This compartment had already been expanded using the Seamless Extension Charm, making it as spacious as a proper classroom.
After this group of girls entered, they didn't do anything too private—after all, the time and place weren't appropriate. Apart from some deliberately subtle flirting with Regulus Black, most of them took out their schoolwork to ask questions. Regulus Black patiently explained everything to them in detail, creating an academic atmosphere even better than Ravenclaw's.
Many of the girls here brought advanced-level materials to ask about. For example, Hermione Granger, though only in her third year, had already brought out her fifth-year textbooks for guidance.
"Mr. Black! Last time, you mentioned that everyone has their own innate magic. What exactly does that mean? Is it a specific spell or a subject? If someone keeps practicing a particular spell, can that spell become their innate magic?"
After finishing her questions about homework, Ginny Weasley didn't return to her seat. Instead, she asked about something Regulus Black had told her last year, back when she had just started at Hogwarts.
"You're talking about innate magic! If all of you want to know about it, then I'm afraid you won't have time to do much else on the way to Hogwarts."
Regulus Black gave a mysterious smile. His words made all the girls instinctively pack away their textbooks and attentively await his explanation.
"Innate magic refers to the phenomenon you experienced when selecting your wand—those strange occurrences. Everyone's experience is different. There might be rare cases where they seem similar, but that's only a surface-level resemblance."
"I'm not going to ask you to share your personal experiences here. After all, innate magic is a private matter—deeply personal."
"That's because it is the magic you are most proficient in, the easiest to perform and control, and the one that consumes the least amount of magical energy. Whether it's a spell, a prophecy, potion-making, transfiguration, or even becoming an Animagus—it's the unique magic that you were instinctively attuned to from birth. Unfortunately, many people miss this, as the magical world doesn't give enough importance to what happens at the moment you first pick up your wand."
"After that moment, you begin studying at Hogwarts. Over seven years, you learn far more than just innate magic—things that enhance your knowledge and control over magic in general."
"This makes innate magic seem less important. However, as someone who values this theory highly, if you're all interested, I'd be happy to share my perspective."
"Forget the time when you were fooled by Ollivander's measuring tape while buying your first wand! When you were choosing your wand, did any unusual phenomena occur—explosions, whirlwinds, tremors, and so on? And when you finally found the wand meant for you, didn't it feel as natural as breathing? That phenomenon you witnessed at that moment—that was your innate magic."
"By now, you should all understand—only the magical phenomenon that occurred in that moment is truly yours. It is innate, instinctive, and will stay with you for life."
"So how do you train your innate magic? You can start by recalling that phenomenon, then compare it with what you've learned so far to identify something similar. No matter what it is, try to recreate it using your feelings. If you succeed, then you've rediscovered your innate magic. If not, then you haven't found the right match yet."
Regulus Black explained his understanding of innate magic point by point.
"Mr. Black! What if I can't find any existing spell or potion related to my innate magic?"
Zhang Qiu raised her hand to ask. The phenomenon she experienced at the time didn't seem to match any known magical knowledge.
"If you can't find a match, then name it yourself. Explore it, experiment with it, define it. All of our spells and potions were developed through repeated trials and have only been deemed safe after rigorous testing. The incantations and wand movements were refined through countless experiments to reach their current optimal forms."
"The Ministry of Magic even has a special department for researching spells—the Experimental Spell Committee. Every new spell comes from extensive experimentation. Even if you can use your innate magic effortlessly, that doesn't mean others can. That is the fundamental difference between innate magic and general magic."
Regulus Black didn't mind revealing one of the Ministry's departments. After all, these children were the future elite—knowing a bit more wouldn't hurt.
"Mr. Black! What exactly is the essence of innate magic? At that time, we hadn't even been formally exposed to magic yet. Except for a few pure-blood families who train their children early, most young wizards only experience magical outbursts."
Penelope Clearwater had already recorded what had just been said, but it was clearly not enough.
"The essence of one's innate magic—your birthright magic, if you will—can be understood as a child's perspective of the world: their perception, their comprehension, perhaps even memories of a past life. It may stem from a natural law, the trajectory of destiny… any of these could be the source of innate magic."
Regulus Black listed six—or rather, four—potential sources of innate magic.
"I'm really curious! Why do you want to understand the essence of innate magic? What if I couldn't answer? That would be so awkward!"
Regulus Black didn't seem the least bit worried about awkwardness. Instead, he believed Penelope Clearwater must have a good reason for asking.
"I couldn't explain the vision I had back then, so I drew it when I was very young."
Penelope Clearwater handed Regulus Black an envelope, which evidently contained the depiction of her vision.
Regulus took a look inside. It was a pencil sketch—depicting what seemed to be a ring formed from countless right hands. Under the influence of magic, the ring was continuously turning, its inner edge flipping outward. The hands were arranged in a precise, rhythmic order, appearing endless. From a distance, it resembled a pupil radiating a strange, mesmerizing rhythm.
"Congratulations, Penelope. If this represents your innate magic, then your gift is nothing short of extraordinary. We should discuss this privately."
Regulus Black slipped the envelope into one of his books.
"You're not giving him a love letter, are you?"
Someone leaned in to ask, clearly skeptical that this was some unparalleled magical gift. Perhaps, they thought, it was an unparalleled confession instead—which, to be fair, seemed entirely possible. After all, among their group, they were some of the first girls to have been close with Regulus Black, thanks to Hermione.
"I understand. Some people might not believe what I just said."
Regulus glanced at Marietta Edgecombe, startling her into sticking out her tongue before she quickly returned to her seat. Her tongue was, notably, quite nimble—whether in conversation or while nibbling a morning greeting, its agility was something to behold.
"There are certain matters—particularly when it comes to magic—that are deeply personal. Unless someone is incredibly close to you and completely trustworthy, it's best not to reveal such things. If you can find the answers yourself through study, that's the ideal path. I say this because there's a fundamental difference between understanding something with your own hands, and merely receiving understanding from someone else."
Regulus tapped the book holding the envelope with his finger.
"If you truly must consult someone, it means you've reached a point where you're out of options and have no choice but to seek help. At that time, I'm willing to offer what assistance I can. Or you might consider turning to your family first to seek answers."
"Mr. Black! You've spoken about the essence of innate magic, but what about its effects? Even though each person's innate magic is different, is there a general way to describe what it can do?"
It was Parvati Patil from Gryffindor who asked. She was of Indian descent, and had a twin sister in Ravenclaw named Padma Patil. Coming from a high-caste family in India, the Patil sisters were considered rare beauties. However, their mannerisms could be a bit flirtatious—excessively polite to the point of unease, and lacking the modest restraint traditionally expected of young women.
Regulus Black looked at them until they shyly lowered their heads.
"If I had to describe the effect of innate magic, then although it's not an entirely accurate term, one word might suffice: omnipotent."
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