0479 Gathering

Standing at the door of his office was Headmaster Dumbledore, followed by Professor Flitwick, Professor McGonagall, and several other staff members. They had all arrived at his office door in unison—a scene Bryan had never witnessed before.

“What’s going on? Has something major happened?” In that instant, numerous thoughts flashed through Bryan’s mind, but none could explain what could be serious enough to bring so many professors to his door at once.

“Don’t be alarmed, Bryan—” Dumbledore’s silver-white beard swayed as he said with a smile, “Filius, Minerva, and the rest of us are here to—oh, why don’t we go inside to talk? Some matters are best discussed over a nice cup of tea, don’t you think?””

Bryan’s keen gaze darted from one face to another, noting the urgency barely concealed in Professor McGonagall’s stern face and the barely contained excitement in Professor Flitwick’s eyes. Curiosity piqued, he raised an eyebrow, “Very well,” he agreed, glancing at the clock on his wall. “It’s mealtime now. We could have a private gathering—though I daresay my humble office might be a bit cramped for such an illustrious assembly.”

With a welcoming gesture, Bryan escorted his colleagues into his office. The space, while not small by any means, was cluttered with an extensive range of magical instruments. Scattered across the floor were dozens of Omni-oculars in various states of disassembly.

Bryan with a casual flick of his wand sent the Omni-oculars and their numerous parts neatly arranging themselves into a magically expanded storage box. The lid snapped shut with a satisfying click, leaving the floor clear but the room still noticeably crowded with the unexpected influx of visitors.

As Bryan surveyed his office, still inadequate to accommodate such a gathering, he began to contemplate how to conjure enough seating for everyone.

Dumbledore who had been eyeing Bryan’s collection of alchemical instruments with undisguised interest turned to Bryan with a gentle smile. “No need to trouble yourself, Bryan, we can manage—after all, what kind of wizards would we be if we couldn’t conjure our own seating arrangements?”

Taking their cue from Dumbledore, each professor pulled out their wand with a flourish. The air in the office suddenly crackled with magical energy as, one by one, the professors demonstrated their prowess in conjuration and transfiguration.

Professor McGonagall transformed a nearby stack of parchments into a high-backed tartan armchair, complete with a footstool. Professor Flitwick, standing on his tiptoes to achieve the proper wand angle, caused a plush violet cushion to materialize beneath him, elevating him to eye level with his taller colleagues. Professor Sprout conjured a rustic wooden stool that seemed to sprout leaves and tiny flowers where it touched the stone floor.

As the professors settled into their newly conjured seats, a particularly flamboyant piece of furniture caught everyone’s attention. A coffee table, its legs carved to resemble those of a dancing deer, had appeared in the center of the room. It moved with an almost lifelike grace, spinning between them before coming to rest in the perfect position to serve them all.

Bryan, amused by the sudden transformation of his office into an impromptu faculty lounge, began the task of hospitality. With a series of intricate wand movements, he summoned a gleaming silver tea service. The teapot began to steam, filling the air with the comforting aroma of perfectly brewed Earl Grey. Delicate cups and saucers floated through the air, arranging themselves neatly on the dancing coffee table.

As his colleagues helped themselves to tea and a plate of biscuits that had materialized alongside the tea service, Bryan turned his attention to the ambiance of the room. With another wave of his wand, the curtains drew themselves back, allowing the warm afternoon sunlight to flood the office. The windows swung open with a gentle breeze that carried with it the scent of the Hogwarts grounds.

With the scene set and his guests comfortably seated, Bryan felt it was finally time to address the Hippogriff in the room. Rather than taking a seat himself, he perched casually on the arm of a nearby sofa.

“So then,” he began, his eyes sweeping across the assembled faces, noting the varying degrees of anticipation and excitement. “What exactly is this about? It’s not often I find myself hosting an impromptu gathering of Hogwarts’ finest professors in my humble office.”

It was Professor Flitwick who could no longer contain his excitement.

“We heard from the young wizards, Bryan,” He stood up on his conjured cushion and asked in his squeaky voice, “You’ve invented a new method to help the students learn spells, haven’t you? Miss Patil told me all about it in Charms class today. Learning magic in your Spiritual world—it’s absolutely fascinating! She reached a high level of proficiency in both the Stunning Spell and the Disarming Charm in just three hours! It’s incredible, truly incredible. She said your method could pinpoint exactly where her problems were!”

Professor McGonagall, her eyes sharp behind her square spectacles, leaned forward in her tartan armchair.

“I presume it has a similar effect on Transfiguration, doesn’t it, Bryan?” She asked in her Scottish accent tinged with unmistakable interest. “Transfiguration is, after all, a complex branch of spellwork. If this method of yours can be used to accelerate the learning of charms, surely it would be equally effective for Transfiguration. Would you mind demonstrating your brilliant idea to us, Bryan? I’m sure we’re all eager to see it in action.”

