When Lys received the owl from Hogwarts, she felt a flicker of anxiety. Even though she had been confident during the exams, what if there was something she missed?
Dear Miss Stalys Black,
Here are your third-year results for your subjects at Hogwarts:
O (Outstanding) E (Exceeds Expectations) A (Acceptable) P (Poor) D (Dreadful) T (Troll)
- Transfiguration: O
- Astronomy: O
- Potions: O
- Defense Against the Dark Arts: O
- Herbology: E
- Charms: E
- Divination: A
- Care of Magical Creatures: A
- History of Magic: D
Please have your guardian write to Professor Slughorn, Head of Slytherin House, enclosing your Hogsmeade permission slip and course selection for the upcoming term.
When Noah read the grades, he was overjoyed. To go from being unable to read to earning four O's was, in his eyes, a feat worth celebrating. His daughter had far surpassed him.
He removed a large ammolite ring from his finger and slipped it onto Lys's hand, expressing his hope that she would achieve even better results next time.
Standing in the kitchen, Lys absentmindedly stewed chicken legs while examining the ring. Its simple, masculine design featured a smooth platinum band without any embellishments, fitting snugly on her index finger.
Lys's hands were long and pale, with prominent knuckles due to her thinness, making most rings look small on her. But this gemstone was large enough to avoid that issue entirely.
The oval-shaped ammolite shimmered with mysterious hues of blue and purple against its dark base. Along its edges, dawn-like colors flickered, shifting with the light and angle.
Something indescribable stirred within her—a feeling that had silently guided her forward over the past two years, as if it knew where she was meant to go. Yet, she had never dared to think about it clearly.
Her emotions screamed, but her rationality kept her in a dazed silence. The bittersweet memories, the pain she had endured, and her renewed, almost maddening desire for acknowledgment threatened to overwhelm her.
Lys had once longed to embrace the outside world, only to be met with frustrating setbacks and loss.
Only her mother's hands, which always pulled her back at the last moment, gave her life its highest meaning.
Frowning, she took a deep breath to suppress the sigh rising in her throat. She plated the food—this was her favorite thing to do now.
Senna noticed that Lys spent her days either cooking or dabbling in various studies—spells, potions, dark magic, curses, culinary arts, alchemy. Occasionally, she even tried healing charms. She could do everything, but excelled at none.
With a hint of subtle hope, Senna advised Lys that it would be best to master at least one skill.
As the start of the school year approached, Senna, wearing a veil, confidently took Lys—who made no effort to disguise herself—to Diagon Alley.
Their first stop was Gringotts, where Senna exchanged a few radiant gemstones for a large bag of Galleons. When asked about the source of the gemstones, Senna casually replied, "I dug them up in my backyard."
Ignoring the goblin's irritated expression, Senna strode out of Gringotts.
She then led Lys on a shopping spree. "This is why I hate exchanging those gems for money. Those greedy goblins act as if every gem I bring in was stolen from their vaults."
It had been years since Senna had walked such bright and sunny streets. Though the streets were slightly desolate due to recent fears, they still evoked memories of leisurely, carefree days.
Seeing a simple yet elegant hair clip, Senna was about to try it on her daughter's hair when she noticed that Lys's hair looked like a patch of grass chewed by a thestral. Disappointed, she put the clip back on the shelf.
Lys ruffled her hair, regretting her decision a few days ago to cut it short following the instructions in The Trendy Hair Guide. She had missed her mother's chance to buy her something nice.
Thinking quickly, she cast a Hair-Growing Charm on herself and looked at Senna with a hopeful smile.
Senna had already noticed that this child resembled Noah. Now, with her rust-red hair grown out and paired with a shirt and trousers, her tall and lanky frame gave off an odd impression.
Sensing her mother's disapproval, Lys returned her hair to its original state and bought Senna a nut-sprinkled ice cream sundae as a peace offering. She herself opted for a simple cone, licking it quietly on the side.
So sweet…
In the end, Senna still picked out a few hair ribbons for Lys. She suggested that Lys tie her hair back into a ponytail once it grew out. "Don't cut your hair that short again," Senna warned.
Lys obediently agreed, carrying the bag of neatly wrapped purchases. As they left the shop, she hesitantly asked, "Mom, shouldn't we cover up or something? What if those people from last time…" She paused, unsure how to describe them. "What if they come looking for trouble again?"
"Don't worry. We're just ordinary people preparing for the Hogwarts school year, aren't we?" In truth, Senna had deliberately taken this trip to test the waters. After all, it had been over a decade—surely Noah's past had settled by now… right?
The identity of Miss Lam was already under scrutiny, so it could no longer be used.
As for those people from last time, they only knew Miss Lam. They had no idea who Senna Black was.
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