Weeks passed by fast for the first years at Ilvermorny. They settled in nicely, gaining friends and learning about the school as they went.
Fila had since the surprise visit by Headmaster Fontaine buried herself in books. She wanted to learn about what happened and why. But she had been in this library for almost 2 months now and she had found nothing.
She put down the book she was reading on the desk in the dorm room. The outside was looking a lot more like fall.
As the school was located in a forest, and now with fall. It basically looked like a sea of orange, but sadly they were starting to lose leaves.
She sighed out loud in the room, making June look over.
"still haven't found anything?" she asked as she was reading a book in her bed.
Fila still looking out of the forest didn't answer, and she didn't need to, June understood.
June closed her book softly, watching Fila's reflection in the window rather than turning fully toward her.
"You've been at this every evening," she said gently. "Even Calla is starting to worry, and she pretends not to."
Fila rested her forehead briefly against the cool glass. Outside, the forest rolled endlessly in shades of amber and gold, the last stubborn leaves clinging to branches that swayed in the wind. It should have been calming. It wasn't.
"I just do not understand," Fila murmured. "Something happened. Everyone felt it. Fontaine knew it. And yet there is nothing written anywhere."
June slid off her bed and crossed the room, her footsteps quiet against the stone floor. "Maybe you are looking in the wrong way."
Fila turned. "What does that mean."
"I mean," June said, choosing her words carefully, "not everything important is in books."
Before Fila could respond, the dormitory door swung open with familiar energy.
Calla stepped inside, cheeks flushed from the cold corridors, a grin already forming. "You two are impossible to find lately."
Fila raised an eyebrow. "I wonder why."
Calla ignored the comment and dropped onto the nearest bed. "Because one of you lives in the library and the other refuses to leave her side."
June laughed. "What do you want, Calla."
"lets go to the duels, I want to watch fifth years" she said with a hurried voice.
Fila and June looked at each other, they knew very well why she wanted to go.
"I think a certain Wampus boy is there." June said with a smirk.
Calla's face exploded into a shade of red resembling a tomato. She didn't say anything as she left the room and slammed the door shut.
The two girls didn't wait long to follow her to the duel grounds.
The autumn air bit gently at their cheeks as they hurried across the grounds. Leaves skittered along the stone paths, caught in little whirlwinds that danced around their ankles. The dueling arena ahead buzzed with noise, laughter, and the sharp cracks of spells colliding.
Calla stood near the low wall, pretending very badly to look uninterested.
Fila slowed beside her. "We ran all the way here for you to stare at the ground?"
"I am not staring," Calla muttered.
June leaned closer to Fila. "She is absolutely staring."
The crowd suddenly shifted, a ripple of excitement moving through the gathered students. Two fifth years stepped into the arena, confident, wands already drawn.
And just a few steps behind them…
"There," June whispered.
Calla's posture straightened instantly.
The Wampus boy leaned casually against the stone railing, dark hair slightly messy, expression calm in that effortless way that made it seem like he belonged exactly where he stood. He laughed at something his friend said, and Calla nearly forgot how to breathe.
Fila noticed immediately. "Oh no."
"Oh yes," June replied, clearly enjoying this.
"I hate both of you," Calla said under her breath, though she did not look away for even a second.
The duel began with a sharp flash of light. Stunning spells flew fast, shields flared, and the watching students cheered at every near miss. The fifth years moved with precision, their magic controlled, deliberate.
Fila watched intently, eyes tracking every motion.
Calla watched too.
But not the duel.
June nudged her. "You are smiling."
"I am not."
"You absolutely are."
Before Calla could deny it again, a particularly loud impact rang through the arena. One duelist was knocked clean off balance, barely recovering before a follow up spell sent him sprawling onto the padded stone.
The crowd erupted.
And the Wampus boy clapped, grinning.
Calla's face turned red again.
Fila shook her head. "You are hopeless."
Calla finally tore her gaze away. "Quiet."
June laughed. "Do you even know his name?"
Calla hesitated.
Fila gasped dramatically. "You do not?"
"I was going to find out!"
"Sure you were," June said.
Another cheer rose as the duel ended. Students began moving again, voices overlapping, excitement spilling outward from the arena.
And then—
"Oh, hey."
