Sen had been nervous about her first magic class. She really had been. Fleur had thrown her a few annoyed looks actually and the italian had sheepishly forced her leg to stop bouncing.

Bitto had been peeking out constantly, the rat even going as far as bringing her offerings to sooth her which only ended up with her schoolbag being full of odd little trinkets and snacks she had no way of knowing whom they belonged to. 

it was in her first charms class when they actually were learning their first spell.

To be honest she was doing miserably.

Professor Palomer had stopped at her desk, noticing the lack in progress “What is your wand flexibility, Sinclair?”

“Unyielding, professeur.”

Palomer nodded “Figured. Your movement and intonation is correct but those wands usually take longer. Don’t give up. It’s just a little more effort.”

Sen nodded, gritting her teeth together as she kept on pushing, even while everyone else had already achieved at least a few coloured sparks… it was embarrassing, it really was and she felt a bit like a failure, especially as she was a muggle born but… she couldn’t give up. That would be embarrassing. Ren would make fun of her for ages if she just gave up and stayed a failure.

Her luck didn’t pick up much either. Her whole first week she was failing miserably. Her wand.. just didn’t react.

She sometimes smelt the scent of seawater and a hint of rust when she pushed further but in the end… nothing happened. In a way she was actually thinking they might have been wrong when they invited her here.

To be honest she was glad when the day was over and they had their introduction lessons to the courses they could freely choose.

She had already decided she would pick Photography. Professeur Ars wasn't just her head of house but an insanely nice teacher, he was calm and friendly and just the fact that she would be able to take pictures and send them home was reason enough to take his class.

She did feel downtrodden when Saturday arrived and she had still been a failure. On the one hand maybe they would kick her out if they realized she was hopeless and she could go back home but… she would be such a disappointment… it would be incredibly embarrassing and Ren would look down on her for being so useless…

In a way it was a bit stressful that they had lessons on Saturdays as well but Ars had explained that they choose this to stretch the classes more and to not overwhelm  the students, especially as chosen courses and extracurriculars would be added which would otherwise completely bomb their daily schedule.

Still… Sen was glad when she sat in the introduction class to textile. She didn’t really think she would consider it as she felt that practical clothing was superior to fancy one but well… at least no magic spells right now.

Professeur Dansk stood in front of her own workstation, a knitted but formal dress as she smiled at the group “Welcome students. Today I will introduce you to Textile or otherwise.. fashion. It’s one of our subjects we pride ourselves in which is the reason why we hold our spring fashion week as well.

My course deals with every matter concerning fabrics. Knitting, sewing, designing… whatever you can imagine will be part of the curriculum. Those who choose this class will already be ready to have a small presentation in our fashion week this year as well.

But always remember; my class isn’t just fashion… it’s magical fashion.”

Sen had leaned back, fiddling with her own skirt as she let the sound drone over her, still listening but more focused on  Bitto who had placed himself on her shoe. 

While it wasn’t really allowed to take your pets to class… Bitto apparated. it wasn’t like she actively took him and he was smart enough to stay hidden.

A sketchbook and pencil floated in front of her, same as to every other of the first year students.

Dansk smiled “But enough talk. This class is practical so I want to give you all the opportunity to design something. Choose whatever you want and let your creativity flow, always remember… we are designing magical fashion.”

Sen was glancing at the paper where a blank model was already drawn. She had no real knowledge about what would be trendy… well not as much as Ren at least. Her Brother often snatched up fashion magazines from their mother, scrolling through pages and commenting on what he found ghastly.

Sen sighed as she looked up, noticing how everyone was already scribbling away. She was… she was such a failure.

She had no idea what she was doing, neither with magic nor anything else… Ren usually took the lead. He.. he decided and she followed. If he was here he would probably already  astonished everyone with anything he did… she wasn’t like that…. far from it. Why was she even here? She hadn’t even wanted to come… and she just got proven over and over again that she didn’t belong.

Professor Dansk was slowly walking around, glancing over their shoulders until she stopped at Rosenes desk.

