These are all set well before the events of Gladiolus even starts, so it's in the three-year time skip I used for Gladiolus.

This specific one is set a year after events Black Clover chapter 215. All chapters after 215 are not acknowledged in this AU.

Featuring family and friendship

Magna's mom will be making a reappearance in the main series and other parts of the series as well.

Clover Kingdom
Forsaken Realm
Rayaka Village
Morning

Magna rarely came home to visit his village, but he had big news to share with his mom. He was going to originally write her a letter informing him of the news. However, Asta, Vanessa, and Noelle got wind of it and basically convinced him that he needed to visit his mom and do everything in person. When all three of them got something in their head, there was no stopping them. Asta, Noelle, Vanessa, Luck, and Charmy just had to tagalong (Finral and the others managed to get out of being dragged along this time). They apparently wanted to meet his mom. He could not see this ending well for him.

As the group got off their brooms (and Asta and Noelle off on Magna's precious broom Crazy Cyclone), Magna breathed in the fresh clean air of Rayaka. Rayaka was the same as he remembered it—tiny, quiet, and peaceful.

"Wow, definitely reminds me of Hage," said Asta, cheerfully. "Although I think Hage was even smaller!"

"I'm pretty sure all the villages in the Forsaken Realm look extremely similar," said Noelle. "I've been to dozens now and they all have similar layouts. I suppose the ease of just copy and pasting village layouts was easiest. They do it in the bigger towns and cities. The only one that doesn't have a pattern is Capital City."

"Alright, know-it-all," said Magna, ruffling Noelle's hair. "Now, do we remember the ground rules?" He pointedly stared at Luck and Vanessa, while saying it.

"No fights," said Luck, mournfully.

"And no drinking," replied Vanessa, equally as mournfully.

Charmy and Noelle giggled, while Asta was…nowhere to be found. He really just went off on his own. Thankfully, the village was not that big so they wouldn't lose track of him. Asta wandered off to talk to the local baker.

Magna shook his head, as everyone caught up with Asta. The gray-haired baker recognized Magna. "Well, well, little Magna Swing is back to visit! Here, you and your friends take some treats up to your Ma's smithy. She's gonna be ecstatic to see you." The baker was already handing Asta and Noelle some bread and cakes before Magna was able to respond.

"Ah, thanks, Mister Alexander," said Magna, rubbing the back of his head. He was honestly surprised at the warm welcome. He had been quite the troublemaker delinquent before getting into the Black Bulls. Well, he still was a troublemaker delinquent but he focused his energy into helping and protecting and not causing harm or issues for regular folk.

"Definitely go see Misses Aru at the grocery. She might have your Ma's weekly order ready," said the baker, waving the five Black Bulls off. Magna remembered exactly where the grocery was located, as he spent many summers under the watchful eye of Misses Aru doing the heavy lifting while his mom was working on big projects. He wondered how the old cranky grocery shop owner was doing these days.

"No, Charmy, this is for Magna's mom," said Asta, trying to hold off Charmy from diving into the cakes. Noelle was also struggling against Charmy and her puppy-dog eyes. While Charmy and their juniors squabbled over the food, Magna noted that Luck was already in an empty field playing with his magic because he got bored without fights.

"Relax," said Vanessa, grinning. "I don't know why you're stressing about visiting your mom. She can't be as bad as mine!"

"Vanessa, the only one that has the worst mom than you is Luck," said Magna, shaking his head. "And I'm not nervous! I just haven't been home in a while, so I'm sure Ma is pissed at me."

"Oh ho? Afraid of an ass-kicking," said Vanessa, giggling. "That's more like it."

"You're a terrible woman," said Magna as Vanessa just laughed some more at him. "Just watch Luck so he doesn't blow up the village, would you? I'm going into the grocery." His witch teammate, still laughing, waved him off, and left to catch up with Luck.

Magna rolled his eyes as Charmy, Asta and Noelle were already in a brawl over the food. He decided to leave them to it. Charmy would win out anyway. Two buildings from the baker was the grocery store, he entered the front door, a familiar bell informing of a customer.

The grocery store was a one room store, filled with everything from flour to new pants. It was much smaller than Magna remembered.

"Hi! Welcome," said an unfamiliar voice. Behind the counter was a young girl, no more than twelve with dirty blond hair and brown eyes. Magna stared for a minute, wondering where Misses Aru had gone and then Magna had a brief moment of clarity.

"Little Aubrey? Is that you," asked Magna startled.

The girl titled her head in confusion, but then after a minute, her eyes lit up like a Winter Festival tree. "BIG BRO MAGNA!" She rushed from out behind the counter and came over to give him a big hug. "Wow! Is this your Magic Knight cape? So cool! I didn't know you were coming home."

"You got so tall," said Magna. The last time he saw Little Aubrey, she was a rambunctious six-year-old, with one too many scabs on her knees and elbows, from her wandering outdoor adventures.

