The sun had only just begun to shine over the Hogwarts grounds, gilding the castle towers with a thin layer of gold.
Cho tightened her Quidditch gear and made her way through the castle with her broomstick resting on her shoulder.
She yawned, sleepiness clinging to her like a heavy blanket, but she didn't dare slow down.
Wood, that Gryffindor Quidditch fanatic, always started training the earliest, and Ravenclaw had no intention of being outdone.
The path to the Quidditch pitch began at a side door of the main castle and crossed a broad, gently sloping lawn near the lake.
During training sessions or matches, large numbers of students would pass along it.
It was also the main route for students taking walks by the lake or heading toward the edge of the Forbidden Forest for Care of Magical Creatures.
The path wasn't short, but the scenery was undeniably beautiful. With the castle behind you, the lake and rolling mountains stretched into the distance. The slopes turned golden in autumn and were dotted with wildflowers in spring.
Unfortunately, having dragged herself out of bed early for training, Cho was in no mood to appreciate the scenery.
Cold and sleepy, she was only being kept going by her love of Quidditch.
After another yawn, Cho finally noticed a faint, damp chill in the white mist drifting through the surroundings.
Visibility wasn't too poor, but even the outline of the distant castle had already begun to blur.
"Mist? It's rather thick..."
Cho muttered to herself as she shifted the broomstick to her other shoulder.
Suddenly, several flickering streaks of light flashed through the mist, catching her attention.
It wasn't sunlight. The sun had not yet reached this part of the grounds.
It was magical light, faint silver and gold gliding through the mist like swimming fish, leaving brief trails behind them.
Cho looked toward the source and saw two figures not far ahead.
She couldn't help feeling curious.
Quidditch players like them were already among the earliest risers in the school.
Someone else was actually up this early?
And judging from the look of things, they had already been busy for quite some time.
The two figures were waving their arms, apparently casting spells with their wands.
Objects of various sizes and shapes floated in mid-air. Some spun slowly, while others fitted themselves together, giving off magical light in different colours.
Every now and then, a faint click sounded as another piece locked into place.
Cho walked a few steps closer and recognised one of them first.
He was a tall, thin boy with black hair and, well, a rather mature hairline. He looked like an older student, and the crest on his robes belonged to Slytherin.
The other person had his back to Cho, so she couldn't see him clearly.
Just as Cho was about to look away and continue on her way, the figure with his back to her turned around.
Through the morning mist, the profile of a young man came into view.
His features were sharp yet gentle, his skin pale, his expression calm, and his dark green eyes appeared and disappeared through the drifting mist.
Cho blinked her beautiful dark eyes.
Lucien?!
She instinctively quickened her pace.
...
"Riemann, thanks for helping me. I could actually have finished this before class."
As he embedded a rune-carved stone slab into the base of the Beauty Spring, Lucien thanked Riemann, who was helping him.
Riemann waved a hand and casually adjusted the position of a floating component with his wand.
"Don't mention it. I've always slept little and woken early. Besides, graduation is coming up, and I've had so much on my mind lately that I keep waking before dawn. I just happened to run into you, so it's no trouble."
He suddenly sighed, his tone carrying a hint of regret.
"Speaking of which, it's such a pity. While we were away competing at Beauxbatons, Headmaster Dumbledore actually filled in for Alchemy class. Merlin's beard, do you know how happy the students who stayed behind were?"
Lucien kept working as he nodded with a smile.
"That's Dumbledore!" Riemann's tone was filled with obvious envy. "Being able to attend his class and learn magic from him is such a rare opportunity. If I'd known, I wouldn't have minded missing the competition. Staying at school and sitting in on his classes would have been much better."
Lucien couldn't help laughing.
He remembered a previous conversation with Dumbledore, when old Dumbledore had said that he wasn't really suited to being Headmaster and would feel much more comfortable as a professor or Deputy Headmaster.
"The students respect me, but they're also 'afraid' of me," Dumbledore had said helplessly, holding his teacup. "They don't dare approach me casually, they don't dare joke around with me, and they even lighten their footsteps when passing the Headmaster's Office..."
Dumbledore had also said that perhaps it would be better if he and McGonagall switched positions, with McGonagall becoming Headmistress, since she was far better at handling school affairs.
As for himself, he could go back to how things used to be, mingling with the students in class, telling amusing stories from the History of Magic, or using sweet wrappers to perform little bits of magic to entertain the first-years.
However, in Lucien's opinion, although McGonagall was officially the Deputy Headmistress, she had long since taken on most of the work that should have belonged to the Headmaster.
Dumbledore was the backbone, the figurehead, and the recognised banner of the wizarding world.
But if one were to ask who deserved more credit for keeping Hogwarts running smoothly day after day, it might well be Professor McGonagall.
As Lucien turned his head to speak with Riemann, he caught sight of a familiar figure approaching them from the corner of his eye.
Her long black hair was tied in a high ponytail, swaying back and forth with her brisk steps.
She was dressed in Quidditch gear, with a broomstick resting on her shoulder.
Even through the morning mist, her beautiful dark eyes were exceptionally bright.
"Morning, Cho."
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