Solo The Summer When Everything Changed Finished

Chester - IC Date July 1st – August 31st 2021 Blue and bold in English, Red in Korean

PART 2

Carolyn spent the next few days mostly in the hospital, sitting by her grandma's bed. The two didn't really talk since the old woman didn't have any strength left to do so but Carolyn was grateful to be there nonetheless. Her father kept sending her home yet even he seemed relieved to have someone there to watch over his mother. If he really wanted Carolyn gone, he would have been more stubborn about it. The young girl herself was more than happy with the arrangement for numerous reasons. Not only could she keep vigil but she also avoided any unpleasant meetings with the Hunts. She only ever went home for couple of moments in order to spend time with her furry friends and cook dinner. Dinner that would be left untouched most of the days.

When the Lee couple still watched over the household, they made sure the family, at the very least, shared dinner together. Despite being muggle born, this seemed to be their magical power. No matter how busy Carolyn’s parents were, her grandma managed to get them home on most days. Now that she was stuck in the sterile hospital room however, there was no one to enforce the rule and so the young girl sat at the dinner table alone. I never felt more lonely…

"Eun-ji ya..." A familiar voice promptly brought Carolyn back to reality. It was nice hearing her Korean name. It was a good name. Well thought out and actually meant something. Unlike her official name that meant nothing and felt somewhat lazy. Mostly though, Carolyn was just happy to see her grandma awake... Even if she looked terribly weak. "Nee, halmeoni...? " In Korean meaning: Yes, grandma? She asked, waiting patiently for Myung-hee to speak. "Promise me you won't ever listen to your other grandmother, okay? She is a snake without an ounce of kindness in her heart." Whatever Carolyn expected to hear, this was not it. Was this the detail her mother omitted while telling her about her grandma's worsening state? How could she allow this to happen? "You met her?" The patient nodded and it was clear even that small gesture required a great deal of effort from her. "She did most of the talking... Didn't really care what I had to say but it was enough." Preventing herself from pointing out that Anemone hardly cared for anybody’s opinion and even if she did, she probably wouldn't have the patience to listen to the broken English her grandma had, Carolyn nodded back. “Don’t worry about me halmeoni. I won’t listen to her. You just focus on getting better,” she reassured the older woman kindly. Carolyn couldn’t promise anything this time. It was a merciful lie. There was no way to avoid her maternal grandmother and she knew that but her beloved grandma didn't have to.

Disclaimer! If you lost someone dear to you please skip the hidden part. Nothing graphic but I don’t want to upset anybody.

Reducio

"Uri aegy... ottoke? I'm just… so tired… You'll be okay though. I taught you well." Means something along the lines: my baby/darling what should I/we do? Ottoke is often used when someone feels helpless. Why does it sound like a farewell speech? She just woke up! Every fibre of Carolyn's being fought the very notion of losing any member of her family but her father warned her. "Both of them are now in danger. Dad didn't wake up yet and halmeoni is going through a critical time too. If she gets through it, she will be fine but I can’t exactly promise anything.” Just as she recalled said sentence, all of the machinery surrounding the hospital bed went haywire. The young witch’s eyes widened in horror and she practically jumped onto the emergency button. “Appa! Appa!” Means dad! in Korean. She would call her father desperately even though he could not hear her here. Still, it was the very man that showed up in the end. No doubt called by the nurses who knew this was his parents’ room. “Carolyn, wait outside the room,” he told his daughter hastily. The raven-haired girl didn’t want to move however. She wanted to stay with her grandma…to make sure she would be okay. Shaking her head in protest, she clutched the railing of the bed like a little child throwing a tantrum. “Na ga!” Get out! The man repeated his order angrily as he pushed her aside. He looked like a total stranger to her then. Carolyn had never seen him act like this before but then again…this was his mother and he had every right to be angry.

The next few minutes felt like a lifetime and when her father finally emerged from the room, he looked devastated. There was no need to say anything, the Ravenclaw could tell from his expression alone. She never cried in front of strangers and made sure to hide her tears even when it came to her close friends. Here, at this very moment, Carolyn couldn’t care less. No one would judge her and if they did…screw them! And so, for once, she allowed herself to let go, wailing loudly to the point of sounding almost foreign to her own ears. She was a little girl, who just lost her grandma. A woman that practically raised her, fed her and taught her many useful skills. Everything she did would somehow remind her of the older woman. That was how important she was to her. Carolyn felt guilty when her father bent down to hug her. He was in a need of a comfort too and yet here she was, making everything even worse for him by crying like a baby.

