Unreal

Chp 12 Magic Not So Little

I woke up with my face half-buried into the couch cushions, one arm dangling off the edge. My phone and yarn had rolled to the floor, and the soft crackle of the fireplace had long gone out. The last thing I remembered was finishing the last part on the cat beanie...

A blanket was draped over me.

I blinked, groggy, lifting it slightly. Definitely not mine.

Sirius.

I smiled a little, hugged the blanket once like a weirdo, then gently folded it before fixing the couch and picking up my things. Everything felt still, the house resting. I padded upstairs barefoot and flopped onto the bed, my face half-squished into the pillow.

That's when the thoughts started again.

This is my life now.

Like... I'm really in this world. With Sirius Black. With magic. With Hogwarts.

I'm going to meet the characters I used to obsess over, rewatch, and daydream about for years—and they're not characters anymore. They're people. Real ones.

If I told Megan what was actually going on, she'd probably think I completely lost it. Vanished for weeks and came back with a fanfic plot? Yeah. I'd sound unhinged.

But it's real. This is all real.

I sat up slowly, brushing the thoughts off with a breath. There was something I wanted to do. No—needed to do.

I reached for my wand.

Practice.

I had been messing up spells left and right since learning for days. But now? Now I felt different. I could feel it in my chest—a little steadier. A little more sure.

I stood in the middle of the room, flipped open my spellbook, and tried again.

One spell.

Then another.

No explosions.

No scorch marks.

Not even a single accidental fire this time.

Just clean, controlled, actual magic.

A quiet laugh escaped my lips. I clutched the wand tighter, spinning around and trying a more advanced transfiguration. The charm shimmered in the air before folding into itself like a blooming flower.

I stared.

This—this wasn't little anymore.

This was real magic.

And for the first time, I didn't feel like someone pretending to belong here.

I felt proud.

Confident, even.

Then—knock knock.

I froze, still holding the wand mid-air.

"...Yeah?" I called out.

•••••

The door creaked open.

It was Hermione, holding a tray of food. Her hair was a little frizzier than usual, cheeks pink from the cold or the walk—probably both.

"Hey," she greeted with a warm smile. "I brought food. Do you want to eat down in the kitchen or stay up here?"

I blinked at her, surprised but happy. "Here's fine," I said quickly, maybe too quickly.

It had been a few days since I'd seen her, and I didn't expect her to just show up like this. But I wasn't complaining—Hermione Granger brought me food and wanted to hang out? Yes. Always yes.