Sooyeon was a bright kid. Her parents acknowledged that from the start. Sooyeon was a quick learner and started talking at age two. However, not even her two parents were prepared for the third word that came out of their daughter’s mouth right after “omma” and “appa.”

 

“Yobi~” Sooyeon cried.

 

Soobin Kang could only stare at her daughter in surprise as the milk bottle in her hand flew to the two year old baby who was now happily chugging on the bottle.

 

“Did she just..?” To say she was mind shocked was an understatement. She looked to her husband who looked equally bewildered.

 

“Do you think that was on purpose?” he asked weakly, as he cradled the newly born Soojung in her arms while watching Sooyeon gulp down her milk.

 

“Are you saying that a two year old was able to use the summoning spell accurately and intentionally?” Soobin asked back incredulously.

 

“I mean,” Jaesun Jung was flabbergasted. “Yeah.” It was at that moment that Soojung started to cry.

 

With the Jung and Kang families’ long line of pureblood ancestry, they were always surrounded by magic. Both Soobin and Jaesun used spells all the time around the house, including the summoning spell. So was it possible that the baby figured out how to use magic just by watching and listening to them?

 

Regardless, the parents continued on, dismissing the incident as a one time thing. After all, which wizard or witch hadn’t accidentally used magic when they were young without even knowing it?

 

However, two weeks later, a similar incident happened and they were no longer able to blow it off as just a coincidence anymore.

 

It was naptime. Soobin had just placed Sooyeon down next to Soojung in their bed and was about to go grab Soojung’s blanket when Soojung started crying. Knowing Soojung just wanted her blanket, Soobin was about to summon it when Sooyeon did it herself.

 

“Yobi!”

 

Soobin froze and watched the blanket fly from the living room to the babies’ room and land perfectly to cover the two toddlers. Immediately, she ran to the door. 

 

“...JAEEEEEEEE!” Soobin cried out to her husband who was busy downstairs making tea.

 

“WHAT?”
 

“SOOYEON’S ING MAGICAL!!”

 

 

---

 

 

Before Sooyeon learned how to walk, she learned how to fly. Jaesun was insistent that she learned the beautiful sport of Quidditch, while Soobin was, well, more reluctant.

 

“She can’t even walk!”

 

“But look! She’s doing so well!” Jae pointed out.

 

True enough, Sooyeon was happily zooming around the house on a mini broomstick that Jae had made. Soojung, now one years old, sat happily atop the sofa watching her sister fly around her in circles.

 

“Sooyeon!” Soobin screamed as Sooyeon suddenly zoomed toward the wall only to quickly swerve out of the way giggling.

 

Heart still beating nervously, Soobin turned to glare at Jae. “YOU TAUGHT HER FEINTS?!?! SHE’S ONLY THREE YEARS OLD JUNG JAESUN!”

 

Jae stuttered. “N-no! I didn't teach her that.” He paused and his voice turned thoughtful. “But maybe I should. Did you see that maneuver Soobin-ah? Our daughter’s going to grow up to be such an amazing Quidditch player!”

 

“No.” Soobin was not budging. She looked past Jae to Sooyeon and nearly had a heart attack.
 

“SOOYEON! PUT SOOJUNG DOWN RIGHT NOW!”

 

“Weeeee~” Soojung cooed as Sooyeon clung onto her and flew around in circles.

 

Eventually however, Jae and Soobin were able to come to a compromise...when Sooyeon developed an interest in dueling.

 

“Omma, what's this?” A four year old Sooyeon dragged her mother’s robe across the bedroom to where Soobin sat putting on makeup.

 

Soobin glanced at Sooyeon absentmindedly through the mirror only to whirl around in panic. She immediately snatched the robe off the ground and dusted it off carefully.

 

“Omma?” Sooyeon looked up to her mom questioningly.

 

“This is my dueling robe.” Soobin breathed out in relief as she looked over her cherished robe, remembering all the duels she’d won and lost over the years with this particular robe.

 

“What's dueling?” Sooyeon asked innocently.

