The sky was clear, and a gentle breeze swept across the grounds of the mansion as Aurelian stood at the main entrance, his hands clasped behind his back, waiting for Hestia and Flora to arrive. He had instructed Stinky to prepare everything for their arrival.
A faint flash accompanied by a pop lit up the air in front of the door, and seconds later, Hestia and Flora appeared next to Stinky, each with a suitcase by their side.
"Welcome," Aurelian greeted them calmly, though he couldn't completely hide the sparkle in his eyes.
The twins didn't bother to respond. They dropped their suitcases on the floor and ran toward him, hugging him tightly.
"We missed you..." whispered Hestia.
"Much more than you know," added Flora.
Aurelian, who was not accustomed to physical displays of affection, allowed the moment to linger. His hands rested gently on their shoulders, without pulling away.
"The important thing is that you're here now," he said finally, "and I think you'll stay long enough not to complain."
Stinky, watching the scene with a small, ill-concealed smile, picked up the suitcases and carried them to the rooms he had prepared. Meanwhile, Aurelian led the twins inside the mansion.
The hallway, lit by lamps, seemed warmer than usual. The black marble floor reflected the light filtering through the windows, and a faint scent of flowers floated through the air.
"Stinky made your favorite dessert for dinner," Aurelian said, turning toward them as they walked into the living room. "Well, welcome back to my home."
Hestia smiled mischievously, while Flora simply looked at him affectionately and possessively.
Aurelian waited for them to settle on the sofa in front of the fireplace before speaking. The fire cast a warm glow on their faces, and the crackling of the flames filled the silence of the room.
"Before you settle in completely," he said calmly, pulling two identical boxes from under the coffee table, "I brought you something from my trip to France."
The twins looked at him immediately, trying to maintain their composure, but curiosity shone brighter in their eyes. Aurelian handed each of them a box.
Inside lay a cloak made of dark, elegant fabric, so soft that it seemed to absorb the light that touched it. The inner lining was delicately embroidered with runes and stitched with silver thread, barely visible.
"These cloaks block most minor spells and partially disperse the more powerful ones," he explained. "They are not foolproof, but they will give you an advantage if you ever find yourselves in danger."
Hestia stroked the fabric as if it were sacred silk, while Flora ran her fingers over the cloak.
Beneath the cloak, each box contained a silver necklace with a finely sculpted snake coiled around itself. The tiny emerald eyes seemed to sparkle with a life of their own.
"These necklaces," Aurelian continued, leaning toward them, "are more than just adornments. I have enchanted the jewels so that they will warn me if any of you are in danger."
The twins exchanged a quick glance. It was Flora who broke the silence with a soft, warm voice.
"Put the necklaces on us."
Hestia nodded, moving a little closer, her eyes fixed on Aurelian's.
"Yes... we want you to put them on us."
Aurelian took them without saying a word. First, he leaned toward Flora and carefully moved her hair aside, feeling the slight touch of her warm skin as he adjusted the clasp of the necklace around her neck. The silver snake rested just above her collarbone, its tiny green eyes shining in the firelight.
Then he turned to Hestia. She was staring at him with that intensity that always seemed to pierce through him, as if she could see beyond any mask he wore. With the same delicacy, he placed the necklace around her neck, feeling her breath in the silence that had fallen.
As soon as he finished, they both leaned toward him at the same time, surrounding him in a big hug, as if they wanted to melt into his body and make sure he could never leave.
"We love you, Aurelian," they whispered in unison, their voices barely a murmur, but conveying all their feelings.
Aurelian remained silent for a few seconds. Because in that moment, as he felt the warmth of both of them, he realized how much they had come to mean to him.
However, those few seconds of reflection were enough for the twins, still hugging him, to tense up slightly.
"Why aren't you saying anything?" asked Hestia, her voice betraying the insecurity that was beginning to form inside her.
"Don't you love us anymore?" added Flora, barely audibly.
Aurelian reacted immediately. He took one hand from each of them and squeezed them firmly, looking them in the eyes.
"Of course I love them" he said "I love them"
The twins hugged him even tighter, and Aurelian felt their breathing return to normal. Then they smiled, first shyly and then with that characteristic sparkle they always showed him in their eyes.
The afternoon wore on, but the warmth of the moment lingered in the air. Hestia and Flora settled back onto the sofa, their necklaces still glowing softly in the light of the fireplace. They didn't take them off for a second, and Aurelian noticed that they unconsciously stroked them from time to time, as if they were already part of them.
