Magical Beasts
𝐇𝐄𝐍𝐑𝐘 𝐀𝐍𝐃𝐄𝐑𝐒𝐎𝐍
𝟐𝐧𝐝 𝐘𝐞𝐚𝐫
"I refuse to engage with that... THING!" I exclaimed in a hushed tone, ensuring the curse lurking before us wouldn't overhear. Given its lack of visible ears, there was a slim chance it could hear us anyway.
Seth, with an exasperated expression, retorted, "Do you want to learn how to return to your universe or not?"
I nervously chewed my lip, glancing up at the growling and grumbling curse scanning the vicinity, its senses keen but not pinpointing our exact location.
"Time is of the essence," Seth muttered impatiently.
"O-Okay," I relented with a sigh, "But you'll both be there, right?"
Seth shot me an encouraging smile, while Ethan simply regarded me with a blank stare.
"...Right?"
—------------------------
"AAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!!!"
I screamed at the top of my lungs as I sprinted, pursued by the curse. Their long limbs only aided their chase, as they closed in on me, grinning like maniacs with lipless smiles.
"Use a spell, Anderson!" Seth shouted beside me.
"Why can't you cast one yourself!?" I shot back, glaring at him.
"We agreed you'd handle it! That's the deal!" Seth smirked. "Quit running and use a spell!"
He's so pushy—
"He's right, Anderson. You'll tire out before the curse," Ethan chimed in as we fled from the rampaging curse behind us.
"If I collapse, you two will save me anyway," I retorted.
"No—" Seth chuckled, "I was almost ready to finish you off earlier! What makes you think this time would be any different? Well, not me, but the curse will."
"What?!" My eyes widened, and then I glanced at Ethan, who remained silent, seemingly in agreement with his brother.
Returning to my own universe comes with a price tag, apparently—it requires risking my life?
I'm seen as a threat in their world since I don't belong there. While I get their motives, dealing with this at thirteen is TOO MUCH!
Looking over my shoulder, I aimed my wand at the curse and yelled, "Impedimenta!"
The curse began to slow down, appearing rather foolish.
It was reminiscent of a scene playing out in slow motion.
I stopped in my tracks, and so did the Choi brothers, observing the curse. Despite being slow, it persisted in its twisted, smiling pursuit.
Seth wore an impressed expression. "Great job, but it won't hold up for much longer!"
The wizards seized me by the collar, urging me to flee once more. In just two minutes, the curse emitted a piercing scream, forcing us to cover our ears, then resumed its pursuit at full speed.
As we reached the end of our path, a sharp turn awaited, with a cliff obstructing our direct route. Suddenly, the curse leaped upon us from behind.
"Stupefy!" I aimed my wand at it once more, and we dodged as it crashed through the cliff. Nevertheless, we continued running along the left path, hearing the ground crumble behind us, indicating the curse's relentless pursuit. It growled even more ferociously now.
"My spells are ineffective! They only last for a minute or two!" I lamented, feeling the strain of exhaustion setting in.
Seth sighed, "When will you stop complaining? There's always a solution to every problem. You're an Aero, aren't you? You should know-"
Ugh! Asking for help from them is useless!
Come on, think, Henry!
"Um, Anderson?" Seth murmured beside me.
What kind of spell could endure longer than just the basics?
I’ve read a lot of spells.
“It’s pretty catching up soon to us…”
The pressure overwhelms me, causing panic-induced blankness in my mind.
"Henry!"
I halt my thoughts, realizing the curse's assault as it thrusts the Choi brothers aside, leaving me slammed against a nearby wall of dirt.
The impact spins my head, the curse's grip on my upper body so tight it feels like my bones are breaking.
"Aaaacck!" I scream, blood escaping my lips.
"Anderson, don't give up! Raise your wand!" Seth's shout barely registers over the ringing in my ears, my gaze fixed on the curse's wide-open mouth.
Suddenly, everything becomes clear, and I swiftly aim my wand at the odd, white-dotted eye of the creature. A sharp scream echoes, causing intense discomfort. Knocked aside, I lose my grip on the wand, coughing up blood in the aftermath.
"It... hurts..." Tears well in my eyes as I struggle to speak, but Seth's stern gaze pushes me onward.
"Get up, Anderson," he commands, as the curse writhes in agony.
With effort, I rise, retrieving my wand and aiming it at the still-suffering curse.
If my spells can only hold for one to two minutes against it, then I must bombard it relentlessly.
