It took some doing, but Luke managed to calm his granddaughter down, and her bad mood finally passed.
A few days later, Herb and Daisy went back to work, while Albert and Nia stayed on at Charles Street for their summer holiday.
Albert would share passages from A History of Magic with his grandparents and perform the few spells he had mastered. He also spent some of his Galleons to order a Wizard's Chess set from Wiseacre's and started studying the game with Luke.
At first, Nia was terrified of the violent chess pieces, but she quickly grew to love the game.
The unfortunate result was that soon, nobody wanted to play with Albert. His skill had clearly surpassed everyone else's.
Wizard's Chess was, at its core, the same as regular chess, but the pieces were alive. You had to command them with verbal orders, making it feel more like directing an army in battle. If you tried to just pick up a piece, it would often jab you with its tiny weapon.
Normal people could play, but they couldn't command the pieces effectively. The pieces seemed to have minds of their own, always complaining and shouting things like, "Are you trying to lose?" or "Don't send me there! Send a pawn, sacrificing it is fine!"
Albert's learning progress was fast. During this time, he also completed a quest: [Luke's Regret], which awarded him 1,500 EXP. His total experience pool was now back at 30,000. It sounded like a lot, but in reality, it wouldn't last long. The higher a skill's level, the more EXP it took to upgrade, forcing him to rely on his EXP pool or precious skill points.
"Albert, are you sure this leaf is supposed to float?" Nia asked, staring at the leaf, which remained stubbornly on the ground.
"I think my wand movement is wrong," Albert said, a little frustrated. Wand movements were just as important as the incantation. A single wrong flick or a mispronunciation could cause the magic to fail—a common beginner's mistake.
With no teacher, he had to figure it out himself or burn his EXP to get the skill to Level 1 instantly. He preferred the former. It was just the Levitation Charm; he was confident he could master it.
"So magic really isn't that easy to learn," Nia said, a little impressed by Albert's patience. She certainly didn't have that much.
"Of course. It's like learning math. You have to go step-by-step," Albert said, giving his sister a push on the swing. "Don't give up until you're sure."
"Ugh, that kind of comfort again. I'm so tired of hearing it," Nia pouted, though she was still happy.
In truth, Nia had already guessed she probably didn't have any magical talent. After her talk with their grandfather, she wasn't as upset about it.
Later, when the park was empty, Albert tried the Levitation Charm one more time. He focused, performed the "swish and flick," and said clearly, "Wingardium Leviosa!"
This time, it worked. The leaf floated into the air.
Just then, Albert sensed someone was watching him. He quickly pocketed his wand and looked in the direction of the stare. An older boy was watching him.
"Need something?" Albert asked, raising an eyebrow. He wasn't afraid in the slightest. His Karate skill was Level 2. Even without a wand, he could easily take down a normal person.
Albert had learned Karate when he was eight to deal with bullies. After he made three older kids cry at school, everyone knew Albert Anderson was not to be messed with.
Daisy had been called to the school, but she had firmly stood by Albert and even called Herb for backup. The two of them had fully unleashed their lawyer skills, arguing the principal and the other parents into silence. After all, the three kids were all older than Albert. How could they cry to a teacher after losing a fight they started?
In the end, the matter was dropped.
It was at that moment that Albert had truly, fully accepted this new family as his own.
"You're a Hogwarts new student, aren't you?" the boy said. "You shouldn't be trying magic in a place like this. Someone will see. Normal people fear magic." He looked at the floating leaf with undisguised shock. He'd never seen a new student successfully cast that charm before even starting school.
"Thanks. I'll be careful," Albert said. He sensed no malice from the boy. He took his sister's hand to leave.
"I'm Gabriel. Gabriel Truman," the boy said, offering a friendly handshake. "I'm in Hufflepuff, and I live nearby. You're a first-year, right? Hope you get sorted into Hufflepuff."
"Hufflepuff?" Albert asked, feigning confusion.
"Oh, right, you wouldn't know about the four Houses or the Sorting Ceremony yet," Gabriel said. He was about to explain when an owl swooped down and dropped a letter at his feet.
"An owl? Now?" Gabriel mumbled, confused. He picked up the letter and opened it right there. His expression froze, and his face turned pale.
Nia sensed the sudden shift in atmosphere and hid behind Albert.
"What's wrong?" Albert asked, sensing trouble.
"I've... I've been expelled! Why?! How?!" Gabriel's face was a mask of confusion and fury. He looked like he might go mad. He couldn't understand why the Ministry had sent him a letter saying he was expelled for using a Levitation Charm in front of Muggles.
"Wait... it was you! It must have been you!" Gabriel's eyes landed on Albert, and he lunged.
In the next instant, the world spun. He was suddenly on the ground; the smaller boy had floored him. He felt a sharp pain in his wrist and cried out.
"Calm down," Albert said, his voice level. He had already figured it out. "It's not as bad as you think."
"I didn't even use the charm!" Gabriel roared, clutching his wrist. "I don't even have my wand on me!"
"I know. I'm the one who used it," Albert said calmly, pinning him. "We need to write to the school. Explain the situation. I'll be your witness. They won't just expel you like this. We should write to the Headmaster right now. One letter from each of us. Do you have an owl?"
"No," Gabriel said, his anger deflating into despair. He couldn't believe this kid was calmer than he was.
"Brother, look! It's Shera!" Nia pointed as Albert's snowy owl swooped toward them.
"Looks like Shera knew we needed her," Albert said, releasing his grip on Gabriel. "Owls really are amazing creatures."