Alaric's heart raced with excitement as he grabbed his wand and set one of the ping pong balls gently on the desk. He rolled it slightly with his fingertips, imagining it as a tiny planet about to orbit around him.

"Creare orbis..." he whispered under his breath, practicing the incantation. "Kre-ah-re OR-bis..." He repeated it a few more times until the words felt smooth on his tongue. Satisfied, he raised his wand and traced the vertical line in front of him, just as Professor Burbage had shown.

"Creare orbis!" he said with confidence, tapping the ball lightly.

For a brief, magical moment, it wobbled and lifted slightly—only to drop straight back onto the desk with a dull plunk. Alaric blinked in surprise, then frowned. Okay, maybe I was too quick with the wand movement.

He picked the ball up and tried again, taking a slower breath this time. "Creare orbis!" He traced the line again and tapped the ball.

Alaric blinked as the ball shot off the desk and landed on the floor with a soft pop! A cloud of bright blue dust erupted, and he bit the inside of his cheek to stop himself from laughing. The sight of the colorful explosion was undeniably funny.

For a moment, a mischievous thought crossed his mind. What if I "accidentally" caused another one? He imagined puffs of different colors lighting up the room like a miniature fireworks display. The idea was tempting, and he could feel the tug of mischief in his chest.

But he shook his head and took a steadying breath. No. I want to get this right, he reminded himself. The thought of successfully creating a smooth orbit was far more exciting than a momentary burst of chaos.

He set another ping pong ball on the desk and mouthed the incantation again, "Creare orbis..." making sure the words felt natural. He traced the vertical line carefully with his wand, keeping his mind focused on the shape of the orbit.

"Creare orbis," he said, tapping the ball with purpose.

The ball shimmered, hesitated for a second, then began to lift. Alaric’s eyes followed it intently as it started a slow, steady circle. A wide grin spread across his face as it completed a full, smooth loop.

He took a step back, watching the ball float gently around him, its path precise and steady. It was almost hypnotic, the way it moved as though drawn by an invisible string. "My own little planet," he thought, pride swelling in his chest as he let the rhythm of the orbit sink in.