 

“It's when wizards and witches face each other and the better wizard or witch wins,” Soobin explained as she hung her robe back in her closet, away from Sooyeon’s grasp.

 

Sooyeon hummed. “Did you win a lot?”

 

Soobin smiled fondly. She bent down and ruffled Sooyeon’s hair. “You bet I did. Omma was the best.”

 

“Really?” Sooyeon gazed at her mom with wide innocent eyes. “Sooyeon wants to be the best too! Like Omma!”

 

Soobin chucked. “I'm sure you will be my little Sooyeon-ah.”

 

Sooyeon jumped happily. “Will Omma teach me? Sooyeon wants to be as good as Omma! Omma will teach me right?”

 

Soobin paused. “Huh?”

 

Sooyeon started getting hyper. “Omma teach me how to duel!”

 

Soobin hesitated. Dueling was potentially extremely dangerous, deadly even, to the most experienced of wizards. To teach the art of dueling to a mere four year old who had just started to grasp the concept of magic was, well, insane. Besides, Sooyeon didn't even have a wand yet. But even without a wand, Sooyeon had an impeccable, almost unnatural, control when casting spells.

 

Soobin took one more glance at the wide imploring eyes of her daughter and sighed. She gave in.

 

‘ it. If she can play Quidditch at the age of three, she can learn how to duel. We’ll just start easy.’

 

Soobin smiled at her daughter in resignation. She could never say no to her daughter after all. “Yes, Omma will teach you, my little darling. Omma will teach you anything you want.”

 

Sooyeon whined as Soobin placed a kiss on Sooyeon's forehead.

 

“Omma!” Sooyeon complained indignantly as she wiped her forehead.

 

Soobin laughed at the adorable sight, taking Sooyeon's small hands in her own. “Come on, let's go learn how to duel.”

 

From that day on, Sooyeon spent the mornings learning how to fly from her father and the evenings dueling with her mother. In less than three months, Sooyeon was able to trade shots back and forth with her mother, and keep up with her father in the air.

 

When Sooyeon turned five, Soobin and Jae decided to get her a wand for her birthday present. When the five year old picked up an eleven and a half inch cherry wood wand with a dragon core, the storekeeper could barely keep his mouth closed and constantly bowed to the new cherry wand wielder as they walked out of the store, much to the embarrassment of the Jung family.

 

Finally, Sooyeon turned seven, old enough to be a Wakai.

 

Excited to go to the school that her parents had told her so much about, Sooyeon eagerly packed her backpack with her wand, new robes that her mother bought, and a brand new cauldron. She kissed her parents and baby Soojung goodbye and jumped onto Ai, her giant storm petrel (a gift for her seventh birthday). Together, they soared across the skies to Mahoukotoro where exciting adventure awaited her.

 

However, only two weeks later, Sooyeon came back from Mahoukotoro and asked if she could quit. Like any other worried mother, Soobin immediately pulled Sooyeon into her arms and asked her what was wrong.

 

Less than a day later, Soobin sent an origami bird to Mahoukotoro, informing them of Sooyeon’s withdrawal from the Wakai program.

 

Despite skipping the Wakai program, Sooyeon knew that she had to go back to Mahoukotoro eventually when she turned eleven. But for now, she focused on perfecting her skills with her parents.

 

 

---

 

 

“I wish I could be partners with Nana for the courage test. We would pass with flying colors.”

 

“Stop joking around. This test is supposed to be hard to everyone who takes it.” Nana admonished her friend Lizzy.

 

Lizzy merely smiled back. “But you’re the First Meijin and I’m second in our year,” she pointed out. “We would pass within minutes. It that they’re going to try to even out the teams. We'll probably be partnered up with one of the outsiders instead.”

 

Nana hummed, her thoughts going to one ‘outsider’ in particular.

 

“I wonder who I’m going to get as my Onee-sama,” Lizzy daydreamed. “I want Sakuragi-sama. She’s so cool.”

