Heart and Harmony (V)

  Three days ter.

  Maverick, Edward, and Silvia sat around the breakfast table, enjoying the most important meal of the day. The smell of crispy ba and fresh pancakes filled the air, giving the room a warm, homey feel.

  Maverick was finally back to full health, all thanks to 's healing skills. His teacher had been right—Sder was truly an excellent healer. This whole experience had opened Maverick's eyes; even the characters he had known from the Harry Potter books had yers he never expected.

  For the past three days, and his wife had settled into the Garling home, with cheg on Maverick often to make sure he was healing well. When Maverick was strong enough, invited him into his magical suitcase.

  Maverick didn't have words for what he saw. Inside, Maverick eechless. There were trees, rivers, and magical creatures everywhere—some familiar, others entirely he tour sted half a day, and Maverick took in every sight, his eyes wide with wonder, like he was seeing magic for the first time.

  The night before, before leaving, and Tina gave Maverick a signed copy of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, with warm wishes written inside.

  They weren't close friends yet, but they were certainly more than strangers now. Tina had even shared their address, mentioheir grandson, and invited him to visit.

  Maverick promised to stop by soon and told them they could always reach out if they ever needed help. They appreciated his words, clearly touched by his promise. They might not know the full extent of Maverick's talent, but as Edward Garling's apprehey believed he would bee someoruly remarkable.

  "Are you nervous?" Silvia asked, gng at Maverick as she sipped her coffee, curiosity sparkling in her eyes.

  Edward shot him a quick look as well but remained silent. After all, this was his apprentice.

  Maverick paused mid-bite, chewing slowly as he thought. "Uh... I guess I'm a little nervous, but not really worried," he said with a slight shrug and a small, nervous smile.

  Today was the big day. The results for the O.W.L.s and .s would be released all ical Europe and America. For many students, months of hard work—and a lot of sleepless nights—had led to this moment.

  For his O.W.L.s, Maverick had take subjects: History of the Magical World, No-Maj Culture, Arithmancy, Charms, Potions, Transfiguration, Defense Against the Dark Arts, and Alchemy.

  For his .s, he focused on just five: Charms, Potions, Alchemy, Defense Against the Dark Arts, and Transfiguration. He didn't have the time—or o study subjects like History or No-Maj studies for the advanced exams. Those were only useful for specialized jobs, and general knowledge in those areas would be enough to navigate the magical world.

  "Bel should be here soon," Silvia added with a smile. "She's been on edge all m. I guess even geniuses get nervous whes day rolls around."

  Edward chuckled. "She'll be fi's only the O.W.L.s. Two years from now, when it's her .s, that might be... No, even then she'll be fine." He paused, thinking. He knew just how talented his daughter was, so any worry he had disappeared quickly.

  Maverick, oher hand, tensed slightly when Isabel's name came up, though he quickly hid it, keeping his usual calm look.

  "She's going to be fine, Aunt. Bel's a very smart witch," he added with a fident nod. Like Edward, he was fully aware of her capabilities.

  Silvia sighed softly. "A mother worries, you know…" she said, smilily.

  The table grew quiet for a moment.

  Notig the tension, Edward g Maverid ged the subject. "So, little Rick, are you pnning to head back today, or will you stay a bit longer?"

  Maverick hesitated, looking down at his pte. "Uh… probably tomorrow, maybe."

  Maverick thought back to the talk he had had with his teacher a few days ago.

  He had shared his pns for the few years, including his decision to travel the world. When he asked for Edward's advice, his mentor had simply told him that once he felt fident in his training, it would be good to set off and learn through real-life experience.

  Maverick had felt a wave of relief when Edward supported the idea. At first, he had been nervous, worried that his teacher might think he was just leaving after getting what he wanted.

  But Edward had enced Maverick's pn. He expihat for Maverick's potential to truly grow, the best path was to step out into the world, test his skills, and learn from new experiences. Edward added that he had already taught Maverick the most important lessons, and that soon he wouldn't need supervision.

