A Degree in Sorcery (HP/SI)

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OOOOO
Like You Never Left
OOOOO​

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Most of the time, the holiday usually went in one of two directions. Either it passed by way too fast, or it dragged on for so long that the first couple of days alone often felt like weeks. For me, it was the former, and left me feeling a little bittersweet by the end of it. On one hand, I was looking forward to going back to school, but it felt like I'd been home for all of a weekend before I hopped back onto the Hogwarts Express to return to school.

Though there was an upside to the holiday feeling so short. When I did get back to school, it felt like I hadn't left at all. The hallways still felt as familiar to me as they did a few weeks ago. The various portraits waved from within their canvases as I passed by, their lips stretching, revealing glinting teeth as they jumped from painting to painting, greeting us as we trailed down the halls.

The night I'd returned to the castle was one to remember, that was for sure, what with the sumptuous feast and the Exploding Snap tournament in the common room. But since we'd returned on Thursday, the school had decided to give us a three day weekend. I didn't blame them, to be honest. Thursday was an awkward day to come back. Too late to start anything new without it feeling disjointed— I definitely wasn't saying that because of the three day weekend.

Unfortunately, just like the holiday had passed by in a flash, the extended weekend was very much the same. At some point, I had found myself waking up at six o'clock on Monday morning, staring up at the golden ceiling of my room wondering where all the time went. But soon enough, the habits I'd forged over the course of the first half of the school year kicked in and I sprung out of bed, running the familiar route across the castle up to the Room of Requirement.

I realised, during my impromptu cardio session, that, for all its quirks, I'd missed the castle— despite my ever-growing hatred of the moving stairs. Even as I ran, they veered around or rose and fell, making my journey to the Room of Requirement far longer than it had any right to be. After a quick workout to wake myself, I decided to head to the kitchens for breakfast, if only to talk to Dippy— though I wouldn't say no to some food either.

The basement's small, wall-mounted candles flickered slightly as cold drafts of air travelled through the narrow hallway. I shivered a little and sped up my walk. The closer I got to the kitchens, the more distinct the smell of freshly baked bread grew until it had filled my nose and had me unconsciously salivating.

I stretched my hand out and tickled the pear. Swiftly, the portrait swung inward and a childish, tittering voice echoing as it did. By now, I was sure the elves were more than familiar with students leaving and entering the kitchens. Not a single elf batted an eye as the thick wooden door swung shut behind me.

Well… all but one.

"Cyrus!" the familiar small, grey-skinned elf skipped over from the corner of the room. He wiped his flour-coated hands on his filthy tunic and grinned. "Dippy hopes you are doing well?"

I smiled. "I'm doing fine, Dippy. Your English seems to be improving too."

Dippy beamed, his cheeks lightening a little. "Dippy is grateful and very proud. Codger has been teaching Dippy over the break— less work around, you see."

I nodded and a thought struck me as I did. I wondered if the elves would be averse to me shaking off some of the rust that had most definitely set in over the break.

"Dippy," the elf whirled around. "Would you all be alright if I cast a cleaning charm on you guys' tunics? Not to offend you all, but I haven't practised any spells in ages and what better way to do so than help you lot."

The elf was pensive for a moment. "Dippy… doesn't mind, but Dippy is not sure about the other elves," he spread his thin arms out to the side. "But you can clean Dippy!"

"Thank you," I bowed my head and drew my wand. I took a couple of breaths before I stared intently at his tunic, taking in each and every little tear, stain, and smudge. "Reparo."

I watched with a satisfied smile as the cloth rippled from the bottom up. As the ripple passed by, the stains faded away and the once yellow-white tunic practically glowed until it looked as if it had been newly bought.

"So," I slipped my wand back into the holster. "What d'you think?"

"Dippy…" he looked down at his robes, completely still. "...loves it!"

My small smile stretched into a full-blown grin. "I'm glad you like it. I'll be going no—"

"No, no!" Dippy practically latched onto my arm and dragged me across the room. "You is eating before you go. Dippy insists!"

"Thank you, Dippy," I relented. "And it's 'you will eat', not 'you is eating'."

"Dippy understands," the elf merely nodded in acceptance and sat me at the low table.

He brought a napkin out of nowhere and stuffed it down the collar of my shirt before immediately pulling out a tablecloth, baffling me further, and laying it on the table.

"Not that I don't appreciate this," I watched as he circled around the table, making sure all the tablecloth's edges were symmetrical and that there wasn't a crinkle in sight. "But you never used to do this before."

Dippy raised an eyebrow. "You see, Dippy is learning under Codger— always improving."

A little curious, I turned to the elderly elf. His slightly hunched back was turned to me as he stirred a large pot at the far end of the room. Codger stood completely still as he worked, radiating an impressive serenity.

My gaze flicked back to the table and I gasped. I don't know how long I had been staring at Codger, but it certainly wasn't long enough for Dippy to lay out a breakfast large enough to feed three people… right?

"Wow…" Dippy grey eyes glimmered at my astonishment. "This is… amazing! Thank you, Dippy."

"No, Cyrus," the young elf smiled. "Dippy thanks you for coming. Will you visit again tomorrow?"

There was something slightly desperate about how he'd asked the question that sent a lance through my chest.

I lifted a pain au chocolat and bit into it, the perfectly warm chocolate melting as the taste spread across my tongue. Slowly, I chewed the food, savouring the delicious taste of warm dough and cacao.

"Oh, definitely," I washed the pastry down with some water. "The food is lovely, there's no doubt about that, but Dippy? But the majority of the time, I usually come here to say hello to you."

Several emotions flashed across the elf's face— mostly, though, I think he couldn't decide whether to break out into laughter, or start sobbing in joy. Eventually, though, he hiccupped, taking in a deep breath before he decided to do both.

"T-Thank you," he sniffled, rubbing his large, round eyes. I was definitely impressed with his self-restraint. A few months ago, he would've latched onto me and started bawling. "Dippy is very thankful…"

"No worries, Dippy," I picked up another pastry—this time a croissant—and I'm pretty sure I almost moaned at the taste.

Hogwarts cooking was something else.

OOOO

"Welcome back everyone," Brezova's voice echoed from the front of the hall. "I hope the holiday has been restful and you are ready for the exams next week," she waited for the groaning to finish. "Moving on... we've had a change in scenery, I know, but I wanted to start the term a little differently."

She wasn't wrong about that, I thought. We were gathered in the hall the Flitwick had used to have us practise the different element conjuring charms. Except this time, the straw dummies were gone, leaving us in a spacious, if pretty empty room. I craned my neck, spotting a single straw dummy on the stage behind Brezova.

"Different how?" Ellie whispered from in front of me.

I shrugged. "You know what you did last time we were here."

Cadmus perked up. "Wait, d'you think we'll be using the stuff we've learned all year in here?"

"Maybe," Michael hummed. He shuffled a little, turning to face me. "But anyways, did you do anything interesting during the break?"

I grinned. "You know how I was telling you about the time Sadie and I went over to Remus' place during the holidays?"

They nodded.

"Well, Severus, Lily, and her sister were there and we got to practise the Disarming Charm."

Cadmus, as usual, couldn't keep his mouth shut. "The Disarming Charm?!"

His already loud voice was carried at least halfway across the hall. There was a moment of stunned silence, and the whispers began.

"The Disarming Charm?"

"... Who said it?"

"No, I'm more interested in who knows it?"

I pinched the bridge of my nose as the humming grew louder. It swelled, filling my ears until the mutters were little more than a mess where one word was indistinguishable from the other. My eyes snapped open as a searing heat sailed over us, wailing a little until it collided against the wall and exploded in a shower of sparks.

"Are you all finished?" Brezova tapped her foot impatiently against the stone floor. "Good. Now, would anyone like to tell me what that was about?"

To my pleasure, an awkward silence reigned over the hall, and I hoped with all my heart that no-one would have the confidence to speak up. And of course, like always, my hopes were soon ripped to shreds and scattered away into the wind.

"Oh, it was just that," Cadmus turned around and grinned at me. The worst part of it was that it was a completely genuine grin. "Cyrus was saying he knows the Disarming Charm."

"Is that so?"

I knew right then and there that there was no way for me to get out of this one. Dozens of eyes turned back to me— some curious, others disbelieving, and a few were just downright scornful.

"Then I suppose as your professor, I'll have to see whether or not that's true," her brown eyes glimmered yet her face gave away nothing. I couldn't tell if she was amused or intrigued— possibly both. "If Azar wouldn't mind, that is?"

Well, she at the very least knew what she was doing— I couldn't back out now.

The stares grew intense and Cadmus nudged me forward. Stumbling, I shot him a scathing glare and tentatively put a foot forward. The sound of my own footsteps echoed in my ears until I stood before the raised stage, looking up at the Professor. I clambered up and stared at the straw dummy. The flour sack that had been pulled over it was fraying at the sides, I noticed.

"Professor," I said, awfully conscious of how loud my voice was. "What am I supposed to cast the spell on?"

She hummed. "You can't use my wand, but…" her wrist hypnotically snaked through the air as she muttered beneath her breath.

The very air blurred, growing thicker, darker. The blur lengthened, taking a defined shape. I squinted my eyes, realising that she was conjuring a wooden stick. She snatched it out of the air and stuck it into the dummy's head. "You can cast it at that."

I blinked in astonishment at the Transfiguration on display. She'd conjured the stick out of nowhere. But this was neither the time nor the place to marvel at the wonders of Transfiguration.

I shook my head from side to side and tried to focus. "Okay…" I held out my wand and settled into a comfortable stance, my feet spread out slightly. My eyes latched onto the stick and I raised my wand.

This wasn't hard. I'd done it several times before.

My hand was guided by a confidence born from many repetitions and my intent soon followed. "Expelliarmus."

I watched the crimson bolt leap forward and rend the stick from the dummy's head. Since the hall was completely silent, you could hear the stick zip through the air. A smile blossomed across my face once I heard it clatter against the stone floor.

Pocketing my wand, I spun around, grinning. Without saying another word, I hopped off the stage and wandered through the parting crowd, more than a little smug. My eyes searched for familiar dark-haired Slytherin and I spotted Severus standing a little off to the side on the edge of the crowd. He met my eyes and raised an eyebrow. I couldn't help but remember telling him about how I wanted not to attract attention.

