17 A new change

=====A Month since the sorting.====

As I made my way to the library, intent on completing the day's assignment, a shout from behind caught me off guard. I ran through a mental list of names, expecting it to be one of my friends, but to my surprise, it was Draco who called out to me.

"Hey, wait a minute, Arjun."

I slowed my pace and turned to face him. "Hey, Draco. What's the problem?"

Draco's expression was unusually neutral as he replied, "Nothing, I just wanted to come with you to complete the homework."

His sudden interest in accompanying me raised my eyebrows. I couldn't fathom why Draco, with his pure-blood mindset, would want to associate with someone like me. While others might approach me because of my abilities, Draco's motivations seemed elusive. After all, most people assumed I was a half-blood.

As we settled down in the library, I couldn't help but notice Crabbe and Goyle assisting Draco. They opened books for him, set up his quill and parchment, while he merely looked over their shoulders. The sight made my eyebrows twitch in disbelief.

We began with Potions. Even among Slytherins, the Potions professor was known to be the strictest member of the staff. However, any punishments or news of them seldom crossed the boundaries of the dungeon. The last few days had made me acutely aware of this fact.

Draco, however, appeared to be an exception. Rumors circulated that he received private potion lessons from Snape every day. The thought crossed my mind that perhaps Daphne had revealed my wandless casting skills to him, but that seemed unlikely given her reserved personality.

Lost in thought, I observed Draco carefully transcribing the potion assignment. Over the past few days, I had noticed that Draco was actually one of the best students in our year, with only a handful surpassing him overall. It was clear that he didn't need much of my help.

As the sound of quills scratching against parchment filled the air, I couldn't help but break the silence. "So, what's the matter?"

Draco paused in his writing, his expression reflecting a battle raging within himself. While I found the new facets of his character intriguing, he remained every bit the arrogant and spoiled rich kid depicted in canon. Finally, he seemed to come to a decision before speaking.

"You see, I need your help with something."

"I gathered that much already, Draco," I replied candidly. "No offense, but other than our casual interactions in class or at the table, you've never approached me before."

Draco snorted at my remark before responding, "It's not just me, it's the same for everyone. You always seem so absorbed in your work, whether you're in the library or in class. And then there's the matter of Uncle Severus actually calling you a genius. Ever since that news spread, everyone in the house has been trying to befriend you. They're all trying to emulate my father's relationship with Uncle Severus, thinking they can achieve the same status with you. As if they could ever hold a candle to the Malfoys."

His words made sense, and I couldn't help but understand where he was coming from. It seemed that others saw me as the next Severus Snape, the potential future Potion Master. And Draco's arrogance, while off-putting, seemed almost normal given his family's status in Wizarding Britain's political landscape, with his father essentially controlling the strings of Ministerial power.

Draco finally revealed the reason for seeking me out, his words breaking the silence that had settled between us. "I need your help to be my second in a duel. Don't worry about the opponents; they're also first years like us."

I couldn't help but respond numbly, my mind already jumping to the obvious conclusion. "You mean Harry and Ron, right?"

Draco appeared slightly surprised by my accurate guess, but I pressed on regardless. "I can see why you've come to me, considering I am the best in my year. Far better than the rest."

The expressions on Crabbe and Goyle's faces turned peculiar at my bold statement. I could almost sense their surprise at my arrogance, but to my astonishment, Draco seemed to take it in stride. "I know, that's why I need your help."

"Very well, let's see what you can do. There's an abandoned classroom a few corridors away; let's go."

Draco didn't question my sudden agreement, rising from his seat to follow me. As we walked, I couldn't resist the urge to inquire, "How can you be so sure I will accept your request? I mean, Professor Snape and your father are one thing. But we are another thing altogether."

"Because I am sure about it. I am a Malfoy," he replied confidently, his tone dripping with arrogance. "We achieve whatever we put our minds to."

In that moment, despite his haughty demeanor, I couldn't help but feel a sense of kinship with Draco. We may be similar in some respects, but unlike him who was spoiled a bit, I knew I was better.

