✨ A Little Bit of Magic || READER X RAY || The Promised Neverland

✨ Chapter Five

While hydro was a magic about healing the hurt, like with the wilted tree, dendro was a magic based on nurture and protecting. A shieldy, tanky magic on the battlefield. Norman walked with us to the garden, where the class was being held.

"Zack, you asshole!" A white haired boy laughed, chasing the other with messy black hair and a striped headband which was definitely against the dress code. I recognized them immediately. Grace Field's beloved top football players, Oliver and Zack. A girl squealed, the first boy's arm brushing past her. Ugh, c'mon ladies. Haven't you watched any teen romance movies? Jocks are always asshats. I rolled my eyes, not paying attention to the course they were taking and the way I was walking. "Watch out!" Zack shouted, barreling into me. My books scattered across the floor, my wand clacking next to his feet. He was wearing sneakers. My dizzy head was still processing what had just happened. "Ow," I muttered, rubbing my forehead. The boy who had hit me recovered first, immediately picking up all of my things. The other, Oliver, extended his arm and offered his hand. "Th- Thank you?" I said, taking it yet still in a daze. He pulled me up, apologizing as he dusted off my shoulders. His eyes were a lovely shade of crimson red. "Ah, we're so sorry for bumping into you," Zack chuckled, placing my books into my arms. His onyx black eyes were sparkling. "And here's your wand. It's really pretty, by the way." He flashed me a smile before running off again. A large amount of cold glares nipped at my back, the jealous scowls of many fangirls making me shiver. Emma giggled, gently shoving me forwards. "Class, y/n. We're going to class." I nodded silently, shuffling down the limestone brick hallway. I might have attracted some unwanted attention just by existing. Perfect. But hey, at least those jocks aren't assholes? My grip on my books tightened and Emma seemed to notice. "H- Hey, y/n... You're blushing..." "I- I am not! I'm just- just in shock!" I yelped, turning towards her. She giggled, nudging my shoulder. "Have the amazingly hot quarterback finally taken my best friend?" Norman frowned, glancing at us. "They're not that attractive, are they?" I held my breath, afraid that this so called blush was still on my face. Thankfully, Emma had already moved on and was snorting, amazed that he wasn't caught up on all the school drama. "Apparently, Zack broke up with Gillian like a week ago." Norman tilted his head. "Gillian? You mean the head cheerleader?" She nodded. "Imagine that. The quarterback not dating the head cheerleader. We must be in some strange plane of high school limbo." Norman scoffed, understanding slightly. "But I still don't get what's so cool about those two." "Well, Zack has that cool scar on his nose. Girls like scars." "And Oliver?" "He has white hair. Pretty exotic." "Emma, I have white hair. And no girls like me." She stopped dead in her tracks, face immediately dyed bright red. "Th- That's c-cuz you're a nerd, dummy! Anyways, Imgonnagotoclassandsaveusseatsbye!" I blinked and she was gone, a cloud of dust was left where she was just standing. I turned to Norman who was visibly confused. "What'd she say?" Oh, Norman. If only you knew that she was the girl who liked you. "I dunno," I shrugged, laughing in my head.

The room for dendro magic looked more like a lecture hall than a classroom. Emma was sitting at the farthest seat from the front and on the most elevated surface. "Why back here?" I asked, taking the seat on her right. Norman sat to her left. She blushed as his elbow brushed against hers. "Felt like it." Classic Emma. I smiled, inspecting the Berserker's Shield textbook we'd received for the class. It was an old worn hardcover, the title of the work right in the center of the cover. It's faded gold letters served as some reminder that this was once a coveted piece of literature, but had downgraded to a student's read as the years progressed. "Good afternoon, students!" Professor Lucas grinned as he took the stage. "Welcome to Dendro Magic and, as you all can read, the Berserker's Shield III! As the school's resident wand appraiser, creator, and repairer, I am very well aware of the great dendro affinities we have in this classroom. But don't worry," His gaze rested on me, the man waving his staff of a wand gracefully. The white projector screen behind him was pulled downwards, the camera at the back of the room flickering on. "Even if you have other talents, I'm sure you'll be fine. Now open your textbooks to page twenty three! We'll be starting with the legend of Mondstat's Shield, who was the first dendro user."

"I don't wanna go to pyro," I groaned, poking at my lunch. Emma stuck her own spoon into my pudding, taking a mouthful. "That's great and all y/n, but if you won't eat your dessert, I will." Though the mashed potatoes looked delicious, my appetite was torn to shreds by the thought of reliving my past trauma. I didn't want to think about it. I thought I'd been doing a good job of that up until now. But maybe that was what kept me from moving on? From growing up? Well, whatever. It's not like I'm aiming for anything above a C anyways. I'll just... zone out. How interactive can a class about burning shit down be?

God, I have to stop doing that. Because things can definitely get worse and a class about burning shit down can be the most hands on thing you've ever encountered.

All the students had lined up by the side of the classroom, Professor Yuugo shoving out a massive closet from the storage room. "This thing, my dear students, is a Timoterror. Say it with me now," "Timoterror." Some of the more enthusiastic kids squealed with excitement, Emma included. Norman on the other hand, looked just as worried as I was. The moment I stepped into the room I could smell that pungent odor of smoke and ash. It was like the room was covered in a gray aura, the oxygen in the room already replace by the smog of a burning fire. The loud crashing of lightning, the soft crackling of a flame all started to echo in my head. My breaths became small desperate pants before I had even realized. In the darkness, someone grabbed my hand. "Hey, y/n." It was Norman. "Do you need a minute? Do you need a break?" I shook my head no, wiping away the beads of sweat running down my forehead. "I'm- I'm fine, Norman. I-I'll be okay." In all my panic I hadn't realized what the Timoterror is. As if it's name wasn't self explanatory enough.

"Simply put, you can translate this creature as 'the creator of fear'. It can sense your greatest trauma, your greatest pains and became that exact thing. Many have died to it. Haha, I'm just kidding, it's harmless and just an illusion. It's literally just a closet." The professor's strangely streaked black hair bounced with his overly excited attitude. His coal eyes darted through the line of us, scanning something I couldn't quite gauge. Unfortunately, I was unlucky enough to make eye contact with this wild card of an instructor. He smirked, glancing at the wand in my trembling hands. "I can smell the sweet smokey aroma of Dragonspine Blackwood from a mile away. So, little girl with the Pyro affinity, why don't you face your fears first?"