The days after the Halloween tournament passed in a strange blur. Linus could still hear the cheering sometimes when he walked down the hall, like the sound had sunk into the old stone walls. Every time he passed another student, someone whispered.
"Gray…"
"That lightning thing…"
"…did you see Volkov's face?"
He didn't care much for the attention, but the others did. Niko walked beside him with his chest puffed out more than usual.
"You're famous, you know," he said proudly.
Linus rolled his eyes. "Sure. Let me know when people forget about it."
"They won't," Armin muttered from behind them. "Not after that."
Winter arrived fast. Durmstrang always looked like it belonged in winter, dark halls, frosted windows, cold stone floors. The lake froze early that year, and the courtyard was buried under snow almost every day. It made the school feel quieter somehow, like the world outside had been wrapped in cotton.
Classes picked up in intensity. Professor Volkov seemed to be in a permanent bad mood after the tournament.
During one lesson he barked, "Faster! Wand movement first, then intent! If you raise your wrist like that again, Mr. Harvig, I will personally glue it in place!"
Linus had finished his assigned spells ten minutes early and now sat with Niko and Armin behind the dueling mats.
"How are you already done?" Niko whispered loudly, glaring at Linus's neat rows of perfect ice arrows stuck into the target.
"Practice," Linus answered.
"You're twelve!"
"Still practice."
Armin snorted softly. "Don't bother, Niko. Competing with Linus is a long road filled with humiliation."
"I'll get there eventually," Niko said proudly.
"Sure," Linus said with a small smirk.
After class they trudged through the hallways. Snow had blown in through the cracks under some of the windows, leaving thin layers of ice across the floor. Sigrun slid past the boys, almost falling.
"Who made this school?" she shouted behind her. "Ice wizards or penguins?"
"You mean you didn't enchant your shoes?" Linus asked.
She froze in place, turned slowly toward him. "What?"
Linus pointed at her boots. "Just cast a warming charm, the snow doesn't stick."
She glared. "You could've told me that days ago."
Niko snickered. "Yeah, Gray. Keeping the secrets to yourself?"
"It's a boot charm, not hidden treasure."
They walked together to the dinner hall. It was packed like always, steam rising from soup bowls, students shouting back and forth. Durmstrang sounded cold even when it was warm, metal clinging against plates, icy wind rattling through the cracks of old stone, the low hum of dozens of languages spoken in the same room.
As Linus reached for a slice of bread, a first-year approached him nervously.
"Um… Gray?"
Linus looked at him. "Yes?"
"C-could you show me that ice spear spell sometime?"
"No," Linus said flatly. "You'd lose an arm."
The first-year opened his mouth, closed it again, nodded, and ran off.
Sigrun elbowed Linus hard. "You could've been nicer."
"I was," Linus said.
"No, you weren't."
Armin leaned in. "He's right. Losing an arm is bad."
Linus rolled his eyes. "Fine. Next time I'll say it gently."
Classes in January grew harder. Durmstrang didn't care much for giving students breaks. Charms class barely let them rest their wrists.
Professor Henkova walked around the room with her usual graceful but terrifying posture.
"Mister Gray," she said suddenly.
Linus straightened. "Yes, professor?"
"Perform the focus-projection spell again."
Linus raised his wand, channeled his magic, and the tip glowed bright blue.
Henkova watched closely, then nodded. "Good. Controlled. Your talent is wasted when you do not challenge yourself."
That was the closest thing to a compliment she had ever given anyone.
During breaks the courtyard became a battlefield of snowball fights. Some students enchanted their snowballs to explode in harmless flashes of light. Others enchanted theirs to whistle through the air. Niko tried enchanting one to home in on its target and accidentally caused it to chase him around the courtyard for ten minutes.
The group sat in the couches in the dorm common room talking about school," so we start learning dark arts next term, right?" asked Niko who had been talking about the dark arts since the school year began.
"Yes, for the 10th time" answered Armin he sounded annoyed.
"Gray, have you used dark arts yet?" asked Erik. This made the room quiet in anticipation.
Linus looked around the room and gave a short nod, not saying anything just in case someone was listening. The others saw the signal and left that conversation.
Dueling class was still Linus's favorite. Volkov watched him more closely now, not suspiciously, but with curiosity. Sometimes the professor paused class entirely just to point out something Linus was doing.
"Gray's footwork. Look at it. None of you do that. Fix it."
Linus didn't mind the attention, though he noticed the older students never volunteered to duel him anymore. He ended up sparring with Sigrun more often. She had gotten faster, sharper.
During one match, she almost hit him with a stinging jinx.
"That was close," Armin said after.
Sigrun smirked. "One day."
Linus shrugged. "Keep trying."
April made the school thaw slightly. Not much, but enough to see patches of dead grass outside. The lake cracked loudly at night as it began melting. Runes class moved outdoors again, which made it slightly easier to stay awake.
One afternoon, as they walked to dinner, Niko suddenly groaned loudly.