The funeral was short and filled with tears. Her father allowed himself to grieve while her mother tried her best to wash away the guilt. If her parents really had something to do with the incident, this all was her fault. Curiously however, the young girl herself didn’t shed any. Mostly, she just felt numb. She cried so hard the day before that she simply couldn’t bring herself to do so again. Seeing the rest of the Hunts standing nearby didn’t help either. The fact that they dared to come here was the biggest insult to her grandmother’s memory and it made Carolyn see red. What was her mother doing? Why didn’t she kick them out? Didn’t she see the smug expressions they were wearing? Upon closer inspection, there was one more person standing even further away. Charles, her finally brain registered. Of course... he was supposed to spend summer here. Well he is in for a treat, the girl thought bitterly. She couldn’t be truly angry with the boy however. He looked genuinely sorry and also like he would rather be anywhere else but here. Anemone probably forced him to come because of course she would… “I want to change my name,” she finally spoke out, making her parents turn to her in confusion. “I want to take the name she gave me. It’s my last gift to her.” And a punch to the face when it came to her maternal grandmother for sure. Eleanor opened her mouth, no doubt wanting to protest. It was a name she chose for her after all. “Okay.” Her father was faster this time. Usually the two lovers decided everything together but it was apparent today was not one of those days. Today, the man wanted to honour his mother in any way possible. “She would have loved that.” Carolyn nodded, turning back to the new tombstone spelling her grandma’s name in Korean letters. “Gomawoyo, appa.” Thank you, dad.

Chester - IC Date July 1st – August 31st 2021

PART 3

Two days passed and nothing really changed. Eun-ji thought losing their beloved relative would bring the family together but if anything, her parents were absent even more. The witch honestly didn't understand how her father managed to spend so much time in hospital, where he lost his mother. Grandpa is still there, she reminded herself. Not to mention keeping busy probably helped him maintain his sanity. After all, that's precisely what Eun-ji tended to do. Even now, she constantly practiced ballet, cleaned the spotless house and cooked dinner like somebody would actually come and eat it. As for her mother, the woman probably couldn't bear to look into her loved ones eyes after what happened and so she had hidden herself at St. Mungo's most of the time too. Logically speaking, her daughter knew none of this was really her fault but still felt like she could have put in a little bit more effort than she did. She even struggled with the new name, constantly irritating the girl since Anemone did the same. Although to be fair, her mother simply couldn't get used to it while the older woman flat out refused. Her father had no issues with this... He used to call her Eun-ji even before, when they visited his parents without his lover’s company. The paperwork was still being processed but he had accepted her Korean name without much trouble. I’ll just have to train all the others. She thought to herself determinedly.

“Soo...I hear you changed your name?" An unfamiliar voice brought the girl back to reality and she turned around to confirm the boy’s identity. It’s been a whole year since they last spoken together in person but Eun-ji already suspected it was him. After all who else would it be? The only other new man in her life was Mr. Hunt, who hardly ever spoken to her. A fact, she was more than happy with. Her maternal grandfather was honestly menacing without needing to say anything in the first place. In contrast, Charles’s voice was actually quite nice and friendly. “Yes…it’s Eun-ji now.” The witch confirmed, curious whether he would remember that in the future as well. “That’s a pretty name.” The boy commented. “I’m not bothering you am I?” It almost felt strange having such polite interaction here. This was her home and she should have been comfortable here but the Hunts made sure, she no longer felt that way about this place. “No…not really.” She shrugged. She was in the middle of cooking but her father already written to her that he won’t make it for dinner and while her mother didn’t contact her, Eun-ji already knew she wouldn’t be coming either. “Mrs. Hunt wanted to come and...” the boy hesitated for moment. “…check up on you but I told her to give us some time to get to know each other better?” He seemed hesitant but the Ravenclaw understood what he’d done for her immediately. To her maternal grandmother it would have sounded as if they actually agreed to the engagement while in reality, he was just buying her time. “Thank you.” She said gratefully. Eun-ji honestly couldn’t imagine dealing with her grandmother on top of everything else.

It was in that moment, her feline friend decided to show up, nuzzling against Charles’s leg. The young Ravenclaw raised her eyebrows. She was already surprised when Morgana took a liking to him last summer but honestly didn’t think Mordred would come to like him this quickly as well. “New addition to the family?” The boy asked, while bending down to pet the little guy. “Yeah…he can be a little bit of a prick sometimes but I wouldn’t change him for the world…seems like he likes you well enough though.” Charles looked amused by her words to the point Eun-ji almost expected him to laugh but he didn’t. She wasn’t sure laughing would be welcome at this time and perhaps he realized that too. “I’m sorry about your grandma by the way.” His next words made her freeze for a moment. The witch understood his intent but it was still a very sore subject and she didn’t quite know what to say. Thankfully, he seemed to recognize his mistake and promptly changed the topic. “Would you mind if I borrowed a book and read here for a while? I’m not too eager on returning back to the Hunts just yet.” Eun-ji could get behind that. He probably wasn’t tortured by them as much as she was but it must have been uncomfortable staying in their house nonetheless. “Sure, go ahead.” She wouldn’t mind his company either to be completely honest. She would never admit that aloud of course but she was feeling especially lonely these days. Her routine kept her mind occupied but that was pretty much it. She felt…empty. The Ravenclaw thought she should be crying as any other angsty teenager would in her situation yet somehow, she couldn’t bring herself to do so. Perhaps worried that there would be no stopping once the dam broke or scared to show any weakness in front of her horrible grandmother.

