Choi Chronicles

𝐇𝐄𝐍𝐑𝐘 𝐀𝐍𝐃𝐄𝐑𝐒𝐎𝐍
𝟐𝐧𝐝 𝐘𝐞𝐚𝐫

"Hey, you know the purpose of these balls, right?" Seth Choi asked, eyeing the box of Quidditch equipment.

As I examined the assortment, my attention was drawn to the largest one, known as the Quaffle. This primary ball of Quidditch is enchanted for better grip and throwing, typically appearing in a darkish brown hue but available in various colors.

Next in line are the Bludgers, smaller iron spheres enchanted to dart around the pitch, aiming to dismount players from their brooms.

Yep, it's definitely a sport for the daring.

If one of these hits you while you're flying just a few feet from the ground, consider yourself out.

Or dead.

In a standard game, two Bludgers are in play, managed by the Beaters whose duty is to shield their team by redirecting these balls away.

Fortunately, I'm not a Beater but rather a Chaser.

Seth then seized the smallest ball, diminutive yet pivotal in the game.

This tiny, winged ball is enchanted for unparalleled speed and erratic flight.

The Seeker's primary objective is to capture the Golden Snitch, worth a whopping 150 points, and end the game upon capture.

Typically golden and elusive due to its size and velocity, the Snitch is a challenge to spot.

"This one's my favorite," Seth grinned, but his smile faltered as the Snitch slipped from his grasp.

Attempting to track its movement, I realized its speed rendered it nearly imperceptible to the ordinary eye; only those with exceptional vision and agility, often fulfilling the Seeker role, can spot it.

"It's right above you," Seth murmured before correcting himself, "No, wait, it's beside you now."

"You can see the Snitch?" I exclaimed. "Then you should be a Seeker."

With swift precision, Seth intercepted the Snitch before it could evade him again, depositing it back into the box.

"Yeah, I can spot it, but being a Seeker isn't my thing," he shrugged, casually swapping the Quaffle. "I mean, if I were a Seeker, the game would end before it even started, really," he added with a mix of pride and disappointment.

He threw the Quaffle at me as I grabbed it, “Being a Chaser is fun, pushing off players from their broom and also making sure not to get hit by those iron balls and of course scoring off points!” Seth grinned excitedly.

"Is pushing someone off their broom really fun for you?" I asked, feeling a bit concerned about the prospect of being shoved off myself.

Seth closed the box before replying, "You know, Henry Anderson in this universe is quite the skilled Quidditch player for his age, well, second year." He sounded somewhat melancholic, perhaps mourning the loss of his friend due to my impersonation of him. They seemed to have been quite close, judging by how Seth treated me before realizing I wasn't the Henry Anderson he knew.

Glancing over his arm, I noticed he held a bat and an iron ball, which seemed to be moving frantically. Despite this, with Seth's arm wrapped around it, it didn’t budge. It was unusual for a player or student to hold a Bludger so casually.

"Wait, you'll be the Beater?!" I exclaimed in a panic.

"Duh—how else will you learn not to miss?" Seth looked at me, his sparkling blue eyes judging.

"Can't I just quit?" I suggested, adjusting my broomstick.

"Do you want to die?" Seth smiled menacingly.

I had no choice.

Clumsily, I hopped onto my broomstick, feeling like I was riding a bike for the first time.

Flying wasn't my forte...my grades in Flying Class were proof of that.

Seth laughed, "If the Bludgers get you, you'll be done for, that's for sure!" The Bludger in his arm still struggled to escape his grasp.

The ball seemed more agitated now, perhaps sensing a new player in the air and eager to knock them down.

"Anyway, we need extra help," Seth said, glancing behind me. I followed his gaze and my eyes widened in surprise.

Orpheus Gaunt was approaching us, broomstick in hand.

Him?!

He's going to play with me?!

—-----------------

When Henry was in the Library….

𝐒𝐄𝐓𝐇 𝐂𝐇𝐎𝐈
𝟒𝐭𝐡 𝐲𝐞𝐚𝐫

"Phew, two hundred points," I exclaimed, sprawling out on the grassy field. "But that's not nearly enough," I grumbled under my breath.

There wasn't anyone else out on the Quidditch field at this hour.

Clouds drifted lazily overhead, birds chirped, and owls soared by likely delivering or retrieving mail.

I closed my eyes, seeking a moment of peace amidst the magical surroundings.

Being a Choi felt almost like belonging to a different species

I could sense the magic pulsing through the school grounds, from the grass beneath me to the creatures nearby, and the chatter of students within the castle.

Yes, we could sense the magic within the students, especially those of pureblood lineage.

That's why I never reallywarmed up to Muggle-borns.

"Hey,"

A voice interrupted, blocking the sun from my face.

I could never quite sense a Muggle-born because they lack the inherent magic.

