Miscellaneous ideas topic.
A random idea I had.
What if, instead of a mage, Negi were just a normal 10 years old kid. A genious, but still a simple boy. Sure, he is the son if the Thousand Master, and knows about magic and all that. But, somehow, he never shows any talent for it. He studied when he was a kid, but couldn't perform even the most simple of the spells. He has his father staff only as his gift. But despite this, he manages to graduate from <insert famous university here>, and is sent him to Mahora as an English teacher, hoping that being there, he could develop any magical potential he could have.
... now that I think about it, this could turn into something like Pani Poni Dash. With Chamo as Mesousa.