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❝Chapter 𝗍𝖾𝗇 ❞
𝖠𝗅𝗅 𝗁𝖺𝗂𝗅 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝖺𝖽𝗈𝗋𝖺𝖻𝗅𝖾 𝗀𝗂𝖺𝗇𝗍 𝗐𝗁𝗈 𝗂𝗌 𝗄𝖾𝖾𝗉𝖾𝗋 𝗈𝖿 𝖺𝗇𝗒𝗍𝗁𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝖻𝗎𝗍 𝗒𝗈𝗎𝗋 𝗌𝖾𝖼𝗋𝖾𝗍𝗌
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Hogwarts was always a bit of a miracle for Remus John Lupin.
The fact he got to attend the most prestigious school of wizardkind was in itself a miracle; it was a thing he didn't think he could ever attend given his condition, and then he found his marauders. His mischievous idiots, whom you can't help but love.
His arm was slung around James, slightly smiling at his ramblings of quidditch and Harry, the latter being the bespectacled boy's favorite new topic, a sentiment which Remus shared, yet his amber eyes kept glancing towards the doors of the great hall.
The Black family still hadn't arrived yet after they had all dispersed for lunch. Sirius seemed to have a steely look in his mercury gray eyes as he excused himself to go have lunch with his family, but the firm grip on Regulus's shoulder told him there was something else that would go down other than lunch in Black family quarters.
His amber eyes widened as he spotted the family enter in small groups, his eyes searching for the Black with piercings, smiling slightly when he spotted him.
"Moony, Prongs," the raven-haired boy said with his signature smirk as he settled down beside them. "I hope you didn't miss me too much during lunch."
"Always Padfoot darling" the bespectacled boy said without skipping a bit, laughing as Sirius winked at him, making Remus roll his eyes.
Turning his head, he looked at Sirius, trying to keep his breathing calm as his amber eyes met his gray ones. "Everything alright, Moons," the raven-haired boy whispered, never breaking eye contact.
Remus stayed quiet for a few seconds and then whispered back, "I think I should be the one asking you that."
The werewolf could spot the slight smile that graced his face; it suited his aristocratic face so much better than the usual smirk he always wore.
"It went as well as it could go considering my family, and you know how my family is," he heard him say.
Before the two could say anything more, the familiar typewriting sounds echoed in the great hall, forcing the two best friends to look away from each other.
Aaramya Nivas,
Kiya Street, Brekkerton,
London,
"So we are back at Antares's place then." Ignatius Prewett commented as he leaned back on the sage green couch he was sitting on.
"And they have only one more day remaining. The train leaves at September first," Druella Black nee Rosier commented as she fixed her pretty lavender dress, which she was wearing.
The comment made the bespectacled Gryffindor groan out loud. "Merlin, somebody give my child his Hogwarts letter."
"There there Prongs." Remus said as he patted the boy on the shoulder, "He'll get his letter. I doubt Minnie would let something like this happen."
"Minnie doesn't really fully have my vote of confidence right now, Moony," James replied, his jaw clenching a bit as he remembered the memory of Dumbledore and Minnie just leaving his child on a fucking doorstep without any protection charms.
A soft tune began to play as footsteps were heard as the screen showed a beige hallway with various photo frames hung over the walls. The camera panned across the photo frames, most containing two people: a brunette woman and a raven-haired man. Glacia and Regulus.
Both either laughing happily or having big grins on their faces.
The camera turned, and Manish came into focus. His face was exasperated as he glanced at the phone in his hands, from which a man's voice was heard.
"Just what are you thinking, Manish? Allowing the girl to go there," a masculine voice over the phone said.
"Those photos are really good." Andromeda complimented, her dark grey eyes fixed on her younger cousin.
Regulus looked at her, a soft smile gracing his face. "Yeah, Glacia likes taking photographs," a small chuckle left his lips as he remembered the one they took in the morning during the picnic. "Says it captures the moment."
"Me and Ted have one too."
Andromeda said, her hand fiddling with her diamond constellation pendant as she smiled, "It's nice to look back on memories. We are planning to give it to 'Dora."
"Well, that's a nice tradition to start," Lady Black said, her spirits seemingly lifting as she watched the two talk about their partners.
"What is that thing he is holding?" Ignatius Prewett asked, his hands adjusting his glasses.
"It's a phone. You can use it to talk with others," Remus explained to Lord Prewett, who was seemingly very interested in muggle things.
"I'm thinking straight for the first time, if you can believe it. Get it straight." Manish said, chuckling. "Don't groan; it was a good joke."
"Don't change the subject, brother. How can you allow Antares to go to that school? Don't you remember what happened? Don't you remember what happened to Glacia when she went into that world? Went into that family" the masculine voice over phone said.
Manish stopped as he tensed the moment his brother said those blasted words, his brown eyes fixed on one particular photo frame with three people in it. Him, Glacia, and Regulus. His hand slung over Regulus's shoulder as all three of them laughed. It was just after his sister and brother-in-law had gotten engaged.
His hand hovered over the happy faces as a sad smile pulled on his lips.
"I remember well enough. It was my sister after all. You, Damin, were busy ignoring her even when she was still alive, so I think you, of all people, along with our blasted family, should keep her name out of your mouths."
