As the initial surprise and joy of recognition faded, Neville found himself staring at Roger, recalling where he had seen him before.
It had been at St. Mungo's. During one of his visits to his parents, Neville had noticed a boy his age lingering in the ward. Their eyes had met briefly, and though Roger had given him a friendly smile, Neville hadn't mustered the courage to strike up a conversation. He had always been a bit shy.
Now, sitting in the same train compartment, Neville hesitated again. Roger, having settled in, pulled out two books and immediately began reading, completely absorbed. He underlined words, circled passages, and scribbled notes in the margins with intense focus. Neville, unwilling to interrupt, simply sat quietly. Even when Hannah, equally bored, attempted to start a conversation, Neville responded in hushed tones, careful not to disturb Roger.
Until—
Roger's pen stopped mid-stroke. His eyes flicked toward the compartment door, sensing something. Neville, who had been discreetly observing him, followed his gaze.
A girl stood at the door, peering through the glass with wide, curious eyes. She had thick, curly hair and a keen expression, her focus locked on Roger's book.
Neville, always one to help when he could, stood up and slid the door open. "Are you looking for a seat?" he asked.
The girl shook her head, her curiosity undeterred. "No, I was just wondering… What is that? Is it a spell? A magical object, or—" She trailed off, raising a tentative hand toward Roger's book. "My name is Hermione. Hermione Granger. Could you tell me?"
There was a quiet reverence in her voice, a genuine respect for knowledge that overrode any initial shyness about approaching strangers. In her mind, knowledge was something precious, worth seeking out no matter the circumstance.
Roger glanced down at his book. As if on cue, the pages turned by themselves, flipping smoothly without any breeze.
Hermione's eyes widened. "That!" she exclaimed. "How did you do that?"
Neville and Hannah, however, barely reacted. To them, self-turning pages were hardly remarkable. In the wizarding world, books that bit or shrieked were far more concerning than ones that moved on their own. They had long since grown accustomed to magical oddities and rarely stopped to question them.
Roger, seemingly unbothered by Hermione's curiosity, answered simply, "The Levitation Charm."
He tapped the cover lightly. "It's in 'The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 1.' The first spell in the introductory chapter. It's basic, safe, and perfect for beginners."
"Wingardium Leviosa," he said, barely moving his fingers. The book lifted slightly, hovered, and then—swiftly—its pages turned once more.
Hermione's fascination deepened. "But—you didn't use a wand! Or even say the incantation out loud!"
"Wandless magic," Roger explained calmly. "A wand helps channel magical energy, making spellcasting easier and more precise. Without one, you need more focus and control. Silent casting, on the other hand, requires an even deeper understanding of the spell. If your mastery is strong enough, you don't even need to think the incantation—just intention alone is enough."
Hermione stared at him, processing this new information. Roger, meanwhile, returned his attention to his book, as though the conversation had been nothing more than a momentary pause in his reading.
Neville and Hannah exchanged glances. For them, magic was simply part of life—useful, powerful, sometimes amusing, but rarely surprising.
For Hermione, however, it was a whole new world. And she intended to understand every part of it.
The way it manifested was somewhat reminiscent of the incident at the zoo when Harry Potter's accidental magic caused the glass in front of the snake to vanish. However, in practical combat, it held little value. Magic channeled through a wand and structured spells was far more powerful. Even a silent spell could conceal one's intent in battle—casting spells purely with the mind was unnecessary.
"Of course, I haven't reached that level," Roger admitted. "I can only use the Levitation Charm wandlessly and silently."
"???"
His words left not only Hermione but also Hannah and Neville utterly stunned.
They had heard of wandless and silent magic before, but only in reference to exceptionally gifted wizards. To them, Roger's statement was akin to saying, "Want to become a musical prodigy? Just learn theory, memorize instrument timbres, master rhythm, and infuse emotion to create tension." Easy to say—nearly impossible to execute.
Seeing their disbelief, Roger shook his head. "Don't over-mystify these things. Magic is almost miraculous in nature, but at its core, it's tied to the soul."
"Believe in magic. Believe in yourself. Combine knowledge with practice, and magic will not fail those who truly love it. If you don't believe you can do it, then you never will."
In Roger's view, the magic of this world was unique. Unlike martial arts or mystical cultivation, which depended on innate talent or elemental affinity, magic in this world relied on willpower.
It reminded him of Haki from One Piece—if one had the conviction, magic could work miracles. But if their will wavered, they could fall into mediocrity, just like certain once-powerful pirates who lost their edge. Snape was a prime example—once an ambitious and rapidly advancing wizard, he had seemingly plateaued after the rise of the so-called 'Savior,' becoming just a potions teacher.
"If you're truly interested in deepening your understanding of magic, I suggest practicing the Levitation Charm," Roger advised, his gaze shifting from Hermione to Neville and Hannah.
"Repeated casting sharpens your magical focus. When you can perform it without a wand, it's like advanced resistance training. Mastering a silent Levitation Charm and integrating it into your daily life can significantly enhance your magical precision."
Having answered their questions and given his advice, Roger raised his hand, and the two books on the table floated smoothly back into his bag.
The books—one a History of Magic textbook and the other a History of the Muggle World—were part of Roger's personal study. In his free time, he enjoyed comparing the two, cross-referencing them with his past-life memories and insights from Professor McGonagall's assigned readings. It was like a decryption game, piecing together what had been altered, omitted, or manipulated in history—a puzzle that Roger found immensely entertaining.
Then, as a new thought struck him, he turned to Neville and Hannah.
"I have a question for you two."
Since his reading had already been interrupted, he didn't mind shifting the topic.
"Once we get to Hogwarts, we'll be sorted into one of the four houses. Which house do you hope to be in?"
The train was nearing its destination, and the Sorting Ceremony loomed ahead—a pivotal moment that would shape Roger's academic journey for the next seven years. Though he had a strong inclination about his own placement, he wanted one last confirmation before stepping into the unknown.
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