"Yep! I'm 12 now," said Aubrey, proudly. "Granny lets me watch the shop when she takes her afternoon nap now. Oh! I can't wait for my grimoire. I'm definitely joining the Magic Knights, just like you!"

Magna laughed. "Well, true, I am pretty cool. You've been training?"

Aubrey nodded. "Yeah! Everyday!" Aubrey's magic affinity was sand, despite being so far away from the beach. However, she had a good amount of mana for someone so young. Even when she was six, she was able to pull sand from the ground, even if it took a long time. She was as energetic as ever, though she had a scowl now. "Granny tells me that I'm wasting my time because you just got lucky to join the worst squad."

Ah, Magna thought to himself. It looked like Misses Aru was as cranky as ever, doubting even her granddaughter. Magna smirked. "You're my disciple, Little Aubrey! Of course, you can do it as long as you train every day and have confidence in yourself. I'll even introduce you to a gusty kid that doesn't have ANY magic whatsoever that became a Magic Knight."

Aubrey's brown eyes lit up. "Woah! He must be like so strong. OH, man, I'm so glad you're here to visit. Are you staying long? A couple of days?"

He hated to disappoint her. "Nah, kiddo, can't this time. Just a day visit. There's missions to be done."

"Aww," said Aubrey, pouting. "Oh, wait, can you stop to say goodbye for you leave?"

"Yeah. I'll introduce to my friends who came with," said Magna, ruffling her hair. "Oh, since you're doing a job. Ma's order in for the week?"

Aubrey nodded and rushed to the back. She came back with three bags and he was happy to see that she easily carried them. He knew that she was definitely destined for the Magic Knights squads. Magna knew that Captain Charlotte would definitely pick Aubrey for the Blue Rose Knights squad at any future entrance exams. Heck, even Captain Dorothy would like her.

"Well, you definitely are training," said Magna, grinning, as he took the offered grocery bags from her. "I'll see you later! I guess say hi to the old hag for me."

"Ok, bye, Big Bro!"

Magna chuckled, as he left the grocery store. He looked around for any of his teammates and found Charmy sitting outside, eating the cake. Asta and Noelle were helping Vanessa in the field to calm Luck down, meaning that Asta had to fight Luck. Why did he give them ground rules if they were just going to ignore him?

"Oi, dumbasses, get your shit together. We gotta get to my Ma's house," yelled Magna. Charmy, Asta, Luck, Noelle, and Vanessa rushed over as Magna lead the way to his childhood home. His childhood home was right at the western edge of town because his mom was also the local blacksmith, thanks to her magic affinity of magma. It was best to keep fire stuff as far away from town as possible, Magna learned that at a young age.

To be honest, he was a little unsure of visiting his mom face-to-face. He wrote her brief letters with updates on how things were going and sent her some money (after Asta wisely pointed out that Magna sucked at gambling, as he was trying to double or triple his money, and that he was wasting his Magic Knight pay when he could be giving it to his mom). He hadn't seen her since he joined the Black Bulls.

The trek with the remaining baker goods and the groceries. Asta, of course, took the bags from him to carry. Luck and Vanessa were arguing, as Luck wanted to fight her and Vanessa didn't. Noelle was appeasing Charmy with the bread, so Charmy wasn't trying to eat Magna's mom's weekly food supply.

The house was a modest one floor and room one. About five feet behind it, however, was the forge. Magna spotted his mom pounding away at a couple of farmer's tools.

"Ah, wait, here, guys," said Magna. Wisely, his teammates stopped in their tracks as Magna walked forward. His mom got into the zone when she was working and Magna knew not to startle her in that deep concentration.

As he approached the forge, Magna smelled the familiar smells of home. Fire, ash, smoke, metal. These four smells brought back a lot of memories. Memories of standing at his mom's side as a young boy as she taught him the difference between metals, let him do designs on her personal projects, and tell him that he could so anything.

"Hey, Ma," said Magna, at the entrance to the forge.

The pounding of metal stopped and his Ma looked up, surprised. "Magna?"

"So, I've got some news…"

"You little shit," said his mom, rushing over to him. She smacked him upside the head, first, and then hugged him in a bone-crushing hug. Magna returned the hug with the same amount of force. "I missed you!" She smelled like ash, soot, and metal. It was like coming home.

"I missed you, too, Ma. Sorry for not letting ya know I was comin'," said Magna, as his mom released him from the hug, but held him at his shoulders, giving him an appraising look. Magna was startled to see that his mother was now shorter than him. He got most of his looks from his mother, but there was grayer in her hair, and there were bags under her eyes. His mother was only 37, but despite several signs of aging, and that he was now taller than her, she looked as a strong and willful as ever.

His mom grinned. "I see you brought guests. Are those your friends?"

"Yeah," said Magna. "Not all of them. But I wanted to tell you before I introduce you, um, I got a promotion."