 

Nana hummed silently. She could care less who she got as her Onee-sama, or her mentor for the next year. She was more worried about passing her tests and protecting her ranking as the First Meijin, a spot everyone was vying for. These tests were called “diagnostic tests." They always took place two weeks after the ‘ascension’ of the new first years and ranged from paper tests to mission tests.

 

The courage test in particular was rumored to be difficult. That was why they allowed partners. 

 

The first years filed into the hall. Nana took her spot in the front and bowed to Headmistress Ueno as everyone else followed.

 

Headmistress Ueno raised her hand, signalling everyone to rise. The announcement of the partners began soon after.

 

“Im Jinah, Jung Sooyeon.”

 

Maybe because it was because they were both Korean, or maybe because it was fate, but Nana found herself partnered with Jung Sooyeon once more.

 

‘It’s been a while, Sooyeon-ah.’

 

“Sooyeon-ssi,” Nana greeted once the teachers left them to introduce themselves to their partners. She had spotted the light brown haired girl from within the crowd easily and approached her first.

 

Sooyeon turned to see a pretty brunette calling for her. She raised an eyebrow in confusion, caught off guard by the sudden use of Korean honorifics. “Ssi?”

 

“Ah, I thought it would be more appropriate since we are both Korean,” Nana smiled. Sooyeon gave the brunette a weird look.

 

“Oh,” Sooyeon nodded before bowing. “Jinah-ssi.” She greeted the First Meijin.

 

Nana smiled. “Looks like we’re partners, Sooyeon-ah.”

 

Sooyeon’s eyebrows raised again. Not even a second ago, this Jinah-ssi had addressed her formally. What was she doing, suddenly dropping honorifics like that?  Sooyeon, unsure of how to react, settled for nodding dumbly.

 

Nana smirked playfully. “Don’t tell me you don’t remember me, Sooyeon-ah.”

 

Sooyeon literally could not have been more lost. “I’m sorry, Jinah-ssi, but I’m not sure what you are talking about.”

 

The smirk changed into a cute little pout. “So Sooyeonie really did forget all about Jinah. I’m hurt.”

 

Sooyeon’s eyes widened in recognition. In the two weeks Sooyeon was a Wakai, she’d made a friend named Im Jinah. They were partners for their flying lessons since they were the only two who could ride a broom at the time. The two became relatively close, but lost contact after Sooyeon left the Wakai program.

 

Sooyeon stared at her grown friend in wonder. “Jin-ah? Wow, who knew this troublemaker would become the top ascending Wakai and now Meijin? Congrats!”

 

Nana smiled abashedly at the compliments. “I can’t believe you forgot me, Sooyeonie. It’s Nana now, by the way. I don’t like the name Jinah. It sounds so old.” she crinkled her nose in distaste.

 

Sooyeon chuckled lightly. “Okay, Nana-ya.”

 

Nana laughed. “I can’t believe you just left without telling me anything. I’m still angry about that you know.” she punched Sooyeon softly. “That was for leaving me four years ago.”

 

Sooyeon smiled apologetically. “Sorry.”

 

“Why did you leave?” Nana asked curiously.

 

“It was too boring,” Sooyeon answered shortly.

 

Nana stared wide-eyed before the shock dissipated into amusement. “That sounds just like you. You haven’t changed at all.”

 

“It’s literally only been four years,” Sooyeon pointed out dryly.

 

"But we only knew each other for two weeks." Nana stuck her tongue out playfully.

 

Sooyeon smirked. “Is that something the First Mejin should be doing?” Sooyeon asked playfully. “What if people see? What are they going to think?”

 

“Doesn’t matter. They can do whatever they want and so can I,” Nana retorted proudly.

 

Sooyeon laughed at Nana’s antics. “Still the troublemaker, I see.”

 

Nana smirked. “As you said, it’s only been four years. Old habits don’t die that easily.”

 

“Right.”

 

Being the first Korean Meijin, Nana had a streak for going against the norm, which sometimes got her in trouble with the teachers. Sooyeon remembered how desperately she had tried to blend in while Nana didn’t care about what others thought and tended to stand out no matter what.

