The sun had barely begun to climb through the castle windows when the students were released for a short break before their next activities. I needed air... or earth... or a hole to hide in after the embarrassment of the "pink spectacle" the day before.
As I walked away down the hallways, repeating the phrase "It wasn't that bad... it could have been worse... I could have exploded" in my mind (although I wasn't convinced), I heard soft footsteps behind me.
"Arthur..." said a delicate voice.
I turned around and there was Helena Ravenclaw.
She looked serene and calm, with a book pressed against her chest and her dark hair falling like a midnight veil. Her expression was neither mocking nor fearful... but curious.
"Hello...?" I replied cautiously.
Helena took a few steps until she was beside me.
"I just wanted to tell you that... your magic was impressive."
"Impressive?" I repeated incredulously. "But I almost burned down half the field... if it weren't for your mother and the other teachers, I think I would have created the first pink lake of fire in history."
Helena smiled shyly.
"Yes, well... it was uncontrolled. But the color, the intensity, the way it reacted to water... I'd never seen anything like it, and believe me, I've read about many types of magical fire."
I blushed a little, although I hoped my cheeks wouldn't turn pink and become a trademark.
"I would have preferred to start with a little light, like Edwin."
Helena shook her head.
"Magic that surprises the world is rarely born 'small.'" She paused. "My mother always says that when magic manifests itself differently... it's a sign that it didn't come to follow a path already laid out."
That gave me chills. Did she think I had potential? Or was she just trying to make me feel better?
Helena looked down for a moment, thoughtful, before looking up again.
"Don't listen to people like Thurkell. There are those who fear what is different because they don't understand it or because they can't do it."
I didn't expect her to talk about him like that. It was surprising to hear such... frankness.
"Aren't you afraid of what I did?" I asked.
Helena shook her head gently.
"I don't fear the unknown. I observe it... I study it..." She gave me an intense blue look. "And then I understand it. Besides, Arthur..." She smiled a little. "I'm glad you didn't burn your eyebrows."
I let out a nervous laugh as I scratched my head.
"Believe me, me too... me too."
For a few seconds, we just stood there in silence. But it wasn't an awkward silence... it was comfortable. Strangely comfortable.
Finally, Helena took a step back.
"If you ever want to... try practicing again," she said, lifting her book slightly, "I can help you study the theory of magic control. I'm not a teacher, but I'm pretty good at learning and explaining," she finished with a proud smile.
"You... would help me? Me?"
"Only if you want me to, of course." She shrugged gently. "Someone with such unusual magic should have... the right support."
A new feeling invaded my mind. I felt something warm, I felt... Hope.
Helena was still standing in front of me, as calm as ever, and I was just trying not to seem too excited that the daughter of one of the school's founders wanted to help me with magic. If I had my old cell phone, I would have taken a selfie to remind myself: "Arthur, you're awesome, even though you almost burned down the school."
"So..." I said, trying to sound casual, "When could we... study?"
"After lunch," Helena replied with a soft smile. "We can use the library. It's almost empty at that time, and I doubt Thurkell will come near if I'm there."
"Why?" I asked, tilting my head.
Helena sighed.
"He doesn't like me having my own opinions."
Yes, it sounded like something he would definitely have.
"Well, if that bothers Thurkell," I smiled, "studying with you will be twice as fun."
Helena opened her mouth to reply, but a gentle breeze ruffled her hair, announcing the presence of someone else. It wasn't tension that was felt... it was elegance, intelligence, and a hint of "I've been listening for seventeen seconds."
Rowena Ravenclaw approached in her deep blue robe and that look that seemed to read minds without using magic (which was even scarier).
"I see you've found an interesting conversation this morning," she said serenely, addressing both of us.
It was no surprise; Rowena was surely examining the scene, assessing what kind of bond was forming.
"Good morning, Professor," I said respectfully.
Rowena gave me a slight nod.
"Good morning, Arthur. I'm glad to see you calmer today and without any surfaces on... fire," her eyes twinkled with a hint of humor. "That's already a remarkable improvement."
I raised my hands with feigned solemnity.
"Don't worry, I'll try not to burn Hogwarts down before I even find the nearest bathroom."
Helena laughed and Rowena raised an eyebrow approvingly.
"Keep that sense of humor, it will serve you well here." Then she placed a hand gently on her daughter's shoulder. "Helena, I hear you've offered to help Arthur with his magic."
Helena sat up a little straighter, preparing herself for possible disapproval.
"Yes, Mom. I think I can help him, and I could learn something from this too."
Rowena looked at her for a moment, then turned to me.
"It seems appropriate," she finally said. "Arthur has an unusual magic, but it's not dangerous to those who approach it with an open mind. And you, my daughter, have a talent for understanding what others cannot see."
Was that... a public compliment? Helena blinked as if she had witnessed a rare event.
