The three of them began walking out of the Great Hall along with the flow of students filling the castle corridors.
Their footsteps echoed against the cold stone floors of Hogwarts as students from various houses made their way to their first class.
Terry glanced at his schedule while walking.
"Alright… first class, Charms."
Michael smiled slightly at Terry's words.
"Relax, Terry. It's just a basic levitation charm."
"That's exactly what worries me," Terry replied.
Kenzo, walking beside them, simply smiled as he listened.
Meanwhile, behind them—
Hermione, Harry, and Ron were also heading to the same class.
Noticing them, Hermione quickened her pace until she was walking alongside them.
"Hi Kenzo, are you three heading to Charms as well?" she asked.
Kenzo nodded.
"Yes, Lion. We're heading to Charms with Professor Flitwick. Are you going there too?"
Hermione gave a small nod.
"Yes. Gryffindor has Charms together with Ravenclaw."
Harry, walking beside her, smiled politely at Kenzo and his friends.
"Looks like we'll be in the same class."
Ron let out a quiet sigh.
"Great… first class and it's already a combined one."
Michael chuckled.
"Isn't that a good thing? At least it won't be too quiet."
Terry shrugged slightly.
"I just hope I won't be the only one who fails to lift a feather later."
Hermione immediately turned to him.
"If you pronounce the spell correctly and follow the wand movement, it shouldn't be too difficult," she said confidently.
Ron snorted.
"You haven't even been to the class yet, Hermione."
Hermione shot him a sharp look.
"That's called preparation."
Michael laughed again.
Meanwhile, Kenzo walked calmly among them.
His eyes occasionally scanned the corridor filled with students.
Some of the portraits on the walls moved and whispered among themselves as the students passed by.
Before long, they reached the grand staircase of Hogwarts.
The stone stairs shifted and moved as usual.
Terry immediately grabbed the railing nervously.
"I will never get used to this."
Michael smiled casually.
"You'll get used to it. It's Hogwarts."
Kenzo simply observed the moving stairs calmly.
A few minutes later, they arrived at a corridor on the upper floor of the castle.
There, a classroom door stood with a small sign:
Charms — Professor Flitwick
Several Ravenclaw and Gryffindor students had already gathered outside.
Terry took a deep breath.
"Alright…"
He looked at Kenzo and Michael.
"This is really our first class at Hogwarts."
Michael patted his shoulder.
"Relax. We won't be tested right away."
Terry still looked uneasy.
"I still feel like this is going to be embarrassing."
Kenzo smiled slightly.
"You're overthinking it, Terry."
Hermione, standing nearby, looked at the classroom door with excitement.
"I wonder what spell we'll learn today."
Ron sighed.
"As long as it doesn't explode, I'm fine."
Harry chuckled softly.
A moment later—
the classroom door opened.
A small man with a neatly trimmed beard stood before them.
Professor Flitwick.
He stood on a stack of thick books so he could be seen.
"Ah! First-year students!" he said cheerfully.
"Come in, come in!"
The students from Gryffindor and Ravenclaw entered the classroom.
The room was filled with small desks, each with a feather and spellbooks prepared on top.
Kenzo, Michael, and Terry sat together.
Hermione sat not far away with Harry and Ron.
Professor Flitwick stood on his chair and smiled widely.
"Welcome to Charms class!"
"Alright, I will take attendance first before we begin learning spells."
Professor Flitwick began calling names one by one.
When he called Harry Potter—
he looked quite enthusiastic.
"Harry Potter."
Harry was slightly surprised but quickly replied,
"Present, Professor."
Flitwick smiled before continuing.
But when he read the next name—
his expression changed.
His eyes widened slightly, and his smile grew even wider.
"Kenzo… Otsutsuki."
The classroom fell slightly silent.
Kenzo stood calmly.
"Present, Professor."
Several students turned to look at him.
They could clearly see—
Professor Flitwick looked far more excited than before.
