Chapter 13: Magic is the Miracle of Belief

Once the initial surprise of the reunion subsided, Neville stared at Roger for a few seconds, suddenly remembering where he had seen him before. At St. Mungo’s, while visiting his parents, he had caught a glimpse of a young wizard his own age and looked twice; the boy had turned back and given him a friendly smile. Though the memory returned, Neville did not use it as an icebreaker. He was a slightly introverted boy.

After their luggage was stowed and the train pulled away, Roger pulled out two books and began to read. Seeing how focused Roger was, occasionally marking lines or scribbling notes in both books, Neville felt it would be rude to interrupt him just to pass the time. Even when Hannah, who was equally bored, tried to strike up a conversation, he answered in whispers, terrified of disturbing Roger.

That was until Roger lifted his gaze from the pages, set down his quill, and looked toward the compartment door. He had sensed a gaze upon him. A young girl with bushy, curly hair and a pretty face was standing at the threshold, her eyes wide, staring through the glass panel at Roger’s books. Neville, who had been keeping a watchful eye on Roger, turned his head in the same direction. He stood up, slid the door open, and asked, "Are you looking for a seat?"

Neville’s shyness only meant he wasn't great at socializing; he was, however, a kind-hearted person who was always willing to help others, and he was brave.

"No, I was just curious about what that was. Is it a charm, a magical object, or..." The curly-haired girl gestured toward Roger. "My name is Hermione, Hermione Granger. Could you tell me, please?" She was always respectful when asking questions. In her view, knowledge was a precious thing, and she hated to treat it lightly. This respect for knowledge suppressed the subconscious anxiety she usually felt when interacting with new wizards.

"Are you referring to this?" As Roger spoke, the book in front of him flipped a page without a gust of wind.

"Yes!" Hermione’s face lit up with intense interest, while Hannah and Neville showed little reaction to the phenomenon.

Hermione was, like Roger, born to Muggle parents and had only recently awakened as a witch. Having never encountered magic before, she was naturally filled with curiosity upon entering this strange "new world." To Hermione, who had been a top student in her Muggle school, the best way to understand an unfamiliar group was to read. She had bought many books from Flourish and Blotts and read them daily, often cutting her fingers on the paper edges. If she could master the ability to flip pages automatically like Roger, it would be much more comfortable—it was summer, and she didn't want to wear gloves and get sweaty hands.

As for Neville and Hannah, born into the wizarding world—one from a pure-blood family and the other with partial pure-blood ancestry—they were unfazed. Forget books that flipped pages; they had heard of books that could bite. Curious? A little, but they couldn't be bothered to get to the bottom of it. The magical world was full of oddities and wondrous items, and they were already desensitized. Unless it was something truly bizarre, they usually didn't bother investigating.

Roger didn't play games with Hermione’s question and gave a direct answer: "A Levitation Charm."

"It’s the very first spell in the first-year textbook, *The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 1*. It's very simple, carries little danger, and is perfect for a young wizard’s introduction."

"The incantation is *Wingardium Leviosa*." As he spoke, Roger flicked his finger, and the book hovered slightly; with a swipe, the page turned.

Roger didn't mind answering questions. Imparting knowledge to others was also a way to organize what he had already mastered, allowing him to check for gaps. If you find you cannot teach your knowledge to others, it generally means one of two things: either you haven't fully mastered the subject, or there is too great a gap in cognitive or intellectual levels between you and the other person.

"You were casting that? You... you didn't use a wand, and you didn't say the incantation!" Hermione, who had been a Muggle until recently, looked at him in total disbelief.

"Wandless magic. A wand greatly enhances your ability to communicate with magic during the casting process. For wandless magic, you simply need to invest more concentration. Non-verbal magic, where you recite the incantation in your mind, requires a deep understanding of the spell. If your concentration and understanding of magic reach a pinnacle, you don't even need to recite it mentally; a single thought is enough to manifest magic."

Its practical application was somewhat similar to the moment Harry Potter visited the zoo with his cousin, where his accidental magic made the glass in front of the snake vanish. However, it had little value in actual combat; spells enhanced by a wand were undoubtedly stronger. Even for masking one's combat intentions, non-verbal magic was sufficient; casting by mere thought was entirely unnecessary.

"Of course, I haven't reached that height. I was only using a wandless, non-verbal charm, and the Levitation Charm is the only one I can cast that way."

"???"

After Roger finished, it wasn't just Hermione; even Hannah and Neville were stunned. Whether it was wandless or non-verbal magic, they knew a little about both—those were techniques that only a few exceptionally capable wizards could master! To them, Roger’s words sounded like someone saying, "Want to be a master musician? Just learn music theory, memorize the timbre of your instruments, grasp the rhythm, and pour your emotions in to create tension. Isn't that enough?" It sounded easy, but it was incredibly difficult to do!

Seeing their expressions, Roger shook his head and continued, "Don't over-mystify things. The power of magic is akin to a miracle; it connects with the heart and mind."

"Believe in magic, believe in yourself, and unite knowledge with action. Magic will never let down those who love it."

"If you don't even believe you can do it, then it truly is impossible."

In Roger’s view, the magic of this world was very special. It wasn't like cultivation or martial arts, which depended on innate talent or spiritual roots, nor was it like some other forms of magic that required elemental affinity or specific attributes of mental power. What it required was the power of the heart and will. It was somewhat similar to Haki from *One Piece*: if you believe you can do it, it will grant you miracles; if your willpower falters, you will end up like those pathetic Warlords whose strength plummeted and were beaten to a pulp by rookie pirates! Just like Snape—once the "Chosen One" appeared, his spirit waned, and the Half-Blood Prince, who had been surging forward on the path of magic, turned into an ordinary Potions master.

"If you have any intention of delving deeper into magic, I suggest you practice the Levitation Charm," Roger said, moving his gaze from Hermione to Neville and Hannah. "This spell requires sustained effort, which can greatly train your concentration. Once you can cast it without a wand, it becomes an advanced 'weight-bearing' exercise. Learning a non-verbal Levitation Charm and integrating it into your daily life can also train your precision in magical manipulation."

After answering the question and offering his advice, Roger lifted his hand, and the two books on the table floated back into his bag. Hermione, having received her answer, thanked him thoughtfully, ending the chance encounter.

The two books Roger put away were a first-year History of Magic textbook and a history of the Muggle world. In his spare time, he enjoyed comparing the two, referencing his memories of his past life and the knowledge hinted at in the books Professor McGonagall had given him. He searched for how much content had been "altered" in these two histories; it was like a decryption game, and it brought Roger a great deal of pleasure.

"Neville, Hannah, I have a question for you." Since his reading had been interrupted, he didn't return to it, having suddenly remembered something. "After we enter school, we'll be sorted into the four houses. Which one do you want to go to?"

The train would be arriving soon, and the Sorting Ceremony was just around the corner. This ceremony would have a significant impact on Roger’s seven years of study, so even though he was eighty or ninety percent sure of the outcome, he wanted one final confirmation now that the moment was at hand.