The next morning, sunlight filtered faintly through the dungeon windows as Soren and Jacqueline walked together toward the Charms corridor.
Jacqueline bounced with excitement.
"Charms is going to be great! I want to learn everything!"
Soren smiled slightly. "Let's hope I don't embarrass myself."
They entered the bright, airy classroom where desks formed tidy rows.
Penny Haywood sat near the front, waving shyly at them.
Cassie Alcott sat calmly beside her, quill in hand, already taking notes.
Soren and Jacqueline sat together behind them.
At that moment, the tiny professor with silver hair and a stack of books stepped forward.
Professor Flitwick.
He hopped onto his tall stack of cushions, almost tipping over— the class giggled softly.
Flitwick scanned his parchment of names, then looked up.
"Mr. Whitlock? Soren Whitlock?"
Soren stood nervously.
"Good morning, Professor."
Flitwick smiled warmly.
"No need to be nervous, my boy! If you are anything like your sister, you'll do wonderfully."
Soren's breath caught.
Jacqueline glanced at him.
"Elara Whitlock was one of the finest Charms students I ever taught… although she was also—well—quite rebellious."
Soren didn't smile. He looked at the floor.
"I… I don't know if I'm like her. I don't really know who I am yet."
Flitwick's expression softened.
"That's perfectly alright. Hogwarts is the place where you discover who you are."
He nodded toward the seats.
"Go on, Mr. Whitlock. Please take your seat."
Soren sat down beside Jacqueline, trying to steady his thoughts.
Jacqueline whispered at him, "You're doing great."
---
Flitwick clapped his tiny hands together, the room falling silent.
"Welcome to Charms! I am Professor Filius Flitwick—Master of Charms and your guide to the many magical wonders of spellcasting."
He pulled out his wand with a flourish.
"Today, we begin with something simple yet essential… the Wand-Lighting Charm!"
He waved his wand gracefully.
"Lumos!"
A bright white glow burst from the wand tip, lighting the room like a miniature star.
Students gasped in awe.
Penny scribbled notes furiously.
Cassie watched the wand movement with sharp focus.
Jacqueline leaned forward, eager to try.
Flitwick beamed.
"Now then! Everyone, wands out! This spell is the foundation of illumination magic.
Repeat after me— Lumos!"
Students echoed:
"Lumos!"
Flitwick nodded happily.
"Good! Now… give it a try!"
The classroom buzzed with excitement as Flitwick moved between the rows, encouraging students.
Soren gripped his wand a little too tightly.
His heart thumped.
"Come on, Soren… we can do this together."
Jacqueline raised her wand with confident energy and flicked it forward.
"Lumos!"
FWIP—!
A clean, bright white light burst from her wand-tip— so bright that several students turned in surprise.
Flitwick clapped his hands with delight.
"Marvelous, Miss Grenger! A very fine first attempt indeed!"
Jacqueline beamed proudly.
Soren blinked. She had done it on the first try.
---
Next to Jacqueline, Cassie raised her wand calmly, almost elegantly.
"Lumos."
Her wand lit up smoothly, like a candle being gently awakened.
Flitwick nodded with admiration.
"Excellent wand posture, Miss Alcott!
Very Ravenclaw-like."
Cassie smiled modestly.
Across the aisle, Penny hesitated… but then whispered:
"Lumos…"
A warm, golden glow appeared — gentle but steady.
Her eyes widened in disbelief.
"I did it?!"
Jacqueline nodded at her, "You did amazing!"
Penny covered her mouth, excited.
"Beautiful charmwork, Miss Haywood.
You have wonderful control!"
---
Soren swallowed hard.
Everyone around him already succeeded.
He lifted his wand.
His hands trembled slightly.
"Lu… Lumos."
But nothing happened.
He tried again, stronger.
"Lumos!"
A tiny spark flickered… tsst… …then disappeared.
Soren's heart sank.
But before doubt could creep deeper, Jacqueline held his hand and whispered, "Don't worry. Try focusing… not on the spell, but on what you want."
Soren inhaled slowly.
He thought about Elara. Her smile. Her confidence. Her determination that always inspired him.
He raised his wand once more, and shouted in a steady tone.
"Lumos."
FWOOOOF—!
A soft, silver-tinted white light bloomed from the wand-tip— more bright than Jacqueline, Cassie and Penny.
Seeing it Flitwick's eyes widened.
"Oh… splendid! Absolutely splendid, Mr. Whitlock!
Your magic has a unique tone — quite rare for a first-year."
He then looked at others and was happy to see them, while murmuring, "This year's students were amazing."
---
After everyone finished practicing Lumos, the class ended with excited chatter.
Jacqueline grabbed her bag.
"That was fun! Next class is Potions. We should hurry."
Soren nodded and followed her out.
But as Jacqueline walked ahead toward the dungeon corridors, she noticed a tense scene unfolding near the Potions classroom door.
A Gryffindor girl, tall, proud, with fiery brown hair and a sharp expression, stood over Penny Haywood, who looked cornered and frightened.
The Gryffindor girl snarled at her.
"Admit it! Say it now. I'm the most powerful witch at Hogwarts."
Penny shook her head firmly.
"I-I can't. It's logically impossible."
The Gryffindor girl's eyes narrowed.
"What did you say?"
Penny held her books to her chest, trying to stay calm.
"I've made numerous lists of the most powerful witches at Hogwarts—evaluated by magical skill, spell precision, historical performance, Discipline Points, and dueling records."
Jacqueline's eyes widened.
This girl, clearly angry, stepped closer to Penny.
