The drawing room shimmered softly with layered protection spells as the double doors closed behind the two visitors. Albus and Minerva entered without hesitation—but not without awareness. Even they, in all their experience, could feel the heavy presence that soaked into the stones of the Dawn household like enchanted marrow. It was old magic.
It welcomed them with the air of caution to net enrage the hosts.
Samira greeted them both with a graceful nod, her flowing slate-blue robes trailing lightly as she moved. She looked untouched by time—dignified and radiant, the same Slytherin alumna Minerva remembered, but sharper now.
Desmond stood beside her, posture casual, but eyes alert. He was a tall man with rich brown skin, a black spellwoven robe, and a natural intensity softened only by the faint smirk that tugged at the edge of his mouth when Samira poured the tea.
"Please," Samira said smoothly, "sit."
She brought forward a polished obsidian tray, steam curling from the exquisite teacups. The scent of jasmine, ginger, and star anise filled the room—the kind of aroma that settled tension without needing words.
"This blend was a gift from my sister, Aster," she added as she poured. "Infused with clarity charms." Minerva raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "Smells divine." "It is," Dumbledore said, already sipping, eyes closing in appreciation. "You always had a talent for hospitality, Samira."
Samira smiled lightly as she set down a crystal bowl filled with vibrant hand-shaped candies. "Candied Yuzu with wand-spun sugar," she said with a wink. "Rare. I had a feeling you'd enjoy them, Albus."
He chuckled, taking one without hesitation. "You've always known me too well." Minerva allowed herself a smile, relaxing slightly. "It's good to see you again." Samira inclined her head. "You as well, Professor." But the moment didn't linger long.
Desmond set his teacup down and fixed his eyes on Dumbledore with calm precision. "But let's not circle the subject. You're here about Harry." Dumbledore and Minerva both nodded. "I take it you don't approve of our methods?" Desmond asked bluntly.
Minerva spoke first, her voice measured but firm. "On the contrary," she said. "I for one agree with them. Taking the boy in—giving him a home with people who knew his parents, who can protect him and raise him well—there is nothing I disagree with. The two of you are trusted, capable, and well-established."
Samira nodded her thanks. But Dumbledore's expression grew more cautious. "I don't doubt your capability," he began. "But the protection around Harry—at the Dursleys'—was formed through magic needing a blood relative. His mother's sacrifice, anchored in blood, bound to a home where her sister lived. So long as he remained there… he could not be touched by the dark one."
Samira's face didn't change. Desmond simply leaned back. "And yet," Samira replied, "he was touched—by fear, by cruelty, by neglect. Lily's magic may have kept him alive, but it did not keep him safe."
Dumbledore opened his mouth to respond, but she raised a hand. "There are three people I trust beyond all else. My sister, Lily." She stepped closer to her husband and placed a hand on his chest. "And the third is this man—my husband. The only person who ever walked into my family's ancestral stronghold and rewrote our protective wards from scratch because he said they were inefficient."
Desmond smirked. "What can I say? Your family's rune placement was like trying to use plumbing charms for a thunderstorm." Samira laughed, rubbing his chest. "Nothing but the truth, my love."
Dumbledore's brows furrowed slightly. "Then perhaps you can explain how we were able to find you so easily?" Desmond raised an eyebrow. "You weren't." Dumbledore blinked. Desmond leaned forward, his voice dropping like iron into velvet.
"You only found us because I let you find us."
The air changed.
Dumbledore paused—then glanced at Minerva. She looked momentarily disoriented, as if something had shifted subtly in her memory. "Try," Desmond said quietly, "to think of where you are right now." Both professors did. And both felt something slip in their minds. A void. A soft blank space. Like trying to remember a dream while waking up. They new were they were but for some reason they could not remember it or how they got here.
Minerva's eyes narrowed. "Try to Apparate," Desmond added.
They did and nothing happened. The wards didn't flash. There was no rejection. The spell simply… did not exist here. "This home," Desmond continued, "has been in my family for generations. Layered with magic far older than British ministry regulations. Not even the gods can see us here. Or dictate what happens inside."
