Surviving Times

Draco's POV:

Absurd things would happen in life and it is unavoidable. Especially, if you are best friends with someone out of the world. Like Mia. Crazy things become common like caramel candies.

For example, my most recent trip to Australia. It was my first time setting foot on the land where the last traces of aboriginal magic remain. The land of Oz, as I like to call it.

The place was delightful, but nonetheless the dreads it can harbor… are something I take note of.

It was all nice at the beginning. Well, they are consistently good, the start of tragedies, I mean. Our Great Australian tragedy began with a letter from Beauxbatons.

Getting an acceptance letter from one of the world's best schools would startle any and everyone equally. Muggleborn or not.

Over and over again, I forget Mia's sadistic tendency to toy with others. I managed to reject the letter with no hard feelings, despite it being the world's most reputed place for studying alchemy. Like I said, no hard feelings. Later on, things just got worse.

Theo came in, looking like entire coffee seeds on earth were burned to the ground and Daphne looked ready to pick a fight. I could practically see the sparks of bombarda ready to erupt from their eyes. And that's not the most troubling part.

Kata Tjuta. That was the terrible-st thing that happened. Mia Nicolette Morgan clearly has no conscience whatsoever.

Daphne, Theo and I had to explore the land inch by inch, while Mia scurried away to make deals with dragons. And I feel sad to say it was once again not the worst part.

Running away from the horde of Billywigs, easy.

Theo and Daphne drama, bearable.

Killing Lenthifolds, no problem.

Roaming in the deserts with no proper tools, bring it on!

Escaping from a group of tribal shamans who wanted to either court us or kill us, we can handle it.

Coming out alive from some ancient nature crafted aboriginal deity temples, we were lucky.

But a TV with no-wait option, I'm not insane enough to accept it, yet.

I thought Mia was an anomaly. But I guess it just runs in her family. I wish I was merely overreacting. But apparently, I'm not. The baffled look on three of my friends told me that it's okay to be freaked out by it.

So here we are, stress eating ice cream.

"Can someone tell me what the bloody hell just happened again?" Daphne voiced my thoughts and maybe everyone's thoughts aloud.

"Apparently, my mother mastered the ability to alter the time-space conundrums, so she can watch the latest episodes of The Simpsons because she was sick of waiting. This is sick, I admit it." Mia shrugged like it shouldn't bother us.

"...But it's cool right? I mean we can probably predict the future, at least the muggle counterpart. News has incorporated pretty much everything in the world." Theo suggested. I motion that.

"I wouldn't be so sure." I was perplexed by what Mia said.

"Why? What about it?" I inquired.

"You see, all this time, I never once saw my mother watch News. So I bet there's not a single news channel in the cable. All soaps, dramas, variety shows, you name it. And it's only available until 2020."

"What's that supposed to mean?" asked Daphne.

"It's supposed to mean that only shows aired till 2020 are available in the TV. Mum said that going beyond would be a menace. So in 2020, the TV will be renovated and we can watch the next few decades later."

"Oh." All three of us chorused.

But it was brilliant. I can just binge watch everything now. Star Trek, The Simpsons… here I come.

***

The next few days were spent on a TV show marathon. It was a spiral. One after the other, good shows just kept coming. And Mia had to pull us three away from the screen, with threats and bribes of course.

"What is it? Is it so important, you had to stop me from watching X-Files?" Daphne complained.

"I guess you forgot about something essential." Mia said, amused by our behaviour.

"Please be specific. We need to narrow the scope of 'essential' things." Theo said.

"I briefed you on the plane about it and resulted in me getting crushed by you lot."

"...Blimey! It's about wands!" I yelled as I realised what she was talking about.

***

3rd person POV:

Four figures, two boys and two girls along with a cat assembled for a meeting.

"So, we are here to discuss a few matters that concern our plans for the next two years." Mia said to her friends.

She looked at three of them for permission to continue. And they agreed.

"Foremost, it's about our wands. I already have one for myself so you three are also attaining one for yourselves. You are aware of this.

Second, it's about Gresil."

The three of them looked at the Exceed.

"What about you Gresil?" The fair-haired boy asked.

"I'm afraid I have to go away from here." The Exceed said.

"Why?" The three of them asked the same question.

"Well, he wants to do… a job." Mia sighed.

"What job? We are no longer understaffed at Magnolia. You are free." Daphne clearly didn't want Gresil to go away. So did the rest. All four of them saw Gresil as a part of their 'family.'

"It has nothing to do with Magnolia or any other business. I merely wanted to… do something for myself. That's all." He said and no one was able to say anything for a long time.

"...Okay, at least tell me what you are going to do." Daphne asked defeatedly. She respected his will.

"Well, what's the surprise if I tell you now?" Gresil playfully replied with a wink. The three of them looked at Mia, pleading for some answers about the sudden mysteriousness of their beloved Exceed.

"Don't look at me. I do not know the answer either. And no, I won't ask about it. So now, let's move on to our following issue. Daphne."

"Yes?"

"I think it's time we start training Astoria too."

Daphne was stunned. The situation was a bit unexpected for her. But she wasn't against it. Sure, her baby sister was weak and fragile, and she wanted nothing to happen to her. She grew healthier under their care but Daphne understood that life is a troublemaker.

And she wanted Astoria to be prepared for it. Finally, she made a decision and nodded to affirm it.

"Okay, then finally, we are going to train in the VR world for the next two years. No one protests to this. You are going to make your wands, master them and train for the next two years before we are 11 along with me. That's our new agenda and it decided."

The three of them looked aghast. They adequately understood the hell which lay in their near future. They witnessed it blow raspberries and smile maliciously at them.

But there's nothing they could do to improve it. Training in VR, was good, undoubtedly good but hellishly repetitive and spiraling.