=====Abandoned Classroom======

In the dimly lit room, the faint scent of old bookshelves hung in the air as Draco Malfoy and I faced each other, wands drawn and ready for battle. Crabbe and Goyle, ever the loyal followers, stood by the sidelines, their eyes fixed on the impending duel while dutifully carrying our bags. The atmosphere was charged with tension as we prepared to put our spellcasting skills to the ultimate test.

Without hesitation, Draco took the initiative, his voice ringing out confidently as he unleashed the first spell. "Stupefy!" he shouted, a bolt of crimson light hurtling towards me with deadly precision. Reacting swiftly, I bent backward, narrowly avoiding the attack as it sailed past me, the rush of adrenaline coursing through my veins.

Summoning my own resolve, I launched a counterattack, casting "Expelliarmus" in Draco's direction. With effortless grace, he leaped aside, evading the spell with ease, his movements fluid and precise. It was clear that his dueling form was impeccable, likely the result of extensive training under a private tutor.

Undeterred, Draco pressed on, his wand slashing through the air as he attempted to immobilize me with a "Locomotor Mortis" spell. Anticipating his move, I sidestepped the attack with the agility of years of martial arts training, my movements flowing seamlessly as I dodged each incoming spell.

As the duel continued, I maintained my focus, weaving through Draco's spells with ease. Despite his frustration mounting, I remained calm and composed, my mind calculating each move with precision. With a swift incantation, I summoned the power of "Wingardium Leviosa," levitating an old bookshelf to the center of the room, using it as an obstruction to shield myself from Draco's onslaught.

With each spell, the bookshelf began to splinter and crack under the force of Draco's magic, creating a diversion that I was quick to capitalize on.

In a split second, I found his legs visible from the small gap between the ground and the floating bookshelf.

Seizing the opportunity, I unleashed a "Tarantallegra" charm, aiming to catch Draco off guard with a dancing spell at his feet. True to form, he leaped into the air, his movements agile and swift, evading the charm with ease.

But I was determined to emerge victorious. With unwavering resolve, I seized the moment, jumping sideways without waiting for the dancing charm to reach him, I unleashed another spell, "Stupefy," with some proximity to his body. Caught off guard by my sudden attack, Draco was unable to evade the spell, frozen stiff as the stunning spell struck him square in the chest, sending him crashing to the ground in defeat.

As we both lay on the ground, I called out to him, "You know, that side jump spell at the end was kind of lucky. I'm still working on aiming while in motion compared to stationary aiming."

I watched as Crabbe quickly administered a "Reenervate" spell, bringing Draco back to consciousness. He slowly rose to his feet, making his way towards me. I braced myself, unsure of what his reaction would be.

Today, he surprised me again, because he extended his arm and pulled me to my feet.

"How did you cast the Levitation charm?" he asked earnestly. "I've been struggling with it."

I smiled at that and explained to him, "Unlike the other first-year spells, this one requires precise intent. You need to visualize where and how you want to levitate the object. The more precise the intent the better. In the text book, only a couple details were mentioned. But, upon practice, you will find much more like ....."

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[Hypothesis 12: Incantations]

Initially, I hypothesized that incantations served as a tool to imbue spells with intent. However, as the usage of incantations became more widespread among wizards, it became apparent that the intent of the spell became intertwined with the very essence of the incantation itself. Over time, through generations of magical practice, the incantation became inseparable from the intent of the spell, creating a symbiotic relationship between the two.

The utilization of incantations in spellcasting appeared to alleviate the strain on the caster and even reduce the magical energy expended.

While those capable of Wandless casting can also bypass the need for incantations as they posses enough intent but the strain will be there nonetheless.

However, based on my estimations, with sufficient practice and mastery of a spell's incantation, the need for verbalization may become obsolete. This phenomenon is observed among advanced students, such as those in their Newt studies, who, upon reaching a certain level of proficiency in a spell, are able to cast that spell without the need for individual incantations.

Furthermore, it is hypothesized that proficient wizards or witches, such as accomplished wizards and professors, possess the ability to cast all spells without relying on verbal incantations altogether, demonstrating a skill that transcends the need for vocalization to imbue intent.