For some time after that, everything went quiet. Not the uncomfortable type of quiet however…on the contrary. This was surprising to say the least. The two shared some conversations before and exchanged couple of letters but Eun-ji still assumed they would be awkward around each other. Apparently not. Deciding not to question the fact too much, she busied herself with cooking once more, leaving the boy read in peace. “This smells really great. You are amazing, you know that right?” Eventually, Charles crowded her in the kitchen once more. “Amazing?” The witch questioned, sincerely confused. What was he referring to? She wasn’t doing anything special. “You are serious?” The wizard mirrored her expression. “You really don’t know, do you?” Eun-ji raised her eyebrows even further. She was a Ravenclaw, surely if it was something obvious, she would figure it out. “I mean all this…” the boy gestured towards the numerous dishes in making and the general house area. “You are thirteen but you carry yourself around like an adult. Always on top of everything, taking care of yourself as well as your parents. That is not a usual skillset for a girl your age.” He finally explained. He is not wrong, her brain supplied bitterly. It was meant to be a compliment but it only reminded Eun-ji how alone she was at the moment. “My grandma taught me. Helping at home a lot is apparently very common in Korean families.” She clarified dryly. Not in a rude way, just letting him know he hit another sensitive subject. There was another moment of silence, this time slightly uncomfortable for both parties. “Your parents must love this.” Charles added, probably trying to lighten the mood and failing miserably. Not only did he remind her how much her parents DID NOT appreciate her effort (albeit not intentionally) but it also seemed like he managed to make himself sad now. His parents are probably not overflowing with affection. The witch realized. It was her turn to feel sorry for the boy. At least he doesn’t know what he’s missing. She tried to rationalize with herself despite knowing full well how stupid that was.

“Oh…” Apparently her silence spoke volumes because Charles sounded like he just solved a great mystery. “…They are not coming.” It was not a question, not really but Eun-ji couldn’t think of anything better than to answer anyway. “No.” She said simply, clutching the frying pan’s handle as if her life depended on it. Her eyes were getting wet now but she still wouldn’t let the tears fall. No, she didn’t cry in front of strangers. That was until Charles caught her hand and pulled her into a hug. What is happening? Even Syl couldn’t have prepared her for this. She was frozen but made no attempt to pull away either. It felt kind of nice. “It’s okay to cry you know. No one’s here...” the boy paused. “Well except for me of course but you know I can keep a secret.” He could. Eun-ji was fairly sure of it by now. After all, he lived with one his whole life. “Isn’t it the problem though? Why cry if there is no one there to comfort you anyway?” She asked quietly. “Well…I’m here now. I might not be your parent or your friend but I’m a fellow human at the very least. That should do for now.” He patted her back gently. “And perhaps, we will become friends too one day.” He offered. “Perhaps…” The girl agreed, returning his hug hesitantly.

The dinner was eaten that evening (her parents would rummage the fridge in vain at night). Eun-ji was fairly sure Charles must have left the house feeling properly sick with the amount of food he devoured but she decided to spare him the embarrassment and pretend not to notice. She was grateful for his effort and he actually seemed to like her cooking so that was a plus. “Good night Eun-ji!” The boy waved at her with a gentle smile as he was leaving. He didn't help with the dishes. Did he know she didn't want him to or was he simply too spoiled by his lifestyle to realize he could have offered some help? The girl started to wonder more about her guest. “Good night Charles.” She replied softly. Perhaps she could invite him over more often.

Chester - IC Date July 1st – August 31st 2021

PART 4

”Caro…” The woman paused and sighed. “Sorry, what was it again?” The young ballerina barely stopped herself from doing the same. “Eun-ji,” she repeated for what seemed like a millionth time. “Ah yes, that’s it.” At least she was trying. Eun-ji couldn’t really blame her for struggling with this. She had many students whose name she had to remember. Changing one’s name after so many years in her care would be confusing for anybody.

“Listen…I know you only train with us during holidays now because of your school being far away but I’ve been watching you and I have to say, you are still one of my best students. Do they teach you ballet there as well?” Ms. Zaichenko asked curiously. The witch was flattered but this was not a mindless chitchat. This woman had no time for such things. She is up to something. Eun-ji perceived as she started stretching. “No, unfortunately there is no ballet instructor there but we have a dance club and I also practice on my own whenever I can.” She clarified the situation. Her teacher looked impressed and the raven haired girl felt a great sense of pride. I did good, she realised happily. “Good…” The older woman echoed her thoughts before continuing. “Here is the thing, we will be holding a junior performance of Swan Lake soon and my Odette broke her leg two days ago. The performance will be shorter so all younger students can make it until the end but it will be grandiose nonetheless. Held in the story house, seats filled with audience, orchestra, lights, beautiful scenery…you name it.” The ballerina nodded, already imagining how amazing it would look. “So my question is, would you be interested in auditioning? It would be extremely difficult to catch up of course but I believe you could do it.”

