Noah froze for a moment, his eyes wide with surprise. Then a huge smile spread across his face, and he rushed toward his father.
"Really?" he stopped in front of Adam, his eyes shining with anticipation. "That's amazing, Dad!"
Adam was caught off guard by Noah's excitement. The truth was, the idea had come to him after hearing Nick talk about Noah the night before. The alchemist had mentioned that Noah often spoke about wanting to fly.
True flight—without any equipment—was an extremely rare and difficult magic. You could hardly name a wizard capable of doing it. Not even Nick could, which made it impossible for him to teach Noah.
Adam wasn't any different—he had no idea how to obtain true flight magic. But then he thought of broom flying. It wasn't the same, but maybe Noah would like it. Most kids did.
He hadn't expected Noah to react so passionately. Looking up, Adam saw Laura smiling.
"Put on the protections and let's get started. This morning will be a long one," Adam said with a knowing grin.
Noah quickly strapped on a helmet and other protective gear, with his mother helping him tie everything neatly. "I'm ready," he said, his voice trembling with excitement.
"I'll skip the theory and head straight to practice," Adam announced, remembering just how fast Noah picked things up.
Noah didn't even need to be taught how to summon the broom; he simply opened his hand, and it rose up immediately.
"First, mount the broom but keep your feet on the ground so you can get used to the position," Adam instructed.
Noah followed, sitting astride the broom with his feet still planted firmly on the floor.
Adam was only going to explain the basics—how to push upward and steer—but Laura stepped in to help, covering her mouth with a smile.
"Brooms are enchanted, so the magic doesn't really come from you," she explained. "They mostly respond to your body. Lean forward to accelerate, pull back to slow down. Remember, there's no anti-gravity magic, so you'll still feel your weight, and air resistance increases with speed."
Noah nodded, quickly grasping the logic.
"You can give the initial push-off," Laura continued, "but don't go too high. It's hard to keep stable in the beginning."
Without hesitation, Noah gave a small kick. The broom responded instantly, lifting into the air. He rose just over a meter, wobbling at first, but managed to stabilize.
"How is it?" Adam asked.
"A bit tricky, but so worth it," Noah grinned.
"Try landing," Laura instructed. Noah leaned down, guiding the broom back until his feet touched the ground.
That entire morning, Noah practiced only takeoffs, landings, and balance. It was a fun day.
The next morning, he took his first full flight. Adam flew beside him on another broom. The speed was low, but Noah was having the time of his life.
They circled the mansion before returning to their starting point. The first challenge was handling turns. Not falling during a turn was harder than it seemed, and Noah almost slipped off a few times.
With more practice, he learned he didn't need to twist his body too much; just a small tilt was enough to make the broom turn.
In the days that followed, Noah spent every morning training. Soon he was learning tricks and flying more efficiently.
By the fifth day, he was already flying better than his father—not that it was too hard. But as a result, he earned permission to fly on his own.
"Try not to go too far," his father warned. "And don't attempt any risky stunts."
"Got it," Noah replied with a smile, then leaned forward.
The broom surged upward, wind rushing past his face. He could've worn flying goggles, but he preferred feeling it all—the wind on his skin, the warmth of the sun.
It was incredible.
"Let's go higher."
As he sped forward, he felt the moment he crossed the barrier that protected the mansion. But he didn't stop. The whole island still belonged to his family—it was all his backyard.
His technique had improved drastically over the past few days. He now flew with real skill. The only reason he wasn't faster was the limitation of the training broom. Still, it was enough to get his adrenaline pumping.
Noah stopped midair and looked upward, a thought flickering in his mind.
"Could this be dangerous?" He hesitated, but quickly brushed it aside. Even if he fell, he had plenty of ways to stop the fall.
Without another thought, he tilted the broom upward and began climbing higher. Flying vertically was difficult, so he rose in wide circles, going higher and higher.
Soon, the ground was far below. Trees looked like tiny dots, and the higher he went, the colder and thinner the air became.
Realizing he couldn't climb much further, he stopped.
Ignoring the chill and the shortness of breath, he lingered there, alone in the sky. The endless blue above him, the sun on the horizon, the tiny land below, and the vast ocean stretching endlessly around the island. It was a sight few would ever see.
"One day, I'll see this view again… but not from a broom," he whispered to no one but the world itself.
Looking down, a bold idea struck him. No matter how much his rational side protested, he couldn't resist.
"This will work, right?" He chuckled. Then he slapped his clothes and body. At first, nothing seemed to happen, but if you looked closely, you'd notice his clothes seemed almost weightless.
He had made his clothes lighter and anchored them to his body. Holding the broom tightly in his right hand, he cast a shrinking spell. In an instant, the broom shrank, and Noah dropped from the sky.
His clothes tried to float, but couldn't carry his full weight. Still, they slowed his descent. He smiled as the wind lashed against his face.
Opening his arms and leaning slightly forward, he angled his fall into a glide. It almost felt like real flight.
The sense of freedom was intoxicating. Noah closed his eyes, imagining himself soaring.
"One day," he thought.
