(A/N):
Drop a meme here that you find funny. Or reflects your mood.
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Dartmoor...
The festival grounds of Dartmoor glowed beneath floating lanterns that bobbed like gentle stars,
Painting the night with hues of violet and gold.
Music from enchanted fiddles and ghostly drums echoed across the valleys,
Drawing laughter and cheers from the swelling crowd.
Among the throng, humans, disguised yokai, and monsters walked shoulder to shoulder—
Every illusion amulet flickering softly, cloaking claws, tails, and fangs into harmless smiles and ordinary robes.
From afar, it was simply a vibrant wizarding festival.
Up close, however, sharp eyes could catch a glimmer—
Fangs beneath laughter, glowing eyes under illusion.
Children and adults alike swarmed toward game stalls.
A group of witches and muggles tried their luck at Exploding Snap tournaments,
Their cards bursting in harmless puffs of purple smoke that sent children squealing with delight.
A massive cauldron bubbled at another booth where festival-goers competed in a round of Potion-Brewing Dash—
The goal was to throw in ingredients as fast as possible before the brew overflowed.
A vampire in disguise grinned as his potion erupted in rainbow sparks, earning cheers.
Near the center square,
A spirited group of yokai and Hogwarts students were caught up in a game of Summoning Charm Tug-of-War,
Yeah you heard right Yokai's and monsters who got the early access to the Wizard transformation potion which allows muggles to use magic.
But with research they found out even monsters and muggles could use it.
Which fascinated them, and eagerly brought the potion which is currently available in continental hotel's A-Z Shop.
Now for the game the two party were trying to win the game by as their wands drawn as they attempted to yank enchanted flags toward their side with pure magical pull.
The crowd roared when a cloaked tengu accidentally summoned the entire rope stand crashing toward him.
Goblins from Gringotts had set up a Magical Creature Menagerie Guessing Game,
Where illusion-cloaked beasts roared behind enchanted cages, and participants had to guess what they truly were.
Some wizards laughed nervously when a disguised child pointed at a cage and said,
"That's not a Kneazle—it's a hellhound!"
The goblin only smirked knowingly.
Smrik~
Meanwhile, the air was filled with laughter as pairs raced broomsticks in a Mini-Broom Joust,
Enchanted soft lances bouncing harmlessly as riders tried to knock each other into conjured haystacks.
Mavis clung tightly to Leo's hand, her eyes sparkling as she dragged him from stall to stall, her excitement contagious.
The Black Sisters strolled alongside Eileen and Kejoro, sampling sweets that sparkled like starlight.
Hagoromo Gitsune walked with Delphini through rows of magical masks, pausing every so often when Delphini's eyes darted nervously—
Still searching for parents she longed to see.
At a distance,
Dracula himself—
his illusion flawless—
Shared mulled cider with his daughter Darcy,
Chuckle~
Chuckling at the sight of yokai arm-wrestling disguised as a "Test of Strength" competition.
Nurarihyon's clan mingled easily, their laughter eerily smooth, the illusions on their faces flickering whenever they grew too amused.
Sneaking away sweet's and treats from one shop to another.
Everywhere, cultures collided in joy, bound by games, music, and food stalls.
Wizards cheered alongside monsters; yokai clapped with goblins.
For tonight, at Dartmoor, every mask and amulet was more than an illusion.
Meanwhile,
Leo sat at one of the long wooden tables lined with colorful banners of the festival.
Mavis was practically bouncing in her seat, stuffing his plate with every sweet and savory treat she could get her tiny hands on—
Pumpkin pasties, cauldron cakes, exploding bonbons, chocolate frogs, even a steaming mug of butterbeer.
Leo let out a long sigh,
Sigh~
"____"
Watching the growing mountain of food before him.
He glanced at Mavis,
Who grinned from ear to ear,
Eyes sparkling with excitement as she pushed another pastry toward him.
"You do realize my stomach might not survive this, right?"
