"Hmm. You've just inscribed five hundred and twenty sets of Undetectable Extension Runes."
Newt's gaze drifted past Sean. The space inside the Book of Wizards was now large enough to fit an entire classroom.
"Five hundred and twenty-one sets, actually, Mr. Scamander," Sean corrected, staring at the parchment in his hand. It was densely packed with runic arrays. He had a habit of recording his alchemical processes and compiling them into books.
"Fascinating. The Severing Charm is... well, it's quite a difficult spell. We can take our time learning it," Newt said with a gentle smile.
For the rest of the time, Sean studied the Severing Charm under Mr. Scamander's tutelage.
Naturally, their classroom had shifted to the Ilvermorny woods.
As the biting cold wind howled, their footsteps crunched across the snow-dusted grass of the forest floor.
They never stayed in one spot for long. They would practice the charm for a while, and the moment Mr. Scamander sensed the space becoming unstable, they would set off to find another secluded, hidden location.
They trekked through thick forests, dark cliffside crevices, purple marshlands, and slopes covered in flowering broom, once even finding themselves in a hidden pebbled cove.
The forest surrounding Ilvermorny was even larger than the Forbidden Forest at Hogwarts. Sean continued his lessons with Mr. Scamander deep into the night.
At one point, a Pukwudgie brought them a hearty meal. While they took a break to eat, Sean and Newt hid behind a tree, watching a pair of Ilvermorny students writing in the snow with branches.
"I'm done!" the witch shouted loudly.
The wizard walked over to look, his expression a mix of excitement and timidity.
They were writing winter-exclusive letters in the snow, spelling out all the things they couldn't say out loud.
The only catch was that you couldn't be late—otherwise, the letter would melt away.
Heavy snow dyed Sean's eyebrows white. He tightened Professor McGonagall's scarf around his neck, then noticed that Mr. Scamander was also wearing a scarf—one that could only be described as delightfully bulky.
"My wife, dear Tina, spent a week knitting this for me," Mr. Scamander said with a smile.
Sean nodded. His thoughts drifted across the entire Ilvermorny forest, across the freezing Atlantic Ocean, all the way back to the warm fireplace in the Transfiguration office.
He thought of the yarn and long knitting needles in the corner of that office. Were they moving in Professor McGonagall's hands right now?
It was deep winter. The snow creaked beneath their boots as the two wandering wizards stood wrapped in their oversized scarves.
Break time was over.
After spending half the night at it, Sean finally mastered the Severing Charm.
When he successfully carved out a small sliver of space, a wave of pure joy washed over him.
Snow shook loose from his hair as he quickly raised his wand so Mr. Scamander could see clearly.
"Excellent. That was a very... fast learning speed," Newt praised softly.
Sean turned away, his eyes burning as he stared at his system panel.
[You practiced the Severing Charm at an introductory standard. Proficiency +3]
[Severing Charm: Unlocked (3/30)]
For Sean, the hardest part was always the first success. Now, the only hurdle left was time.
---
The Original Stone House of Ilvermorny
Sean entered the warm, glowing cottage, shaking off the night and the snow.
On the dining table sat bowls of porridge, diced beef, and various fruits.
By the fireplace, sweet potatoes and pumpkins were roasting, filling the air with an aroma Sean couldn't resist.
"Would you like some? No one has visited in a long time... I'd almost forgotten how good William's cooking is," a voice said.
"Time truly is a thief. It let me witness Ilvermorny grow from a tiny cottage into a granite castle with my own eyes. But now, it blurs everything together. What do I have left? That is the reason I still linger."
Isolt Sayre watched as Sean paused mid-dip with his food, the young wizard shifting into deep thought.
"Ghosts are the product of obsession," Sean said, frowning as he gripped the handle of a steaming, pumpkin-shaped mug. "But... even if a ghost resolves their obsession, how are they supposed to return to the Beyond?"
"A learned little wizard. You know of the Beyond?" Isolt's interest was piqued.
"I know a little, Headmistress Sayre," Sean replied.
"The world behind the Veil... how interesting. I can hardly wait to reunite with James, Chadwick, and Webster."
Isolt wore a long, profound smile. "The school we built with our own hands has become renowned. Magical families across North America fight to send their children here. Freedom, fairness, and equality are etched into the heart of every Ilvermorny wizard. The magical knowledge of North America we compiled and spread—the great feat of combining native magic with European magic—has formed something newer, stronger, and more beautiful."
Sean paused, his cup of pumpkin juice halfway to his mouth, and looked at Isolt with his green eyes.
"Magic is magnificent and wondrous. When a wizard possesses enough knowledge and their conviction is firm enough, magic flows like spring water," she continued, drifting in front of Sean.
"An arrow cannot fly further than the tension of the bow allows, and a wizard's magical power cannot exceed their belief."
Isolt pointed to the Runic symbols above the fireplace. "Since the Veil exists, there must be magic to lift it. That is the magical ritual to send a ghost to the Beyond."
"If you would be willing to help, that would be wonderful. I watched Herrera grow up, and I watched William grow old... It would be too heartbreaking to ask them to send me away."
Sean couldn't fully imagine how that would feel. He silently looked up at the Runes carved above the fireplace—the words Rite of Rest were glowing softly.
A moment later, Sean nodded. "I would be happy to help."
Sending a ghost away... what a strange task.
---
Early Morning
When Sean woke up, he sipped on pumpkin juice and began practicing his spells.
[You practiced the Severing Charm at an introductory standard. Proficiency +3]
[You practiced the Severing Charm at an introductory standard. Proficiency +3]
Sean didn't step out of the cottage until he felt thoroughly exhausted.
The Severing Charm was still too difficult, let alone trying to transfer space with it.
He estimated he would need at least "Proficient" level mastery to pull that off.
He walked onto the snowy path. The faint outline of Ilvermorny Castle was visible not far away.
Likewise, the Ilvermorny forest—and Mr. Scamander inside it—wasn't far either.
Snow was falling heavily as Sean entered the woods.
The forest was full of noises: the snap of twigs in the distance, the soft rustle of falling snow, and the sounds of animals running and prowling, all mixing together.
As he walked, Sean suddenly caught a glimpse of a yellow shadow darting past at high speed.
The discovery sent a jolt of excitement through him—it was a Wampus cat, the wild mascot of Ilvermorny.