Còir Buaidh

Year 0 Part 3

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I paused as I followed Arcturus into a smaller room in Le Domaine Noir and saw that not only were most of the Blacks present, but that the table in the room – which the Blacks stood on either side of so as to not impede my view – was covered in wrapped gifts. There wasn’t a large number of them present, though one at the back, covered by a simple black cloth – or at least as simple a cloth could be for House Black, had my attention instantly for the fact it wasn’t wrapped anywhere near as elaborately as the other gifts.

“Why exactly are you giving me these gifts now?” I asked as Arcturus moved to stand with his wife.

It was a few days in 1969, and while that meant it was almost time for my birthday – this being my eleventh – that was still nearly two weeks away. In two days, the older Black children would return to school. The Black sisters were all there, though Antares – who was standing near the back of the family present – and Ursa Black weren’t at Hogwarts. Both hadn’t been accepted and attended Wirmorth Academy of Wizardry.

What was interesting was that, like with my cousin Genevieve Montague, Ursa wasn’t shunned or looked down upon for failing to attend Hogwarts. At least not to the level Antares had been. While the older boy hadn’t been ostracised and was from a minor branch of House Black that was only two generations old, it was still something of an embarrassment for House Black. The only saving grace, or at least what I thought was a saving grace, was that Antares wasn’t of Arcturus’ bloodline.

Antares was the firstborn of Draco Black; firstborn of Lycoris Black who was one of Arcturus’ younger brothers. Like the other brother, Regulus – who I assumed Sirius’ brother was named for – Lycoris was dead. Since neither was of any true importance, and with the line save with Orion, Sirius, and Regulus (the younger) all alive and well – to say nothing of Scorpius and Altair Black – Antares’ failure to enter Hogwarts wasn’t, in many ways, a major incident. However, it seemed even if it wasn’t major, it still mattered heavily to the Blacks.

I’d not probed any of them about it, but from speaking with my ancestors, it was rare for a Black – particularly a male – to not attend Hogwarts. That seemed odd given the limited number of places at the school when taken against the magical population of the British Isles but for a family as old, powerful, and connected as the Blacks to not have all their male children there held importance.

As for those at Hogwarts, Bellatrix was in her fourth year, Altair was in his third, Andromeda her second, and Narcissa was in the middle of her first. Lyra Black – Ursa and Altair’s sister – would be starting Hogwarts with me, having received her letter back in November.

“We are here,” Arcturus began, drawing me from my thoughts on the Black family dynamics and magical schooling, because, unlike in previous years, this year you will be celebrating your eleventh birthday. A date of significance beyond the fact that it is when you shall receive your letter for Hogwarts.”

I saw Antares flinch as his father’s eyes flickered toward him which made me consider the way the Blacks were arranged. The two groups contained many of the Black family members that I’d met over the years. With Arcturus and his wife stood his son and heir, Orion, his wife Walburga, and their children Sirius and Regulus; the latter struggling to remain still even with his mother resting a hand on his shoulder.

The side of the table contained the other lines. Draco Black, his wife, Audrey, and their children – Altair, Ursa, Lyra, and Corvus – had the closest point. Scorpius and his family were next, with the Black sisters and their parents having the furthest position from the table. That signified their lack of importance to inheritance, but given those three girls were all important in differing ways in the other timeline, I doubted they would remain far from positions of power for long. Well, save perhaps Andromeda if she still ended up with Ted Tonks, but I already had plans for that if it still came to pass.

“While not a Black by name or birth,” Melaina continued for her husband, “you are one by blood. Normally, your family would have a private custom for your eleventh birthday and your acceptance into Hogwarts.” Again, Antares flinched, though this time his eyes narrowed as well. “However, the heinous assault on your Clan and others, meant you would be deprived of that.”

“With that in mind,” Orion said as he took over, “and the close friendship you enjoy with many of our family, we felt it would remind you that you are not alone if we extended a family tradition to you.”

“Then, on behalf of myself and Clan MacLeod, I offer my thanks.” As I spoke, I dropped into a deep bow, showing my reverence for their actions. I had memories of how important the eleventh birthday was, remembering how each year it had occurred for my older siblings we’d gone to a location elsewhere on Skye for a special ceremony; one that, now I knew Gaelic, meant I understood we’d been offering thanks to magic, the Fae, and others for the point when a child began their journey to adulthood.

I had considered trying to continue the tradition by roping in my aunts and Uncle Marcas MacDougall but decided against it. None of them were meant to lead the celebration, and doing that for myself felt extremely odd. It had also meant that Magnus and Talulla had missed out on the celebration of their acceptance to Hogwarts, but I felt I’d made up for it with them both with the gifts I’d given them.

Magnus had been given a new broom, and while he’d not been able to take it as he was a First Year, he had adored it. For Talulla, I’d bought a Great Grey owl which she’d named Skydancer and had taken to Hogwarts with her.

“There is no need for formality today,” Arcturus replied as I finished my bow. “Though before we get to the majority of presents, I believe our nieces have something they wish to present to you.”

At that, Bellatrix led her sisters, Lyra, and Ursa, toward the table. I watched as they moved to the rear, and saw the largest object, the one covered in a black cloth, shift. Bellatrix then led them out, the other four carrying whatever was covered with them. As their families moved to allow them access, I guessed the object under the cover was maybe fifty centimetres cubed, though there was no sound coming from it.

As they came closer, I saw that the cloth had runes around the rim. I couldn’t make out what exactly they were as the cloth was fluttering slightly as it moved, but at guess they’d be to quieten and protect whatever was inside.

“Traditionally, many witches and wizards have a familiar,” Bellatrix explained as the group reached the front of the table. “For most, this is a simple creature, or even one with some magic such as my Kneazle, Pixie. From what I’ve learnt, your grandfather had a lynx as his familiar, with other members of your family often having a familiar from the feline genus.” Her lips twitched as if enjoying some private joke. “In his wisdom, Lord Black felt a gift in that line would be suitable for your eleventh birthday and acceptance to Hogwarts.” She moved to the side, letting her sisters and cousins bring whatever was covered to the forefront. “As such, to signify the bonds of friendship between the Most Ancient and Noble House Black, and the Ancient and Noble Clan MacLeod, we present you with this gift and hope you find it most pleasing.”

When she finished, the other girls had placed the covered object on a small table – one that had popped into existence a moment before – and then Andromeda and Narcissa pulled the cover back.