"And because I knew her so well, I also know that Glacia never regretted the decisions she took. Never. And I also know she was the happiest when she was with that family. Far happier than she ever was here."
"Does this man, Damin, blame our family for what happened to Glacia?" Narcissa commented, her eyebrows furrowed and her baby blue dress clenched in her hand.
"It looks like it," Andromeda replied. Her heart felt heavy as she saw the pain in Manish's eyes. Was Ted the same? Was Nymphadora the same? Touching every photo with their happy memory when their heart was crying with the stabbing pain as they remembered her.
Did her 'Dora's beautiful eyes sting with tears because she too deeply felt her absence? Did she too, just like Manish hovered her hand over her photo before her first day of Hogwarts?
"Now don't go on blaming things on us that we had no hands in," Druella Black nee Rosier said as she pursed her lips.
"Grief leads people to become irrational," Melania told her, her blue eyes softening as she looked at the screen. The scene reminded her of her own brother, Kenneth. Sweet Kenneth, who always protected her, even threatened to go against their lord father, all for her happiness.
Regulus gulped harshly as his mercury eyes looked at the photo on screen. Who knew those smiles wouldn't last; that those smiles would succumb to the war started by a lunatic?
His eyes glanced at Glacia in the photo and the diamond ring on her hand, which she was proudly showing in the photo.
Happiest when she was with that family?
With his family?
Turning his head slightly, he subtly eyed the patriarch and his father. Did that mean they approved of their union, of their marriage? As happy as he felt that he mostly wouldn't be disinherited-mostly because his grandfather was a cunning man-he could never tell what the man's next move would be. Why did they bless their union? They had no reason to do so, nor were they kind and gracious enough to do so. If they had it their way, they would make a match with the next prestigious house, which would help in business. So why did they? His eyebrows furrowed. Did Sirius have anything to do with it?
He blinked quickly and rubbed his hands over his face, the peculiarity of the day taking its toll on him. Feeling eyes on him, he turned slightly, only to find Remus already looking at him. The look in his eyes, Regulus knew what he was thinking.
"Their marriage is a sham," he softly whispered. "They both like different people and are with different people."
"So their family is..." Remus said as he nodded, understanding filling his eyes.
"Homophobic. Yes, they are."
"Wait a minute. Wait a goddamn minute." The runaway heir said, seemingly perking up, "He likes blokes?"
"Yes Sirius" Regulus sighed and pointed his ring-clad finger at Manish on the screen. "He's with Asher, and Celia is with Evelyn."
"Holy shit"
Manish closed his eyes and let out a sigh. "Don't blame others for your actions, Damin, and if you must point fingers, point them at yourself," Manish said as he resumed walking towards his niece's room.
As all eyes were on screen, two pairs of eyes stared at each other.
Cassiopeia Black arched her eyebrow slightly as she sipped her wine watching Pollux's impassive face.
The words of their last conversation fresh on their minds.
"Antares is Glacia's only child, her only daughter. What if something happens to her in that school, Manish? Who will protect her there? Why send her-"
"Why send her? because it's her legacy." Manish snapped at his brother. "The legacy of her family; she's a part of that legacy, and I won't deprive her of that."
"Good man" Ignatius Prewett commented, causing his wife, Lucretia Prewett, to nod. "True, he would make sure Antares reaches Hogwarts for sure."
"Hopefully my son reaches Hogwarts too," James muttered, furrowing his eyebrows as he looked at the screen, earning a pat on the back from Remus.
"Manish, listen to me; this is a mistake." Damin's voice through the phone said, the voice sounding frustrated, "Glacia would never want this for her daughter."
"I know my sister well enough, more than you. Glacia would want her daughter to go. Regulus" Manish sighed, his hand seemingly hovering over the doorknob of his niece's room as he narrowed his brown eyes.
"Regulus would want his daughter to go. That's it. End of discussion."
"Damn right, I do," Regulus muttered, his jaw clenching a bit as Damin spoke as if he actually knew Glacia and what she wanted.
Out of all his girlfriend's step brothers, Damin was the one who got on his nerves the most. Probably because Glacia was still fond of her stepbrother, even if he was sometimes to blame for the frown that marred her beautiful face. The raven-haired boy had no doubt Damin cared for her, even if the man didn't say anything, but Regulus knew Damin cared for money more.
More than he would ever care for Glacia.
A fact that always made Regulus feel like punching the selfish man across the face and a fact that brought a bitter smile to Glacia's face, but a part of her, Regulus knew, would always be fond of Damin no matter what happened.
Mayhaps bonds of family were just that peculiar, he thought as his eyes shifted towards his older brother.
"Manish, listen to me-" The voice on the phone cut off as Manish cut the phone and set it aside on the table beside him, his brown eyes fixed on his little niece, who was packing the last of her clothes in the green suitcase.
Antares turned around. "Are they all blowing up your phone again?" she asked, her face thoroughly amused, seeing her uncle's obvious frustration.
"When do they not?" Manish retorted, picking up a lavender sundress, which his niece particularly loved, and started folding it. "Everybody in this house is mad," he muttered with a frown as he kept the dress in the green suitcase.
