15

Chapter 15: Differences in Academic Ability

As the new students gradually accustomed themselves to the ever-shifting staircases within the castle, Wade settled into a routine at Hogwarts.

For first-year students, the schedule was quite relaxed—typically one class per day at minimum and no more than three at most. Observing this, Wade couldn't help but wonder why those complaining about excessive homework back home struggled to complete a few inches of parchment on time.

In his previous life, even before turning ten, Wade had been required to write at least 300 characters, a task equivalent to what he now considered a mere "compressed language package". With formal schooling from high school through graduate studies, he had easily adapted to writing 10,000 words in just two days.

After studying alongside Michael, Hermione, and others for some time, Wade came to understand the underlying reasons.

Among the first-year students, besides Hermione, Wade found her most adept at completing assignments—never stumbling over basic grammar and rarely misspelling words. She possessed a remarkable ability to grasp and articulate key concepts from texts.

The same couldn't be said for the others, including Michael from Ravenclaw.

Their upbringing in wizarding families had isolated them from the broader world. Most wizard families lived in seclusion, deploying "Muggle-Repelling Spells" around their homes to deter any unintentional intrusion. As a result, wizards remained largely ignorant of Muggle dress, technological advancements, and seldom enrolled their children in Muggle schools, viewing such institutions as irrelevant to their magical heritage.

In the UK, Hogwarts was the sole magical school, lacking any "elementary" or "university" divisions. Wizard children typically received homeschooling until age eleven, where parental involvement varied widely—some receiving basic literacy and numeracy skills, while others, under neglectful parents, might not even grasp quill and ink basics.

Michael and his peers had been educated primarily by their parents since age five or six, ensuring competence in reading and writing. However, academic rigor and logical reasoning—hallmarks of Muggle education—were notably absent. Wade suspected many wizards lacked these foundational skills entirely, having disregarded Muggle theories as irrelevant.

Most young wizards, Hermione aside, struggled to distill essential information from texts. While Hermione meticulously memorized entire passages and cross-referenced multiple sources, her peers often settled for jotting down incomprehensible notes, hoping for lenient grading.

Moreover, boarding school life, especially away from parental oversight, offered ample freedom. Even the strictest professors like McGonagall or Snape overlooked students lounging or dozing off outside class hours. Such lax discipline posed a considerable test of minors' self-control—natural inclinations towards laziness and leisure competing with the demands of learning.

Except for a select few, like Hermione and Wade.

Within half a month, the two had distinguished themselves among the first-years. Hermione enforced strict academic integrity, opposing plagiarism and rule-breaking, whereas Wade remained indifferent to others copying his work. As he devoted hours to spell practice in the common room, he never pressured others to match his diligence.

Wade empathized with adolescent apathy towards learning; he had once been that way in his previous life. His current drive stemmed not from a love of study but from his passion for magic—viewing it not as innate talent but as a precious opportunity.

Approaching curfew, Wade hastened back to Ravenclaw Tower. The corridor was eerily quiet, contrasting with the bustling common room beyond.

At Hogwarts, curfew was enforced, but lights-out wasn't, allowing students to linger in the brightly lit common room until dawn. This evening, Ravenclaw's common room buzzed with activity—couples whispered sweet nothings on sofas, young wizards played wizard chess at round tables, and older students feverishly tackled overdue assignments.

Despite the crowd, a hushed atmosphere prevailed among the Ravenclaws.

Several students congregated before the fireplace, their laughter punctuating the quiet. Wade casually found a secluded corner, engrossed in his reading and note-taking.

Spotting Wade, Michael excused himself from the group, sidling up to him.

"Burning the midnight oil again?" Michael leaned in, teasingly. "Wade, in less than a month, you've mastered most of our first-year curriculum. What's left for you to do with all this extra time? Not that I'm complaining—you should relax a bit. Do you have any idea how many girls are interested in you?"

He gestured towards the fireplace, eliciting more laughter from the girls.

Wade paused, setting down his quill, and met Michael's gaze with his piercing gray eyes. "I'm not sure, Michael. But do you know how long we get to stay at Hogwarts?"