Eun-ji was in awe. She always assumed Ms. Zaichenko only let her attend the classes for old time sake at this point and she was slowly starting to feel like an outsider. It was hard to believe such opportunity would be presented to her and not even as the corps de ballet but an actual soloist. “It would be an honour, the witch said honestly, for once not bothering to hide her feelings. Her teacher nodded, seemingly satisfied with her answer yet still looking somewhat nervous. “You should know that I haven’t told the others yet and once I do…they won’t be happy.” Ah…I see. Were the same situation occur in the past, Eun-ji would probably refuse the offer, feeling too guilty towards her fellow ballerinas. Now however, she noticed how little she cared. These girls weren’t her friends, they were her colleagues and she was not the soft person she used to be. Her heart hardened in presence of Mrs. Hunt and the recent events didn’t help in that regard either. “They will think it’s unfair for me to compete…” She acknowledged her mentor’s worries. “I understand if they do but I can’t let this opportunity slip through my fingers. It was always my dream to dance on a big stage.” Ms. Zaichenko looked pleased. “Good, I was worried, you would chicken out.” That woman always had a way with words. “Overly kind people won’t make it in this industry. You refuse one opportunity and you might never get another. Ballet might look elegant on stage but behind the scenes, it can turn into a blood bath very quickly.” So her maternal grandmother wasn’t entirely wrong then. Kindness would only hold her back in life. Eun-ji supposed being polite and helpful when necessary would be a better approach from now on. Less draining too. People come and go all the time…why spend so much effort on something that won’t last? I should focus on myself more, she decided. "Well... Good luck. You have one week.” Ms. Zaichenko added as she was scribbling something on a piece of paper. She then turned and walked towards the notice board.

“Here is the list of the best five I have chosen for the role of Odette. If you wish to withdraw from the competition, let me know immediately. Otherwise, I'll see you at the audition in a week." All the other ballerinas swarmed the paper like it was a piece of meat. It was obvious none of them planned to give up on the role, were they chosen."Eun-ji? Who is Eun-ji?" One of them asked. Julia, a decent competition but little slower when it came to memorising choreography. "That's Carolyn dumb dumb. She told us last class, remember?" Someone else reminded her. "But... She doesn't practice with us during the school year. How come she made the list?" Julia asked, sounding even more confused. "Yeah, that doesn't seem fair." The oldest of the group whispered angrily. She was here the longest and she wasn't among the top five. It made sense that she felt betrayed. She wouldn't have made it even if I wasn't added, Eun-ji thought without much remorse. She clearly loved ballet but so did all the others and they were better at it. Anna was a hard worker but she lacked elegance, which would ultimately be her downfall. “Don’t worry, it's quite simple. If I’m not good enough, I won’t be chosen.” The group turned to her, looking embarrassed as if they forgot the witch could hear them. The rest of the class was more tense than usual but Eun-ji didn’t mind too much. She was way too excited.

When she came home in the evening, both of her parents were at home. It was surprising but a welcome sight. Although the stuff they were cooking looked less than appealing. “Mom, dad…I’ve been chosen to audition for Odette!” Eun-ji informed her parents as she walked through the door. The couple seemed happy for her until few moments later, when their face grew more serious. “But that’s going to happen sometime at the end of summer. How are you going to catch up with the other girls?” Eleanor asked. The young Ravenclaw would not give up though. “Well…I just have to try really hard. Ms. Zaichenko says I can do it.” Her father looked concerned upon hearing that. He knew his daughter well. “I know that face and we won’t be able to watch you in case you overdid it or got hurt. We don’t even have enough space for practice in the house. This doesn’t seem very feasible.” Why couldn’t they just be happy for her? After everything they’ve been through, there was finally something she could look forward to. Did they have to ruin that for her too? Apparently, all these thoughts showed on her face because her mother had that defeated look she always had when she was about to make an unlikable deal. “Alright, but you will have to train at the Hunt’s manor.” Eun-ji’s eyes widened in horror. WHAT?! “I know I know but listen to me. They have an empty room and I’m sure if I tell them you will come there every day, they will be willing to make it into your personal practice room. You will have to bear their presence but at least there will be an adult supervising you at all times.” The young girl huffed in annoyeance. “You mean torturing me.” Her father sighed unhappily. It was clear he wasn’t fond of the plan yet he didn’t protest against the idea either. Probably because he didn’t have an alternative. “Fine…it’s not like you are giving me much of a choice anyway.” Eun-ji agreed, sounding a bit bitter but determined. This was her dream. Surely, a week with the Hunts wouldn’t be THAT bad.

It WAS….it WAS horrible. Not only did she have to deal with the ladies of the house who constantly kept putting her down but she had to suffer the head of the family as well. Mr. Hunt kept watching her like a hawk and it was seriously nerve wrecking. At least Charles was there to keep her company and even tried to help her practice. He knew very little about ballet but it was cute to see him struggle. A welcome distraction for sure. I will pass the audition if it’s the last thing I do. I will prove you all wrong!