“Whoa,” I muttered, taking a step toward the cage that was revealed.

Inside I saw a small black kitten. It turned its head slowly, revealing crystal blue eyes that seemed to sparkle. Around them and the kitten's head sparks of what looked like lightning crackled. This had to be some form of magical beast, but it wasn’t one I’d studied so far, which meant it came from outside Europe. That said, there was something about the kitten, and the power it held, calling to me, and I took another step toward the cage, my hand slowly rising.

“I would advise caution, Dòmhnall,” I heard Arcturus say as I continued to approach the cage. “Raiju can be very prickly about those who may approach them. Bellatrix was the only one able to feed the creature since it was purchased and received several minor burns for her actions.”

“They didn’t hurt,” the girl in question mumbled as I neared the cage.

“For now. When fully grown, a raiju has the potential to kill an adult wizard or witch. Indeed, the export of them outside of Japan is highly restricted.”

Barely anything that was said registered with me as my focus remained on the cage, and the adorable kitten inside. The power it radiated felt familiar now, and I realised that was because of my lightning affinity. As I lifted a hand to the bars of the cage, the kitten’s head shifted, its eyes locking on my fingers as they neared.

The sparks around the raiju grew brighter, and I felt my magic shift as my fingers came level with the cage. The feeling was coming from the cage as I saw faint runes in the frame, yet even with the warning there, I still pushed my fingers slowly through the gaps in the bars.

The kitten watched intently, curious about the intruding limbs. I stayed still once they were in, wanting the next step to come from the kitten. Having had cats in the life I’d lived in a non-magical world before merging, I knew cats did things in their own damn time.

Its legs shook as it stood, indicating just how young the kitten was, and it moved closer. A pause came when I sensed someone moving around behind me, the action drawing the kitten’s glare; making the sparks darken, taking on a slightly purple hue. My eyes widened as those sparks grew larger, hinting at the power the young creature held, yet I kept my fingers still. A sudden movement might alarm the young beast, and result in it attacking me which was the last thing I wanted to happen.

As its gaze returned to my fingers, I felt something shift in the magic that flowed through me; as if it understood that the kitten was meant for me; that our magic was meant to complement each other in some way I didn’t fully understand.

As the kitten sniffed my fingers, I fought the instinct to flinch; a stray spark of magic from the kitten clipping a knuckle. Yet, almost as soon as the pain of the magic rushed through my system, it faded away. I couldn’t be sure, but as the kitten leaned into my touch, it felt as if its magic had soothed my pain. If not healed any damage it had inadvertently done.

A gentle purr reverberated through me as the kitten leaned fully into my touch, enjoying the slight movements of my fingertips scratching it behind an ear. The flickers of power it was emitting danced over my fingers, but I didn’t feel any pain. Whether that was because of the raiju accepting me, my affinity for lightning magic, some combination of the two, or another unknown reason, I couldn’t say. Regardless of why, the flickers of magic that brushed against me felt warm, inviting, and safe.

The purring grew louder as I felt someone shift behind me again, though this time the kitten didn’t care, enjoying my touch more than the approach of another.

“It appears the raiju had bonded with you,” I heard Arcturus say though my focus remained on the kitten. “While that is what I had hoped for, I must admit that it happening so soon is unexpected.” As he continued my fingers moved, one managing to reach the spot between the kitten’s ears. “Something might need to be examined in detail later.”

Knowing the kitten wouldn’t react to my action, I turned my head. “Thank you,” I said to him with a smile that probably looked a little dopey.

“The thanks should go to Bellatrix. It was her that found the animal at the back of one particular shop we visited looking for a suitable familiar for you.” The answer came from Bellatrix’s mother, Druella who looked understandably proud of her daughter’s choice and the reaction it had brought out of me.

Bellatrix shrugged when I looked at her. “I wasn’t trying to find it,” she said with a smirk that others might find scary, but I found amusing, “just that when I saw it, it reminded me of you.”

“Cute and friendly?” I shot back, unwilling to not take the shot.

“Hah!” Bellatrix barked out in laughter. “As if you could ever measure up to that level of cuteness!” She shook her head, her eyes moving to the kitten. “I’ve just always had a leaning toward felines.” Her lips twitched as if enjoying some private joke. “And I wanted to pay you back properly for taking me to that dreadful Winter Solstice Ball several years ago.”

“Given the number of jinxes and hexes you’ve sent my way, I believe you already have. Or at least I hope you have,” I replied as I continued to scratch the kitten, my words accompanied by the constant pleased purring of the young raiju.

“I don’t jinx you nearly as often as others,” her eyes darted to where Sirius and Regulus were standing, and the older boy flinched as if re-experiencing one of Bellatrix’s tricks. “And, as much as I detest such formal events, I can admit I enjoyed the ball. Or at least the company I was forced to keep when surrounded by so many people more interested in preening like peacocks than having fun.”

I chuckled at the image of the former Minister of Magic as a peacock, and my laughter had Bellatrix smiling. That brightened up her entire demeanour, driving away the appearance of someone bored of pretty much everything, and making her look far more friendly and sociable than she normally appeared. I wasn’t sure if the change in her took place because of Voldemort or Rodolphus Lestrange – who was a year above Bellatrix while his brother, Rabastan, was a year below – but whoever caused the change in her ruined an amazing and powerful young lady. One that I was sure would soon have her pick of suitors.

“Regardless of why, you have my everlasting thanks for discovering this unique and special gift. I’ll treasure him forever.” I did my best to bow to her, though, with one hand stuck through the bars of the raiju’s cage, it was difficult. Based on the laughter that came from Bellatrix and others, and the amused smiles worn by the adults I could see, it was clear I’d failed to have anything approaching a socially acceptable action.

“Since you both approve of the gift and that the raiju has seemingly bonded with you, perhaps you would be interested in opening the cage and holding it?” Melania suggested a smile brought on because of my badly attempted bow still present.

I nodded my agreement and then looked at the kitten. “Yes, though I’d suggest having an elf nearby ready to stun him if he decides to bolt.” The bad pun, unintentional though it was, drew a barking laugh from Sirius, who gave me a thumbs up even as his mother turned and glared at him. “If that is, it’s not too much of an inconvenience,” I added, remembering I was a guest in their home.

