Harry Potter: The Legend of Nero Ravenclaw-Chapter 109: The Path of Elemental Balance

The soft murmur of students filled the spacious classroom, an elegant hall adorned with paper screens, calligraphy scrolls, and intricate depictions of the Five Phases in perfect harmony.

A delicate fragrance of sandalwood lingered in the air, lending an air of serenity to the setting.

At the front of the room, a woman stood with the poise of someone deeply in tune with the very fabric of magic itself.

She was tall, her bearing regal yet unassuming.

Raven-black hair cascaded down her back in a neat braid, and her sharp, intelligent eyes surveyed the room with the quiet authority of a seasoned Onmyōji.

She wore a jet-black kimono with embroidered silver cranes taking flight along the hem, the contrast against the pristine white of her underlayer only emphasizing her presence.

She turned, her voice calm yet commanding.

"Welcome, students. I am Professor Asano Reina, your instructor in Onmyōdō. Our path is one of balance, understanding, and respect for the forces that shape the world.

Today, we welcome a new student." She gestured toward the doorway, where Nero had just stepped in, his Hogwarts robes traded for Mahoutokoro's traditional uniform.

Whispers spread like ripples in a pond as the students examined the foreigner in their midst.

"Please introduce yourself," Professor Asano prompted.

Nero smiled, maintaining an air of composure.

"I'm Nero Ravenclaw, a third-year exchange student from Hogwarts.

I like reading and I treasure the moments I spend with my friends.

My hobby is an endless pursuit of knowledge, I relish exploring new subjects and diving into various disciplines.

Moreover, I take great joy in applying what I've learned to real-world situations whenever the opportunity arises.

I look forward to learning Japanese magic with you this year."

With a small, polite bow, Nero concluded his presentation.

A few girls in the class giggled behind their hands. "He's so handsome!"

"And he speaks Japanese so smoothly!"

Nero's smile widened slightly as he took in the murmurs, but his focus shifted when he spotted someone familiar.

Mio sat toward the back, her arms crossed, her expression cool as ever, though her eyes flicked away the moment he looked at her.

She was avoiding his gaze.

A smirk tugged at his lips. He turned to Professor Asano.

"Sensei, I happen to recognize a very good friend of mine. May I sit next to Mio?"

A sharp intake of breath broke the air. Mio, whose façade rarely cracked, snapped her head toward him, eyes wide.

"Who is your very good friend?!"

Laughter erupted through the classroom.

"I've never seen Mio-san like this!"

"She's usually so distant."

Another voice teased, "Do you think they might be...?"

"WE ARE NOT!" Mio cut in, her voice unusually loud. Her ears turned a shade of red.

Professor Asano chuckled, raising a hand in silence.

"Very well, Nero. You may sit with Mio."

Nero strode to the seat beside her, gracefully settling in as she glared daggers at him.

Unperturbed, he leaned slightly toward her. "Looking forward to working with you, Mio."

She exhaled sharply, eyes narrowed. "Don't embarrass yourself during classes. It would bring shame to me and my uncles."

He chuckled softly. "Duly noted."

Professor Asano resumed her lesson.

"Now, as I was saying, Onmyōdō is the foundation of many disciplines here at Mahoutokoro.

Unlike the Western approach, which isolates spells as individual pieces, we view magic as a living force, one that thrives through balance and resonance."

She moved to a large scroll at the front of the room and unfurled it with a subtle flick of her sleeve.

It depicted the Yin-Yang symbol surrounded by five elemental glyphs in constant motion: Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water.

"Through the interplay of Yin and Yang, and through the Five Phases, magic flows in a natural cycle. Too much Yang, and fire becomes reckless. Too much Yin, and water stagnates.

Balance is not a static state, but a living dialogue. Feel it. Guide it. Respect it."

She turned. "Mio, would you demonstrate?"

Without a word, Mio stood and stepped forward.

Her hands formed a practiced sequence of seals, smooth, sharp, flawless.

One by one, the elements materialized with perfect pacing:

Fire flickered, water spiraled, earth solidified, metal shimmered like moonlight, and a stalk of wood curled upward from the floor.

Each was brief, precise, and deliberate, no overlap, no chaos.

Controlled transitions from one to the next.

The class murmured in admiration.

Professor Asano gave a slight nod. "Impeccable structure. Steady rhythm. A refined expression of balance."

She turned to Nero.

"Would you like to try?"

"Yes, Sensei."

She stepped beside him, her tone instructive but gentle.

