A little over a month had passed since Hogwarts closed its doors for the summer holidays, and Gaunt Manor remained quiet, immersed in the slow pace that Aurelian had imposed on it. In the spacious halls, his shadow was the only one that roamed the corridors. The gardens bloomed with each passing day, and amid all that silence, Aurelian devoted his mornings to a constant task: reading... and answering letters.
On his desk lay a stack of carefully aligned envelopes, each marked with the same red wax seal: two intertwined roses. It was the symbol of the Carrow sisters, something they had adopted to differentiate their correspondence from the rest. Aurelian recognized them effortlessly, although it wasn't as if he received any other kind of letter.
He had read each of those letters more than once.
The first ones were sweet, affectionate... but as the days passed, their tone had changed. Flora's words became increasingly intense, full of phrases about how unbearable the distance was, while Hestia's, in more polished prose, let slip disturbing phrases between the lines:
"Have you met other girls? I hope not..."
"We think about you all the time. We dream about you. We wait for you. Always."
Some letters had ink stains. Others arrived with dried flowers... and one even contained, without explanation, a lock of hair tied with a ribbon.
Aurelian knew obsession when he saw it, and although he would never admit it out loud, part of him enjoyed the intensity with which they looked at him, thought about him... demanded him.
He picked up his pen and began to write calmly:
"Dear Hestia and Flora:
Your letters have arrived on time, as always. I am glad to know that you are well, although I also notice how much you miss me.
Everything there is going as usual. I practice spells each day and continue to grow in many ways. The mansion becomes more personal with each day I spend there.
I appreciate the attention you give me. I know that for you this goes beyond ordinary friendship... and I don't mind. I can't promise you what direction all this will take, but I can promise that I will never forget you.
We will see each other soon.
Aurelian Gaunt"
It wasn't a cold letter, but he didn't write more than necessary either. He let the ink dry while he gazed at the horizon from his study window. Light streamed in through the large windows.
"Responding to the young ladies again, Master Aurelian?" asked Stinky as he entered with a tray.
"I don't want them to feel ignored," he replied without looking at him. "Although, frankly, they are... intense."
"Those girls adore you, sir. They talk as if you were the sun and the moon," said the elf with a slight shiver in his voice. "Have you seen the letter that came with a small enchanted dagger?"
Aurelian nodded.
"They said it was to protect me... or protect themselves from anyone who wants to separate us."
Stinky muttered something under his breath that sounded like "crazy witches," but he didn't press the issue.
Aurelian sealed the letter with his ring and handed it to the elf.
"Send it today. Make sure it arrives before nightfall."
"As you command," replied the elf with a bow.
When he was alone, Aurelian rested a hand on the desk and closed his eyes.
"What kind of bond are we creating...?"
It wasn't love. Not in the traditional sense. It was a form of enveloping devotion, suffocating even with all its sweetness. But the strangest thing was that he didn't feel the need to pull away. Only... to control it.
And at least for now, he could do that.
Aurelian was in the private library of Gaunt Manor, surrounded by the faint crackling of enchanted candles and the occasional fluttering of curtains in a breeze coming from the windows. On the desk lay sheets of parchment, each already begun with firm, elegant handwriting. He was writing letters to his friends Cedric and the Weasley twins.
The first one was already finished and folded. It was addressed to Cedric Diggory.
"Hi Cedric,
I hope you're enjoying the holidays with your family. Everything is going well here. I'm keeping busy with my studies and training... nothing out of the ordinary. I guess, like you, I'm already feeling a little anxious about going back to Hogwarts.
I hope we can meet up soon, maybe on the train back. Take care.
Aurelian"
The letter to the twins was more informal, more relaxed, but just as he was writing the last paragraph... something popped into his mind. An image. A memory.
Peter Pettigrew, or rather, Wormtail.
Aurelian narrowed his eyes, remaining motionless for a few seconds as he held the pen. He remembered clearly: Pettigrew had survived Sirius Black's attack and had hidden as an Animagus at the Weasleys' house... in the form of a rat. Could it be possible that the same story would repeat itself in this world?
If he was at the Weasleys' house... it was an opportunity. He knew that the timeline was not identical to that in the books, but he couldn't ignore the possibility.
Precisely and without changing the cheerful tone of the letter, he wrote the last lines:
"Greetings, Fred and George!
I hope you're enjoying an explosive vacation. I'm keeping busy here, although I miss the joyful chaos you two cause together.
By the way, I was thinking... would it be possible to visit you one of these days? I'd love to see your home. Besides, I'm curious to see if such mischief runs in the family.
Let me know if it's possible. I can get there on my own.
Aurelian"
A smile spread across his face as he rolled up both letters and tied them neatly. It wasn't an urgent request, it wouldn't arouse suspicion... but it would be enough to open a door.
Stinky entered at that moment.
"Ready to send, master?"
Aurelian nodded and handed him both scrolls.
"One for Cedric. The other for the Weasley twins, at The Burrow. Make sure they arrive without fail."
Aurelian let out a short laugh and sat back down, watching Stinky disappear. He closed his eyes for a few seconds.
If Pettigrew is there... I'll know soon enough.
