32 Monday

Noelle was practicing casting Alohamora without speaking the spell aloud. Around her, the other students were practicing the same and similar spells in class.

Azraeyn had taken her advice, and on being further encouraged by her friends, had started joining them in class. He sat next to her on one side and Kade and Brooke on her other. The latter were less concerned with spellcasting and more with chatting and planning the Halloween party.

Noelle sighed and looked up at them. "Could you all please quiet down? I'm trying to focus. And you all should be as well." She admonished.

Azraeyn looked at her gratefully, also trying to focus. "There may be a test on this later."

Brooke rolled her eyes. "These are all spells we've already learned! I don't see why we need to learn them again!"

Noelle smiled indulgently. "Learning to cast magic without speaking will make you a more powerful witch Brooke. And heavens forbid you ever get in a fight, but this would certainly give you a one-up on the competition."

Brooke's eyes widened. "I hope I never have to deal with that."

Kafe nodded seriously as each thing was being said and then looked to Azraeyn. "But since we are on the topic, are you coming to my party Azraeyn?"

Azraeyn opened his mouth to speak but Noelle cut him off. "I've been trying to convince him. Feel free to add more peer pressure you two."

They both smirked and began giving Azraeyn all the reasons he should attend. He looked as though he regretted being there. Noelle resisted the urge to read his mind.

Resuming her work with the padlock on the table, Noelle noticed only a few students getting anywhere. The nonverbal spells were difficult, but in theory, shouldn't have been. If you already knew the spell and had practiced it many times before, it should be like riding a bike. Once you've practiced enough, you could take off the training wheels and, though it'd be a little shaky at first, you'd take off on two wheels.

Closing her eyes, Noelle imagined she was drawing her magic inwards towards herself, so that it was almost tangible but not quite. Then, she pictured the spell and its desired result on the lock. She ignored the outside chatter from other students and her friends alike and worked to unlock it in her mind.

She heard a gasp next to her and opened her eyes. Brooke was staring strangely at her and slowly Kade and Azraeyn were following suit. Everyone else in the room seemed focused on their own projects.

"You're practically glowing Noelle… And you did it." She pointed towards the table.

Noelle looked and, sure enough, the lock had popped open. The end of her wand too, as Brooke had said, had a red magical aura around it, wispy looking, that was quickly fading away.

Kade, who had watched, was now staring at his own lock, intrigued and willing it to do the same. Brooked smiled at her and Azraeyn looked impressed.

Noelle blushed and grabbed her lock, closing it to try again and desperately trying to ignore their looks. She was glad no one else in the class was seeming to pay her any mind either.

Later that night, Noelle opened a letter from her father. He had written once again about how much he missed her and tried to convince her to come home for the Christmas season. Noelle wasn't sure whether she would or not yet. Of course she wanted to see her father, but she had a feeling there'd be a lot of studying to do over the break.

In other news, he included a section about her half-brother. Noelle smacked her forehead, having forgotten to even write the boy at all recently.

Her father, after having an ill-fated and short relationship with her mother, Bellatrix, had married an American woman. Now her stepmother, Anastasia had been fantastic to Noelle growing up and had even had a son with her father, named Ford. Noelle and Ford had always gotten on really well but when her stepmother decided to go back to the states in order to pursue a nursing career, she'd taken Ford with her.

As a plot twist, he'd already been engaged to Anastasia when Bellatrix used magic to impersonate her and charm Noelle's father. Noelle had never figured out why, or for what purpose it served other than playing with a man's heart. And after the fact, Bellatrix hadn't even taken care of the daughter she'd given life to.

Now it seemed, the two were back home with her father and they all wanted to see her soon.

"As of next year, your brother will also be attending Hogwarts alongside you. He attended a few semesters at the American equivalent and your professors there have agreed to accept his credits so he can enter as a fourth year student while you are in your seventh. How great is that? Still a ways away I know, but something to look forwards to. Anyways, enjoy the rest of the week and we look forwards to hearing back from you soon. And Happy Halloween! (Almost.) Love, Dad"

Noelle smiled and set the letter aside. It would be nice to have some family nearby, if only for her last year.