I shrugged helplessly and stood next to Cadmus.

After a while, Professor Brezova spoke. "At least we know that the claim wasn't unfounded." she grinned. "Twenty points to Hufflepuff for foresight and, unsurprisingly, hard work! Now," she clapped her hands rather loudly, making at least half of the class jump. "Back to the topic at hand. You will all sit exams next week and each subject comprises two sections: theory and practical. I trust that you all understand what those words mean?"

She paused, probably waiting for somebody to raise their hand. No-one did.

"Alright then," Brezova nodded. "The theory exam is simple. You will sit an hour and a half exam and it could be on anything we have covered since September. The practical, however, is a little harder. You will be required to subdue an imp."

I blinked, certainly not expecting that. Neither had the majority of the class, apparently. They whispered to each other, several heads swooping from left to right.

"Imp?" Ellie's voice rose a little. "Like, an actual imp?!"

She flushed a little when the group ahead of us turned back and stared.

Brezova continued, silencing the class. "Take note that I said to subdue it, not to use lethal force…" she raked her brown eyes over our faces. "I will limit you to the Knockback Jinx and Smokescreen Spell. Meaning that the Verdimillious and Vermillious Charms are out, unless you can control their power, something I doubt many of you can do. With that said, I suppose it's another criteria of the exam. You will need to properly assess the situation and decide what the appropriate level of force is."

I nodded to myself, satisfied. That seemed fair.

"Bringing us onto today," Brezova hopped off the stage. She raised her wand and several cages floated over from behind the stage. I wondered, as they rattled in the air, how I hadn't noticed them before. "I've got some imps, and you will, for the next three lessons, attempt to do exactly that. Any questions?"

There weren't any, and soon we each stood in a relatively open space, standing in front of a cage of our own. I stared into the shadow-filled box, right at the glowing yellow eyes within.

"On the count of three, your cages should open," Brezova called. She was sitting on the stage, her legs dangling off the edge.

I drew my wand, and gripped it firmly, ready to incapacitate the Imp the minute it stepped out of the cage.

"Three," the Imp giggled. "Two,"

"Ooh," it chuckled, its voice annoyingly childish. "Am I in trouble?"

"One!" the cage swung open, and a small but blurred figure leapt out of it.

It looked surprisingly similar to a house elf, except it stood at about eight inches tall. The imp's skin was a dark grey, and it had glowing, pupil-less yellow eyes. It stood in front of me, sharpened teeth glinting. "Well, hello there!"

Despite the friendly greeting, I noticed the wicked gleam in its eye but I indulged it, if only to have a few extra seconds of thought. "...Hello."

"Not one for conversation then?" it laughed. "But that's no matter. We're not here for some chit-chat now, are we? No… I'm here for some fun!"

I blinked and it leapt into the air, surprisingly nimble. The Imp laughed maniacally, it rushed towards me, holding out its hands to push me over as gravity pulled it back to the earth.

I darted backwards, using the heels of my shoes to spin in a circle as I did. "Fumos."

Ivory smoke coalesced at the tip of my wand, slowly obscuring my surroundings as it fanned out in waves and plumes. After a dozen seconds or so, I could barely see further than the cage ahead of me and I slowly began to regret blocking my vision. I spotted the Imp's glowing eyes to my left.

"Not a very smart decision," it laughed.

"Oh, I don't disagree, but," slowly, I raised my wand, training it on the stationary creature. If it noticed I was aiming at it, it didn't move. "That doesn't mean I can't make it work. Vermillious!"

A small, sizzling red spark cut through the smoke, striking the imp.

"Ow!" it yelped, leaping into the air. "That hurt! …I'm going to make you pay for that!"

Surprised that it hadn't been taken out, I raised my wand again, waiting for it to get a little closer. "I'm sorry, but this is going to hurt even more. Flipendo!"

"Wait! I give u—!"

Whatever the Imp was about to say was cut off as my spell hit and it was sent hurtling back into its cage, cursing into the smoky air. Not wasting a second, my wrist whipped forwards. "Colloportus."

The cage swung shut, and the imp's gnarled fingers curled around the bars. "Aww… you're no fun!"

I walked up to and pocketed my wand. "I'm plenty of fun, just not when fun involves pushing me down stairs and chomping on my fingers."

"But that's fun!"

I didn't respond and cleared the mist with a controlled wind-making charm, squinting a little as the rest of the hall came into view.

As expected, the atrium was in complete chaos. Some were running around, chased by giggling Imps. Others were trying their best to pull the imps off their heads, shoulders, and legs.

I scanned the room for Cadmus and laughed when I did.

"Geroff!" he growled

"Ooh~ are you angry?" the Imp on his head laughed, dragging on his ears. "But we're having so much fun together!"

I walked up to them, snickering. "Seems like you're having a good time over here."

Cadmus' frown fell and he turned to me. "Where's your Imp?"

I pointed to the cage on the other side of the room.

He sighed. "I can't say that I didn't expect that."

I sat down on the stone floor and crossed my arms, grinning. "This is golden!"

"Wait, you're not going to help?!" his eyes widened.

"Nope," I smiled. "I'm going to enjoy watching this, though."

"See, he gets it!" the Imp pointed at me, his other hand clutching Cadmus' ear.

"Oh, don't mind me," I said. "Feel free to continue!"

There was a moment where neither of them moved before they began to claw at each other in an explosion of limbs. I watched in anticipation, an unconscious smile forming on my face.

This was karma at its finest, I thought as Cadmus pulled on the Imp's leg. "Get off of me, damnit!"

"Come on~ why are you so down?" the Imp cackled. "Turn that frown upside down, my friend!"

All around us, the class battled their imps, each with varying degrees of success. Brezova drummed her wand against her thigh, ready to intervene if the need arose, her brown eyes carefully surveying the room.

OOOO

The lesson wasn't exactly finished, but by the forty-five minute mark, most people had put their Imps back into their cages. The few who were still struggling to do so were gathered in the centre of the room. It was an odd situation, to be honest. The Imps had decided to band together, and so that made it four students against four Imps.

Now that wasn't really a challenge, but the staredown between the two groups was by far the funniest to happen during the hour-long lesson. The class crowded around to form a sort of ring around them— the Slytherins forming one half of it, whilst we Hufflepuffs formed the other.

The four students glared at the diminutive things, their faces were riddled with scratches and bite marks ran up their forearms. The Imps were far worse off than the students, though. They stood all huddled together, their faces haggard and they couldn't even stand up on their own and leaned on each other for support.

At the centre of the group of students was an extremely irritated-looking Hufflepuff. He raised his wand and as he did, so did the others. Meanwhile, the Imps simply grinned malevolently, unable to raise a finger.

"On three guys," he growled. "Let's send these blighters packing."

The other three nodded. In unison, they cried. "Flipendo!"

As one, the imps hurtled backwards, and they would have collided against the base of the stage if they didn't suddenly slow down. A transparent shimmering bubbling encased them as they began to float into the air. I stared at the hovering creatures for a little and they stared back before all hell broke loose.

Almost in unison, the students gasped in shock and the Imps jeered.

"Ha! That didn't go as planned, did it!" one of them cackled.

"No," another jabbed the first with a knobbly elbow. "Some would say that it's nothing but up for us now!"

Then they all broke out into laughter— each Imp laughing in a different, but equally annoying way. The first screeched, the second jabbered, the third howled whilst the fourth yipped. And though the large bubble surrounding them made it sound like they were laughing from beyond a thin wall, it was still grating.

A familiar sizzling firework shot up from the stage, just narrowly missing the bubble, sending the Imps veering to the left. They rolled inside the bubble in a tangled mess of limbs, indistinguishable from one another.

"Shut. Up!" Brezova growled at the floating bubble, even as it bobbed around the room. "I've heard you lot talk, and talk, and talk, and talk for an hour! I knew this would be annoying—with your incessant jokes—but by my magic I had no idea it would be that bad!" taking a deep breath to compose herself, she sheathed her wand

I felt someone poke my shoulder and turned around.

"I don't think I've ever seen her snap like that before," Michael hummed.

"Neither have I," Ellie agreed.

"You can't really blame her though," I said. "Those things are annoying. Thankfully I dealt with mine fast enough. I don't think I'd be able to bear it otherwise."

The cage at my feet rattled. "Oh don't be a wet blanket!"

"See what I mean?" I pointed out.

Brezova rubbed a hand over her face before addressing us. "So, you've seen today that theory can only go so far. I won't be using this as a basis for your grades, but instead considering how your exam results match up to your performance thus far. Today's session has done what it was meant to; that is to say: it's shown you what your weaknesses are."

I scratched my chin a little embarrassedly at that. Even though I'd taken care of my Imp in a timely fashion, there were things I'd done that I really didn't need to do. Like the Smokescreen Spell for one.

"Work on them," the redhead's voice rose over the Imps who'd gathered themselves enough to start yelling again. That only lasted until they were sent on another journey around the room again. "And we'll be back here next week to see what's changed. Class dismissed."

I followed the bubble's trajectory with my eyes for a little as I walked out. The Imps within it were lying on the stomachs, dragging their gnarled fingers against the sides of their transparent prison.

A few minutes later, I caught up with my three friends, one of which was nursing a sore looking ear.

"Hey," I wedged myself between Michael and Ellie. "What do we have next?"

"Transfiguration," Ellie replied.

I grinned, remembering that we'd see Remus and Lily. "Oh, Cadmus, this is going to be great!"

He ignored me, though I heard him mutter something underneath his breath.

"Are you really that upset?" I rolled my eyes.

"Of course I am!" he glared at me, though there wasn't any real hurt in his eyes. "You sat there and watched as that… gremlin chomped on me!

"First off," I snorted. "They're Imps not Gremlins and if you were in any real danger, I would've helped you I promise," he scoffed. "No, really, look at you. The worst you got was a few scratches."

He sighed and went back to nursing his ear. I mulled over the lesson for a little, a touch of guilt prickling my chest.

"Alright, I'm sorry," I relented, squeezing his shoulder. "But think about it in the long term. This'll make for a hell of a funny story at the end of the year, eh?"

Despite frowning, I spotted the edges of it flickering upwards. And to his credit, Cadmus held out for a bit, but eventually, his smile won out.

