Sirius Black's reputation terrified many of the younger girls, but Blake remained calm—like an old, loyal dog. He knew the truth. Sirius had been wronged. And even if the Ministry's portrayal of him was accurate, Blake wasn't afraid.
"Don't worry. It's safe here," Blake said. "Strictly speaking, as long as I don't bring Harry over, we'll be fine."
Hermione's brow furrowed. "But doesn't that mean Harry is in danger?"
"If Sirius really escaped, it wouldn't take him long to figure out who defeated his master," Blake replied, waving a hand. "But don't worry. If we can figure that out, so can Dumbledore. If I'm right, the Ministry's already sent someone to find Harry."
Hermione nodded. Blake made sense. If children had to worry about such things, then what use was the Ministry?
Cassandra set down her coffee cup with a trace of worry. "What if my father comes looking for me? I left home before any of this happened…"
"Do you want to go back?" Blake asked gently.
"I... I don't want to. It's so much fun here," Cassandra admitted with a shake of her head. There were magical creatures on Nameless Island she had never even heard of—like the Zuowu. Her thirst for adventure was thriving.
Who said Slytherins lacked passion?
Besides, she didn't want to return to that cold, empty manor when there were so many friends around. Seeing her reluctance, Blake smiled.
"Then no one can force you. And as for your father…" He tapped his chin. "I may have forgotten to tell him where this place is."
Cassandra beamed, grabbing Blake's sleeve. "You're so thoughtful!"
Hermione stared at Cassandra's hand on Blake's arm, lips pursed. Why is she even here? she thought. It's my fault. She wasn't supposed to come.
Regret crept into her chest. And why wasn't Blake keeping his distance?
I was here first…
Privet Drive
Harry stormed out of Number 4 with his suitcase, slamming the door behind him. High above, Aunt Marge floated like an angry balloon. He had used an Inflation Charm after she insulted his parents—again.
He knew he might get expelled, but he couldn't stay in that house any longer.
He missed Hogwarts. His friends. The warm meals. Even... Snape?
No—what's wrong with me!?
But his anger gave way to panic. Where could he go? He'd used magic on a Muggle. That was a serious offense. Azkaban, he thought, shuddering.
Sitting at the curb, overwhelmed and aimless, Harry suddenly felt something—eyes watching him in the dark.
He gripped his wand.
If I've already broken the rules, might as well go all the way.
His instincts were right. A massive black dog emerged from the shadows. It was dirty, wild-eyed, and intimidating—its sharp teeth bared and blood-red eyes locked on Harry.
No hesitation.
"Expelliarmus!" Harry shouted—Blake's enhanced version of the spell shot forward in a brilliant red flash.
The dog's eyes widened. In a blur, it dodged—almost—but the spell clipped its hind leg. It yelped and disappeared into the darkness.
Harry didn't lower his wand. Blake's rule echoed in his head: Never assume it's over. That's how wizards die.
Just as Harry considered investigating the nearby bushes, the screech of tires cut through the silence. A large, purple triple-decker bus skidded to a halt in front of him.
A young man in a purple uniform hopped out. "Wave your wand, and we'll take you anywhere! Knight Bus at your service!"
"I'm Stan Shunpike, conductor of the Knight Bus," the man beamed.
Harry stared at his hand, then slowly took it. "My name is… Neville. Neville Longbottom."
Elsewhere… beneath a cold stone bridge
The injured black dog limped into the shadows, its form shifting under the moonlight.
It was Sirius Black.
Grimacing, he sat and clutched his leg. From the darkness came a hoarse, wistful murmur.
"Looks just like James… but the eyes… Lily's eyes…"
A chuckle escaped him.
"That spell… powerful! Like father, like son."
Meanwhile, chaos stirred across the wizarding world. With Sirius missing, fear grew. But on Nameless Island, Blake and his friends remained untouched.
The only inconvenience was a delayed zoo opening—few were in the mood for magical creatures during a manhunt.
Newt Scamander stayed calm. He had faith in Dumbledore.
Blake, on the other hand, knew Sirius was innocent.
The two men spent their days caring for magical animals. Xiong Da followed them everywhere. To help the bear avoid alarming visitors, they had crafted a special alchemy cloak. When worn, the cloak shrouded his face in shadow—like a moving mosaic.
Best of all, it changed shape with his body and didn't interfere with eating. Far more convenient than a mask.
Hermione's Muggle parents, unaware of the Sirius situation, didn't visit. Cassandra's father sent letters urging her to return, but they lacked bite—likely thanks to Mrs. Worley's influence. So Cassandra stayed.
They explored the island, encountering creatures both fierce and gentle. Everyone was content.
Well—almost everyone.
Hermione and Cassandra both wished the other wasn't around. Luna, on the other hand, was in heaven. She helped Newt's team care for the animals and even forgot about The Quibbler.
Nagini dove into cooking, experimenting with Tina on new recipes daily. She was becoming a second Hannah Abbott in the kitchen.
In short, the holiday had been perfect—
Until Snape showed up.
One night in July…
They were roasting meat by the fire, laughing and sipping honeyed milk tea. Then—snap!—Snape dragged Blake aside.
"Where did you get this address?" Blake frowned.
Snape scowled. "Dumbledore told me."
"Did he send you to find me?"
"No."
"Then he'd have sent Fawkes with a letter. So... why are you here?"
Snape's expression twisted into a deeper frown. "You forgot, didn't you?"
"Forgot what?"
Snape grabbed Blake by the collar. "You promised! And you took half my hair—half! And now you've forgotten?"
Blake blinked, then realization dawned. "Oh, you mean that."
"You even forgot the promise!" Snape snarled.
"Of course not!" Blake peeled Snape's hand off his collar. "This is critical. I've just been waiting... for something."
Snape crossed his arms. "What?"
Blake's voice lowered. "Creating a person using biotechnology is... harder than expected."
Snape's eyes narrowed. "What material are you missing?"
"Soul ashes."
"What?"
"Exactly what it sounds like," Blake said. "Ashes left behind after a soul burns. Rare stuff."
"But souls don't have ashes."
"Precisely. That's why it's so valuable. After experimenting, I found human souls differ from magical beasts. To create a soul, you need a catalyst."
Blake continued, "It's like a trade—an old soul burns, a new one emerges. A deal with Death. Souls don't just appear from nowhere."
Snape's breath caught. "You're not planning to make an empty shell, are you?"
"I'm not. That's why I need the ashes."
Snape paused. "Then… how do I get them?"
"Only a few flames can burn a soul. Fiendfyre. Gubraithian blue fire. If someone dies in those flames, their soul might not escape. That's when ashes can form."
Snape stared. "How do you know this?"
Blake hesitated. "Let's just say… research."
Snape didn't press. "Fine. Tell me how to collect it. I'll find some."
"Don't go killing anyone!" Blake warned. "I've already got people collecting."
"Where?"
"There's always conflict among dark wizards. Someone's always dying from cursed flames."
Snape's eyes narrowed. "How long will it take?"
"It's random," Blake admitted. "This isn't something you can force."
Snape wasn't convinced. "If you won't kill, I will. Just tell me what to look for."
Blake studied him. "Can I trust you, Severus?"
Snape met his eyes. "At least… on this, you can."
Blake said: "Actually, I don't plan to wait like this forever..."
He took out a bottle of newly purchased mead and handed it over.
"I have an idea, and I plan to implement it in a few days... Are you interested?"
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