Leo said dryly, lifting a brow.
Mavis puffed her cheeks in mock annoyance.
"____"
"Nonsense! You're strong enough to fight monsters, you can definitely handle a few extra pumpkin pasties. Besides—"
She picked up a treacle tart and plopped it onto his plate—
"sharing food is a love language."
Leo chuckled, shaking his head.
Chuckle~
"At this rate, I'll roll back home instead of apparating."
Mavis giggled, clearly proud of herself,
Giggle~
While the bustling crowd around them cheered and laughed at the nearby festival games.
Leo had just resigned himself to facing Mavis's "food assault" when the flap of the tent shifted.
An Auror stepped in, his crimson robes marked with the Ministry crest, eyes scanning the crowd before falling on Leo.
He walked briskly through the lively chatter and came to a halt beside him.
"Professor Morningstar,"
The Auror said respectfully, bowing his head slightly.
He was one of the batch where Leo teached as a DADA Professor.
"Minister Jenkins requests your presence. The opening speech is about to begin."
Leo straightened, brushing a crumb of sugar off his coat.
He turned his gaze to Mavis,
Who was already pouting, cheeks puffed like an indignant squirrel guarding her hoard of sweets.
"____"
"Duty calls,"
Leo said softly, leaning toward her.
Before she could protest, he pressed a quick kiss to her lips.
"I'll see you at the stadium with the others. And don't forget the tickets, alright?"
Mavis's pout deepened, though the tips of her ears flushed pink.
"____"
She clutched the folded parchment tickets in both hands and huffed,
"Hmph, as if I'd forget!"
Leo chuckled, shaking his head as he stepped past the Auror toward the tent's exit.
Chuckle~
The lively sounds of laughter, music, and magical fireworks trailed behind him as he walked into the bustling festival ground,
The weight of responsibility settling over him once again.
Leo followed the Auror across the lantern-lit festival grounds, weaving through laughing witches, disguised yokai, and enchanted stalls until they reached the looming outline of the Quidditch stadium.
The stands were already filling, a low roar of anticipation humming like thunder.
The Auror led him past the security wards and into the wide, canvas-walled backstage tent,
Reserved for performers and officials.
At once, a wave of perfume and shimmering glamour brushed over him.
The air inside shimmered faintly with enchantments,
And the soft sound of enchanted lyres carried through.
Rows of Veela dancers—
Their hair like molten silver and gold—
Were preparing for the opening performance.
Some adjusted flowing gowns that shifted color like phoenix fire, others stretched gracefully, their movements so precise they looked more like choreography than warm-ups.
The faint glow of their charm-magic clung to the air, leaving the Auror beside Leo visibly flustered, his ears turning red.
While he was pinching himself to stay focus.
He cant show such behaviour before his role model.
One of the Veela, catching sight of Leo,
Offered a sly smile as her feathers shimmered briefly in the dim light before vanishing back beneath her glamour.
"____"
She whispered something to her companions,
A ripple of giggles passing through the group.
Giggle~ Giggle~
All of the veela's could feel the undeniable respect towards the man who entered the back stage.
They have used this oppurtunity to come here to meet the very same person before him.
They had heared many thing's about him from the veela's who want's to go to the place whichhe gave to veela's.
Who were taking them to there.
But many were sceptical but before they could again consider about their decision those ministries of the countries they were from took action and forbid their travel outside their ministries jurisdiction.
They were not only here for the performance but to meet this very man to asks for his help with the situation of veela's currently in around the world.
Leo exhaled through his nose, muttering under his breath,
"Of course Jenkins would put them here…"
He adjusted his coat collar, keeping his eyes forward while the Auror smirked knowingly and pulled back another flap of the tent.
Smirk~
"Minister Jenkins is just beyond,"
The Auror said.
Inside, the murmur of Veela song lingered, enchanting and dangerous all at once,
As Leo stepped deeper toward the staging area where the Minister waited.