The raven-haired girl snorted and then looked at her uncle and asked, "Where's Aunt Celia? Is she with Aunt Evelyn?"
"You know those two. Always together."
Antares hummed, her mercury gray eyes fixed on her uncle. He has been keeping her close since yesterday, taking her out to eat, to play in the arcade, and buying her anything she desired, and she knew it was because of Hogwarts.
Professor McGonagall had said that she would send over somebody today to lead her to Diagon Alley; apparently, it was the magical street wizards and witches get their school supplies from. This and the fact that they would not be able to meet until Christmas again, which was months away. "And what about Uncle Asher?" Antares asked him, trying to get his mind off it and hers too. She has never been away from him. "Did you tell him?"
"I did. He's sorry that he can't see you off and wishes you a very good school year ahead."
"Who are these two muggles now?" Regulus heard Lucius Malfoy mutter.
The raven-haired boy made sure to not look at him, keeping his gray eyes fixed on the screen. He was so not in the mood to explain each and every thing to them, especially not after the headache-inducing afternoon he just had.
"They might be their friends." Rodolphus Lestrange replied to the Malfoy heir as he twirled his ruby heir ring pointedly, ignoring his father, who shot him a look.
Knowing his father's volatile temper, his whiplash mood swings, and his ability to become enraged over the smallest of things for extended periods of time, Rodolphus Lestrange just accepted his fate.
The Lestrange heir knew he had to wait a long time until he fell back on his father's good graces again.
"Have you packed everything?" the tall man asked as he turned around to look at the mostly empty cupboards, trying to see if anything important was still remaining. Antares shook her head as she grabbed her black dog plushie and clutched it.
"Yup, just Padfoot here is remaining," she said, causing the tall man to chuckle.
"You really taking him there, huh?"
"I can't sleep without him," the raven-haired girl shrugged and replied, her grip on the plushie increasing.
Sirius's lips curled upwards in a soft smile as he heard his niece speak, content that at least something given by him was providing her comfort, which she would desperately need.
His lips pursed as he fiddled with his silver raven ring. It seemed like Antares had never been away from her uncle, Manish. She was very used to him, and it would be a hard transition to settle in Hogwarts as she would be away from him most of the year. It was for him; every night in his first year, he would stay up, unable to sleep, all because he missed his brother and his constant company.
"Are you sure you got everything? What about your night clothes? Your hair ties and headbands are all in place. I'm not going to be there to search for them for you. And what about your shoes? And you didn't overpack your favorite books, right? You still need a place for the academic books-"
"Mother hen, much." Sirius muttered and then turned slowly towards his bespectacled best friend and pointed towards the screen. "That's you."
James rolled his eyes, ignoring Remus's chuckles, and swatted Sirius on the arm. "Well, if you all wouldn't be such big dumbasses, I wouldn't have to mother hen you all."
"I'm not a fucking dumbass."
"You thought a plant would grow in your stomach all because you accidentally swallowed a watermelon seed."
"How was I supposed to know that Pete was fucking me? I thought he was really saying the truth."
Remus shook his head, a strand of his sandy brown hair sticking to his forehead, and leaned towards his two best friends and whispered, "You thought one chocolate frog cost 1 galleon and were literally going to buy it."
"Exactly like it costs nine sickles; she was so tricking you, and you fell for it too," James laughed as he fixed his glasses.
The runaway heir merely huffed as he glanced at his two laughing best friends. "How was I supposed to know that? I never paid for my chocolates before."
"There there, Mama," the raven-haired girl cut her uncle off as she patted his leg. "Everything is correctly packed. You worry too much," she said, shaking her head and placing her toy plushie on top of the green suitcase.
"Everything will be just fine," she said, but it looked like she was saying it to herself.
Manish let out a chuckle as he ran his hand through his long hair. "Just like your mother. She also comforted others with the words she always wanted to hear."
"Always," Regulus muttered, a soft smile pulling on his lips as he thought of his Glacia. His left hand caressed the golden bracelet she had bought for both of them.
Perhaps they could make a third matching one for their Antares.
"Do you think she'd be proud of me?"
The sudden words of his niece made Manish pause.
He looked down and met her eyes-the same ones his brother-in-law had, the same ones he had seen in paintings that his sister had made; Regulus had always been her muse.
"So very proud, Anne'' his voice came out hoarse as Manish looked at the photoframe kept on the side table. It had Glacia and Regulus in it, laughing without a care in the world.
He averted his gaze from the photoframe and glanced at his niece. "She loved you so very much. She loved you more than she loved herself." His eyes strayed towards the photo frame again, his gaze fixing on Regulus, who was laughing in the photo.
"Both of them did," he corrected himself.
"Damn right, we do," Regulus whispered, his mercury gray eyes fixed on the screen, not wanting to see the pitying looks some were sending him.
His right hand clenched as his heart felt heavy; he should have been there to comfort her, to love her, to reassure her that no matter what happens, he and Glacia will always love and protect her, to give her hugs, kisses, words of affirmation, and anything else she needs, but he wasn't there to do any of it. His daughter has to go through this alone.
Merlin, is this how James feels?
The desperateness, the hopelessness, and the searing anguish in the heart at the thought of not being able to be there for your own child.
