𝐕𝐈𝐕𝐀𝐂𝐈𝐎𝐔𝐒 - the wizarding world

X. FACES FROM THE PAST

That was when Oleander remembered that tonight was the anniversary of the Death-Eater attack on Godric's Hollow and also how the anniversary of his wife's passing was the next day, something he had been trying to push out of his mind the entire day.

At some point, they had taken to standing and walking around, chatting happily about their lives. Lily walked up to him and reached up, picking at Oleander's dark beard. "Have you trimmed this lately?" she asked.

Oleander slapped her hand away. "If you hate it, you could just say so."

"I don't hate it!" she said quickly, holding up her arms in surrender. "It looks good, great even. Very rugged." A teasing smile spread across her face.

"Oh, piss off," he grumbled.

"Don't be grumpy, Ollie. C'mere," she said and swiftly pulled him into a tight hug.

Oleander embraced back just as tightly, his arms wrapping around her shoulders as he closed his eyes and let himself finally revel in the fact that he had his sister back, that it hadn't been too late to rectify his mistakes.

"I missed you..." Lily murmured into his shoulder.

Oleander rested his cheek on her hair and said quietly, "I missed you too."

They were interrupted when a mysterious ticking came from the closed window. They broke apart and turned to the window where a grey owl was tapping against the glass, two letters attached to its claw.

"Who's sending owls this late?" Lily wondered as she approached the window.

She opened the window, shuddering at the cold air flowing inside and swiftly detached the letters from the owl before sending it on its way again. She looked down at one of the letters with a confused stare. "This one's addressed to you?" she said and handed it to Oleander.

"What? Who would even think to send..." he said and trailed off. "James knows I'm here," he realised.

The two ripped open their letters, worry creased between their brows.

They looked up at each other with identical looks on their faces after they read its contents.

"We need to get to Hogwarts!" they exclaimed at the same time, because the letters send by James had informed them of the same thing: both of their kids had been chosen as a Champion in the Triwizard Tournament.

In a matter of seconds Lily had dragged Oleander to the large fireplace and shoved him, alongside herself, inside. Grabbing a handful of ashy powder, she spoke the destination clearly and the two were engulfed in green flames. They were thrown out again with puffs of smoke and soot staining their clothes.

Oleander stumbled forward, just barely grabbing onto the wall to prevent himself from falling face first to the ground. "You suck at floo traveling..." he grumbled.

"Yeah, well, you suck at being a brother," Lily grumbled in return.

"Touché."

"Perfect, you two made it!" James spoke up as helped Lily regain her footing.

Oleander stood up straight with the help of Sirius and took note of the room they were in. It was simple, merely a backroom that had been fitted as an office. The people that filled it were the noteworthy part.

He could see Dumbledore, Lily had described the man enough times that he would be able to draw him from memory if he wanted to. Madame Maxime was easily recognizable beside him.

There were two men beside the Headmaster and Mistress; one looked loud and ludicrous while the other looked like some sort of Ministry official.

For a split-second, he caught Professor McGonagall's eye, he had last seen her when he was eleven and she had come to their house to deliver Lily's letter. He remembered asking her if he could come too.

Beside the Professor stood one of the most rugged and imposing man Oleander had ever come across; he was tall and strong and had a strange assortment of garments, yet what was most peculiar was his eye; it had been replaced with a fake one that was zooming in its socket, scanning the room shiftily.