“You are a guest, a friend and, however distant, family,” Melania replied as Arcturus stepped toward the cage. “You and your new familiar will always be welcome under our roof, though I understand your caution. Renkler! If the raiju runs away, stun it gently,” she called out to the air as Arcturus approached the cage. I knew the elf – who was the Head elf of house Black – would hear her commands, and obey them as she intended.

The kitten pulled back slightly from my touch as Arcturus neared the cage, just enough that only the ends of my fingertips could continue to scratch it. Arcturus placed his wand against the cage on the other side from me and gave a silent incantation as a moment later a section of the cage near his wand folded back in itself, leaving a perfectly smooth, but apparently lacking in method to close it, gap in the bars.

Keeping one hand near the kitten, I withdrew the other from between the bars. Moving slowly, scratching the kitten as it eyed the hole, I shifted over and then slid my free hand into the gap. Once it was there, I gently pushed the kitten back with my other hand. The raiju was reluctant to move, enjoying the attention far too much, but I was eventually able to convince it to head toward my other hand.

Once it started to move, I pulled the fingers through the bars and moved that hand to join the other inside the gap in the cage. The kitten stopped its approach as I did that, seemingly confused about my actions. Slowly, it resumed its approach, its tiny nose sniffing the tips of my fingers.

A small twitch of pain raced from one finger as the kitten gave it an experimental nibble. I ignored the pain and the kitten, happy that my fingers weren’t a threat, cautiously lifted a paw onto the palm. I stayed still, letting it advance slowly, sniffing as it went until eventually, it decided it liked this new spot and began to settle.

As it turned around, its claws slipped out, prickling my hands, and while I frowned at the flurry of small jolts of pain, I stayed still until the raiju was happy and had settled down on my hands. Once it was there, I slowly lifted my thumbs up, rubbed the raiju’s side, and then raised my hands.

The kitten’s head snapped up as it felt itself move, and before I could slide it from the cage, it’d leapt off. That had me chuckling and I reset my hands and resumed waiting. It seemed magical cats were just as content, if not more so, than regular ones to do things in their own damn time.

“Why won’t he come?”

The question came from Regulus who had moved close behind me. That had the raiju hissing, the lightning around it growing more potent and darker. The shuffling from over my right shoulder meant Regulus had pulled back in response, which made me smirk.

“Because he’s a cat,” I replied as the raiju stopped its hissing. “Doesn’t matter about the breed, they do things when they want, not when you want.” A soft amused chuckle came from one of the girls, Bellatrix, I thought.

“A trait shared by certain witches and wizards I know.” That wasn’t her, but I thought it was Andromeda. I didn’t turn to see though, my focus remaining on the kitten.

Once it was sure neither Regulus nor anyone else would approach me again, it started moving forward toward my hands. As it sniffed my fingertips I braced for another nibble, but that never came. Instead, its tongue – coarse but small – flicked out and ran over the spot I’d previously been bit.

The raiju lifted its head, meeting my eyes and in that moment, I swore it understood I wouldn’t hurt it. A second later, the eyes dropped, and it sauntered – a cat never simply walks as that was beneath them – onto my palms, not a care in the world. Like before, it circled around, though thankfully for my palms this time it didn’t feel a need to fluff its resting spot.

Once it had settled down, I stayed still, not wanting to risk it leaping from my grasp again if I lifted it too quickly. The sound of a gentle, content purr rippled through my hands which I took as the sign I could lift it. I moved slowly, barely an inch every few seconds to avoid disturbing it.

Even with the slow movement, the crackle of its magic still rippled around my hands and the kitten as I eased it toward the gap in the cage. Its head lifted as it neared the bars, possibly as it could sense the magic in them, but it stayed still and allowed me to ease it from its confinement.

Pulling the raiju to my chest, I shifted it around slowly, settling it fully onto one forearm and palm; the other coming around to protect and scratch it. It leaned into the hand, happy to be scratched, and emitted a loud but soft purr as the lightning crackling around it turned a light blue.

“Aww.”

That sounded as if it came from every girl in the room, and when I turned to see the others, I saw the girls all struggling to not rush forward and see the raiju. The older ones were doing a better job of maintaining their composure, but even Bellatrix looked as if she wanted to pet the kitten nestling against my chest.

As the first few – Narcissa and Lyra – came near, the kitten’s head came up. A hiss accompanied by a darkening of the lightning had them and the others stopped, and I bit back a grunt of pain as the lightning flickered against my skin. The pain from that faded soon after though. Either the raiju was doing that instinctively to protect me – which was unlikely but possible at its young age – or my magic was naturally trying to protect me.

As the hissing died down again, I found Bella – who was at the back of the pack of children – and offered a warm, heartfelt smile. “Thank you,” I said. She smiled back and offered a nod.

“What are you going to name him?” Andromeda asked, cutting Bellatrix off from whatever she was going to say; I knew that as the elder sister glared at the back of Andromeda’s head.

“Dòmhnall should take time to consider that,” Melania cut in before I could answer Andromeda. “While any name he likes is suitable, he should consider that as Chief MacLeod others will offer opinions on the raiju if its name is lacking in gravitas. Or is too Muggle.”

I nodded at her words, accepting them, before offering Andromeda a smile. “Don’t worry, once I’ve picked one I’ll owl you and your sisters.” That made the middle sister of the trio smile even as Narcissa crept closer.

The raiju spotted her movement and hissed, though this time it and the lightning weren’t as potent as before. That suggested it was more interested in remaining comfortable in my arms and enjoying the gentle scratching of its neck.

“Why does he only like Dòmhnall?” She asked her parents as she turned to them.

“The raiju has bonded with him,” Cygnus, her father, replied. “As a magical beast, particularly a feline and a predator, raiju generally only allow their owner to touch them. This marks the pride they’re forming. In time, and when the witch or wizard is older, the raiju might allow others who are close to their companion, such as their husband, wife, lover, or child, close to them. However, that isn’t a certainty.”

Narcissa turned back to me and smiled; one mirrored by Lyra. I, however, kept my face as blank as possible. While the attempts by mothers to have their daughter – be it a cousin or some random girl I’d met at the handful of parties, balls, and feasts that I'd attended over the last few years – get close to me had decreased, Narcissa and Lyra hadn’t pulled back. I knew that Arcturus would approve of me taking either as my wife when we were older, as it would secure our friendship through marriage, however, I had fuck all interest in that stuff for now.