"Don't worry, kiddo. You'll love it there. I know it." Manish said as he blinked rapidly, ignoring the sting in his eyes and ruffling his niece's raven hair. A loud laugh left his lips as he saw Antares scrunch up her nose.
"What is it with you black family and your hair?"
"I swear to God your father was the same. God forbid something messed his hair up."
"Her uncle is the same," Remus said, smirking a bit as he heard the scattered laughter across the great hall.
"So is her aunt," Narcissa said, looking at Bellatrix, her lips tilting up at the offended face of her sister. Soft laughter left her pink lips as she saw Bellatrix glare at Andromeda, who was having the time of her life.
"Don't laugh, 'Meda, you are the same." Bellatrix said, making Sirius nod in agreement.
On the other side of the great hall, Cygnus Black tilted his head slightly and looked at his cousin, Orion. "Oh, now these two can work together," he said, still vexed at the fact that he had given the two one simple task and the two had spectacularly messed even that up. The clean-up he had to order was a nightmare.
Her right hand tucked a piece of her brunette hair behind her as Andromeda Tonks looked at her sister and cousins. "But I am not as bad as you three," she said as she pointed towards them.
Antares opened her mouth to retort back but closed it right back up as her eyebrows furrowed. She glanced towards the door as she heard her aunt loudly call out for her uncle. Her voice sounded scared. The two looked at each other and rushed downstairs.
The camera turned towards the front door, where Celia was standing. Her hand clutched the door handle tightly as she looked at the tall man, who was almost twice as tall as a normal man and at least five times as wide, standing at the front door. He had long tangles of bushy black hair and a black beard that hid most of his face, but the cheery smile on his face was visible to all.
The raven-haired girl didn't notice the tall man, unlike her uncle Manish, who stopped right away and looked at the man wide-eyed.
Instead, her attention went to the red-headed woman, who looked like she was contemplating her existence.
"Hi aunt Evelyn," the raven-haired girl chirped, her mercury gray eyes following her aunt's gaze. "Woah," she said as she finally looked at the tall, cheery man at the front door.
"Well, hello there. I'm Hagrid."
And with that, the screen went blank.
"She sent the gamekeeper to escort my granddaughter to Diagon Alley. She couldn't find anybody better." Orion Black said, his tone conveying that he was displeased.
"Well, it's better than no one, right?" Alphard Black replied to Orion, ignoring the glare Walburga sent his way.
"That giant," Walburga Black scowled as he pointed her platinum-clad finger on the screen. "Last time I heard was literally expelled from Hogwarts on accounts of murder."
"Hogwarts's class is going down day by day," Abraxas Malfoy said, nodding.
"Wait a fucking minute, what?" Sirius asked aghast. He glanced to look at his best friends who were the same as him, looking at Walburga Black shocked.
The raven-haired boy ran a hand through his hair and said, "Hagrid was expelled for murder?"
"Ahh yes" Arcturus Black nodded, remembering the case. "The Warren case-isn't that right, Cygnus?"
The case was an absolute nightmare, with no suspects coming up and the number of students as victims only going up.
Cygnus Black looked up and nodded. "Yes, that's right, patriarch."
The antiquarian ignored the commotion and merely raised an eyebrow at his sister, who was glaring at him coldly. "Last time I heard, the case was closed and no true killer was ever found."
"That," Cygnus pointed towards his elder brother, "is also quite right."
"So just why was Hagrid expelled then?" James asked.
And no one had the answer to that, instead turning once again to the screen silently as the scene started with sounds of typewriter echoing in the great hall.
A little shack,
On top of a rock island way somewhere out at sea
11.55 pm
"Where the heck now?" the bespectacled Gryffindor whispered, making his raven-haired best friend nod slightly in agreement.
"Perhaps it is about those Dursleys." Lucien Lestrange said, his icy blue eyes fixed on the screen as he caressed his ruby dragon ring, "That's what that muggle had said."
The Potter heir merely looked back at the screen, resisting the urge to groan out loud. Just where had those morons taken his kid?
The camera showed a small shack on a rock island. The winds were blowing harshly and heavy rain was pouring down, all indicating that it was a storm-filled night. The sound of waves crashing was heard as the camera zoomed in towards the shack.
The camera moved, showing Petunia and Vernon Dursley sleeping on the bed and their son, Dudley Dursley, sleeping on the moth-eaten sofa. Wide awake on the floor was Harry James Potter, his emerald eyes fixed on the red-lighted dial of Dudley's watch, which was dangling over the edge of the sofa on his wrist.
Five minutes to go, Harry thought as he started to draw a birthday cake on the floor with his right finger. Perhaps for his birthday wish, he could wish to meet Antares again, or perhaps he should wish to see that letter. Wishing for it on his birthday may make it come true.
Harry glanced at the watch again. Two minutes to go, he thought as he drew the candles on the cake he had made. Perhaps once they go back to Privet Drive, he could sneak one letter for himself.
Just as he was about to make the last candle, his eyebrows furrowed as he glanced at the flimsy wooden door. Was that the sea slapping hard on the rock like that?
"Oh, the poor darling." Lucretia Prewett said, her hand tightly clutching her husband's hand.
