The return to routine was almost natural, as if the holidays had been a mere blink of an eye. Aurelian got up early every morning, and after taking his usual classes, he would meet with Hestia and Flora in the Room of Requirement to continue their training. The place suited his needs. That day, it had taken the form of a large stone-clad hall with walls covered with shelves full of books and some runes. The room seemed to watch them intently.
"Today we will work on improving your mental defenses," Aurelian announced in the firm but calm tone he used with them.
The twins, sitting in front of him on dark cushions, looked at him with great concentration, absorbed in his every word.
"We have already practiced the basics of your defenses enough," Aurelian continued, "but Occlumency is not just about putting up a wall in your mind. If you make it too rigid, sooner or later someone will find a crack. What I want you to understand is that your defense must be... changeable, not always the same."
Hestia tilted her head curiously.
"Like an illusion? Something that can deceive anyone who tries to enter?"
"Exactly," Aurelian nodded, a small smile of approval crossing his lips. "Think of your minds as something... alive. If someone tries to break into it, they shouldn't encounter an unbreakable wall, but a place full of false passages and sounds that end up confusing their enemies."
Flora crossed her arms, deep in thought.
"I like it... it sounds kind of fun. Making someone get lost in my head until they go crazy... sounds fascinating."
Aurelian let out a small laugh.
"Yes... that's the idea. Remember what I told you. Imagination is the basis of magic, and the same applies to the mind."
They practiced for hours. Aurelian did not try to invade their thoughts, but rather guided them, asking them to describe the defenses they visualized. Hestia imagined an endless library, where every true memory was hidden among thousands of others that were false. Flora continued to improve her garden, filled with snaking shadows that chased anyone who dared to enter.
"As I expected, your defenses continue to improve," Aurelian told them approvingly. "The more you reinforce them, the more natural it will become for you."
The training did not end there. After mental practice, they moved on to some dueling. Aurelian first cast an Expelliarmus, then repeated it, but whispering a couple of words in Parseltongue. The effect was immediate; the spell came out with disproportionate force, so powerful that it shook the walls of the Room of Requirement.
Hestia and Flora stared at him with wide eyes.
"Was... was that really the same spell?" Flora asked, surprised.
Aurelian nodded calmly.
"Yes. The difference is that I cast it in the language of snakes. Parseltongue isn't just a language, it's a direct channel for magic. Any spell I cast this way becomes stronger, faster... and above all, more dangerous."
Hestia bit her lip, intrigued.
"So, when you're seriously fighting someone... you'll always use Parseltongue magic, or am I wrong?"
Aurelian nodded once more, seriously.
"Exactly. There would be no point in holding back if the situation became really dangerous," he added, looking at them gently. "I just wanted you to see a little bit of how my magic works, that's all."
Flora was the first to approach him, with a warm smile.
"You're incredible, Aurelian... there really is no one like you."
Hestia followed immediately, hugging him around the waist.
"You are definitely one of a kind."
Before he could respond, they both kissed him almost simultaneously, one on the cheek and the other brushing the corner of his lips, leaving Aurelian with a slight blush on his cheeks.
Saturday morning dawned with a cool breeze blowing from deep within the forbidden forest, and small waves glistened in the sunlight on the lake. Aurelian stood there with his hands in his pockets, watching the sky's reflection in the water. He had arranged to meet Neville Longbottom there. It was the day his training would officially begin.
At his sides, Hestia and Flora walked silently, though they were not exactly happy. They were angry with the boy who had dared to claim their Darling's time. They felt somewhat jealous, almost insulted, that Longbottom had dared to ask for something as valuable as Aurelian's time.
"You should be resting or using your time for something useful..." Flora muttered barely audibly, speaking more to herself.
"Or better yet, being alone with us..." Hestia added in a whisper.
Aurelian had heard them perfectly well. He turned his head slightly toward them with a slight smile.
"Don't worry. You'll see that this will be interesting... I hope."
Hestia and Flora bit their lips, holding back. They knew Aurelian wouldn't change his mind, yet they felt a slight sting at the thought that a boy like Longbottom, someone clumsy and timid, would have even a fraction of Aurelian's time.
"If you say so," replied Flora, clinging slightly to his arm.
"Then we'll accept it," concluded Hestia, although there was a clear unspoken warning in her tone.
The crunch of grass interrupted them. Neville appeared running from the castle, somewhat agitated, his face flushed from exertion and nerves. He stopped in front of Aurelian, breathing heavily.
"I-I'm sorry... I hope I'm not late," he said in a trembling voice.
Aurelian looked at him calmly, his analytical eyes scanning him. His posture, his expression, his poorly concealed fear. He nodded slowly. "There's a lot of room for improvement," he thought.
"No, you're right on time," he replied calmly.
Neville smiled with relief, but when he felt Hestia and Flora's eyes on him, he immediately tensed up. They watched him like two snakes guarding their treasure, their smiles making no attempt to hide their clear hostility.
Neville swallowed hard and looked down, instantly realizing that it would not be easy to earn a place in that circle.
Aurelian, meanwhile, stepped away from the water and pointed to a nearby clearing.
"Let's go there. If you really want to learn, we'll need space... and a lot of patience," he said, addressing Hestia and Flora more than Neville.
Neville obediently followed him, while Hestia and Flora stayed close, still annoyed but saying nothing more. Inside, they had already made up their minds. If Neville didn't try hard, if he wasted even a second of Aurelian's time, they would take care of him themselves.
