Three Hallows, Two Weasleys and One Broken Girl

Chapter 10: Professor Charming

Just a little time with the best teacher to grace Hogwarts' corridors.

No Illustration for for this one as nothing really came to mind.
Be hyped for the next few chapters! In this story Harry isn't the only one to discover secret rooms in Hogwarts.

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Delphi settled into her preferred seat in charms with a sigh.
Somehow it felt like this year was far more intense than her previous one, and it couldn't just be because of the Triwizard tournament.
She returned Flitwick's soft smile, as the rest of her class - a mix of Ravenclaws and Slytherins - settled down. Ravenclaws got on well with all the houses, but she knew that the combination of those thirsting for knowledge and those thirsting for power often via knowledge, made the Snakes and Eagles particularly happy together.
For teachers like Snape who despised teaching, the mix was exhausting, the good natured competitiveness and the ceaseless questions requiring him to at least have three black coffees prior. But to teachers like Flitwick, who lived to inspire bright young minds...she knew they were a dream for him.
This class was their introduction to the challenge of non-verbal casting.

"Sir, does spell type influence difficulty?"
"If there's a psychological element, does that mean you could teach a witch with no knowledge, the levitation charm with a completely fake incantation?"
"Is there a limit to the difficulty of spells you can cast non-verbally?"
"Does the type of spell impact the non-verbal difficultly?"
"Does the difficulty correlate at all with the types of accidental magic children can perform?"

It was wonderful, and she could feel Flitwick basking as he fed the young ambitious minds within his classroom. He was born to be where he was, and it was wonderful to see it, to feel the passion and pride rippling off the part goblin in waves.
She raised her up hand once the questions petered off, and everyone turned warily to wait for her inevitably mind bending question.
"Professor."
Even Flitwick shivered slightly when he noticed her hand raised. Snape wasn't the only one she'd caused to self medicate with fire whiskey. "...yes, Miss Lovegood?"
Delphi hummed, "I have two questions, firstly, if as children, we can non-verbally cast spells, and more desperate or powerful kids can even will it to happen...aren't incantations just a construct we place on magic in order to feel an illusion of control over it? A prop we could technically do with out. Much like wands?"
The classroom was very still.
Flitwick mustered a chuckle, "if that's question one, I dread question two. But to answer, it is very little researched, wizard children are rare and precious and it would violate their rights to restrict their access to information and a wand to further their education once they reach eleven. Next?"
Delphi hummed, "if...if wizards do need wands and incantations in order to wield magic, could it be argued that we are magically inferior to House Elves, Goblins and other magical races that need no such prop?"

Just as she had expected, the class erupted.
The debate and arguing became fierce but like the good teacher he was, Flitwick saw the potential for personal growth and a hit to prejudices and casually faded into the background. The shouting largely came from the darker leaning pure bloods present, along with the muggle raised and more confident Ravenclaws on the other side of the debate.
What was important to Delphi was the number of pure bloods who remained silent, scrutinising her, their wands or empty space as their fundamental belief was tested and they took the examination with a calm curiosity and grace the Malfoy boy would never learn.

Eventually, when no new points were being made, and before violence was chosen as an alternative to agreement, Flitwick spoke up.
"A perceptive question as usual Delphi, ten points to Ravenclaw. And twenty points each to Slytherin and Ravenclaw for a wonderful discussion held with reasonable calm."
The room quietened expectantly and the charms professor took a calming breath. "As a part goblin myself, I am quite well qualified to confirm that Goblins, House Elves, Vampires, Wood Elves and many other are capable of performing quite impressive feats of magic without wands and often without incantations either."
He raised a hand as Marcus Flint seemed to flush redder and redder.
"However, magic is magic, and each of those races have their own limitations, much as wizards do. Wizards have the broadest range of magic they can perform, and as such could be classed as generalists where most races are specialists. It is not a popular opinion held, but it is my personal belief that no magical race is inferior to any other. Mind you, most wizards would consider me biased."
You had to know Flitwick well to pick up the hint of irony fully intended in the last line. Fortunately it was taken as a joke by the more zealous Slytherins, and the class ended with everyone thoughtful but calm, just like every good charms lesson.

Delphi was just gathering her notes when the professor spoke up.
"Miss Lovegood, please stay behind for a word?"
His voice had no hint of anger and her sixth sense didn't flare, so she put away her books and waited as the stragglers reluctant to go to herbology finally trickled from the room. Thankfully she avoided Flint once again too. He didn't appear to know what to make of his encounter with her, and Delphi was determined to postpone clarifying for as long as possible.

"Excellent questions as always Delphi." Flitwick said warmly once they were alone.
She smiled at her head of house, "and willowy answers as ever, Professor."
He nodded, settling at his desk and eyeing her contemplatively. "I asked you to stay behind because I am a little concerned. I know your solitude is voluntary and you are happy as you are but...you've seemed stressed lately, and I was wondering as your head of house if I could assist you in anyway?"
Delphi blinked and then smiled, "the years are getting spikier as we go professor, but as of now there is nothing you can do other than your continued kind efforts to take care of my sister."
He hummed, eyes sharp, but nodded eventually, "alright, but you know you can come to me."
"I do."
"Very well, also the book 'The Beings of Magic, and The Magic of Being" by Estra Vennel could be of benefit in answering your questions in more depth." The professor paused, weighing her up before turning to his desk and pulling a piece of paper toward him. "It can be found in the restricted section, along with many books I feel you deserve and can be trusted with access to...despite your recent interactions with the Weasley twins."
Delphi gasped as he handed her the written permission for unlimited access. It was like a blank cheque, a dangerous thing indeed. "Professor..."
Flitwick patted her hand in lieu of her shoulder. "Enjoy like the true Ravenclaw you are, and do not forget that curiosity, is never a sin."
Delphi beamed, clutching her ticket to paradise to her chest. "Yes sir!"