Bryan’s eyebrows rose even higher. “Oh, so that’s what this is about?” he said, a hint of relief coloring his voice. He let out a small chuckle, shaking his head slightly. “I must admit, when I saw you all at my door, I thought the Ministry of Magic was planning to disband Hogwarts!”

“You know, Bryan, our energy is limited,” Professor McGonagall said ignoring Bryan’s small joke, her tone urgent but tinged with hope. “We don’t have enough time to give every young wizard the individual attention and guidance they need, especially when it comes to mastering complex spells. But some students—” she paused, clearly choosing her words carefully, “—well, let’s take Mr. Longbottom as an example. He has potential, but he indeed needs a great deal of practice and guidance to keep up with the progress of his peers. I heard that your method can teach many young wizards simultaneously, providing some personalized instruction to each. Perhaps we could learn from your approach—”

As Professor McGonagall finished speaking, a chorus of agreement rose from the other professors. Each voiced their own perspective, painting a picture of the challenges they faced in their respective subjects and the potential solutions Bryan’s invention might offer.

Bryan listened attentively to each of his colleagues, his eyes occasionally darting to Dumbledore, who had remained silent throughout the discussion.

“Is this why you’re here too, Headmaster Dumbledore?” Bryan asked, curiosity evident in his voice.

Dumbledore’s eyes twinkled merrily behind his half-moon spectacles as he stroked his long beard thoughtfully.

“I am indeed very interested, Bryan, if your method can be widely adopted to significantly improve the teaching efficiency of some courses, I have no reason not to pay attention. Hogwarts has always prided itself on being at the forefront of magical education, after all. Of course,” he added, a note of caution entering his voice, “we must first ensure that it’s safe. The well-being of our students is paramount, as I’m sure you’ll agree.”

Bryan’s lips curled into a secret smile, hidden quickly behind his teacup. As everyone knew, Dumbledore had largely withdrawn from involvement in Hogwarts’ daily teaching and operations in recent years. For him to suddenly show such keen interest in his little teaching innovation… well, it was curious, to say the least. A thought skimmed across Bryan’s mind—‘Dumbledore… he wouldn’t be using this as an excuse to peek into my Spiritual world, would he?’

Setting his cup down with a gentle clink, Bryan addressed the professors. “Alright, I think I understand your interest,” he began, his brow furrowing slightly as he gathered his thoughts. “But there are some issues we need to consider—”

“What are they, Bryan?” Professor Flitwick interjected anxiously, leaning forward on his cushion, nearly toppling off in his eagerness.

Bryan paused for a few moments, choosing his words carefully. When he spoke, his voice was measured and thoughtful. “Whether it’s charms, transfiguration, or other types of spellcasting, my method can indeed accelerate the students’ learning progress and deepen their understanding of magic—as you’ve all heard from the students what I’ve told them. The process involves bringing them into my Spiritual world, an illusory space of my own magical consciousness, where they can practice against what I call ‘standard Magical Constructs’ of the spells they’re trying to master.”

He paused, making sure everyone was following his explanation before continuing. “In this Spiritual world, each young wizard can receive semi-personalized, corresponding guidance. But you must all understand,” he emphasized, his gaze sweeping across the faces of his colleagues, “these instructions come directly from me. Those magical constructs are imbued with my experience, my thoughts, my understanding of magic. It’s my mental strength or my magical essence, if you will—that maintains this teaching method.”

Bryan’s eyes lingered on each of his fellow professors in turn as he continued, his voice taking on a more serious tone. “As for you all—and please don’t take this as any sort of slight on your considerable abilities—thoughts and experiences can be extracted through magic, yes. We’ve all used Pensieves, after all. But to provide unlimited, simultaneous guidance to multiple young wizards? The burden would be… well, frankly, it would be too great for most wizards to bear.”

The implication of Bryan’s words hung heavy in the air. Without saying it outright, he had made it clear: they, as skilled and powerful as they were, simply didn’t possess the mental strength necessary to sustain this kind of psychic and spiritual magic on the scale he was describing.

The disappointment on Professor Flitwick’s face was palpable. He seemed to deflate slightly, sinking back onto his cushion. Heaven knows how delighted he had been when he first learned of Bryan’s ingenious invention. Like all teachers, Flitwick was acutely aware that not every young wizard had the natural comprehension abilities of a Percy Weasley or a Hermione Granger, who could grasp complex magical concepts after just one or two explanations in class.

The harsh reality was that most young wizards lacked a systematic understanding of magic. They often found themselves in a perpetual state of confusion, requiring countless practice sessions to master even relatively simple spells. And perhaps most frustratingly, by the time the final exams rolled around, they would have forgotten much of what they had learned earlier in the year.

Neville Longbottom was a prime example of this struggle, though Flitwick’s mind also drifted to Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle from Slytherin, whose fathers, he recalled with a slight grimace, had been equally muddle-headed during their time at Hogwarts.