"Oh no…"
"What?" Linus asked.
"Final assessments are next month."
"Yeah?"
"That means studying."
"Correct."
Niko dropped to his knees dramatically. "I don't want to study."
Erik pushed him lightly. "Get up. You sound like a first-year."
"I'm spiritually a first-year," Niko muttered.
During May, the school grew louder again. The stress got to people. Arguments broke out in the hallways. First-years cried over potions homework. Professors assigned more work than anyone could reasonably finish.
"Linus help me please, I wont make it" Sigrun cried out as she planted her head in the charms text book. Linus just shook his head.
"Stop being such a baby." He answered and gave her a slap to the back of her head. Armin and Erik looked on as they were just about to do the same as Sigrun.
When assessment week finally came, the whole school entered survival mode. Students walked the hallways like sleep-deprived zombies, clutching textbooks like life preservers.
Linus didn't struggle. He finished everything without much trouble. Niko finished half his assessments by sheer panic alone. Armin nearly failed one assignment because he accidentally turned his essay invisible. Erik's potions cauldron exploded twice.
Then, at last, the final day of school arrived.
The sun was bright, unusually warm for the mountains. The ship waited at the docks below, its hull gleaming under the clear sky. Students rushed to load their trunks, laughing and talking with the kind of energy only summer could create.
Linus stood with his group at the top of the stairs overlooking the dock.
"What are you guys doing this summer?" Armin asked as they walked towards the boat.
Niko just looked around the group. "I'm not going poacher hunting this year." He said with a smile. The other laughed.
"I don't know, probably something to do with business." Linus answered as the thought about it, Astrid had sent him letters during the school term describing how everything went. She had made sure a new shop was opened in Britain, but it had run into some trouble with the noble families there. This wouldn't be a big deal unless the families really wanted it gone, which they do.
The boat ride home went smooth and most of the group slept the whole journey.
Astrid was waiting for him as usual in the harbor. "Anything new about the shop?" he asked as they sat down in the carriage.
She shook her head. "Nothing more yet, but I have a feeling they will go to the british ministry and try something."
"Do we have everything to make this solid?"
"Yes everything is as I should, and according to the rules and laws, we have done everything right." She answered with confidence.
Linus approved, 'then we just wait' he thought as he looked out of the carriage window as it flew towards the Gray manor. The sun was hot today and barley any winds, unusual hot weather for early June.
The days passed slowly as Linus just relaxed at the manor, he played with Hati and did some normal training together with Astrid.
After a slow week, Astrid stepped into the potion chamber underneath the manor where Linus had spent the morning making veritaserums, "Letter arrived from Britain, just a predicted." She said with a sigh as she laid down the letter on the table next to the cauldron. "We have been summoned to discuss worries about our new store."
Linus looked at the letter, this didn't surprise him he was after all expecting there to be some reaction.
Linus wiped his hands on a cloth, the faint smell of brewed ingredients lingering in the air. He picked up the letter and broke the seal carefully. The parchment was stamped with the insignia of the British Ministry of Magic, all formality, no warmth. The writing was elegant but cold.
"'Summoned to attend a formal review regarding the authorization and operation of the Gray Trading House, London Branch,'" Linus read aloud. "'Presence required within seven days at the Department of Magical Commerce.'"
Astrid crossed her arms. "They're not wasting time."
Linus folded the letter neatly. "No, they're not."
He looked thoughtful for a moment, then turned to the cauldron, extinguishing the flame beneath it. "I'll handle it."
Astrid frowned. "You mean we'll handle it."
Linus shook his head slightly. "No. If the nobles are pushing this, they'll want to make it personal. They'll expect the heir to stand there and explain himself. It's better that way."
Astrid sighed, brushing her braid over her shoulder. "Then I'm at least coming to Britain with you. You might know how to duel a man into the floor, but dealing with noble politics is its own kind of curse."
He smirked slightly. "Fair point."
The next few days went by in preparation. Astrid handled the documents, permits, ownership papers, trade ledgers, and receipts of compliance with magical business laws. Linus spent his time reviewing them too, making sure there were no weak points that could be used against them.
By the fifth day, a carriage waited in front of the manor, enchanted for long-distance flight. The air was humid and thick, unusual for the northern coasts. Linus stepped out wearing the Gray family uniform, the silver trim glinting faintly under the light. Astrid joined him, her coat fluttering in the wind.
"London," she said, adjusting her gloves. "It's been years."
Linus gave a small nod, climbing into the carriage. "Let's hope it hasn't changed much."
The trip across the channel was long but smooth. As the carriage descended through the gray London fog, the sprawling city below came into view, the mix of old and new, towers and hidden magical wards humming faintly under the clouds.
As the carriage landed smoothly in front of the ministry of magic, the people on the sidewalks looked over at the carriage that had just landed.
A clerk led them through the hallways. Linus walked with calm precision, his posture straight, face unreadable. Astrid followed just behind him, carrying the stack of documents in her arms.
