The sound of spells echoed through the practice room of Gaunt Manor. The stone walls had been reinforced with absorbent enchantments, and the statues decorating the room served as moving targets, each designed to withstand high-intensity magical impacts.
Aurelian stood in the center.
With a movement of his hand, a small instinctive gesture, a crimson lightning bolt was projected with precision. With a snap of his fingers, a wall of ice rose instantly. His spells flowed effortlessly. Magic was as natural to him as breathing.
He paused for a moment, not tired, but feeling satisfaction.
"So this is the true extent of a Invoker..."
The statues came back to life, charging toward him quickly. Aurelian did not raise his wand, only looked up. A wave of pressure emanated from his body, and the statues shattered on the ground in a matter of seconds.
The room fell silent, imbued with his magical power.
"My lord..." said a timid voice from the doorway.
Aurelian turned his head. Stinky was there, his eyes shining with excitement, though his voice carried a hint of nervousness.
"Today... today is the day you must go to Carrow Manor, my Lord. They await you."
The young man slowly lowered his gaze, allowing the room to return to normal.
"I know, Stinky," he replied with a cold smile. "The time has come."
Stinky nodded enthusiastically and, with a snap, prepared the ceremonial robe that hung on a coat rack. It was black with silver-green details, embroidered with the Gaunt family crest on the chest.
He took it slowly, his thoughts already flying to what would happen at Carrow Manor.
While Stinky finished adjusting his robe, Aurelian lost himself in his thoughts, looking at himself in the full-length mirror in the next room. The emblem on his chest glowed under the light of the candelabra, a reminder of who he was and the responsibilities he now had.
On the desk in his study lay a parchment bearing the seal of the Ministry. He had received it two days earlier, delivered by a brown-feathered owl.
It was a personal message from the Minister of Magic, Cornelius Fudge.
He remembered every word clearly:
"Lord Gaunt
Please accept my sincere congratulations on your promotion and the consolidation of your title. It is an honor to see a house with such a long history reclaim its place among the families that shape our world. I am sure that your presence will be enriching at the next meeting of the Wizengamot. I look forward to seeing you there and discussing the future that awaits us in person.
With esteem, Cornelius Fudge, Minister of Magic."
Aurelian had read the letter calmly. He knew it was not a gesture of courtesy, but a political move. A recognition. The minister was not congratulating a fourteen-year-old boy. He was greeting the heir to Slytherin and the new lord of an ancestral house.
"The political chessboard is beginning to shift."
Aurelian closed his eyes for a second, remembering his previous encounter with Fudge in France during the tournament. The man had shown the opportunism and caution that characterized mediocre politicians. Something he would use to his advantage.
When he opened his eyes again, Stinky was waiting for him, giving him a proud look.
"Everything is ready, it's perfect, my Lord," said the elf, bowing.
Aurelian took a slow breath, finishing adjusting his sleeves.
The change in the air vanished the moment Aurelian opened his eyes. The polished marble floor and tall windows of the main hall of Carrow Manor stretched out before him. The family crest watched him from one of the back walls.
Two figures were already waiting for him at the entrance. Alaric Carrow and his wife Selene Carrow.
"Welcome to our home, Lord Gaunt," said Alaric in a firm voice, bowing his head slightly.
Selene smiled warmly at him, hiding beneath her courtesy a feeling of uncertainty that still lingered in her thoughts.
"We are honored to have you with us."
"Thank you," he replied serenely, bowing his head slightly.
With a gesture, Mr. and Mrs. Carrow led him down a hallway lit by enchanted torches to the main dining room. The murmur of voices ceased as soon as the door opened.
Aurelian had barely crossed the threshold of the dining room when two figures rushed toward him.
"Aurelian!" exclaimed Hestia and Flora in unison, surrounding him in a warm embrace that lasted longer than it should have.
Their arms held him tightly, afraid to let him go, their faces beaming with radiant smiles. The intensity of their gazes revealed a sweetness filled with genuine love for him.
