Chapter 9: Muscle Memory

"You may strategically disdain the enemy, but tactically take them seriously."

Sherlock Forester understood well, although he scoffed at the challenge he still took it seriously and considered his further actions carefully. With just under two months left until the start of the new term at Hogwarts, the urgency to master as much magic as possible was a pressing necessity. In no way did he believe it possible to elevate his abilities to the level of the previous owner, potent enough to have taught at Hogwarts, in less than two months. However, it was crucial to at least master most of the commonly used wizarding magic, so as to blend in seamlessly at Hogwarts.

Examining the task of teaching more closely, Sherlock recalled in the first Harry Potter book how Professor Quirrell had managed to teach by merely regurgitating the textbook in his lessons. No one seemed to realize anything wrong with this method, so Sherlock felt more confident, as he could simply take a similar approach.

He was surrounded by an array of magic books in the study, the majority of the ones housed on the bookshelves appeared advanced and hence, quite hard to fathom from the perspective of a beginner like Sherlock. However, he soon discovered a set of textbooks tucked away in a cabinet beneath the desk. These textbooks, used by the original professor during his time at Hogwarts, covered courses from the first through to the seventh year. Finding them was a fortuitous occurrence.

Settled at the desk, the dimly lit study was illuminated by the gentle glow emanating from a hovering candle, casting a calm and welcoming light. To his side, a teapot and a tea cup, almost animated and seemingly sentient, poured out hot tea before quietly hopping back to their place. The magic-infused, almost idyllic life of a wizard often enraptured those unfamiliar to the comfort and simplicity brought about by the magical objects simplifying daily chores.

The first-year textbooks had a couple of key books, titled 'The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 1' and 'A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration', which Sherlock picked out. He set the books dealing with potions, herbology, and astronomy aside for another time. His priority lay with Charms and Transfiguration, considering they were the two magics most utilized in wizard life on a daily basis. Potions, while tremendously powerful and intriguing, were not essential given his current circumstances.

Flipping open the Charms textbook revealed the worn-out pages, corners visibly creased from repeated use. The previous owner's written notes filled the margins; and despite his shortcomings, it was undeniable that his dedication towards and prowess within the magical arts shone through these notes quite strongly. The sheer volume of notes suggested an insatiable thirst for knowledge about magic that had been present even at the very start of his first school year.

The textbook started with the levitation charm, deemed as one of the most basic and widely used spells by wizards. The pronunciation of the charm was spelled out as 'Wingardium Leviosa'. The previous owner had emphasized on the proper pronunciation and movement of the wand, as per his professor's instructions.

Feeling adequately prepared, Sherlock cleared his throat, raised his wand and pointed at a small scrap of paper resting on the desk. Taking a deep breath, he prepared for his first ever attempt at magic.

"Wingardium Leviosa", he voiced the spell, mimicking the wand motions he'd studied from the book.

Simultaneously surprising and elating himself, Sherlock was rewarded as the slip of paper delicately floated off the desk. He stared wide-eyed at the levitating paper, his expectations of initial struggles shattered by his beginner's luck. The spell came almost naturally to him, as if he had practiced it countless times.

Encouraged by this quick success, he pointed his wand at the piece of paper, which had landed on the table and repeated, "Wingardium Leviosa". The spell worked exactly as before, the smooth operation already feeling as routine as eating and drinking to him.

Emboldened, he quickly advanced to the subsequent pages to find the mending spell. Memorizing the proper pronunciation and gestures, he cast the spell on a piece of paper he'd torn up on his desk.

"Reparo"

In an instant, the torn pieces appeared reborn, moving to form a perfect replica of its undamaged self. Sherlock's face blossomed into a pleased smile. His appetite for learning magic had been whetted and he continued working late into the night, practicing spells from creating fire with 'Incendio', to the locking and softening charms, finally facing a challenge with the severing charm, widely recognized as the most difficult spell for first-year students.

This was a challenge compared to the other spells, seeing as he was unsuccessful on his first try., however just a few more attempts allowed his body to automatically rectify his initial pronunciation and wand movement errors. Exultant with his newfound proficiency, he marveled at his skills that were now above average for his lack of any prior magical abilities. Despite his initial reluctance and doubts, the divine hadn't led him astray as the basic charms that the original owner had mastered with proficiency were now ingrained in his muscle memory. Even though Sherlock was unfamiliar with the charms, as soon as he attempted to learn them, he found he picked them up swiftly.

For the levitation charm or the mending charm, he could successfully execute them after glancing at the book only once. And for somewhat complicated charms, with a little more practice, he could master them without much trouble. With this assistance, even though he could not match his predecessor's magical abilities, at least he could match an average Hogwarts graduate by the start of his professorship.

So, for the following month, Sherlock dedicated himself to learning the basics of numerous charms and spells in his study room, as well as gaining a basic understanding of most subjects. When Professor McGonagall wrote another letter prompting him for the new term's textbook list, he swiftly noted down all the Defense Against the Dark Arts books from the seven years of study that he had used during his time at Hogwarts and sent it back with McGonagall's owl.

Then, in mid-August, begrudgingly having to leave his study with only half a month until school started, he had to visit Diagon Alley in downtown London for school supplies. Finding the location of the Leaky Cauldron, the gateway to Diagon Alley, was a daunting problem for him at first. Fortunately, he found the answer in a wizard traveler's logbook conveniently located in his study.