  Hearing that his teacher was genuinely proud of him and his progress brought Maverick a true sense of happiness.

  "So, when are you going to tell Bel?" Silvia asked, fshing Maverick a knowing smile as she leaned forward, resting her on her hands.

  Maverick blinked, caught off guard, and g Silvia. The look in her eyes told him everything. He knew he was in for a difficult versation with one particur golden-haired girl—especially after the ihree days ago.

  Let's rewind to the day Maveritegrated his sed Extraordinary Characteristic.

  He was deep in thought, fully absorbed in the new ability he had acquired from the system. Time slipped by unnoticed until he was brought back to reality by a gentle knock at the door.

  He dismissed the virtual ss with a wave and called out, "e in."

  Isabel entered, followed by a floating tray. It held a bowl of brown rice, some grilled chi breasts, a sad, and a gss of juice—e or mango by the look of it.

  She wore a loose white shirt and bck leggings, her golden hair spilling freely over her shoulders, catg the light in a way that made Maverick pause. Over the past months, she had ged—not only in looks, but in presehe st traces of her sixteen-year-old's childish features were now maturing into something more striking.

  Maverick y there, momentarily speechless, watg as she brought the tray over with casual ease. She set it down and sat on the bed beside him.

  "What?" she asked, arg an eyebrow at his dazed expression.

  "Uh… is it lunchtime already?" he stammered, trying to brush aside the ued thoughts running through his mind.

  "You've beeing for an hour," she replied, leaning in a little, her eyes studying him closely. "Everyone else already ate. I told you I'd bring yours up here, remember?"

  "Right… thanks, Bel." He gave her a sheepish smile, still trying to shake off the odd thoughts in his head.

  "Good!" she chirped, standing up and pig up a fork and khen I'll treat you."

  "I—I eat by myself," Maverick muttered, his hand twitg as if to stop her, before he remembered his arm was in a sling.

  "Nonsense. Look at you." She oward his bandaged arm. "Sit back, rex. Think of me as your nurse." Her tone yful, but her cheeks had turned a soft pink.

  Maverick opened his mouth to protest, but Isabel had already cut a piece of chi, pced it on top of the rice, and added a few broccoli florets to the pte. Resigned, he leaned back, letting her do her thing.

  The room fell into a quiet silence as Isabel finished preparing the pte, carefully mixing the greens and protein.

  Maverick found himself watg her more than the food. Her expression was soft and focused, her cheeks still faintly flushed as she trated oask. He couldn't remember a time when he had seen her like this—so... attractive.

  And it wasn't just that. Lying there, Maverick started realizing that, over the past few months, he had begun notig Isabel in ways he hadn't before. They had spent more and more time together—training, studying, talking about their magid sometimes, just sharing little everyday moments.

  Ever since his system awakened and introduced him to magic, his life had taken a plete 180. He hadn't been the workaholic type, ed by studying and training like he was now.

  No. Ever since he transmigrated to this world and discovered that his parents were both wealthy and iial, he had always taken life at a leisurely pace. His high grades and genius achievements in school and uy were thanks to the memories from his past life, aing them was, quite simply, not difficult for him.

  But after the system and magic, it was like he had bee a pletely different person. The excitement, the discovery of the extraordinary, and the endless possibilities that had only been a dream in his past life were now real. And with all of that, he hadn't even noticed how much he had ged.

  The carefree life—spending time with the opposite sex, pying sports, enjoying simple eai—he had pushed all of that aside. So much so that, in the past year, it hadn't crossed his mind even once.

  However, today, without meaning to, the thought finally crossed his mind.

  All that pressure, the obsession with stant improvement, had eased, blending in with a bit of... normalcy.

  It seemed to have happened without him realizing, just from that long g Isabel.

  "Stop… staring…" Isabel murmured, her eyes oe as her cheeks grew redder.

  Maverick blinked, jolted out of his thoughts. "Sorry. I don't know what came over me. Maybe it's… the potions." He chuckled, trying to brush it off.