Just a faint trace of it, which is difficult.

"What?" I responded, keeping my eyes shut.

"How did you do it?" the voice, sounding like that of a young boy, demanded rather than asked. "Scoring two hundred points in just three minutes. How?"

His tone wasn't merely curious-

It felt like a demand for an answer.

"Go away, mudblood," I retorted, indifferent to whether the kid would get offended or cry.

After all, my mother had instilled in us a disdain for Muggle-borns, and I had no intention of disobeying her.

I didn't want to dishonor her.

I didn't hear any footsteps retreating, and the shadow still loomed over me.

Finally, I opened my eyes to find a first-year boy standing there, his hair a grayish-black, his skin tan, and his eyes a deep blue verging on black.

He glared at me, his wand raised in anger.

"Don't call me that," he said firmly.

I sighed. "Seriously?"

He made no effort to lower his wand and continued to glare at me, yet at least he didn't retreat like a child.

He held his ground.

I sat up, shooting a questioning look at the boy beside me. "Do you even know who I am?"

"I don't care who you are, but you can't call me that," he frowned.

As I looked at him more closely, he vaguely resembled Henry Anderson, though younger.

"What's your name?" I asked.

"Orpheus Gaunt," he replied, still pointing his wand at me, which grew irritating.

Before he could react, I snatched it from his grasp.

"WHAT? GIVE THAT BACK TO ME!" he exclaimed, finally resorting to whining.

I twirled his wand in my hand as he attempted to grab it. "You shouldn't point wands at dangerous individuals, kid."

"I don't care! Give it back to me!"

He was one stubborn kid.

I held the wand between my hands and snapped it into pieces, right before his shocked eyes.

Throwing the broken wand to the ground, I spoke firmly. "I'll say this again, kid."

Approaching him, I added, "Back off, mudblood." I smirked, taunting him with the slur as he glared at me.

"Buy me another wand!" he shouted.

This kid...

"Why would I do that?" I scoffed, eyeing him. "Never mind, you know what? I'm leaving."

He blocked my path, spreading his arms. "If I beat you in Quidditch, then you buy me a new wand!"

"No," I replied bluntly.

"Buy me!" he insisted.

"Negative."

"Buy me a wand!"

"Nope!"

"Give me now!"

"...No..."

"BUY!"

"...."

"A wand!" He shouted.

"Alright, alright, fuck, you're incredibly irritating..." I muttered, scratching my head in frustration.

—-----------------

Now that he had his broomstick, I positioned the box of Quidditch balls between us, carefully unlatching its lid. With a soft creak, it opened, revealing the array of equipment within.

"What position do you prefer?" I murmured, my fingers skimming over the Quaffles, Bludgers, and Snitch nestled inside, checking for any signs of wear or damage from previous matches.

"I'm good with any," he boasted confidently, prompting a skeptical arch of my brow.

Determined to gauge his skills, I plucked the golden Snitch from its place in the box. With a flick of my wrist, I released it into the air, its wings buzzing as it darted away. His eyes tracked its movement, but he couldn't quite anticipate its unpredictable flight pattern.

"Sure, any position," I remarked dryly, swiftly intercepting the Snitch before it could evade capture once more, and returning it to the box with a deft motion.

"How did you do that?" he demanded, more than asked.

Damn… this kid is one curious Aero.

"Hey, pay attention!" the kid pestered, prodding me.

I handed him a bat without a word.

"Are you even listening? Or are you deliberately ignoring me?" Orpheus jabbed at me more insistently.

As I opened the box containing the Bludger, its weight shifted, causing it to lurch forward unexpectedly. Reacting swiftly, I dodged to the side, narrowly avoiding its trajectory. However, before I could fully regain my composure, the Bludger veered off course and collided with Orpheus's face with a sickening thud. He crumpled to the ground, unconscious.

Surveying the scene, I sighed, "You're definitely not a Beater..." I knelt beside Orpheus, checking his pulse to ensure he was alright. Meanwhile, the Bludger, seemingly undeterred by its unintended target, careened back towards me at breakneck speed. With reflexes honed from years of Quidditch practice, I snatched it out of the air just before it could collide with my face. Swiftly, I returned it to its box, relieved that no further harm had been done.

I held my wand above his head and uttered, "Rennervate."

He promptly sat up, eyes wide. "H-How do you know that spell?"

Snatching the Quaffle from its container, I replied, "The Reviving Spell?"

"Yeah, that's only taught in the fifth year. You're not in the fifth year," Orpheus pointed out.

I glanced at him before shutting the box. "So you do recognize me."

He flinched and averted his gaze, clearly embarrassed. 

Of course, everyone at school knows me, and well, the other Chois—or basically the entire Wizarding World—know the Chois. 

It's just Henry who doesn't know me.