“Impedimenta!”
The creature stumbles, its movements slowing to a sluggish crawl. Before it could regain its bearings, I unleashed another spell, my voice tinged with determination.
“Incendio!”
Flames erupted, licking hungrily at the cursed entity. Its shrieks pierced the air, echoing its torment like the mournful wails of a lost spirit.
Undeterred, I pressed on, hurling a barrage of incantations.
“Impedimenta! Flipendo!” I shouted, the words flowing seamlessly from my lips as I directed the curse crashing back into the gnarled embrace of a nearby behemoth of a tree.
As the creature struggled to rise, I knew it was time to end this.
“Reducto!” I roared, pouring every ounce of my remaining strength into the spell.
The curse erupted in a cacophony of chaos, scattering debris in all directions.
With the battle won but my energy spent, I drew in a ragged breath, the adrenaline fading as quickly as it had come.
Then everything went all black.
—------------------------
I open my eyes to find Seth and Ethan sitting beside me, diligently tending to my injuries.
"Oh, you're awake," Seth's grin is infectious. "Great timing. That move you pulled back there was impressive! Mastering an explosion spell isn't child's play. Where did you pick that up at such a young age? I mean especially being just a second-year in AMAA!"
"Seth," Ethan interjects with a meaningful glance, prompting Seth to fall silent.
"Oh, my bad. I completely forgot how close we came to losing you," Seth apologizes, sheepishly.
"Yeah," I reply softly, though strangely, my body feels fine now. It's as if my injuries never existed, everything falling back into place effortlessly. "I learned the explosion spell from my grandfather when I was just a child, to scare off crows from our farm..."
Seth chuckles. "Seriously? That spell for that reason? Your grandfather must be quite the chara—"
"Seth," Ethan interrupts sharply, casting a glance my way as Seth offers a quick apology.
Ethan's gaze softens as he looks down at me. "Well done," he says, gently patting my head, a gesture that floods me with relief.
It reminds me of how my grandfather used to praise me whenever I mastered a new spell.
"Since you've vanquished the curse as I instructed, you've certainly earned a reward,” Ethan muttered as he stood up.
"The… place?" I inquired, clumsily rising from my seat due to my healing injuries.
"Yep!" Seth beamed, brushing aside the bush concealing us and revealing our location.
Before me loomed a towering tree, its immense trunk leaning to the right, cloaked in dark gray bark. Its leafy canopy, shaded in hues of gray, almost obscured two worn rocks nestled beneath its branches. One rock lay to the right, another to the left, while the space between them remained vacant, as though anticipating the magic I envisioned would unfold there.
"So, how do I activate it?" I asked, eyeing the portal and reaching out to touch the boulder.
"That's the tricky part," Seth replied, casually flicking his wand to dispel a nearby black goo.
I had forgotten about the lingering curses.
Ethan stepped beside me, placing his hand on the tree's bark. "We found ancient inscriptions, but attempting them yielded no results," he explained.
Examining the carvings, I realized they differed greatly from any magic spells I had learned in my youth. This was something entirely unfamiliar.
"Wait, you two tried it?" I raised an eyebrow. "What did it say?"
Seth lounged on the bark, dispelling another black goo with his wand. "It's essentially a rhyme. We deciphered it, but it proved futile. Despite our knowledge of countless spells, this one remains beyond our grasp."
Whispering beside me, Ethan traced the carvings. "Behold the Gateway to the Realms divine, Where Universes intertwine. In this portal, wonders abound, Where all seekers of truth are found."
So, that was the translation?
"If you don't know how to activate it, how am I supposed to return home?" I queried, turning to the Choi brothers.
"We planned to consult our grandfather over Christmas break," Seth replied nonchalantly. "He possesses more knowledge of spells than Ethan and I combined, as most wizards and witches do."
"Christmas break?!" I exclaimed. "I'm stranded here until then? And what if your grandfather doesn't know either?"
"Don't worry, Anderson," Ethan reassured me, "Our grandfather isn't exactly what you think. He's incredibly knowledgeable about the wizarding world, more than you realize." With a glance at the portal, he added, "He even knows about this."
I sighed, feeling defeated at last. "Well, if their grandfather is as great as they claim, then I suppose I should trust them a bit."
For now, the portal seemed to be my only way home anyway. I didn't have any other options.
"Alright," I conceded, "I guess I'll stay in this world for now..."
Seth grinned widely, like a Cheshire cat, his canines showing. "If you're worried about fitting in, don't sweat it! I'll help you out," he offered eagerly.
