“A wand is the most important tool a witch or wizard will ever possess.” Severus gently twirled the wand between his fingers as he spoke.
“For most witches and wizards, casting spells without a wand is incredibly difficult.
While accidental magic is possible, a wand allows us to properly channel and control our magic.
That’s why every wizard treasures their wand.” Lily listened intently, afraid of missing even a single word.
“As for ordinary people who can’t use magic,” Severus continued, “we call them Muggles.” Seeing Lily nod, he added with a faint smile, “When you start your third year at Hogwarts, you’ll be able to choose Muggle Studies as an elective.
Students who grow up in Muggle families usually find that subject very easy.” Lily couldn’t help laughing.
“I suppose I’d get full marks then.” “You probably would.” Severus gave a slight nod before continuing.
“Quidditch is the most popular sport in the Wizarding World.
It’s played while flying on broomsticks, and the finest racing brooms are worth a considerable fortune.
Once you begin your first year at Hogwarts, you’ll also attend Flying lessons.” As he spoke, the miniature Diagon Alley floating before them gradually changed.
The bustling streets dissolved into shimmering wisps of magic.
In their place appeared tiny broomsticks racing through the sky, players weaving around towering goal hoops while a glittering Golden Snitch darted between them at astonishing speed.
Lily’s eyes widened with excitement.
“They can really fly?” “They can.” “And they’re much faster than they look.” With another gentle movement of his wand, the illusion shifted once more.
A witch Apparated from one location to another in an instant.
A wizard walked calmly beneath the surface of a lake.
Another soared high above the clouds on a broomstick.
Moments later, a broken arm was restored with a flick of a wand.
“The Wizarding World contains countless branches of magic,” Severus explained.
“There are spells capable of accomplishing things that Muggles would consider impossible.” “We can travel vast distances in moments.” “We can breathe beneath the water.” “We can fly through the sky.” “Injuries that would take months to heal in the Muggle world can sometimes be cured with a single spell.” He paused before concluding quietly, “For a wizard, the greatest limitation is often imagination itself.” Lily was completely captivated.
Everything Severus described painted a picture of a world beyond anything she had ever dreamed of.
A beautiful, mysterious world hidden just beyond the reach of ordinary people.
For the first time in her life, she truly understood where she belonged.
After allowing her a few moments to absorb everything, Severus spoke again.
“Of course…” “The Wizarding World isn’t perfect.” His voice became noticeably calmer.
“There are conflicts there, just as there are in the Muggle world.” “Magic can create miracles.” “But in the wrong hands, it can also bring terrible destruction.” Lily’s expression became more serious.
“So…” “There are wars among witches and wizards too?” “There are.” Severus nodded.
“But those matters are still far removed from us.” “For now, you don’t need to worry about them.” The conversation continued until the sun gradually dipped below the horizon.
The golden glow of dusk bathed the hillside in warm light before slowly fading into evening.
Only then did Lily reluctantly stand.
“Thank you, Severus.” “I learned so much today.” After a brief hesitation, she asked hopefully, “May I come and visit you again sometime?” “Of course.” “Whenever you like.” A bright smile immediately spread across Lily’s face.
“That’s wonderful!” “Next time, maybe Penny will come too.” “I’d like her to learn about the Wizarding World as well.” Severus looked at her for a moment before gently shaking his head.
“I’m afraid she probably won’t be happy about that.” Lily blinked in confusion.
“Why?” “Because if you want to preserve your relationship with your sister…” “You should avoid talking about magic in front of her.” Lily frowned.
“But why?” “I think magic is wonderful.” Severus didn’t answer directly.
Instead, he asked a simple question.
“Lily.” “Do you like sweets?” She nodded immediately.
“Of course.” “Then imagine you’re holding a jar filled with your favorite sweets.” He met her puzzled gaze before continuing.
“To Petunia, your magic is like that jar.” “It’s something she desperately wants.” “But no matter how hard she tries, she’ll never be able to take even a single sweet from it.” “And no one can give her one.” “In that situation, every time you excitedly talk about how delicious those sweets are, what do you think she’ll hear?” Lily slowly lowered her head.