"Just wait, Prongslet. Each and every one of your birthdays would be so grand," Sirius said, making Remus voice his agreement too.
"Oh, Harry," James softly said, his hazel eyes a little glassy looking at the screen.
Merlin, this is how his child celebrated his birthday-so scared and so cold, afraid of waking those muggles-no monsters up. Nobody let it be a wizard or a muggle who could treat a child like this was deserving to be called a person, a human.
Godric, it was a storm-filled night, and all they gave him was one torn light blanket. His child spent the entire night shivering.
First Dumbledore, and now Dursely's? What is it with these morons leaving his child to die of a cold?
A hand grasped his shoulder, and he turned his head slightly, blinking in surprise when he saw that it was Regulus Black who was comforting him.
"None of these would happen, and Harry will go to Hogwarts soon, far away from these atrocious beings. He'll be safe there."
James chuckled humorlessly. "We don't know that. Harry doesn't even have his letter yet, and only one day is left. The train leaves September first."
"He will," the raven-haired boy said firmly, and for some reason, James Fleamont Potter believed his words.
Shaking his head, he looked back at Dudley's watch. Fifteen seconds. Harry laid his head on his hands as he looked at the cake. "Time to think of a wish, Harry," he whispered, looking at the watch, a smile pulling on his lips.
Twelve am.
"Happy birthday, Harry," he said, blowing out the candles he had drawn, and just then the door was hit with such force that it swung clean off its hinges and, with a deafening crash, landed flat on the floor.
"Now, who is that?" Rabastan Lestrange spoke as he flinched at the deafening crash.
"Oh, great, now what?" The Potter heir groaned out as he rubbed his hand over his face. Why was everything bad and dangerous only happening in his son's life?
"Wait a minute, is that?" Remus Lupin said as he looked at the shadow on the screen. "Hagrid?"
The words made James Potter whip his head up at the screen.
The camera turned to show a giant of a man standing in the doorway. His face was almost completely hidden by a long, shaggy mane of hair and a wild, tangled beard, but you could make out his brown eyes and the bright smile on his face.
"Well sorry about that," Hagrid said as he stepped in the small shack, picking up the wooden door and putting it back up. Shuffling was heard making Harry who was staring at the man wide-eyed turn his head right where there was a girl standing.
A very familiar girl who he knew.
"Antares," Harry said surprised.
The raven haired girl looked up as she pushed her braid back, some small strands of her raven hair sticking to her face. She waved back at her friend, a bright smile gracing her face, "Hiya Harry. Happy birthday "
"Thank Godric!" James Potter yelled as he stood up. "Hagrid, you are the fucking best. My son will get his Hogwarts letter, fucking finally."
"Thank Hagrid," Remus corrected.
"How did this man bring my granddaughter safely to the island when he is not permitted to do magic?" Orion Black said aghast.
"Boats exist, dad," Sirius said, making Regulus resist the urge to roll his eyes.
"They don't in storms, stupid," Regulus said, making Sirius's eyes wide. "Now wait a minute." The runaway heir whispered as he took in the disheveled state of his niece and Hagrid.
"I..thanks" Harry said with a small smile, "err...how did you get here,"
Before Antares could answer, Hagrid answered the question as he made his way inside the house, "Why with the boat of course"
"It was wicked," Antares said, her mercury gray eyes sparkling with excitement.
"No, it is not wicked. By Salazar's name, that's dangerous," Orion Black said, his grip on his wand increasing as he heard his cousin Alphard laughing.
"Well, now that you say it, It does sound wicked," Sirius said, turning his head slightly and flinching as he saw the looks on the faces of his family.
"Absolutely not," Lord Black told him, and he turned his head to look back on the screen.
"You don't even know what I was thinking."
"I don't need to. I already know."
The two friends shared a smile and then turned to look at Hagrid who had begun to speak, "Couldn't make us a cup o' tea, could yeh? It's not been an easy journey"
Vernon Dursley, seemingly recovering from his shock, strode up to the keeper of keys, his grip tightening on the gun he was holding, "I demand that you leave at once, sir! You are breaking and entering!"
"Ah, shut up, Dursley you great prune" Hagtid said as he grabbed the gun making Petunia Dursley gasp in fright and bent it into a knot easily as if it were made out of rubber and threw the gun in the corner of the room.
Uncle Vernon just made stuttering noises like a mouse which provided much amusement to Harry.
"Anyways Harry Got somethin' for yeh. Afraid I might have sat on it at some point, but I imagine it'll taste just the same" Rubues Hagrid said as he rummaged around his big brown overcoat, trying to find something. He let out a quiet 'aha' when he found it.
From inside his pocket, he pulled a slightly squashed box. With shaky hands, Harry unwrapped it and sent a tiny smile at Antares, who was talking excitedly about how Hagrid had baked it himself.
Inside the box was a deformed chocolate cake smothered in pink frosting, with Happy Birthday Harry written on it in green icing.
"Oh, Hagrid. Thank you so much," the bespectacled Gryffindor said, placing a hand on his chest.
The smile on Harry's face was the best he had ever seen, and it was his first time witnessing it; it was real, with no hint of fear or nervousness in it, like an eleven-year-old should have.
