Children of Chaos, Masters of Shadow
Swish. Swish.
In the midst of absolute darkness, only the fleeting flash of sparks revealed for an instant the presence of two figures in motion. The sound of daggers clashing echoed briefly before everything fell again into sepulchral silence.
Swish.
During one of the clashes, the faint light allowed the faces of the duelists to be seen: Runa and Cedric, measuring their skills purely by instinct, without relying on sight.
Then, silence returned. It was an absolute void, as if the entire world had stopped.
Until, suddenly…
"Ugh!"
The cry, unmistakably male, broke the calm. The voice was Cedric's, followed by hurried footsteps, a rush of movements that stirred the air like invisible blades.
More attacks rained down on him from multiple angles. Cedric, panting, did everything he could to defend himself.
"I give up!" he finally shouted, exhausted.
Then, as if his words had activated a switch, a soft light turned on in the center of the room. The room revealed its chaos: furniture scattered everywhere, cut as if it had been dragged through a storm of blades. Some had been strategically placed as obstacles.
Runa watched him from the shadows with a clearly amused expression.
"Well… at least this time you lasted one second longer," she said, tossing her dagger into the air before catching it again with a dismissive grace.
Cedric, for his part, was covered in thin cuts and lacerations. None were deep, but all were in dangerously precise spots. While drinking a potion that began to close his wounds with magical speed, he let out a sigh of frustration.
"How much longer are we going to train in the dark?" he asked, exhausted.
"You actually already passed the test," Runa replied calmly, sitting on a sofa that had so many marks it barely kept its shape. "You managed to find me in the darkness without bumping into the furniture. That was the important part."
"Then why are we still fighting? It hurts!"
"Of course it hurts. You have to get used to pain. Although I'd like to do it like the Assassin's Guild and really torture you… but I think the master would get mad."
Her gaze took on a disturbing gleam, and Cedric felt a chill run down his spine.
"Did they do that to you?" he asked, a little shakily.
Runa looked at him as if he had just asked if fire was wet.
"Are you crazy? Who would dare to touch a Dragonborn's apprentice? No one survives something like that." Her tone was mocking, but her words carried a heavy truth. "It's curious how no one here even realizes how terrifying the master can be. Maybe because he's always at that school, teaching like he's just a simple professor."
She leaned back more comfortably, smiling at the memory.
"Although he says his students and children are walking disasters… I'd say 90% of the chaos is his fault. Every place he stepped into ended in destruction. Do you know what it's like to fight a real dragon? Beasts capable of destroying countries and with magic more powerful than any archmage."
Cedric swallowed hard.
"Dragons were really that powerful in your world?"
"They were considered gods. Their magic didn't need words or wands. They shouted… and reality obeyed. The master's Shouts come from them. Their priests were monsters imbued with power, ruling like tyrants. Humans could barely trap them… but never hurt them. Only the master could kill them. He devoured their souls. And each soul made him stronger. There came a point when he could defeat them with his fists."
Silence grew heavy again, until Runa stood up suddenly.
"Alright, let's change the training. Now you'll learn to track a target."
Cedric, still impressed, quickly followed her.
…
Meanwhile, in the Forbidden Forest…
Einar remained still, arms crossed, like a statue carved from stone. Next to him, Lucia imitated his posture with the same solemnity… although in her case, it was more play than discipline. Her eyes sparkled with curiosity as she observed the surroundings.
In front of them, Hermione, Harry, and Neville looked around with a certain unease. The forest seemed to absorb the sunlight, leaving the atmosphere cloaked in a dense twilight. The leaves rustled with each breeze, and branches like claws intertwined above their heads.
"Alright," said Einar in a calm tone, sensing their tension. "There are no enemies nearby."
His voice cut through the air like a sword, clear and direct.
"Today you'll learn how to follow tracks, how to properly use the Clairvoyance spell, and how to overcome any obstacles in your way."
The three nodded immediately, straightening as if preparing for a particularly difficult exam.
"First, tell me… do you know how Clairvoyance works?"
Hermione raised her hand instantly, as confident as ever.
"It leads you to the place you need to find," she replied.
"Almost." Einar paused. "But actually, the spell guides you to the place you should go. Needing and should… are different things. Clairvoyance is a very useful spell, but its effectiveness depends on who casts it. If you have good control, you can modify the direction, force a target change, or even visualize multiple paths at the same time."
Einar walked slowly toward a nearby rock, and upon placing his hand on it, several blue lines appeared on the surface, as if they responded to his touch.
"However, if you just follow the line without thinking, you could end up somewhere completely different. Sometimes it only shows an approximate path, and it's up to you to read the environment to find the true entrance. It's not a magical GPS. It's more like… amplified instinct."
The three students nodded, understanding the difference. It was complex magic. It required the mind, not just a wand.
"Hagrid told me about a Niffler that escaped this morning," Einar continued. "Your duty is to find it before any creature in the forest does. Use Clairvoyance. Look for footprints, traces, any clue. Move."
The order was clear, and the three set off quickly, wands held high. A bluish glow began to form from their hands, and the first lines of the spell started to draw in the air.