"Fair enough…" he half-sighed, half-smiled. "It was funny, I'll give you that."

As we turned onto the main staircase, however, I heard from behind me a voice that I'd grown to strongly… dislike.

"Well, well," Mulciber sneered. "If it isn't McCallan. Look at you! Seems like you had some trouble with your Imp, eh? I can't say I'm surprised…"

The other Slytherins around him laughed derisively.

For a moment, I debated whether or not I should turn around before I ultimately decided that I had better things to do than waste my time and energy on someone who wouldn't be worth it.

Cadmus bristled, a retort on the tip of his tongue, but he was pulled forward by Ellie and Michael holding onto each of his arms. I deflated a little at that. At least they saw enough sense to not indulge him. What Mulciber wanted was a reaction and as somebody almost a decade older than him, I would not give him the pleasure of receiving one.

I stomped up the stairs, each step I took putting more and more distance between myself and the Slytherins. Behind me, I heard Cadmus voice out his grievances once Mulciber and his friends were out of earshot.

"What the hell?" he rounded on Michael and Ellie. "Why did you guys stop me? Mulciber was practically asking for it!"

I answered for them. "Because, Cadmus, Mulciber wants a reaction. He wants to see you pissed. And I know it feels like you lost something but do you really want to give him, of all people, what he wants? I know that I don't."

I didn't wait for him to respond, leaving the staircase and walking onto the first-floor. It was currently break so Transfiguration wouldn't be for a while anyways.

I waited at the corridor entrance for Cadmus, Ellie, and Michael. "I'm going to walk around for a bit— clear my head and whatnot. D'you guys want to come?"

The three of them shared a glance and followed after me. We didn't speak much during our walk, but we didn't really need to. The silence was the comfortable kind, and the general hum of the castle helped to soothe me as I wandered around, searching for absolutely nothing in particular.

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Is this dead? Nope! But I do have mock exams in three weeks and with Strep A looming on the horizon not unlike how COVID-19 did, I've been told that the results to these exams will be taken into account in case of another lockdown. That would be bad, of course, and it's only the worst case scenario.

Regardless, here's the next chapter. I hope you all enjoy and see you soon! ^^

If you'd like to join my discord, click the link below and hit the discord tab. If you want to peek at the next few chapters in advance, you know where to go. Click on the link below and navigate to the site-that-shall-not-be-named for your goodies.

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If you enjoyed the chapter, I'd appreciate it if you left a review detailing your thoughts!

All my relevant stuff, such as my discord and ways to support me, is available here!

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Any and all constructive criticism is welcome but please, keep it constructive. If you're going to flame me, I'd at least like to get something useful out of it besides the crippling blow to my ego.

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OOOOO
The Quill and The Wand
OOOOO​

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As the days slipped by, I began to settle into a familiar feeling that I can't say I'd missed. One that I hadn't felt in a long, long time. Pre-exam stress. As completely irrational as it was, I couldn't rid myself of it— whether that be in this life, or the other. No matter how prepared I was for a test, I would always feel a pit in my stomach. Especially whilst lining up for the exams.

The Charms exam fell on a Monday for my year group and on that morning, we gathered in the Entrance Hall. All around me students went over their notes, whispering furiously to each other. Each whisper was different to the next but together, they created a sort of white noise that I settled into as I stepped into the filled waiting area.

We couldn't enter until a professor—probably Flitwick—invited us into the Great Hall, which had conveniently been turned into an exam hall for the next week. As I entered, I leant against the stone wall, its chill doing nothing to calm my erratically beating heart. I swallowed nervously, my brow narrowing at the dryness of my throat, forcing me to fish through my bag for some water.

"You alright?" Remus sidled up to me.

I returned my canteen to my bag. "Yeah I'm fine. You?"

He let out a dry laugh. "I'm terrified, mate. I've prepared so much for this but I can't help but feel nervous."

Lily's usually bright smile was strained. "I get what you mean…"

"I don't!" Cadmus grinned. His boisterousness was like a sledgehammer to glass, destroying the tense atmosphere in an instant. "I've got this!"

Michael snorted. "You know, somehow, I doubt that. I haven't seen you pick up a textbook once this past week."

"Then again," Ellie mused. "Cadmus is capable of a few miracles every once in a while, right?"

"Thanks Ellie!" the boy smiled obliviously.

A little shocked, my eyes flicked up towards him.

"You…" I searched his face for any inkling of understanding at what Ellie had just said and was speechless when I found none. "Hey, didn't you get what she just said?"

Behind him, Ellie held her face in her hands, her shoulders shaking a little.

"No," Michael began to grin. "I don't think he did."

Lily rolled her eyes and huffed, "Cadmus, think about what she just said."

Slowly, the happy gleam faded from Cadmus' eyes and an annoyed flare took its place. "Well, she said…" he whirled around. "Hey—!"

The door leading into the Great Hall creaked open, silencing the many ongoing conversations. Professor Flitwick slipped through the gap and quietly closed the door behind him with a soft click.

"Good morning, children," he smiled. "Thank you for being here so promptly. Please line up in class order so that we may get you inside as soon as possible and away from the cold here."

I bent over, picking up my satchel and slinging it over my shoulder before joining the rest of my class. Not too long afterwards, we were filed into the hall, each of us sitting at a small desk. On each sat a quill, an inkwell, and an unfurled roll of parchment. At the foot of the table was another roll of parchment in case we needed it.

Flitwick waited for the rustling to finish before he spoke. "You will have an hour and a half to complete this theory exam. Please attempt every question to the best of your ability. I also ask that you make sure that your penmanship is legible, else I will struggle to give you all the outstandings that I know you deserve— there's only so much magic can do, after all. That will be all; you may now begin."

And with those words, my heart settled and I unfurled the marked parchment in front of me. As I dipped my quill into the inkwell at the front of the desk, a self-confident smile spread across myself.

It was then that I realised that I would ace the test.

OOOO

One break, lunch, and several hours of exams later, I stepped out of the Great Hall and began the descent to the basement. I snuck a glance at the high windows of the ornate hall, blinking owlishly at the darkening sky outside.

I turned as a sigh tore itself from Cadmus' lips. "Merlin, that was brutal! Three exams in one day!"

"Two theory exams and one practical," Michael corrected. "It could be a lot worse. The Gryffindors had four theory exams today. At least we don't have any tomorrow— only the Charms practical. I'm not sure about Remus and Lily though, since they only had the Charms theory exam with us in the morning."

Ellie smothered a yawn, her blue eyes glazed over. "That's nice and all, but I'm so hungry…"

"It's…" I sneaked a glance at my wristwatch. "...four fifty-three. Dinner won't be for another two hours."

Ellie's head slumped forward, her brown tresses obscuring her face as she groaned out, "But that's not for ages…"

Michael, although tired, looked a lot better than Ellie and Cadmus. "Guess we'll have to stay hungry then."

"Not exactly," I smirked, stopping in front of a familiar painting and raising my hand. "I don't think I've brought any of you here yet, have I?"

The pear giggled and the three Hufflepuffs flinched, both at the unexpected sound and the suddenness with which the painting swung inwards. A blast of sweltering heat buffeted my face as I stepped into the kitchens.

"Hey Dippy!" I cupped my hands over my mouth, leaning against the side of the entrance. "I've finished all my exams for today!"

The elf at the pot closest to me turned around, flashing me a grin. "Dippy is happy for you, Cyrus."

I held his gaze for a moment before stepping aside. "These are my friends: Cadmus, Ellie, and Michael."

The three preteens shuffled their feet for a little, not knowing what to say.

I basked in their awkwardness for a little bit before I turned back to Dippy. "Think you can whip up something? Of course, if it's too much trou—"

"No trouble at all!" he hopped off the pedestal and was soon replaced by another elf. "We are cooking dinner, but Dippy can give Cyrus and his friends an early dinner."

"That'd be amazing," I raised an eyebrow to my friends as the elf wandered off. "Welcome to the kitchens you three."

By the time they'd been led to the low table, their shyness had vanished as they ravenously began to devour the bowls of rice and stew before them. In no time, they'd finished their bowls and had all asked for seconds. And to my amusement, Ellie had soon asked for thirds.

"Now that hit the spot," Cadmus stretched his arms upwards and groaned as they clicked. "You've been coming here all year then?"

"Yup," I said in between bites. "Sometimes I'd miss breakfast because I'd sleep in, meaning training would run for a little longer than usual. Thankfully Dippy's been here to help."

The elf looked back as he cut a few tomatoes and moved on to some lettuce, not slowing in the slightest. "And Dippy is very happy to help!"

Ellie smiled as she sipped from a wooden cup. "He's nice, isn't he?"

"Yeah," Michael finished the last of his stew. "I wouldn't mind coming here instead of heading to the Great Hall in the mornings."

"Imagine that!" Cadmus snorted. "Just walking across the basement to get a midnight snack," he turned to me and narrowed his eyes. "Wait… is that where you get all that food from?"

I smiled, a little sheepish. "Guilty as charged."

"And you didn't think of telling me?" Cadmus fumed, slamming his hands on the sides of the table.

"Does it really matter?" I asked him. "You always end up getting some anyway, right?"

"...Still," he muttered.

"Well, at least you can get a snack whenever you want," I sighed. "Also, I'm not the only one in the house who happens to have food on them, you know? You could've asked Viola, or Eric. Heck, even Eva! Especially since you seem to love stealing her food the most."

"Alright, alright," he rubbed the back of his head, his freckled face flushing a little. "I get it, mate."

His reaction, of course, was not lost on me, nor Ellie and Michael who smirked at each other. I cringed a little, remembering that puberty would come knocking on my door sooner or later— hopefully later. My first go at it wasn't fun, and I had absolutely no interest in having a second.

Unfortunately, the decision wasn't up to me, I thought with a grimace.

Dippy circled around the table, holding out a platter of chocolate cake. Its captivating scent slipped past the overpowering aroma of stew in the kitchen and entered my nose. "Dessert is ready!"

"Wow!" Cadmus grinned. "Thanks Dippy!"

Ellie inched away from the cake, her face a little sickly. "You guys have fun with that. I think I ate too much…"

Michael bumped her shoulder as he passed by. "Don't mind if I do."

I watched the two boys fight over the knife for a little before I got an idea.

"Hold on you two," I pulled out my wand and they froze.