 

A sharp piercing whistle sounded throughout the room, signaling to the first years that it was time to board the ferry to cross the lake to a separate island where the Cherry Blossom Forest was located.

 

Normally, they could’ve just crossed the giant bridge that connected the main island with the small one, but they needed to get to the other side of the island and going by ferry was faster.

 

The students got off the ship and were greeted by the wondersome sight of the great Cherry Blossom Forest. Pink petals fell like rain drops, covering the ground in a color similar to their beginner robes. These mysterious flowers were enchanted to bloom all year long, and always provided the students with a breathtaking sight.

 

Some of the first years played with the yosei (fairies)  flying around them that looked just like little balls of colorful light with wings.  

 

“Isn’t it pretty?” Nana asked Sooyeon quietly as she reached her hand out to catch the pink petals flying by.

 

Sooyeon breathed in, feeling the forest thrum with magical energy. “Yeah, it is.”

 

“Alright listen up students. You’ll go in by pairs. Each pair has a different task. Maps have been provided. The time limit is two hours. If you aren’t out by then, we’ll have to come in to get you. Don’t wander in too deep. Stay within the boundaries we described. Remember, there are dangerous creatures that lurk inside so be careful. Good luck!” Arai, the Charms professor, announced nonplussed.

 

Several students gulped in fear. Their lives were potentially in danger and no one seemed to bat an eye.

 

“Ready?” Nana asked Sooyeon, who nodded. Their task was to find the altar hidden in the forest and retrieve the object atop it. Together, they entered the forest.

 

Arai sensei turned to a group upperclassmen who were hiding nearby. “Ready?”

 

“I’m always ready to stalk the kiddos,” Chiho, a fourth year girl, joked.

 

“Watch.” Arai sensei corrected sternly. “Watch the kids. We are not stalking them. We are testing them.” Each of the upperclassmen were assigned a pair of freshman to watch over in case something happened. They were also tasked with the job of ‘testing’ the first years.

 

“Sure we are. That is exactly what we’re doing,” Chiho grinned.

 

Arai sensei rolled his eyes. “Just do your job.”

 

“Yes sensei!”

 

The upperclassmen started to disband into the forest.

 

“Chiho!” Arai sensei called out, before the girl could go too far.

 

“Yes, sensei?” Chiho turned around.

 

“Don’t go too hard on them.”

 

Chiho grinned. “Sorry, sensei. But Reina has some tough standards.”

 

Without another word, Chiho sprinted forward and disappeared into the sea of pink.

 

Arai sensei sighed. ‘Ibaraki Chiho.’  “That girl stresses me out.”

 

Around three minutes into the courage test, Sooyeon suddenly froze in her steps.

 

“What’s wrong?” Nana asked. Sooyeon didn’t answer. Nana understood immediately and stayed still, waiting for Sooyeon to speak.

 

Eventually, Sooyeon shook her head. “Nothing.” However, her eyes flitted to the trees behind her. She swore she saw a flash of blue.

 

‘Someone’s following us.’

 

Instead of calling the person out, Sooyeon decided it was best to pretend she hadn’t noticed anything and just let it play out.

 

Sooyeon and Nana were able to find the atar quite easily. They merely followed the map and were lucky enough not to run into anything dangerous, just the occasional yosei here and there, but they were harmless.

 

Together, the two first years burned some incense to pay their respects to the past headmasters of Mahoukotoro, and grabbed the fan that was atop the altar.

 

‘Is she not going to do anything besides follow us?’ Sooyeon thought back to their stalker as they finished their task and started to head back.

 

Just as Sooyeon and Nana were about to reach the edge of the forest, their mysterious follower finally decided to make a move.

 

‘Shoukyaku!’

 

Sooyeon froze, feeling her arms tingle in danger. Reacting quickly, Sooyeon suddenly pulled Nana towards her.

 

“What-” Nana gasped, as she felt a burst of hot fire shoot past her, mere centimeters away from head. Looking down, she saw a scorch mark on the ground where she was just standing.

 

Hidden in the Cherry Blossoms, Chiho cursed mentally.