I wasn’t even at Hogwarts yet, never mind having graduated from the school or taken my seat in the Wizengamot. Merlin, if I could, I’d avoid all of that until at least my last few years in Hogwarts, though I knew the letters suggesting possible pairings with a daughter of other houses would increase once it was confirmed I’d be attending Hogwarts.

“Perhaps we might look at the other gifts,” Melania said, mercifully shifting the topic as the two daughters of House Black who wanted to sink their hooks into me smiled at me. “While the raiju is settled now, I suspect it won’t stay that way for long.”

I chuckled at that, knowing how kittens or non-magical breeds could go from sleeping to hyper in seconds if allowed. There was little doubt in my mind that a raiju would be just as bad, if not worse. Turning slowly to the table and the remaining gifts, I saw that Sirius had already picked one off the table.

As he approached me, I saw the gift wasn’t wrapped as immaculately as the others; the paper wasn’t even moving, suggesting it wasn't a magical birthday paper. That had me taking a step back, concerned about what he was carrying. “I hope that isn’t any sort of joke gift,” I said as he continued to approach, “or something that might upset the kitten.”

While I wasn’t the normal target of Sirius’ pranks – which had grown more common in the last few years – hints of the person who’d appeared in the other timeline were slowly emerging. Normally, the pranks were aimed at things that would embarrass his mother or cousins, but this was the sort of place he might try something. Normally I didn’t mind the pranks, sometimes even finding them amusing and an improvement on the various stodgy formal events, and even laughed off most of the ones directed at me – and may have suggested a few muggle ideas that he could try – this wasn’t the place for such things. Any attempt to anger the raiju would anger me as well and would embarrass his grandparents.

My words had him stop mid-step, which was all the proof I needed of his intent. And was enough for his mother as well, as I saw Walburga’s face shift to looking like a cherry.

“SIRIUS BLACK!” She screeched as she moved toward her eldest child, “WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!”

The woman’s screaming had the raiju reacting. As I held on tight, lightning surged from the kitten’s body. My arms convulsed as the magic travelled up them. I clenched my jaw, grinding my teeth together to stop myself screaming in pain as the lightning travelled over more of my body. every nerve in my body felt as if it was on fire as my vision turned a dark shade of purple.

Wanting to protect my eyes, I closed them even as I stumbled back. I felt myself crash into something and fell onto whatever was there. Oddly, I didn’t keep falling though I could barely keep my wits about me as the raiju’s magic assaulted my skin, never mind trying to work out what was happening around me.

I could feel the magic within me wanting to lash out, to strike at what had hurt me, but I forced it to not do so; forced myself to grunt and bear the assault I was facing. Time seemed to slow as I focused my efforts inward, using my training and skill with Occlumency to attempt and dull my emotions, to regain control of myself. While I was able to lessen the pain I was experiencing, and the reaction it was causing, I couldn’t entirely remove the pain; I couldn’t detach myself from my emotions while under an unintended attack.

Eventually, though I wasn’t sure how long had passed even though it felt like days, the anguish, the pain resided enough that I no longer had to crunch my teeth together. As my eyes slowly opened, an odd, cooling feeling rippled through my body. Taking in the sight around me, I saw that everyone present was looking at me, concern and fear etched on almost everyone’s face.

A larger figure stepped closer, and it took me longer than it should’ve to understand it was Arcturus who was approaching. The kitten shifted, and my protective grip on it strengthened even as I saw hints of concern in the corner of his eyes. Behind him, Melania shifted and as I focused there, I saw her wand was drawn, a gentle wisp of pale blue light glowing at the tip.

As the pain continued to ease, I started placing names to the others present. Orion, Cygnus, and the other adults were standing protectively in front of the various children. With the pain almost gone, I realised that Walburga was gone, as was Sirius and Bellatrix.

Movement on Arcturus’ face had me blinking and trying to refocus on him. I could see his lips shifting, but I couldn’t make out his voice. Thankfully, I could lip-read well enough – and had sufficient situational awareness – to get what he was asking.

“Gfhl,” I tried to speak but the sound that came out of my throat was akin to that a dying animal might make. I gulped hard, drawing what little moisture was in my mouth down my throat, which caused me to grimace. “I-I’m o-okay,” I barely managed to get out.

Arcturus drew his wand, and with a simple swish, a glass floated slowly toward me. As it neared, I slowly pulled back the hand that had held the raiju in place from above. Once I was sure the kitten wouldn’t bolt when my hand slipped away, I used it to grasp the glass. The cool, refreshing sensation of water sliding down my throat, easing the dryness was a relief.

I stopped sipping when I felt the kitten shift, though instead of trying to leap away, it pushed into me further. Almost as if it was annoyed I was no longer scratching it. Understanding that, and with my throat no longer hurting, I placed the glass on a small coffee table that was beside the chair and returned my hand to scratching the kitten.

As it resumed purring, I looked around the room again. “What happened?” I asked, wondering how I’d ended up in the chair – it hadn’t been behind me before the raiju had reacted to Walburga’s screeching – where the coffee table had come from as well, and where Sirius, Bellatrix and Walburga had gone.

“The raiju reacted badly to our daughter-in-law’s tone,” Melania responded, her tone more measured than it normally was, indicating just how unimpressed she was. “When it lashed out with its power, you kept hold of the beast. While that kept the magic contained, it exposed you to everything the young raiju could produce. My husband summoned the chair for you to rest in until the raiju calmed itself while I attempted to heal the damage. Though once the kitten had calmed itself, its magic seemed to realise the mistake and worked with mine to accelerate your recovery. That, however, didn’t mean it restrained itself with relation to the room at large.”

I looked around and saw the chaos the raiju had unleashed. The gifts were slowly being lifted back onto the table, Kreacher and Renkler working to repair the wrapping as they moved them back into place. Kreacher was glaring as he worked, though it wasn’t, as I first thought, aimed at me, but at the raiju in my arms. I caught sight of a few books sliding back into their slots in the various bookcases in the room and a painting on the wall settlings suggesting it too had been knocked from its position.

“Sorry,” I said, holding the raiju slightly tighter.

“You have nothing to apologise for,” Arcturus countered, earning a nod of agreement from his wife. “Our daughter and grandson are to blame, though I believe Bellatri…” his voice paused as one door to the room swung open and the oldest of the Black daughters sauntered in, her wand twirling in her fingers. “As I was just about to say, I believe Bellatrix was ensuring Sirius remembers that his form of humour isn’t suitable for usage at most times. Particularly while a guest is present.”