"What are you doing?" Cadmus asked.

"What he said," Michael nodded.

I held my wand in front of me, picturing a small blade at its tip, passing through the cake as easily as a hot knife would through butter. "Watch. Diffindo."

Narrowing my brow in focus, I cut out three, perfectly shaped slices of chocolate cake. I returned my wand to its holster and slid the three plates of cake across the wooden table.

The table was silent for a while, the two boys staring at me in astonishment.

Cadmus broke the silence first. "Mate, what the actual hell was that?!"

I sneaked a glance at Ellie. Her head was buried in her arms and she was—I hoped—fast asleep.

I inched away from Cadmus, who stuck his head in my face. "The Severing Charm."

"Wait," Michael started. "Isn't that a second-year charm?"

"...I like to study ahead," was my reply.

"You don't say," Cadmus rolled his eyes and picked up the slice of cake. He chewed it slowly, taking a sip from his water before he placed it back on the wooden plate. "At this point, Michael, I've given up. Cyrus is just a completely different type of human being."

"Oi," I frowned. "My little stunt may have been a bit excessive but I'm not that bad," I turned to Michael. "Am I?"

Michael stared at me intently before he sighed. "I wouldn't put it exactly as Cadmus did, but I guess he's right. I know we all take our studies seriously but we don't enjoy it as much as you do— that doesn't count Snape and Remus by the way. Maybe it's because you're a Muggleborn and this is all new to you but Merlin…"

I shrugged and finished off the last of my cake. "I think you're right— not all of it, but most. See, before I got the letter, all of this? It was fiction to me. Magic, dragons, werewolves, and vampires. Those were things I saw in fairy tales, not real life. Finding out that it's not fiction has made me want to see how strong I can become. And I know we've got people like Dumbledore running around but who's to say that we can't get strong with enough hard work and dedication?"

Whilst I wasn't being entirely truthful with them, I wasn't exactly lying either. I wanted to get strong, but not for personal satisfaction more so than simple survival. With a war brewing over the horizon and my own blood status painting me as a target, getting strong was a necessity.

Cadmus spoke up through a mouthful of cake. "Bu' e's 'umble door!"

"Swallow your food," I instructed, unconsciously channelling my inner Sadie. "And so what? Our house is one that lives and breathes hard work. Not all of us will get that strong but tell me, you two, what's to stop us from trying?"

It was quiet for a while until a snort from Michael breached the silence. It grew into a low chuckle. "You know what? Screw it, I'm in."

"Good to have you aboard!" I grinned. "Cadmus?"

"Me?" he swallowed, washing down the cake with some water. "Well I don't know about becoming as strong as Dumbledore, but I'd like to become an Auror like my dad one day. And you lot are my friends, if you guys do something, I'm probably going to do it too."

We turned our expectant eyes towards Ellie, hearing her soft snores escaping the folds of her arms.

"Oh…" Michael's arm dropped to his side. "She's asleep."

Cadmus cupped his hands over his mouth but Michael placed a hand on his shoulder, silencing him. "Don't."

He walked over to her and gently shook her awake. "Ellie? Hey, Ellie? Wake up."

She stirred, slowly lifting her head out of her arms. "...Morning."

"It's six in the evening, Ellie." I said.

"R-Re-Really?" she yawned. "Oh, we're still in the kitchens."

Michael pulled her up. "I think we should head back into the common room. All that food's started to make me rather tired."

I felt a yawn creep up my throat. "Y-Yeah, me too."

"I've no idea what you lot are talking about," Cadmus shook his head and picked up another slice of cake. "I could still fit in… another two— maybe three?"

"He's such a pig…" I heard Michael mutter, both impressed and disgusted. "I don't know how you can fit that much inside your stomach."

Ellie blinked, her bleary eyes glinting. "You don't? I remember him eating an entire cake on his own last christmas."

Michael's face was blank for a moment, and then it blanched. "Oh Morgana, don't remind me of that…"

Ellie giggled. "Aunt Cassie took it away to the kitchen but he brought it upstairs and ate it in front of us. He threw up so much afterwards!"

"Ellie!" Michael clamped his hands over his ears, screwing his eyes shut tight. "Shut. Up."

After thanking Dippy, I stepped out onto the basement, feeling a little disoriented due to the sudden shift from hot to cold. The few moments it took to gather my bearings were enough for the three children to catch up to me.

"Think you could run away from us, eh?" Cadmus teased, glomping me.

I stumbled a little, righting myself as he hung off my neck. Once he slid off, I rolled my eyes. "Definitely. You're all so annoying."

Michael winced as he rapped the entrance to the common room. "Ouch! And here I thought you liked us."

"Like you lot?" I laughed. "More like I tolerate your presence."

Ellie laughed, a little more awake than earlier. "Yeah, keep telling yourself that, Cyrus."

We strolled into the common room, laughing, in search of a couch to splay ourselves against.

And we found one in absolutely no time.

OOOO

The next morning, my Defence Against the Dark Arts class was huddled together before Professor Brezova. The nervousness in the air was palpable as we waited for her to speak.

"Good morning everyone," she said. "Welcome to your Defence Against the Dark Arts practical exam. Before I start, let me stress that I believe in your abilities. There is no reason to be afraid. You have all done this several times before. Remember to keep a calm heart, a focused hand, and clear mind at all times, understand? Good. First up is Eleanor Allanach."

Ellie shuffled forwards a little nervously. Her auburn wand was clutched tightly in her hand as she strode forwards, determined. To Michael's elation, it took her all of five minutes to send the Imp back into its cage using a well-cast knockback jinx coupled with the Levitation Charm. Once she was done, she walked back, beaming.

"Next is Thomas Avery."

A wiry-haired Slytherin boy sauntered into the centre of the room. His slightly lopsided smile was cocky, and he turned back and flashed Mulciber a confident grin. As much as I would have liked him to fail, Avery put his money where his mouth was and subdued his imp in two minutes. His way of doing so was a little too brutal for my liking, though. Avery sent the Imp flying into the stage and it was knocked unconscious due to slamming head-first into the wood.

"Cyrus Azar."

Cadmus clapped my shoulder encouragingly and I gave him an easy going smile. "I've got this, mate."

"We know you do," Ellie smiled. "But some luck wouldn't hurt now, would it?"

I shook my head. "Oh don't you worry. I'll take all the luck I can get."

I stood in the centre of the room when one of the cages atop the stage rattled furiously.

"Professor!" an imp cried. "Let me at him! It's not about fun anymore! I want to chomp on his fingers and rip out his hair!"

Brezova shot me an inquisitive look.

I smiled, a little embarrassed. "I floated it around the class last week and then locked it in its cage the week before that."

Amusement danced in her brown eyes. "I see… this will be quite interesting, then."

She floated over the rattling cage and I caught a flash of yellow in its shadowed depths. "Your exam officially starts in three…"

The imp giggled. "Oh ho~! Please don't stop me, Professor. I'm going to enjoy this…"

"One," the cage clattered open and the Imp shot out, not wasting a second.

I spun off to the side, curling my wand inwards before flicking it sharply. "Vermillious."

A small red spark shot towards the Imp, but it nimbly sidestepped it. The spark struck the floor with a sharp crack and dissipated over the stone floor.

"Damn it," I growled, backpedalling as the Imp raced forwards at once. "Flipendo!"

It ran straight into the knockback jinx and was sent tumbling to the floor. The Imp shot back up immediately, its leathery face pulled into a snarl. It brandished its claws and leapt towards me, arms extended. "Not today!"

I was more than a little frustrated since I had to make sure to restrain myself with every spell lest I wound up accidentally turning it into paste. I manoeuvred myself back to the centre of the room, watching as the Imp pivoted and soared into the air, its black nails glinting.

I smirked, swishing my wand off to the side. "I'm sorry, but it's not going to be any different today either. Wingardium Leviosa!"

The Imp slowed down before coming to a complete stop. Still, it hovered in the air, its spindly limbs kicking and lashing through the air.

"Not again!" it howled, staring at me hatefully. "I curse your home to be infested with doxies, wizard!"

I snorted and floated it into the cage. "Yeah, not happening anytime soon. Colloportus."

It clicked shut and was sent back onto the stage, the Imp within snarling at me through the slightly rusty bars.

"Well done, Azar," Brezova smiled as she sent the cage back onto the stage. "Join the rest of the class."

I nodded and raced back to the Hufflepuffs.

"What was that about?" Cadmus asked. "Is it just me or was that Imp out to get you?"

"There wasn't a single annoying joke," Michael commented.

Ellie hummed. "I could swear it cursed at you, didn't it?"

I laughed. "Yeah. It promised that my home would be infested with doxies."

Cadmus snickered a little. "Why doxies of all things?"

"Dunno," I shrugged. "But, hey, I did it!"

"Like there was ever any doubt," Cadmus rolled his eyes. "It's not like you didn't do it just last week, right?"

I slumped my head forward, my hair hiding my smirk. "Cadmus, my friend, you wound me!"

Michael nudged my shoulder. "Oh suck it up!"

Ellie pointed towards the centre of the room where a Hufflepuff was trying—and failing—to pry his Imp off his leg.

"Yikes," I winced as I watched it rake its claws over the boy's thigh.

He hissed in pain and ripped it off his leg, throwing it across the room. Immediately afterward, he stomped hard against the floor and jabbed his wand towards it. "Flipendo!"

The Imp collided against the stone wall, the sickening thump of flesh against concrete forced its way into my ears. Slowly, the unconscious creature slid down the notched wall and crumpled to the floor.

"...Is it dead?" Cadmus whispered, breaking the silence that had pervaded the hall.

Brezova quickly conjured a bobbing green sphere that washed over the downed Imp. She was quiet for a moment whilst she waited for the sheen on its skin to fade. "It's not dead."

The class collectively let out a sigh— though it was mainly from the Hufflepuff side of the room.

Brezova whirled on the boy, her voice stern. "Stevens."

He straightened, his eyes fearful. "Y-Yes, Professor?"

"I can understand your knee-jerk reaction to the imp scratching you, but losing your temper like that is dangerous. What if you got one of your friends hurt, or worse, killed because you couldn't control your temper and did something rash?"

The boy's bottom lip trembled but he said nothing.

