Harry Potter: Shippuden

Cho Chang and Marietta Edgecombe, being Ravenclaw students, felt deeply embarrassed at being caught by their own Head of House while slacking off in class.

Both immediately turned back around, pretending to be diligent students, and began practicing the Severing Charm on their sticks.

Kyle, on the other hand, felt no shame. He confidently approached Professor Flitwick to ask about the principles behind the Severing Charm.

"Professor, I'm having trouble understanding how simply reciting the incantation and waving the wand can produce the Severing Charm."

As he spoke, Kyle glanced at Cho's stick, which had already been cleanly split in two.

Meanwhile, the stick in his own hand looked exactly as it had when it was handed out.

Without waiting for Professor Flitwick to respond, Kyle quickly added:

"The Severing Charm, as the name suggests, is about cutting objects apart. From a physical perspective, it's like using a sharp object, such as a knife, to slice through something."

Professor Flitwick listened with a smile.

"But when I watched you and Cho cast the spell, I didn't feel the presence of anything knife-like cutting through the object. So, it must split from within."

Professor Flitwick's smile widened.

"Does that mean the true principle of the Severing Charm is to use magic to act on the molecules of the stick, forcing the molecular bonds to break and causing the stick to split?"

Professor Flitwick's smile froze.

"How do I control my magic to achieve that effect?"

Professor Flitwick: ???

What in Merlin's name is this kid talking about?

He understood every word Kyle was saying, but when put together, he had no idea what Kyle was getting at.

For a basic spell like the Severing Charm, was all this really necessary?

Wasn't it just a matter of waving your wand and whoosh, the thing gets cut?

Professor Flitwick was indeed a Charms master, but his research didn't involve parsing spells from a Muggle physics perspective.

However, as a professor, he couldn't let himself be stumped by a student.

He put on a stern expression, which Kyle interpreted as deep thought and careful consideration.

After a moment of silent struggle, Professor Flitwick decided to give up.

He forced a dry smile. "That's the power of magic. You simply need to channel your intent into your wand and command it to cast the spell."

Kyle stared at Professor Flitwick: Are you serious?

Professor Flitwick stared back: Why's this kid looking at me like that? Is he questioning my expertise as a Charms master?

A crow flew past the window, cawing twice, adding to the awkward atmosphere between them.

A few black lines appeared on Kyle's forehead. Was magic really this… abstract?

When he used Water Release jutsu, there was a clear process—his magic transformed into water, which then shaped itself into the form of a shark. That was what he called "Big Spit, no, Great Shark Bullet."

He wasn't sure if this process adhered to the laws of energy conservation or physics, but at least it followed some logic.

But this Severing Charm… well, it was a different story.

Kyle struggled to phrase his next question, finally landing on the key issue: "So, Professor, is the essence of magic… wishful thinking?"

Professor Flitwick's eyes widened in surprise. "Ah, yes, you've summarized it quite well."

If that was the case…

Kyle picked up his wand again, pointing it at the stick on his desk. He slowly channeled magic into the wand, simultaneously sending a strong mental command—cut it!

He felt the magic within him surge into the wand, almost draining him dry, but thankfully, the flow stopped quickly.

A dazzling beam of light erupted from the tip of Kyle's wand, striking the stick and continuing through it to hit the wooden desk below.

The entire table was enveloped in a blinding red glow.

Crash!

The sound of the table splitting in two and crashing to the floor echoed through the classroom.

Thud…

This time, it was the sound of the book falling off the desk.