A long time. I was granted all my powers at a young age but I did not learn proper control until I met my predecessor. My family was not magical, you see.

[They certainly encouraged him as much as they could but there was only so much one could do when it was their first encounter with magic. And Grimm's flames had been deadly - and far more then a child could handle.

("Burn the father, feed the child." The irony had not been lost on Grimm.)]

And perhaps it is the same for you, my friend.