“Magic,” Joshua said, holding his chalk stick aloft, “comes from within. Remember?” He smiled as heads nodded. “As the first lesson went it was rather technical and full of paperwork. Not including that little demonstration that got out of hand.” Joshua gave Niko a small glare. His familiar, simply washed his paws, playing like he was a house cat and not a demon cat. “Today you’ll be doing some magic. Intentional magic,” he said, chuckling.

Jun snickered off to the side.

“We’ll go into detail about magic and how it happens unintentionally.” Slowly, he brought his hands together and moved them away, letting a medium sized orb of light. Bright and full, Joshua let the orb go. “Making light is simple and one of the spells children used to learn as they grow up.” He smiled at some of the awed faces. “Let’s begin.”

“Yes,” Joshua said, “exactly like that. Make it a bit bigger if you can.” He patted Yeeun on the back. “Good job.”

Moving on, he lifted an eyebrow as he saw Jun encourage Seungkwan to try and make the light into a different shape. It looked like a squiggly line. “More finesse and a little less power,” Joshua called out. “Shapes take some concentration but also a level of control. You need to know when to temper the energy or else it won’t come out like you want.”

“I tried telling him but it doesn’t seem to be working,” Jun replied.

“It’s fine if you can’t. Practice some more and you’ll get it.”

Seungkwan brows furrowed. There was a look on his face that Joshua remembered all too well. That determination and drive to keep going until he did what he wanted to do. Joshua had stared at that face in the mirror one too many times and had seen it across many students faces.

“Time and practice Seungkwan. Take it slow or you’ll burn out. You’ll get there.” Joshua smiled softly, “Promise.”

He nodded.

“Professor.”

Joshua looked up from gathering his belongings. “Oh. Chan. What can I do for you today?” The boy was an eager learner. Joshua spent quite a bit of time answering his questions as the students tried to master their first bit of magic. It was rather refreshing.

He bit his lip, his cheeks reddening a bit. “I-,” he paused. “I have a weird question and you’re the only magic teacher I’ve had.”

Waving his hand, Joshua prompted him to go on.

“How do you tell someone who doesn’t have magic that you do?”

Niko looked up from the spot he made for himself on the desk. A kitty smirk made its way across his face. “Does the little mageling have a significant other? Someone he needs to tell about his new talents?”

“Niko,” Joshua scolded, “don’t .”

Snorting, Niko padded towards them.

“No,” Chan said, shaking his head. “A family member. We’re cousins. He’s like my older brother. An annoying one at times but yea.”

“And you want to know how to approach the subject of you having magic?” Joshua tilted his head to the side. He folded his arms.

“Yea. I’m sort of living with him now and I don’t know if I can hide it either.” Chan gave Joshua a desperate sort of look. “Help.”

Sadly, Joshua shook his head. “Talking about magic to nonusers is dangerous. Family or not.” He sighed, hands wrapping around his elbows. “There are guides that the council gives and even firsthand knowledge and experience if you’re planning to join the Society of Magelings here on campus. But I’d advise you not to tell him.”

“Why not?” His forehead wrinkled, eyebrows dipping into a V.

“You live with him currently and if he were to somehow not take the new well…” Trailing off, Joshua gave Chan a serious look. “The council would have to deal with him. Assess the damage and either wipe his memory or wipe him from the world if he’s magic resistant.”

“What?!”

“The Council takes its job seriously. It is here to protect magic and the users of magic. If you’re cousin blabbed to the wrong people they would take whatever action they deemed necessary,” Joshua explained. “It’s better not to tell him so you don’t risk his life,” he warned.

“And what about practice then?” He shook his head. “Where can I practice if I don’t want him finding it out?”

“When he’s at work. With your door shut. Barriers can be erected around your room to give you privacy. The school department provides them free of charge to students who don’t want to tell their families. Or if you’d like we have our own special area in parts of the campus just for magelings.” Joshua rummaged around in his bag, trying to look for one of the fliers. Sighing, he came out empty. “I’d go in and grab the info packets from the department’s office. I don’t have any one me.”