The woman held his gaze for a moment longer before she broke away and sighed. "With that said, I cannot blame you for a natural reaction. I only ask that you watch your temper in the future. That, Stevens, is something that we can control."

He nodded wordlessly and limped back towards the line.

"Where are you going?" Brezova called out after him. He froze. "Come back here."

He shuffled forwards nervously, flinching a little when Brezova whipped her wand towards him.

"Episkey."

I couldn't see what was happening, but Stevens' posture was noticeably relaxed and the only evidence of his injury, when he turned around, was the small bloodstains on the side of his robes and the cut on his trousers.

"Wanted me to fix that?" I gestured towards the bottom of his robes.

He smiled, the tension leaving his face. "That'd be nice, yeah."

I bowed my head and drew my wand. "Tergio."

The dried blood faded off his robes, but the tear on the cloth still remained. I quickly muttered the incantation of the Repairing Charm and it was soon mended.

Just behind me, the next name was called up, and another rattling cage was brought to the floor.

OOOO

Once everyone had finished the practical exam, we were free to go. That left me with nothing to do until the History of Magic exam at two. I exited the class, trailing just behind the crowd of golden-robed first-years, enjoying the morning breeze.

I must have tripped or something because the next thing I knew, my hands were held out in front of me, stopping my face from planting into the uneven stone floor. Unfortunately, the raucous laughter that started up behind me just as I'd fallen suggested otherwise. Leaning against the wall, I smothered the flash of annoyance and tried to unknot the mess of leather that my shoelaces had become.

Once I was done, I scanned the corridor for the culprit. It didn't take me long to find them.

"Mulciber…" I growled, my wand in hand as I stepped towards him. Before I could do anything, Brezova stepped out of the hall.

"Azar," she said, a little forcefully. "Put your wand away— that's three points from Hufflepuff. Be glad that I arrived sooner, else you would have had a detention instead of just losing points."

Not ceasing my glaring, I acquiesced and sheathed my wand.

Mulciber smirked.

"And you," she turned to him and her frown deepened as she crossed her arms. "Don't think I didn't see what you did there. Ten points from Slytherin for casting magic in the hallway. You will also be sitting detention with me after our lesson tomorrow. Now leave."

Mulciber and his friends left without a word of protest, though not before he shot me one last triumphant smirk over his shoulder. However, no matter how much he wanted to, he couldn't mask the annoyance burning in his eyes.

I turned to Brezova. "Thank—"

"Azar," she cut in, her brown eyes slightly warmer than usual. "I've seen how Mulciber has been trying to wind you up these past few weeks, and whilst you have been trying very hard to not respond, he won't stop until he draws a reaction from you— that much is obvious to me. Can you honestly tell me that you won't give him one? Because it seems to me that he almost got what he wanted today."

I sighed, my shoulders slumping a little as I deflated. "I know, I know… I won't give him one…"

She stared at me silently. "...Well, at any rate, I'll see you for tomorrow's lesson, Azar. Enjoy the rest of your day."

I mumbled my thanks and trailed down the corridor, thankful at the lack of companions. And despite how many times I told myself that I wouldn't give Mulciber a reaction, each time he did or said something that made my hackles rise, I felt my self-control slipping.

I knew that it was no longer a question of if I would give him a reaction, only when and how bad. Because everyone had a boiling point, and deep down, I could feel that I was nearing mine.

---

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---

OOOOO
The Wonders of Education
OOOOO​

---

With the exams over with, my next few weeks were spent productively, I’d like to think, and it was pretty rare for me to find myself bored throughout the day. Either I was getting used to the duelling stances in the book I still hadn’t returned to Madam Pince—though I did renew it for the next couple of weeks—or I was going through the second year’s contents for Charms and Transfiguration. During lessons, I mostly wandered around the classroom, helping out a few who were struggling.

What, at first, was a bid for reputation had slowly become something I enjoyed. The gleam in their eyes once they understood and the subsequent—and often uncontrollable—grin that spread across their faces made it all worth it.

Professor McGonagall had us using the Avifors spell on multiple objects for Transfiguration for today’s lesson. Sat at the back of the class, I gathered a few buttons and placed them on the table in front of me. Slowly, I passed my wand over them, a familiar image pushing itself to the forefront of my mind.

“Avifors,” I muttered, watching the buttons lighten.

They swelled up, distorting slightly as a swirling mess of colours ran across them. First orange, then white, grey, black, and all sorts of colours flashed by. I blinked, and three pigeons cocked their heads, gleaming orange eyes capturing my own.

“Now, stay still,” I murmured, raising my wand once more. I breathed out of my nose in a slow, measured sort of way and gathered my focus. “Vera Verto.”

Nothing happened at first, but then the pigeons lengthened, their dark plumage lightening for a moment. In an instant, they liquified, turning into a shimmering grey substance. It stretched, lengthening into a cylindrical top. When it solidified, three silver goblets glinted, reflecting the candle on the wall beside me.

“What on earth was that, Mr. Azar?” a familiar Scottish voice spoke up, pulling me out of my thoughts.

Hesitantly, I looked up into the green eyes of my Transfiguration professor. “The Vera Verto spell, Professor.”

She picked up one of the goblets and inspected it critically. “Hmm…”

“What is it?” I asked.

The Transfiguration Master didn’t reply. Instead, she set down the goblet and turned it into a rat. “Try it one more time, please.”

A little apprehensively, I raised my wand and tapped the rat on the top of its head. “Vera Verto.”

It shimmered again, and lengthened into a goblet— this time a little duller silver than the last.

McGonagall’s smile was small as she turned the goblets back into buttons again. “Fifteen points to Hufflepuff for your studiousness, Mr. Azar. Wait for me at the end of the lesson, if you will. Now, would you mind helping out Mr. Stebbins over there?”

I followed her finger and my mouth dropped open. Stebbins was fighting with a grey goose. Its coal eyes gleamed vindictively as it pecked at his golden hair. With each movement of its head, it tore another golden lock free. It was little more than a blur, now. Another goose circled the table, nipping at his shins with almost as much fury as the first.

“... I think I’ll do that now,” I agreed.

She nodded and stepped aside so I could pass.

A little hurriedly, I stalked over to the boy, whipping my wand forwards as I did. “Reparifarge.”

The goose reared its long neck, its eyes capturing mine before it blurred and compressed. Something clattered against the classroom’s wooden floor and the boy looked up, his eyes wet.

“Azar!” he cried with as much gratitude as he could. “Thank you!”

I grimaced at the sight of his head and nodded, turning the other goose back into a coin, my lips pulled into a thin, small smile. “Don’t mention it, mate. But what was that?”

He scratched the back of his head nervously. “I transfigured some coins into geese…”

“I know, but why did the geese attack you?” I asked

He tilted his head. “Because that’s how they always act…?”

It was then that the reason for the transfigured geese’s aggressiveness dawned on me. Transfigured animals were limited by the caster’s conception. And it seemed that Stebbins only knew geese as aggressive animals that pecked at his head. Why was this the case? I didn’t know, but I could at least help him.

“Stebbins,” he turned to me. “I think you should pick a different bird to focus on. Maybe a robin or a raven?”

He hummed, his face indecisive. “I don’t know, Azar… last time I picked a duck, but that was too easy. I can do that with four objects now so I’m picking a different bird,” his face lit up. “Oh, I know! I can try and tame the geese this time!”

“Wait!” I extended my hand.

Before I could stop him, he’d raised his wand, pointing it at the knuts on the floor. “Avifors!”

I watched, in muted fascination and a healthy dose of horror, as the knut sprung up and began to spin wildly. In no time at all, two angry-eyed geese were staring at the grinning Ravenclaw blond.

“Now, listen here you—” anything else he was about to say was drowned out in a flurry of flapping. “Hey! What are you doing…”

He leaned back, teetering on the edge of the bench. One goose hopped onto the table and surveyed the boy, its eyes glimmering with malicious intent. I saw it ready itself to leap one final time, its webbed feet bending.

I was a tad faster.

“I don’t think so,” I bit out, lashing my wand. “Reparifarge.”

It didn’t matter in the end. Stebbins flinched and thudded to the floor.

“What did I just tell you, mate,” I grumbled, hoisting him up. “You see geese as little more than angry birds. So don’t transfigure them— can you do that for me?”

He nodded sadly.

“Good,” I sighed. “Now, try that for me one more time. This time, another bird please?”

He raised his wand, his voice glum. “Avifors.”

My wand cut through the air. “Not quite. Again.”

“Avifors.”

“Hmm…” I tapped my forearm. “Good, but you can still do better,” I concluded, returning the failed birds into knuts. “Again.”

Stebbins’ forehead creased and he raised his wand again. For the next twenty minutes, that’s all he did. And all he would do until he got the spell down. Meanwhile, I stood behind him, carefully taking in each detail of his transfigured birds until I could see no fault.

Once the lesson had ended, the class cleared out, leaving me alone with the Transfiguration Mistress. Light spilled in from the windows behind her desk, bathing it in an orange glow. Shadows danced against the wood but despite the warmth from the sunlight, the room was still a little chilly. McGonagall quickly lit the fireplace to the right of the room and settled back into her chair.

“What can I do for you, professor?” I shuffled my feet a little nervously as the woman looked at me from her desk.

Her green eyes gave away nothing, merely scanning me with calm fascination. I squirmed for a few moments longer before taking a deep breath. I hadn’t done anything wrong, and there wasn’t any real need for me to feel nervous. Regardless, though, the situation was a little nerve wracking.

“Mr. Azar, do you know that the Vera Verto spell is a spell taught in the second year?” she asked, pushing her glasses to the bridge of her nose.

I nodded. “I do, ma’am.”

McGonagall shook her head. “I don’t believe you do. That is, unless, you are saying you are currently on the second year syllabus?”

“That is what I’m saying, yes,” I croaked.

She raised an eyebrow. “Is that so?”

I nodded.

McGonagall pursed her lips and conjured a porcupine, gently placing it on the table. “Humour me then, Mr. Azar. Turn this into a pincushion, please.”

“Okay,” I said, raising my wand. My mind calmed as I felt its familiar warmth in my slightly calloused hands. “Hystrifors.”

The porcupine flashed crimson and began to grow. The ends of its needles lengthened and rounded into circular heads, and whilst the pincushion retained its rodent-like shape, it was very much still a pincushion.