The three girls froze.
Calla went completely still.
The Wampus boy stood just behind them, hands in his pockets, looking mildly amused.
"I've seen you around," he said, eyes landing directly on Calla.
Calla's brain appeared to shut down entirely.
June answered for her. "That is because she stares at you constantly."
"JUNE!"
Fila burst out laughing.
The boy blinked, then laughed softly. "Is that so?"
Calla looked like she wanted the ground to swallow her whole.
"I am Daniel," he said, offering a small smile.
Calla stared.
June elbowed her.
"Oh— right. Calla," she managed.
Fila stepped forward, still grinning. "Fila. And this menace is June."
Daniel chuckled. "Nice to officially meet you."
Calla looked like she might faint this time.
Daniel lingered with them as the crowd slowly thinned, the last echoes of the duel still hanging in the crisp afternoon air.
"That was a good match," he said, glancing back toward the arena. "Sloppy footwork at the start, though."
Fila's head tilted slightly. "You noticed that too?"
Daniel smiled. "Of course."
Calla looked between them, momentarily distracted from her internal crisis. "You both sound like professors."
June crossed her arms. "Fila criticizes everyone now. It is unbearable."
"I do not," Fila replied.
"You absolutely do."
Daniel laughed quietly, clearly enjoying the exchange. "You duel?"
"A little," Fila said.
"She's being modest," June added. "She's terrifying when she wants to be."
Calla nodded. "Unsettlingly calm."
Fila sighed. "I am standing right here."
Daniel's eyes flickered with curiosity. "Maybe I'll see that for myself someday."
Calla nearly stopped breathing again.
Fila noticed. So did June.
"Oh, you absolutely will," June said sweetly.
Calla shot her a murderous look.
They began walking back toward the castle together, leaves crunching softly beneath their shoes. The sky hung low and pale, sunlight filtered through drifting clouds.
Daniel had left with his friends which made Calla able to breath and talk like a normal person again.
The school had transformed for this Halloween. pumpkin were everywhere. Spider webs and skeleton decorations hung and walked around the school, scaring unsuspecting students. The food had evolved with it, serving pumpkin pies at dinner, and more fall style food like heavy warm soups.
Fila now sat with her roommates in the dinner hall. They were waiting for the other guys for a bit but abandoned that idea when it took them too long.
Calla was sitting looking over to the Wampus table to find her prince charming. June and Fila looked at each other and gave a knowing smirk.
But before they could do anything, one of the boys arrived.
Miles sat down next to Fila, he looked at the girls and gave a smile. "What did you do?" Fila asked casually, she knew something was up with that smile.
Miles sighed in defeat. "Can't hide anything from you." He began before taking a swig of juice. "Mason came up to us again and started making up shit, but before anything happened his prefects came in and dragged in back."
Mason hadn't stopped harassing Theo since that day when Fila had stopped them, he really was a pain and not only to them. He was the thorn in the school, annoying, dumb, ego as big as a troll and arrogant. He was always waving his parents success.
Fila was growing tired of it, he never dared to do anything to Theo while she was nearby. She had considered dueling him, but she was still a first year. Sure she knew her spells and how to use them, and she knew Mason wouldn't last long against her, or anyone. But she wasn't allowed to duel in first year. This had made her mad several time as she always wanted to duel.
She took another bite of her turkey leg in frustration at that thought.
June noticed immediately.
"You are doing that thing again," she said calmly.
Fila paused mid bite. "What thing."
"The silent brooding," Calla added, still scanning the Wampus table. "Very dramatic. Very you."
"I am not brooding."
"You are absolutely brooding," June replied.
Miles grinned. "It is a little scary."
Fila rolled her eyes but said nothing. The hall buzzed with its usual evening energy. Floating candles drifted lazily beneath the enchanted ceiling, their warm light reflecting off the Halloween decorations that still lingered. Pumpkins glowed along the walls, some carved with playful faces, others shifting expressions when no one looked directly at them.
Moments after Theo and Elliot joined them as well. They didn't say anything and just began eating. This kind of had become normal activities so the others didn't have any reactions.
That following weekend.
Boom! Echoed through the halls of the school. The source of it was of course Fila's early training. She had decided to start doing these at least every weekend, she wanted to train more than they did in classes. She felt that it was going to slow for her taste.