“…Boasting.” “Even if I don’t mean it that way.” “Exactly.” “You aren’t trying to show off.” “But people naturally long for what they can never have.” “And magic is something countless children dream about.” “For someone who can never possess it, your excitement can unintentionally become a painful reminder.” Lily bit her lip.
“But…” “I never wanted to hurt Penny.” “I don’t want to lose my sister.” Severus remained silent for a few moments before offering his advice.
“Then don’t compete with her.” “When you’re together, let her shine.” “Let her succeed in the things she’s good at.” “If she wins, let her enjoy the victory.” “She may mock you at first.” “Her jealousy won’t disappear overnight.” “But time changes people.” “Eventually, she’ll realize that having magic doesn’t make someone better than everyone else.” “When that day comes, the distance between you may naturally begin to disappear.” Lily fell into thoughtful silence.
She wasn’t sure whether Severus was right.
But somehow…
His words carried a quiet certainty that made them difficult to doubt.
The last traces of sunlight disappeared beyond the horizon.
Severus stood up from the willow roots and brushed the dirt from his robes.
He then extended a hand toward Lily.
After a brief moment of hesitation, Lily reached out and grasped it firmly.
A bright smile bloomed across her face as Severus helped her to her feet.
“Thank you for telling me all of this.” Lily smiled sincerely.
“If it hadn’t been for you, I probably wouldn’t have realized there was a problem between Petunia and me until it was too late.” “There’s no need to thank me.” Severus smiled faintly.
“That’s simply what friends do.” After a brief pause, he brought up the idea he had been considering from the very beginning.
“Although you don’t have a wand yet, there’s no reason you can’t begin learning the basics of magic.” “Theoretical knowledge is just as important as practical spellcasting.” “If you’re interested…” “I can teach you until we start at Hogwarts.” Lily blinked in surprise.
“Really?” “Wouldn’t that be asking too much of you?” She looked at Severus with visible hesitation.
They had only met today.
Yet this boy had patiently introduced her to the Wizarding World, helped her understand the conflict with her sister, and now was even offering to teach her magic.
The kindness almost left her at a loss.
Part of her wanted to accept immediately.
The other part felt embarrassed to impose on someone she had only just met.
Unfortunately…
Severus had no intention of letting such an opportunity slip away.
He had already revealed the Wizarding World to her.
He had already involved himself in her future.
More importantly…
She was the perfect student.
For the next two years, before either of them entered Hogwarts, he was unlikely to meet another young witch or wizard with so little magical knowledge and so much room to learn.
To Severus…
Lily wasn’t simply a future classmate.
She was an invaluable source of teaching experience.
There was no chance he was going to let her disappear.
“Not at all.” He answered without the slightest hesitation.
“We’ll be attending Hogwarts together in the future.” “It would be strange to call something like this troublesome.” After thinking for a moment, he proposed, “How about we meet here every morning at nine?” “The air around Spinner’s End isn’t exactly pleasant, so this hill should make for a much better place to study.” “I’ll bring some of my first-year Hogwarts textbooks tomorrow.” “Even without a wand, there’s plenty you can begin learning now.” Lily’s face immediately brightened.
“Thank you, Severus.” “You’re a really kind person.” For some reason…
The corner of Severus’s mouth twitched almost imperceptibly.
Kind?
If Lily ever learned that his true reason for offering lessons was to gain experience through the system, she would probably take those words back immediately.
Still, there was no need to explain.
As long as both sides benefited, his motives hardly mattered.
Watching Lily wave goodbye before disappearing down the hillside, Severus quietly withdrew his gaze.
The faint smile on his face gradually faded.
With a thought, he summoned the system interface.
Several new lines of text appeared before his eyes.
[You have completed an immersive teaching session for 1 person.] [Experience Gained: 1,008] — Name: Lily Evans Replicable Specialty: [Master Craftsman] — Gold —