Chester - IC Date July 1st – August 31st 2021

PART 5

Staying with Hunts was a terrible experience. Her grandmother constantly tried to teach Eun-ji lessons filled with vile intentions and bitter view of the world, her grandfather watched her like a predator, not in an inappropriate way but genuinely like a wild animal ready to tear his prey in pieces and her aunt didn’t like her either. In fact, she hated her guts and the feeling was mutual. Thankfully side some unwitty remarks; she seemed to set her mind on avoiding the young Ravenclaw as much as possible, which was preferable to what her parents were doing. Still, Eleanor was right about one thing. The Hunts certainly kept their eyes on Eun-ji and they even stopped her when she was training for too long. It was most likely for their own benefit rather than hers but it worked all the same.

Overall, the only reasonable dweller of that house was Charles. She was still careful around the boy, not sure if he could be truly trusted or if he part of some sick scenario Anemone came up with. Perhaps he was supposed to make Eun-ji trust him and then stab her in the back when she least expected it? Yes, she was becoming a bit paranoid but she could hardly help it given the kind of people she spent most of her time with. Nevertheless, Eun-ji allowed herself to relax in Charles' presence here and there. He seemed to be fascinated by ballet and even tried to help with her a pas de deux parts. Of course, he knew little of the choreography but he was strong and once she gave him instructions, he was able to carry her as her actual partner would. Perhaps better, given the fact that he was 5 years older and had little to no trouble carrying with her weight. Her actual partner would be her age and while he was probably pretty muscular thanks to his ballet experience, he would still be a boy. Charles was almost a man now. Eun-ji honestly didn't know how he managed to keep himself entertained in her presence. Not that he had much choice in the matter.

"Oh, don't worry about it. Believe it or not, you are actually more grown up than some of my friends back in the US. Mentally I mean," the boy chuckled when she asked him about it one day. "Sure they are more familiar to me but unfamiliar things can often be as fun if not more…. and there are plenty unfamiliar things when it comes to you." That much was true. Eun-ji was a half-blood but she mostly grew up among muggles and she had a mixed heritage as well. There was so much to unpack. "I also sometimes wonder if this is what it would be like, hanging out with my brother." The boy was still smiling but it didn't quite reach his eyes. There was a great sadness hidden behind them. "You still don't know where he is?" The witch asked carefully. She wouldn't pry if he made it clear he didn't want to share anything more but she was curious. "No... Can't blame him though. His own parents shipped him to a different continent and left him there to fend for himself...it's no wonder he ran off." The ballerina nodded. That part was understandable, yes. "But you care about him. Why didn't he reach out to you at least? You could still hang out together there, no?" The wizard sighed. Perhaps I should stop asking... "I suppose so but it's complicated. I'm still my parents’ son. The chosen one, the one they actually wanted. He probably knows that I don't mind him being a squib but I think he can't help but remember our parents every time he sees me. He is probably still hurt and not ready to face his past." Eun-ji was a bit surprised. If he was being genuine then he trusted her more than she anticipated. Then again, in his eyes she was probably a harmless thirteen year old. He had two powerful families to back him up while she struggled to protect what was left from hers. "I... Think you are right," she agreed eventually. Thinking about the short couple of moments when she couldn't look into her beloved mother's eyes. She too, had become a reminder of the corrupted people her daughter despised so much. The raven-haired girl knew none of it was truly her fault but her heart was a traitor. Most of the time, she could reason with herself but sometimes just sometimes when she had a really bad day, she almost let her emotions take over. "That he just isn't ready to face you yet I mean." She was not going to share the ugly thoughts with the boy or anybody else for that matter. Not yet…maybe not ever. Charles nodded solemnly. It was clearly really hard on him. "I guess I'll just have to wait until he is." Waiting sucked but at least he could still hope to meet his brother again. Eun-ji wasn't even that lucky. She would never see her grandma now, no matter how long she waited.

There was a moment of silence when none of the two quite knew what to say. It was time to change the topic. "You know... You actually have some talent in the ballet department. Sure there are moments when my kitchen furniture has more elegance than you..." The young wizard laughed at that. Good... Mission accomplished. "BUT... you learn quickly and you are quite strong... Good core too." It was true. It was obvious he didn't have any experience with dance like this but the fact that he was able to be helpful to her in any capacity was pretty amazing. "Thanks? I mean, it was pretty scary at first but I have admit as difficult as it is, I find it quite enjoyable. I just don't know where you are hiding all that strength in that tiny body." Eun-ji snorted but she could see where he was coming from. She wasn't THAT tiny but she was skinny and somewhat fragile looking. Such was not uncommon among ballerinas but to someone who didn't know the art well enough, it could have been rather puzzling. "Well I think it's dumb. Stop pretending like you are amazing. If trolls could do it, anybody can." A woman's voice interrupted the pair suddenly. The young witch bit her tongue at first. I would like to see you try. She thought but wanted to avoid fighting with her aunt. Upon seeing her smug expression though, she just couldn't hold herself back any longer. "Mother wants to see you." The blonde snickered, adding more fuel to the fire. Eun-ji gave Charles an apologetic look, knowing well enough that letting her grandmother wait never went well. "I see you know your history," she paused when passing the messenger. "I'm sure you know how that turned out then....” She looked the woman dead in the eyes and whispered. “Be careful.” Her aunt looked positively livid at her words. "What is that supposed to mean?" She spat out but Eun-ji was already walking away, completely ignoring the hissy fit that was about to come. The witch was raised to respect her elders but this one acted like a spoiled toddler so Eun-ji decided to treat her as such. If she was completely honest, she even enjoyed it sometimes.

