"Morning," said Christian as he walked down the stairs.
"Did you finish your meditation?"
"Huh, yes."
Tiara could immediately tell he was lying. However, she did not immediately point it out; she will address it later.
"You don't have to attend school today."
"Such a wonderful Sunday, and I get to miss school the next day? I feel like it's my birthday." He sat at the table and began to eat. He also wondered what was so crucial that his usually strict mother even allowed him to skip school.
Christian was in a good mood throughout breakfast, and then he heard his mother say, "We will go out, so go dress."
"Dress? Where are we going? Do I need to dress in formal attire?"
"You will know soon, and you can dress casually."
Christian went upstairs to put on jeans, a shirt, and his new Air Jordan 4. They were one of his birthday presents six months ago and were imported from the US, making them quite expensive. He brushed his hair before rushing to see the main study to the left of his room.
He was not allowed to enter without authorization, so Christian always liked to look around after entering. He always had this feeling that something was suspicious about this room. However, he thought he felt this way because he could not enter.
The room was always the same: a desk with many books and bookshelves and a fireplace.
"Sit down."
Christian sat opposite the main desk and waited for his mother's news. Part of him was scared she would say something like she was leaving for a long, extended period.
"I know what I'm about to say is strange, but it's true. You're a wizard, Zed."
"Pardon me?"
"As I said, magic is real, and you're one of the people with the gift to wield it."
Christian was momentarily quiet. "Is this some kind of joke?" he asked, looking around to see if people were hiding with cameras. Tiara did not say another word but took out her wand. She gently tapped it on the lamp and said, "Transfiguro."
Christian watched, to his horror, as the lamp turned into a cat. He stared at it for a moment before pinching his tight, very hard; the intense pain told him he was not dreaming.
"Blimey Hell."
Usually, he would be scolded for using such language, but he was allowed a pass in this situation. "Do it again." Tiara then transformed the cat into a butterfly that flew in the sky before restraining it and returning it to a normal lamp. Christian watched the entire process in awe and curiosity, but remained silent.
"What do you think?" asked Tiara after a few minutes.
"So many things now make sense."
"What do you mean?"
"There were signs," he continued. "The strange drink that could instantly revitalize my stamina after Fencing Practice. I remember seeing you remove my presence from a bag that was way too small. Finally, I was always confused about how we could travel so fast to our destination. One moment, I was sleeping, and the next, we had already arrived at our destination—no plane is that fast."
"Yes, I used Port Keys for our travel. Muggle airplanes are too slow for my taste, and I always worry about their safety. So, when you fall asleep at the airport, I use them to get us to our destination instantly."
"Portkeys? Is that the wizard's way of achieving teleportation? You also said the word 'Muggle.' What does that mean?"
"Muggle is a term used by wizards and witches to describe people without magical abilities. As for Portkey? You'll know in the future."
"So, there are many others?"
"Yes, but our populations pale in comparison to Muggles."
"I see," muttered Christian as he became quiet.
"Do you have any more questions?"
"Many just don't know where to begin."
"Organize your thoughts and ask. I will answer what I can and do so to the best of my ability."
"Firstly, are all our family wizards, including Dad and Aunt Eleanor?"
"Sadly, no," replied Eleanor. "Your aunt is what the wizarding world calls a Squib, born from magical parents but without magical abilities."
"That seems unfair," uttered Christian.
"It is, but that's how things are."
"Shouldn't magic be hereditary?" he asked, feeling that his aunt should also be a witch.
"It's complicated. We can buy books on this subject for you to learn."
Christian nodded; he had many questions, but did not know where to begin. So, he asked something he truly wanted to know:
"Why are you telling me this now?"
"I thought you would be a Squib, but last night, you awakened your magical powers," explained Tiara, who suddenly remembered something: "Did something happen on Sunday night?"
Christian immediately became on guard, and his facial expression and body language showed it. So, his mother reassured him: "Don't worry. You know you can tell me anything."
"Well, I had a strange dream," said Christian, telling her about his confrontation with the weird man. However, he withheld information about the floating vapors for some unknown reason.
"What a strange experience of awakening," she muttered. She thought of what Papa Tounde said and concluded this might be the catastrophe the latter was discussing. 'I need to find that damn drunkard; I have so much more I need to know.'
"You don't have to worry about your strange dream. The good thing is that you're fine."
Christian nodded. The existence of magic relieved him as it indicated he was not going crazy but experiencing a strange magical event. Although he was still worried, he now had a direction to discover what was happening to him.
"Any more questions? We have to get going, so it should be the last one—make it a good one."
"In that case, I want to know what magic is exactly; how would you define it?"
"Ooh, great question," uttered Tiara. " That's not an easy question to answer, even by someone like Albus Dumbledore."
"Who's Albus Dumbledore?" asked Christian, who strangely felt this name was familiar.
"He's the man considered as the greatest wizard of this generation."
"So powerful?"
"Indeed."
"Such a wizard should have a deep insight into magic," praised Christian.
"Want to meet him?"
"Of course. Do you have a way?" Christia knew the importance of acquiring knowledge from capable individuals.
"Hehe. Dumbledore is not some noble and reclusive wizard that people dream of meeting. He's the headmaster of Hogwarts, which you will be attending next year as a first-year student. You can ask as many questions as you like. Although I cannot guarantee he will answer your question, I know from experience that he's very approachable."
"A school of magic? That sounds wonderful."
"Indeed," said Tiara with a reminiscent look. "Hogwarts—that's where I met your father."
Christian was surprised as his mother rarely mentioned his father. "What happened?"
Tiara thought momentarily, "Countries with a small population usually do not have a magical academy, so like most magically gifted children, I was home schooled back in Haiti with my sister, raised by my grandma while my mother and father worked. However, when I was fifteen, our family encountered trouble with a dark wizard. To save us, they scattered us in different countries. My sister went to the US, and I came here, transferring to Hogwarts in the fifth year.
"I needed extra help to accommodate and keep up with my classes, and your father was chosen as my guide. Despite being in Ravenclaw and me being a Gryffindor, we got along very well. We fell in love over the next two years and married soon after school."
"And then?"
"That's enough for today."
Christian was disappointed. He always wanted to know why his father left them—why he abandoned them. Despite what he did, his mother seemed very fond of the man, so he wanted to know what kind of person he was.
"Our destination is Diagon Alley to get you a wand and some material. I will begin your magical training immediately."