  Isabel g him, hesitating as her gaze lingered on him a beat too long. Her eyes drifted, trag his bruised yet rugged features, his messy hair, the sharp angles of his fad when she realized what she was doing, her face turned even redder.

  "Are you… okay?" Maverick asked, his voice soft with a hint of curiosity.

  "Fine! I'm fine!" She thrust the pte toward him, her eyes squeezed shut.

  Maverick looked at her, bewildered. 'Wasn't she going to feed me?' he wondered inwardly.

  Realizing her mistake, Isabel opened her eyes and found him staring at her in fusion. "Sorry," she muttered. Taking a deep breath, she inched closer and sat down beside him on the bed.

  Her hands shook slightly as she picked up the spoon. Now, with the silehick around them, she leaned in closer than before, her gaze drifting to his as she lifted the spoon to his mouth.

  Maverick's heart pounded. He couldn't tear his gaze away, even as his mouth went dry and he momentarily fot to open it.

  He didn't uand why he felt this way. This wasn't the first time they had been aloogether.

  As if in response, Isabel's eyes flicked up, meeting his. They were so close now that they could feel the warmth of each other's breath, and for a moment, the air between them was charged, thick with somethiher of them could name.

  Then, almost at the same time, they snapped out of it—Maverick leaning back, while Isabel jolted up from the bed, bag away with the pte of food in her hands.

  A moment of silence huweehen both murmured, "Sorry," in unison, which quickly turned into nervous ughter.

  The ughter broke the tension in the room. Maverick leaned back, patting his stomach with his good hand as the realization hit him—he had ged.

  Since magic had entered his life, he had bee a different person. No, not pletely different, but his emotions—his emotional side—had ged.

  He y there, refleg on it.

  He was still a teenager, not even een. Sure, he was a transmigrathteen years of his previous life and another een years in this one.

  He had grown, but not from the eighteen-year-old he remembered from his past. No, the age doesn't stack up. It doesn't work like that.

  He had started over, from scratch. The past life was just that—the past. Memories.

  Now, he was a young man—with teenage emotions, teenage impulses. Then magic had e, turning him into something more like a mae. But today, here he was, redisc what he had fotten: that he could feel, just like anyone his age.

  It was Isabel. Somehow, over the months of spending endless hours together, he had developed feelings. He hadn't noticed it until now, but it was there, clear as day.

  He remembered having crushes, feeling attracted—both before magid even in his past life. And now, here he was again, experieng that fotteion.

  He ughed, a deep, relieved ugh that seemed to echo in the quiet room.

  Isabel, now watg him curiously, tilted her head. "What's so funny?"

  "Nothing… nothing," Maverick said, still chug to himself. He wasn't about to expin it all to her. She was only sixteen, and he knew better than to a these feelings—at least, not yet.

  Ever sihe system had appeared, his ambition had grown, evolving into an uing desire for power and mastery ic.

  He had fotten—no, he had buried all his teenage emotions, impulses, and urges deep inside, making room only for that ambition.

  But lying there, not focused on training, studies, or his system, it was this moment with Isabel that made him realize those familiar feelings again.

  In this life, he was Maverick. Just a teenager. Not someone who had to grow s to carry the weight of the world on his back.

  He had time. He didn't o dedicate every part of his sciouso training and being stronger.

  He could enjoy life too, like any other kid— and not just through magic.

  Maverick gave Isabel a reassuring grin, patting the bed beside him. "e, sit. Sorry I acted a bit strange just now."

  Isabel raised an eyebrow, brushing off whatever questions crossed her mind as she took a spot beside him. Though her cheeks were still flushed, she steadied herself, carefully scooping a spoonful of food for him.

  Maverick didn't hesitate, taking the bite without any awkwardness. "It's good," he mumbled through a mouthful, nodding in approval.

  Isabel, though still a bit flustered, managed a small smile. Now, she was the only one feeling a bit out of sorts.

  "Rex, Bel," he murmured, notig her unease. He had sensed for a while that she had feelings for him—a crush, or maybe just attra—but he had never given it any thought before. Now, though, he couldn't quite brush it off anymore.

