Night and Fire
The sky was getting dark.
A large crowd had gathered on the lawn outside the castle.
The afterglow of the setting sun silhouetted the castle towers and cast a warm glow on every young face.
Cupid flew out first.
They poured out from every window of the castle, like a flock of white doves released into the sky, flapping their wings and gathering above the lawn.
Cupid, carrying a flower basket, was the first to get to work—with a wave of his little hand, the pink, red, and gold petals in the basket fluttered down, swirling in the twilight like a never-ending rain.
Some Cupid carried small musical instruments, such as harps, trumpets, and hand drums, and played gentle melodies.
The music was neither hurried nor slow, like the evening breeze itself humming, or like a fairy tale coming from afar.
The young wizards arrived in twos and threes, some holding hands, some walking side by side, and others deliberately keeping their distance but their eyes kept drifting towards each other.
The Cupid immediately went up to them, tugging at their clothes to signal them to stand still.
Come on, give me a smile--
A little Cupid holds up a magic camera and points it at a couple.
The Hufflepuff boy was a little nervous, while the Gryffindor girl leaned confidently on his shoulder.
"Click."
The photo slid out from the bottom of the camera. The girl took it and covered her mouth in surprise—the photo captured the sunset, the castle, the two figures embracing, the hair and smiles fluttering in the evening breeze, all frozen in that most beautiful moment.
"So beautiful!"
Soon, even more people started asking Cupid to take their photos.
Some couples stood in the middle of the lawn, with the glow of the setting sun behind them; some stood in front of the silhouette of the castle, letting its ancient outline become the background; and some simply lay on the grass, letting petals fall on them.
Cupid were busy and having a great time, but they took every photo with great care—it was as if they knew by nature which angle looked best.
It finally got completely dark.
The crowd on the lawn looked up, for they sensed something—a strange, warm feeling permeating the night air.
Lucien and Liuguang's figures appeared simultaneously high in the sky.
Purifying Fire ignited around Liuguang, the golden-red flames like melting sunset, like flowing amber, illuminating the night sky.
However, these Purifying Fire did not expand to their full potential; rather, they served as signal flares to attract attention, as if to say: Look here, the show is about to begin.
At the same time, Lucien raised his wand.
A flame, red mixed with white and purple, suddenly ignited at the tip of the staff.
"Gubraithian Fire"
This is magic learned from Dumbledore, a blend of incantations and Alchemy fire.
The fiery runes at Lucien's fingertips shone brightly, and in an instant, magic and elements cheered with joy.
"Firestorm"
As the rhythmic syllables were uttered, Lucien felt his control over the flames deepen once again—becoming more precise and agile, as if the flames had become an extension of his fingers, truly becoming a part of his will.
Guided by the magic wand, the flames began to dance in the air.
The Gubraithian Fire no longer burned silently, but began to surge, churn, and transform—as if they had been given life, as if they had been infused with a soul.
A Fire Dragon burst forth from the flames.
Spread its wings and roar to the sky.
The dragon's roar was deafening, yet it carried a strange rhythm.
It hovered in the night sky, its scales clearly visible, each one burning.
The scattered sparks fell on the crowd, but vanished without a trace just before touching their hair.
"The Norwegian Ridgeback, it looks so much like it..." a young wizard murmured, "It's almost like the real thing..."
The flames subsided and then exploded again.
A giant bird darted through the firelight.
It was smaller than Fire Dragon, but each flap of its wings was accompanied by a thunderous roar, and lightning flashed around it, illuminating the night sky as if it were daytime.
Its feathers are like flowing flames, each one clearly visible.
"Merlin's stove... has turned into Thunderbird again!" A sixth-grade boy looked up, his mouth agape enough to fit an egg.
The flames gradually softened.
An elegant Unicorn materialized.
Its mane and tail are like flowing flames, and it has a long, spiraling horn on its forehead.
It ran through the night sky, leaving trails of light wherever its hooves trod, like stepping out a galaxy above the clouds.
"I never imagined..." a Ravenclaw girl murmured, "That fire could be so beautiful..."
Immediately afterwards, a herd of fiery steeds galloped down from the horizon, their manes and tails ablaze, their hooves treading on flowing flames.
They raced through the night sky, circled the field, and then soared higher, as if heading towards the stars.
A burst of enthusiastic applause and cheers erupted from the crowd.
However, at this moment--
The fireworks suddenly intensified, briefly obscuring the night sky.
The light was so bright that it blinded people.
Some people instinctively raised their hands to shield their eyes, while others squinted, trying to see what was happening.
More than a dozen beams of light fell from the fireworks in the sky, like fiery trees growing downwards, landing one after another in the empty open space.
The flames were spreading and flickering.
Then, it gradually faded away.
As the fireworks thinned, and the light finally ceased to be blinding—
Different cries and roars rang out simultaneously.
The lawn fell silent instantly.
Everyone stared wide-eyed, unable to believe what they were seeing.
The Magical Creatures that had just transformed from flames, a rare creature that they could only see in books, was now standing right in front of them, slowly emerging from the dissipating sparks.