"We should visit Hagrid soon," the werewolf suggested. A smile played on his lips as he watched his little nephew. "When Hogwarts starts, I'm sure he wouldn't mind."
"And get him something nice," Sirius said while nodding. Remus turned his head slightly and patted his fellow marauder's right knee. "Exactly," he said, suppressing a smile, knowing that's how Sirius Black showed his gratitude and love.
Either by threatening or cussing you off in a mix of English and French or by giving you unexpected luxurious gifts.
"I..." Harry Potter said and then stopped closing his mouth. He glanced up at Antares, who was grinning. "Is that how you knew it was my birthday?"
The raven-haired girl nodded. "Yup, Hagrid told me on the way."
He looked at the giant man and gave him a grateful smile. "Thank you," he said, his grip on the box increasing.
His first birthday cake.
The first time somebody wished him a happy birthday with such joy, Harry's smile slightly increased as he heard Hagrid laugh happily and smile at him.
"Well, it's not every day that a young man turns 11, now is it? Aye?"
"Exactly. Now give him his Hogwarts letter" Narcissa said, "They both are already running quite late and they still need to buy everything from Diagon Alley,"
"Don't worry they will. If Professor McGonagall sent Hagrid specially then I also think he'll escort them till they board the train," Remus said.
Rubeus Hagrid sat down on the moldy couch, which sagged under his weight, and snorted as he saw the fireplace, which had shriveled empty crisp packets in it. Uncle Vernon had tried to make a fire but ultimately gave up when he failed. Rolling his eyes, Hagrid raised his umbrella. An action that made Harry furrow his eyebrows in confusion.
Not a second later, Hagrid mumbled something, and the next second, there was fire roaring in the fireplace. Harry felt the warmth of the fireplace's flickering light filling the damp shack. His emerald eyes widened as he turned slowly to look back at the tall man, who was merrily writing something down on a sheet of paper. Where he found that sheet of paper, Harry didn't know.
Carefully placing the cake box on the side table, Harry walked hesitantly towards Hagrid. "Excuse me. Who are you?"
"Rubeus Hagrid, Keeper of Keys and Grounds at Hogwarts." Hagrid said as he looked up from the sheet he was writing on, "Of course you know all about Hogwarts."
"Well you'll be surprised with how little he knows," Rabastan commented dryly.
"Umm...no?" Harry hesitantly said, flinching violently, when Hagrid stood up rattling the couch and table.
"NO?"
"Sorry," Harry quickly said, seeing Hagrid's furious expression.
"Sorry? Why are you sorry? They should be sorry." Hagrid glowered at the Dursleys, who flinched under his gaze. Petunia took a step back, hiding behind Vernon, who kept making small, frightened noises like a mouse.
"Blimey, Harry, didn't you ever wonder where your mom and dad learned it all?"
"My mom and dad..." The emerald-eyed boy whispered to himself, confused as to what his parents had to do with any of it.
"Learnt what?" he asked Hagrid, who was busy glaring at the Dursleys.
"Magic, of course," Druella Black nee Rosier said as she adjusted her pearl necklace.
"Oh, give the boy a break," Alphard Black said as he rolled his eyes at his sister-in-law while taking a sip of his rum.
"Magic" Antares chirped.
Turning his head, he met her mercury-grey eyes. "Very funny," Harry said, his right hand trembling slightly as he remembered all the times Uncle Vernon had yelled at him for even uttering that word.
"No, really. Minnie turned into a cat, you know," Antares said as she walked over to him.
Before the two friends could say anything else, Hagrid interrupted them. "You absolute fools," Hagrid growled at the Dursley's and then turned his head right to look at Harry.
"Yer a wizard, Harry."
"I'm... I'm a what?"
The snort that left Sirius was instant, earning him looks from mostly everybody. He chuckled as he put his hand on his mouth, trying not to look at his two best friends, who were trying their best to hold in their laughter, knowing once he looked towards them it's over. "Sorry, that's," he said, pointing his ring-clad finger towards the screen, "funny. It's just the way he said it."
"Your son really went on you, Potter," Regulus commented.
"Hey, what's that supposed to mean?"
On the amber couch, Andromeda Tonks laughed as she shook her head. "Minnie. Merlin, there's another one," she said, making the three marauders snap their necks towards her.
"Carrying the legacy of the marauders forward," Sirius said as Remus nodded.
"Absolutely worthy to inherit our legacy," the werewolf said, and then leaned in towards his best friends, "she'd make good use of the map."
"Exactly," James said as he raised his right hand up to adjust his glasses. "So the plan to leave the map on Flich's desk is cancelled, right?"
"Oh fuck, yes, it is." Sirius replied, "Antares and Harry can take it to Hogwarts when they go."
"A princess," Antares replied, tilting her head slightly.
"A wizard and a very good one, I'd wager, once you are trained up a little, but don't worry, you'll learn all that in Hogwarts." Hagrid said at the same time.
His emerald eyes glanced at Antares, who was standing there with an amused smile, and then he looked back at Hagrid and asked, "Are you sure you haven't got the wrong person? I think you've got the wrong person. I mean, I can't be a wizard. I mean, I'm just... Harry. Just Harry"
"Oh Prongslet" the bespectacled Gryffindor sighed.
