The Charms class had ended amid laughter, floating sparks, and books closing at the same time. The classroom still smelled of fresh ink and parchment slightly singed by the failed spells of some overly enthusiastic Ravenclaws.
"Leviosa!" had shouted a certain Orson, raising a quill that then shot like a dagger toward the ceiling. Professor Flitwick, with his boundless energy, had praised him for his enthusiasm... and then repaired the damage with a wave of his wand.
Now, outside the classroom, Aurelian walked with Hestia and Flora through the cobbled corridors leading to the courtyards, the afternoon sun streaming through the stained-glass windows and bathing everything in a soft amber light.
Flora spoke in a low, amused voice, recalling how one of the Ravenclaws had almost fallen off his chair when he saw Hestia cast her spell with precision.
"His hand was shaking," she said with a smile.
"It almost looked like they were afraid of you," Aurelian added mockingly.
"I don't care if they're afraid," Hestia replied, shrugging her shoulders. "That way they won't come near me."
Aurelian let out a brief, sincere laugh.
That little sound was enough to make both twins stop instantly. They looked at him as if they had just discovered buried treasure.
"You laughed," whispered Flora, almost as if it were something unprecedented.
"You do it so rarely... that every time it happens, it's a miracle," said Hestia, gently taking his arm.
He didn't pull away. On the contrary, he returned the gesture.
"Now I have reasons to smile," he replied, looking at them sideways.
His eyes didn't say much, as usual, but the Carrows knew how to read him.
They walked a little further, until they reached the edge of one of the enclosed courtyards. The place was almost empty. Only a couple of students studying on a bench and a house elf sweeping leaves.
Flora sat closer to Aurelian, holding his hand as if it were the most natural thing in the world. Hestia settled down on the other side, resting her head on his shoulder. Aurelian had never allowed anyone else to get so close. But with them it was different.
"Did the spell cost you anything?" asked Flora.
"It didn't cost me anything," he replied, "but the most interesting thing is the rhythm of the movement. It's like music, music that is hidden within each spell."
"You find music where others only see commands," whispered Hestia. "That's why the world obeys you."
Aurelian said nothing. He just looked down at his fingers intertwined with Flora's, then at Hestia's face so close to his. In the past, he would have pulled away, tried to push them away. Now... he simply accepted them.
"Are you tired?" he asked in a softer voice than usual.
The twins blinked, surprised.
"No," Flora replied.
"But if we were, we'd endure it," said Hestia. "For you."
Aurelian shook his head, smiling.
"You don't have to hide anything when you talk to me."
Silence fell for a moment. Warm, peaceful. Strange for them.
"We always try to take care of you," said Flora, still looking at her hands. "But we also know that you take care of us."
"Yes," added Hestia with a sigh. "That makes us very happy."
Aurelian looked at them. He didn't need to make any promises out loud.
"I'll always be with you," he said simply.
The Carrows did not respond with words. They didn't need to. They moved a little closer, clinging to that moment as if it were eternal.
In the Hogwarts library, there was only silence, a few soft footsteps, and the faint rustling of quills on parchment. The light streaming in from the windows cast a soft golden glow on the tables, creating areas of shadow where the books seemed to sleep with one eye open.
Sitting in a quiet corner of the library, surrounded by ancient volumes on magical artifacts and ancient architecture, he turned the pages with meticulous calm, though his thoughts raced beneath the surface.
On his table were two open books:
"Lost Relics of the Four Houses" and a dusty tome with an almost illegible spine titled "Transfiguration and Enchanted Spaces."
They were not there by chance. Rowena Ravenclaw's diadem. One of the oldest and most powerful pieces ever created by one of the founders. Now, one of the Horcruxes poisoned by his father's dark magic.
Aurelian brought a hand to his forehead, closing his eyes for a moment.
"I should have looked for it sooner..."
I knew it. The Room of Requirement. The place where forgotten objects, unwanted secrets, and buried memories were hidden. A place that only revealed itself to those who needed it with sufficient intent.
He had begun to understand that Voldemort did not choose his hiding places at random. Each object used for a Horcrux spoke of a part of his father's history. The ring in the Gaunt house. The locket. The diary. The cup and the tiara...
What was he trying to prove by hiding Rowena's legacy within the castle?
A soft rustling of pages made Aurelian look up. It wasn't someone. It was just the wind, perhaps some automatic spell turning the pages of the books. But even that served as a warning.
He refocused on the text on the third page of a chapter on "self-regulating magical spaces."
"Rooms with some partial magical consciousness require an authentic connection to manifest. Intention, combined with the magician's internal state, directly influences the form and function of the revealed space."
Perhaps that was why he had not succeeded before.
He slowly closed the book.
"Tonight," he whispered, "I will seek it."
He turned off the magic lamp with a wave of his hand, gathered the books, and rose calmly.
The game had begun again.
The clock on the tower struck one in the morning when Aurelian crossed the fourth floor wrapped in a cloak of invisibility, one of his most recent acquisitions. His footsteps were inaudible, and his silhouette blended into the darkness of the walls.
He knew the way well.
He had memorized the patterns from the portraits that watched for any changes at night, Peeves' movements, and Mrs. Norris' invisible slips. Nothing would stop him that night.
When he reached the seventh-floor hallway, in front of the tapestry of Barnabas the Mad dancing with the trolls, he stopped. He knew what he had to do.
He closed his eyes and began to walk in front of the wall, three times.
"I need a room to find lost objects. I need a room to find lost objects."
The wall vibrated and then it appeared.
A door that had not been there before. Old-looking, made of black wood, with rusty hardware and a lock that did not require a key.