Lucia, meanwhile, stayed behind, watching with wide, shining eyes.
"Dad… what's a Niffler?" she asked softly.
"A small, furry creature that has an obsession with shiny things," Einar replied calmly, without looking at her directly.
"And is it in danger?" The worry was clear on her face.
"Yes."
"Then… I'm going to help too!" she exclaimed with determination, and without waiting for permission, ran after the others.
Einar watched her in silence, with that mix of resignation and patience that only a father of a half-demon girl could have. For a moment, he thought about stopping her… but then he sighed and lowered his arms.
"Alright…" he murmured. "Just don't turn the Niffler into your pet… like all the others."
And with that, he stepped into the shadow of the trees, following them from a distance. There was still much to learn… and soon, the forest would teach them its own challenges.
—
Harry, Hermione, and Neville walked with focus, casting the Clairvoyance spell as they followed the glowing blue line that slid over the ground like a magical snake. The line weaved between roots, branches, and stones—sometimes clear, sometimes blurry—forcing them to pay close attention to each step.
But then they noticed something curious.
Lucia was walking calmly beside them, also using Clairvoyance, although her version of the spell was... peculiar. Her magic line only advanced three steps before vanishing completely. Then, the girl would cast it again, take three more steps, and repeat the process as if she were playing magical hopscotch.
Hermione blinked.
"What are you doing?" she asked, confused.
"Helping you," replied Lucia, as if the question were the silliest thing in the world.
"Yeah, but… why does your spell only mark such a short distance?" asked Harry, puzzled.
Lucia tilted her head, thoughtful.
"Mmm… because it's easier to follow that way. If I cast it too far, I tend to lose sight of it. And I get lost."
Harry blinked.
"You get lost following a glowing line on the ground?"
"Yes," she answered completely naturally, before casting the spell again and taking three more steps with a calm smile.
Hermione held back a laugh.
"Why don't you come with us while we use the spell? That way you could help us look for clues instead of casting it every few seconds."
Lucia stopped, looked at Hermione with thoughtful eyes… and nodded with a light "mmm".
"Okay."
Einar, for his part, walked a few meters behind them. Not only was he watching their progress… he was also keeping the forest creatures at bay. His mere presence seemed enough to deter even the most fearsome predators.
Suddenly, Lucia's sharp voice broke the silence.
"I found something!" she exclaimed, pointing to a branch tangled in a bush. Hanging from it was a small ball of dark, shiny fur.
Hermione stepped closer and smiled as she examined it.
"It's from the Niffler! We're heading in the right direction."
With renewed enthusiasm, the four quickened their pace, following the trail.
…
Meanwhile, in the Hogwarts library…
The soft murmur of pages turning and the sound of books floating gracefully created a peaceful atmosphere. Fleur Delacour walked between shelves, pushing a cart full of ancient volumes. With graceful wand movements, the books rose one by one to place themselves neatly in their proper spots.
For a moment, Fleur felt a gaze piercing her back. She turned quickly, but only saw a girl sitting at a nearby table, reading with a concentrated expression.
Did I imagine it? she thought, placing a hand over her chest.
She turned around to continue… but nearly screamed when she found the same girl now standing right in front of her, staring up with pale blue, curious eyes.
"Ah!" exclaimed Fleur, placing a hand over her heart with a nervous smile. "You scared me."
"Can I ask you something?" said the girl softly, pointing at Fleur's waist. "Where did you get that?"
Fleur looked down. The black mask hung from her belt, with magical golden details that made it stand out.
"Ah, this… Professor Einar gave it to me. I haven't returned it yet," she replied, running her hand over it with slight embarrassment.
The girl raised an eyebrow at her.
"He lent you one of his masks… with no time limit?" she asked with an inquisitive tone. "Normally he only lends them for a couple of days. They're quite powerful objects." She paused. "How long have you had it?"
Fleur frowned. The girl's words threw her off. How did she know so much?
"For over a month," she admitted, a bit nervous.
"Mmm… that long?" The girl smiled, but not innocently—there was a hint of mischief in it. Then she looked her directly in the eyes. "Do you like my dad?"
Fleur froze.
"Y-your dad is who?"
"Einar. Einar is my dad," the girl replied with total calm, as if saying something as simple as "it's going to rain today."
"W-what…? You're Professor Einar's daughter? Oh, sorry..." Fleur stammered, visibly nervous. "He told me he had children, but I never imagined it was you… I've been a bit busy… and distracted. Nice to meet you, I'm Fleur Delacour."
The girl didn't respond right away. She just looked at her with a neutral expression and crossed arms, evaluating every word and gesture as if deciding something important.
"Mmm… I don't need an answer," she finally said with an enigmatic tone. "But if you act like that… I'll be watching you."
And with that ambiguous warning, Sofie turned on her heels and began to walk away with a serene pace, almost worthy of a princess.
However, just as she passed by Fleur, her face lit up with a mischievous smile—a mix of contained excitement and pure playfulness that she didn't even try to hide.