Marcus McGonagall, Professor McGonagall's brother, welcomed Sean with open arms, as did the entire McGonagall family.
The farm animals, though, weren't so lucky.
Before long, Sean had his own room in the villa, with the best view in the house.
Life here was laid-back and cozy. The farm was massive, and Marcus McGonagall's family was well-off.
Dinner was always absurdly lavish, and Marcus's enthusiasm never seemed to fade, as if he feared Minerva McGonagall might vanish if he blinked.
"Hey, my favorite little guy! Wanna try horseback riding?" Marcus called out.
Marcus was a friendly wizard, forty years older than Sean but without a hint of pretense.
Oh, and while he was a wizard, his grandkids weren't.
When it came up, his eyes turned uncharacteristically somber, tinged with complexity.
Another thing—today, a few middle-aged wizards (Sean guessed they were in their thirties) arrived at the villa. They were thrilled to see Professor McGonagall, but Sean noticed the absence of their father, Robert McGonagall Jr., from the photos in the living room.
That night...
In a warm, brightly lit room.
Sean waved his wand, and a fire salamander, complete with a shell, scurried out of the fireplace. It chomped on a twig, reducing it to ashes.
[You've practiced advanced Transfiguration at an expert level, +1000 proficiency]
Sean never stopped practicing Transfiguration. His [Expert] level was now at:
[Title: Transfiguration Adept]
[Transfiguration: Expert (212,000/300,000)]
At this rate, he'd hit the master threshold by the end of his first year.
Outside the door, a few heads were clustered together.
The little McGonagalls watched the fire salamander dart out, gasping in unison, "Wow!"
"Is he a wizard?" Sarah McGonagall whispered, peering through the top of the door crack, with her brother Bard and sister Zoe below her.
"I bet he is. He's got such cool eyes," Zoe replied.
A loud meow echoed from down the hall. A pure white cat slipped through the door and rubbed its head against Sean's hand.
Sean scratched the cat, and it purred contentedly.
"He's like a wizard from a fairy tale. I bet he could turn you into a cat, Sarah," Bard said, sounding hopeful.
"Can we come in? We've got Christmas presents for you, Mr. Green," Bard said politely, knocking.
The door swung open on its own.
The three tumbled in, still leaning against the door.
Soft cushions caught them, and Sean noticed they kept their neatly wrapped gifts held high even as they rolled.
The gift boxes floated into the air.
"Wow—uh, I mean, can you turn Sarah into a cat? She's been dying for it," Bard asked sheepishly.
Sean nodded, trading the gifts he'd prepared for theirs.
Soon, they were outside playing with cookies, politely closing the door behind them.
Their voices echoed down the corridor:
"Oh my gosh! He's really a wizard—a kind, helpful one, just like in the stories!"
"You're a cat, Sarah! Wait, can you still talk? Don't run, Sarah!"
Then came the thump-thump-thump of footsteps as the McGonagall kids scampered downstairs.
Night settled in, and Sean set the gift boxes down, noticing the darkness outside.
The stars always shone brighter in the countryside, framed by the high and low silhouettes of beech trees, creating a profound, serene nightscape.
Sean tapped his wand above his head, blending into the shadows like a Disillusionment Charm. He was headed outside to practice Transfiguration when he overheard something.
"Minerva, he… and you, you're both at Hogwarts? You know what I mean—Hogwarts with Dumbledore," Marcus McGonagall said, his usual exuberance replaced by a low, serious tone.
"Yes," Professor McGonagall replied softly.
"Good. Will you come with me tomorrow to visit Robert's grave…?"
"As you wish, Marcus."
"Minerva, the wizarding world's unstable. I've got a place at Canary Wharf under a Fidelius Charm. If anything happens, bring him there. He's a good kid—even Perse, my cat, adores him."
"Hogwarts is the safest place in the world, Marcus."
"I only trust myself. The Ministry's people are long gone, you know that. Robert already paid the price for us.
I respect your choices, but respect mine too. Don't dive in too deep—that boy still needs you."
"A lot of children need me."
"I knew you'd say that, Minerva."
A long silence followed, and Sean pieced it together.
One of Professor McGonagall's two brothers had died in a terrorist attack during Voldemort's reign.
Time slipped by quietly.
Sean stood by the tranquil lake, staring at its calm surface. Suddenly, a water snake burst out.
[You've practiced advanced Transfiguration at an expert level, +1000 proficiency]
He lowered his wand, his gaze as steady and deep as the lake.
Voldemort had killed countless people, leaving scars across the wizarding world.
Those atrocities felt distant, but for those who died in terror attacks and their grieving families, the wounds would never heal.
Every grain of sand in time, when it falls on someone's head, becomes a mountain.
The still lake reminded him of the enchanted mirror in Hogwarts castle.
Dumbledore had glossed over the Hogwarts scene in the Mirror of Erised, but Sean knew it was a distant wish.
Professor Snape, Headmaster Dumbledore…
They knew what they were up against, yet they didn't.
The lake churned again, flames erupting at its center, forming the hard armor of a fire crab.
Sean watched it, the firelight reflecting off him.
[You've practiced advanced Transfiguration at a master level, +3000 proficiency]
Sean tucked his wand away, exhausted, his usual calm gaze now unsettled.
He locked eyes with his reflection in the lake, as if facing himself in the Mirror of Erised.
"Only one person knows how the story ends. So even if only one person has to see it through, it'll be me."
The night sky glittered with stars. Those who gaze at them feel their own smallness, but sometimes, even the smallest people can forge greatness.