Aurelian returned the gesture, letting himself be enveloped by their warmth. As he pulled away, his eyes scanned their figures, noticing that they were both wearing dresses made of fine fabrics and soft colors that highlighted their beauty.
"They look truly beautiful," he said with a sincere voice and a smile on his lips.
The twins looked at each other, their cheeks flushed, before turning their eyes back to him.
"You look fantastic too," replied Flora, gently caressing his hand with a shy smile.
"Yes... absolutely perfect," added Hestia, leaning slightly toward him, her voice revealing the affection she felt.
The tension in the air eased with that confession. They both took him by the arms, leading him calmly to the seat they had reserved for him between them at the table.
The rest of the Carrows watched them in silence, noticing how naturally the young lord and the twins complemented each other, as if that bond had been written long before anything that might happen that night.
The main dining room was finely decorated. Crystal chandeliers hung above the polished oak table, and candlesticks cast golden reflections on the silverware. Aurelian, seated between Hestia and Flora, quickly noticed the stiffness and tension of the gathering.
Alaric and Selene sat at the head of the table. To one side sat the imposing figure of Melly Carrow, Alaric's mother, with her cold eyes and proud bearing. Closer to the center were Alecto and Amycus, Alaric's siblings, with expressions of anticipation and curiosity in their eyes.
Alaric and Selene conversed calmly at the head of the table, exchanging words with their future son-in-law. The rest of the family watched in silence, analyzing every gesture of the young man, but especially of the twins.
It was Melly Carrow, the former matriarch, who broke the calm with a sigh.
"My granddaughters have always been... different." Her gray eyes fixed on Hestia and Flora, who immediately looked away. "Young ladies from a good family should show grace, know how to move in society. Not spend all day locked up."
Alecto laughed softly, with a venomous smile.
"Mother is right. They are too intense. I remember when they were little, they refused to play with the others. They were always together, apart. Such a shame."
Amycus raised his glass, shrugging sarcastically.
"Intense, sister? I'd say they're stubborn as mules, jealous even of their own shadows. Not exactly what one would expect from young women destined for a good marriage."
The words floated over the table like daggers.
Hestia and Flora, who until then had been smiling, lowered their heads in unison. Their trembling hands instinctively sought Aurelian's under the table. They squeezed it tightly.
For them, the comments were nothing new. Since childhood, they had endured criticism from their family. And although they only cared about Aurelian, those words still hurt them.
The boy glanced at them out of the corner of his eye. He saw the sadness in their eyes, and his annoyance quickly turned to anger.
The temperature in the room dropped. The flames in the candlesticks flickered. An oppressive weight fell on every corner of the dining room, suffocating the voices and thoughts of everyone in the room.
Aurelian intertwined his fingers with those of the twins and looked up. His voice was calm, but it resonated firmly throughout the room.
"You will never speak of them that way again."
Silence fell.
Aurelian's eyes flashed coldly, his magic spreading like a wave pressing against the chests of everyone present.
"I love Hestia and Flora." His words fell slowly, each one imbued with his power. "I will not allow anyone to criticize or attack them ever again, much less in my presence. Anyone who dares to belittle them belittles me."
The echo of his voice vibrated off the walls.
Melly pressed her lips together, intimidated by the force that permeated the air. Alecto and Amycus remained silent, unable to hide the fascination on their faces. Selene watched intently, surprised by the words she had just heard, and Alaric... Alaric smiled.
The patriarch looked at him with pride for defending his daughters. But inside, he saw in that power and posture something that reminded him of the being he most revered and admired in life.
Aurelian closed his eyes for a moment, relaxing his magical pressure. The atmosphere slowly returned to normal, the flames regaining their brightness and size.
Hestia and Flora looked at him with tears in their eyes. Their hands were still intertwined with his.
"Thank you..." whispered Flora, barely audible.
"You always protect us..." added Hestia, with a small smile.
"Today and always," he said, returning their smile, minimal but sincere, caressing their fingers.
Dinner continued, and no one dared to criticize the twins again. The Carrows' silence came from the respect they felt, a silent acceptance: at that table sat not just a fourteen-year-old boy. He was a being with enough power to bring an entire family to its knees with a single word.
