Three weeks had passed since Louis and his friends discovered the method for refining mana. By mid-May, Hogwarts was bathed in the warmth of spring. The lake shimmered under clear skies, the Forbidden Forest hummed with life, and the castle courtyards buzzed with students taking advantage of the pleasant weather.
But for Louis, Cho, and Evangeline, there was no time for idle walks or lazy afternoons. Their days had become a carefully balanced routine of school, study, and magical experimentation. Since the night Louis had proposed his theory of magical stratification and the role of mana purity, the group had committed to refining their mana daily.
Their shared goal? To reach Rank 1—a stage of clear, active magical resonance—before the school year ended. Ambitious, perhaps unrealistic for most first-years. But Louis was confident. He could feel the change within himself—his spells were cleaner, more precise. The texture of his mana had shifted, becoming sharper, lighter. He was nearly there.
One sunny morning in the Ravenclaw common room, Cho leaned over the armrest of the couch, brushing parchment off her lap. "If I have to read one more chapter about potion base interactions, I'll hex the book."
Evangeline chuckled from across the room, where she had turned their exam notes into colorful flashcards. "You said the same thing yesterday. And the day before."
"Because it's still true."
Louis glanced up from his research journal. "You'll thank those potion notes when Snape throws a trick question into the exam."
"Oh, I know. Doesn't mean I like it." Cho shot him a grin. "How's your mana feeling today?"
"Stable," he replied, closing the journal with a satisfied thump. "I tried combining focused breathing with emotional recall. It helps refine the flow. My core almost feels... lighter."
"That's probably because you're basically Rank 1 already," Evangeline said, raising an eyebrow. "Show-off."
Louis laughed, but didn't deny it.
Their afternoons were spent in the Room of Requirement, which transformed into a serene chamber filled with soft cushions, floating candles, and diagrams of mana flow scrawled across enchanted chalkboards. Every evening, they practiced refining their mana—drawing from memory, intention, and carefully honed focus.
"I think I'm starting to feel it," Cho said one night as she sat cross-legged in the center of a glowing rune circle. "It's like... the magic inside me is warmer. Not stronger, but clearer."
"That's it," Louis encouraged. "You're aligning with it. When it becomes second nature, you'll know."
Between refinement sessions, the group also began revising for their final exams for the end of their first year. Evangeline, ever organized, set up a schedule of study blocks, rotating between Transfiguration, Charms, Potions, and Defense Against the Dark Arts.
"We'll alternate study and mana work," she explained. "Keep the mind and the core balanced."
Cho added a twist. "Let's turn it into a competition. Most correct answers in review quizzes gets a dessert from each loser."
"You're just trying to win back your Chocolate Frogs," Louis said, smirking.
"Obviously."
Charles, while busy with his own exams for the end of third year, often dropped in to help. His knowledge of older material and calm demeanor made him an anchor in their whirlwind of stress and ambition.
"Don't worry too much about theory," he said one night, helping Evangeline with spell mechanics. "The professors want to see application and understanding, not just memorization."
"But what if McGonagall asks something abstract?"
"Then give her an abstract answer. She'll love it."
Despite the pressure, their spirits remained high. Their group had grown tighter, their friendship deeper. Even setbacks—like Cho accidentally short-circuiting a mana loop or Louis struggling with a new refinement method—were met with laughter and determination.
Late one Saturday evening, as they once again gathered in the Room of Requirement, Evangeline leaned against the wall, sipping a calming draught.
"I think I'm close," she whispered. "It's still blue but not dull. I feel more connected."
Louis nodded, kneeling before the chalkboard, where he had begun to sketch a revised mana spectrum. "It's not just color. It's density, flow, clarity. The way it resonates with your intent."
They all sat quietly for a moment, absorbing his words.
Then, Cho broke the silence. "I want to be the second one to reach Rank 1."
"Oh, is that a challenge?" Evangeline teased.
"Absolutely."
Laughter echoed through the Room.
The next day, Louis noted something important in his journal. During a deep refinement session, he had noticed a shift in Cho's and Evangeline's mana as well—not just in color or density, but in response. Their cores were adapting, syncing with their intentions more readily.
"I think," he explained that evening, "the speed at which you refine your mana depends on your corporeal mana limit. It's like a container—some are bigger, some smaller. But emotions allow us to temporarily overflow that container."
"Which is why it worked so fast for you," Evangeline said, thoughtful. "Your limit must be... unusual."
Louis gave a sheepish smile. "Possibly. Or maybe I just have more practice processing emotions through magic."
"Or maybe you're just crazy talented," Cho added.
"Both can be true," Charles muttered, earning another round of laughter.
As the days continued to pass, their lives fell into a steady rhythm. Early mornings, long classes, quiet afternoons of study, and candlelit evenings spent working toward mastery. Though the castle remained full of chatter and exam panic, their group moved with quiet focus.