Heir to the Moon (V2)

II.XIII Lessons with Jophiel

The halls of Hogwarts were bustling with students once again, the Christmas break now over. With their classes finished for the day, Harry and Daphne found themselves sitting on the plush floor of the room of requirement. Piles of books and parchment surrounded them, their homework for the day spread out in front of them like a battlefield.

Daphne's brow furrowed as she scanned her notes, trying to make sense of the complex instructions for the Wiggenweld potion. "Harry, are you sure this is correct?" she asked, leaning in closer to inspect his work.

He let out a frustrated sigh and ran a hand through his unruly hair. "No, I'm not sure. I feel like I'm missing a crucial step."

"Let me see," Daphne said, taking his notes and scrutinizing them intently. The soft glow of candlelight danced across her face as she pored over the ingredients and instructions, determined to find the error.

After a few moments of silence, Daphne's face lit up with realization. "Here it is," she exclaimed, pointing at a line in Harry's notes. "You've listed dittany as an ingredient, but it should be valerian roots instead. They're often used interchangeably in healing potions, but valerian is more potent for the restoration properties needed in Wiggenweld."

Harry looked over her shoulder, his green eyes scanning the parchment. "That makes sense. Thanks, Daphne. I would've brewed something useless without your help."

As they corrected the mistake in the potion instructions, their hands brushed slightly, causing a momentary pause. The air between them charged with an unspoken tension, and Harry quickly withdrew his hand, focusing back on the parchment.

Daphne cleared her throat, breaking the awkward silence. "We should also double-check the stirring technique. The potion needs to be stirred counterclockwise exactly seven times after each ingredient is added, not before. It helps to activate the ingredients properly."

Harry nodded, making the adjustments to his notes. "I appreciate you helping me with this, Daphne. I've always struggled with potions."

"It's no problem at all," she replied with a soft smile. "I find potions fascinating, and it's nice to have someone to discuss them with, even if it's not your strongest subject. Now I need your help on our charm's homework"

Harry perked up at the mention of charms, a subject where he felt more confident. "Sure, what do you need help with?"

Daphne slid a sheet of parchment towards him, filled with diagrams and notes on various charm techniques. "I'm trying to get the hang of the knockback jinx and the uses for it,"

Harry took the parchment, scanning Daphne's meticulous notes. "The knockback jinx, eh? It's pretty straightforward once you get the wrist movement down. It's all about the flick," he explained, demonstrating with his wand, a light swooshing sound filling the room as he mimed the motion.

Daphne watched intently, her eyes following his hand. "I think I'm putting too much force into it. It's more about precision, isn't it?"

"Exactly," Harry confirmed, giving her an encouraging nod. "You want to be precise and controlled. Too much force and you might send someone flying further than you intend. It's useful in duelling, but you have to be careful with it."

They practiced the motion together a few times, Daphne slowly getting the hang of it under Harry's guidance. As she successfully performed the jinx, sending a small cushion bouncing off the opposite wall, her face lit up with a triumphant smile.

"Well done!" Harry praised, his eyes twinkling with pride. "See, you've got it."

Daphne beamed, clearly pleased with her progress. "Thanks, Harry. However, the homework asks for uses outside of duelling."