Penny continued, still factual:
"You're definitely talented, but… you're less powerful than Professor McGonagall. And Madam Hooch. And several other professors. And the seventh-years. You're a first-year, just like me."
The Gryffindor girl's jaw clenched.
"I am NOTHING like you, Haywood."
She looked ready to hex Penny on the spot.
Just then—
Footsteps echoed down the hall.
Soren arrived.
He stopped immediately when he saw Penny pressed against the wall and the Gryffindor girl looming over her.
Jacqueline rushed to his side.
The girl turned toward Soren, annoyance flashing in her eyes.
Penny looked relieved.
Soren narrowed his gaze.
"Hey. Is there a problem here?"
The Gryffindor girl crossed her arms, glaring at him defiantly.
"Who are you supposed to be? Another first-year who thinks he can lecture me?"
Soren stepped closer, calm but sharp.
"I'm Soren Whitlock. And I don't like seeing people bullied."
Penny whispered in relief, "Soren… Jacqueline… thank you…"
The Gryffindor girl scoffed, brushing her hair back.
"Hmph. My name is Merula Snyde, and I am a First Year Gryffindor. Also the most powerful witch at Hogwarts. Soon, everyone will know it."
She leaned in, staring hard at Soren and Jacqueline.
"And you Mr. Soren. I overheard the professor whispering about you at the feast. I suppose you think you're better than me."
"I should put you out of your misery, before you ruin Hogwarts' reputation like your sisters tried to."
"What do you know about my sister, that you came to this conclusion," Hearing his sister mentioned again, he became so angry.
"Yes, what right did you have to talk about his sister," Jacqueline also shouted at her.
"Oh looks, who is talking, a muggle born witch," Merula snickered while looking at Jacqueline.
"I don't even know how Hogwarts allowed muggles like you, and especially in the Slytherin house, which hates the muggles born witches."
"You?" Hearing Merula insulting Jacqueline, Soren became more angered than before.
"What you?" Merula replied back.
But soon before anything happened, Severus Snape appeared there, looking at Soren, even without any verification, he came to the point, "Soren, I knew you would be trouble?"
"Professor Snape, what are you talking about, Merula is openly bullying my friend, and you said, I would be a trouble." Soren asked, looking at Snape.
But again, Snape ignored him, "I only know that you all need to get the Potion Class. And be thankful that you aren't headed to detention."
After saying that, he turns around and goes towards the Potion Class.
"How can he be openly biassed," Soren said angrily, looking at the fading figure of Snape.
"You all stay out of my way." Merula pushed past them and stormed down the hall, snickering at them.
The tension faded as soon as she disappeared.
Penny let out a shaky breath.
"Thank you… I didn't know what she'd do."
Jacqueline frowned. "She's awful!"
Soren nodded.
"But I don't know why the Professor was talking about me, and why Snape took the side of Merula?"
"We don't know, but we should get to the Potions Class, we are already in enough trouble." Penny said.
"Yeah." They both nodded.
---
The door to the Potions classroom creaked open.
Cold dungeon air drifted out.
Inside… Professor Severus Snape stood at the front, arms crossed, robes billowing.
His dark gaze lifted toward the doorway, landing first on Soren, then on Jacqueline, then on Penny.
A shadow of recognition flickered in his eyes.
"…Enter."
After they entered inside, he looked at them and said, "This is your first Potion Class. And based on the bewildered look in your eyes, this could very well be your last."
"Unlike your other classes, this is not a place for foolish wand-waving, and intolerable screeching of mispronounced spells."
"You are here to learn subtle science and the exact art of potion-making."
"Potions can ensnare the senses… bewitch the mind… slip you into Enchantment without you realizing. And keep your mouths shut. Today you will produce a simple cure for Boils Potion."
"Know that I expect perfection. And know that there will be severe consequences for failing to meet my expectations. Let's begin."
Before walking away, Snape's gaze locked onto Soren again.
He stepped closer to Soren's cauldron.
"Whitlock…"
"Don't do any mischief."
"My eyes are on you."
Snape turned sharply, his robes snapping like a whip as he moved to another student.
Jacqueline leaned over to whisper:
"Why does he look at you like that?"
"I don't know, he was quite biassed."
At the same time, Merula appeared beside him and snickered, "You think you're so special, but you are already guaranteed to fail, Soren."
"What's that supposed to mean," Soren asked, looking at her in confusion.
"You'll see."
She flicked her hair and walked away, sliding into her seat as if she owned the entire dungeon.
Jacqueline grabbed Soren's sleeve gently, pulling him back to focus.
"Ignore her, Soren, after getting reprimanded by Professor Snape, we need to brew this potion perfectly."
"You're right," Soren nodded.
They turned their attention forward just in time—
Snape stood at his desk, lighting a flame beneath his cauldron with a quick snap of his fingers.
"Watch closely. Anyone who cannot follow these instructions… should leave now."
He poured crushed horned slugs into simmering water.
The potion hissed violently.
Snape stirred counter-clockwise three times.
"If your potion produces green smoke,
you have already failed."
Jacqueline gulped.
Cassie leaned forward in awe. Penny scribbled every word furiously.
Soren tried focusing, but he could feel Snape's eyes flicking toward him every few seconds—watchful, judging.
Merula smirked from across the room, enjoying the pressure on him.
Snape continued the demonstration:
"Add porcupine quills only after removing the cauldron from the flame. If you do it early… your potion will explode."
Several first-years instantly went pale.
Jacqueline whispered.
"Okay. We can do this."
"Yeah."
They prepared their ingredients carefully.
Merula kept glancing over with a sly smile.
Snape kept prowling the rows like a shadowy predator.
And with trembling hands…
Soren lit the flame beneath his cauldron.