But he couldn't lose track of time—unless he wanted to end up as a pancake. He opened his eyes, the ground rushing closer. Time to return to reality.
With a thought, the broom snapped back to its normal size, and he swung back onto it in a swift motion.
The last few minutes had been incredible. But now it was time to return, or he'd worry his parents.
He leaned forward and sped home. In just a few days, it would be time to leave for Hogwarts.
The last days before Hogwarts were precious moments with family. Noah spent afternoons in the library with his mother, listened to his father talk about business, and had tea with his grandfather. He put aside his studies, simply living as a happy child.
One day, he and his father even held a friendly broom race. Noah won easily, giving himself a new title.
His parents laughed when he puffed his chest out, hands on his hips, and declared:
"I am Noah, Lord of the Skies."
The night before leaving for Hogwarts, he received a package from Nick.
It contained several old books and scrolls.
And a letter.
**"Hey, what's your name now? Flying mosquito? Whatever. I found some books and scrolls about the runes you wanted. It wasn't easy—I had to use a lot of contacts. The least I expect is a creation worthy of my student. Though honestly, I doubt you'll get much from them. Rune crafting is one of those lost branches of magic.
So, you're finally going off to school… Remember what I told you: enjoy these golden years. And not just for fun—it's good for your magic too. Believe me, it's in the ordinary moments, the casual conversations, that geniuses have their revolutionary ideas.
Ah, one more thing. I wasn't going to say this, but Penny insisted. Someone tried to steal my Philosopher's Stone. It was funny, actually—I nearly trapped the fool in a space prison, but he escaped. I talked to Albus, and he thinks he knows who it was. A certain dark wizard most believe is still alive. Yes, I mean Voldemort. Did that name scare you? Probably not. Damn, you never get scared.
Anyway, Albus wants to confirm if it's really him, so he asked for the Stone to set a trap. He placed it in Gringotts to test the thief's determination. And would you believe it? They actually broke into the bank.
But the Stone had already been removed. Now it's at Hogwarts. Albus believes Voldemort will risk everything to enter Hogwarts for it. Like walking into a trap of his own making. But… I feel like Dumbledore isn't telling me everything. Still, I trust him.
So, be careful at school. I would've told you in person, but if your parents knew Voldemort might be at Hogwarts, they'd never let you go.
Damn, I think I've written more in this letter than in six centuries. Oh, and don't tell Penny. She only knows someone tried to steal it and that Dumbledore is protecting it now.
Hope you have a great year of study.
From your favorite friend and teacher,
Nicolas Flamel."**
When Noah finished reading, he froze. Then his hand grew hot—the letter burst into flames and crumbled into ash.
"That guy…" Noah chuckled, shaking his head.
Still, he was grateful. If his parents had learned Voldemort might be at Hogwarts, there was no way they'd let him go. Of course, any parent would react the same.
He tapped his wand, making the ashes vanish, then carried the books to his suitcase. Inside were plenty of empty rooms, so he chose one and set up a shelf for them.
"This will be my rune study room," he murmured.
He also started thinking about what else he'd need. Since the suitcase was a gift from Nick, it already contained all sorts of alchemist tools.
Over time, he'd turn this room into a proper rune workshop.
Noah wanted to dive into the books right away, but since he was leaving for Hogwarts the next day, he set them aside and returned to his family.
That evening, Grinny prepared a banquet. George opened the finest wine, Adam played piano, and Noah danced with Laura.
In the middle of the dance, his mother began to cry, whispering that she already missed her baby.
She made Noah promise to send lots of letters.
Later that night, George raised his glass, drawing everyone's attention.
"Our family holds great influence in the wizarding world," he said confidently. "Some may not know our faces, but all know our symbol. Since you've already made your formal appearance and are now going to Hogwarts, I believe it's the perfect time to give you this."
He opened a small box. Inside was a silver ring engraved with the family crest: a silver crown with a sword at its center.
"This is yours. It marks your status in the wizarding world."
Noah glanced at his smiling parents, then stepped forward and slipped the ring onto his index finger.
"A toast to Noah Gray, my grandson and heir," Charlie declared, raising his glass.
"A toast to Noah Gray."
"A toast to Noah Gray."
His parents beamed as they echoed the words, lifting their glasses high.
Grinny and the other house-elves appeared and knelt.
"Grinny swears to serve the master."
"To serve the master."
Noah looked confused, but Charlie laughed and explained:
"From now on, you hold full authority over anything concerning the family. You can access the vault without permission, or use the family name however you wish. Your word is the family's word."
"Isn't this too soon?" Noah asked, happy but also a little worried. His actions now carried greater weight.
But no one else seemed to think so. They all agreed it was the perfect time for him to receive the family ring.
Of course, they didn't tell him that heirs usually only got this honor after coming of age—and that they were also thinking about his safety. Any wizard would think twice before crossing a Gray heir bearing such a ring.
Noah didn't question it further. He gave the ring one last look and smiled. I am Noah Gray, and I have a family.
He would wear it proudly, carrying the mark of the greatest wizarding family with dignity. When the world came to know the greatest wizard of all time, they would know which family he came from.