The twins, their fingers still intertwined with Aurelian's, knew that they would never be alone and that they would always be with the boy who taught them what love was.
The atmosphere at the table had softened a little after Aurelian's show of power. Alaric rested his elbows on the table, a reverent gleam in his eyes, and changed the course of the conversation.
"There is something I cannot fail to mention," he said solemnly. "Lord Voldemort..."
A murmur of approval rippled around the table. Alecto nodded fervently, Amycus smiled. Melly closed her eyes; hearing that name was an act of absolute respect.
"Following him was the greatest honor of my life," Alaric continued, the passion evident in his voice. "His vision, his power, his ability to inspire fear and respect... No wizard in history was his equal."
Alecto interjected immediately.
"He understood what many refused to see, that we wizards are superior. That we must claim what is rightfully ours."
Amycus laughed softly, raising his glass.
"To me, he was more than a leader. He was a beacon. A god among men."
Melly spoke, her voice breaking with emotion.
"I saw him only once, many years ago. I still remember the feeling... as if magic itself worshipped him."
Everyone present fixed their eyes on Aurelian, waiting for his words. Alaric was the one who asked the question directly.
"Tell me, Aurelian. You, who wield a power that reminds us so much of him... What do you think of Lord Voldemort?"
The table fell silent. Even Hestia and Flora looked at him, expectantly.
Aurelian held Alaric's gaze. There was no hesitation in his voice; he knew that sooner or later his father would join the conversation, so he answered without reservation.
"To me, he's just someone who's broken."
His words spread like a whisper around the table. No one responded.
Alaric watched him silently, his face turning serious, almost rigid. His siblings, Alecto and Amycus, exchanged tense glances, unable to reconcile what they had heard. Melly, on the other hand, brought a hand to her lips, reflecting on those words.
But Aurelian said nothing more. He calmly took a sip from his glass. None of the Carrows would ever forget that phrase.
After dinner, Alaric led Aurelian and the twins to his private office. It was decorated with dark tapestries and a large walnut desk in the center. To one side, a lit fireplace cast a warm glow that illuminated the faces of those present.
Selene was already waiting there, her expression solemn.
On the desk lay a large parchment, sealed and protected by a layer of runes. The contract.
"The time has come," said Alaric in a grave voice, taking a seat behind the desk. With a gesture, he broke the seal and unfolded the parchment, revealing the clauses written in ink that glowed in the light of the fireplace. "Today, the engagement between House Carrow and House Gaunt is formalized."
Aurelian took the document and read it calmly. His eyes scanned each line carefully, looking for possible irregularities or traps. He found none. The contract was clear and straightforward, sealing the union of Hestia and Flora with it, guaranteeing the alliance between the two houses.
He placed the parchment on the desk and nodded.
"Everything is in order."
Alaric then brought over a dagger with a silver hilt.
"Tradition dictates that the head of each house must sign with their blood, so that the bond is eternal."
Without hesitation, Aurelian took the dagger and cut his palm. He let a few drops fall onto the space designated for his signature, and immediately the runes of the contract lit up with an emerald glow. Then he stamped his name:
Lord Aurelian Gaunt.
Alaric repeated the gesture, cutting his hand and letting the blood fall onto the parchment. The ink glowed and his name appeared next to Aurelian's:
Lord Alaric Carrow.
The parchment sealed the agreement with an intense glow, the letters burning for a moment before stabilizing. The contract was done.
Alaric extended his hand to Aurelian. The young man shook it firmly; there was more to that gesture than a political agreement, it was mutual recognition.
"Welcome to the family," Alaric said calmly.
Hestia and Flora stood next to their mother, gently squeezing her hands, radiant smiles spreading across their faces, their eyes shining with excitement.
Silently, Alaric thought.
"My lord... Voldemort... your son has today signed what will be the beginning of a new era. The power that flows within him is undeniable. He will undoubtedly also be a great wizard... just as you were."
The fireplace crackled softly, as if confirming those unspoken words.
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