"They suit you," he commented with a slight smile, watching how the design of the snakes seemed to come to life with every movement of their necks.
"They suit us perfectly because you gave them to us," Flora replied with a calm expression.
Hestia, more relaxed than usual, nodded as she leaned back against the sofa.
"And don't think we're just going to wear them to show off. If they do what you say," she gave him a half-smile, "then they're more valuable than any jewel."
They spent a good while talking, not about plans or responsibilities, but about trivial things, little memories of Hogwarts, comments about teachers, and anecdotes from the last school year. It was strange, but Aurelian felt comfortable like this... simply enjoying the presence of Hestia and Flora.
When Stinky appeared to announce that dinner was ready, neither of them hurried. They went to the dining room together. The twins walked beside him, chatting among themselves and occasionally glancing at him.
At the table, floating candles illuminated the meal with a warm glow. Aurelian sat in the center, with them on either side. During the meal, the conversation continued in a lighthearted tone. Even Stinky allowed himself to join in a couple of times, happy that the mansion was so lively.
Late in the evening, Hestia and Flora stood up to retire to their rooms. They approached him without saying a word, hugged him at the same time and in perfect synchrony, each planting a soft kiss on one of his cheeks.
"Good night, Aurelian," they said together, with a special sparkle in their eyes before turning to go upstairs.
As he watched them climb the stairs, he noticed how the emeralds on their necklaces caught a glimmer of light before disappearing into the darkness.
The days that followed passed calmly. The Gaunt Mansion, which had once been a cold and empty place, was now filled with footsteps, laughter, and conversations echoing through its hallways. Aurelian, Hestia, and Flora had settled into a routine that mixed moments of leisure with little escapes to the garden for fun or to the library.
The twins spent most of their mornings reading in the main hall, always wearing their snake necklaces that glistened discreetly in the light, while Aurelian devoted himself to reviewing GauntCorp documents or writing magical notes in his study. In the afternoons, they would go out to the back field to practice enchantments and defense spells, although neither of them seemed to want to compete seriously with him; rather, they enjoyed having him guide them.
On other occasions, they would simply stay in the room by the fireplace, commenting on their classmates or speculating about what the next year would be like.
Time passed without them noticing. The warm days gave way to slightly cooler nights, and with that change came the inevitable countdown to the end of the holidays. One morning, while they were having breakfast, Stinky approached with a small notebook in her hand.
"Master Aurelian, I just wanted to remind you that in three days you must go to Diagon Alley to purchase your third-year school supplies," he said in his formal tone, though with a hint of pride.
Aurelian looked up, exchanging glances with Hestia and Flora. They both smiled with excitement.
"It'll be fun," Flora said, twirling the necklace between her fingers. "Although I wonder if we'll see any unpleasant faces..."
"It doesn't matter who shows up," Hestia interjected softly but intensely. "As long as we're with you."
Aurelian nodded with a slight smile. The tranquility of the holidays was about to end, giving way to a new series of plans he had set out to accomplish.
The day had finally arrived. Aurelian was reviewing a list of books and materials he would need for the new school year when he heard soft footsteps approaching down the hallway.
Hestia and Flora entered together, perfectly synchronized as always, their dark hair falling over their shoulders and their snake necklaces sparkling with emerald flashes.
"So..." he closed his notebook and looked at them calmly, "are you ready to go to Diagon Alley?"
"More than ready," Flora replied, taking a small step forward. She pulled an elegant dragon skin bag from the folds of her robe, which jingled with the metallic sound of coins. "Dad sent it to me yesterday... he said I could spend whatever I wanted."
"Same here," added Hestia, pulling out an identical bag. "Mom emphasized that I shouldn't come back with a full bag, so I plan to follow her instructions to the letter."
Both smiled identically.
Aurelian let out a slight laugh, stood up, and adjusted his robe.
"Good, then there won't be any problems. Let's get everything we need."
Stinky appeared at the door, carrying a small bag with magical compartments.
"I've prepared a bag with extra space, Master Aurelian... in case you buy too many things."
Flora and Hestia looked at each other and then smiled contentedly, as if the elf had read their minds.
"Smart move, Stinky," Flora said, amused.
"Very smart," Hestia repeated with a slightly crooked smile.
Aurelian took his wand and took one last look at the list, making sure nothing was left out.
"Then let's go," he finally said.
The twins nodded and positioned themselves on either side of him, ready for the adventure in Diagon Alley to begin. Together, they made their way down the main hallway toward the apparition point.
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