 

‘That girl… She noticed me. I knew it. She knew I had been following them almost since the very beginning. She’s sharp. Looks like this is going to be more fun than I thought,’ Chiho smirked before quickly moving to a different tree as her last spell had given away her positioning.

 

Nana took in several deep breaths, trying to relax her heart after that close call.

 

‘That must’ve been our Onee-sama. So the real part of the courage test is finally starting. I didn’t even sense her following us. I was lucky Sooyeon reacted on time and saved me...’

 

Nana eyed her friend who didn’t even seem the slightest bit unphased at the attack. Sooyeon’s eyes were cold and her body was relaxed, showing no hint of being unsettled.

 

‘No, It wasn’t luck. Sooyeon doesn’t seem surprised at all. She knew someone had been following us. When she pulled me away, it wasn’t because she reacted fast, it was because she knew I was being targeted. What scary sense.’ Despite being nearly burned her into a crisp a few seconds ago, Nana fought back a shiver in slight awe of her friend. 

 

Sooyeon squinted up into the trees. She couldn’t see their attacker, but she knew someone was there. Carefully, she backed up until Nana and her were back to back. They waited. 

 

Abruptly, another spell came from Sooyeon’s left. This time a water spell. Instinctively, Sooyeon leaned back, pushing Nana out of the way before jumping aside herself.

 

Nana raised her wand in the direction of where the attack came from, a spell seconds from spilling from her lips when Sooyeon stopped her.

 

“If you shoot randomly, the only thing you’re going to hit are the trees. She’s already changed positions at this point. We can’t wait and attack after she attacks. We will always be slow that way. Wait until my signal. We’ll attack her before she attacks us.”

 

Nana nodded slowly and brought her wand to a more defensive position. She trusted Sooyeon. Despite technically being first ranked among the first years, Nana knew from from just those two weeks they'd spend together in the Wakai program that Sooyeon was on a different level.

 

The two stood back to back. Nana held her wand tightly in her right hand, body completely tense as she waited for Sooyeon’s signal. Sooyeon on the other hand was completely relaxed, standing with a straight back and arms resting at her side.

 

Nana scanned the trees with her eyes, alert for any movements.

 

Sooyeon waited and closed her eyes, opting to listening to the sounds of the air and feeling the direction of the wind as it blowed gently across her face, bringing pink petals along.

 

‘What is she doing? Is she waiting for me to strike again? Either way, it’s my move,’ Chiho thought.

 

Chiho moved quickly, jumping from branch to branch, careful not to make any sound. She was at the top of her stealth class in her year. Even Reina sometimes had trouble tracking her when she was serious. There was no way some first years were going to catch her, even if one of them was the First Meijin.

 

“Nana,” Sooyeon suddenly whispered urgently under her breath. Nana perked up.

 

“Your seven o’clock. Eye level. On my count,” Sooyeon instructed while the rest of her body stayed completely still to not give away their intentions. 

 

Nana nodded slightly to indicate she understood.

 

‘What are they planning?’ Chiho wondered as she saw Nana tense up. ‘Did Nana sense me?’

 

She planted herself on a branch. ‘Whatever. I have them now.’ She aimed at the back of Nana’s head. ‘Sorry, but this is going to hurt.’

 

“Now!” Sooyeon whispered urgently.

 

To Chiho’s surprise, Nana swiftly whirled around so that her wand was pointing straight at her. "What the-" 

 

“Toketsu!”

 

Within an instant, Chiho felt her body become encased in ice. ‘Damn, I absolutely hate the cold,’ she thought with a grimace. ‘I am frozen in a giant ice cube on a tree. Great.’

 

She raised her head in defeat to look up at the two first years. Her eyes found their way to the girl who had trapped her.

 

‘Looks like I underestimated the First Meijin. She managed to catch me off guard, after all. Nana, you have improved.’

 

Her eyes then drifted to the other girl, who looked back with steely eyes. Brown eyes locked onto brown eyes in a silent stare down.

 

“Good job,” Chiho eventually grinned from where she was still encased in a block of ice.  “Looks like I underestimated you two. Both of you pass. Nice freezing spell, by the way, Nana-san.”