I turned back to the professor, and captured her eyes, trying not to laugh in elation. I hadn’t managed that so I gave her a full-blown grin instead.

McGonagall gave me a small smile and crossed her arms. “Very well done, Mr. Azar. Not even the current second-years can cast that with such efficiency. I’m assuming that this is the case for all of your subjects?”

“Oh no,” I was quick to interject. “Only Charms and Transfiguration. I’ve finished the year’s theoretical content for all my other subjects but I’ve been focusing on Charms and Transfiguration for the most part.”

“Regardless, that is an impressive feat,” she nodded emphatically. “I will be talking to Professors Flitwick and Sprout about the possibility of having one of the older students tutor you.” I began to grin again. “If this goes ahead, then it will most likely be a sixth-year. However, I advise that you do not get your hopes up. Headmaster Dumbledore has the final say, though I do not see any reason as to why he would refuse to nurture your talents.”

I bowed my head in understanding. “That’s fine, professor. Is there anything else you’d like from me?”

Her eyes widened. “Oh, yes, your homework. It slipped my mind for a moment.”

After handing her the roll of parchment, I slipped out of the room and headed off to the library where I had no doubt where my friends were waiting.

OOOO

Albus Dumbledore

Despite his achievements and abundant accolades in many fields, Albus could not deny that none of them brought him as much satisfaction as teaching did— despite having not taught regularly for quite some time now. He still taught a few lessons every now and then when the itch surfaced, but now, he was content to watch on as the children grew and flourished.

“With age comes wisdom, but sometimes, age comes alone.” a quote that he couldn’t agree with more. But Albus liked to think that his many follies had made him at least a little wiser. And so he would endeavour to pass on as much of the wisdom as he could whilst steering the children away from repeating the mistakes of the past.

That was his sole purpose now.

Looking up from his hearty meal, he swept his eyes across the hall at the faces of hundreds of students sitting in the hall. Some were happy, others sad, angry, tired, or simply content, and would soon go on to become the people who would set foot and take their place in the world of tomorrow.

“Irena,” he began, his voice light. “It has just occurred to me—certainly not for the first time—that we have a hand in shaping these children into the people and leaders of tomorrow. Some may end up as enchanters, inventors, professors at this very school, or perhaps…” he smiled. “...the Headmaster. Isn’t that simply astounding?”

He turned to the red-haired woman. Her face was pensieve, and her eyes seemed to search for something as she raked them across the hall.

“It’s… something,” she acknowledged. “In fact, Headmaster, I’d like to talk about one such student.”

Albus tilted his head, curious. “Please. And feel free to call me Albus, Irena.”

The woman’s face was a little uncomfortable. “Alright… Albus. There’s this boy in one of my first-year classes: Cyrus Azar. He seems to take to my class like a kelpie in water. Everything I teach him is absorbed and he comes back afterwards for even more. Why just the other day, he cast the Disarming Charm— almost perfectly, might I add.”

He dabbed at his mouth with a napkin and turned his body to face her. “Do elaborate.”

“Albus,” the woman paused. “I don’t think I’ve seen such talent in my life. Granted, I’ve never taught anything before, but he is always a joy to teach.”

Albus mulled over her words. Eventually, his lips rose upwards into a smile. “How… delightful.”

“Oh?”

“Quite,” Albus nodded, his eyes glinting. “Such talent in one so young. And with a desire to learn more that has not been snuffed out under the weight of exams and monotony, at that. I look forward to his progress, Irena.”

“So do I, Albus,” the woman had a rare smile on her face as she flicked her eyes to the Hufflepuff table.

Dumbledore followed her gaze and his eyes settled on a grinning first-year boy, his curly hair half obscuring his eyes. Around him, the other children seemed to glow as their lilting laughter rose above the din of the hall.

The sight alone warmed his heart. Remembering that his food would soon grow cold, Albus picked up his cutlery and began to tuck in, careful to not get any food stuck within his beard.

One by one, the students began to leave, all heading off in different directions, leaving him alone in the hall. And soon, he too got up and left, returning to his office where he would most likely spend the rest of his day.

OOOO

The sun was just beginning to set when Albus had finished his work for the day and he leaned back against his chair with a grateful sigh.

“Old age finally set in, has it, Headmaster?” the ragged but lively Sorting Hat chortled.

“That seems to be the case, old friend,” he chuckled. “But I shall not let you fool me. I believe that it is you who is the oldest thing in this castle.”

Fawkes trilled in protest from his perch near the window. Warmth washed over him at the sound of his companion’s voice and he smiled apologetically at the bird. “Ah, not forgetting Fawkes. To correct myself: you are indeed the oldest thing in this castle, my friend.”

The brilliant vermillion bird hopped onto his desk, incessantly nudging Albus with his head, hooting in irritation with every head-butt.

“Yes, yes,” he placated, running a finger down the length of the phoenix’s plumage. “You are not a day over three-years-old,” Fawkes stilled and his burning orange eyes glimmered humorously, pulling out a laugh from Albus. “But I know you do not believe that— not seriously.”

The phoenix let out what sounded like a huff before he flew right out of the window, no doubt to stretch his wings. He grew awfully annoyed if he didn’t get at least half an hour’s worth of flight everyday, Albus mused. Thankfully his office was easy to access for the bird whenever he returned. Albus was certain that he was always the last to switch off the light to his office, meaning no matter how long his familiar would be out, he would always know when to return by.

Suddenly, the door to his office clicked open, revealing three of his staff.

“Pomona, Filius, and Minerva,” he smiled at the trio, conjuring an extra chair, one as plump as the other two. “What can I help you with— especially at this hour?”

Filius’ eyes darted around the room, taking in the contraptions across the grand desk. Their whirring and humming was a constant thing that helped Albus focus when he had to work, but he always turned them off when he had company. The noise faded as he slowly traced his wand through the air.

“Well, Albus,” the diminutive man grinned as he took a seat. “I would like to propose something.”

The man’s enthusiasm amused him greatly, but his face was serene as he simply raised an eyebrow, “Which is…?”

Filius forged onward. “I would like to find a tutor for a particularly talented first-year boy.”

The two women beside the man cleared their throats and Filius looked back at them, a little embarrassedly.

He cleared his throat, his cheeks dusted pink. “We. We would like to find a tutor for him.”

Dumbledore chuckled lightly into his hand. “And would I be right in assuming that this talented student goes by the name of Cyrus Azar?”

“You know of him?” Minerva asked.

“As of this morning? Yes,” he said. “Irena brought his feats to my attention at breakfast. Remarkably, it seems, he cast the Disarming Charm in her class,” at Sprout’s gasp, he hurried to clarify. “At Irena’s insistence, of course.”

“The Disarming Charm?!” Filius squeaked, his voice excited.

Sprout frowned at his excitement and placed a hand on his shoulder to calm him, though her brown eyes warmed with pride. Minerva, meanwhile, was far more discreet. Though Dumbledore had known her for long enough to notice the twitching of her lips at the mention of the boy.

“Albus,” Minerva’s face settled. “Just a few days ago, he professed to me that he had finished the year’s content?”

“Truly?” Pomona rounded on her.

Minerva nodded. “In fact, he’s even further ahead in Transfiguration and Charms. So much so that if we were to put him into a second year class, I believe he would do perfectly fine.”

Filius stilled, his excitement more controlled now. His eyes were evaluative as he drank in Minerva’s words.

Albus stroked his beard, stewing over the new information and what it meant. “I will not push him into the second year classes for just two subjects,” he decided. “It would unbalance his schedule and he gets along well with the children in his cohort. I believe that they are all the better for it and the house points to both Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff are a testament to that.”

The three professors nodded, accepting his logic— though he could tell that Filius was a tad disappointed despite his smile.

“But I believe a sixth-year tutor that he can go to twice a week would be fine, yes?” Albus asked after letting the weight of his decision settle in.

Filius reared his head, his smile widening. “I believe it would be perfect, Albus!”

Pomona giggled at that and her eyes glimmered. “In that case I have the perfect student in mind.”

Albus smiled and raised his hands. “I shall leave you to it, then, Pomona. Will that be all?”

Minerva nodded, and was the first to stand. She was soon followed by Filius and Pomona, who spoke to each other in hushed tones, even as they descended down the stairs.

Once again, Albus was left alone in his office with the Sorting Hat for company, as usual. He furled a finger and steam began to curl out of the teapot’s spout. “I believe this is the perfect time for a cup of tea, don’t you?” he asked the hat.

“Well,” the Sorting Hat’s voice was dry. “I wouldn’t know that, would I?”

He chuckled at its tone of voice. “I suppose you wouldn’t now, would you?”

Albus moved over to the window, holding the saucer beneath his cup as he took small sips from it. His eyes scanned over the mountain in the distance as he basked in the final flares of sunlight as the sun fell over the horizon.

Though as it always did, the sun would rise tomorrow and with it, another school day, full of learning and adventure.

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If you'd like to join my discord, click the link below and hit the discord tab. If you would like to throw a donation my way, you know where to go. Click on the link below and navigate to the site-that-shall-not-be-named.

Here's the link to all my relevant sites in case you feel like joining my discord or donating.

 

To those not in my discord, I've decide to press pause on updating until my exams are over (on the fifteenth of June). Till then, I'll slowly be releasing my stockpiled chapters for both my fics on a bi-weekly basis. I'll probably release chapters sporadically over the next few months too.

A bit of a side-note. I'm grateful to everyone expressing as much interest in this story as they have already. Functionally speaking, it's my first fanfic that I've persisted through, despite wanting to drop it and start over fresh. For all it's downs (and perhaps ups as well) this has been a pretty enlightening experience thus far. True, I could've sped up the pace as well as have done a bazillion other things that I wish I could go over and do. However, this is a learning experience and I think sticking through this story and seeing to the end will do something for me that dropping it and starting from scratch will not.

 

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OOOOO
A Curious Venture
OOOOO​

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​

Breakfast in the morning was heralded by the legion of owls that burst through the Great Hall’s many open windows. Each clutched within its talons the morning paper, dropping them into the laps of roughly half the hall. In front of me, a tawny owl landed on the table, pecking at a few crumbs of bread off the wood. It stuck out its leg for one of the first-year boys beside me.

