood the points. They erupted in cheers. Five points at once was no small feat; in the original book, even the top-scoring Gryffindor first-years only managed 482 points, and Hufflepuff had just 352. Every point counted.

Then, one of the badgers asked the question on everyone's mind. "Professor, who's first in the quiz?"

Flitwick hesitated. The rules said the top Lumos would earn ten extra points. But Hermione Granger and Char had both performed at the same high level. Hermione had taken her test on Wednesday, Char on Friday—was it fair to choose one over the other? Both deserved recognition.

After a moment's thought, Flitwick smiled. Why not have two firsts? The purpose of the quiz was to motivate, not to exclude.

He cleared his throat and announced, "First place in the Lumos quiz goes to… Hermione Granger of Gryffindor, and Char Sprout of Hufflepuff! Both showed rare mastery of the spell. Each house will receive ten extra points. Third place goes to Padma Patil of Ravenclaw, who earns five points for her house."

The Hufflepuffs cheered, delighted to have gained a full fifteen points in Charms. Their lead over Slytherin was safe for another week.

The Ravenclaws, though disappointed not to have taken first, respected Char's skill. At least they had third place and five points—better than nothing, and certainly better than Slytherin, who got shut out entirely.

Professor Flitwick reminded everyone that in two weeks, there would be a final Lumos test, with even more points at stake: twenty-five for first, fifteen for second, ten for third. Fifty points in all—enough to change the standings for any house.

The little eagles left the classroom determined to practice harder, inspired by the challenge. Even the Slytherins, who had hoped to overtake Hufflepuff, found themselves falling further behind.

After class, the Slytherins hurried to the hourglasses, eager to see if their extra Potions points had closed the gap. But when they saw the results, they were stunned—the gap had widened! Hufflepuff had pulled even further ahead.

Word of the Charms quiz spread quickly. Gryffindor and Hufflepuff had tied for first, Ravenclaw had taken third, and Slytherin had nothing to show for all their effort.

Snape, his face stormy, met his students at the common room door. "You are the worst class of Slytherins I've ever taught," he snapped. "In two weeks, you must take the top three places in Charms. No more extracurriculars. Practice Lumos every spare moment. I'll even brew a potion to help you."

The Slytherins gulped. A potion from the Potions Master himself? Maybe they had a chance after all.

Meanwhile, Char returned to the greenhouse, eager to see how his newly upgraded bronze-level Lumos would affect the glow mushrooms. He took a deep breath, raised his wand, and cast the spell.

A brilliant light swept over the mushroom beds. Instantly, the mycelium responded, stirring and stretching as if awakened by the sun. Char watched, anticipation building, as the mushrooms began to grow faster than ever before.

He smiled, feeling hope and pride well up inside him. With every step forward, he was proving that even a "little badger" could shine as bright as anyone at Hogwarts.

_________________

"Thank you for reading! If you enjoyed the chapter, please consider donating Power Stones and joining our patreon

[patreon.com /coolperry]

for early access to future chapters.(+30 chapters)