 

Nana bowed in response to the complement. “Thank you, Ibaraki-sama.” Having spent four years as a Wakai, Nana recognized who Chiho was immediately. The fourth year had quite the reputation of being a jokester; that and despite her looks and personality, Ibaraki Chiho stood proudly at the top of the fourth years at rank two, second only to her best friend.

 

Chiho waved her hand dismissively. “Just call me Chiho-san, or senpai. Don’t call me by my last name and don’t use ‘sama’. It makes me feel old.”

 

Chiho hummed to herself as she quickly analyzed the situation. She hadn’t been caught like this in a while, especially not by two underclassmen. It surprised her that  these two first year students were able to pull it off. What would Arai sensei say? ‘Hell, what would Reina say?’ Chiho shivered at the thought.

 

Nana’s eyes suddenly widened, realizing her senpai was still frozen in an ice cube. “I’m so sorry!” She held up her wand to melt the ice, but Chiho raised her left hand which was still free to signal her to stop.

 

“Don’t worry about it. Melting the ice with fire without burning me in the process takes a lot more control than you think, and I doubt you can control ice yet. You may be the First Meijin but controlling fire takes years of practice. Let me just-” she looked down. Her wand hand was frozen.

 

Damn. The First Meijin had really good aim.

 

Okay, how was she supposed to get out of this now? She wasn’t particularly great at wandless magic. Technically, she could just wait until the ice melted, but then she'd become the laughing stock of her entire class no doubt - the only fourth year to be taken down by two just recently graduated Wakai's. 

 

“Let me help.” Nana’s partner, whom Chiho remembered was an ‘outsider’, held up her wand.

 

Chiho immediately wanted to protest. Did she not hear what she just said? If she wasn’t going to let the First Meijin melt the ice, she certainly wasn’t going to let some ‘outsider’ who hadn’t even trained in the elements through the Wakai program --- Her train of thought was broken as Sooyeon waved her wand.

 

Chiho looked down immediately in panic only to find that her wand hand was free.

 

Relief hit, and then bewilderment.

 

'Odd.'

 

She didn’t even feel the heat. Chiho stared at the girl curiously, who gazed back with innocent eyes.

 

“That should be enough, right? Senpai can get out by herself now, right?” Sooyeon asked earnestly.

 

Chiho nodded slowly, a little dumbfounded. Producing her own fire, she quickly melted the ice and dried her clothes. Once she was done, she jumped down from the tree, landing easily and smiled at the two first years.

 

“Anyways, congratulations once more for passing.”

 

Nana tilted her head. “So, are you our Onee-sama then?”

 

Chiho shook her head. “Your Onee-sama couldn’t proctor you guys today, so she told me to come instead. She was sent on a reconnaissance mission and will be back next week.”

 

Nana hummed. “Wait, who is our Onee-sama then?”

 

“Ah,” Chiho grinned. “That would be Sakai Reina-san.”

 

Chiho tried not to laugh to hard at the stunned expression on Nana’s face who looked like someone had just slapped in her in the face.

 

Sooyeon looked to her friend in confusion. Why was she so surprised? Who was this Sakai Reina person?

 

Nana turned her head to face Sooyeon. “Sooyeon-ah. You weren’t a Wakai, so you probably don’t know this, but Sakai-san is pretty famous at school. She has the beauty, the brains, and the skills. She is extremely deadly when it comes to dueling and is currently ranked third in the dueling club. She’s also the Fourth Meijin.” Nana paused for dramatic effect. “And atop of all that, she’s a purple robe...as a fourth year.”

 

Sooyeon’s eyebrows rose in interest. ‘Purple signifies the second highest rank, just under gold robes.’

 

Sooyeon smiled, glancing down at her own pink robes as she did so.

 

‘So she’s good at dueling, huh? I can’t wait to face her then.’

 

 

---

 

“How’s the mission?”

 

“It’s been going smoothly so far.” A velvety voice answered. “So, how did it go?”

