Chapter 6: Before the Start of the Semester
The days leading up to the start of the school year were busy and exciting for Kyle. He spent every waking moment in his room, experimenting with a variety of charms and spells. Although he came from a magical family, his opportunities to practice magic before now had been limited.
For starters, neither Chris nor Diana treated their wands like ordinary tools—they considered them almost like an extension of themselves. Their wands were precious, and it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say they viewed them as their second lives. As a result, Kyle was only allowed to hold their wands twice a year, on Christmas and his birthday.
Kyle understood the significance of these moments. He made sure to keep things simple, using basic spells like the Wand-Lighting Charm or the Unlocking Charm, both of which had minimal risks even if they failed. But there was another challenge: wand compatibility.
Even though Kyle was their son, both of his parents' wands showed no affinity for him. The rejection was clear. Diana's wand, in particular, felt completely inert in Kyle's hands, no different than holding a regular stick. No matter how many times he recited the incantations, the wand refused to respond.
Due to these limitations, Kyle had spent most of his pre-Hogwarts years focusing on non-magical subjects like Quidditch, Herbology, and Magical Creatures. He had very little actual practice with Spells. But now, at eleven years old, with his very own wand in hand, he could finally cut loose and explore his magical potential.
Chris didn't mind this at all. In fact, he enjoyed it, often offering Kyle enthusiastic advice and relishing his brief moments of playing the teacher. As a result, Kyle's room became a small haven of flickering light as he practiced spell after spell.
At first, things went smoothly. Kyle was practicing basic charms that didn't cause much trouble for anyone else. But as he mastered more and more advanced spells, complications inevitably arose.
...
One afternoon, as Chris sat at the dining table enjoying a cup of black tea, the teacup across from him suddenly lifted off the table and began to float slowly upstairs.