Beyond the glamour-filled side of the tent,
Leo found the quieter inner chamber where Minister Jenkins stood, parchment in hand.
Several aides hovered nearby, shuffling scrolls and whispering about timing,
But Jenkins herself radiated a calm focus.
Her deep emerald robes were lined with silver thread, formal yet commanding, and the glint of the Ministry crest shone proudly on her brooch.
She was practicing the cadence of her words, her voice rising and falling with deliberate power.
"…for the first time in our history, the wizarding world gathers under one banner to welcome the very First Wizarding New Year together—not as nations divided, but as one community united by magic…"
She paused, made a small correction with her quill, then continued with a sterner tone.
"…and with this unity must come vigilance, for threats do not vanish simply because we wish them gone. Tonight we celebrate—but tomorrow, we work."
Her eyes lifted from the parchment then,
Catching sight of Leo as he entered.
"____"
A faint smile tugged at her lips—
One that vanished quickly, replaced by her ministerial composure.
She waved off the aides,
who gave hasty bows before slipping away, leaving only the two of them.
"Leo,"
She said, lowering her voice.
"Good. You're here. The festival has softened their spirits, but the announcement I'm about to make… it will harden them again."
She folded the parchment, her expression darkening.
"We can't afford illusions tonight—not when eyes from every corner of our world, and beyond, are watching."
The murmurs of the Veela performers seeped faintly through the canvas walls,
A surreal counterpoint to the gravity in her voice.
Half an hour later..,
Outside the roaring stadium, the winter air buzzed with energy.
Banners bearing shifting house crests fluttered above the throngs of witches and wizards, their laughter and anticipation rolling like a wave.
Amidst the crowd,
Lily Evans and Putinia led their parents toward the gates, tickets clutched carefully in hand.
Putinia's father marveled at the size of the enchanted structure while her mother fussed with her cloak.
Putinia, cheeks faintly pink, confessed in a low voice that the tickets had been a gift from Severus,
Hoping to coax her.
Her parents exchanged curious glances,
Though her father's protective frown lingered longer than necessary.
Lily, on the other hand, held her set of four tickets proudly.
"Leo gave them,"
She explained as they approached the guards.
"One for each of us."
But in her pocket were four extra tickets—
And Lily had been quick to turn the opportunity into a small auction outside the entrance.
Nobles desperate for prestige had nearly clawed over each other,
Paying an outrageous heap of galleons for the privilege of entry.
"Smart girl,"
Mr. Evans said with a proud grin, pocketing the pouch of glittering coins she had passed to him.
When the usher finally drew back the velvet curtain to the VIP box,
The families stopped short.
The interior shimmered with luxury—
A private tent lined with enchanted silk drapes, gilded lanterns glowing softly,
And plush seats charmed for perfect warmth and visibility.
Even the refreshments table gleamed with polished silver, stacked with delicacies from across magical Europe.
Putinia's parents gasped in awe.
"This… this is another world,"
her mother whispered.
But Lily's eyes widened for a different reason.
"Delphi!"
She cried, spotting her best friend already seated comfortably in one of the velvet chairs.
Delphini, beaming, stood to wave.
She too held a ticket—
One granted directly by Leo.
He had insisted her family be seated in the VIP section,
Protected among the Ministry's wards and under the eyes of trusted Aurors.
After all, a prime target family could not be allowed to sit exposed among the masses where danger lurked in shadows.
Delphini skipped over to hug Lily, whispering with excitement about the fireworks, the music, and the grand speech yet to come.
For Lily, the surprise reunion made the gilded surroundings all the brighter.
As the Evanses and Delphini family settled into their seats, the box shimmered with safety charms.
Outside, the stadium's thunderous crowd roared as the opening show began, unaware of the deeper currents moving beneath this festival of light.
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(Author's POV)
(A/N)I hope you guys are enjoying the story.
Thanks for reading the chapter!
Please give a review
And power stone!!!
It will Motivate Me.