Well no longer knew me…

"You're either a Chaser or a Keeper," I remarked.

"Definitely a Chaser!" he exclaimed, eyeing my uniform.

"Then if I can get you in under a minute, you're not a Chaser but a Keeper. We can start from there," I proposed, handing him the Quaffle. "Agreed?"

"Aye!"

—------------------

"YOU CHEATED!"

He exclaimed, making my ears ring. He certainly has the same trick with Henry Anderson, who can scream at the top of his lungs and annoy anyone.

Are they not related?

"I'm just that good, you have to accept it," I shrugged while turning the Quaffle on my index finger. "Anyway, there's nothing wrong with being a Keeper; it's the best position."

Well, not exactly the best, considering the other teams' Keepers were practically scared of me.

"Fine..." he grumbled.

I wanted to get this over with soon. I mean, I didn't want anyone to see me socializing with a Muggle-born; it could stain my reputation, my family's reputation, my mother's reputation. I didn't want that to happen.

He flew over the center hoop, which was between the other two. Each hoop had a different height, with the center one being the tallest, followed by the left and right ones.

The center hoop, also known as the "goalpost," awarded ten points. The left and right hoops each awarded one point when a Quaffle was successfully thrown through them.

"Ready?" I asked. "If you manage to block this single throw from me, then you get to be on the Aero House team as a Keeper," I explained, although I doubted he would.

No one was really able to block my throws

That's why all the Quidditch trophies belonged in the House of Aero as soon as I got sorted in my first year.

"You mean you'll also buy me a new wand!" he stated, making me roll my eyes.

"Yeah, that too," I sighed. "So, ready?"

He grinned in response.

I swayed my arm, carrying the Quaffle in my hand, as I targeted the center hoop where Orpheus was. He was looking at me quite tensely; he definitely wanted to win. 

I mean, I did break his wand into pieces, just like a stick

A normal wizard isn’t able to do that. 

Then again, it depends on what core the wand has. 

Perhaps it's not a Dragon Heartstring core, as they are powerful cores.

I threw the Quaffle, and it came toward him at a very high speed. 

The wind blew rapidly; I guess I threw it quite hard. 

He might get knocked out.

But to my surprise, he dodged it quickly before it could reach him and opened his palm as the Quaffle slapped it. The ball still spun rapidly with the intense power of the throw, making the little boy wince in pain. 

It wasn't long after that Orpheus withdrew his hand from the ball.

The Quaffle, though, was sent right through the hoop. 

It didn't travel miles like it usually does

The spin ended just right after it went through.

"Wow... 'The Choi's throw' really was as crazy as they said," murmured Orpheus, cradling his bruised palm, now reddening and seemingly twitching, appearing paralyzed. 

His hand needed help pronto, with this nagging pain creeping through his arm, but...

How did he manage to block it like that?

No regular student could dodge my throws like that, let alone make 'em weaker.

But there he was, just a muggle-born, with a hint of magic, effortlessly blocking the force in a way that made no sense.

Isn't that intriguing?

"Hey!" I called out, my voice cutting through the bewildered silence, grabbing his attention as he glanced at me with a mixture of surprise and curiosity. 

"What do you say about becoming our Keeper?" I grinned, the idea already sparking excitement within me.

"You mean you'd get me a wand?!" He exclaimed, his eyes alight with excitement and hope.

Oh... right, I forgot about that... 

I'm not allowed to associate with a muggle-born within the school or even the town. 

If people find out I'm hanging out with a muggle-born, it would shame my mom.

"You're a first-year, aren't you?" I asked

We lowered our brooms as we descended towards the ground.

"Uhm yeah….?" he responded.

"Are you by any chance in Class B1?" I aimed my wand at the Quaffle lying beside the hoop.

"I'm in that class," Orpheus confirmed as he observed me pull the Quaffle towards my arm.

I hesitated momentarily, but it needed to be done. "Tell Daphne to accompany her to Eldertown, and she'll be the one buying the wand on my behalf."

Her reputation is already tarnished anyway...

As I glanced at the boy's expression, he appeared rather disgusted, furrowing his brow as he muttered, "Ugh..."

—----------------------------

Present Time
𝐇𝐄𝐍𝐑𝐘 𝐀𝐍𝐃𝐄𝐑𝐒𝐎𝐍
𝟐𝐧𝐝 𝐘𝐞𝐚𝐫

"Orpheus Gaunt is going to help me?!" I exclaimed, though it was more of a whisper, ensuring only Seth and I heard.

"Relax, he's a first-year; he doesn't really know about you... yet," he replied with a small smile.

Then the young boy joined Seth, asking, "What's up?" as he looked at me, but I responded with a deadpan expression.

Seth chuckled, causing both of us to raise an eyebrow at him.

"What?" I asked.

"Oh, nothing," he muttered. "Come on, let's start training."