"Finally, I've been waiting forever." Anemone rolled her eyes as soon as the witch entered her office. "I came as soon as aunt told me." She defended herself but it was obvious the older woman couldn't care less. "So... Ballet is your childish whim I presume." Eun-ji was somewhat caught off guard. She often was with this woman. "What?" She sputtered unintelligently. "Well, obviously, it will get you nowhere in the wizarding world so I assume it's just you being rebellious. What club did you join at Hogwarts? Duelling or Quidditch? You should probably train for that too." Anemone said as if it was the most natural course of action. The thing was… she was wrong. Oh so very wrong. "Neither." Eun-ji replied confidently. "I joined a dance club." It was about time her grandmother learned just how important ballet was to her. "That's ridiculous. Why in the seven hells didn't you join one? You will get actual skills there and recognition for job well done." The Ravenclaw winced at her tone but she kept standing straight, head held high. It would do her no good to show Anemone how terrifying she was. "Well... I didn't feel like I was a good fit for either of those. I don't like flying and quiddich in general doesn't have much appeal to me. As for the duelling... It is interesting but I like to take my time with everything. Duellist needs to be fast. I wouldn't be a good addition to the team." She hated revealing her shortcoming to her grandmother but there was really no way around it. "Well they don't have to know that, do they? Just join confidently and learn as you go. Few lost matches would mean nothing once you do well." Eun-ji could do that yes but she always felt like it would be unfair to others. Ravenclaw team was good and she didn't want to hold them back. "I don't want to pretend I'm something that I'm not. My classmates probably wouldn't be happy about it either." Anemone frowned at her and huffed. She was getting impatient. "My girl...truth only gets you that far and then you need lies! Everybody does that. Also, why do you care if your classmates like you? Once you are the best they will have to acknowledge you anyway. And if they are jealous, even better!" What a wicked mind-set to have. The girl thought bitterly.

To be fair, Eun-ji did decide not to be too kind to others recently but that didn't mean she wanted to stop caring altogether. Just... tone it down, save some energy. "I don't..." she honestly didn't know what to say. The witch disagreed with the older woman but she just couldn't find the right words. "Don't care. Join the duelling club and make some good connections while you are at it. Friends are useless if they don't have a good background. And in any case, people come and go. You can depend on anybody but yourself." That sounded awfully lonely. Eun-ji already felt lonely at home, what was she to do if she had no friends at school either? “Friends are not tools, they are there to support you. To give you strength.” She decided to fight back for once. Her mother told her she should do it once in a while. Ruffling too many feathers would do her no good but backing into a corner and being trapped there wasn’t a good plan either. “Nonsense!” Anemone spat out venomously and stood up from her chair just so she could loom over the young girl ominously. "On the contrary, love is a weakness. The more people you care about, the weaker you are. Look how your precious little family turned out once one of you died?" Now that was a low blow. "And how did the support turn out? Didn’t seem to do a whole lot for your grandma did it?" Eun-ji swallowed her anger, holding back the tears. She would not give her the satisfaction. "Doesn’t seem to do a whole lot for you either." Anemone whispered darkly before straightening her back and looking at her expensive accessories and make up. "Now come, there is still plenty to teach you..."

Chester - IC Date July 1st – August 31st 2021

PART 6

Today was a good day. At least it seemed like it. Eun-ji went to her audition and poured her whole soul into it. That was her strength. Someone had slightly better technique than her but she was so focused on it that she often forgot about her heart. This may have sounded stupid but it was a vital part of any performance. Most of the people's watching wouldn't be an expert on ballet and know every dance move but they could see the emotions. The story needed to reach them in its full beauty and you couldn't do that just by having a great technique.

In any case, Miss Zaichenko looked pleased with her results and the witch had to admit, for once...she was too. Well, I did practice day and night. She would be extremely disappointed if her sweat and tears didn't pay off. Even if she didn't get the role in the end, Eun-ji simply needed to know she did her best.

"So? How did it go?" A familiar voice interrupted her train of thought as she entered the family garden. "Charles..." Eun-ji would be lying if she said she wasn't secretly hoping for one of her parents to show up despite knowing full well such thing would never happen. Those two were glued to their work more than usual so they would never come home during the day...even if they knew it was a very important day. "I think I did good," the girl admittedly with a small smile. "How long have you been waiting?" The wizard waved his hand "Not too long. I thought someone might use my company," he winked at Morgana sitting by his side. "And to be fair I was quite curious but since you believe you did well. I can rest assured." Eun-ji tilted her hear slightly. "What do you mean? The decision hasn't been made yet," she asked curiously. The boy chuckled. "I mean that you never seem to be quite satisfied with your hard work so when you say you are...it just must have been amazing." Eun-ji shook her head but she couldn't help the blush slowly sneaking to her face. He was too kind and she didn't know how to handle compliments so she swiftly changed the topic. "Thank you for keeping Morgana entertained. It looks like she truly likes you." The witch said with a smile. It was true. She had never seen her dog bonding with someone this quickly and Mordred seemed to have the same opinion on the new guy. It was truly amazing. "Well...the feeling is mutual." Charles shrugged nonchalantly. He was a good man.

