In The Morning
In a corner of the kitchen, a woman with voluminous curly hair was busy making breakfast for the children. She was Jucy, Neval's biological mother and the aunt (adoptive mother) of Juston and Lena.
"Hurry up, kids! Breakfast is ready," Jucy called out.
A girl with long, with long red hair came down the stairs: "Good morning, Aunt Jucy."
Jucy looked up toward the stairs, then turned to Lena: "Where are those two boys?"
Lena sat down at the dining table, holding a hot bun her aunt had just finished making: "They're probably finishing up a round of the game upstairs."
Jucy raised her voice to call the two boys: "Neval, Juston!"
The two boys raced down the stairs, still playing around.
"That was just the start, Neval." "Clearly, you lost this round," Neval laughed.
"Jucy's voice sharpened: 'If you boys are late, I will ground both of you in your rooms!'"
Lena was curious: "Aunt Jucy, will I be studying there too?"
Jucy smiled gently at her: "Of course, Lena. Your parents and Juston's parents were great wizards. I hope you two grow up to be good wizards like them."
Family Background
Lena and Juston's parents passed away when they were only two years old. Unlike other families, their parents were among the best wizards in their group.
The founder of the group was Micheal (Juston's father), and he married Tigkin (Juston's mother), who was also a member of the group. The group consisted of Micheal, Tigkin, Jucy, Jasso, and Belliff.
Jasso and Jucy married and had their son, Neval. Lena's mother was Belliff.
They thought their lives would be happy forever, but fate had other plans. During Christmas, the group decided to visit the school and attend the Christmas celebration. Since the children were too young, Jucy and Jasso stayed home to look after them. They had no idea what would happen that night.
While the entire school was having dinner, a surge of dark energy appeared and surrounded the hall. A student in a black cloak appeared in the middle of the hall instead of wearing the school uniform. To protect the students and the school, they sacrificed themselves in the battle.
At home, the group's necklace kept ringing, making Jucy restless and worried. When she received the letter from Regort, she soaked Tigkin's knitted scarf with tears. Vowing to the team to be strong, she and her husband raised the three children. Though not her biological children, Lena and Juston were always loved dearly by them.
Neval wondered while eating: "Does every wizard have to go to Regort when they turn 11?"
Jucy stroked his head: "That's right, Neval. But it's not compulsory. If you don't like it, you can stay."
Juston wiped the bread crumbs from his mouth: "Are Muggles not allowed to go there?"
Lena, holding a warm glass of milk, replied: "Of course not. That school is only for wizards. Even if it's located on the street, only wizards will know about it, Muggles won't."
Neval: "I'm done eating. I'll go pack my bags now."
Jucy cleared the plates and cups on the table: "No need to do that, I've packed for you, but there won't be any game console in there."
Jasso stood outside the door with the car he usually drove to work, calling inside: "When are we leaving?"
"Right now. The children are finished eating," Jucy replied.
At That Time
A tall young man, about 20 years old, with messy hair from just waking up, held a hot cup of coffee in his left hand and a letter in his right.
"Rissy, you've got mail!"
"Who would send me a letter?" — A girl about 11 years old, with shoulder-length hair and a streak of silver, ran out.
"Are you sure it's not mail from Rosie to the little one?" — A gentle, hazel-haired woman stepped out of the kitchen.
Rissy's Family Background
Rissy is a lively girl who lives in a Muggle family, but her family life wasn't much better than Juston and Lena's. Since she was born, her parents had been constantly arguing, with fights lasting up to half an hour.
She has an older brother, Laster, who was 11 when she was born. When she was four, her parents divorced, forcing her brother to work and support her since childhood. Seven years later, Rissy is 11, and Laster is 22, married to Arlist.
Occasionally, Rosie (her mother) sends money to the two siblings, but Laster never spends any of it. He raised Rissy and supported himself through his own hard work. Currently, he works at a major technology company and continues to provide for her.
"No, she already read it."
"It's a letter of admission," Rissy said in surprise.
"A letter of admission?"
"Let me see, Rissy," Arlist took the letter from her hand.
Rissy: "Do you know what it is exactly? I read it, but I don't quite understand."
Arlist laughed lightly and handed the letter back to Rissy:
"It's an acceptance letter to Regort School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. It trains young wizards from 11 to 18 years old. You're invited to attend that school."
"A wizard? Since when was Rissy a wizard?" Laster frowned.
"That's her destiny; she's been a wizard since birth, not something that happens later," Arlist explained to him.