He even seemed to tremble slightly on top of his books.
"The Otsutsuki family…" he murmured softly.
It had been centuries since that name was heard at Hogwarts.
Since the time of Hagoromo Otsutsuki, who had once been in Slytherin—
no member of that family had appeared in the wizarding world.
And now—
an Otsutsuki stood before him… in Ravenclaw.
Flitwick cleared his throat.
"Alright… let's continue."
After finishing attendance—
he raised his wand.
"In this class, you will learn how to give magical properties to objects."
He picked up a feather.
"The first spell you will learn is the Levitation Charm."
He flicked his wand.
"Wingardium Leviosa."
The feather rose gently into the air.
Students whispered in amazement.
"The wand movement is swish… and flick," Flitwick explained.
"And pronunciation must be precise."
He looked at the class.
"Now, you may begin."
The students picked up their wands.
At the Gryffindor table—
Hermione tried first.
"Wingardium Leviosa!"
Her feather rose perfectly.
"Excellent! Very good, Miss Granger!" Flitwick praised.
Ron tried next.
"Wingardium Levio—"
Nothing happened.
"It's Levi-o-sa, not Levio-sar," Hermione corrected.
Ron groaned.
Meanwhile, Seamus Finnigan attempted the spell—
Duar!
A small explosion erupted.
Both houses burst into laughter, and even Zetsu, hidden by illusion, chuckled.
At the Ravenclaw table—
Michael tried.
"Wingardium Leviosa."
The feather twitched slightly, then fell.
"Almost…"
Terry tried next.
"Wingardium Leviosa!"
Nothing happened.
"This is harder than I thought…"
Michael looked at Kenzo.
"Your turn."
Kenzo calmly raised his wand.
"Wingardium Leviosa."
The feather rose—
and began spinning smoothly in the air with perfect control.
Michael and Terry stared.
"Whoa…"
Hermione also looked over, surprised.
Professor Flitwick beamed.
"Excellent! Remarkable control!"
"Ten points to Ravenclaw!"
Michael grinned.
"Ten points already."
Terry shook his head.
"I haven't even moved mine…"
Kenzo lowered his wand.
The feather gently returned to the table.
Then—
he glanced at Hermione and raised an eyebrow slightly.
A silent challenge.
Hermione narrowed her eyes.
She understood.
He did that on purpose.
Ron noticed her expression.
"What now?"
Hermione didn't answer.
"Oh… I see," she murmured.
She raised her wand again.
"Wingardium Leviosa."
Her feather lifted—
more stable, more controlled.
Her focus now entirely on Kenzo.
Kenzo observed her result and gave a small nod.
A silent acknowledgment.
Hermione smiled—
not an ordinary smile,
but one of someone who had found something interesting.
A rival.
At the Ravenclaw table—
Michael finally succeeded.
"Yes!"
Terry tried again.
"Wingardium Leviosa!"
The feather moved slightly.
"It moved!"
Michael laughed.
"See?"
Kenzo gave Terry a thumbs up.
Terry's face lit up.
"I did it…"
Michael chuckled.
"You just needed focus."
Terry smiled widely.
"Maybe I won't die in first class after all."
Kenzo chuckled softly.
At the front—
Professor Flitwick clapped his hands.
"Very good, everyone!"
"For a first lesson, this is excellent progress."
He smiled.
"Some of you have shown remarkable talent."
His gaze briefly shifted to Kenzo… then to Hermione.
"Keep practicing. Control is the foundation of all magic."
He lowered his wand. "That will be all for today."
Students sighed in relief.
Terry nearly slumped. "I survived…"
Michael laughed. "You're dramatic."
Kenzo stood calmly, adjusting his robe.
Hermione stood as well.
Before leaving she glanced at Kenzo again.
Her gaze unchanged. Curious… and now, challenging.
Kenzo returned the look with a faint smile.
Without a word—
a silent understanding formed between them.