“Are you sure that I can’t—”

Holding up a hand, Joshua stopped him. “Listen,” he said softly, “I understand the need to tell him. But you are putting yourself and him in danger. And then the rest of us as well. We magic users as a practice don’t tell nonusers.”

“I heard there was a process though. In case they talked.”

Niko snickered. “There is. A long arduous process of paperwork and having one of the many council workers tail you and your loved ones for a time to make sure it is even worth the spell it would take to seal their mouths shut.” He his fangs. “It can be done child, but it is only ever granted for a select few. Enough have tried only to get denied. It isn’t worth it and keeping the magic a secret is fun anyhow.”

His head fell. “I see,” he said dejectedly.

Joshua’s patted him on the shoulder. “The Council has absolute power of these matters. I can’t help you here I’m afraid. Very few students have told their families if they don’t come from a long line of magic.”

Chan’s hand gripped the strap of his backpack, the knuckles turning white. “Thank you for your time professor. I got to meet with my cousin for lunch.”

“Have a nice day Chan,” Joshua said softly as the boy slipped out from under his hand and speed walked out of the classroom.

Snorting, Niko watched him leave. “Silly child. Magic and the outside world never mixes well. History could’ve told him that much.”

“He’s a child who’s a first-time magic learner. It’s exciting and he wants to share,” Joshua said. “Perfectly understandable.”

“You should know the history well Shua,” Niko said. “It never works out well and we’re left to pick up the ruins of our community.”

Staring out the window, Joshua remembered faraway places, memories from lives ago. A fire, screaming, blood flowing everywhere. “Yes. It never does.”

“Hey kid,” Jeonghan said, waving at Chan. “Come on. Lunch is on me today.”

“You’re the one with the steady job now,” Chan said ruefully, “it better be.”

Jeonghan laughed. “I buy the groceries too. Don’t get bratty with me or else I’ll let you starve,” he teased.

“I’ll just have to tell my mom on you then. Wait,” he snickered, “I’ll just tell Auntie and then she’ll call you to chew you out.”

Groaning, Jeonghan wrapped an arm around Chan’s shoulders, bringing his hand up to ruffle his hair, messing it up. “Don’t bring my mom into this you little monster. Who taught you to be so shrewd?”

“You,” Chan said, ducking out from under his hand, sticking his tongue out at Jeonghan childishly. “You taught me a lot of survival skills.”

“Your tongue should only be out to the person you want to be sticking said tongue down their throat,” Jeonghan said, smiling wickedly at Chan’s blush and how quickly he retracted it.

“Hyung!”

Jeonghan threw his head back and laughed.

“Get to class,” Jeonghan said, reaching out to ruffle Chan’s hair once again to his annoyance.

Groaning, Chan pushed the hand away. “I got it. Stop babying me.”

“Auntie would kill me if I let her eldest child skip class,” Jeonghan said in protest. “Do you want to disappoint your mom?”

“Noo,” Chan said whining a bit. “But you should trust me to go to class by myself.”

Jeonghan hummed, nodding. “True. Give you some independence and all that.”

“Exactly,” he said, “I got to go anyhow. I don’t need reminders from you. See you at home later tonight hyung.” He waved before jogging off into the other direction of the café.

“Kids,” Jeonghan muttered.

Walking down the street, he stopped at the light, waiting for the walk sign to turn green.

The next few moments happened fast. He heard a familiar voice screaming out.

“Niko!”

Jeonghan looked up, seeing that gray blue cat that belonged to a Mr. Joshua Hong pelt out from the other side into oncoming traffic.

Jeonghan was sporty kind of dude. He played for fun and was relatively good at it. It made him agile and quick. Which is why he sped out and ran to grab the cat. He dodged a car and rolled, scooping Niko up into his arms.

A screech was heard. Jeonghan felt himself being hit. The cat yowled something bad, scratching at his arms, and the two of them flew a few feet ahead.