Just Then
A woman with a slightly large figure, many wrinkles but not clearly old, wearing a floor-length black cloak, pushed the door open and entered.
Laster turned around, looking at her with an expression that was either surprised or annoyed.
"Who are you?"
"I am Cramdius, a professor at Regort School. I'm here to take Rissy to the school, if she wishes to go," she said, looking up.
"You must be the Professor of Care of Magical Creatures, aren't you?" Arlist stepped forward.
"How do you know who I am? You don't look like any wizard I've taught," Cramdius eyed Arlist suspiciously.
"My sister used to study there."
"What is your sister's name?"
"I don't quite remember. My sister and I didn't have a good relationship, so I haven't been with her since childhood."
Cramdius stared intently into her eyes, then narrowed her own slightly: "Your eyes look familiar, but I can't quite place who you resemble."
"But where is that school?" Laster interjected into the conversation.
"In a place so far away that you wouldn't know it, nor can you see it," the Professor said.
"So how will she come back home?"
Arlist gently patted his shoulder: "The school is like a boarding school; it has dormitories for students and provides meals. Students only return home during Christmas or holidays. It means Rissy will be staying there as if it were home, and we'll meet again at Christmas."
"Now, do you understand? Otherwise, your little girl will be late," the Professor said, urging them on.
Rissy dragged her suitcase from the stairs to where her brother and sister-in-law stood: "I'll come back during the holidays."
Arlist turned to the Professor: "So how can we contact her?"
"Send a letter." Having said that, she handed them a piece of paper. "If you have any further questions, just read this."
Arlist patted Rissy's shoulder gently: "Have a fun school year, Rissy. Your brother and I will miss you very much."
Rissy looked at both her brother and sister-in-law: "Me too!" Rissy's innocent voice made both of them feel worried and sad.
A While Later, Arrival at The Wizard's Crossroads
ON NEVAL, LENA, AND JUSTON'S SIDE
Neval looked around, his eyes sparkling: "Wow! Everything here looks absolutely amazing!"
Jasso pulled him closer: "You should stay close to your father to avoid getting lost."
The street was packed; although the road wasn't wide, there were many people there.
Jucy turned towards a shop: "We're heading to Wirben's shop first to buy wands."
At The Wand Shop
Cramdius: "Try flicking it, Rissy."
Rissy nodded and gently flicked the wand. A bright blue light flared up on the wand like a thread, then quickly faded.
Wirben: "That wand is the most eye-catching one in my shop, young lady."
"It's wonderful that I own it." Rissy smiled lightly, her eyes full of cleverness.
The door opened
Jucy's family entered, their eyes unable to stay in one place, darting around.
Jucy looked around the shop and asked: "It seems like you haven't redecorated the shop since that day. It still looks so familiar."
Wirben laughed: "I still remember the day you came to choose your wand, looking annoyed when you received a wand that didn't look very pretty."
Lena stood behind: "It looks so antique."
"Buying wands for the children, Jucy?" Cramdius turned around, smiling teasingly at Jucy.
Jucy froze for half a second, then stepped closer to the Professor: "Professor Cramdius! Your figure looked familiar but also somewhat unfamiliar, I couldn't guess. These are Neval, Lena, and Juston; I'm taking the children to buy wands."
Cramdius: "Are they first-years?"
Jucy: "Yes. I hope that this school year, the children will gain a better understanding of the existence of wizards like themselves."
Cramdius smiled: "That's wonderful. This is Rissy, a first-year Muggle-born student, and I'm taking her to buy supplies."
Jucy smoothed Rissy's hair: "Oh, the girl is really cute!"
Cramdius glanced up at the old, ancient wooden clock in Wirben's shop.
"Oh dear, it's late. You take Rissy to the train for me, please, I have something to attend to now," the Professor said hastily, rushing off.
"Certainly," Jucy replied.
Wirben handed Juston a wand: "You try it."
Juston flicked the wand confidently. The candles in the corner of the shop magically lit up.
Wirben smiled lightly, looking for a wand for Neval: "Let me find a wand for you, Verlin."
Having said that, he pulled a brand-new-looking box from the shelf for Neval.
The boy flicked the wand clumsily. The light bulbs in the shop quickly went out, shattering into pieces of glass, leaving only the candlelight Juston had lit.
Wirben quickly shook his head, looking for another wand to replace the broken one.
Neval's face fell: "The wand didn't like me."
Wirben handed him a wand that looked older: "I think this one will be fine."
Neval sighed and flicked the wand. Unlike before, the cracks on the lightbulb he had broken suddenly healed, shining as if nothing had happened.
