"Spells deepen our desire for wishes, and what responds to us is the magic power that belongs to wizards." Dumbledore also knew the two children did not understand what magic power was.
As he spoke.
He raised his magic wand and drew a glowing circle in the air, "Some people are born able to perceive and channel this energy—we call them wizards. As for others, like you—" his gaze wandered over the two children's faces, "perhaps you need to find special ways to access it."
To this.
Xiao Ya and Odin listened with half understanding.
"Why aren't we born with it?" Odin asked with a frown, his fingers unconsciously rubbing the stick.
"Just like some are born to run fast, and some have a talent for singing."
Dumbledore conjured a dancing paper crane, "Magic talent is similar. But it doesn't mean you can't learn - you just need to find the right method."
Xiao Ya curiously touched the paper crane, which immediately stopped on her fingertip, its wings gently flapping. "So beautiful... Can magic only do such beautiful things?"
"Oh, no." Dumbledore's expression suddenly turned serious, and the paper crane vanished into a wisp of blue smoke, "Magic can create miracles, but it can also bring terrible disasters." His voice lowered a bit, "A powerful spell can heal fatal wounds, but it can also take innocent lives."
Odin sat up straight, "Like Ian said... magic should be used to protect others?"
Dumbledore's eyebrows raised slightly, "Is that what Ian taught you?"
Seeing the boy nod, his face showed a relieved smile, "He is absolutely right. The highest level of magic is not power, but how you use it."
"Then how do we start learning?" Xiao Ya eagerly asked, her eyes shining brightly.
The old man conjured two flowers that changed colors and handed them to the children: "First, you must learn to perceive. Close your eyes and try to feel the energy in the flowers."
Odin squeezed his eyes shut, his little face wrinkling into a ball. Xiao Ya sneaked one eye open and saw Dumbledore wink at her, so she quickly closed it again.
"It's not about seeing with your eyes, but feeling with this." Dumbledore lightly tapped his chest, "Imagine you're holding a warm ball of sunshine in your hands."
Five minutes passed, and Odin opened his eyes, feeling frustrated, "I can't feel anything!"
"Patience, child." Dumbledore conjured a small harp that played itself, "I received my acceptance letter to Magic School when I was eleven, not knowing I was a wizard before then as well."
This was clearly a benevolent lie.
After all.
He was born into a wizard family, the powerful Dumbledore family.
"Magic School?" the two children asked in unison, their eyes shining with longing.
"Hogwarts, the best Magic School in all of Europe." The old man's voice was filled with nostalgia, "The castle has moving staircases, talking paintings, and—"
"Dragons?" Odin interrupted.
"Alas, no." Dumbledore chuckled and shook his head, "But we do have Nightmares, Phoenixes, and Griffin Beasts."
He stood up, and his magic wand traced a graceful arc in the air. Countless light spots emerged from the wand's tip, forming a miniature Hogwarts Castle on the beach. The banners on the towers swayed in the wind, and even tiny merpeople could be seen leaping out of the Black Lake.
"Wow!" the two children exclaimed, lying on the ground to observe the magical model.
"There are many types of magic." Dumbledore controlled the castle model to change seasons while explaining, "Transformation can turn a teacup into a mouse, Magic Curse can make objects float, Herbalism studies plants infused with magic..."
He presented a simple magic trick for each subject he mentioned. A teapot turned into a hopping bunny, pebbles danced a waltz in mid-air, and a patch of glowing mushrooms suddenly bloomed on the beach.
"What's the hardest magic?" Odin asked, tilting his face up, the dancing magical lights reflected in his silver-grey eyes.
Dumbledore pondered for a moment, "Love."
The two children exchanged a perplexed glance.
"Not the kind that lets you conjure flowers." The old man's gaze turned far-reaching, "But a deeper, ancient kind of magic. It can create miracles, break the strongest curses..."
His voice gradually softened as if he was lost in some memory.
Xiao Ya timidly tugged on his sleeve, "Can you teach us how to make flowers appear?"
Dumbledore snapped back to the present, a warm smile reemerging on his face, "Of course." He conjured two slender sticks and handed them to the children, "Though not real magic wands, they're enough for practicing basic moves."
For the next half hour, Dumbledore's patient guidance and the children's excited shouts echoed over the beach. Odin focused meticulously on mimicking each wand movement, while Xiao Ya cared more about making her stick emit beautiful sparks.
"Relax your wrist, and make your moves smooth." Dumbledore corrected Odin's stiff actions, "It's like stirring a pot of toffee, not hitting a goblin."
At that moment, a spark suddenly sprung from Odin's stick tip. Although it was fleeting, it was enough for the boy to jump up in delight, "I did it! Did you see that?"
To this.
Dumbledore kept a watchful eye all along.
His gaze turned somewhat profound.
Nonetheless.
A smile still blossomed on his face.
"Very impressive!" Dumbledore clapped his hands in praise, "You've taken your first step."
Upon hearing this.
Odin burst into laughter. Xiao Ya looked at her brother with envy and swung her stick more earnestly. Dumbledore crouched down, gently holding her small hand.
"Don't rush; everyone has their own pace." He guided the girl to complete a standard spell-casting gesture, "See, isn't this more comfortable?"
When Xiao Ya's stick emitted a faint glimmer as well.
Her face flushed with joy.
It was a blush of excitement.
"It seems your intentions are very strong." Dumbledore's pupils shimmered slightly after seeing Xiao Ya manage to wield magic, speaking with a look of contemplation.
The deeper meaning in his words was not perceived by the two children, whose bodies lacked magic power. After all, they were quite naïve about what magic power was or why they didn't have it.
"I must be a genius!" Odin was already impatiently standing up, "I'm ready to become a wizard! What do we learn next? Combat Magic?"
He looked ambitious.
Dumbledore was just about to answer when Fox suddenly let out a sharp cry.
The old man looked up to see a gold and red figure appearing in the distant sky—another Phoenix was flying towards them, its wingspan an impressive ten feet wide.
It was an enormous Phoenix.
Its wings cut through the sky like a burning meteor. Its silhouette looked familiar and awe-inspiring, similar in appearance to Fox, yet of a size several times larger.
And with more magic power.
"Legendary Level Fantastic Beasts."
Albus Dumbledore's gaze tightened slightly.
"The Phoenix God!" Xiao Ya exclaimed, hiding behind Dumbledore.
"It appeared for the second time today!"
Odin's eyes widened as well.
Their voices were filled with awe and surprise.
But Dumbledore's gaze grew deeper.
From the children's words, the old professor easily inferred that this Phoenix was likely here for him, and the last appearance was perhaps seeking Ian.
"I'm already so close to Ian." Dumbledore stood up, his robe billowing in the suddenly rising wind. He fixed his stare on the approaching Phoenix, realizing this Divine Bird was indeed headed for him. Fox on his shoulder fluttered its wings nervously, letting out low chirps.
"It seems our lesson must be temporarily interrupted." Dumbledore said softly, his gaze never leaving the Phoenix in the sky, "But don't worry, we'll continue very soon."
The two children gazed at the sky, their eyes reflecting the burning wings—they did not know that at this moment, the meeting between the great Phoenix and the small Phoenix.
Would mark the beginning of something significant enough to affect history.