The wind hit Aurelian's face with great force, but it didn't bother him; on the contrary, the feeling of being at that speed was liberating.
Several hundred meters above the grounds of Hogwarts, two figures cut through the air as they dove, leaving blurry trails behind them. Aurelian, riding a matte black Noxum 5, flew shoulder to shoulder with Cedric Diggory, the Hufflepuff captain and seeker.
"Try to follow me on this one, Aurelian!" Cedric shouted, leaning sharply to the right to dodge a castle tower and brush past the stone gargoyles.
Aurelian smiled and turned easily, matching his friend's maneuver with great skill. They flew in silence for a few more minutes, enjoying the pure adrenaline and the beautiful view of the Black Lake glistening in the afternoon sun, far from the political intrigues and whispers of the students.
When they finally slowed down and floated gently near the edge of the Forbidden Forest, Cedric brushed a strand of hair from his forehead, breathing heavily but with a big smile on his face.
"Wow..." said Cedric, looking around as if searching for something. "It's a real miracle."
"What is?" asked Aurelian, raising an eyebrow.
"That your two ladies aren't around," Cedric joked, referring to Hestia and Flora. "Normally, if you're more than three meters away from them, they appear out of nowhere. Did you give them a sleeping potion or something?"
Aurelian let out a short laugh, shrugged, and didn't respond, leaving the mystery in Cedric's mind. He wasn't going to admit that he had had to promise them a "reward" later to let him have a boys' afternoon.
They both steered their brooms toward the lawn and spiraled down until they landed gently near the main courtyard. As they dismounted, Aurelian's face grew a little more serious.
"Cedric," he said, leaning on his broom, "are you sure about this? Are you really going to try to be the school champion?"
Cedric paused, wiping a mud stain from his yellow and black robe. He glanced up at the castle, where the students were growing increasingly impatient for the arrival of the other schools. Then he turned his head toward the sky and let out a loud laugh.
"What's the matter? Are you worried about me, Gaunt?"
Aurelian rolled his eyes, snorting with a mixture of exasperation and amusement.
"Of course I am, idiot. We're friends, aren't we? That tournament has a death toll longer than Dumbledore's life."
Cedric stopped laughing and gave him a warm smile, though his eyes sparkled with competitive ambition.
"I know. But think about it for a second, Aurelian. You can't participate. You're the best at everything: dueling, studies, business... even flying, you're annoyingly good."
Cedric gave him a friendly punch on the arm.
"I have to take advantage of the fact that the great Lord Gaunt is underage to get some attention for once. If I don't compete against you, I might have a real chance of being selected and winning. I want to bring that glory to Hufflepuff. We deserve it."
Aurelian saw the determination on Cedric's face. He was the golden boy of his house and one of the friendliest people he knew. If he entered the tournament, which was most likely, he wouldn't let him die... he was his friend.
Aurelian reached out and squeezed his shoulder firmly.
"You're right," Aurelian said with conviction. "You're the best candidate this school has, not counting me. I'm sure you'll be Hogwarts' champion, Cedric."
"Thanks, buddy," Cedric replied, smiling broadly, unaware of the fate those words sealed. "It means a lot coming from you."
From a high window on the third floor, two pairs of eyes watched the scene on the grounds.
Albus Dumbledore looked at the two young men with a gentle, almost nostalgic expression.
«You see. He's a good boy,» Dumbledore murmured, watching Aurelian and Cedric walk back to the castle. «He has at least one acquaintance in every house. He has loyal friends. He's... a natural leader."
At his side, Alastor "Mad-Eye" Moody let out a guttural growl that sounded like a wild animal about to attack. His magical blue eye spun frantically in its socket, focusing through the stone and distance directly on Aurelian's figure.
"Good lad... Bah!" spat Moody, banging his cane on the stone floor. "Don't sell me dragon rubbish, Albus. I can see it. I can see it in him."
Moody turned to the headmaster, his scarred face twisted into a look of suspicion and paranoia.
"He has his face," Moody growled. "He's identical. I wish I could forget it, but those battles will never leave my mind... I've hunted dark wizards all my life, Albus. I know a predator when I see one. That boy isn't just a prodigy."
Moody's eye stopped dead, fixing on Dumbledore.
"Tell me the truth. Where did this 'Gaunt' really come from? What is his true origin? And don't lie to me."
Dumbledore sighed deeply, looking away from the window. He knew he couldn't lie to Moody. Alastor was too astute and overthought things; it was almost impossible to lie to him.
"You're right, Alastor," Dumbledore admitted wearily. "Aurelian... is Voldemort's son."
Moody's magical eye narrowed to a bright blue line. His hand instinctively reached for his wand.
"I knew it!" Moody growled under his breath. "A spawn of the Dark Lord under our roof! We should..."
"Alastor!" Dumbledore interrupted firmly, raising a hand to stop him. "Listen to me carefully."
The headmaster approached his old friend, his tone becoming more serious.
"Aurelian is our best chance for the future of this country. I have watched him for six years. I have watched his every step, and in all that time, never once has he reminded me of the monster his father became."
Dumbledore looked outside again, where Aurelian was smiling at something Cedric had said.
"Tom Riddle was cruel, lonely, and incapable of love. Aurelian is not like that. He has friends. He has saved lives. He cares about others. He is different. If we condemn him because of his blood, we will be the ones who create the next Dark Lord. I hope that cycle will be broken. I will not make the same mistake twice."
Moody stared at Dumbledore for a long, tense minute, assessing the Archmage's sincerity. Finally, he snorted and relaxed his shoulders, though his expression remained stern.
"I'll trust your words, Albus. I always do, even though sometimes I think your optimism will be the death of you," Moody grumbled, taking a swig from his flask. "But I'm warning you."
