It was the start of October, and the season was turning. The leaves had begun to shift from green to gold, drifting gently from the trees like lazy confetti tossed by nature itself. Autumn had arrived at Hogwarts.
And with it, Cael Vale had come to one firm conclusion: whoever designed this castle had clearly never read a safety manual in their life. Between staircases that moved on a whim, trick steps, hidden doorways, and portraits that yelled at you for sneezing too loud, Hogwarts was less of a school and more of a magical survival challenge cleverly disguised as one.
He was surviving, yes—but very much like a cat dangling off a tapestry: graceful in theory, frantic in execution. And yet, despite it all, Cael was loving every second of it.
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Of Spells, Successes, and Slight Explosions
In the span of a month, Cael had settled well into the rhythm of Hogwarts life. He'd made friends, earned house points, and narrowly avoided several magical catastrophes.
Charms with Professor Flitwick had become a personal favorite. The tiny professor's squeaky enthusiasm made even the most basic wand movement feel like unlocking ancient secrets. Cael earned a proud ten points for Gryffindor after successfully levitating a stack of apples—without transforming them into exploding fruit, which, as it turned out, was a real and recorded danger.
Transfiguration was another story entirely. Professor McGonagall was a walking monument to sternness, with eyes sharp enough to detect a flicked wand movement from across the room. When Cael managed to turn a teacup halfway into a wine glass, she gave him a small nod—the equivalent of a standing ovation from her—and awarded five points. He was still debating whether it had been genuine praise or professional pity.
Herbology, meanwhile, was a lesson in soil-based humiliation. Cael got along well enough with Professor Sprout, though the feeling was likely mutual only when he wasn't shrieking in surprise from yet another Puffapod eruption or wrestling a carnivorous cabbage.
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Friends, Fiends, and the Weasley Menace
Cael's social life at Hogwarts mostly revolved around two things: food and chaos. And no one embodied both better than Fred and George Weasley—his roommates—and their frequent co-conspirator, Lee Jordan.
"Oi, Cael Vale! Got a new prank idea yet?" one of the twins shouted one evening. He still couldn't tell them apart.
"Not at the moment," Cael replied, "but don't we have an appointment with Filch about the confiscated items?"
"Oh yeah," said Lee. "We completely forgot about that."
Fred—or George—grinned. "Let's go during Halloween. Filch will be out of his office then—with that nightmare of a cat."
What followed could only be described as a month-long descent into 'harmless' experimentation. Cael was dragged into projects involving fireworks, vanishing ink, and one suspiciously jiggly box labeled: Do Not Open Unless You Like Itchy Knees. Naturally, he opened it. He did not, in fact, like itchy knees.
Lee often turned their adventures into narrated events. "Cael Vale, the daring Gryffindor, attempts the impossible—finding the nearest bathroom without running into Filch! Can he do it, ladies and gentlemen?"
(He couldn't. He spent an hour polishing trophy cases.)
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Girls and the Astronomy Incident
Then there was Katie Bell, Angelina Johnson, and Alicia Spinnet—the Gryffindor Quidditch enthusiasts , each with enough confidence to fuel a rocket. Cael often found himself circling around them, mostly by accident, sometimes by invitation.
Katie, in particular, shared all classes with him, including Astronomy and Flight. Their rivalry during flying lessons was mostly one-sided—Katie was fast, nimble, and mercilessly competitive. Cael kept pace more out of stubbornness than skill.
Astronomy was where their banter truly shined. Most nights were spent trading snarky observations about constellations while trying not to fall asleep during Professor Sinistra's monotone lectures. One evening, during a meteor shower, Cael pointed to a falling star and named it Steve. For reasons no one understood, the name stuck.
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Homework and Other Dark Magic
Homework, Cael decided, was a form of slow magical torture. History of Magic essays were indistinguishable from ancient sleep spells. Snape's potion instructions read more like subtle threats. And Professor Markus Line's Defense Against the Dark Arts assignments often included sketching creatures Cael fervently hoped he'd never meet.
Still, he managed . Sometimes, it was a professor's rare nod, or Katie Bell muttering in mock praise, "Look at you, all responsible. I'm mildly impressed."
⸻
Cassandra Encounters
He didn't see Cassandra Worley often, but when he did, it felt like walking into a perfectly written scene. Her golden hair always seemed windblown in the most deliberate way, and she carried herself like someone who knew something no one else did—but refused to say it aloud.
Their dynamic was strange. Cassandra had developed a silent, self-declared rivalry with him, convinced she was competing with the only other student who consistently challenged her at the top of the class.
One afternoon, he literally bumped into her outside the library. She didn't blink.
"You should watch where you're going," she said coolly.
"I was," Cael replied. "You're the one who walks like a ghost on a deadline."
She tilted her head slightly. "Not an intelligent individual, are you? Well, I suppose I shall be kind enough to forgive this dumb little Horklump . Now, if you'll excuse me."
Then she walked away.
He still wasn't sure whether it was an insult or a compliment. But the dumb part was surely an insult, three days later, he found himself replaying the encounter in his head while brushing his teeth.
⸻
House Points and Nicknames
By the end of the month, Cael had earned a respectable thirty-seven points for Gryffindor. Not enough to become a legend, but enough for people to stop calling him "that new kid who looks like a girl " and start saying "the one who argued with Peeves and won." Gryffindor house took pride in things like that.
He'd also acquired a growing list of nicknames—most courtesy of Fred, George, and Lee:
• Professor Vale (for correcting Binns mid-lecture),
• Cabbage Slayer (for the Herbology incident),
• Star-Boy (from the Astronomy class),
• and Mister Precise (courtesy of Snape, and definitely not affectionately).
Despite the chaos, the homework, the unpredictable staircases, and the pranks gone wrong, Cael found himself smiling more often than not.
Hogwarts was mad. Utterly mad.
But it was his madness now.