Lilith settled into the chair by the stove, her wand gripped firmly as she concentrated, guiding her cooking magic with the focus of a master conductor. She moved deliberately, performing each step with precision.
First, she washed the vegetables, handling each one individually. She turned the faucet on and off by magic but let the vegetables sit still while doing so; no multitasking here. Then, when it came time to chop, each vegetable was sliced one at a time, with the knife suspended midair until she directed it to each precise cut.
As Lilith worked, her movements adhered to strict rules: the kitchen knife remained completely still while ingredients floated over to it. And once she began stirring with the spatula, she paused every other action. When it was time to season, she'd set the spatula aside, ensuring each task was completed independently.
Two hours passed, and finally, Lilith had a spread of four perfectly seared steaks, creamy mashed potatoes, a fragrant pot of tomato soup, and a fresh basket of bread. Watching her cook was like observing an invisible one-armed chef working with painstaking accuracy. Each movement was controlled, deliberate. Lyra couldn't help but think, 'At least when I cook by hand, I can do two things at once!'
Sylph watched, wide-eyed, and finally spoke up. "Now I get why my mom doesn't use cooking magic for simple meals like bread or soup... At this level, it's not even faster than just cooking by hand!"
Lilith gave a knowing smile. "That's understandable! But with practice, you'll get smoother. The real advantage of cooking magic is that, once mastered, it saves effort. You don't have to get close to the fumes, which is helpful when they're strong. If you breathe in too much, it can spoil your appetite."
She looked at Lyra. "So, Lyra, do you understand where to start practicing cooking magic?"
Lyra nodded thoughtfully. "I think I'll start by trying to control just one vegetable to wash itself. That seems like a good first step."
Lilith beamed with pride at her understanding. "Exactly! Every food witch is, at heart, a master chef. But being a gourmet witch isn't just about cooking well; it's about control, finesse, and knowing your magic as well as your ingredients."
Vasida, already tearing into a steak, grinned between bites. "Wow, I never realized how tough cooking magic is… I thought it'd mean endless feasts with hardly any effort!"
Lyra wasn't the only one rethinking their expectations. She could see her friends realizing the complexities of cooking magic too.
Lilith chuckled. "Don't let it discourage you. Being a witch is about learning, and our talents vary. Not everyone masters every type of magic right away, but as witches, we have a unique gift, the ability to keep learning and growing. Magic or not, if we're determined to learn something, we can do it. That's an incredible advantage."
Vasida nodded, raising her fork. "Lilith's right. With time and dedication, we'll get the hang of it!"
Lyra felt a newfound motivation bubbling inside. She'd learned her lesson; rushing into cooking magic without understanding its basics was a recipe for disaster. Determined, she opened her Witch's Book and began scribbling notes on the page dedicated to 'Learning Cooking Magic from Scratch', adding insights and tips she'd picked up from watching Lilith.
Vasida, who'd been eyeing the book curiously, finally asked, "Lyra, I noticed your book… it reminds me a bit of the Book of Cards, but it has these beautiful purple gems. What is it?"
Lyra's face lit up with pride. "It's my new Witch's Book! I just finished it yesterday."
Sylph blinked, surprised. "Wait, you spent all of yesterday creating this?"
Lyra nodded, excitement spilling over. "Yep! I stayed in the castle the entire day, and I didn't make it back to the dorm until late. Oh, by the way, thanks for putting away my clothes while I was out!"
"Wow! You finished all fifteen volumes of 'The Birth of a Beautiful Cover' already?" Vasida stared at Lyra in disbelief. "You didn't stay up all night reading on Friday again, did you? You need to make sure you're getting enough rest!"
Lyra laughed, shaking her head. "No, no! You don't actually have to read the entire series. The trick is to pick a cover design you like, then just follow the instructions for that one. I picked out a few patterns based on the look of the card book, read up on how to make them, and then combined different ideas to create my own design. Got it all done in one day."
Vasida's eyes widened with excitement. "Wait, really? So I don't need to read all of them to make a great cover?" She looked ready to bolt to the library. "I'll enchant a few blank pages tonight and copy the books tomorrow so I can try it out myself!"
"Count me in!" Sylph added, her eyes sparkling. If she didn't have to dive into all fifteen volumes to create a beautiful cover, she'd jump at the chance to upgrade her witch book, too.
Lilith, quietly nibbling on her food, felt a bead of sweat roll down her temple. Three months ago, right before the end of first grade, she'd happened upon the author's note on the title page of the first volume. In a rush to update her own witch book, she'd scrambled to enchant a quick cover without reading beyond the first few pages. Now, hearing her friends buzzing about elegant designs, she was glad she'd stayed quiet.
But as the conversation around cover designs gained steam and she felt herself inching into the spotlight, Lilith decided to change the subject quickly. "So, how did you like the wand-making class on Friday? Did any of you remake your wands over the weekend?"
"Yes!" Vasida replied with a dramatic sigh. "I went through three different rods before I was remotely satisfied!"
"I swapped out the materials for two of my wands," Sylph chimed in, nodding along.
Lilith laughed. "Looks like Ms. Amisha's really pushing us to practice wand-making. Seems like everyone's crafting a new wand already."
Vasida grinned, shaking her head. "It wasn't Ms. Amisha. It was actually after seeing Lyra's wand; we all got inspired to make our own wands… well, a little prettier."
"Prettier?" Lilith tilted her head, a bit baffled. "I thought your first wands weren't the right size or shape. Wasn't the goal to make them more practical?"
"Not quite!" Sylph remembered something and laughed. "Oh, senior, you mean Ms. Amisha's little trick, right? The way she 'forgot' to explain the branch selection process. Lyra figured it out right away, but the rest of us just grabbed whatever branch was easiest."
Lilith felt a pang of admiration. "You figured that out, Lyra? How?"
Lyra shrugged modestly. "I just happened to be reading 'Wands of Magic' on Thursday night. There was a whole chapter on choosing the right branch."
Lilith let out a dry chuckle. "Lucky, aren't you?"
But curiosity got the better of her. "By the way, Lyra, I didn't notice your wand before… but it seems like the other witches have been raving about it. What exactly did you do with it?"
With a shy smile, Lyra reached into her pocket and pulled out her wand. It gleamed softly, a touch of extra polish on the wood, and the handle had a subtle engraving that caught the light beautifully. "I just made a few enhancements to the materials."
Vasida eagerly joined in, pulling out her wand. "Senior Lilith, check out mine! How's the polish?"
Sylph joined the fun, too, showing off her own wand. "Mine's only halfway polished, but I kept the handle as it was so it wouldn't slip out of my hand."
Lilith looked at her own wand; a simple, twig-like shape with no added flair and slowly slipped it back into her pocket, feeling her cheeks grow warm. 'Am I really their senior?' she wondered. Suddenly, she recalled how she'd just been showing off her cooking magic with her old, unadorned wand. It was embarrassing!
Lilith cleared her throat, remembering there might be a book in the second-grade library called 'The Birth of an Exquisite Wand'. She would make a note to copy it first thing tomorrow!