Over the past month, Noah's parents and his grandfather had noticed that he was testing his magic while alone in his room. For a moment, they were concerned, wondering if a child should be allowed to experiment with magic without proper guidance.
However, Charlie, Noah's grandfather, decided it was better to let him explore on his own. When the topic of teaching Noah magic came up, Charlie gave a response that surprised Adam and Laura.
"I thought that the day after he controlled his first sock, he'd ask to go to the library," Charlie said, sitting in his armchair with a glass of whiskey on the table in front of him. He looked at Adam and Laura and asked, "Have you ever wondered why he hasn't gone after any books?"
The couple looked puzzled and only then realized that, indeed, Noah had never asked for a single book—something one would expect from someone so curious and dedicated.
Charlie took a sip of his drink and continued, "I think he's understanding his magic on his own, finding answers from his own mistakes… It's incredible, and somewhat frightening."
"He's a magical genius, I can say that for certain," he added, falling silent afterward.
Laura pondered. She herself was considered a talented witch but had only shown her potential after receiving formal magical education at school.
"If that's the case, wouldn't it be better to teach him some theories? Some basic concepts? So he can learn faster?" she suggested.
Charlie shook his head. "Nick sent me a letter about Noah," he said, referring to a trusted acquaintance. Adam and Laura listened carefully, knowing Nick had sharp insight into magic and years of experience.
Charlie took another sip and continued: "He said Noah could be even more talented than we imagined… In his words, if no one taught him levitation magic, how can he make objects float? Doing it by accident is one thing, but intentionally? Not even Dumbledore could do that at Noah's age."
"He asked me that, unless Noah requests it, we should keep him away from books for now."
"Why?" Adam asked, confused.
It was Laura who answered, seeming to understand something. "So as not to limit his creativity… Books have rules and concepts presented as absolutes. If he starts following these patterns, he may lose the ability to discover things on his own."
Thanks to his family's understanding of his unique talent, Noah had complete freedom to explore his magic. As long as he stayed in his room, no one disturbed him.
During that month, he had managed to control ten socks simultaneously. However, once he tried to do the same without visual contact, he hit a block that left him stagnant for half a month—until, finally, he succeeded in making the first sock float with his eyes closed.
His approach had to adapt. In his mind, he visualized the sock floating. Mental visualization replaced the act of seeing, though it was much harder. To make it easier, he chose a simple sock, completely white and without details, which he could imagine clearly.
And just like the first time he made an object float, once he took the first step, everything became easier.
Another month passed quickly.
During this time, Noah did not skip a single day of training. This allowed him to understand much about his magic, his body, and his mind.
He discovered that the source of magic in his body wasn't fixed, like an organ, but spread throughout his being. Each day he pushed his body to exhaustion, after rest, brought both qualitative and quantitative improvement. Magic came from the world itself, and he had no "magical core." A wizard's body only served as a channel for magic. It was through the wizard that the world's pure magic could be converted into spells.
It was a complex concept, but Noah liked it. After all, it meant that, as long as he could endure without collapsing, he could potentially use vast amounts of magic at once. Although he didn't yet know how that would be possible, the fact that it didn't seem impossible was enough.
Of course, like any normal body, he needed rest proportional to the strain. Pushed beyond his limit without resting, the effects were terrible. Noah discovered this the hard way, suffering a magical rebound.
The sensation was as if he had become hollow, his body an empty shell, and the pain was unbearable.
Thus, Noah learned not to push beyond what he considered safe. Sometimes, he trained only a few hours a day and rested the rest. He already knew rest restored his magic, but he had never imagined he could improve through daily use and controlled strain. Perhaps it was because in his previous life, he had never been fully "charged" with magic. Little by little, he felt he was discovering something new about himself and his magic.
It was a good feeling, making him feel like a true wizard. A scholarly wizard, seeking his essence in magic, his path to power.
Thus, sleeping, eating, and training became his daily routine. In addition to aiding in physical recovery, sleep was essential for both body and mind. Practicing magic imposed an immense strain on the body, and likely because he still had a child's physique, Noah felt the wear almost deadly for his small frame.
But his family was wealthy, allowing him to eat the best food in any quantity he wanted. He was well-nourished and growing rapidly, an extremely healthy child.
However, there was no comparison between physical and mental strain. Each passing week, Noah realized that the mind was the most important asset for a wizard. Everything passed through his mind: every idea, every action. How quickly could he think? With what intensity could he visualize an object?
He knew he needed to find a way to improve his mind. Of course, being still in development, there were natural limitations. But he found ways to exercise his brain, learning new things.
Due to his genius, he was excused from English classes. However, his mother did not let him neglect French, and he spent several hours each week studying the language. Over time, he realized this wasn't bad. Studying something outside of magic helped his mind rest.
It was a time to exercise his brain without exhausting it. It was good, and he knew his mother was pleased. Learning new things made his brain work, but since nothing normal could compare to learning magic, it was slower, yet safe and less tiring.
His father, jealous of the time Noah spent with Laura, convinced him to take piano lessons. Noah didn't refuse for a moment and thus found a second passion: music.
The beginning was difficult, but he was resilient. When he liked something, he always gave his best. Some nights at the Gray mansion were filled with music and dancing.
His father played the piano, and his mother pulled him into dances. When his grandfather drank more than usual, Charlie joined in, sometimes taking over the piano, other times dancing.
It was a happy life. Even when not studying magic, Noah enjoyed these moments and wanted to protect them at all costs. That's why he never slacked in his magic studies. It was a cycle that drove him to seek power—not just for himself, but for those he loved.