[Note: Read up to Chapter - 35 on P patron at: p-atreon.com/Knockturn_Alley]
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"Professor McGonagall, could you tell me… what is the true nature of magic?"
After Aris finished speaking, a strange silence settled over the room.
Little Luna's eyes lit up, full of curiosity. She turned to Professor McGonagall, clearly eager to hear the answer too.
She was just as intrigued by the question—and probably hadn't expected someone else to ask something she'd often wondered herself.
Xeno, on the other hand, looked slightly stunned. He hadn't expected a question like that—not from a boy who'd only just turned eleven.
"The nature of magic?"
Was that really something a child should be thinking about?
Even fully qualified wizards—many who had graduated from Hogwarts years ago—probably hadn't given that question a moment's thought.
He certainly hadn't.
To Xeno, it had always felt pointless to dwell on such things.
You didn't need to understand the nature of magic to cast a spell. You just needed a wand, an incantation, and a bit of talent.
That was how it had always been. Magic was simply something wizards had—an innate gift, nothing more.
Professor McGonagall blinked.
"Child, I might've misheard you..." she said slowly, her voice laced with doubt.
"Did you just ask… about the nature of magic?"
"Yes, Professor," Aris replied with a firm nod.
"I only found out yesterday that I'm a wizard. So naturally, I'm curious. I want to understand what magic really is."
His tone was calm and sincere—completely devoid of sarcasm or childish mischief.
It caught McGonagall off guard.
The seriousness in his expression left no room for doubt.
She straightened up slightly, realising she'd have to treat the question with the weight it deserved.
"Listen, Mr. Shafiq… you're still young," Professor McGonagall said gently, frowning just a touch, her tone one of sincere advice.
"Once you've started school, learnt to control your magic properly, and really grasped what magic is capable of—then you can start looking into questions as deep as the nature of it."
"No need to overthink things just yet, alright?"
In her eyes, it wasn't wise for a young wizard—especially one who hadn't even begun formal training—to dive into questions so weighty. Aris still knew very little about magic, after all.
And digging too deep, too soon, would almost certainly lead to frustration.
At that age, hitting a wall could do more harm than good—it might knock the confidence clean out of a young wizard.
So even if she did know the answer (and truthfully, even she wasn't certain she did), she wouldn't share it now.
Still, McGonagall couldn't hide her quiet satisfaction at Aris's thirst for knowledge.
It was refreshing.
A far cry from the sort of Gryffindor daredevils who spent more time plotting mischief than doing their homework.
"I see…"
Aris dropped his gaze, falling silent for a moment as he mulled over her response.
When he finally looked back up, he found McGonagall watching him—her usually stern face softened with pride, though there was a flicker of concern in her eyes too.
Maybe this was the point where most young witches and wizards would take a step back.
But not Aris.
Because, of course—the system still hadn't dished out the reward yet.
Aris wasn't letting this one slide.
"Professor… you don't actually know, do you?"
"Of course I—"
McGonagall began to respond instinctively, ready to defend her knowledge—but the words faltered before they left her lips.
The truth was… she didn't know how to answer.
The nature of magic had baffled the greatest minds for centuries. Countless brilliant witches and wizards had spent their lives trying to unravel it—and not a single one had ever claimed to truly understand it.
And she—well, she was just a Hogwarts professor. Respected, yes. Experienced, certainly.
But not someone who could claim to have cracked a question as deep as that.
Now, faced with the boy's innocent, expectant stare, she realised she didn't even know where to begin explaining it.
Should she admit she didn't know?
But that would be… humiliating.
How was she supposed to maintain any authority in front of him after that?
"Was my question too difficult, Professor?"
Aris tilted his head slightly, his tone soft, polite—even genuinely curious.
There wasn't a trace of sarcasm on his face.
Anyone watching would think he was just a bright, inquisitive boy asking a question.
But to McGonagall, it landed like a punch to the pride.
There was something about it—just a little too sharp.
She straightened her back and kept her expression neutral, saying nothing.
Watching the exchange, Xeno quietly sighed and rubbed his temples.
"Is this boy just clueless and precocious… or is he doing this on purpose?"
Questioning a professor so bluntly…
Was he trying to get himself kicked out before he'd even started at Hogwarts?
Didn't he realise Professor McGonagall wasn't just any teacher—she was the Deputy Headmistress.
If she took real offence, it wasn't entirely out of the question that his admission could be called into question.
"Professor McGonagall, please don't take it the wrong way—Aris didn't mean any disrespect, I'm sure of it," Xeno jumped in quickly, trying to smooth things over.
He gave Aris a subtle side-eye and a not-so-subtle wink.
"..."
McGonagall stood there, a tightness forming in her chest. Her thoughts were a jumble—part frustration, part reluctant amusement.
Aris, catching on, nodded quickly.
"I wasn't trying to be rude, honestly. I just really wanted to understand…"
Then, in a softer voice, he added,
"If you don't have the answer now, that's alright. Maybe you could tell me later—when I get to school?"
"Aris!"
Xeno looked like he could've buried his face in his hands.
Instead, he shot the boy a withering look and made a clear zip-it gesture.
But before he could say more, McGonagall raised a hand.
"That's enough."
She straightened up, her expression firm but no longer cold.
"Being curious and eager to learn is never a bad thing—that's not your fault."
"But mind your manners, Mr. Shafiq. There's a proper way to speak to your professors, and questioning them so directly can come across as disrespectful."
"I told you—this question's far too complex for someone your age," Professor McGonagall said firmly.
"But if you really want to know, I promise you'll get a proper answer once you start school."
As she spoke, she reached out and gently patted Aris on the shoulder, her expression serious.
"Really?" Aris's eyes lit up with hope.
"Of course… it's true."
McGonagall gave a small nod, though her gaze suddenly flickered away, not quite meeting his eyes.
Looking at Aris—so full of curiosity, eyes shining with eagerness—she felt a pang of guilt.
She knew full well there wasn't a simple answer to that question. Not one she could give, anyway. And in truth, she was stalling, just trying to save face in front of a very sharp eleven-year-old.
But right now, maintaining her dignity as a professor mattered more than admitting she didn't know. So she made the promise, fully aware it was… well, more of a delay than a solution.
'I'll ask Headmaster Dumbledore,' she thought to herself.
'Surely he knows more than I do.'
And if not… well, Hogwarts did have an awfully big library.
Surely somewhere in there, a book had written something about the nature of magic.
Surely.
Maybe.
Just as she started to drift into her thoughts, Aris's voice piped up again.
"Professor, I've got another question!"
The words hit her like a jolt, and her heart clenched slightly.
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[Note: Read up to Chapter - 35 on P patron at: p-atreon.com/Knockturn_Alley]