Exhausted from the day's events, I struggled to keep my eyes open. "Yeah, I appreciate that, but for now, just take me back to school so I can sleep."
The Choi brothers exchanged glances, and then Seth awkwardly explained, "Uh, the spirit world is closed until sunrise. We returned to the wizarding world in the morning."
I blinked in surprise. "What do you mean!?"
Ethan clarified, "Yeah, we came back to the wizarding world at dawn."
...
...
I'm too tired to process anything...
—----------------
"Whoa, dude, you've got serious dark circles under your eyes!" Chester chuckled at me.
It turns out Chester Brown from Ignis House is my stepbrother; his family adopted me.
Although I know the Brown family in my universe, I never really associated with any of them.
Chester, a second-year like me, is from Ignis House, and his younger brother Vance is in Aqua House.
"Didn't you get enough sleep last night?" He looked at me directly, waving his hand at eye level as if I were blind.
I grabbed his hand and shoved it away in annoyance. "I just had... a nightmare."
Chester laughed, "A nightmare?! Are you still scared of that kind of thing? Come on, grow up!" He playfully slapped my back, which hurt.
Seth told me last night that Chester Brown is close with Henry in this universe. They both have the same energy: optimistic, lively, loud, athletic, and troublemakers. But I'm not like Henry in this universe; I'm totally different.
And now, I have to act exactly like Henry Anderson in this universe, or else his friends, of which there are apparently many, will notice my changed attitude and become suspicious.
"Of course, someone in Ignis House would say something like that," I rolled my eyes playfully and jabbed his side with my elbow as he laughed.
Although I'm lucky to be adopted into the Brown Family in this universe, their family tree is diverse. Chester is in Ignis House, Vance is in Aqua, his older sister is in Terra, and I'm in Aero. The Brown Family has children in different houses, and they don't seem to mind.
Keeping up with Chester's energy so early in the morning, especially since I barely slept, is hard. Did Ethan and Seth sleep? I bet they have dark circles under their eyes too. I would laugh at them.
As Chester and I walk towards the Great Hall to eat, I accidentally bump into someone.
"Oh, my bad, I'm so—"
"Watch where you're going," the boy said, furrowing his eyebrows at me.
He has messy black hair and dark blue eyes.
Orpheus Gaunt.
He's a year younger than me; I remember he was just sorted into Aero House yesterday.
In my world, we never really got along well.
For one thing, I'm older and he is...
"Hey, we're older here! Is that how you're going to show your attitude, huh?" Chester glared at the boy beside us with his new first-year friends.
Orpheus stuck his tongue out before leaving with his friend.
"That little punk," Chester gritted his teeth.
"He's just a little kid, so don't mind," I said, smiling a little, even though I was annoyed by his actions.
Beside me, Chester Brown hummed thoughtfully. "You know, now that I see it, you two kinda resemble each other..."
I shot him a disgusted look. "Me and Orpheus? Absolutelynot!"
"Is he like your long-lost brot—"
I interrupted him with a scoff. "Don't even go there. I'd rather die than be related to Orpheus..."
"Whoa..." Chester chuckled. "What happened to 'He's just a little kid, so don't mind'?"
Oops, I forgot this is my first encounter with Orpheus Gaunt in this world...
You could say I never really liked the boy in my world.
—------------------
Entering the AMAA Library felt like a familiar routine. The tall windows, adorned with intricate leaded glass, allowed soft sunlight to filter through, casting warm hues on the rows of ancient tomes and leather-bound volumes lining the shelves. The air carried the faint scent of parchment and aged wood, mingling with the subtle fragrance of ancient enchantments woven into the very fabric of the room.
Sunbeams danced upon the polished wooden floors, creating intricate patterns that seemed to tell stories of their own. Comfortable armchairs and cozy reading nooks beckoned invitingly.
In the center of the room, a majestic oak table stood proudly, adorned with quills, parchment, and scattered books. Above, the vaulted ceiling stretched high, decorated with intricate carvings and magical symbols that shimmered in the morning light.
As I observed students and scholars settled into their seats, the Library hummed with the gentle rustle of pages turning and the occasional whispered conversation.
My reason for visiting the Library was to delve into the mysteries of curses and magical creatures, subjects I had yet to explore in this world.
The pursuit of new knowledge about the magical realm felt irresistible, especially for a student of Aero.