"Let the elements flow one into the next. Don't rush, listen for the shift.

Feel the moment when Yin begins to swell, or when Yang begins to surge. Then guide it."

Nero closed his eyes, slowing his breath. There was no incantation, no wand to rely on.

Only intent... and adaptation.

He formed the first seal.

Fire came first, too strong.

The heat surged up his arm, flaring wildly around his fingers.

It felt untamed, like it might lash out if he pushed harder.

Nero's brow furrowed.

Too much energy... too aggressive.

Then, instinctively, he tried softening his focus, easing back rather than forcing the flame.

The fire calmed, growing steadier, more stable.

A cool sensation settled beneath the heat, subtle, but present.

So this is what she meant by Yin, he thought.

The counterbalance of fire, the quiet force that steadies the storm.

Water surged next.

But unlike the fire before it, this came effortlessly.

It flowed from his fingers in a smooth, swirling arc, wrapping around the fading embers like a spring mist over smoldering coals.

No instability, no excess, just perfect control.

The water pulsed gently, clear and precise, responding as if it had known him all his life.

The classroom was silent.

Professor Asano blinked, her eyes narrowing slightly.

That level of attunement to water... on a first attempt?

She didn't speak yet, but something in her expression shifted, curiosity giving way to astonishment.

Nero remained focused, unaware or unconcerned with the attention.

Metal followed.

The energy faltered.

A flicker of silver shimmered at Nero's fingertips, but it wouldn't hold its shape.

In Western magic, Metal was considered an advanced application of elemental magic.

Yet in eastern magic, it was part of the basic elements to understand.

He'd never truly learned to feel it so far.

He tried to mold it anyway, but it came out jagged and unstable.

Professor Asano's voice broke the silence, calm and precise.

"Metal doesn't respond to force. Think of it like drawing a blade, smooth, focused, not rushed.

Let it come together on its own."

Nero's eyes narrowed.

Don't force it.

Then something clicked.

A memory surfaced. Ember, during one of their shared training sessions.

He remembered her shaping a shard of enchanted metal into a thin, dancing ribbon, extending and retracting it like breath.

No brute power. Just intention, precision and control.

He exhaled slowly, narrowing his intent the same way, like threading a needle.

The change was immediate.

A silvery sheen spread from his palm, steady and fluid.

A soft chime echoed in the air, like polished steel being drawn from its sheath.

The energy coalesced, sharp and balanced.

Professor Asano gave a small nod. "Yes. That is Metal."

Then came Wood.

A green shimmer lit his palm, and from it, a slender vine spiraled upward, in a graceful, deliberate coil.

Its leaves unfurled mid-air, each one sharp in detail, veined and vibrant.

The vine didn't just grow. It swayed gently, as if breathing.

For a heartbeat, the classroom felt... greener. Warmer.

A few students leaned forward unconsciously, and a quiet murmur rippled through the room.

Professor Asano's eyes narrowed slightly, studying the construct with unusual focus.

Last was Earth.

Nero hadn't moved, yet the floor beneath him gave a subtle creak.

A low vibration thrummed through the soles of every student's feet, not enough to frighten, but impossible to ignore.

The energy wasn't aggressive. It was grounded, anchoring.

Like standing at the base of a mountain and knowing it wouldn't move.

Professor Asano blinked once, her posture straightening by a fraction as she muttered,

"...Interesting."

A stunned silence filled the room.

A student whispered, "Is this really his first time?"

Mio's eyes were slightly wider than usual, though she quickly schooled her expression.

Professor Asano didn't speak immediately, studying him with a new depth.

Nero exhaled slowly, the last traces of energy fading from his hands.

So that's what it feels like, he thought. Trying to channel through pure understanding.

Professor Asano finally broke the silence.

"Nero... is this truly your first time engaging with Onmyōdō principles?"

He opened his eyes, and shrugged expression unreadable.

"I've studied the theory. But... magic has always responded to me.

Even back at Hogwarts, it felt like it favored me."

He let the silence linger for just a moment, then added with a faint smirk,

"Maybe magic simply loves me."

The room stirred with murmurs and low exclamations.

Several girls giggled behind their hands.

Even Professor Asano found herself intrigued.

Mio stared at him, visibly thrown off.

Her eyes narrowed, arms folding tighter across her chest.

"Hmph. Don't get smug," she muttered.

Nero glanced her way with a calm smile.

"Me? Never."

Professor Asano folded her hands neatly.

"Then it seems we have much to look forward to this term.

Welcome to Onmyōdō, Nero."

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