The magical eye turned back to the window, focusing on Aurelian's back.
"I'll be keeping an eye on him, constantly. If that boy takes a wrong step... if I see a hint of his father in him... I'll act."
Dumbledore offered him a weak, grateful smile.
"I expect nothing less from you, old friend."
After saying goodbye to Cedric, Aurelian walked through the corridors of the third floor, enjoying the peace and quiet. Unfortunately, his tranquility was shattered when he turned a corner near Ravenclaw Tower.
"Excuse me," a soft voice floated through the air, "Have you seen my shoes? Or my wool sweater? I think the Nargles hid them again."
Aurelian stopped and watched. A group of three fifth-year Ravenclaw girls had cornered a younger, blonde, dreamy-eyed student: Luna Lovegood.
"Nargles?" scoffed one of the girls, a sharp-faced brunette. "Nargles don't exist, Loony. It's just you being stupid and losing your stuff."
"Maybe you should look in the trash, that's where you belong," said another, pushing Luna by the shoulder.
Luna stumbled, her bare feet slipping, and fell to the ground with a thud. Her books scattered around her. The brunette girl let out a cruel laugh, and seeing that Luna wasn't crying or defending herself, she reached for her wand to cast a spell on her.
But her hand never touched the wood.
Suddenly, the girl's body froze. The air around her solidified, trapping her in an invisible prison. Her eyes widened in absolute terror, unable to move a single muscle.
"You have three seconds to get out of my sight," said a calm voice.
The other two girls turned and paled when they saw Aurelian Gaunt walking slowly toward them.
"One," Aurelian counted.
The paralyzed girl felt the pressure suddenly disappear and, without waiting for her friends, ran away in terror. The other two followed her moments later, screaming as their footsteps echoed in the empty hallway.
Aurelian snorted, shaking his head at the cowardice of the school bullies, then looked down at the girl on the floor.
Luna was sitting there, adjusting her skirt, completely unperturbed by the attack. She looked up and her silver-blue eyes met his dark ones.
Aurelian held out a hand to her.
"Up, Luna. The floor is cold."
Luna took his hand and pushed herself up lightly.
"Thank you, Aurelian," she said with a wide, genuine smile, as if nothing had happened. "Nargles are usually mischievous, but those girls were infested with Torposoplos. You could see it in their faces."
Aurelian blinked, amused by her logic.
"I suppose so. Are you missing many things?"
"Oh, yes," Luna nodded, hopping up and down on the spot. "My shoes, my winter cloak, my eagle feather, and my encyclopedia of poisonous mushrooms."
Aurelian sighed.
"Don't move. I'll find your things in a moment."
Before he could finish the movement of his hand, Luna stepped forward and caught Aurelian's hands in hers, stopping him. Her hands were small and cold, but her grip was firm.
"No!" Luna exclaimed, looking at him seriously. "That would take away the fun."
"Fun?" Aurelian asked, confused.
"It's a treasure hunt," she explained enthusiastically. "If you use magic, the mystery is ruined. We have to find them ourselves. It's an adventure."
Aurelian stared at her. He could have let go of her hands, cast the spell, and solved the problem quickly. But he didn't.
"A treasure hunt, then," he repeated. "All right, let's go," he sighed resignedly.
Luna giggled and, without letting go of his hand, pulled him down the hallway.
What followed was a scene that brought Hogwarts to a momentary standstill.
The Prince of Slytherin, the untouchable and feared Lord Gaunt, was being dragged along by Luna Lovegood as they checked behind suits of armor, looked over picture frames, and crouched under benches.
The students who saw them pass by were left speechless. Some from Hufflepuff and Gryffindor murmured silent prayers for the safety of the little Ravenclaw.
"Poor girl," whispered a sixth-year. "If the Carrow twins find out she's touching Gaunt, they'll turn her into ingredients for their potions."
On the other hand, Professor Sprout and Professor Flitwick, who saw them pass by the courtyard, exchanged warm smiles. They knew how lonely Miss Lovegood was, and seeing Aurelian spending time with her was a relief to their hearts.
After forty minutes of "adventure," they found the last shoe hanging from a lamp on the second floor.
"We've got everything!" Luna celebrated, hugging her belongings to her chest.
She turned to Aurelian and, with her characteristic impulsiveness, hugged him tightly, burying her face in his chest.
"Thanks for the adventure, Aurelian. You're very kind, even if your head is full of worried Wrackspurts."
Aurelian blushed for a second before giving her a few awkward pats on the back.
"You're welcome, Luna. Go to your common room before you lose everything again."
She pulled away, gave him one last radiant smile, and skipped off toward the Ravenclaw tower.
Aurelian smiled as he shook his head.
As he entered the Slytherin common room, the atmosphere changed, and two pairs of eyes fixed on him.
Hestia and Flora were sitting on a sofa, books open on their laps that they clearly weren't reading.
"You're late," said Hestia, closing her book with a sharp snap.
"Very late," added Flora, raising an eyebrow. "May we ask where you were?"
Aurelian knew that if he mentioned Luna, it would only increase the twins' already existing jealousy. So he did what he did best: lie with his characteristic charm.
Aurelian walked over to them, plopped down on the sofa between them, and put his arms around their shoulders, pulling them toward him.
"I'm sorry," he whispered, kissing Flora's temple and Hestia's head. "I got distracted by some boring business... and honestly, I lost track of time while thinking about how much I wanted to come back here with you."
The girls looked at each other. The tension in their bodies dissolved like sugar in hot water.
"Did you miss us?" Hestia asked, softening her voice.
"Every second," Aurelian assured them, looking them in the eyes.
Flora smiled and rested her head on his shoulder.
"It's okay... We forgive you. But next time, let us know if you're going to be late."
Aurelian sighed inwardly. Another crisis averted.
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