While the entire school was abuzz with gossip about Quirrell being a Dark Wizard and Harry Potter being the Hero who defeated him 'Hell I don't even remember if in canon it was revealed or not', I had other priorities. Instead of indulging in the endless whispers, gosip and false information, I spent my time playing with Fluffy and Fang in the Forbidden Forest—under Hagrid's supervision, of course.
Being able to talk to them with my Animal Speech ability made it all the more entertaining. Fang, it turned out, was much older than he looked. At nearly fifty years old, he was an old soul with the wisdom of decades, though his body wasn't quite keeping up. Fluffy, on the other hand, was essentially a hyperactive pup. Despite his massive size and fearsome appearance, he was only ten years old—a mere child, considering his species' average lifespan of over 150 years.
Fluffy loved chasing sticks, though getting three heads to agree on which direction to go in was a hilarious challenge. Fang mostly sat and watched, occasionally joining in but clearly more interested in lounging.
"Fluffy's just a big baby," Hagrid chuckled as he watched me wrestle a stick out of one of Fluffy's mouths. "People always think he's dangerous, but all yeh gotta do is know how to handle 'im."
---
When the night of the End-of-Term Feast arrived, the Great Hall was decked out in Gryffindor colors. Gryffindor had already won the House Cup, but Dumbledore, in his usual flair for dramatics, couldn't resist giving a speech.
And if you like me don't like long ass speaches let me give you a rundown of what he said for those who might get bored halfway through:
Points for Harry, Hermione, and Ron for bravery, cunning, the power of love, and some friendship bullcrap.
Points for Neville for standing up to his friends, which somehow counted as "bravery."
Honestly, it wasn't necessary. Gryffindor had already clinched the win, but Dumbledore clearly had a flair for the theatrical.
As the Gryffindor table erupted in cheers, I glanced around. People around me shouted like they had found a fucking treasure hell most of the cheers died down under the constant shouts of others.
---
The next day, the Hogwarts Express waited at the station, its steam billowing into the crisp summer air. I hauled my trunk onto the train, ready to leave my first year behind, when I spotted Tonks waiting near the platform.
She was dressed in muggle clothes, her bubblegum-pink hair standing out in the crowd.
"Oi, Arthur!" she called out, waving me over.
I walked up to her, already grinning. "What, you couldn't let me leave without one last lecture?"
Tonks smirked. "You wish. Just thought I'd say goodbye properly."
She pulled me into a quick hug, her arms firm but warm.
"Next year, I'll be starting Auror training," she said, her voice tinged with excitement and a hint of nervousness. "You better keep out of trouble while I'm gone."
"Hai hai Sensei," I replied, handing her a small slip of parchment. "Here. My number. Call me if you ever need someone to listen to your gripes about Moody or whoever ends up training you."
Tonks laughed, pocketing the paper. "Don't miss me too much, Golden Prince."
"Yeah, yeah," I said, rolling my eyes. "And don't call me that."
She just grinned, giving me a mock salute before stepping back. "Take care of yourself, Arthur. See you around."
---
As the Hogwarts Express chugged along, the familiar scenery of the countryside rolling past, I leaned back in my seat and let my thoughts wander.
This year had been... eventful, to say the least. Between the Gacha system, my training, the development of my spy network, and making a friend in Tonks, it felt like I'd lived several lives in just one school term.
Garuda, perched on my shoulder, gave a soft caw. "Thinking about next year already?"
"Yeah," I said, my voice low. "I wonder what's in store."
The bird tilted his head, his sharp eyes glinting. "With you? It'll never be boring."
A smile tugged at my lips. He wasn't wrong. Whatever came next, I was ready. After all, this was just the beginning.
---Note
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