Although the golden trio had come together a month and a half earlier than in the original timeline, their relationship—born out of a bet—was still far from stable.
Even so, Hermione's personality and convictions were much stronger than they had been at this same point in the original story. Her relationships with her classmates were no longer as strained or fragile. A few careless remarks from Ron would no longer be enough to drive her into isolation, hiding away in the bathroom until evening.
In fact, considering how much more harmonious Harry and Hermione's relationship had become, there was even a good chance that Ron would take the initiative to apologize within a few days.
All signs pointed to tonight's troll incident passing without major disruption. There was no longer any need for Ryze to have Ailey keep watch over the situation.
With that thought in mind, Ryze watched Hermione leave after finishing her questions. Rather than asking Professor Flitwick about the Levitation Charm or the so-called Final Spark, he chose instead to inquire about the curious spell mishap the professor had mentioned earlier in class.
The story of the wizard Baruffio had always intrigued him—how a simple mispronunciation, turning an 'f' into an 's,' had resulted in the accidental summoning of a bison. Yet, as far as Ryze knew, there was no 'f' sound in the Levitation Charm, Wingardium Leviosa.
So what was the original spell that could summon a bison?
"Two years ago, the Weasley twins asked me that very same question," Professor Flitwick said, his tone slightly amused. "But it was obvious they intended to misuse the information, so I refused to tell them."
He paused briefly before continuing.
"However, you are far more disciplined than those two. I suppose there is no harm in explaining—at least in part."
Instead of revealing the exact spell outright, Professor Flitwick began by introducing a defensive charm.
"The Double Protection Charm," he explained. "It originates from German wizarding traditions. The incantation 'Festung' means 'fortress.' When cast correctly, it creates two layers of magical protection simultaneously. It is significantly more effective than standard shielding spells—but also much more difficult to master."
As he spoke, Flitwick traced the letters of the spell in the air with his wand. Then, with a small flick, he altered the initial 'f' into an 's,' transforming the incantation into something entirely different.
"Bises tung."
He smiled faintly.
"When spoken quickly, the first word resembles 'bison.' And 'tun' in German means 'to do,' somewhat akin to its usage in English. Of course, from a linguistic perspective, the phrase is nonsensical. It does not follow the structured logic we typically see in spell creation."
He let the idea hang for a moment before continuing.
"Yet magic does not always obey logic. Occasionally, the most unexpected combinations of sound and intent can produce remarkable effects. Baruffio later refined this accidental incantation into a proper spell—the Bison Summoning Charm—which was eventually documented in the book Spells Born of Accidents."
Flitwick went on to describe a German dueling wizard from the previous century, a specialist in the Double Protection Charm. After winning the International Wizard Dueling Competition, that wizard had famously used the altered incantation to summon a bison in celebration.
"That event," Flitwick added, "is largely why the spell became widely known."
He then leaned slightly closer to Ryze, lowering his voice as if sharing a secret.
"There is another interesting detail. Because the summoned bison is not classified as a magical creature, Hogwarts' defensive enchantments do not interfere with the spell. If you intend to practice it, I strongly suggest doing so near the Forbidden Forest. It would be… inconvenient if a bison were to appear inside the Ravenclaw common room."
Ryze nodded, understanding the implication.
Professor Flitwick regarded him with clear approval. Ryze's maturity, combined with his exceptional magical aptitude, set him apart from other students his age. It was precisely why Flitwick was willing to share knowledge beyond the standard curriculum.
The Double Protection Charm, in particular, was invaluable in dueling scenarios.
If Ryze could master it, he might stand a real chance of lasting several rounds in next year's junior division of the Wizard Dueling Competition. After all, only a wizard and their wand were permitted in such matches—companions like Ailey would not be allowed.
That meant Ryze needed reliable defensive capabilities.
Compared to that, the Bison Summoning Charm was more of a novelty—a bonus rather than a necessity. Most wizards who mastered the Double Protection Charm would naturally come to understand the altered incantation as well.
However, for younger wizards, even knowing the spell did not guarantee success. Summoning a creature from dozens of miles away required immense magical power—far beyond what most students possessed.
By the time Ryze left Professor Flitwick, lunch was nearly over.
In the afternoon, he first visited the library, selecting several books related to advanced spell theory. Afterward, he joined his roommates in the Room of Requirement, where they practiced dueling spells and studied the theoretical foundations of the Double Protection Charm.
The complexity of the spell quickly became apparent.
Its theoretical framework alone was intricate enough that Ryze estimated it would take him at least a week to fully comprehend.
By contrast, the Bison Summoning Charm was almost crude in its simplicity.
There was little theory involved—only raw magical output.
Ryze suspected that he might already be capable of casting it, albeit at an enormous cost in mana. Once his ability power increased by another hundred points or so, he would likely be able to use it freely.
At around three in the afternoon, Ryze decided to take a break.
"You guys keep training," he said casually. "Don't forget the Halloween feast tonight. I'm going to take a walk around the castle."
Anthony and the others waved him off without question.
By now, they were accustomed to Ryze's habits. Aside from studying, he spent a considerable amount of time wandering throughout the castle—a routine he claimed helped him relax.
Leaving the Room of Requirement, Ryze began his search for ravens from the upper levels of the castle.
However, after making a full circuit through the interior corridors of Hogwarts, he found no trace of them.
"Maybe they're near the greenhouses… or the Quidditch pitch," he muttered to himself.
He was just about to activate the speed enhancement on his shoes and head outside when he noticed something unusual.
A student with red-rimmed eyes was being helped out of an underground passage.
As Ryze drew closer, he recognized the pair.
"Senior Emima? Senior Marietta? What happened?"
Emima, widely known for her beauty and calm demeanor, sighed softly before answering.
Marietta, standing beside her, was clearly the one who had been crying.
"Professor Snape is in a terrible mood today," Emima explained. "From the start of class, he's been finding fault with everything. He even deducted points from Slytherin, which almost never happens."
She glanced at Marietta with concern.
"She mixed up the order of ingredients because she was nervous… and Snape scolded her relentlessly."
Ryze frowned slightly.
Even for Snape, that sounded excessive.
"I don't know what set him off," Emima continued, "but you should be careful when you have his class tomorrow."
With that, she returned her attention to comforting Marietta.
Ryze remained where he was, deep in thought.
"Could Snape have overheard what Hagrid said yesterday?" he wondered.
The possibility lingered in his mind.
After a moment's hesitation, Ryze made a decision.
Before heading outside, he would check the dungeons.
Although the Raven Task rarely appeared in that area, it had happened once before.
And given Snape's unusual behavior today, it might be worth investigating.
Without another word, Ryze turned and made his way toward the lower levels of the castle.
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