Bellatrix laughed at that, her enjoyment of whatever she’d done was easy to catch. “Oh, that I did, My Lord,” She said with a partial curtsey while wearing a wicked, devilish grin. She turned to me to continue. “Even after his mother has finished with him, I believe he will remember my lesson more clearly.” As she finished, she gave her wand another twirl before sliding it into her holster. While I couldn’t see that, given the wand vanished around her hip, it seemed she had her holster in roughly the same place as I had mine.

“On one hand, I do hope you haven’t hurt Sirius too much,” my comment drew an amused snort from the teenager. “On the other, thank you for your help in handling this matter.”

“Don’t think that this means I’m getting soft on you,” she replied, jabbing her now thankfully empty wand hand toward me. “I’m not going to let that… my cousin’s stupidity hurt the little guy.”

“Regardless of why, still thank you,” I added. That made a small smile on her face grow larger. She took a step toward me, and I tensed, wondering what she was planning, but after seeing my reaction she paused. The smile grew larger still before she turned and headed toward her sisters.

“With the unexpected moment of concern now concluded, perhaps we might return to the reveal of the other, genuine, gifts.”

I nodded at Arcturus’ words; understanding his time was limited. I stood slowly, being mindful of the kitten now purring contently in my arm. Before I could move toward the table, the Black children did. Thankfully, they were quiet, but I barely suppressed a groan as Narcissa and Lyra raced to be the first to collect their gift and present it to me. Displaying such irritation when a guest in another house, even one considered a friend of the family and current Lord, was the height of ill behaviour.

As the pair turned, wrapped gifts in hand, I wondered if, as I hoped, things would get better once I was at Hogwarts. Though knowing my luck, it would get worse; perhaps even from the first day. That would distract, to some degree, from my enjoyment of Hogwarts, and since I was sure I could already pass tests in the first three years of school, it might be a struggle to remain interested during those formative years.

… …

… …

I woke to the gentle, familiar sound of the sea lapping against the beach near Dunscaith Castle. While I was far from the beach and inside the Master Bedroom – having moved in after a few years of reluctance – magic ensured I could have any sound I wanted for my alarm. Most mornings it was the sea I used as I found the soft, repeating pattern a soothing way to wake.

Lifting the covers slightly, I saw Xenocrates curled up about halfway down the covers near my hip and purring. As usual, he was leaning against my side, enjoying the warmth from myself and the magic that kept the bed at a constant and comfortable temperature. The charmed nature of the bed might be why I often found him lazing away on or in my bed, much to Kadic’s annoyance at having to fix the duvet after Xeno left for a wander or food.

Thankfully, that, along with generally cleaning up after Xeno as he behaved like a normal cat, was about all Kadic had to do now. For the first week since I’d gotten him, Kadic, Aien, and I had spent hours each day either hunting for Xeno or discovering what new hidey-hole Xeno had discovered. While he was my familiar, he couldn’t enter either the Inner Library or the Master Study, nor able to dislodge various decorations and ornaments from their pedestals. That didn’t mean he didn’t still try, but he’d come to grumpily accept that certain things just weren’t possible for him.

The reason so much of the house was cat-proof was because as I’d been informed, my ancestors had often had felines as familiars. Kadic remembered a time my grandfather’s lynx had knocked over a gift given to his grandfather by the then Great Prussian Republic’s Ambassador to the British Isles. Ever since then, the runes and charms to protect everything in the castle – and at other places on the grounds – were constantly kept active.

What all that didn’t do was stop Xeno from using my bed and various chairs through the castle to nestle down and enjoy the warmth. So far, none of them had been destroyed, but several minor chairs had needed repair after Xeno reacted badly to Kadic’s attempts to remove him from the chair in question. Since then, I’d just said to let Xeno rest where he pleased, so long as it wasn’t a room with too many valuable ornaments. Kadic had accepted that, though he had cautioned that if the raiju had a major reaction, particularly when older, the charms and runes protecting the furniture and decorations in most rooms Xeno could enter would be insufficient to protect them.

Xenocrates had not had any reaction to me trying to shift him, which I put down to the new but strengthening bond I shared with the raiju. He had reacted to the elves, but after a few days, had chosen to start ignoring them, and generally lazing around the castle. I’d yet to let him out beyond the courtyard, but generally, he preferred to stay inside. The forest was off-limits, and Kadic and my grandfather had helped me ensure the wards would guide Xeno away from the trees should he discover a way to slip out of the castle grounds. Eventually, I knew Xeno would want to venture into the forest, but until we were both older, and I knew what lurked in its depths, I wasn’t giving the raiju free reign to explore.

“Morning Xeno,” I said, giving him a gentle scratch between his ears. That had him lifting his head slightly, the eyes opening just enough that the first sparks of his magic appeared. That had me considering the links between raiju, lightning, and their owners.

One of the other gifts given to me by the Blacks – coming from Cygnus and Druella – was a book on raiju. Beyond the more interesting comments on the differences between them and regular felines, it confirmed that there was meant to be a link between the raiju’s ability to harness lightning and the witch or wizard it bonded to finding such magic easier. So far, I’d not tested that, mainly as I’d avoided much training with lightning-styled spells, but I hoped the raiju would improve my affinity toward that particular small branch of magic.

The other really interesting thing the book mentioned was that, once they were around a year old, raiju could begin to alter their size. Initially, they’d only be able to grow to perhaps twice their base size, but after a few years of training, some raiju were capable of growing the size of a large tiger. The idea that before I finished Hogwarts Xenocrates could potentially be taller than me was amusing. As was the face of others when faced with a sabre-tooth-tiger-sized cat with the ability to harness lightning. I would deny it to my death, but when I’d first had that image enter my head, I’d cackled like a deranged madman for so long that Kadic and Aien had come to see what was wrong.

By the time I’d finished remembering all that, Xeno had stretched out and moved up the covers, poking his head out into the morning air. After nuzzling against my chin, he plopped down on a spare pillow and presented his belly to me. With a chuckle, and as I swung my legs out of the bed, I gave him the scratch he wanted, drawing a soft, comforting purr from his gut.

My feet touched down on the rug next to my bed, the charms in it ensuring I didn’t shiver from touching the cold wool it was made of. I scrunched my toes into the wool, smiling as I did so. While it was a now common effect of magic in my home, I always enjoyed the feeling of the warm wool against my feet first thing in the morning.