"Mmm, Magical Beasts…" I murmured under my breath as I traced my fingers along the bookshelves in the Creatures Section.
Suddenly, a red hardbound book with golden curved handwriting caught my eye: 'Secrets of the Magical Beasts'.
The book was quite large, so lifting it from the shelf and carrying it to a nearby table would have been exhausting.
"Carpe Retractum…" I slowly incanted the spell, causing the book to detach itself from the shelf.
Just as it began to fall, I cast another spell, "Wingardium Leviosa", and the book floated at eye level, guided by my wand.
With spells, everything became much easier, particularly when it came to physical tasks.
I placed the book on a nearby table where a few students were sitting.
Seating myself, I opened the book to examine its contents.
My gaze fixed on the 'Curse Beast' in the fourth section.
Hastily, I flipped through the pages, finding a description of a creature resembling a goat-man, towering like the trees of the Whispering Woods. Its skull bore long antlers and menacing sharp teeth, its fur as black as the night sky, and its hooved feet equipped with hands, walking on two legs.
"Hmm, quite unsettling," I murmured, feeling a sudden chill.
"Let me see..." I whispered as I read through its description.
The Curse Beast, also known as the Beast of Magical Power and Strength, was once called the Charnelram Goat and ranked fourth among the creatures of the Wizarding World.
With its chaotic power and desire for magic, it attempted to persuade other creatures to join forces, seeking dominance over both worlds, where they would be worshipped.
However, the top-ranked creature opposed Charnelram, leading to a rebellion among the beasts.
During that era, the world was in chaos, with dangerous curses lurking everywhere. Muggles, wizards, and witches alike perished as if under some unseen influence, turning them into unwitting puppets. Families turned against each other, caught in a cycle of violence they couldn't escape.
Thus, the Beast of Magical Power and Strength became known as The Curse Beast.
"Whoa..." I exclaimed, "Why isn't this book kept in the Forbidden Section? Are first-years allowed to read this?"
Suddenly, a mystical creature emerged and sprang into action, reminiscent of the Charnelram Goat, but with a benevolent purpose. It was called the Dokkaebi Dragon.
"Ah, the Dokkaebi Dragon that the Choi brothers are fond of..."
As the Dokkaebi Dragon gained followers, one of them eventually managed to seal the creature with a powerful spell, putting an end to its actions.
Flipping to the next page, I learned about the Dokkaebi Dragon, also known as the Keeper of Arcane Knowledge and Wisdom.
This creature possessed knowledge of every spell, incantation, and magic in the entire Wizarding World.
It had replaced the Charnelram Goat and now held the fourth rank.
The Dokkaebi Dragon resided in Korea and was revered by Koreans, serving as a significant symbol in the Wizarding World. The Magic School itself was built around the legend of this beast, with its followers paying homage to it and its teachings.
Without the Keeper of Arcane Knowledge and Wisdom, magical spells wouldn't exist in the Wizarding World.
We wouldn't even bear the titles of wizard or witch.
The protectors of curses, followers of this beast, have been revered since the Charnelram Goat incident.
The followers of the Dokkaebi Dragon are the Choi Family.
"Huh... Choi...?" I murmured, poring over the book once more. "The Choi Family, guardians of the Dokkaebi? The fourth-ranked magical creature?"
Flipping back to the contents, I quickly located the Choi Family entry on page seventy.
My eyes widened as I beheld their extensive family tree.
Their lineage spanned centuries.
In the eleventh century, the first known follower of the Dokkaebi Dragon emerged.
Then, in the fifteenth century, Seoyeon Choi established the 'Gyongdang Academy of Sorcery and Enchantment' in Korea, inspired by the Dokkaebi Dragon.
"No way... The Choi Family founded a magical school in Korea...? In my world, there was no such institution, but here it exists...?" I was stunned as I perused the text.
And then, in the seventeenth century, Chanwoo Choi sealed the Charnelram Goat.
More information surfaced regarding the Choi family and their accomplishments.
I was unaware of their... well, let's say, remarkable status.
Wait, if Ethan, Seth, Maximilian, Gabriella, Isabella, and Daphne are followers of the Dokkaebi Dragon, does that imply they are neither witches, wizards, humans, nor even halflings...
but essentially gods?
Um, I mean... they're supernatural...
As I turned the pages, my eyes widened in surprise at the revelation of the Choi siblings' extended family.
Remarkably, their grandfather, Woo-Jin Choi, entered into marriages with two women: Freya Schdmit Choi and Zara Khan Choi.