"What? No way, really? They finally giving ya Black Bulls the actual levels you at? So, what're ya now?"

"I'm a 5th Class Intermediate Knight now," said Magna, proudly. In the year after the war against the elves, there had been some serious upheavals in the Magic Knights. Everyone's rankings were properly evaluated now, especially concerning the Black Bulls. Fuegoleon was doing good work as the new Wizard King, in Magna's humble opinion.

"That's my boy," said his mom, proudly, hugging him tightly again. "I guess I'm taking a break. Let's go meet your friends." Mother and son went back to the start of the Swing family property, so that Magna would finally be able to introduce his friends to his mom.

"Hi, Magna's Mom," said Asta, waving, immediately once they were close enough. Asta was smiling brightly.

"Hello, Asta," said his mom, grinning.

"You know my name," gasped Asta, wondering how Magna's mom knew. Magna just shook his head at his junior.

"Well, I know who you all are," said Magna's mom. "But first, I'm Shula Swing, blacksmith extraordinaire. Thank you very much for looking after my troublesome son." Magna blushed as his mom bowed lightly towards his teammates.

"Ma!"

"What? I'm just so glad that you've got so many good people looking out for you," said Shula, feigning innocence at Magna's embarrassment.

"Oh! Oh! Do you know who I am," asked Luck, raising his hand like a little kid in school.

"Luck, you're Magna's best friend," said his mom. She went over and hugged Luck, who was confused. Luck was let go and Shula turned to Vanessa. "And you must be Vanessa. Oh, I'm so glad that there's a reliable woman looking out for my son. Tell me does he have a girlfriend yet that he won't tell me about?"

Vanessa's eyes glinted as she accepted the hug from Magna's mom. "This virgin delinquent of ours has no girlfriend yet. But I'll definitely tell you if he does get one."

"I like you," said Shula, gray eyes glinting with mischief. Magna internally cringed. Somehow, Vanessa and his mother were immediate allies in teasing him. She spotted Charmy. "And this cutie must be Charmy!" Charmy grinned, face grimy with crumbs, and she climbed up Magna's mother so that Charmy was secure being carried by Shula. Magna sighed. "And you must be Lady Noelle, one of my son's beloved juniors. He talks about you and Asta all the time in his letters to me. He's so proud of you."

Noelle blushed, prettily, and stammered, "Ni-nice to meet you, Miss Swing. Magna has been a good senior to us."

"Yeah, definitely," said Asta, as a loud as ever. "Magna is a great senior!"

Shula laughed, giving Magna a knowing look.

"How about I feed you all," said Shula, already walking to the modest house of theirs. "And you can tell me what my son is really getting up to that he doesn't mention in the letters."

"Ooh, I know lots," said Luck, regaining his normal maniac behavior.

Magna had a bad feeling about this, as his friends followed his mom inside their house. But, Magna thought to himself, happily, he glad to see his mom and glad that his friends taken to her so well already.

"Ya comin' or not, Magna! These folks are hungry!"

"Yeah," said Magna, entering his childhood home for the first time in a long time. "I'm home."

"Welcome back," said his mom, grinning. "Now, has he ever made you my spicy chili?"

"Magna can cook?! Why the hell haven't you been cooking your Ma's specialties for me," demanded Charmy, growling, as Shula held her like a toddler.

Magna scoffed. "You hog the kitchen, you ungrateful brat."

Charmy gasped, and leapt from Shula's arms to attach herself to Magna's neck, threateningly. "Meanie!"

"Gah! Charmy!"

"Children, enough! Sit your asses down before I kick them into next week," snarled Shula, the increase in temperature due to her magma affinity. Magna knew better and was the first to move to sit down at the kitchen table. Asta knew better from being scolded by Sister Lily for years. Vanessa was already sitting. Charmy rushed to her chair. Luck's eyes lit up.

"FIGHT ME."

"OH MY GOD! LUCK, YOU CANNOT FIGHT MY MA! SHE'LL KILL YOU."

"EVEN BETTER!"

"YOU PSYCHO BRAT!"

Moments later, Luck was nursing a bump on his head with some meat from the cold box and everyone was thoroughly threatened into behaving.

"It's nice to have you all here," said Shula, grinning. "Who wants to help to cook?"

Magna rolled his eyes. This was going to be a longer visit than expected, but he supposed the rest of the Black Bulls would be fine handling the mission load. When his mom made chili, it was truly a special occasion.

"You look happy," said Vanessa, smiling knowingly, as Charmy, Noelle, and Asta jumped at the chance to help Magna's mom. Luck was still sulking.

Magna snorted. "Yeah, I guess I am."

"See. You needed this," said Vanessa. "You should bring your mom out for Winter Festival. Ooh, and the Star Festival. She'd probably love the Capital." Vanessa excited babbled on about the different events that he should definitely take his mom.

"Yeah, maybe." Magna noted that she was right. He was happy to be home. "Thanks."

"Anytime."