Standing, I moved over the rug to a chair at a desk near the bed. Over the back of the chair, having been placed there at some point during the early hours but Kadic was one of the dozen morning robes I had. Since the castle was warmed permanently at a comfortable temperature, I didn’t need a robe and had for a few years simply walked out of my room in nothing but my underwear. Kadic had prodded me daily that such behaviour was unbecoming of The MacLeod, and when I’d moved to the Master Bedroom, I’d started wearing the robes to appease him. Kadic hadn’t commented on my actions, but the regular nod he gave when he saw me in them at breakfast meant he approved.

After sliding into a pair of slippers that were under the chair – and matched this morning’s robes – moved toward the door. It swung open before I reached it. “The MacLeod is awake,” Kadic stated, standing there as he always did each morning when I woke. He bowed deeply, which he did no matter how much I insisted he didn’t have to, before continuing. “Does The MacLeod know what for breakfast? Kadic reminds The MacLeod today is the MacLeod’s birthday.”

“Yes, Kadic, I’m aware of that,” I replied with a smile. “And no, I don’t have any preference. It’s entirely up to you, but just not too much,” I added remembering how each year he would make enough breakfast – and lunch – for five adults. To me, it was a waste, but he kept doing it and I didn’t have the heart to make him stop, as he’s spent his life until a few years ago making meals for an entire family.

Now, it had to be said that I ate more now than I did in the non-magical before the merging, but that was, from what I’d read and been told because using magic burnt more energy than most other activities. A witch or wizard’s Magical Potential helped determine how much and how finely one could use magic, but the body still needed its energy to do so. That explained the odd fact from my external knowledge about students at Hogwarts always seemingly eating far more than needed without any issues.

“Kadic remembers The MacLeod’s words. Kadic reminds The MacLeod that today is special day. In many ways.”

“Right, my letter,” I muttered with a chuckle. The smile that followed spread rapidly to engulf my face.

“The MacLeod is correct. A persistent and annoying owl awaits The MacLeod in the kitchen.” Kadic stepped further out of my wand, extending an arm toward me. “Would The MacLeod like to travel there now?”

“No, that’s ok, Kadic,” I replied, making him withdraw his hand. “I’ll take my time and savour the anticipation,” I added. While I wasn’t able to apparate myself, Kadic or Aien could move me around the castle and grounds quickly. Though to say I wanted to enjoy the anticipation was a bit of a lie. I already knew – both as Chief MacLeod and having an Akros Magical Potential – that I was going to Hogwarts. The reason that I didn’t want to apparate was that side-along apparition was never enjoyable. At least for me.

Meow

I stopped a single step outside the bedroom and turned around. While he hadn’t moved from the pillow, Xeno had lifted his head to look at me. “Up to you if you want to come,” I said, “though if you’re not hungry…” I left the statement open, and a second later the raiju leapt from the bed and waltzed toward me. “Okay,” I added as I bent down, letting the young feline leap into my arms.

As I turned and resumed walking, my free hand came over and started scratching Xeno behind the ear. He leaned into the contact and began purring. He remained there as I headed down the large flight of stairs that led to the ground floor, and until I reached the kitchen – there was no need to use the dining room for just myself – he barely even lifted his head.

When the door to the kitchen swung open, his head snapped around, and the sparks of magic he normally generated grew stronger and darker. A hiss slipped from his maw as he laid eyes on a large owl that was perched nonchalantly near the sink.

“Easy Xeno,” I said as I grasped him at the small of the neck. “He’s just visiting and will be gone soon,” I added, trying to convince the raiju that the owl wasn’t a challenger or prey. If he slipped from my grasp, Xeno would chase the owl around the castle – possibly managing to do damage I’d rather avoid – and delay me getting the letter.

Xeno didn’t seem as if he wanted to cooperate, but when a bowl of bacon floated close to us, his attention shifted. As the bowl moved to one side – and away from the owl – Xeno’s scrambling to escape my grasp which eased slightly. That was enough for me to let him leap down just as Kadic placed the bowl on the floor in a small area set aside for the raiju to eat.

Watching the raiju drop his head into the bowl, I wondered how much longer it would be before I’d make Xeno work for his meal. While he was my familiar, Xenocrates was a predator, and just giving him food when he wanted would result in him not developing the skills he should. While I’d never deny him a meal, the ability to move small strips of meat or bowls full of food around while he chased it would help hone his hunting instincts and allow me to practice using my magic in simple spell chains.

The owl lifted its leg when I approached, revealing a small pouch that looked to be made of velvet. My fingers slipped inside the pouch, finding it – as expected – bigger on the inside. Grasping the only object there, I pulled my hand back and drew the letter the owl had carried into the light. The envelope quickly expanded to its original size, which was bigger than the pouch appeared to be, and my smile grew as I read the front of it.

Dòmhnall Fionnlagh MacLeod

Dunscaith Castle

Isle of Skye

Scotland

The owl flapped its wings as I read the address, my smile widening to an almost painful degree. While I’d known I’d be attending Hogwarts for years now, holding the proof in my hand made everything feel real. Kadic opened a window, letting the owl escape the kitchen, and Xeno devoured his breakfast as I watched the bird fly away.

Through the window, beyond the wards covering the castle, I could see snow falling. None fell on the castle or courtyard though as the wards were set to prevent it. While I could allow it to fall everywhere or nowhere within the range of the wards, I generally ensured it was only the castle and courtyard that had controlled weather. Elsewhere in the estate was left exposed to the elements, at least those not covered by greenhouses or other buildings, as that was what, according to Kadic, my father and grandfather had done.

Turning the envelope over, I saw it was sealed with wax, the imprint of Hogwarts used to mark it. I had a formal seal for Clan business, but I’d rarely had to use it over the last few years. While I was Chief MacLeod, much of the correspondence I had to deal with was of a personal nature. When combined with my age preventing me from handling most formal Clan business, the seal barely saw use.

The wax cracked apart as it broke it, and a moment later I had the letter inside in my hands.

HOGWARTS SCHOOL of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY

Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore

(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorcerer,

Supreme Mugwump, International Confederation of Wizards)

Dear Mr MacLeod,

We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted to attend Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment.

Term begins on the 1st of September. We await your owl confirming you wish to attend our institution by no later than the 31st of July.

Yours sincerely,

Minerva McGonagall

Deputy Headmistress

Turning the letter over, I read the back.