"Now...you had a couple tough days. How about you have some fun too? I have noticed a bike lying around and the weather is awfully nice today." The idea sounded wonderful. Eun-ji still remembered the couple of moments she spent riding bike at the Hogwarts grounds. That errand reminded her how she liked cycling around the town and its beautiful parks. "I would love to but I think we only have one bike.... Also my wardrobe became somewhat of an obstacle in any outdoor activities."Charles winced. He was aware of the whole clothes debacle and obviously felt sorry for her. Still, he managed to regain his composure and smiled at her encouragingly. "No mater...I think I have a shirt and some old jeans that don't fit me anymore. You can borrow these...I promise they are clean." Eun-ji didn't have problem with that. She would be grateful if she could wear something comfortable for a change. "Oh no...that's perfect actually although...the bike issue still stands?" She asked, unsure of what he was planning. "Well, good. We are not going to need two. I say your legs deserve some break after such straining practice, don't you agree?" In all honesty, she kinda did but she failed to see the how it would work. "Go get changed. I'll prepare the bike. Should I even attempt picking the fur ball up or can he nestle into the basked himself?" Oooh...now she got it. Charles was giving her a ride. Eun-ji blushed again though she did her best trying to hide it. No one has ever given her a ride before...not even her father. In the past, he would occasionally take his own and ride alongside of his daughter but that was long time ago. Hence, her earlier remark that there might only be one bike at this point. "He can jump in but...are you sure about this?" The boy seemed pretty sure, that is...until she asked him that question. "I mean if you don't want to..." he paused, looking slightly embarrassed. "Oh no...I do...it's just...I've never...won't you be uncomfortable?" Eun-ji asked suddenly devoid of her usual calmness. This was a new situation for her and she didn't quite know how to act. "Ah...don't worry, I used to ride bike like this with my brother in the US before he...you know..." Ran away, her brain supplied immediately yet instead of saying anything, the witch simply nodded. It was a sore subject. "Anyway, it's going to be fun and let's face it...with your weight, I won't even know I'm not riding alone." He kept saying that and she could she why. While she was slowly growing taller, she was also pretty thin thanks to her active life. It was fine though, she ate healthy food and kept herself in shape. Nothing wrong with that. “Okay then…” she finally relented.

Both the shirt and jeans were too big for the young witch but they were comfortable so she didn’t care. Charles chuckled once she left the house but it was a good-natured laugh so Eun-ji didn’t mind. “I would love to witness Mrs. Hunt’s face if she saw you right now.” He is so right. That would be hilarious. She thought immediately and joined his amused chuckle. “Yeah…me too but lets NOT do that otherwise I'll be stuck at home for the rest of the summer." Charles nodded still somewhat amused yet understanding. Mordred meowed from where he was sitting comfortably in the bicycle basket. He was bored and Morgana also expectantly threaded the grass. She was probably pretty excited for some running. "Alright, let's go." The young pair agreed and Eun-ji finally took a seat behind the wizard.

It was strange at first...since she had never done this before, Eun-ji had to figure out how to position herself in order to be comfortable. She also had to hold onto the boy for safety, which didn't come naturally to her either. Thankfully, she was pretty ballanced and Charles obviously knew what he was doing. Strange, the witch thought. She always assumed he would struggle with muggle things given his family background but perhaps sending him to a different country to study served him well. He probably had much bigger freedom there and could explore the muggle world as well. "I can hear you thinking...stop doing that and enjoy the ride!" Charles turned to her with a playful smirk. The young Ravenclaw allowed herself to loosen her grip just so she could slap his shoulder. "Watch the road dummy." She reprimanded the boy but her tone was also playful. She felt much lighter here in the open...she didn't want to be angry anymore.

Eun-ji took a deep breath and looked at Morgana, running by her side. She was so excited it was contagious. I love this. The girl thought happily and for the first time that summer, she actually felt free. Chuckling with glee, she let the boy take her wherever he wished, smiling into his back the whole time.