"Well, just Harry." Hagrid said with a crooked smile, "Did you ever make anything happen? Anything you couldn't explain when you were angry or scared?"
His expression immediately softened as he remembered all the weird instances that he couldn't explain. Instances where a rational explanation never made sense. "Here you go, Harry," he heard Hagrid say, and he saw the yellowish envelope in his hands.
The same letter that he was so desperately trying to get.
He glanced at Antares once, and with shaky hands, he grabbed the yellowish envelope and turned it over. His hands hovered over where his name was addressed in emerald green ink. He opened the envelope only to find thick parchment inside.
"Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry," Harry read from the letter. "Dear Mr. Potter, We are pleased to inform you that you have a place at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry," he said, looking at his new friend, who was now holding a similar letter to his.
"So you're a witch too," he asked her.
Her nose scrunched up, still not getting used to getting called a witch, but she replied, "Apparently," she said, and then a bright smile graced her face. "But look on the bright side, we get to go together."
His lips curled up in a smile as he smiled back at her.
"Prongslet got his letter finally," the raven-haired boy said as he leaned back on the emerald couch.
"And he'll have company too," Remus said, and then chuckled at seeing Regulus's face.
"C'mon Reggie" Sirius said as he slung his hand over his brother's shoulder, "ma petite étoile can use some company."
"Get your hand off me, you fucking imbecile."
"Fucking finally," James said. He let out a relieved sigh, but his face turned into vexed as he heard Vernon Dursley speak.
"He will not be going, I tell you, and I tell you right now. We swore when we took him in that we'd put a stop to all this rubbish. No, I won't allow him to go."Uncle Vernon seethed, ignoring his wife's attempts to pull him back.
Harry looked at his uncle and aunt, his grip on his Hogwarts letter increasing.
"You knew. You always knew, and yet you never told me."
Petunia scoffed as she let go of her husband's hand. "Of course we knew. Of course, I knew. How can I not? My perfect sister. My mother and father's perfect little Lily"
"Oh, they were so proud of her the day she got her letter," she said, pointing towards the letter in Harry's hand. "Oh, isn't it wonderful that we have a witch in our family?" she mimicked and then scowled, "but I was the only one to see her for what she was. A freak. And then she met that Potter boy, and then she had you, and then she went and got herself blown up! And we got landed with you."
Rabastan whistled as he looked at the screen wide-eyed, "Jealous much."
"Keep Lily Flowers name out of your goddamn mouth," James said, his hazel eyes set in a glare as he looked at Petunia on the screen.
"She is more of a person than you'll ever be," Remus said. He had heard of Petunia, who was always spoken to so fondly by Lily whenever they met up for one of their study meetups, but this woman on the screen was nothing like Lily had described.
Consumed by jealousy and hatred so much that she forgot the pure love she shared with her sister once.
Love that shrivelled up and died just like a flower.
"So you hate your sister just because she has magic and you don't," Lucretia Prewett nee Black said as she took a sip of her wine. "Muggles," she scoffed.
"How can she even do that? Hate your own sister."Narcissa Black said, her nose wrinkling as she looked at the screen.
The brunette witch looked at her little sister with a raised eyebrow. "You're the one to talk."
"Blown up," the emerald-eyed boy said furiously. "You said my parents died in a car crash."
"A car crash? A car crash killed Lily and James Potter?! It's an outrage! It's a scandal."
"And you lied to my child about how I died. Wonderful," James said with a scowl.
"He won't be going," Uncle Vernon said as he walked up towards his wife, who was coldly glaring at the keeper of the keys.
"Oh, and I suppose a great muggle like you is going to stop him, huh?"
Turning slightly, he met her mercury-grey eyes. "Muggles?" Harry asked Antares, shooting a glance towards Hagrid, who was busy fighting with Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia.
"People with no magic," she replied, but her eyes were trained on Dudley, who was behind Harry and currently trying to sneak the cake away as the adults were busy fighting. "Is that your cousin?" she gestured towards Dudley.
Glancing behind him, he frowned as he replied to her, "Unfortunately, yes."
The two turned to look at Hagrid as he pointed in their direction, "This girl and boy's had his name down ever since he was born." Hagrid yelled, "And they're going to the finest school of witchcraft and wizardry in the world, and they'll be under the finest headmaster that Hogwarts has ever seen: Albus Dumbledore."
"Powerful" Abraxas Malfoy muttered, his blue eyes fixed on the raven-haired girl on the screen.
"Father?" Lucius Malfoy hesitantly asked, not wanting to be lashed out on yet again as his father has been since yesterday.
"To have your name written down that early in the Hogwarts record books, you have to be very powerful," Abraxas said, his grip on his peacock cane increasing. It was a standard procedure followed by Hogwarts and agreed upon by all of Wizengamot and the board of governors.
Normally, they start it around the age of five or six when the children start to get their accidental magic, and here were the Potter heir and the Black Heiress, having their names written down by birth.
Besides, didn't Harry Potter appear accidentally as his magic flared up to protect him? Abraxas wondered if the Black Heiress was the same. He subtly glanced at Arcturus, who was busy conversing with his wife.
Mayhaps Arcturus could be convinced of a betrothal between his great-granddaughter and his grandson.
