Green is the Color || Ominis x OC || Hogwarts Legacy

Of Respect

"Alright," Natty was saying, pacing around the carpeted floor of their room. One hand was tossing a leather ball up and down in the air. The other was spinning Allegra's spiral wand around her fingers in a taunting manner. "Ready to try again?"

Allegra, standing on the other side of the room, nodded. Natsai grinned. She leaned back and tossed the ball in the air. "Catch!" she cried.

Allegra held out a hand. She strained, willing herself to focus. "Arresto Momentum," she said, feeling the magic rush down and out of her fingertips.

She'd done it: the ball slowed in the air. Natty gave a thrilled shriek as Allegra grinned, holding out her hands to catch it as it fell. "Yes, 'Legra!" Natty said excitedly. "Well done!"

"I think I'm getting it," she said gleefully.

"Almost," Natty admitted. She caught the ball as Allegra threw it back. Grinning, she held up Allegra's wand and gave it a taunting little wave. "Now this one." At Allegra's tired groan, Natty gave her a withering look. "Come now. You asked to learn it! It's just like I taught you: channel your magic through your mind and body instead of this..." She tossed Allegra's wand in the air. "...stick."

Over the past few days, Allegra had been asking Natsai for lessons in wandless magic. It had been an intriguing challenge, but it was almost as if she was learning the most basic spells all over again. It had taken her nearly a week to master a wandless Arresto Momentum. Now she was working hard on her Accio.

But Natty's proud little smirk was motivator enough. Allegra sighed, holding out her hand again. She willed her magic to focus, directing her gaze to the wand dangling from Natty's grip. "Accio," she said. She jumped and laughed when her wand came flying—with a lot of spinning and bumping along the way—to her grip. A familiar magical connection thrummed up her body, coming back to life.

"Excellent!" Natsai crowed, coming over to give Allegra a tight embrace. "A little clumsy, I think, but you'll get better with practice."

"With practice," Allegra echoed, smiling ear to ear.

The following Monday, Sebastian was walking down to the Headmaster's Office. He'd been given a shiny new Slytherin robe—one embellished with gold along the edges—to wear to today's meeting. He passed schoolmates along the way. His presence was met by hushed whispers and comforting consolation alike, paired with a few friendly claps on the back. Sebastian had never really been anxious among other people before. Not until now, anyway. Not until after he'd had his deepest fears and grief bared to the entire Wizarding World.

Maybe Ominis was right. Maybe he should've given this whole champion thing a little more thought.

As he rounded the corner to the Headmaster's Office, Sebastian saw Hugo waiting outside the room with his Headmistress. The Beauxbatons boy gave him a hesitant smile. He was standing beside Dorothea, who looked far better than the last time Sebastian had seen her. A small red line was still visible on her forehead. Her Headmistress had a tight grip on her arm: she was whispering furiously into her ear, making Dorothea frown.

Sebastian joined them. Just as he gave his fellow champions a short nod, Headmaster Black and John Luxetongue opened the door to the office. They were waved inside. Shoulder to shoulder with Hugo and Dorothea, Sebastian squeezed into the single couch in the room. The Headmasters took up the space behind their champions. Headmaster Black lay a hand on Sebastian's shoulder, arranging his new robes around his neck and dusting off a nonexistent bit of dust. John Luxetongue, smiling and red-faced, strode to the front of the room.