Aurelian's room was warmly lit by torchlight. In front of him, Hestia and Flora were comfortably seated in a nearby armchair, both wearing their snake-shaped necklaces, which glowed in the firelight. It had become customary for them to spend time together in his room, talking, laughing, or simply enjoying the silence together.
Aurelian watched them silently. He had learned to read even the smallest gestures in them, the way Flora rested her head on the arm of the armchair while looking at him with a smile, or how Hestia kept playing with a strand of her hair while studying him with her eyes. Finally, he sat up. His voice came out.
"I want you to become stronger."
The twins looked at each other in surprise before turning their attention back to him.
"Stronger?" asked Flora, raising an eyebrow mischievously, although her tone reflected genuine curiosity.
"Do you doubt us?" added Hestia, with a hint of reproach, her arms crossed.
Aurelian shook his head gently, moving closer until he was standing in front of them.
"I don't doubt you. But... I doubt the others." His eyes shone with determination. "I know I will have to face great challenges in my life, and I don't want you to be left behind. I want you to be able to defend yourselves, so that no one can ever put you in danger."
There was a silence.
Flora looked down for a moment, as if trying to process his words. Hestia, on the other hand, jumped up, approached him, and hugged him tightly, pressing her face against Aurelian's chest.
"Is it really necessary?" she whispered.
He put his arm around her and gently stroked her hair.
"Yes... I care about you more than you know, and I know you have the potential to be more than ordinary witches."
Flora came over and joined the embrace, pressing herself against him from the other side.
"Then teach us," she said firmly and decisively, the intensity in her gaze making it clear. "We don't want to be a burden."
Aurelian smiled, his gaze filled with resolve.
"Before we begin," he said calmly, "I want you to tell me what you want to improve."
The twins looked at each other, as if sharing a thought. Flora was the first to speak, with a crooked smile.
"I want to be faster. I want my spells to not only be strong, but for no one to be able to react before they hit." She lifted her chin proudly. "I'm not going to stay behind you."
Hestia clenched her hands on her knees. Her gaze was more intense, more direct.
"I want to be in control. To be able to stay calm even when everything seems to be falling apart. I want nothing to throw me off balance, no matter what happens. I want to have enough power to stay focused on my goals."
Aurelian nodded, satisfied with her answers.
"That's good." His voice sounded grave, like the voice of a teacher evaluating his disciples. "Speed without discipline is useless. Control without power is fragile. You both have a natural instinct for magic, so you can improve faster than others."
The two smiled with pride and anticipation.
"In addition to what I've told you, I'm going to train you in something else... Occlumency and Legilimency."
Silence fell over the room.
"Reading minds and protecting our own?" whispered Flora, with a dangerous gleam in her eyes.
"Exactly," Aurelian replied calmly. "The world is much crueler and more twisted than it appears. If you don't know how to close your mind, anyone can manipulate you, use you, or destroy you from within."
Hestia opened her eyes wide with curiosity.
"And you will be the one to teach us?" she asked.
"Yes," Aurelian's tone was firm. "I will teach you to resist gazes that try to pry into your thoughts, and also to enter the minds of others when you need to. It won't be pleasant. It won't be easy."
The twins shared a knowing smile.
"We are more than ready for the challenge," they replied in unison, their voices intertwined as if they were one.
Aurelian let out a slight laugh and leaned toward them, placing a hand on each of their cheeks.
"Very well. I will help you learn it in the best way possible," Aurelian's eyes shone with a deep, almost intimidating fire. "And when you have that power, no one in this world will be able to harm you."
The walls seemed to breathe under Aurelian's gaze as he walked down the seventh-floor corridor, closely followed by Hestia and Flora.
He stopped in front of a stretch of empty wall. He closed his eyes, concentrating. "I need a place to practice. I need a place to practice. I need a place to practice."
When he opened his eyes, a tall, dark door appeared before them.
"What is this?" Flora asked curiously.
"Welcome to the Room of Requirement," Aurelian explained with a slight smile. "Hogwarts offers its help to those who know how to ask for it, and we... need a training ground."
He pushed the door open and the three of them entered.
The room unfolded before them as if it had read their intentions. It was a large space, lit by floating torches, with polished floors and runes glowing softly on the walls. Shelves full of books, tables with quills and parchment, and even enchanted mannequins waited in the back to simulate opponents.
The twins were speechless for a moment.
"It's as if... the room knows what we want," Flora murmured, stroking a flame floating in the air with her fingers.
"That's because it does," Aurelian replied calmly, observing the place intently. "And that makes it perfect for what we're going to do."
He turned toward them, his arms crossed and his eyes shining brightly.
"The most important thing in magic is not the wand, nor even the spell. It is imagination. The absolute belief that the impossible can become real. If you can see beyond limitations... you can do whatever you want."
Hestia tilted her head, fascinated by his words.