Aurelian pushed it open without hesitation.
Inside, the Room of Requirement opened up like an ocean of lost objects. Mountains of broken furniture, tilted bookshelves, books eaten away by time. Relics of former students. Failed experiments and secrets hidden for generations.
And there, between two towers of stacked chairs and a dusty bust of a centaur, she saw it.
The diadem.
Hidden beneath an old marble statue. The artifact radiated power; it was elegant. It was beautiful. A jewel worthy of the founder of Ravenclaw, corrupted by dark magic.
"Intelligence above all else," he thought.
Aurelian approached, wand in hand. He felt the air around him thicken. The Horcrux was reacting. It recognized him. It was watching him. Just as the ring had done.
He reached out and took it gently. A chill ran down his arm. The magic of the tiara accepted him.
He stored the tiara in an enchanted cloth bag.
"Stinky," he whispered.
With a muffled snap, the elf appeared. He wore his usual tattered rag and had eyes that shone like burning coals in the darkness.
"Should I call Master Aurelian?"
Aurelian nodded.
"I need the box. The one where the ring is kept."
Stinky snapped his fingers, forming a magical scream in the air. From it emerged a black box, smooth, sealed with protective runes, reinforced with concealment and magical repulsion spells. No one but Aurelian could open it.
Gently, Aurelian placed the diadem next to the ring inside a special compartment in the box. Now the two Horcruxes lay side by side. Two fragments of the twisted soul. Two parts of the monster that was Tom Riddle.
He closed the box. The runes glowed briefly and then disappeared.
"Should I hide it again, Master Aurelian?"
"Yes, thank you, Stinky," he replied.
Stinky nodded, and with another snap, he disappeared along with the box, as if he had never been there.
Aurelian looked around the room for a few more seconds. The air was still tense.
He had taken another step toward his goal of obtaining the Horcruxes. But it didn't feel like a victory. More like a pause in the middle of a war.
He left the room, the door disappearing behind him.
The aroma of freshly baked bread, crispy bacon, and jugs of pumpkin juice wafted through the air as the Great Hall slowly filled up. The golden morning light streamed in through the tall windows, illuminating the long tables.
Aurelian ate his breakfast calmly, reading an open book next to his plate. To his right, Flora poured him more tea without him having to ask. To his left, Hestia offered him precisely cut pieces of fruit.
"You look more rested today," Hestia said with a slight smile.
"You slept better," Flora added with a gentle look.
Aurelian nodded. He had no intention of sharing the details of the previous night.
In front of them, some Slytherin students were talking animatedly. Further away, the Gryffindors were already discussing food and new broomsticks. Rumors were beginning to stir in the air.
The sound of a fork hitting a glass caught everyone's attention.
Dumbledore had stood up.
"Good morning, everyone," he said in that warm voice that carried even in the hubbub. "I hope your time at Hogwarts is as pleasant as mine has been, and if it hasn't been... at least I hope breakfast makes up for it!"
A few laughs rippled across the tables.
"As is tradition," he continued, "I am pleased to announce that the Quidditch season is about to begin."
The murmurs turned into cheers at the Gryffindor and Hufflepuff tables. Even some Ravenclaws applauded, while the Slytherins exchanged competitive glances.
"Tryouts for each house team will begin this week," Dumbledore added. "I trust that all matches will be played with honor, effort, and not a hint of foul play."
More laughter erupted throughout the Great Hall.
"Good luck to all, and may the winds be in your favor!"
Dumbledore raised his glass and sat down, satisfied. Aurelian noticed the brief exchange of glances between the headmaster and him. A silent message.
Flora leaned toward him.
"Are you going to try out for the team this year?"
"No," Aurelian replied, drinking his tea without looking up from his book.
"What a pity," whispered Hestia with a possessive smile. "It would have been fun to see you fly."
Aurelian was about to reply, but at that moment a shadow streaked through the air and a muscular brown owl descended with military precision, landing in front of him with a letter firmly tied to its leg.
Most people didn't notice. For many, it was just another owl in the morning mail routine. But Aurelian, as soon as he recognized the wax seal with the Gringotts emblem, put his tea aside and picked up the envelope with interest.
The sender was Kravix.
He slid his finger along the edge of the seal and unfolded the contents.
"Young Gaunt,
I am pleased to inform you that the first batches of the NOXUM broom are now complete and have successfully passed all performance, magical stability, and extreme control tests.
The contracts with the professional Quidditch teams you selected, including Appleby Arrows, Puddlemere United, and the Bulgarian team Vratsa Vultures, were formalized this morning in the presence of goblin notaries.
It has been agreed that during this season, players will use the Noxum as their official broom in select matches, gaining visibility and public analysis.
A limited edition has also been reserved for luxury magical auctions. Initial estimated profits exceed initial projections.
Sincerely, Kravix-Account Manager Gaunt, GauntCorp & Associates"
Aurelian read carefully, a faint smile playing on his lips.
Everything was going according to plan.
He tucked the letter into his robe and lifted his teacup.
"So?" Flora insisted, raising an eyebrow.
"No. I won't be playing on the team," Aurelian finally confirmed, looking up at the ceiling with feigned indifference. "But I have a feeling that some of them will be flying better thanks to me."
The twins looked at him, not quite understanding, but knowing that something big was brewing.
"Of course they will," Hestia murmured with a proud smile.
"The world will revolve around you sooner or later," Flora added.
Aurelian smiled at them. He took another sip of his tea while, far away from the Great Hall, the first Noxum models were being prepared to change the course of professional Quidditch.