The sun was setting behind the trees when everyone stopped in a wide green clearing, where the grass swayed gently in the evening breeze.
"We'll spend the night here," announced Godric, unloading a leather bag with the energy of someone who could fight a troll and then sleep like a baby.
When we reached the clearing, I was two blinks away from becoming a zombie. Between the hike, the existential shock, and my newly discovered ability to set myself on fire (in a controlled way... I hope), I needed a break urgently.
While Helga used her magic to light a campfire with the same affection as a grandmother making hot chocolate for her family, I approached a small nearby stream. The water running through it was clear and cold to the touch, looking just like the rivers in cheap TV commercials.
I knelt down, cupped some water in my hands, and washed my face. I felt the fatigue ease a little, as the water washed away all the grime of the day... and my accumulated stress since my bike was almost stolen.
When I leaned over the stream to look at my reflection in the water...
I froze.
My eyes. My eyes were no longer the same color.
Where once there had been a pair of perfectly ordinary brown eyes that had never impressed anyone but my mother or grandmother, now there were two violet irises that shone with great intensity. It was like having two light bulbs for eyes... an internal LED.
"What... the hell?" I blinked several times, hoping it was the light, that the water was deceiving me, or that I was hallucinating from so much revelation. But nothing. They were still there. A strong violet color. Generic anime protagonist level.
My first thought was more logical and profound:
"Okay, this is great... it could help me with people."
My second thought was a little less profound, to say the least:
"Excellent, I'm already a full-fledged main character!"
And my third thought was one I didn't expect to have, but it came anyway:
"Thank goodness I still have the same white skin and black hair... I don't even want to imagine how they would treat me here if that had changed."
I wasn't stupid. I was in a medieval world, and if history had made one thing clear about any era before 1950, it was that ethnic diversity was not exactly its strong suit.
Appearing with violet eyes was already strange enough; changing everything else could have been a recipe for the next bonfire to have my name on it. Because if there was one thing they hated even more than witchcraft, it was people... who were different from them.
I looked at myself in the water again. My hair was still as black as ever, somewhat unruly, refusing to obey me even in another universe. Well, at least something remained, a point in favor of continuity.
I put my hand on my chest and took a deep breath.
"Arthur," I said to myself quietly, "violet eyes aren't the worst thing that's happened to you today. In fact, they're probably in the top three best things that have ever happened to you. Make the most of it."
Behind me, I heard Rowena calling.
"Arthur, come on. Dinner's ready."
I stood up, still processing the change, but unable to stop a smile from appearing on my face.
Violet eyes. Magic and Hogwarts just a day away. If the universe wanted to make me the protagonist, it was definitely doing a spectacular job.
I returned to camp and the scene looked like something out of a fairy tale. The campfire crackled with sparks rising into the sky like little fireflies trying to escape, and a delicious aroma of what I thought was stew filled the air.
We sat on blankets spread around the fire. Edwin settled down next to me with an expression that was both curious and nervous.
Helga handed out a bowl to each of us with what appeared to be a thick vegetable stew and something I hoped was just regular beef or pork and not, I don't know, a "magical mutant rabbit."
It didn't matter, it smelled delicious.
"Be careful, it's hot," Helga warned me with an amused expression and a motherly smile.
I took the first bite and almost cried.
"This... this is fabulous," I murmured, trying not to sound like someone who hadn't eaten in two days, although technically... I had.
Godric laughed heartily.
"If you eat this well now, just wait for the banquets and celebrations at Hogwarts. Helga cooks better than any chef in the kingdom."
Helga looked down modestly, but her smile widened nonetheless.
"It's important for young people to stay well fed," she said. "Magic consumes energy, more than you can imagine at that age."
Salazar nodded, adding in a less maternal tone.
"With proper training, you will soon be able to channel your magic efficiently. Strong magic and a focused mind cannot be achieved without a healthy body."
Rowena, with her natural elegance, held her bowl and spoke with the calmness of someone reading poetry before bedtime.
"The gift of magic makes us who we are, but without study, discipline, and knowledge, you will never get the most out of it. At Hogwarts, you will learn to understand it, not just use it."
Edwin swallowed hard, as if the teacher had just announced a pop quiz.
"S-study?" he repeated. "You mean read... I was never very good at that."
"So you don't like to read, huh? Don't worry, you'll only have to read enough so you don't accidentally explode," Godric replied cheerfully as he ate.
Edwin almost dropped his bowl.
I gave him a friendly nudge.
"Look on the bright side. If we don't study, we die. Great motivation, right?"
"Your way of looking at things is... terrifying," Edwin whispered.
We laughed a little at the situation.
Dinner continued with short stories. Godric told an anecdote about an apprentice who tried to fly without listening to his instructions (spoiler: he fell), Helga fondly remembered the first child she taught to use his magic to heal minor injuries, Rowena described an ancient book they were translating, and Salazar... well, he recounted how he expelled an adult wizard who tried to infiltrate his domain to steal some grimoires.
"I left a mark on him so that everyone would recognize him," he said with chilling calm.
"What kind of mark?" I asked.
"The kind of mark that doesn't come off even if you wash or cut it."
I didn't want to ask for more details.
Later that night, when the campfire had burned down to warm embers, Edwin and I lay down a few feet away, wrapped in blankets. The night sky was clear, and I could see more stars than I had ever seen in my city with all its 21st-century visual, noise, and existential pollution.