"A little too much faith in that old coot," Lucien Lestrange scoffed.
All Lord Black did was arch an eyebrow and tighten his hold on his wife's hand. Despite his ̶v̶̶e̶̶r̶̶y̶ ̶p̶̶u̶̶b̶̶l̶̶i̶̶c̶ intense animosity and frustration towards Dumbledore, he had to admit that Albus Dumbledore was a man of both magical and emotional strength. The old wizard has been in good public light since Grindelwald's defeat, and Dumbledore absolutely knew this. He knew how to manipulate people to keep him in good public light.
There was no other explanation for why a complete unknown half-blood rose through the ranks so quickly to take the helm of the light faction.
Arcturus knew he would have to work harder to keep Antares out of that man's sight. The old bastard had a habit of reaching out to his family-first with his strange interest in Sirius, and now that Antares would be attending Hogwarts, Arcturus was certain he would try to reach out to Antares as well.
Or perhaps he would have to keep Antares out of some other people's sight too, Lord Black thought as he subtly glanced at ̶h̶̶i̶̶s̶ ̶r̶̶i̶̶v̶̶a̶̶l̶, Abraxas Malfoy, who was busy sneaking glances at him.
No doubt about thinking of some other way to unite the houses together.
Uncle Vernon threw the plastic water bottle he was holding as a flimsy defence on the ground in anger. His face was red as he yelled, "I will not pay some crackpot old fool to teach him magic tricks," and then gasped as Hagrid immediately raised his umbrella and pointed it towards him threateningly.
"Never," Hagrid calmly said. The calm tone had a dark undertone to it. "insult Albus Dumbledore in front of me."
Without looking away, he turned the umbrella towards Dudley Dursley, who was busy eating Harry's cake. Pink frosting all over his mouth. Hagrid fired a spell towards Dudley, which caused the boy to grow a pig's tail. Shrieks filled the room as Petunia and Vernon Dursley made their way towards their son, who was crying and screaming.
Hagrid turned towards the two children of magic who were laughing. "Oh, um, I'd appreciate it if you didn't tell anyone at Hogwarts about that." Hagrid said, and then scratched his hair a bit. "You see, I'm not allowed to do magic."
"Yet here you are," Cassiopeia commented absentmindedly, twirling her black quill in her hands.
"Oh, all hail Hagrid. Keeper of the keys and..." The runaway heir laughed and said to his friend.
"Just not the keeper of your secrets," the werewolf completed his sentence.
"Alright," Harry said with a smile, still chuckling over his cousin, while Antares shrugged.
"We better leave. We are a bit behind on the schedule you see, and I still need to send your confirmation letters back. So we best be off," Hagrid said as he walked towards the door, removing it from where he had just placed it. Looking back, he chuckled, "Unless you want to stay, of course," and then walked out of the shack.
The emerald-eyed boy grinned and turned right, where Antares was gripping her pink backpack firmly. A chuckle left his lips as he realised his both wishes had come true and his birthday had just started.
"Let's go, shall we?" the raven-haired girl asked with a smile, which made Harry smile even more. Grabbing his jacket, he held it tightly and left the shack with his new friend without once looking back to go on the journey to the magical world.
And with that, the screen went black.
"Finally, Prongslet gets to be away from these morons," the runaway heir said as he leaned back on the couch, patting his bespectacled best friend on the back, who had a relieved smile on his face.
"And that means Harry would be in Hogwarts. If the news comes out, then..." Remus said, his amber eyes fixed on his best friends.
"You can take Harry's custody," James Potter finished for him.
"I still wonder why I haven't searched for Prongslet." Remus said quietly, his lips curling down in a frown.
"It doesn't matter, but I think Dumbledore has something to do with it," James whispered. "I mean, he had involvement in... hiding Antares." He finished with a hesitant glance at Sirius, whose face had turned stony at the mere mention of Dumbledore.
"It could be possible," the black heir finally said.
"Either way, Harry and Antares as it is would be in public now," the raven-haired boy said, slightly glancing at Bellatrix, who was talking to her husband, Rodolphus Lestrange.
"You," he pointed towards Remus, "can take Harry's custody, and maybe Bella can take Antares custody or apply for joint custody. What do you think, Reggie?"
Regulus arched an eyebrow, his eyes drifting off to look at Bellatrix. "Perhaps," he finally said after staring at her a bit, "it depends on Antares and Manish. Either way, they'll be going to Diagon Alley soon."
ƬЩIƧƬΣD
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-',✎𝐊𝐚𝐬𝐡𝐦𝐢𝐫𝐚 𝐒𝐩𝐞𝐚𝐤𝐬
I'm sorry if the reactions for this chapter seems a bit unnatural. I truly have no creative motivation currently. Adulting is so hard like-
And I can't even properly adult
Like I'm still waiting for my social skills that a normal person my age should have, to arrive and I think they never. But I also know if I didn't put it up now then it just lay lying there in my docs for months.
Like some chapters of Crimson leaves are there just existing in my doc just waiting their turn to be edited.
Anyways, how have you guys been. How was your day and how did you all feel today??
Also remember to drink water and eat something!!!!!
Until next time,
Your author,
Kashmira