When Aurora got home, she was exhausted, and her muscles ached so much that she could barely climb the stairs to her room. After resting for a while, she finally made it to her room, where she found her mum, Natalie, tidying up and folding her laundry.
As Natalie laid the last piece of clothing on the bed, she looked up with a surprised expression, "Oh, honey, I didn't see you there! How was your first day of school?" Aurora sighed and collapsed onto the bed, "Exhausting, Mum. I'm so tired, and my muscles feel so sore. I guess that's what happens when you join the basketball team."
Natalie looked surprised yet happy, "Wow, honey, you picked up an interest in basketball? That's really good! I guess that means you're fitting in nicely." Aurora looked up at her mum and said, "It's okay, the whole place is beautiful and well-equipped. Oh, I almost forgot to tell you, I'm in the music club now, and I've decided to learn the guitar." Natalie's eyes widened in surprise, "Rory dear, that's wonderful! I guess you'll be needing a guitar then?" Aurora nodded, and Natalie replied, "Don't worry, I'm sure I'll be able to make enough money to get you that guitar soon." Aurora then asked, "Yeah, how's your new job, Mum?" Natalie sighed and said, "It's actually okay, honey, a little stressful, but it's okay, and the pay is pretty good. I'm the new secretary at the Council's headquarters." Rory's eyes widened, and she gasped, "Really, Mum? That's amazing! Congratulations." Natalie beamed with pride, "Thank you, Rory. Now, you should freshen up; dinner will be ready in 30 minutes. If you're looking for Alex, he's in his room. Once you're done freshening up, you and Alex should come down, okay?" Aurora nodded, "Okay, Mum; we'll be there soon."
As soon as Natalie left the room, Rory got up, locked the door, and began to undress.
She hung her clothes by the door of her wardrobe and entered her bathroom, which was modest in size, with cream-colored walls, a white sink, and a shower cubicle with a glass door. The bathroom was spotless, with a few toiletries neatly arranged on the counter. She turned on the shower and stepped in, taking her time washing her body while massaging her sore muscles. After washing her hair, she got out of the shower 15 minutes later and put on her pajamas - a singlet with shorts, both adorned with wolf prints, her favorite animal. She packed her hair into a low ponytail and left her room.
She walked down the corridor to her brother's room, the last door at the end, and knocked on it. After hearing a muffled "come in" from inside, she opened the door and closed it behind her. Alex was already dressed in his pajamas - regular black joggers and a white polo - and his hair was still damp from his recent shower. He looked at her and smiled,
"Hey, Rory, I didn't know you were back. It's 7:15 pm right now. How was your first day at school? Make any new friends?" Aurora smiled, "It was great; I talked to a few people in my classes, but no bonding yet, well, except for Mia, of course. What about you? How was your first day at college? Learn anything new?"
Alex had a smirk on his face, and a hint of mischief shone in his eyes. "In fact, I had a great day, and I did learn something new." He closed his eyes, raised his right hand, and said some words under his breath. A ball of white light appeared in his hand, and he threw it up in the air. The light was so bright that Aurora had to close her eyes, but when she opened them again, the scene before her made her mouth fall open. Alex's room was practically spotless; everything was arranged so neatly, and everywhere sparkled in a way she didn't even know existed. She looked at Alex, who seemed to be enjoying her state of shock.
He suddenly laughed out loud and said, "What's wrong, Rory? You surprised?" Aurora shook her head, "How did you do it? It's not fair that you're so perfect at everything, and I'm not." Alex chuckled and said, "Don't worry, Rory; you'll get the hang of your powers soon. Now, let's go down before Mum gets worried, and dinner turns cold."
With that, Alex left the room first, followed by Rory, who was still wondering how her brother had managed such an amazing spell on his first day of technically having powers.
As they walked downstairs, Aurora couldn't help but feel a bit envious of Alex's natural talent for magic. She had struggled with her powers today, yet it seemed like Alex was already excelling in his first day of college. She pushed the thoughts aside and focused on the delicious smell of dinner wafting from the kitchen.
As they entered the dining room, Natalie smiled and said, "Ah, perfect timing! Dinner's ready." The table was set with a mouth-watering spread of roasted chicken, mashed potatoes, and steamed vegetables. Aurora's stomach growled in anticipation as they sat down to eat.
Throughout dinner, they chatted about their day, with Alex regaling them with stories of his college adventures and Aurora sharing her experiences at school. Natalie listened attentively, beaming with pride at her children's accomplishments.
After dinner, they helped with the dishes, and then Natalie suggested they all relax in the living room for a bit. As they settled in, Aurora asked Alex, "Hey, can you teach me that spell you did earlier? The one that cleaned your room?" Alex grinned mischievously and said, "Oh, that one? Well, it's not exactly a spell, Rory. It's more like a... let's call it a 'magical habit'." Aurora raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "A magical habit? What do you mean?" Alex leaned in, a sly smile spreading across his face. "Let's just say it's a little trick I learned from a friend. I'll teach you sometime, but for now, let's just enjoy the evening, okay?" Aurora nodded, feeling a bit curious but also relieved that she didn't have to worry about learning another complicated spell just yet.
As they spent the rest of the evening chatting and laughing together, Aurora felt grateful for her loving family and the warmth of their home. Little did she know, the next day would bring even more surprises and adventures her way...
As the evening drew to a close, Natalie suggested they all have a family movie night. They picked a classic film, and Alex conjured up some popcorn with a snap of his fingers. Aurora laughed at the silly movie, feeling happy to be spending quality time with her family.
After the movie, they all decided to have a family magic session. Natalie pulled out an old spellbook, and they took turns practicing simple spells together. Aurora struggled at first, but with Alex's patient guidance, she managed to conjure up a small spark of light. Natalie beamed with pride, and they all celebrated with a group hug.
As the night drew to a close, they all agreed it was time for bed. Natalie reminded them that they had a big week ahead, with Alex's college classes and Aurora's school activities. They said their goodnights, and Alex added a soft "Sweet dreams, sis" as they headed to their rooms.
As Aurora snuggled into bed, she felt grateful for the loving family she had and the magic that brought them closer together. She drifted off to sleep, her heart full of warmth and her mind already looking forward to their next family magic session.