In the next few days, Kael stayed in his home at Ottery St Catchpole and didn't go anywhere. Usually, he would work on his homework or make some gadgets with Fred and George in the attic, meant for boosting energy.
Occasionally, Cedric would come by as well.
It wasn't just Chris, even Mr. Weasley and Mr. Digory started to get busy.
Because of this, Fred and George often complained about having to get up two hours early for breakfast every day.
"Percy's quite happy though," Fred said as he fiddled with a freshly made firework while sitting in the attic. "I feel like he'd be willing to stay in the Ministry of Magic all day long."
George nodded beside him, "He's started working now, in the Department of International Magical Cooperation. Remember, don't mention anything related to 'foreign' stuff, unless you want to be nagged to death by him."
"Does he also discuss work things with you at home?" Cedric asked curiously. "I find that quite interesting."
His father never talked to him about work-related things... unless he was drinking.
So usually, Cedric could only ask him things he was interested in when he was half-drunk.
"Work? Not at all." Fred smirked, "I don't think the Ministry of Magic would let someone who just started deal with the International Confederation of Wizards' affairs."
"And they shouldn't be interested in cauldron bottoms either." George couldn't help but laugh, "I never realized Percy actually loved Potions so much."
"Cauldron bottoms?" Cedric asked confusedly, "What does that mean?"
"Percy recently got obsessed with them." George shrugged and explained, "I think he probably wants to host a thick-bottomed cauldron exhibition and is choosing the right exhibits."
"Maybe he wants to become the Minister of Department of International Magical Cooperation through this exhibition…"
"Or the Minister of Magic…"
"Yeah… If cauldron bottoms are too thin, Fudge wouldn't notice such a terrifying thing!"
Mentioning Percy, Fred and George always found endless topics and fun.
"Luckily, we'd only have to endure him for another month."
Fred carefully placed a completed firework into the box beside him, as they would later turn into Galleons, they were very keen on it.
...
In such a happy atmosphere, time flew by quickly. Sometimes Kael couldn't help but glance toward London, wondering how Sirius was doing.
It had been more than half a month since they returned from that cave. During this time, aside from receiving a brief reply from Lupin on the day he returned, Kael hadn't heard anything from Grimmauld Place 12.
"It should be fine…" Kael thought to himself, "Lupin surely won't be too harsh, as for the rest, Sirius could just tough it out."
Just like that, half of the holiday quickly passed by. The last day of July was Kael's birthday.
Early that day, a large group of owls flew over from various places, delivering gifts from his friends.
That day, Kael also finally received a reply from Sirius...
He sent a large package filled with all sorts of different herbs... almost everything available in Diagon Alley was inside, mostly flowers and leaves, three of each kind. The poisonous ones were additionally wrapped, clearly Lupin's work.
After all, Sirius wasn't as meticulous. If it were up to him, he'd probably just pile all the herbs together and send them over as they were.
Besides, he's still wanted, so he couldn't go to Diagon Alley.
Kael casually picked up a bag of Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans, eating while unwrapping the rest of the presents.
In the middle of eating the beans, Kael suddenly heard a rustling sound downstairs.
Peering out the window, he immediately spotted four distinctive red heads.
Fred was holding a huge cream cake at the front, looking up with a smile and saying, "Happy Birthday, Kael!"
Behind him were George and two other Weasleys.
"Charlie, Bill?" Kael said with some surprise, "When did you come back?"
"Last night," Charlie waved his hand, "We had arranged the time in advance."
"Just a moment."
Kael put down the unwrapped gifts and went downstairs to open the door for them.
"Happy Birthday." A cream cake was thrust right in front of him, nearly smashing into his face.
No need to guess, Fred must've done it on purpose to scare him a bit…
"You're lucky Mom's not here, or she'd have gone mad." Charlie pulled him back, stepping forward to give Kael a hug.
"Happy Birthday."
He looked even tanner than last year, with a new scar on his arm.
Bill also stepped forward, smiling as he patted his shoulder.
"Long time no see, Little Kael… Oh no, now it should be 'Honorable Member of the Merlin Knight Order.'"
"Goodness, a second-class medal, when I first heard the news, I thought it was some old wizard with the same name."
"What a shame you guessed wrong." Kael replied with a laugh.
Bill had changed the most.
After graduating, he seemed to have let himself completely go.
His previously short hair had grown long, tied back into a ponytail, with an earring on his ear, hanging a small fan-like thing.
His attire didn't even resemble a wizard, more like a rock music enthusiast, the only difference being he was wearing a pair of Dragon Hide Boots.
"Is it strange?" Bill flicked his long hair.
"A little, but not much."
Bill's personality was like that, they already knew it, Mrs. Weasley used to cut his hair once a year… the habit of bringing hair-cutting tools when going to the platform started back then.
Kael stepped aside to let them into the living room.
Fred placed the cake on the table, and Kael casually took out some drinks.
"Would you guys like some whiskey?" He asked Bill and Charlie as he took a bottle from the cabinet,
"No need, Mom doesn't allow us… wait a minute." Charlie started to refuse only to notice the large number on the bottle Kael was holding.
"How many years old is this whiskey?"
"Isn't it written here? A hundred and fifty years." Kael pointed to the number on the bottle, "Genuine aged Flaming Whiskey, sent by the Romanian Ministry of Magic."
"Oh… then maybe a little." Charlie licked his lips,
"But you're certain you won't get into trouble later for giving us this?" Bill asked with a strange expression.
This was genuine good stuff, in the Leaky Cauldron, the best stock was only a hundred years old, and even then it was hard to buy, even if you waved a bunch of Galleons, Tom Senior wouldn't bring it out.
Let alone a hundred and fifty years old.
"Of course not, don't worry." Kael said, "My Dad rarely drinks alone, especially since you guys haven't been back together for a while, I imagine during dinner he'll invite you and Mr. Weasley for a drink.
I'm just moving that timeline forward a bit."
"Then I'll have a bit too." Bill conjured an elegant cup for himself.
Fred and George also wanted to try it; they mimicked by conjuring a cup, but Kael acted as if he hadn't seen them and tossed two bottles of juice their way instead.