"Just remember, Arthur," Rowena added, looking at me with kind seriousness, "magic responds to the mind, but also to the heart. Controlling one without balancing the other is inviting chaos into your life."
I nodded, swallowing more responsibility than I had asked for before breakfast.
"I'll keep that in mind, Professor."
Rowena softened her tone and leaned slightly toward Helena.
"Don't dwell on it too much. We have enchantment practice later, and I don't want you to arrive with your head full of... distractions."
The word "distractions" was accompanied by a fleeting glance in my direction. That did offend me.
"I know, Mom," Helena replied with a small sigh.
Rowena walked away with the same elegance with which she had arrived, leaving a faint trail of perfume that smelled of ink and parchment (which was exactly the scent one would expect from Rowena Ravenclaw... right?).
Helena looked at me again.
"My mother hardly ever interrupts when I'm talking to others, unless she's interested in the conversation."
"And is that... a good thing?" I asked, not entirely sure, remembering her last look.
"For you, yes." Her cheeks flushed slightly. "It means she thinks you have potential."
I, Arthur from another world, with no idea how to control a spark without risking a fire, nodded with the feeling of having passed an exam without studying.
The afternoon came faster than I expected. Between the introduction to classes, basic rules ("don't burn things" surprisingly took first place), and curious glances from other students, my brain was already fried before I even touched a book.
After lunch, I headed to the library as agreed with Helena. The Hogwarts Library, even in its early years, was already impressive: tall dark wood shelves, floating candles to illuminate specific areas, and a silence so intense that you felt if you breathed too loudly, a book would judge you.
Helena was already there, sitting at a table with several books open. She looked like a living portrait of "The Perfect Student" in a medieval magical version.
"I thought you'd bring... fewer books," I said, looking at the small tower in front of her.
"These are just the basics," she replied calmly. "I don't want to overwhelm you... on the first day."
First day.
Did that mean there would be more? My Muggle side recoiled internally, but my new magical side said, "If we survived financial mathematics, we can survive this."
I sat down across from her, and Helena began to speak in a softer tone than I imagined Rowena Ravenclaw's daughter would use.
"The first thing you must understand is that magic is... an extension of oneself. It's not like turning on a lamp or lighting a torch. It's more like breathing or feeling."
"Well, I've already experienced 'feeling,'" I said, remembering the pink fire and my stomach twisting like a blender.
Helena smiled.
"Exactly. Magic originates within us, and for those with a strong or unusual gift... it can overflow if there is no control. Therefore, before learning complex spells, you must learn these three basics: Focus, Channeling, and Direction."
She took out a quill and drew three intertwined circles on a piece of parchment.
"Focus is having a clear mind and knowing what you want to achieve. Channeling is bringing your magic from within to a point of exit, which is usually a wand. And Direction is deciding how your magic will manifest in the world, its intention, its form, and its intensity."
She explained it so well that even my high school self felt the need to take notes.
"So," I said, "what I did was... channel a lot of magic without focus or direction, right?"
"Exactly," she added with a little laugh. "It was as if you wanted to light a candle and ended up summoning a party of drunken dragons."
"I like to think it was just one very enthusiastic sober dragon," I replied, trying to maintain my dignity.
Helena continued:
"Using a wand helps control the flow. That's why you have a temporary one." She took my wand and gently returned it to me. "Let's practice some simple channeling. No fire for now."
"Thanks for the clarification," I said, rolling my eyes.
"I want you to hold the wand, close your eyes, and breathe. Don't try to cast any spells. Just... feel your magic. Don't force it."
I obeyed and closed my eyes.
I breathed. I tried to feel "my magic." At first, all I felt was my stomach reminding me that I had eaten too much bread. But then, subtly, the tingling in my fingers returned.
"I feel it," I whispered.
"Good. Don't push it. Just acknowledge that it's there. Like your heartbeat. Always present, even when you don't hear it."
I opened my eyes, trying not to get too excited.
"I always thought that magic turned on and off depending on what we wanted."
"Many people believe that," said Helena, "but it's not true. Magic is always on. What we control is how much we let out and how."
She leaned a little closer over the table, her blue eyes shining with that adorable mixture of curiosity and passion for knowledge.
"Arthur... your magic is not common. But that's not a bad thing. It just means that your level of control must be greater than that of others. If you learn the basics well, you could achieve extraordinary things."
I didn't know what to say. No one had ever said I could be "extraordinary" besides my parents.
My older self probably cried a little.
"Thank you, Helena... Really," I said, smiling.
"Don't thank me yet," she smiled mischievously. "We haven't gotten to the part where you accidentally burn my eyebrows yet."
"I promise that if it happens, I'll do it with style."
We both laughed, and I began to feel that... I belonged here. Even if it was weird and a little... pink.