Ice Blossoms in Bloom

The next day arrived—August 12th.

Morning sunlight filtered through the heavy curtains, casting a few soft patches of light across the room. Skylar slowly opened his eyes in the comfortable bed and took a deep breath. Although he had stayed up late teaching Night Cat magic last night, he still felt invigorated and refreshed, without the slightest hint of fatigue.

He had a strange feeling that there was some deeper significance behind the legacies of Hogwarts' four founders. From Ravenclaw, he had inherited formidable mental strength; from Hufflepuff, extraordinary physical strength and recovery; Slytherin had nourished the vital blood and essence within his veins; and Gryffindor had strengthened his willpower, endurance, and stamina.

That combination somehow sounded... strange...

All right, he cast those odd thoughts aside. He had something important to do today—

Today, he would head to the Ministry of Magic to attend Harry Potter's trial. Yet he felt no nervousness whatsoever. Instead, it felt as though he were merely attending an ordinary social gathering.

He calmly got out of bed, stretched, then walked into the bathroom for a leisurely morning bath. Warm water flowed over his shoulders and back, washing away the drowsiness of the morning and clearing his thoughts. Once he was done, he wrapped a towel around his lower body and unhurriedly walked over to the mirror to groom himself. He combed his platinum-blond hair back so that it lay neatly against the back of his head, giving him a cool, sharp air.

"Ah, Young Master Malfoy," said the mirror with dark green frames in a slightly fawning tone. "You are going to the Ministry of Magic today, aren't you? What I mean to say is—your handsome features are utterly flawless! I am certain the entire Ministry will be captivated by you today!"

The corners of