“Right, that’s me,” he muttered, untangling the newspaper from the owl’s leg. He rubbed the top of its head until the owl’s sharp beak nipped his finger. “Ouch!”

The owl hooted, its eyes amused, and leapt off the table, joining the rest of the flock.

“Let’s see that, Stevens,” my hand hovered over the edge, and when he didn’t move away, I grabbed the newspaper and read it aloud for the benefit of everyone around me. “As of today, Blenheim Stalk has, at last, published his long-awaited book, ‘Muggles Who Noticed’. In it are several real-life stories of muggles who slip the notice of Obliviators and return to the muggle world with stories to tell. Dirk Davison for one,—better known as “Dodgy Dirk” in the book—a famous escapee of the Ilfracombe Incident back in 1932…”

I read on, and as I did, my eyes flicked to the moving pictures. They looped over and over again as I read the passage. Slowly, the beginnings of an idea began to come to me, but I put a mental pin in it and continued to read the important bits of news.

“And that should be it,” I placed the paper back into Stevens’ hands.

He nodded. “Yeah, I’ve heard of the Ilfracombe Incident. I doubt there’s a wizard who hasn’t. It‘s not everyday that you hear about a welsh green flying into the muggle world and running wild now, is it?”

I propped up my elbows. “So this “Dodgy Dirk” escaped the Obliviators, huh?”

“Apparently,” the boy replied. “Now I don’t know the specifics. My grandad does, though, so I’ve been told the story thousands of times.”

“Go on then, Stevens,” one of the kids called from the other side of the table. “Tell us the story.”

The blonde shuffled nervously at the attention. “... Well alright, then,” he sighed. “During the summer of 1932, a common welsh green flew into Ilfracombe and almost torched the west side of the town to the ground. The Tokes—they're a pretty big wizarding family who were there on holiday—fought off the dragon and then rounded up the muggles who saw it all before calling the Obliviators. Grandpa told me that they used the biggest batch of memory charms in the century that day. One of the Tokes—Tilly, I think—got a first-class Order of Merlin.”

My eyes were still on the front cover of the paper when I spoke. “It’s almost scary how things like that can slip by unnoticed.”

Michael whistled. “You’re telling me. Magic is pretty amazing, huh?”

The picture of who I presumed to be Tilly Toke waved at me from within the page. “Yeah, it sure is.”

I stirred the lukewarm cup of tea absentmindedly for a while, and before I knew it, breakfast was over. Thankfully I had a free period, so I readied myself to head over to the library whilst the idea was still hot.

“Hey where are you going?” I heard as I rounded the table.

I turned back. “I’m going to research something.”

Ellie moved to get up and join me but I shook my head. “Don’t worry, you don’t have to come with me. I’ll be fairly quick anyway.”

She furrowed her brow and sat back down. “But what about Mulciber? He’s had it out for you for weeks now!”

I winced a little and shouldered my satchel. “I know. I’m trying to let it run off me like water— be like a brick wall and all that. Maybe he’ll get the message soon enough.”

The reasoning felt about as empty as Satan’s heart. Not even I believed that, and by the looks of it, neither did Ellie.

She stared at me disbelievingly. “You think so?”

I stared at the Slytherin table pointedly. “No, I hope so. Whether or not that’ll happen is another thing entirely.”

And with that, I turned heel and walked out of the Great Hall, joining the throng of students funnelling out of the single door that functioned as the exit.

OOOO

“G’morning, Madam Pince,” I smiled, popping my head into the warm library.

To me, the place was like a warm bath. All the day’s troubles would simply melt away once you stepped foot into the room until all you had left was a world of mystery and adventure ready to be explored.

I shrugged off my bag and outer robe, leaving myself in a simple jumper and trousers— Hufflepuff fashioned, of course. It was fairly early in the day, so the library was pretty vacant. A few students dotted the desks here and there, and of course, Madam Pince herself sat at the desk drinking from a steaming mug.

“Shhh,” she placed a finger over her lips, though the edges twitched upwards. “And good morning to you too, Mr. Azar. What can I do for you today?”

I fished through my satchel and pulled out the book on duelling that I’d borrowed. “This has honestly been amazing. I’ve been testing out the stances and exercises and I’m not even halfway done. There’s still some more of that to go through as well as some basic rules, regulations, and etiquette.”

She took the book out of my hands with a smile. “And I would be happy to do so. I may not show it, but it always warms my heart whenever I see children’s enthusiasm for reading— you and your friends especially. The seven of you seem to be here every day.”

I laughed quietly as I stared at the counter. “You’re not wrong. I just hope it stays that way…”

Madam Pince nodded, missing the frown on my face. “Indeed. As subject content gets harder, it seems that all enjoyment is sucked out of reading. It’s… not something I enjoy seeing.”

And whilst she wasn’t wrong, my mind was somewhere else entirely. A few moments later, I pulled myself out of my spiralling thoughts and returned the renewed book to my bag.

“Thanks. I’ve a couple more questions,” I leaned against the counter, pushing my palms against the smooth wood. “Mostly about publication—newspapers specifically but also books and stuff. But first, I’ve got to renew this again.”

She placed her cup down and adjusted her position on the chair so that she was facing me directly. Her dark eyes were light with interest and she clasped her hands in her lap. “Oh? I’d be happy to help. In fact, I did an internship at the Prophet in my fifth-year.”

“Really?” I latched onto the tail-end of the sentence. “That’s perfect! Okay, so, I’d like to research how magical newspapers are made. It’s for a personal project.”

“Would you mind giving me some details?” she asked, taking a sip from her mug.

I nodded. “I saw today’s edition of the paper, and then I had an idea. What if I created revision resources—for first-years of course—that functioned similarly to newspapers. Like flashcards, for example. The informational side could have moving diagrams and whatnot, but since I’d like to sell them one day, I’d like to try and copy a set after making them but also make sure that they can’t be recopied by people who buy them afterwards.”

“If you can stick to it throughout your years, it would make for quite the lucrative business,” Pince hummed. “Especially once the content gets harder. And as much as I would like to sit here and break it down for you, I simply am not well-versed enough in the creation of newspapers to help you.”

Truthfully, I expected that when she told me it was an internship she attended in her fifth year at school, but I still couldn’t help but feel disappointed.

“However,” I tensed up, expectation blooming once more. “I can point you to some books that I believe would be helpful.”

“That would be lovely,” I smiled.

I stood still, patient, as she listed out a few books onto a slip of paper. I hadn’t expected the librarian to have any, truth be told. But when I’d asked, she informed me that paper was just better on a functional level—a sentiment I shared.

“There you go,” she tore a strip from a notepad and passed it to me. “Enjoy, and I look forward to seeing how your venture shapes up.”

“I’ll keep you posted, then,” I said, shooting her a smile. “Thanks, ma’am.”

She raised her mug in farewell and I travelled deeper into the shadowed areas of the library. Just behind me, I could hear her voice. Unlike how she spoke to me, it was a lot sterner. “Mr. Rutherford! If you will not treat that book with respect then I see no reason for you to be here. Out!”

I shook my head and bent down, the cloying scent of dust and old books growing stronger as I did.

OOOO

My day had carried on as normal for the most part. After my free period was Potions, followed by Defence Against the Dark Arts and History of Magic. As it was still lunch, though, I was in the Great Hall again.

Finishing off the last of my pudding, I pushed the dented tin bowl towards the centre of the table. “Now that was good…”

Michael nodded, speaking between bites. “It’s—sorry ‘bout that—a shame that they only make treacle tarts on Thursdays, eh?”

“I think that’s a good thing,” Ellie said. “I’d get bored of it if I had it everyday.”

Cadmus scoffed. “Speak for yourself! I could have treacle tart for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.”

“But Cadmus,” I snorted. “You could have anything for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.”

“Exactly,” he said. “All food is good food, Cyrus.”

“I… don’t think that’s how it works, but good for you I guess,” I shook my head and stood up. “Now, who’s ready for some Transfiguration?”

A couple first-years around me groaned aloud, prompting a couple of older Hufflepuffs to laugh at them.

“Oh,” I smiled. “What’s the matter?”

“What’s the matter?” a girl sitting opposite me whined. “It’s difficult, that’s what!”

I folded my arms and nodded understandingly. “Damn right it is, but that’s half the fun. Once you finally get it, it’s the best feeling ever, right?”

She frowned, a retort at the tip of her tongue. I was expecting her to voice it but she withdrew into herself, her face contemplative. “...Yeah. You’re right. It’s still hard though.”

Viola leaned over and ruffled the girl's hair. “I almost feel sorry for you,” she grinned. “If you think it’s hard now, wait till you're my age.”

I dusted a few crumbs off my robes and nodded at the few who were looking at me. “Now, I’m off. I’ll see you all in class, alright?”

I left the table after a few goodbyes from some of my housemates. On my way out, I unfortunately had to circle past the Slytherin table. I carefully stepped over a leg that had been stuck out with the intent to trip me. Once I cleared the obstacle, I walked on as if I hadn’t seen it in the first place, exiting the hall and heading into the unusually quiet corridor.

Since I hadn’t seen Professor McGonagall in the Great Hall, I assumed she was in her classroom, setting up for the afternoon’s lesson. I was proved right when I stepped into the room and caught her halfway through her meal.

“Mr. Azar,” she dabbed at her mouth with a napkin. “You’re a little early, no?”

“Yeah,” I smiled apologetically. “Finished my lunch and thought I’d come here a little earlier than usual. That’s not a problem, is it?”

“No, no,” she picked up her cutlery once again. “Though I would be much obliged if you placed some parchment in front of each person’s desk,” she jabbed her fork in the direction of the tray beside the door.

“Not a problem,” I shrugged off my bag and outer robe, hanging them behind my usual seat before I got to work.

By the time I’d got through half of the stack, McGonagall had finished her lunch and was helping me hand out the rest. Soon enough, we’d finished, and I’d returned to my seat with three points to show for my helpfulness. The rest of my class began to enter, slowly at first, but as it drew closer to two o’clock, more of them began to stream in. Soon, the class was abuzz with conversation as the children pulled their equipment out of their bags.

A little past two, Remus entered with Lily, Michael, Cadmus, and Ellie in tow. They spread themselves across the remaining seats on the row, as well as the row in front of me.

“What took you so long,” I whispered to the messy-haired Ravenclaw.