  "So… tell me about school. Ilvermorny," he said, trying to ease the tension.

  Isabel's expression softened, her tension easing. "What do you want to know?"

  "Anything, really," he replied. "I've never been to a magic school, so… what's it like?"

  She g him, notig how fortable he seemed. Bit by bit, she rexed too, reting tales of Ilvermorny—the houses, csses, and daily life. She shared stories of her friends.

  Maverioticed she didn't mention many friends. Isabel looked frustrated as she expihat most of the boys—and even girls—who would tried to befriend her were only ied in her es to her father.

  She expihat she had learned early on to read people by paying attention to what they said and did—a skill her parents had taught her well.

  They talked for almost an hour, all tensioween them long gone, repced by an easy fort.

  "Enough about me," Isabel said, adjusting the pillow on her p and fag him. "We've spent months together, and you only ever talk about magic or training. Tell me something I don't know."

  "Uh… like what?" he asked, tilting his head.

  "I mean, back before you knew about magic, we were just regur friends, right? Do you have any iing stories from then? I couldn't really tell you anything back then because I had to keep the magical part of my life a secret."

  "Hey, that was you," Maverick replied with a grin. "I didn't have as. We were friends, true, so I guess you knew more about my life than I knew about yours. I wasn't hiding anything because I didn't even know magic was real back then."

  Isabel paused, then nodded. "True… I had to hide it, and because of that, I couldn't fully be myself around you. That's why…"

  "Stop pouting, Bel," Maverick said with a reassuring smile. "You had to hide that part of yourself, and I didn't o know back then. But still, to me, you were a good friend."

  She smiled at that, and the room fell into a brief silence.

  After a moment, Isabel spoke up, ging the topic. "So, the exam results e out in three days. Are you nervous?"

  "Nervous?" Maverick raised an eyebrow and leaned back, looking rexed. "Not really. I'm fident I did well on my OWLs. The s, maybe not perfect, but still, I should be pretty close. How about you?"

  Isabel fshed a fident smile. "Too easy."

  Maverick ughed. "Well, you are the teacher's first apprentice."

  At the mention of her father, Isabel's expression ged. "Actually, Dad mentioned he's finished supervising your training, that you're ready to tinue on your own. So… what's ? Are you pnning to work for his pany? Or... join MACUSA?"

  Maverick blinked, suddenly realizing he had old her about his pns to travel for the wo years—pns to leave in just a few days.

  Just as he opened his mouth, a knock sou the door, a's voice called from the hallway.

  Before Maverick could answer, Isabel called out, inviti in.

  entered, gng betweewo of them before setting his handy suitcase on the nearby table.

  "Get some rest, Ricky," Isabel said, rising from the bed. "I'll bring dionight..."

  "That won't be necessary, my dear," interjected. "His arm should be fully healed in another hour or so."

  Isabel paused for a moment, her expression dropping slightly before she quickly masked her disappoi, and began clearing the side table.

  Maverick felt a bit down too, though he couldn't figure out why. He even fot about the serious versation he had po have with her—about leaving soon. It pletely slipped his mind.

  After Isabel left, performed a few diagnostic spells on Maverick, leaving him with some additional potions and instrus to rest.

  The crity Maverick felt after his moment with Isabel made him feel calm, his mind lighter than it had been in a long time. Sleep seemed like a good idea, so he let himself drift off.

  The assed quickly, but there was no moment like before when they were aloogether. Even so, things felt different. Maverick was more rexed, and Isabel seemed happier and more at ease siheir talk.

  Back to the Present...

  "Maverick... Maverick! "

  —

  Author's Note:

  These chapters were a bit challenging to write since I'm introdug romao the story—and it's my first time writing romance!

  It may not be perfect.

  It might be just the way you like.

  And some of you may find it ge-worthy.

  heless, please leave feedback. Good? Bad? Okay? I handle criticism!

  P.S. No R18.

  Just a quick update — up to Chapter 60 is already avaible on !

  PAT / RyanFic

  Thanks for stig with me, and Happy New Year to all of you!