Frog Stickers on Their Ukulele

Chapter 3- Wandless

Chapter 3- Pax

Pax was a very chill person. At least, they thought of themself as one, though if you asked their sister, Gabriella, she would disagree. So when the boy sitting next to them, Harry? honestly they weren't good with names, started having a goddamn seizure in his sleep, they were the only one who didn't panic. At least, not visibly. Mentally was a different story, however. They freaked out like everyone else, but forced themself to calm the fuck down.

Okay, happy thoughts, what would Gabriella do? Pax thought, immediately jumping into action after thinking about Gabe. Ok, obviously he's stressed, possibly depressed with his aura and those eye bags. A cheering charm mixed with a sense of calm should do it. Pax closed their eyes, taking a deep breath and putting their hand on Harry's knee. Opening up their magic, they felt Harry in distress and panic. They surrounded those feelings with their sense of calm and cheer, feeling their magic start to calm the boy.

Pax opened their eyes after they were done calming Harry down, and he startled awake a few seconds later. "Christ, not even the first day at Hogwarts and I'm already having to save someone," they said, leveling him with a fierce glare. Everyone looked at Pax in shock. "What?"

Hermione's eyes sparkled with curiosity. "Was that wandless magic?" she asked, shaking on the edge of her seat.

"Yeah...Do you guys not do that?" Pax looked around, and everyone was staring at them in shock, confusion, or both.

"No! I mean, we only ever use wands. Fascinating..." Hermione started inspecting Pax's hands. "Do you use a wand at all?"

"Yeah, I mean every once in a while I have to use it for more advanced magic or emotions, but I just use my hands for the most part," Pax pulled out their wand. "It's a hazel-alder mix of wood, with a dragon heartstring core."

"Amazing! I've never seen such a unique wand. Do you mind?" Hermione held out her hand.

"Yeah, but be careful, hazel is known for being sensitive to emotions."

Hermione tentatively took the wand, and it immediately started shaking and smoking. She threw it between her hands before tossing it back at Pax. The wand instantly calmed down, used to being in Pax's hands. Pax was just cackling, fully knowing that that was what was going to happen. Hermione, however, seemed a bit annoyed that a wand would react to her like that.

"Hermione," Pax said, wiping tears from their eyes, "this wand has been in my family for decades, it's used to my magic. You honestly can't expect every wand to like you."

Instead of looking offended, Hermione just seemed to grow more curious. "So, if the wand likes you so much, why don't you use it?"

"Well, I haven't really used wands before. I mean, the only reason why I have one is because it's required at Hogwarts. Honestly, I love using just my wild, untamed magic. In America, they don't really push the whole 'strict education, magic underwraps' thing. Magic there has always been wild, and that's just a part of what makes it beautiful," a wistful look came over Pax.

"Do you think you could teach me some?" Harry asked. He looked way better, still a bit pale, but better. "Wandless magic, I mean."

Pax turned to him. "Sure, but your guy's magic has already been pretty tamped down. It'll be a bit of an adjustment, seeing as y'all are so dependent on wands." Hermione nodded and leaned back into the bench, though Pax could tell there were a million thoughts through her head. Harry looked the same, thoughts sprinting at a mile a minute, but Pax could tell his were very different from Hermione's.

Pax just sighed, leaning back in their chair. Doing healing magic like that, without a wand, took a lot out of them. Their eyes became droopy, the warm sunlight filtering through the window. Taking a deep breath, they pulled their tiny headphones out of their pocket. Unshrinking them, they pulled out their phone and started playing Gymnopédie No. 1, not even caring that the other wizards and witches were giving them a strange look. They got lost in the music, thinking of their friends back in California. Listening to Jess play this song on the piano at 2 am, while Eddie and Jack slept on each other's shoulders. Gabe and Drew, her fiance, out on another mission. Pax just getting lost in Jess's playing, never getting tired of the way she could let her emotions flow while she played. The soft sounds of L.A. at night always complimented her playing. Just Pax and their friends, hanging out in their small apartment near the water.

The song ended, and some ukulele started streaming. Pax smiled, and drifted off to sleep, thinking about their friends back in Cali. They couldn't wait to see them again.