Aurelian walked toward the edge of a green hill covered with wildflowers, following the magical coordinates the twins had sent him. Before him stood a chaotic and charming structure: The Burrow.
The house seemed to grow on itself in impossible layers, held up by pure magic and stubborn optimism. Crooked chimneys, slanted windows, flower pots hanging from places where no one in their right mind would put anything... and yet, everything seemed to have its place. It was exactly as he remembered it from his past life, yet warmer and more alive than he ever imagined.
Not a minute passed before the door creaked and swung open.
"Aurelian!" two voices said in unison.
Fred and George appeared, both with huge smiles and half-buttoned robes. One of them had an ink stain on his cheek, the other a piece of parchment stuck to his elbow.
"Come in, come in! Mom's a little nervous about receiving such a distinguished visitor," Fred joked.
"But don't worry, we told her you weren't like the Blacks. Not even like Percy," added George with a laugh.
Aurelian entered calmly, observing every detail with attentive eyes. The house smelled of freshly baked bread, magical mint, and chimney dust. It was a real place, full of life.
"Stay still," whispered one of the twins, "and get ready."
"For what?" asked Aurelian just before he heard:
"Where's the guest?!" boomed a voice from the kitchen.
Molly Weasley appeared with her apron covered in flour and an anxious smile. Beside his was Arthur, with a wrench floating next to him like a faithful dog. Behind them peered curious Ron, little Ginny, and a young man with square glasses, Percy.
"Oh, it's you! But how well dressed you are! So polite, I'm sure!" said Molly before gently shaking his shoulder, as if he were her own son.
Arthur extended a firm hand.
"Arthur Weasley. Welcome, boy. The twins have told us about you, which I think is a good sign."
"Aurelian Gaunt," replied the young man with a slight bow and a polite smile. "It's an honor to meet you. Thank you for welcoming me into your home."
Arthur's eyes widened slightly at the mention of Gaunt, but he hid it well.
"Well, well... it's not every day we have a Gaunt at the Burrow," he muttered.
"And even less so one who isn't growling or casting curses!" added George with a laugh.
Molly clapped her hands.
"Great! Well, sit down, I've prepared a lunch fit for a champion. Ron, Ginny, come closer, don't be shy."
Aurelian was led to the wooden dining room, where the seats creaked but were comfortable. As they talked about Hogwarts, the teachers, and the twins' mischief, Aurelian noticed something moving near the floor. A fat, grayish rat with a somewhat strange eye slipped between the legs of a chair.
There you are... he thought with a serene smile, watching as the creature hid under the cupboard.
He made no gesture that betrayed his attention. He just enjoyed the food, the stories, and the warmth of home.
Aurelian finished a second slice of molasses cake with a satisfied smile. Molly Weasley, looking proud, poured him some more pumpkin juice and gently ruffled his hair, as if he were already part of the family.
The afternoon wore on as the sun bathed the crooked windows of the Burrow in golden light. The twins literally dragged him up to the third floor, where they shared a room, and began showing him magical inventions still in the testing phase.
"This powder turns eyebrows into thorns for ten minutes," said Fred, waving a small green bottle. "We're still working on the part where they stop itching..."
"And this one," added George, "makes quills write backwards. We tried it on Percy. He didn't notice until the end of his essay on Ethics and Responsibility in the Wand Registration Office."
Aurelian chuckled softly. He was always amazed by the twins' creativity.
"They're dangerously brilliant," he commented in a neutral tone. "With the right guidance, they could be true alchemists of chaos."
Fred bowed dramatically.
"At your service, Captain Gaunt."
George joined him with a theatrical salute.
"Always ready for the next disaster."
Later, they went down to the garden where Ron was throwing stones at an enchanted barrel that spun around and around. Ginny, more shy, drew things on the ground with a stick. Aurelian joined them briefly, levitating Ron's stones so they would aim better.
"Do you always make magic look so... easy?" Ron asked, frowning.
Aurelian just shrugged.
"It's practice... and a lot of patience."
Ginny looked at him curiously, her eyes narrowed.
"You... are different, not weird, just different."
"I hear that a lot," Aurelian replied with a small smile. "Although I still can't decide if it's a compliment or a warning."
As the sun set and the sky turned from lavender to deep blue, the family gathered for dinner. Floating candles lit the table as conversation flowed amid laughter and anecdotes. Aurelian participated with his usual calm, but his attentive gaze did not miss a single gesture. In particular, the thin trail left by the fat rat as it disappeared through a hole under the stairs.
Arthur Weasley told him about his work at the Department of Misuse of Muggle Artifacts, and Aurelian responded with questions about plugs, electricity, and radios. Molly commented that he was "the most polite child she had met since Bill" as she served him another slice of cake.
That night, Aurelian slept in one of the spare rooms, with clean sheets and a pillow that fit his neck. Before going to bed, he took out his small leather diary and wrote:
"The Weasleys... are real. Warm, messy, and a bit noisy. But real. Fred and George could be valuable allies in the future. Arthur is a wiser man than he appears. Molly... maternal, can be a bit intrusive. There's a bond here. I recognize it. That makes them fascinating."
He closed the diary and turned off the light with a wave of his hand.