Hogwarts - Early Morning
The morning sunlight seeped through the Hufflepuff common room's tall windows, scattering golden dust across the polished stone floors. The dormitories above still hummed with the soft murmurs of students waking, brushing teeth, and attempting to pull themselves together for another day of lessons. Below, however, the Circle of Magic was already gathering.
Cedric Diggory sat cross-legged on one of the low, cushion-strewn benches, adjusting the folds of his robes. Across from him, Noah Prewett's auburn hair caught the light from the lanterns as he studied a set of runes Ambrose had left for them the night before. Oliver Fairbourne, ever restless, fidgeted with a small magical compass that spun at the merest hint of a thought. And at the center, Ambrose Emrys, calm as ever, his golden-red eyes glowing faintly in the morning light, examined a thin scroll that shimmered with faint runes. Axel, his white falcon, perched atop the back of Ambrose's chair, eyes like polished sapphires scanning the room with quiet judgment.
"Morning," Cedric said, his voice low. "You didn't wake us up this time."
Ambrose's lips curved in a faint smile. "Patience, Cedric." He rolled the scroll gently between his fingers. "Today, I intend to invite new members to our Circle. I have already thought about it, and two students whose skill, creativity, and… adaptability may work for what we've built so far."
Oliver's green eyes lit up. "Adaptability? You mean chaos, don't you?"
Ambrose chuckled softly "Maybe."
Noah lifted his brow. "Who are you thinking of inviting?"
"You'll know eventually, they will be a fun addition, trust me"
Cedric ever calm "Fun? Thats a not so great word"
Ambrose just chuckled, knowing well that the year is going to be more fun.
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It was just past mid-morning when Ambrose and the Circle made their way to the Great Hall. Most students were busy with breakfast, the clatter of plates and the murmur of conversation forming a dull, constant hum. Ambrose moved with effortless grace, the faint glimmer of his hair and eyes drawing more than a few curious glances. Axel flew ahead for a brief moment, circling near the enchanted ceiling before returning to Ambrose's shoulder with an air of silent authority.
The twins were easy to spot. Fred and George Weasley sat at the Gryffindor table, not yet fully engaged in the breakfast rush, laughing at some small prank one of them had just performed on a passing first-year. their expressions carried that familiar mixture of mischief and intelligence. Ambrose's gaze lingered on them for a moment, noting the spark in their eyes - the sort of spark that could ignite - or disrupt - anything if not handled well.
"Ah," Ambrose murmured, barely audible. "There they are."
Cedric leaned closer. "You're not… thinking of them?"
Ambrose's lips tilted into a smile. "They are the kind of energy this Circle needs. Wild, unpredictable, and brilliant. All it takes is a gentle hand and careful guidance."
Noah's eyes narrowed slightly. "You think they'll listen?"
Ambrose's gaze hardened, though ever so slightly. "They will, if the reason is good enough."
Oliver's eyes gleamed. "Well, this should be interesting."
They approached the Gryffindor table casually, though Cedric could feel the subtle tension in the air. Fred noticed first, his green eyes locking onto Ambrose's face with a mixture of curiosity and amusement.
"Well, well," Fred said, leaning back in his chair. "Look at this, Emrys, thought you'd stay in Hufflepuff all day reading dusty scrolls."
"Good morning, Fred. George," Ambrose replied, his voice smooth and calm. "I hope I'm not interrupting anything particularly… important."
George arched an eyebrow. "Depends. Are you here to lecture us, or to recruit us for some wild escapade?" His tone carried the familiar twin cadence of humor and challenge.
Ambrose's eyes flickered with amusement. "Recruitment, yes. Escapades, maybe. But only if they have a reason more than jokes alone."
Fred laughed. "Ah, I like your style. Sounds serious… but not too serious." He glanced at George, who mirrored his grin. "Right, George? Think we're up for recruitment?"
George's expression softened slightly, though the playful gleam in his eyes remained. "Depends. What do we get out of it?"
"Growth, knowledge, and the chance to explore magic more than any classroom could give" Ambrose said, his eyes locked on them "I've seen your creativity, risk-taking, and of course pranks. All would work wonders in our Circle. If you accept, you will join a group dedicated to mastering magic as it should be understood"
Fred and George exchanged a glance, silent communication passing between them. Cedric and Noah watched. Oliver, as always, leaned forward, curious as ever.
Fred spoke first. "All right. I'm in. But on one condition, we do things our way sometimes."
George nodded. "Agreed. Circle is great and all, yes. But freedom to be… us, at times."
Ambrose's lips curved into a faint, approving smile. "Fair"
George tilted his head, intrigued. "And… what exactly is the Circle doing? You didn't just come here to recruit us for a chat, did you?"
Ambrose's gaze softened. "We are building something greater than any single spell or potion. The Circle studies magic as it truly is, not following textbooks or House rules. History, advanced magic, and things lost to history will be shown"
Fred and George both whistled softly, impressed despite themselves. "Ambitious," George added. "I like it."
With the twins now part of the Circle, Ambrose led them to a quieter corner of the castle, away from the prying eyes of students and professors alike. The Hufflepuff common room, the library, and various empty classrooms had all served as meeting spaces before. Today, he chose the former storage room beneath the east wing, enchanted to provide light, warmth, and quiet.
Cedric, Noah, and Oliver had already gathered there, papers, scrolls, and small magical implements arrayed across the long, low table. Axel flew above, his wings glinting in the morning light as he landed gracefully on the edge of the table.
After the circle's oath was explained, and both Fred and George participated in it, Ambrose stood upn a smile on his face and and "Welcome, Fred, George, you both are going to make this circle of ours ten times better!"
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PS: I am publishing less because I am reading some short novels, stories or FFs to learn more about dialogue and monologue, I will be publishing more shortly after I finish that 😊
Also this is probably the shortest chapter I made only about 1k words, sorry for that!