She had spoken with the Defense against Unfriendly Magic teacher, David Hale. He thought it was a good idea for her to train, but did say that she shouldn't hurry these things too much. He also stood by and watched her spells and gave some pointers and praise. Fila had always had an easier time with spells then most. And the professor saw that, often her spells started before she even finished the incantation. Professor David even said that I should consider training without wand.
It was an absurd thought to her, sure she had heard of it. But wands felt natural and just a part of it all now.
Fila now stood in the training hall, the dummies smoking from being hit repeatedly for over an hour. The stamina training was progressing very well. She now could shoot spells and move around for more than an hour. Before she barley managed thirty minutes.
And her wand work and spells felt better, did more and faster.
But she had one thing she really needed to focus on. Potions, the thorn in her side. She has several times failed making a potion because of simple mistakes, and her professor was growing rather frustrated.
This had let to her sitting with the alchemy books longer than she had with any other, and a lot of extra time in the potion classroom.
"Now add the leaves, slowly." Said professor Crowley.
Fila concentrated to the max, she dropped the leaf and stirred the cauldron slowly counterclockwise just like the recipe said. After two minutes the potion changed color.
Professor Crowley clapped her hand. "Good work Ophelia, you did it." she said with relief.
She smiled lightly as the potion. Slowly but surely she was getting closer to understanding it. Fila had even sent for Elsbeth to prepare some things for her to train even more when they went of Christmas holiday.
But other than having a hard time in potions. She was doing really well in the other subjects, transfiguration was okay not the strongest, charms was easy since she had trained with Rowan a lot. History was boring but going well. Herbology was one of the top three subjects for her, Fila loved flowers and got along great with professor Naya O Connell.
The classmates were struggling, most of them were strong in different classes. So helping each other didn't really work out. But since Fila was a mixed back except in potions, she was often seen helping her classmates do homework or understanding something.
Stella who was a fifth year had been a huge help, and was the reason Fila had managed to become friends with most of the upper classes.
They were now sitting in the dinner hall eating evening dinner.
"Fila, have you thought about doing elemental magic?" Tristian asked.
She looked confused. "How do I even start training something like that?" she go a nudge from the side by Stella who was annoyed that Fila had spoken with her mouth full of bread.
"Just ask the librarian about elemental books, and say you want to learn." He answered as he took a bit of his pumpkin pie.
Fila started thinking about how cool it would be to use lightning or fire.
She didn't waste much time after she had finished her meal to head straight to the library. There wasn't anyone else here.
"And what can I help with today, Ophelia?" the librarian asked from the counter.
The librarian or rather Lydia Ashcroft is tall and elegant, with straight black hair cut to her shoulders and sharp dark eyes. She wears long dark robes with subtle silver threading and moves almost silently. Her expression is reserved, but softens when students show genuine curiosity. She always smells faintly of old books and ink.
"I'm looking into elemental magic, some of the fifth years told me about it today."
Lydia sighed, "Those children." She sighed. "Elemental magic is very difficult, especially for a first year." But she stood up anyway and walked towards a shelf in the back right of the library. Fila didn't say anymore and just followed her.
"If you really want to start you need to start slowly, and carefully." She handed Fila two books. "The first one is a history and explanation and the second is a little easy starter guide." She said but a hint of worry was plastered on her face. "DO be careful." She gave a stern warning but didn't stop her.
The books were old, dusty and the paper and binding were almost falling apart.
"and with these books I am required to notify the headmaster that you have them, nothing serious its just an old rule." She said.
Fila didn't bother to listen, she really didn't care as long as the headmaster didn't tell her to do something she didn't want to.
The school had settled into its evening mood, as the sun had set and students huddled in their dorms and common rooms, the hallways were empty except for the occasional older students couples meeting up. A lot of students often got together with other houses making it harder to cuddle in their houses. Not because they couldn't do it in the houses, but because some didn't like having other rivals in their common rooms and dorms. But most didn't care.
Fila entered her dorm to find her roommates sitting by the windows eating snacks.
June stood up and walked over to see the books. "are you really going to try?" she asked curiously.
She nodded. "Yes, why not."