Neville stopped in front of him, trying to control the nerves that were tightening his chest. Aurelian watched him silently for a few seconds before speaking.
"Tell me, Longbottom... What is magic to you?"
Neville swallowed hard. The words stuck in his throat, and all he could think about were the phrases he had heard all his life, at home, at family gatherings, from others at Hogwarts. With a trembling voice, he replied.
"M-magic is... what wizards use to cast spells... to defend ourselves or do things that Muggles can't. That's what I've always been told."
Aurelian looked at him with disdain. He sighed. He spoke in a firm tone, without being cruel.
"Only those who barely scratch the surface of what magic really is say that. Magic isn't just a tool, it's not something you use to do tricks. It's our will and how you manifest it in your environment." Aurelian took a step forward, forcing Neville to hold his gaze. "But there's something more important you need to understand. To wield magic well, you need a body that can sustain it."
Neville blinked, confused.
"The... body?"
"Yes," Aurelian nodded. "Magic flows within you like blood. If your body is weak, your magic will be just as weak. If you truly want to be strong, you must first strengthen what sustains your power. Your physique, your endurance... and your mind."
Neville looked down, his hands clenched. No one had ever told him that before. He felt ashamed, but also relieved that someone was actually treating him as if he were more than just a burden.
Meanwhile, a few yards away, under the shade of a nearby tree, Hestia and Flora had settled down on the grass. From there, they watched the scene in silence, hugging each other, like two owls keeping watch.
Both girls' eyes followed Aurelian's every move, every word he said. Although they knew he was doing it of his own accord, they couldn't help feeling jealous when they saw him paying so much attention to Neville Longbottom.
Flora intertwined her fingers with her sister's and whispered.
"If that boy dares to waste his time, I swear I'll..."
Hestia rested her head on her shoulder, smiling softly but with the same intensity in her gaze.
"I know, Flora. Let's hope Aurelian knows what he's doing."
Aurelian, oblivious to the twins' thoughts, looked back at Neville.
"Do you understand?"
Neville nodded quickly, still feeling nervous, but there was a spark of determination growing in his eyes.
He was drenched in sweat and his face was red as Aurelian forced him to the ground.
"Ten more," he ordered calmly.
Neville groaned, barely managing to complete one more push-up before collapsing onto his side. Aurelian didn't flinch, just watching him coldly, assessing him.
"Get up. We're not done yet. Now we'll move on to sit-ups."
"What? N-now?" gasped Neville, but Aurelian's relentless gaze was enough to make him lie on his back and begin to try, clumsily.
From the shade of the tree, Hestia and Flora followed his every move, their chins resting on their palms and their eyes shining for Aurelian.
"Look at him, Flora..." whispered Hestia, with a sweet smile. "He gives orders with such confidence."
"That's because he's always been a natural leader," Flora replied in a low voice, without taking her eyes off him. "And no one deserves him more than us."
They moved closer to each other, deliberately ignoring the panting Longbottom. For them, the training was nothing more than an interruption they had to endure until Aurelian was alone with them again.
"I suppose the Weasleys and Diggory... are bearable," Hestia commented resignedly. "At least they make Aurelian laugh, distract him... that relaxes him."
"That's the only reason we accept them," Flora finished, absentmindedly stroking her sister's hair as they both kept their eyes fixed on Aurelian.
The boy they were watching finished making Neville do a few more squats, almost dragging his body. When he finally let him rest, Longbottom fell back onto the grass, shaking and gasping for air.
Aurelian watched him for a moment, then nodded.
"That's enough for today."
Neville nodded between gasps, grateful that it was over.
Hestia and Flora snorted in unison, crossing their arms.
"At least," Flora muttered with a hint of annoyance in her voice, "with our Aurelian's guidance... that Longbottom will end up being a decent wizard."
Hestia nodded, lifting her chin proudly.
They both smiled softly, not at Neville, but at the only person who mattered to them.
Neville wiped the sweat from his forehead with his sleeve, still panting and his face red. Aurelian crossed his arms, evaluating every detail.
"Listen to me carefully, Longbottom," he said gently. "I want you to repeat this routine all week. Push-ups, sit-ups, squats. If you miss a single day, I'll notice."
Neville swallowed hard, exhausted but with a look of determination on his face.
"Yes... yes, I will."
Aurelian nodded slightly.
"Next Saturday we'll meet here again. I want to see results."
Neville clenched his fists, took a deep breath, and, to Aurelian's surprise, nodded seriously, with a seriousness he had rarely seen before.
"Of course, Master, I won't disappoint you."
Aurelian raised an eyebrow, then an almost imperceptible smile appeared on his lips.
"Master, eh?" he murmured, amused. Then, with a warm expression on his face, he said, "You have potential, Neville. The only thing you lack is belief in yourself... that's something I can't teach you."
Neville's eyes widened, shocked by those words. He remained silent, but inside him something began to ignite, nothing would ever be the same for him after that day.
Aurelian turned around, walking toward the tree where Hestia and Flora were waiting for him. They greeted him with a hug and looks full of pride, while Neville, sitting on the grass, followed him with his gaze.
For the first time, he didn't feel useless.
For the first time, he believed he could be stronger.
For the first time, he had not just a teacher, he had a truefriend...
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