The ministry was full of activity, people walked everywhere, floflames activated all the time. the air filled with different perfumes from the people walking past.
As the clerk stopped at a pair of doors, they swung open revealing a chamber with a big table in the middle. Around the table sat more people than Linus had expected, he saw the minister of magic, and a lot of what must be Pure bloods or the so called 28.
Linus stepped into the room with confident steps, he looked over the attending people before making his way to his seat.
"Welcome yet again to London Lord Gray, it's been a while since you last were here" the minister said with a smile.
The air turned cold inside the room as Linus didn't like how they were acting after summoning him here. "Minister fudge, yes it has been a while." Linus said with a fake smile. "May I ask why we are so many in attendance?" he asked bluntly.
The minister seemed uncomfortable with the question as he looked around at the others. And before he could say anything one of the attending started talking.
"Mr. Gray, my name is Lucius Malfoy, I am one of the one's who have brought my worries about your expansion here, to the attention of the ministry." He said. His speech reminded Linus of someone who has had everything given to them, spoiled.
Linus gave a nod towards Astrid, she dumped all the papers and documents on the table. "Here are our permit and permission to open stores, and other establishments. Our expansion here does not break any laws or rules." She said with confidence.
The mood seemed to have turned sour with this, the faces of the people around the table turned into frowns. "we are aware of your permits, the reason this is being discussed is the worry that British owned stores will be selling less to foreign owned stores." Lucius said out, they didn't even look at the paperwork.
The fist clenched hard around the stools handle as Linus felt his anger rise, this was just about the Gray's store performing better than the British ones, money hungry.
"So this whole thing was just you saying my store is doing better than yours" Linus said, his voice cold and raised as he tried holding back his anger. "Minister I'm disappointed in how you have handled this. Letting them use you to summon me for a shake down."
Minister fudge opened his mouth but Linus interrupted what he was about to say. "But it's alright, we will remove our store," this made fudge let out a breath in relief, and the pure bloods around the table got a smirk on their faces. "And with it our support to Britian," all faces around the table switched.
"Wait what do you..." fudge tried to speak but was yet again interrupted.
"NO more shipments will be made, no more funds will be sent, Astrid send an owl to the Swedish ministry about this. Nothing will come from Sweden anymore to the British." The faces that were so filled with confidence just a few minutes ago turned to panic. Linus stood up and walked out of the room, he didn't stop to listen to the worried pleas of the people inside.
As they walked in the halls of the ministry; Linus saw a familiar face looking at him. "Headmaster Dumbledore, pleasure to meet you again." Linus said as he gave slight bow to the old wizard.
Dumbledore chuckled. "Being in a good mood even after making the ministry panic like this. but it is nice to meet you again Mr. Gray." He said and paused a little, almost like he was scanning him. "I see you have grown a lot in the time, and that curse knowledge is impressive." He said.
Linus was shocked, he didn't tell anyone about this. this was just something this old man could feel by looking at him. "Well, I have a good teacher" Linus answered back.
Dumbledore's eyes twinkled slightly, but there was something sharper behind them, curiosity mixed with understanding. "A good teacher, yes," he said softly. "Though one must always be careful what they let their teachers make of them."
Linus tilted his head, a polite smile still on his face. "I appreciate the advice, Headmaster. Though I believe I have a fair sense of my own boundaries."
"Boundaries are important," Dumbledore said, stepping closer, his gaze thoughtful. "But so is intent. Magic is a mirror, Mr. Gray. It reflects the will behind the wand. I hope your reflection remains your own."
Linus didn't answer immediately. The words hung in the air like mist. Astrid shifted slightly beside him, uneasy under Dumbledore's knowing tone.
Finally, Linus gave a polite nod. "Of course. I'll keep that in mind."
Dumbledore's smile returned, calm and almost kind again. "I'm sure you will. Do take care, Mr. Gray. The world has a way of taking notice when young wizards shake it."
Linus watched as the old man walked past them, his deep blue robes whispering softly against the polished floor. Even as he disappeared around the corner, Linus could still feel that faint pressure in the air, like Dumbledore had looked straight through him.
Astrid exhaled once the headmaster was gone. "He knew."
"I know," Linus said simply. "Doesn't matter. He won't say anything."
The ride back through London was quiet. The city below them glowed under the cloudy evening sky, fireplaces lighting up narrow streets like veins of amber. Linus sat back in the carriage, arms crossed, his eyes distant.
"What now?" Astrid asked finally.
"We wait," Linus said. "They'll come begging for trade again before the month ends. They can't sustain themselves without our exports."
"You really meant it, then," she said. "Cutting them off entirely."
"I don't make empty threats."
The response was instant, newsletters had gotten hold of the story, and the market felt the impact directly. What many didn't know was that Sweden was a big exporter of pelts and potion materials to the world, without this it would be hard to maintain good production. And after hearing what happened in London, many of the Scandinavian families agreed on the trade war. And this was just the beginning.