Freya Schdmit Choi bore six children, while Zara Khan Choi also had six children. Interestingly, all twelve children were apparently dispersed to various countries housing magical institutions.
Freya's offspring were dispatched to Nordlys in Northern Norway, Lumières in France, Maharlika in the Philippines, Verdant Vale in Brazil, Greylock in America, and Incantesimo in Italy.
Meanwhile, Zara's children found themselves at Volshebstvie in Russia, Wūshù in China, Gyongdang in Korea, Kurdaitcha in Australia, Youryoku in Japan, and finally Arcane in Scotland.
This plan of sending their kids to magic schools in different countries was ONLY done by their grandpa.
Before him, for centuries, they only went to one school in Korea.
To me, it's like their grandpa set it all up to make sure the Chois could protect magic in different places around the world and not just in Korea.
So, there are Chois in other countries too, huh?
Hold on, I recall Seth mentioning last night in the Whispering Woods that their parents attended AMAA.
I grabbed the book and hurried to the door, swinging it open in haste.
However, the librarian, with a stern look, flicked her wand and addressed me, “Your Library Card, Mister Anderson.” Her voice, though hoarse, was toned down so as not to disturb the students within. “And no running, please.”
“Apologies, Madam Chamberlain,” I responded nervously, promptly handing over my library card and the book. She quickly noted the contents in my card.
“Lose it, and you'll have to pay,” she warned coldly as she handed me back the book.
“I won't, madam,” I assured her, taking the book and making my way to the door.
As I left, I hurried downstairs.
If the parents of the Choi siblings were present, they would likely be recorded in the Trophy Room.
Situated in the castle's corridors or halls, often near the Great Hall, the Trophy Room showcases a plethora of awards, trophies, and memorabilia celebrating the school's storied history and the achievements of its students.
As I perused one of its display cases, I spotted a girl who bore a striking resemblance to an older version of Daphne.
Minji Choistood out with her ebony hair, intricately braided and secured in a traditional Korean hairpin. Her expression in the photograph appeared as robotic as Ethan’s. She was wearing the old uniform of Aero House.
“Best in Magical Studies…” I noted, eyeing a certificate framed in gold.
Beside it, a small golden cauldron signified her achievement in winning the Potions Prize. Displayed alongside were the Charms Trophy, the Transfiguration Trophy, the Herbology Award, the Care of Magical Creatures Medal, the Astronomy Star, and the... Defense Against the Dark Arts Shield.
She even sported a Prefect badge.
Their mother seemed the epitome of a teacher’s pet.
Despite her numerous accolades, there was a noticeable absence of Quidditch rewards.
Walking past her dedicated trophy case, I couldn't help but murmur under my breath, “I suppose she isn’t much of a sports enthusiast.”
“Oh, you mean my mother?” Seth’s voice startled me from behind, causing me to flinch.
“What? It’s just me…” He snorted, then glanced at his mother’s trophy case. “You’re right, Quidditch isn’t really her thing. She’s even gone so far as to call it a useless sport, completely worthless.”
"Something that I could agree with your mom," I remarked.
Seth folded his arms as we strolled toward another trophy case, the Quidditch players' trophy case.
"She hated the sport," he said with a smile directed at one of the awards, "But my father loved it."
His father?
I glanced at the awards, and he pointed to the "Best Chaser, Seo-Jun Kim, Aero."
"Your father has a best-in-chaser award?!" I exclaimed, looking up at Seth, who grinned.
"Yep! And I promised my father I’m going to replace his trophy in the case with my name! I’ll be the best Chaser out here in this school!" he declared proudly, and I could say he would definitely achieve it given their background; they're practically gods...
Then I noticed his father’s last name is Kim, yet their names are Choi…
"Your family name?" I inquired, noting that he was wearing his Chaser Uniform and appeared to have just finished training. He also had his broomstick with him.
"Oh, right, well, we're pretty strict," he explained.
I already knew that from Daphne.
"And if someone marries the woman in our family, they don’t get the man’s family name but they get our family name instead. If they refuse, they’re basically not allowed to set foot in their homes or marry each other," he added casually.
"Ah, so no choice then?" I said with an awkward smile.
"Yep, no choice!" Seth said, then he grinned at me, "Just like you don’t have a choice!"
He then tossed me his broomstick, looking up at him with a raised eyebrow.
"Let’s train Quidditch, Anderson!" he exclaimed.
…
….
…..
No way…….