Despite the setback, Professor Flitwick’s irrepressible enthusiasm couldn’t be dampened for long. His squeaky voice piped up once more, filled with hope. “Could you let me experience it too, Bryan? Your method, I mean! Even if we can’t implement it broadly, perhaps experiencing it firsthand could give us ideas on how to adapt our own teaching styles.”

Professor McGonagall also nodded in agreement. “If it’s convenient, Bryan,” she added with genuine interest, “I’d like to see it for myself as well.”

Like a wave, the other professors followed suit, each expressing their desire to witness Bryan’s innovative teaching method in action. The room buzzed with excitement and anticipation. Even if they couldn’t implement the technique on a wide scale, they reasoned, they could still brainstorm ideas, couldn’t they?

Amidst the chorus of eager requests, Dumbledore cleared his throat softly. The subtle sound was enough to quiet the room instantly, all eyes turning to him. “Ahem, if you don’t mind, Bryan—” he began, his blue eyes twinkling with what could only be described as mischievous curiosity.

“Don’t joke, Headmaster Dumbledore—” Bryan said with a dark face. “I don’t have the ability to accommodate your Spiritual power!”

“Perhaps another time, then,” Dumbledore said lightly, settling back in his chair.

With that matter settled, Bryan took a deep breath and began to prepare himself mentally for the task ahead. He closed his eyes for a moment, centering himself, before addressing his colleagues once more.

“Very well,” he said, opening his eyes and surveying the eager faces before him. “I’ll guide you through the experience. Please remember, what you’re about to encounter is a space of my own magical consciousness. It may feel disorienting at first, but I assure you, it’s perfectly safe.”

About Fifteen minutes later, the atmosphere in the office suddenly became lively. The staff members, one by one emerging from Bryan’s Spiritual world, wore expressions of wonder and eagerly discussed their experiences.

Professor Flitwick was particularly energetic.

“A brilliant method, Bryan, truly brilliant!” he exclaimed, his eyes shining with unbridled enthusiasm. “The precision of the evaluations, the objectivity of the feedback – it’s remarkable! And the way it provides corrections and guidance to the young wizards… oh, it’s simply extraordinary!”

Flitwick paused for breath, his mind clearly racing with possibilities. “Oh, if we could bring this method into the classroom,” he continued, wigwagging wildly, “let them use this for training after regular lectures, I bet the teaching quality at Hogwarts would improve tremendously. The Wizarding Examinations Authority would be astounded by Hogwarts’ teaching standards. Just imagine – we could revolutionize magical education! The entire wizarding world would benefit from it!”

Professor McGonagall nodded thoughtfully. “For Transfiguration, the evaluations provided by this method are not yet comprehensive enough.”

She paused, adjusting her square spectacles before continuing.

“However, as Filius said, if we could implement it widely, refining it for each subject… well, the potential is enormous. We could pass on our experiences more effectively, providing students with insights that typically take weeks to months of practice to develop. Many people would benefit from it – not just our current students, but future generations of witches and wizards!”

Bryan shrugged, “But that’s where the key problem lies. There are significant challenges we need to consider before we can even think about implementing this on a larger scale.”

He stood up, pacing the room as he outlined the issues. “First, these magical constructs are invisible in the real world. They exist only in the Spiritual space I’ve created. We’d need to find a way to manifest them physically, or create a means for students to access this space easily and safely.”

Bryan paused by the window, gazing out over the Hogwarts grounds as he continued. “Secondly, and perhaps more importantly, those experiences and evaluations all come from me. If I don’t imbue those constructs with my thoughts, my experiences and understanding of magic, they won’t have any effect. They’d be empty shells, devoid of the knowledge and guidance that makes them valuable.”

He turned back to face his colleagues, his expression serious. “The mental energy required to accommodate many young wizards simultaneously is enormous. To maintain these constructs, to guide multiple students at once through complex magical theories and practices… the cost is simply too high for one person to bear indefinitely.”

A somber silence fell over the room as the professors contemplated the challenges before them. The excitement of moments ago was tempered by the reality of the obstacles they faced.

It was Dumbledore who broke the silence. He had remained quiet throughout the demonstrations and subsequent discussions, observing with keen interest. Now, he leaned forward in his chair, his blue eyes twinkling with that familiar mix of wisdom and mischief.

“That’s not necessarily the case, Bryan,” Dumbledore said softly, his voice carrying easily across the quiet room. The teacup in front of him remained full; he hadn’t touched the bitter drink at all. Although he hadn’t experienced the Spiritual world firsthand, he had listened attentively to everyone’s discussions and seemed to have grasped the essence of Bryan’s accomplishment.

“The difficulties you mentioned are not without solutions,” Dumbledore continued, his gaze fixed on Bryan, whose eyelids were slightly lowered. His long fingers traced the air, pointing towards the box where Bryan had earlier stored the Surveillance mirrors. “In fact, the solution might be closer than you think. We may be able to solve those difficulties through the field of alchemy.”

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