"Hogwarts: Why So Nervous? The Little Badger’s Just Planting a Tree."

Seeing the system notifications appear, Robert took a deep breath.

As expected of Neville.

The Goldfish Vine was growing like it had been dosed with magic fertilizer in his presence. In just five days, three pots of Goldfish Vine had fully matured. Judging by the size and glow of the reward clusters floating above them, the quality of these three pots was nearly flawless.

Just then, Neville noticed Robert and looked relieved—like he'd just found a lifeline.

"Cousin, which staircase leads to the Potions classroom? I forgot again," he asked anxiously.

Robert smiled and pointed to the staircase on his right.

Neville's face immediately lit up with gratitude. "Thanks, Cousin Robert!"

As Neville began climbing the stairs, Robert suddenly recalled something important. In the original storyline, Neville's first Potions class had been a total disaster. He had brewed the Boil-Curing Potion incorrectly, spilled it on himself, and ended up with painful boils all over his body. He'd cried from the pain and was ultimately sent to the Medical Ward by a furious Snape. That traumatic experience left him deeply afraid of Potions class—so much so that he would tremble just at the sight of Snape.

With that memory in mind, Robert felt a responsibility to help.

Whether out of family ties or gratitude for Neville's help in growing the Goldfish Vine, he felt compelled to intervene.

"Wait, Neville," Robert called after him.

Neville stopped and turned.

"The first Potions class is actually pretty simple," Robert said. "It's just brewing a Boil-Curing Potion. You can definitely handle it."

He looked Neville in the eyes. "But you have to remember one important thing. When you add the porcupine quills, make sure to take the cauldron off the fire. Just don't forget that step."

Neville nodded earnestly and began repeating the sentence to himself like a sacred mantra. The tension in his posture seemed to ease slightly. After thanking Robert once more, he continued on his way, a little more confident than before.

Robert watched his cousin's retreating back and sighed. He wasn't expecting Neville to become a Potions genius overnight, but at the very least, he might avoid the Medical Ward.

Then Robert's gaze shifted to the three glowing reward clusters floating toward him.

"This must be the reward for growing the Goldfish Vine—"

"Slightly enhanced magical perception?"

Curiosity sparked in his eyes as he reached out to touch them. The three clusters of light instantly merged into his body. A strange sensation spread throughout him, like a gentle current flowing through his veins. Though faint, it was definitely present—an energy that seemed to respond to his will, ready to perform magical feats at his command.

"So this is a wizard's magic?"

Before he could explore the feeling further, it faded. But a new entry appeared on his system panel:

[Magic Perception Enhancement (Bronze Tier)]

Robert wasn't too surprised by the reward. It was only for growing three pots of Goldfish Vine, after all—even if they were in perfect condition. The system giving it a Bronze Tier rating already exceeded his expectations.

He already possessed a basic level of magical perception, so this reward merely amplified what was already there. Still, the improvement was noticeable.

To test it, he cast the Soil Loosening Spell, one he'd practiced frequently over the past two months. This time, the spell felt smoother, more fluid. The effect on the soil was also slightly more efficient than before.

Robert nodded in satisfaction. It wasn't a huge leap, but it was a real, measurable improvement.

By the time all the other Goldfish Vine plants matured, perhaps his magic perception would be upgraded to Silver Tier. That would bring even more tangible benefits.

Unfortunately, other than Neville, no one could accelerate the growth of Goldfish Vine so rapidly. The rest of the plants would likely take about three more weeks to mature.

"That's not too long either," Robert thought. "Once they're ready, I might be able to try growing magical herbs of higher difficulty."

A hint of anticipation flickered in his eyes as he turned and headed toward the classroom building.

Compared to the dramatic chaos expected in the Gryffindor-Slytherin Potions class today, Hufflepuff's schedule was much more relaxed.

Today was the second Charms class of the week—nothing particularly unusual. But the Hufflepuff students were visibly excited.

The first Charms class had mostly been an introductory lecture on the historical significance and development of Charms. It had felt more like a History of Magic lesson. Only at the very end had Professor Flitwick performed a brief demonstration of the Lumos spell.

But it was so rushed that only one or two brilliant Ravenclaw students—who had clearly studied ahead—managed to cast it correctly. The Hufflepuffs hadn't stood a chance.

So, hopes were high that today's class would be more hands-on.

As expected, when the bell rang, Professor Flitwick walked in with a warm smile and a twinkle in his eyes.

"Last Monday, we spent most of our time discussing the background and importance of Charms," he said cheerfully. "It wasn't until the end that I demonstrated the Lumos spell."

He gave a playful wink.

"So for today's class, we'll focus entirely on spell practice. No long lectures this time!"

The classroom erupted in cheers, especially from the Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws.

Professor Flitwick raised his wand and gave them a demonstration.

"Lumos!" he said clearly.

A soft, steady glow appeared at the tip of his wand.

"Remember," he added, "this spell is simple, but it still requires good coordination between your incantation and wand movement. Most importantly—concentration. Otherwise, you might accidentally burn your wand. That wouldn't be a great way to start your Hogwarts journey!"

After his warning, he stepped aside.

"Alright, boys and girls, let's give it a go!"

The classroom burst into enthusiastic wand-waving.

Right away, the contrast between Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff became obvious.

A Ravenclaw student smoothly recited the incantation and managed to produce a flickering ball of light. It wasn't stable, but it counted as a successful Lumos.

Professor Flitwick beamed. "Very good! One point to Ravenclaw."

Most Ravenclaws quickly followed suit, producing decent results within ten minutes of practice. Professor Flitwick seemed pleased.

When he turned toward the Hufflepuff section, however, his expression changed subtly.

Since there had been no assigned homework after the last class, the Hufflepuff students hadn't practiced. Now, they were clumsily waving their wands and mumbling inaccurate incantations.

"Lumas!"

"Rumos!"

"Lumax!"

Professor Flitwick patiently corrected their mistakes one by one.

Meanwhile, Robert was quietly observing.

He glanced at the Ravenclaws' glowing wands. Their Lumos spells worked—but the light flickered. Something about the way their magic flowed seemed unstable.

"Their magic output isn't smooth," Robert thought. "I couldn't notice this in the previous class. Could it be the result of my enhanced magical perception?"

Before he could test the idea further, Professor Flitwick approached him, his voice as friendly as ever.

"Come now, Mr. Robert," he said encouragingly. "Don't be shy. Let's see your Lumos."

Robert nodded.

He flicked his wrist, rotating his wand skillfully.

"Lumos!"

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