I read this short story while I was still in school, and I graduated high school in 1973.
In this story most people can, and do, use magic. The focus is on a young boy who doesn’t seem to have any interest in learning spells, he prefers math. His parents are very worried, and as a last resort they summon a demon who is supposed to frighten kids. It advances on the boy, saying something like “A naughty little boy!”
The kid defends himself by grabbing one of his books and summoning an accountantcy spirit, which protects him and subdues the other spirit. The parents realize their kid has magical talent after all and leave him alone.