Jucy clapped and laughed: "Well done, Neval!"
When it was Lena's turn, the flowers in the room bloomed vibrantly, spreading their fragrance throughout the shop.
Neval gasped: "Wow! That's truly marvelous!"
At "The Seventh Half Station"
IN CABIN NUMBER 5
The wheels of the sweets trolley rattled down the train aisle. An elderly woman with bushy hair pushed a trolley full of candies and snacks toward them:
"A little chocolate, little wizards?"
Juston shook his head: "No thanks, I'm full."
Lena: "I'll take a chocolate bar."
Canvi: "Which flavor do you choose?"
Lena: "Which one is the most popular?"
Canvi: "I think the brown one."
Neval: "I'll take a white one!"
Canvi handed them the chocolate bars.
When Canvi left, a girl stood at the door of the train compartment and asked: "May I sit here? All the other compartments are packed."
Lena smiled: "Of course!"
Rissy sat next to Lena and began introducing herself: "I'm Rissy Keila. We just met at the shop earlier. Shall we be friends?"
Lena: "I'm Lena Julier, and those two are Juston Role and Neval Verlin."
Juston looked at Rissy: "Are you an acquaintance of Professor Cramdius?"
Rissy shook her head: "Not at all. I didn't even know I was a wizard, let alone know the Professor. She told me, 'Every year there are 2–3 Muggle-born students, and a Professor along with some graduate wizards will guide them.'"
Neval, with a mouthful of chocolate: "You're a Muggle-born wizard?"
Lena gently nudged Neval: "You need to speak more politely, Neval. Put the chocolate bar down or finish it before asking."
Rissy nodded: "Yes, I'm Muggle-born. I also didn't expect to be a wizard until I read the acceptance letter."
Juston: "Did your parents agree to let you go to school?"
Rissy: "I don't live with them. They left my brother and me when I was four."
"Juston and I are similar to you. But they didn't leave us; they passed away when he and I were only two," Lena said.
Just then, a voice rang out at the compartment door:
"Your names sound pretty cool, huh!" A boy with gray hair tinged with platinum stepped in.
"I'm Detus Aliss. And these are Rugi and Regurn." A short-haired girl and a boy entered.
Juston slightly frowned: "The Aliss family? The great Pureblood line?"
Detus smirked faintly. Rugi came closer to Rissy: "You're a Muggle-born wizard, aren't you?"
"Is there a problem?" Rissy countered.
Rugi just smiled, then stepped back behind Detus. Lena asked sternly: "What are you doing here? Just to say that?"
"Of course not," Regurn replied. Regurn: "We're here to make acquaintances."
"Well, isn't that a fateful encounter, huh?" Rissy sneered.
"Yes. A fateful encounter to meet a half-blood like you," Detus retorted.
Rugi snickered, and Regurn nodded while chewing a piece of cake.
"People have proper names, you know! Don't call me that," Keila exclaimed, irritated.
Detus smirked: "Then it's a nickname; isn't that nice too?"
Neval spoke up: "You're being a bit too much."
Detus turned and glared lightly at Neval.
"You must be Verlin, right?" Rugi asked him.
"Yes," Neval replied with a confused tone.
Regurn: "What about the redhead and the black-haired one?"
"Lena, Juston. There's no redhead or black-haired one here," Lena replied with a serious tone.
Regurn turned to Rissy: "And what about…"
"The half-blood," Detus interjected.
"What exactly is your name?" Regurn looked at Rissy.
"It must be Keila," the boy interrupted Regurn once again, as if he knew the name by heart.
"That's enough!" Rissy snapped, her voice full of annoyance.
Lena gave them a light glare: "If you have nothing more to say, you should go somewhere else to make acquaintances."
The three of them left under Rissy's furious silver gaze.
"Just ignore them; you don't deserve those comments," Juston comforted her.
"At least they should think before they speak!" Rissy sounded like she was venting all her frustration.
Neval sighed: "But you're pretty gutsy. Aliss is the greatest, richest, and most talented Pureblood family. That guy must not be easy to deal with either."
"Greatest, yet he has that kind of attitude? That's weird."
"Let's just forget about it. I have some chocolate left; do you want some?" Lena changed the subject so her new friend wouldn't be upset.
Rissy nodded but didn't reach out for the chocolate: "Thanks. I'm not very hungry."
The sky began to darken, and the sounds of laughter and chatter blended together. It seemed no one was paying attention to the sky now; they must be nearing their school.