 

Chiho stared at the face in the mirror. Brown eyes met piercing brown eyes. The face that stared back at her had the countenance of royalty.

 

“They passed, naturally. After all, Nana is the First Meijin,” Chiho reported.

 

“Hmmm…”

 

“I was able to stalk them without trouble, though I think the shorter one noticed me,” Chiho confessed.

 

Reina raised an eyebrow. “Noticed you?” She knew of Chiho’s stealth. It was top class. When Chiho went into stealth mode, she was near impossible to notice. “You mean the ‘outsider?’ Jung Sooyeon?”

 

Chiho shrugged. “I may be mistaken, but she looked my way once, in the very beginning. And when I first launched my attack, she reacted like she knew where I was and where I was aiming.”

 

“Interesting…” Reina pursed her lips.

 

“Yeah, but Nana was the one that trapped me. I thought I had them. I was about to shoot  Nana from behind with a simple stun spell, but she suddenly turned around, and caught me with a freezing spell.”

 

Reina laughed. It was a airy, high pitched, and girly laugh, one that shot arrows into the heart of any man that heard it.

 

“Don’t laugh at me,” Chiho pouted.

 

“They seemed to have passed quite easily,” Reina commented highly amused.

 

“Yeah. But I did just as you said, I swear! I didn’t go easy on them,” Chiho waved her hands frantically in panic. "Well, not too easy."

 

“I believe you,” Reina stated simply.

 

Chiho sighed in relief. She thought back to what happened in the forest. “Hey.”

 

“Hm?”

 

“When did you master fire?” Chiho asked.

 

“Most people master the elements in their third year.” Reina answered vaguely.

 

“Yeah, but what about you? You’re not like most students,” Chiho emphasized.

 

Reina frowned. “Master, as in completely master? End of first year, maybe. Why?”

 

“Nothing.”

 

Reina peered curiously at Chiho. Chiho knew she couldn’t hide anything from Reina’s sharp eyes.

 

“Was one of them a master at fire control?” Reina asked straight to the point as always.

 

“I’m not sure…” Chiho trailed off.

 

“What do you mean?” Reina pressed for an answer.

 

“Well, you know how I got encased in ice?”

 

Reina nodded.

 

“Nana had really good aim and was able to encase my wand hand. It’s like she knew exactly where I was, which was weird since I swore she couldn’t sense me at all.”

 

Reina nodded thoughtfully. “So did she melt you out?”

 

Chiho shook her head. “The other girl did.”
 

Reina paused, letting the revelation sink in.

 

“The weird thing was...I didn’t feel it melting at all. I didn’t feel the heat,” Chiho continued.

 

Reina raised an eyebrow. “What are you saying?”

 

“I didn’t even know if was ice or fire she was using. If it wasn’t for the flame, I would’ve thought she was manipulating the ice,” Chiho confessed.

 

“Ice is a much harder element to master than fire,” Reina recited. “First years, even after going through the Wakai program, should not be anywhere near close to mastering the element of ice, or fire for that matter.”

 

“I know. But if she could control fire to that point...to the point where I couldn’t even feel the heat yet still be hot enough to melt the ice from a freezing spell...”

 

Reina’s stare grew intense and Chiho watched her face break out into a slow, small smile.

 

“Look’s like we’ve got some interesting kohai’s,” Reina smirked.

 

“Oh, no. I know that smile.” Chiho pointed accusingly at Reina from one side of the mirror. “That’s your 'I’m up to no good' smile. I feel bad for them, to have you as their Onee-sama.”

 

Reina smiled innocently. “This year is going to be lots of fun.”

 

---

AN:

Surprise! Another quick update! 

A quick look into Mahoukotoro and Sooyeon's past. You might've noticed that I skipped some parts (one part in particular) but be patient, that will come soon. I realized I had so much planned for her past, but it all plays an important role.

Who misses Soshi? Next chapter, we're back to Hogwarts and the present, but I will occasionally weave Sooyeon's past here now and then. 

I hope you all look forward to it. What'd you think of Sooyeon and her past? Is it interesting?

Till next time, 

Sosh