"So... what stops us is what we believe to be possible or impossible, huh?"
"Exactly." Aurelian raised his wand and, with a simple gesture, summoned a burst of emerald fire that turned into red petals when it touched the ground. "Most magicians follow only one line, pre-established formulas. I want you to learn to think beyond that mold."
Flora watched him intently, almost mesmerized by the spectacle.
"What if we fail?" she asked quietly.
Aurelian approached her, placing a hand firmly on her shoulder.
"Then they try again until they succeed. Failure does not mean that they cannot do something; failure serves to show us where we are going wrong and help us achieve success."
He took a few steps back and raised his hands, as if he were teaching a class.
"Now. We will start with the basics. You will channel magic without using a wand. I want you to feel the energy inside you, like a flowing river. Don't think about repeating a spell; think about the effect you want to achieve."
Hestia closed her eyes, concentrating. Her breathing slowed, and after a few seconds, a blue sphere of light formed in the palm of her hand. It flickered unsteadily, but it was there.
"That's it..." Aurelian murmured with a smile.
Flora tried. A reddish flash burst from her palm, but it dissipated like smoke. She frowned, annoyed.
"Doubt canceled the magic," Aurelian commented, approaching her. "You have the power, Flora. But as long as you doubt, you will never be able to use it to its fullest capacity."
Flora pressed her lips together, stared at him, and nodded, trying again. This time, the sphere remained, small but solid.
The two smiled at each other, proud of what they had achieved.
Aurelian watched them with pride. They were taking the first step toward a new perspective.
"Very well," he said, walking slowly in front of them. "This room will give us everything we need, but don't forget the essential: magic responds to the heart, and the heart obeys the mind. If you believe something is possible... it will be."
The twins looked at him as if he had just revealed a forbidden secret, their eyes shining with anticipation as they thought about all they would be able to achieve.
When the lights in the room stabilized and the echo of the magic they had just practiced faded, Aurelian let the twins catch their breath for a moment. Then, in a more serious tone, he said:
"Now we're going to move on to something different... but just as vital. Occlumency."
They looked at him intently. Hestia tilted her head. Flora, on the other hand, frowned.
"As you already know, Occlumency is the defense of the mind against intrusion. But it's not just about resisting... it's about building. Those who master this art can hide their deepest thoughts, manipulate what others see, or even build labyrinths so that anyone who tries to enter gets lost in their mind."
He stopped in front of them and added.
"Remember, the most important thing is imagination. If you build simple walls, a skilled magician will easily tear them down. But if you make your mind unique, creative, and unpredictable, you will have a defense that no one can break through."
Flora swallowed hard.
"And how do we start?"
Aurelian took a step toward her, gently touching her forehead with his fingers.
"First, you must learn to clear your mind. Silence unnecessary thoughts, fleeting emotions... until your mind is calm. Without calm, there is no control."
He stepped back and raised his wand.
"Close your eyes. Concentrate. Imagine that all chaotic thoughts are like leaves floating on a lake... and that you sink them to the bottom until the surface is clean, quiet, calm."
Hestia took a deep breath and closed her eyes, her lips barely curving into a smile. Flora, on the other hand, clenched her jaw, trying to clear her mind. Aurelian watched her for a moment before speaking.
"Flora. Don't try to clear your mind with force. That only creates more noise. Don't fight your thoughts... just let them go."
She opened one eye to look at him, and seeing the calmness on Aurelian's face, she sighed and obeyed him. Little by little, her posture relaxed.
He waited several minutes, assessing the magic they gave off.
"Good. Now, the second step. Creative defenses. Think of something that represents who you are... or something that no one can break. It could be an endless forest, an ocean of fog, even a maze of mirrors. Whatever you want."
The twins exchanged glances.
"I've got it," said Hestia, her voice firm and her eyes closed. "A garden full of snakes that seem to go on forever, all watching, ready to bite anyone who tries to enter."
Aurelian smiled.
"Very Slytherin of you... Effective."
"Mine..." murmured Flora, "is an infinite library. Anyone who enters will see only books and endless corridors, but will never find the real book where I keep what I want to protect."
"Ingenious," nodded Aurelian, genuinely pleased. "That's exactly what I'm looking for in you. Creativity. Originality."
He crossed his arms, watching them fondly.
"We'll practice this over and over again. I'll try to get into your minds, and you'll have to stop me. It won't be easy, but when you succeed, you'll be able to resist even wizards who have been practicing for decades."
Flora opened her eyes, shining with excitement.
"So when are you going to start testing us?"
Aurelian let out a slight smile.
"Right now."
Before they could react, he focused a little of his magic and whispered.
"Legilimens."
-------------------------------------
I have a Patreon account. If you want to support me, I would really appreciate it, as you will be able to read up to 15 more chapters and find images of the characters in the story for free. Thank you very much for reading my story :D
patreon.com/Daoistrg