UNIFORM

First-year students will require:

1. Three sets of basic enchanted robes (black).

2.One plain pointed hat (black) for day wear.

3. One pair of protective gloves (dragon hide or similar).

4. One plain enchanted cloak (black, with silver fastenings).

Please note that all pupil's clothes should carry name tags.

COURSE BOOKS

All students should have a copy of each of the following:

The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 1)

by Miranda Goshawk

A History of Magic

by Bathilda Bagshot

Magical Theory

by Adalbert Waffling

A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration

by Emeric Switch

One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi

by Phyllida Spore

Magical Drafts and Potions

by Arsenius Jigger

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them

by Newt Scamander

The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection

by Quentin Trimble

Magic: A Look at the Origins of Our World

By Eleanor Clifton

OTHER EQUIPMENT

1 wand

1 cauldron (pewter, standard size 2)

1 set of glass or crystal phials

1 telescope

1 set of brass scales

Students may also bring, if they desire, a pet so long as it is an owl OR a cat OR a toad.

PARENTS ARE REMINDED THAT FIRST YEARS

ARE NOT ALLOWED THEIR OWN BROOMSTICK.

Yours sincerely,

Augusta Pelham

Chief Attendant of Witchcraft Provisions.

Everything there was about what I’d expected, though I could admit that seeing the list of books was the same as canon was a touch out of place. Bar the extra book on the origin of magic – a book I’d already read from cover-to-cover three times – not only were the books for the topics I expected, but they had the same authors. I had expected that, at the very least, they’d use different books here.

Now, I could easily just use the books left over by my dead siblings, but I wouldn’t. As a child of a prominent Clan, and the Chief to boot, using second-hand books – bar, perhaps those belonging to my father, which I’d never seen – would make many question the status of Clan MacLeod. Which meant brand new books. However, I would be adding notes made by my siblings to the margins in appropriate places if those notes were helpful for the subject.

Amusingly, the rules on pets would, in theory, allow me to bring Xeno to school. That had been something I’d been worried about, and I’d half expected a rule regarding magical beasts not being allowed, yet the rules didn’t say they weren’t allowed. Now, they didn’t say they were allowed, but since Xeno was my familiar, it shouldn’t be a major issue.

The statement about one wand at least now made sense. Seeing it in the original letter for Harry Potter had always seemed weird as there’d never been any mention of anyone having more than one wand. Now, in this universe, I knew it was possible to hold at least two, if not more, wands at a time. Technically, my wand as Chief MacLeod wasn’t allowed, nor would I use it at Hogwarts, but by the laws of the land and based on my position, I’d not be leaving that at home. Nor would, I suspected, any older heirs who had their second wand. And brilliantly, there was nothing Dumbledore could do to force me to not bring it as any attempt to take the wand linked to my position would bring the matter to the Wizengamot. something I knew Arcturus wouldn’t hesitate to do.

I placed the letter down on the table as I sat down. The food Kadic had prepared was less than last year, but I knew I’d still struggle to eat it all. Once the meal was over, I’d have to put plans for getting my supplies for school to one side. A little after lunch, my cousins – or at least those not at school – aunts, and uncles would arrive for my proper birthday.

The Blacks would be there, though I didn’t expect anything from them as they’d already given me Xeno and other gifts in a private session about two weeks ago. Still, it would be nice to see them, and I was curious if Sirius was out of the doghouse – so to speak – because of his attempted prank.

… …

… …

Later that day, I was in the main sitting room of Dunscaith Castle. In front of me were various gifts from my cousins and extended family, including, rather unexpectedly, some from the Blacks. I’d not asked Melania or Orion – Arcturus was unable to attend due to House business – about the extra gifts, but at a guess I assumed it had to do with maintaining public appearances.

Like every year, the gifts were wrapped immaculately, the various images on them moving around in patterns imprinted with magic. All that, however, didn’t stop me from ripping the paper apart when I picked a gift from the pile.

The pile this year was larger than the last few, with all the extra gifts coming from people I only partially, or simply didn’t, know. Since this was my eleventh, and I’d soon be attending Hogwarts, I felt those gifts were attempts for the various Lords and Chiefs to worm their way into my good graces.

Every gift that hadn’t been brought by my extended family had been examined carefully by Kadic before being placed at the back of the table holding my presents. When she arrived, Aunt Moire had also examined the pile, wanting to make sure there was no threat to me or my guests.

I’d not opened any of those gifts so far, but given the various shapes of the gifts, I suspected many were books, small trinkets of decent to good value and the like. For now, I was focusing on the gifts from my family.

“Kadic, remind me later to write a note to Cousin Magnus,” I said as I finished removing the last of the paper from the gift I was currently attacking and confirmed it was a broom. It wasn’t the same model as I’d given him for his eleventh which was fine as while he adored flying, I only did it enough to be comfortable with it. My early issues with riding a broom had passed, but I didn’t particularly enjoy it. Yes, the rush of the wind through your hair and over your face was exhilarating, but I simply didn’t have the desire to be good at riding a broom or playing Quidditch, like Magnus and others, I preferred the duel, magic and sword both.

Kadic nodded, confirming he heard my instruction, and when I turned to him – broom in hand – he levitated it away. It would join the pile of other unwrapped gifts on a row of long, narrow tables at the far side of the room. Each gift from my family was given its place of importance, though I wasn’t sure if I’d do that for the gifts from random Lords, Chiefs, and their various family members.

The paper I picked up and placed into a pile, which Xeno was happily playing with. His claws and teeth were ripping the paper apart; the moving images tempting his instincts and I swore he smirked every time he destroyed an image. Since he was enjoying himself and staying out of the way, I’d asked Kadic to ensure Xeno didn’t choke on the paper, though given the moment any section became too small it vanished, I didn’t have to worry.

My eyes turned back to the table with the unwrapped gifts, only for me to stop. “Huh,” I muttered as I saw a small gift had shifted to the front. Unlike every other gift, this one lacked moving wrapping paper, instead – rather concerningly – appearing to be simple muggle wrapping paper.

Turning to Kadic, I pointed at the gift. “Who is this from?”

The elf moved forward, his magic activating as the small package started levitating. His eyes narrowed as the object started turning in mid-air, and I waited for his examination to finish. “Kadic not know. Kadic failed The MacLeod,” he said once his examination was concluded.

“Is it dangerous?”

“Kadic not sense a threat. But Kadic not sure.”

