𝐠𝐨𝐥𝐝𝐞𝐧 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝, 𝐜𝐞𝐝𝐫𝐢𝐜 𝐝𝐢𝐠𝐠𝐨𝐫𝐲

thirty-nine.

"That's not far from here." Noelia told the table from besides Sonali.

"That's not far at all, it's actually pretty close!" Eva exclaimed, stress present in her voice while Tommy moved closer to her to calm her down.

"Tom, Tobi, Tea," Teo whispered his siblings' names, his eyes on something behind them. Thea and her other brothers turned around. She held in a gasp when she saw Carina walking up to the Gryffindor table to sat down with Ginny, and the girl showed her a newspaper.

"Crap." Thea mumbled, standing up from the table and running after Carina, who was storming out of the Great Hall. "Carina!"

"He's getting closer!" Carina said as she stopped in her tracks, turning around in the hallway to face Thea. Tobi, Tommy, and Teo approached them with worried looks on their faces.

"Rina, we know, okay? But I promise—" Thea began to speak.

"What can you promise, Thea?" Carina raised her voice, tears filling her eyes. "That he won't hurt me? You can't! You can't promise that!"

"What's going on?" The group of five turned their heads to see Alex and Lily walking up to them.

"Oh great, the whole squad's here, we're just missing Harry," Carina scoffed, crossing her arms and looking at Alex and Lily. "I'm guessing my mom told yours, huh?"

"Yeah, the day before we left for school." Lily confirmed while she signed. "We're not going to tell anyone, Carina."

"I'm not worried about that!" Carina exclaimed while Tommy signed her words for Lily and Alex. "I'm worried that my psychopath of a father might be coming here! And everyone keeps telling me how I have nothing to be worried about when I know that's not true!"

"Carina, you're right, okay?" Remus walked up to the group of teens. "You are right. You have something to be worried about— As much as it hurts me to admit it, but what I can promise is that I will protect you. Your cousins will protect you. As soon as Sirius gets any closer to the school, your mother and Emanuel will be coming here as precautions, we've already spoken to Dumbledore. We're hoping it doesn't come to that."

Carina let out a sigh before hugging Remus tightly, trying not to cry. Remus hugged the girl back, looking at the others and nodding.

"It's going to be fine." Thea whispered to the others.

"How do you know that?" Alex asked.

Glancing at her Uncle Remus again, Thea turned back to the group. She smiled, letting out a sigh, "Because I have hope."

The de Oro boys all grinned, exchanging a proud look as they watched their sister.

~

The next day, Thea stood in her Defense of the Dark Arts class, where her godfather was now the teacher. Next to her was Cedric on one side and Teo on the other. The Hart twins, Silas, the Weasley twins, Alex, Ember, and Flynn surrounded them— As did the rest of the class as they all stood in the classroom.

In front of them was a tall, black wardrobe, which was rattling furiously. Remus stood beside it with a smirk on his face before he spoke, "Scared yet? No? Any guesses what's inside?"

"A boggart?" Ashton and Ember questioned in unison before glaring at each other.

"Twin moment." Silas teased and the Harts rolled their eyes.

"Yes, Mr. and Ms. Hart, you're both in fact correct," Remus smirked and turned back to the class. "Next question, fifth years, what does a boggart look like? Ms. Saito."