Winter settled over Hogwarts, the castle grounds blanketed in white. Snowflakes drifted lazily through the air, catching the morning light as students bustled about, preparing for classes.
Ezekiel "Ez" Cassian Malverne, however, barely noticed the beauty of the season. His mind was elsewhere—on the chamber, the battle, and the truth he had uncovered.
The First Winter... what does it really mean?
It had been a week since he'd unlocked the hidden chamber, and already, he felt the shift in his magic. His cryokinetic abilities were evolving—not just in strength but in refinement.
The ice obeyed him faster now, his control sharper. He could feel the cold in his veins, responding to his every thought.
But something about it felt incomplete.
And he wasn't the only one who had noticed.
---
Ez was halfway through breakfast when Elena Selwyn leaned in across the Ravenclaw table, narrowing her sharp gray eyes.
"Alright, out with it, Ez."
He glanced up from his plate of eggs and toast, feigning ignorance. "Out with what?"
Elena rolled her eyes. "Don't play dumb. You've been disappearing at night. You barely react to anything lately. And don't think I didn't see that little frost trick you pulled on your goblet just now."
Ez followed her gaze.
His fingers were still lightly touching his goblet, frost creeping along the silver surface.
Damn.
Beside her, Adrian Selwyn smirked, running a hand through his dark auburn hair. "If you're practicing some super-secret magic, at least let us in on it."
Ez exhaled, debating what to say. He trusted them—Elena and Adrian were his closest friends in Ravenclaw, aside from Cedric.
But how much could he reveal?
Before he could answer, a group of younger Ravenclaws hurried past, chattering excitedly about something.
"Did you hear?" one whispered. "Professor Flitwick is investigating something in the dungeons—he said there was an unnatural drop in temperature!"
Ez's stomach tightened.
Damn it.
---
Later that day, Ez found himself walking through the dimly lit dungeons, his steps silent against the cold stone floor.
He knew exactly where Flitwick had gone—one of the older storage rooms, a place Ez had accidentally left lingering frost behind during his late-night training.
Sure enough, as he rounded a corner, he found Professor Filius Flitwick standing before the frost-covered doorway, his wand glowing softly.
The tiny Charms professor was muttering to himself, his expression a mix of curiosity and concern.
"This level of elemental magic... intriguing. And yet, this shouldn't be possible inside Hogwarts without extreme magical power…"
Ez cursed inwardly. He had been careless.
Taking a deep breath, he approached. "Professor?"
Flitwick turned, eyes twinkling. "Ah, Mister Malverne! What brings you here?"
Ez kept his expression neutral. "I heard students talking about something unusual in the dungeons. Thought I'd check it out."
Flitwick hummed, gesturing toward the frost. "Tell me, Mister Malverne… do you recognize this kind of magic?"
Ez hesitated, choosing his words carefully. "It looks like elemental magic… maybe an artifact malfunctioned?"
Flitwick gave him a knowing look. "Or maybe… it's something else entirely?"
For a brief moment, Ez thought the professor had figured it out. But instead of pressing, Flitwick simply sighed. "No matter. If you come across anything similar, do let me know."
Ez nodded, barely masking his relief.
As Flitwick walked away, Ez turned back to the frost-covered door.
He needed to be more careful.
---
That night, Ez returned to the secret chamber, determined to push himself further.
Standing in the center of the ancient dueling hall, he focused on the magic within him.
He no longer wanted just control—he wanted mastery.
He raised his hands, feeling the cold energy surge through his veins.
This time, instead of forming simple ice constructs, he tried something different.
He extended his arms, summoning ice—not as weapons, but as extensions of himself.
The air shimmered, and suddenly, crystalline ice wings formed behind his back, made of pure, shimmering frost.
Ez's heart pounded.
He took a tentative step forward—and the wings reacted, lifting him off the ground.
For the first time, he felt weightless, like the ice was a part of him rather than something he controlled.
But then—
A sudden pain shot through his chest. A searing, freezing ache.
Ez collapsed onto his knees, gasping.
The ice shattered into mist.
He gritted his teeth, clutching his chest. Too much, too fast.
His magic was growing, but so was the toll on his body.
---
As he steadied himself, a familiar voice echoed through the chamber.
"So this is where you've been sneaking off to."
Ez's head snapped up.
Standing at the entrance were Elena and Adrian.
Shit.
Elena crossed her arms, raising an eyebrow. "Care to explain why you've been hiding a bloody ice fortress under the castle?"
Adrian let out a low whistle, staring at the ancient symbols along the walls. "I knew you had secrets, but this is next level, Ez."
Ez sighed, pushing himself up. "You weren't supposed to find out."
Elena scoffed. "Please. We know you. You think we wouldn't notice?"
Ez rubbed his temples. He had hoped to avoid this, but maybe this wasn't a bad thing.
Maybe… it was time to stop shouldering everything alone.
---
Ez took a deep breath.
"What I'm about to tell you… it doesn't leave this room."
Elena and Adrian exchanged glances, then nodded.
And so, for the first time, Ez told them everything.
About his heritage. About the ancient magic of the First Winter. About how he was the first in centuries to awaken it.
By the time he finished, Elena was staring at him with wide eyes.
Adrian let out a low laugh. "Mate… you're actually insane."
Ez smirked. "I get that a lot."
Elena, still processing, finally spoke. "So what now?"
Ez glanced at his hands, ice flickering faintly at his fingertips.
"Now… I master it. And I make sure no one else finds out."
Adrian grinned. "Then you'll need our help."
Elena nodded. "We're in this together, Ez."
A warmth spread through Ez's chest—not from magic, but from something more powerful.
Trust.
---