He shrugged. “Ask Cadmus.”

I looked to the seat in front of me questioningly.

“Oi,” Cadmus narrowed his eyes at Remus, his freckles rippling across his face. “I couldn’t just leave the treacle tart on the table to be thrown away now, could I? You’ve got to eat your food!”

Remus rolled his eyes.

“Not when it’s your third treacle tart in the last fifteen minutes…” Ellie muttered under her breath, but since she was sitting beside me, Cadmus couldn’t hear her.

I failed to contain my laughter and it escaped me in the form of a snort. Not only that, but my own laughter kicked off Lily’s.

“What?” Cadmus zeroed in on us. His greenish-grey eyes flitted between Lily and myself. “What did you say? What’s wrong?”

I shook my head between laughs. “Don’t worry, mate,” I pointed towards the front of the class. “Look, McGonagall’s over there.”

“That’s Professor McGonagall, Cyrus,” Remus said. He didn’t even look up from his copy of ‘Magical Theory’.

“Yeah, yeah,” I said. “One day, you’re going to be doing the same thing. And when you do, I’m going to laugh.”

He didn’t reply, and shut his book when McGonagall began to speak.

“Afternoon all,” her voice was clear as the afternoon shone in from the high windows behind her. “Since we have been doing a lot of practical work this past month, I saw it fit to have a little impromptu quiz for today.”

The class began to groan aloud, but was swiftly put to an end after a stern glare from her.

“Now,” her voice took a harsh but not unkind edge. “This is all for your good in the end. The better you understand the theory behind Transfiguration, the easier time you’ll have with practical work. They work in tandem with one another, something I’m sure you’re all aware of.”

Before she continued with anything else, she was stopped by a knock at the door. I turned my head and spotted Professor Sprout poking her head through the threshold. “I’m sorry, Minerva, but I’ll have to pick up Cyrus for you-know-what.”

Professor McGonagall’s eyes flashed in understanding. “Ah, yes. Mr. Azar, do remember to take your things with you. I believe you will not make it back in time for the end of the lesson.”

More than a little confused, I packed my stuff and slung my bag over my shoulder. I travelled down the classroom sparing one last glance at the rest of the classroom before I stepped outside of the classroom and followed my House Head through the castle’s relatively empty corridors.

OOOO

Sat in a slightly cold and unused classroom, I puzzled over the information that Professor Sprout had dropped into my lap. The room was devoid of any other desks outside of the one I was sitting on. Opposite to my seat was another chair—presumably for whoever I was waiting for.

“In light of your academic success, my dear,” she smiled. “Professors Flitwick, McGonagall, and myself alongside the Headmaster have decided to provide you with a tutor for Transfiguration and Charms.”

And so I waited patiently for my tutor to arrive, all whilst the room grew colder. It soon grew to become a bother, so I lit the fireplace at the back of the room. I welcomed the crackling of firewood and the blast of heat as the flame roared to life. The door clicked open, and I tensed unconsciously, not expecting the noise.

The faded brown door creaked open, revealing a tall girl in green and black robes. Her face was an unblemished and pale ivory. She had high cheekbones and a familiarly aristocratic face. Her heavy-lidded eyes were as dark as midnight and her curly dark hair fell loosely over her shoulders.

I’d thought I’d seen the last of Bellatrix, but it seemed that fate wanted to play a cruel trick on me once again. Panicking, I sprung out of my chair, my wand trained on her. My legs were tense and I was ready to bolt out of the room at a moment’s notice.

“I don’t know what sort of sick joke this is,” I growled. “But if you’re my tutor, then I want out.”

“Out?” she asked softly as she walked to the desk. “What for?”

“You know what,” I spat, slowly inching back towards the open door. “It wasn’t enough that you had to hex me to hell and back, no, you had to be picked to torment me for the rest of the year, huh?”

Bellatrix blinked confusedly. “...I think we got off on the wrong foot,” she stuck out a smooth hand. “I’m Andromeda Black. Nice to meet you, Cyrus.”

I froze. “...What?”

“Was I too quiet?” the girl tilted her head. “I’m sorry, I was saying that I’m Andromeda Black— your tutor until the end of the year.”

I wasn’t proud to admit it, but my brain had short-circuited, and the only thing I could say was: “Wait, so you’re not Bellatrix?”

The girl—Andromeda—looked at me with pity. “No, I’m her twin sister. And trust me, you’d be better off with me than her.”

I scoffed. “Oh don’t worry, I don’t have to trust you.”

“What do you mean?” she asked.

“I told you, your sister caught me on the seventh-floor during my first week here,” I shook my head. “Buried me under a tonne of stinging hexes. I had sores and welts all over my back. Thankfully Madam Pomfrey was able to get me fixed up the next day.”

Andromeda sighed and ran a hand through her lustrous, dark hair. Her face seemed to age by decades before my eyes. She shook her head and sat down.

I laughed dryly and plopped down opposite her. “So, how are we going to do this?”

“Well,” Andromeda said. “I think I’d like to get an accurate grasp of what you know. Sadly, I haven’t got anything you can Transfigure today, so we’ll stick to Charms for now.”

She moved the desk to the front of the room and sat on top of it, crossing her legs. Then out of nowhere, threw her outer robe into the air and shouted, “Freezing Charm!”

My wand was in my hand before I’d thought it through. Seeing no reason not to commit, I cast my arm out in a sort of flourish. A dark blue light washed over the robe and it froze in the air. Despite neither rising nor falling, the robe fluttered in the air.

“Very good,” Andromeda smiled. “That was well-cast—I would even go as far as to say perfectly cast.”

I smiled at the praise. “I practise a lot.”

“Evidently,” she nodded. “Since you’re a muggleborn, you must have worked absurdly hard to get to this level— especially since you can’t use magic at home.”

I frowned as she reminded me. “I went over to a friend’s house at Christmas so I got to practise some magic then. Still, it was the first time in weeks…”

Her eyes were sympathetic but quickly returned to the suspended robes in the air. “Next, the General Counter-spell.”

I nodded, and readied myself to catch the robe when it fell. “Finite Incantatem.”

The glow around the cloth faded and it began to plummet to the ground. Just as I was about to catch it, an orange cord of light wrapped around it and yanked it across the room.

Andromeda smirked at me and draped the robe over her shoulders. “Do you know what that spell was?”

“I’m pretty sure that you used the Seize and Pull Charm, no?” I asked.

“Can you cast it?” she asked curiously.

“...I haven’t tried it yet,” I replied honestly.

“Great,” she said. “No time like the present,” she flicked her wand and levitated my bag onto the desk. She ran me through the incantation and wand movement for a couple minutes. “Go to the other side of the room and try to cast the charm.”

The heat of the fireplace licked my back. It felt a little odd at first but I did my best to tune out the sensation. My eyes were firmly locked onto the satchel and I practically drank in everything I could about it. Months of use had seen that it was a far-cry from what it had once been. The edges were frayed, the leather strap worn from overuse, and the colour faded.

I spread my legs out a little and gripped my wand. I visualised the bag rushing towards me, right into my left hand and tried to settle myself into that very desire. “Carpe Retractum.”

A slightly smoky haze of light rushed out of the tip. It wrapped itself around the bag and I yanked it back. As I did, I began to smile at my success. The bag had travelled about half the distance when the rope of light sputtered out of existence. Like its strings had been cut, it tumbled to the floor, a few textbooks tumbling out.

“What went wrong?” I was puzzled as I returned the books into the bag.

Andromeda’s legs kicked to and fro from her seat on the windowsill. “What do you think went wrong?”

“My wand movement was perfect, I think,” I said. “So was my incantation. I visualised the spell well-enough too...”

“Really?”

I blinked. “What do you mean?”

“Your focus drifted when you were pulling back the bag,” she pointed out, leaving me a little embarrassed and unable to say anything.

How could I? She was right. I cast the spell and then lost focus.

“Do you want to try again?” Andromeda’s voice echoed through the relatively empty room.

“Definitely.”

She gestured to the table at the front of the room and floated my bag onto it.

“Carpe Retractum,” I called, making sure my focus was ironclad.

The cord of light was a lot more substantial this time around. It looked almost solid, wrapping itself tightly around the bag. I pulled back sharply, my left hand held out to intercept it. The bag slapped against my hand and I fumbled for the strap.

I grinned at Andromeda and she offered me a small smile.

“Well done,” she said. “Though I believe you’re a tad more adept at Charms than I was informed.”

I tilted my head. “What do you mean?”

“Professor Sprout told me that you were at the second year level for both Transfiguration and Charms,” Andromeda explained, hopping off the windowsill and putting her robe on properly. “But what you just demonstrated for me was a third year charm.”

I breathed out through my nose. “I think… that I’ve always had an easier time with charms. I usually visualise my spells, you see. I’ll probably hit a wall at some point since everything will definitely get a lot harder.”

“That may end up being the case,” she agreed. “But my job for the rest of the year is to make sure you learn as much as possible and that, Cyrus, is exactly what I’m going to do.”

I returned my wand to my holster. “I’m assuming my name is one of the things Professor Sprout told you about?”

“Why do you say that?”

“Because I never told you.”

She rolled her eyes and smiled. “How Slytherin of you. I think you and I will get on perfectly fine. Can you do me a favour, though?”

I turned. “What is it?”

“I need you to pretend that you don't know me when we’re outside of this room?”

I stared at her critically for a few moments. “Pureblood stuff?”

“Aren’t you a little too young to know about that?” she asked.

I rolled my eyes. “I’m in the same year as Mulciber and Avery and I met your sister a few months ago. That’s as good an introduction to the climate of wizarding politics as I’ll get.”

She sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose. “Whilst we’re on the topic, you’d do well to avoid my elder sister from now on.”

“Already am.”

Andromeda nodded and pulled out a sheet of paper. “Good. Now, I’d appreciate it if you listed out everything you’d like to learn until the end of the year. I might add or remove some spells if I think they’re too much for you but it’ll largely stay the same.”

I nodded and jotted down everything I was currently researching that I thought she could help with. I felt her eyes over my shoulder as she scanned over everything I’d written.

Once I was finished I packed my things away and opened the door. “See you again tomorrow?”

“No, Saturday morning,” she clarified.

I nodded. “Have a good evening.”

I heard her muffled reply as I closed the door behind me.

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