Chester - IC Date July 1st – August 31st 2021 Blue and bold in English, Red in Korean

PART 7

"I got it! I got the part" Eun-ji ran into the kitchen with a proper smile on her face. It has been a long time since she smiled like that. It has also been a long time since her parents were at home to appreciate it. "You did? Oh darling, that's amazing!" Eleanor cried out as she hugged the little girl. Doctor Lee patted her on the back, looking awfully proud. "I knew you could do it," he said despite clearly thinking otherwise in the beginning and as always, Eun-ji immediately forgave him. " Sugohaesseo, uri ttal." literary means: Good job, our daughter. He would not hug her but that was fine. He wasn't a big hugger and neither was she. "Gomawo, appa..." Thank you, dad…

The rest of the summer was spent in and out of rehearsals. Now she finally understood what it was like to be properly busy. She still made sure to take care of her furry babies of course and when Eun-ji wasn't there, Charles kept them entertained but other than that, she had practically zero free time. The witch still tried to maintain the house to some degree and cook dinner if she had the energy but that wasn't often. Nevertheless, all of it was worth it when Ms. Zaichenko said they were finally ready. Eun-ji didn't feel ready, she doubled she ever would but it was okay. If the prima ballerina approved of her skills that was enough.

"If you drop her on that last lift, I will end you young man." The Ravenclaw heard her teacher scold her partner shortly before the show started. It was true, he did struggle with that part but Eun-ji believed he practiced enough to do just fine. She smiled at the boy encouragingly and he gave her thumbs up. They were not friends but they were partners and as such had to have each other's back. Both figuratively AND literary. It's going you be fine. The girl told herself as she watched the other girls from behind the curtain. Her parents were there in the audience and so were the Hunts. She was positively livid when they said they would be going too. For once, she agreed with her aunt who thought it was ridiculous idea but alas, here they all were, waiting for her to show up. Eun-ji would very much prefer if Charles came to see her. He helped her so much with everything and seemed genuinely interested in ballet but it was the end of summer and he had to return to America. Perhaps next time...if I don't mess this up.

She didn't. The witch gave it her all and enjoyed every second of it. The night felt truly magical despite the performance being absolutely devoid of it. She let her body feel the music and followed the choreography she knew by heart at this point. She not only practiced it herself but also seen it several times from the audience point of view. She sat where her family sat right now and dreamed of being on that stage one day. And now she was, and it was amazing!! At first, Eun-ji worried that she would be too nervous and forget everything, after all she was no social butterfly, but to her surprise while she definitely WAS nervous, it didn't hinder her efforts in any way. It appeared that staying within the Hunts made her strangely resilient to pressure and stress. A rather depressing realization for a thirteen-year-old but not unwelcome at the time. So yes, everything went smoothly that night...until the very end of the 3rd Act.

They have chosen the 2006 New York City Ballet version and she was dancing her last solo, betrayed and doomed to remain a swan forever. All eyes were on her but Eun-ji was lost in her own world. She was one with Odette now. It was not until the roaring applause that she came to her senses. And oh boy, was she glad she did. The witch didn't hear the sound due to all the noise but as she lifted her head, she saw the stage light above her spark. The girl was no electrician but even she knew that was a bad sign. Having father, who was a doctor and mother who was a healer, she was taught to take care of her body her whole life. She watched the light shatter in horror but somehow still managed to roll to the side just in time to avoid the impact and cover her face. The audience gasped collectively but she was okay. There were a few small cuts on her hands and exposed legs and a little bit of blood splattered her white tutu skirt but Eun-ji wasn’t too bothered. It was actually kind of poetic and her mother would heal the cuts in a matter of seconds. Not here though, she reminded herself as the whole corps de ballet crowded her personal space. “Are you okay?” One of the girls asked. “I did well, right?” The witch asked in return. Everybody looked confused for moment or two before Ms. Zaichenko finally spoke up. “Yes, you were amazing little Odette.” Eun-ji sighed in relief. Given the situation, her teacher would praise her either way but if she didn’t do a good job, the praise would be very moderate. The woman was really bad at lying, preferring to be brutally honest at all times.

“Move, I’m a doctor.” A familiar voice cut through the stunned silence. Of course, even now he was a doctor before he was father. “Appa,” she called out to him. He looked stricken though to the outsider it might have not been as clear as it was to her. The man immediately crouched beside her and started inspecting the cuts. “It’s okay. Mom will heal me at home.” She said in Korean. The doctor frowned and proceeded to pull out some disinfection and bandages from his bag. “Nado arra,” I know that too he replied sounding somewhat annoyed. Sometimes she wondered if it bothered him that magic worked so fast. Perhaps it made him feel inferior at times, which was ridiculous of course but she wouldn’t be surprised. “Where is mom?” The witch decided to change the topic and let the man do his job. “Arguing with her sister,” he looked her in the eyes, relaying a silent yet very clear message. She thinks aunt might have had something to do with this… Did she though? Eun-ji wouln’t be surprised but it would also mean risking a full-blown wrath of Mrs. Hunt, which made her doubt the scenario. No matter…today was her day and she wouldn’t let the Hunts ruin it.

Soon enough, the Ravenclaw was all taken care of and stood up with a huge ovation coming her way. It warmed her heart to see all the strangers stay and be happy for her recovery. Eun-ji did a grande reverence and smiled their way. “Alright girls, let’s take a photo. I say it's going to be a pretty memorable one.” Ms. Zaichenko ordered and well…she was not wrong. This was a night to remember for sure. As strange as it was, Eun-ji thought it was a perfect way to end her summer.