Minerva stared at him. "That's a bold claim, Mr. Dawn." "It's a fact" Samira said quietly, "that I pray never has to be tested."
The silence held for a long moment.
Then Samira's expression softened, though her tone remained unwavering. "We will train the boy, Albus. Not to be a pawn for your war. But to live. To protect himself and the ones he loves. To grow into a man his parents would be proud of."
Minerva's eyes softened. "The Potters," she said, "would be grateful. To know you're looking after their son like your own." Dumbledore sat back. Thoughtful. Respectful.
Finally, he nodded.
"Very well. I won't challenge you. Not after this." He reached into his robes and retrieved a delicate crystal orb. With a flick of his wand, it faded into mist—an anchoring tracker, dispelled without resistance.
"But allow me," he said, "one final question." He turned his eyes to both of them. "Where will your son attend school next year?" The room held its breath. The room had fallen into thoughtful silence after Dumbledore's final question.
Samira did not hesitate.
"He will attend whichever school he chooses," she said firmly. "Whether it's Hogwarts, Ilvermorny, Mahoutokoro, or one of the hidden academies in Ethiopia or Alexandria—it does not matter."
Her eyes glinted, golden and unyielding.
"Wherever he goes, he will thrive. He will lead. He will be the best student in any school because that is the man he is becoming."
Albus raised a brow, offering a mild chuckle. "That's quite a bit of pressure for a boy so young."
Samira smiled—a smile as sharp as a curse wrapped in silk. "It's not pressure," she said softly. "It's faith. I believe he's capable of all that… and more."
Minerva exchanged a glance with Albus, then stood. "I'm glad," she said quietly. "I hope Hogwarts is fortunate enough to have him."
Albus nodded, his voice quieter than before. "I hope so too." With that, the two professors took a step back and turned.
A flick of Dumbledore's wand twisted the air and with a quiet crack, the two of them were gone.
Back Upstairs…
I was already floating four feet off the floor, cross-legged, steady as a rock atop my latest version of the Invisible Wall. My breathing slow and steady and the mana around felt warm like the golden flame. I'd been holding the structure for almost ten minutes now with no signs of flickering.
Then came the ping in my head, AIA's voice chimed in, clear and smooth.
> [Spell Upgrade – Invisible Wall]
Proficiency Tier: Novice- Intermediate (10%)
New Effect: Reduced mana cost to sustain. Increased structural integrity—capable of withstanding moderate elemental and kinetic attacks before dispersal.
I let out a slow exhale. "Finally."
But AIA wasn't finished.
> [Passive Skill Upgrade – Magic Sense → Mind's Eye]
New Ability: Mind's Eye (Passive)
Description: Allows user to perceive truths hidden by magic, deception, or intent. Detect illusions, falsehoods, subtle enchantments, and the emotional aura of nearby beings. Accuracy scales with magical sensitivity and mental clarity.
I froze then grinned. This is a game-changer.
AIA kept going.
> [New Quest Unlocked: Flame of Growth]
Objective:
– Increase White Flame, Gold Flame, and Black Flame proficiency to Intermediate (50%) by your 11th birthday.
Reward:
– New Spell unlocked within the Enchanted Journal
– Mysterious Magical Item (Auto-bound)
Then another.
> [New Quest Unlocked: No Hands]
Objective:
– Reach Advanced Proficiency in Wandless Magic Affinity and Telekinesis by your 11th birthday
Reward:
– (x2) Magical Amplification Potions
– (x2) Hidden Potential Unsealing Potions
I leaned back slightly on the floating wall, letting the information soak in.
My flames are gonna be hard especial the dark flame. My wandless training had already felt stagnant but this was motivation to keep pushing. The system was evolving with me—not hand-holding, but guiding.
This was the kind of pressure I liked. "This is fun," I whispered and somewhere deep inside the system, I knew if I finished them early?
There'd be a bonus reward waiting for me.