“If I may?” Aunt Moire asked, stepping forward. After nodding she could, she drew her wand. While she didn’t say anything, the tip of her wand glowed several colours in sequence – purple, yellow, green, and then orange – with the gift being engulfed in faint clouds of those colours. “Unless the sender is someone of incredible skill, I feel safe in saying this gift, from whoever sent it, is clean of any dangers.”

I nodded my thanks, and she floated the gift back to the table. Curious about what was inside, and who the sender might be, I slowly moved toward it. Unlike with the other gifts, I didn’t attack the paper to get inside. Instead, I took my time, seeking a gap to slowly unravel the conundrum in front of me.

When Kadic had examined it, I’d looked at my gathered family. While the adults kept their faces calm, it was clear none of them knew who had given the gift. The children with them were far easier to read. Most, if not all, should’ve had training in schooling their emotions and thoughts, but Lyra was the oldest, and only a few months older than me. The rest were still a year or more away from attending school. Those who might have the ability to mask their emotions were not present, having returned to school ten days earlier.

Finding a gap in the wrapping, which was amusingly – or, depending on your opinion, concerningly – being where the sellotape used hadn’t sealed, I eased my finger in. It took longer to unwrap this gift than any before, but eventually, the unremarkable paper gave way to a simple box. It was made of high-quality wood but lacked runes or engravings one might expect of something made in the magical world.

My fingers ran along the seam, brushing against an almost inconceivably small latch. The box clicked and opened, though not enough to reveal what was inside. Easing the top back, I discovered a locket was held within. Like the box, it was remarkably plain, even if it was made of what appeared to be white gold. While the metal was expensive, the lack of engravings or markings made it, like the box and wrapping, stand out from the other gifts.

Turning, I presented the box to Kadic and Moire. The pair understood my intentions and cast various spells and charms on the locket.

“It appears clean, though there is magic on whatever is underneath. It isn’t a threat, merely what appears to be an alert to inform it has been viewed,” Morie said after about a minute of examining the locket and whatever was underneath with magic.

“Kadic agrees with Daughter Moire.”

“Thanks.”

Feeling confident that the locket and whatever else was in the box weren’t trapped in some way, I placed the box back on the table. Carefully, I lifted the locket exposing a small slip of folded paper underneath. Curious about that, and hoping it might reveal the sender, I slid it clear of the locket – which I placed back in the box.

‘A memento of happier times, and a reminder that from every darkness, light can emerge.’

I frowned as I read the words on the note, not understanding the message and that it was unsigned. I turned to Moire and passed it to her. She frowned as she read in while several of the other adults present came closer. Moire pulled her wand again, using magic to try and determine the sender. While she did that, I returned my focus to the locket.

A small clasp holding it shut was easy to find, and it opened with a click. Inside was a simple, moving picture of a girl. At a guess, and based on the robe, she looked to be in her late teens and at Hogwarts. The blue inside of the hood, along with cuffs and silver trim made clear she was from Ravenclaw with the extra decoration marking her out as someone from at least Third Year upwards. I knew that from then the robes changed, which given the enlarged size of Hogwarts in this universe, made sense as it helped mark out students in varying years when height alone wouldn’t suffice. However, I didn’t know enough to be sure of which years she was in.

The robes didn’t reach all the way to the ground as they were meant to in the books, but it was clear she wasn’t wearing muggle clothing underneath as in the movies; instead wearing what appeared to be a slightly – in my opinion – old-fashioned shirt. That meant she was either raised in the magical world or had changed her style during her time at Hogwarts.

The girl had a wide smile as the photo was taken, a brilliant smile failing to detract from the light in her eyes that spoke of intelligence and amusement. The image only lasted a few seconds before repeating, but it was more than enough to show a joyful young lady.

“That’s Kara.” My head pivoted at hearing Uncle Marcas speak. “Hard to be sure when it was taken, but the uniform suggests sixth or seventh year.” Marcas wore a sad smile as he looked at the picture, and placed a hand on my shoulder. “I don’t know who sent this, but she’d be glad you have a memento of her time at Hogwarts to help remember her by.”

I smiled at hearing this and turned back to look at the picture of my mother. She wasn’t the older woman I remembered from my memories, but I could still see my mother in this girl. I could also, as odd as it sounded, see hints of Áine. Since Áine was my mother’s cousin by blood, that made sense, but it was still a weird connection to make.

“The gift is from Albus Dumbledore.” My head snapped back to Moire when she said that. “Heir Black confirms the handwriting is one he’s seen on official documents from Hogwarts and I’m certain the magical hint I can detect in the parchment is from the Headmaster.”

“Why would he send me a gift?” I asked, though already I was formulating reasons as to why.

Moire and Orion shared a look before the Heir to House Black replied. “I believe, after lessons with your aunt and my parents, that you’re more than able to determine why the Headmaster has sent this to you. However, discussions about the gift’s meaning and the logic in sending it can wait for another day. For today, you should treasure the gift and enjoy your birthday.”

“I will, but could you, Aunt Moire and others examine the locket, box, and padding more carefully? While I doubt there’s anything here to be concerned about, I’d rather not take the chance.”

“A sensible precaution,” Moire remarked. I reluctantly placed the locket back in the box, and a moment later it floated out of my hands toward a small, empty table.

“This one’s from me!” That statement came from Áine as she appeared in my face, holding a gift about the size of her head in front of her. I had to lean back as she thrust the gift toward me, but the proud, happy smile she bore meant I’d not be rejecting her request to open her gift next.

Her smile grew as I took the gift and placed it on the table to unwrap. Yet, even as I did, my thoughts struggled to not turn to Dumbledore. I didn’t know his reasoning for sending a gift to me now, on the day I got my letter to Hogwarts, and while it shouldn’t be nefarious, there was animosity between him and my Clan. Well, Dumbledore would think that had ended with the death of my parents, but I knew it hadn’t.

I had been trying to keep an open mind about the motives of the Headmaster, reminding myself regularly that this Dumbledore wasn’t the one from the other timeline. However, with very few people around me willing to trumpet the man’s accomplishments, it was hardly surprising I already had a coloured opinion of him.

That said, I’d reserve judgment until after I was at Hogwarts, possibly even for a few years. Most people around me weren’t in the pro-Dumbledore camp, but few were openly against him, so it was better to wait and see what sort of man the Headmaster of Hogwarts, and the man who vanquished Grindelwald was.

… …

… …