The young witch had chosen to sit alone, while her housemates had been nice… she just didn’t feel like she belonged, especially with the lack of talent she had in comparison to them.

Dansk leaned forwards “No idea?”

Sen shook her head “I just… don’t know anything.”

Dansk hummed as she summoned a chair from the corner to sit down “You know… fashion can be anything.”

Sen shrugged, “I don’t know anything about magic fashion.”

“You don’t need to.” the professeur summoned her own sketchbook and pen. 

Laverne Dansk had heard about Sinclair, the meetings had been daily for the first years and Emma had already informed all of them about the reluctance Sinclair had shown just about attending. That the spirit of the young witch had dimmed with every unsuccessful lesson had been clear as well. She would be a bad teacher if she let one of her students in  such a plight.

 Sinclair had talent, she wouldn’t have appeared on their list otherwise and every report on her had included that she had been very good at pronunciation and copying the wand gestures… it was truly just a matter of her more than just difficult wand. A wand like that meant something. but for a first year, especially a muggle born it just had to be demotivating.

“Do you like dresses, Sinclair?”

“They are impractical, you can’t climb trees or run… and they get dirty easily and then Mamma is mad.”

Laverne smiled “well… how about you forget that. Just try drawing something you think would be really pretty.”

“But I don’t fit pretty clothes.”

“I doubt that.”

“It’s true.”

Dansk was drawing a quick sketch on her own “well.. who do you think could wear pretty dresses then?”

“Fleur.”

“How about you draw a dress for Fleur then? Something you would think she would look great in.”

“I have never really drawn.”

“It doesn't matter. Just try it. Just draw whatever you feel like, make it fancy, make it subtle and sleek. Whatever you feel like."

Sen looked up, quite unsure but she glanced at Fleur before she finally put her pencil on her paper, uncertain, unrefined lines but she was trying.

Dansk smiled before she lifted herself up again to keep going on her rounds, sometimes stopping to encourage a few other students or praise them.

It took quite a while, almost most of the lessons until she stopped in front of Sinclair's desk once again.

To her surprise… The drawing was good. It wasn’t the most expertised, it wasn’t the most refined yet but…. It showed promise.

“See, Sinclair. You can do it if you put your mind into it.”

the girl glanced up “Well… it doesn’t mean anything.”

“Oh it does. So… let’s get to the magical part of magic fashion, alright?”

“I’m bad at magic.”

“You're in your first week. We are not doing spells, what I want to encourage you in is your creativity.”

“But… I already drew something.”

“Yes… and now I want you to tell me what would bother you about the dress.”

“I don’t understand.”

“You said  dresses are impractical, right? Tell me what would make this a hassle to wear.”

Sinclair leaned back, nose scrunched up “well… it would catch onto branches if you run through the woods and,.. it would probably be heavy and if you get stuck it gets dirty.”

Dansk nodded “Very good. May I have your paper for a second?”

Sinclair handed it to her.

The teacher quickly grabbed her own pencil before she wrote three enchantments down, before handing it back.

Sinclair tilted her head “what is that?”

“The most basic charms that would get rid of the problems. There are more techniques for these, like using special fabrics, sewing runes in the linings, or using special needlework… but… these would work well to get rid of all your problems.”+

Sinclair sat up straighter “Wait… are you telling me I can make dresses that would be.. practical? That won’t get stuck? Won’t get dirty? That wouldn’t be too heavy? Or scratchy?”

“Exactly. Magical fashion is just like that. You can make the most coarse fabrics as soft as silk, the heaviest featherlight… you can make white dirt repelling… this is what my class is about. We don’t just design and produce… we make it magical. Magical fashion has no limits. There is nothing one can’t do. If you want dragonhide to feel as soft as velvet, it's possible.”

Dansk could only be satisfied when Sinclairs face lit up and she sat up straighter and seemed to avidly listen as soon as Dansk held the last bit of her lecture for the whole class. She might have the feeling she would already know one of her students for this year.