Edwin stayed awake for a few minutes, looking up.
"Arthur..." he whispered, so as not to disturb the adults, "Do you think... we'll be okay?"
I looked at him. He was just a kid, well, like me now, but I could see the hope hidden behind that question.
"I don't know," I replied honestly, "but... I think this is the kind of story where even though we're scared at first, it will become incredible over time."
"Do you really believe that?"
"Yes," I smiled. "Besides, I'm not going to let you explode without me. It would be very sad to lose my first friend on this earth to some spontaneous magic."
He let out a small, shy laugh, a real one.
"Thank you for those words, Arthur."
"That's what friends are for, aren't they?"
A few minutes later, Edwin fell asleep. It took me a little longer. I lay there listening to the wind, the crackling of the fire, and the breathing of others, reminding me that I was not alone.
Since arriving in this world... I felt reasonably safe.
Sleep overtook me with a clear image in my mind:
Hogwarts.
When the children were fast asleep, the four adults gathered around the fire.
Godric looked at the two little ones huddled together.
"They are brave," he said with a satisfied smile. "They have great spirit."
"But they are still vulnerable," added Helga. "They don't understand the magnitude of what they carry."
Rowena fixed her eyes on Arthur with a certain intensity, reflecting.
"The one with violet eyes... his magic is unusual. I felt it when he lit the flame. It's not like the other children's."
Salazar narrowed his eyes.
"I noticed that too. It's... different. Unstable. As if it doesn't quite belong in this world."
Helga frowned slightly.
"That doesn't make him dangerous, Salazar," Helga reminded him. "It just means he'll need more guidance and patience."
"I didn't say he was dangerous," Salazar replied coldly. "I just said he was different. Being different... can change things."
Godric smiled as he looked up at the stars in the sky, without losing the courage in his gaze that seemed so natural to him.
"Be that as it may, they are already on our path. We'll see what they become over time."
Rowena spoke for the last time before silence enveloped the clearing once more.
"That fate has guided them to us at this moment is no coincidence."
The four of them stared into the fire, as if searching for the answer in the few embers that still danced.
The birdsong was my alarm clock. It seemed as if the forest had decided to put on a concert without warning. I opened my eyes slowly, feeling the coolness of the morning and a slight pain in my back from sleeping on the ground. Now I really wished I had one of those old mattresses I used to despise.
Godric was already up, with a morning energy that no human being should have before breakfast.
"Up, young wizards!" he proclaimed, as if announcing the start of an epic battle rather than a hike. "We'll make good progress today. Before noon, we'll pass through a small town. There we'll visit a good friend of mine."
Edwin sat up with a start, his hair tousled as if he had fought a badger during the night.
"A town? With... people?" he asked, swallowing hard. "But... magic... won't they attack us for... you know?"
I wasn't surprised that he said that so bluntly. It was a valid question. They almost burned Edwin yesterday for using magic. Why take the risk?
Godric laughed so loudly that he scared away two nearby squirrels.
"Not everyone hates magic!" he replied with a big smile. "Some respect it, others fear it, but there are also those who celebrate it. This friend... well, he's a sensible man. Open-minded."
Edwin didn't seem entirely convinced.
"What if not everyone in that city is open-minded?" he insisted.
It was Helga who approached him and placed a comforting hand on his shoulder.
"Don't worry, Edwin. Godric is a very strong and respected knight. His mere presence is enough to keep trouble away from us."
"A knight?" I asked excitedly with a big smile. "With armor, a sword, and titles?"
Godric automatically straightened his back with pride.
"The very same. Recognized in several kingdoms, to be exact."
Of course. As if being one of the founders of the most famous school of magic in the world weren't enough, he also has the worldly achievements of a medieval hero. He is the true protagonist of this world.
Salazar approached just in time to provide a dose of "realism."
"Although most people respect him, ignorance is stubborn and persists in people," he said in a serious tone. "If anyone tries to provoke a conflict, we will handle it appropriately."
"Appropriately as in 'talking calmly' or 'you end up turning into frogs'?" I asked out of sheer necessity to know my chances of witnessing a true epic fight or a recital of simple medieval diplomacy.
Salazar looked at me without blinking.
"Generally... the first option."
How comforting.
We put away the blankets and got back on the trail. The air had that damp smell that makes you feel like the day is going to be a good one. The forest opened up a little more and a clear path began to mark the route.
I walked along thinking about everything I might see.
"A real medieval village. More people and a chance to socialize without getting burned to death."
I covered my head with my hood. Better to make an impression when I decided to, rather than at the first greeting from some NPC.
As we followed the path, Godric turned to look at us with a confident smile.
"It'll be a good stop. Nothing to worry about. We'll eat, rest a bit, and continue on our way. If all goes well, tomorrow at dusk you'll see Hogwarts with your own eyes."
My stomach did a somersault.
Tomorrow I'll see HOGWARTS. The castle I only knew from books, movies, and a video game where I got lost more times than I care to admit... was only a day away.
Excitement ran down my spine like an electric shock.
Edwin walked beside me, biting his lower lip.
"Let's hope the people in that town aren't like... the ones in mine," he whispered.
I smiled reassuringly at him.
"Don't worry. If things get ugly, remember that I can make fire at any time," I finished with two thumbs up.
He looked at me for a second, then frowned.
"I don't know if that reassures me or worries me even more."