N/A: I hope these two chapters don't feel too forced. It just felt like the right moment to move things forward, help the two kids grow, and finally bring this arc to a close before it drags on for too long. I really hope you enjoy it.
…
"A Change – Part 1"
In the end, everything happened just as Gema had said.
The deal was too good to refuse: permanent protection for Sally, her children, and her home; systematic support in her magical training; and, if she ever needed something, the Order itself would provide it.
If she could help in any way —whether through potions, alchemy, or the creation of magical items— the Order would buy them from her at whatever price she set. They would even supply the materials or search for them if they didn't have them in stock.
Of course, there were conditions.
Sally also had her obligations: to assist the Order when needed and participate in research concerning magical objects safe for non-magical users.
While there were useful potions and alchemical tools, few were truly safe for humans without magic —and that was precisely where she could make a difference.
In essence, it was a mutual cooperation pact.
They would help her grow, and she would create for them. The more useful her creations proved to be, the greater the support she would receive.
For now, things would start small: basic potion-making techniques and a few ingredients Sally had personally requested.
Simple brews, like healing or bone-regeneration potions, the kind that could even be used by knights without dangerous side effects.
Sally left carrying the ingredients and quickly prepared what was needed to heal the wounded wizard they held in custody.
It wasn't difficult —it wasn't a potion this time, but rather a small ritual.
When she reached the hall, the knights were already on guard.
She hurried to prepare the area: she drew a circle on the floor with careful precision and placed the objects in their proper positions —quartz crystals, mirrors, bowls of pure water, and several strange runes.
Mark watched silently from the side. He recognized some of the symbols, though not all of them; they were different, a mixture of arcane signs and structures that didn't quite belong to the magical world he knew.
Sally stood before the bound wizard and took out a vial filled with a glowing blue liquid.
Then she began to chant softly, her voice almost inaudible.
The air grew heavy.
The objects around her slowly began to melt, as if their substance was dissolving into the air. The magic circle shone silver for a few seconds while the liquid floated and gathered around the old man.
His face, once filled with panic, began to relax.
His muscles loosened, his breathing steadied, and finally his eyes closed, drifting into a deep, peaceful sleep.
When Sally finished the enchantment, the man opened his eyes again.
His gaze was clear, cold, and aware.
Though still gagged, the confusion was gone.
"He's ready," Sally said with a soft sigh of relief.
"Good. Leave the rest to us," Dorien replied calmly, gesturing to Gema.
Gema nodded and guided Sally out of the room.
"Let's see… there's quite a lot left," Gema said as she inspected the table. "If any of it's useful to you, keep it. We have plenty. We thought some of these would be hard to find, but they're actually rather common."
"Ah, thank you. Yes, some could be useful for other work," Sally replied calmly as she examined the materials, selecting a few with care.
She picked out those that could be used for Mist rituals and transmutations —processes far more complex, often requiring external components.
Unlike traditional magical transmutation, Mist transmutation was far stronger and could be permanent, allowing even a novice to achieve stable results with precise guidance.
By contrast, wizarding transmutation required years of study and deep understanding to make anything lasting… and above all, it was far more dangerous if attempted on a living being.
Before Sally could decide what to do next, the other knights came out of the office with tense expressions.
"We have to move before they relocate the sword. We've got names. Quickly," Adrien ordered in a low, commanding voice as the others began arming themselves.
Sally followed, somewhat confused. She didn't know if she'd be of any use —combat was far from her expertise.
"Don't worry, come with me," said Mark, walking beside her. "We just have to maintain the anti-Apparition barrier. Normally, we'd use that idiot Lockhart —it's the one thing he's actually good at— but… well, he's probably still at that wizarding hospital."
His tone was calmer than before. The arrogance that usually accompanied him had disappeared, replaced by genuine respect. After all, he had witnessed Sally's ritual —something he himself could never have pulled off.
"Ah, right… that's fine," Sally replied, more relaxed now, also noticing the change in the young man who had, until recently, underestimated her without shame.
…
The village they reached lay in the county of Wiltshire, in the southwest of England. It was a region of gentle hills, endless meadows, and ancient family estates that had stood for centuries.
Unlike other, more open wizarding settlements, this place was completely hidden from Muggles, protected by powerful confusion charms and repelling wards that kept the curious away.
The cars advanced slowly down a road flanked by ancient oaks and ivy-covered stone walls. Only two wizards guided the convoy: one rode with Sally, the other with Mark, making sure the vehicles didn't drift off course due to the invisible protections.
Every meter forward felt like a battle. The Muggle drivers could feel the air vibrating, a faint dizziness, a strange pressure in their chests —as though the road itself was twisting before their eyes.
Sally placed her hand on Luther's head, murmuring a calming spell. A soft silver mist spread through the car, stabilizing his mind.
It was clear that the inhabitants of this region did not wish to be found.
Each stretch of road seemed layered with barrier upon barrier of ancient magic, a protective weave so dense that even the air felt heavy —as though it rejected the very presence of the non-magical.
When they finally crossed the last barrier, the group found themselves before a landscape from another world: an aristocratic village, with no shops or squares, composed only of pale stone mansions, flawless gardens, and silent fountains.
There was no sound, no voices, no sign of ordinary life—only a polished silence, as artificial as the marble façades themselves.
House-elves moved through the gardens with mechanical precision, trimming hedges with floating shears or sweeping gravel paths that shimmered with faint, enchanted light.
A few wizards watched from the windows before vanishing swiftly, likely to warn their masters of the arrival of unexpected visitors.
The knights had no time to admire the place.
The cars stopped before the most imposing mansion of all: a white-stone estate, surrounded by symmetrical gardens and crowned with Gothic towers. Upon the main gate gleamed a silver emblem, a serpent coiled over a dark green field—the crest of the Malfoy family.
Malfoy Manor stretched before them in unsettling perfection.
The hedges were carved into the shapes of intertwining serpents, and a great fountain at the center sent up streams of water that shifted colors with the light, reflecting a pale green hue, as though the very dungeons of Slytherin were mirrored upon its surface.
Even from a distance, the weight of the lineage that lived there could be felt—power, pride, and mistrust toward anything impure.
"Let's make this quick," said Dorien coldly as he unsheathed his swords.
The knights moved instantly, spreading out and surrounding the mansion with tactical precision.
Mark tossed a small metallic object to Sally—a medallion that glowed faintly when it touched her hand.
"Just keep it close and channel your magic through it. I made it myself; it can even block the Floo Network," he said with a proud smile.
Sally nodded, focusing. Instead of channeling ordinary magic, she controlled the Mist itself, extending it through the object.
The barrier activated almost instantly, visible as a faint ripple in the air.
Mark stared in surprise; that process usually took several seconds, yet she had done it in barely one.
Adrien noticed his expression.
"The barrier?" he asked without taking his eyes off the entrance.
"Yes… it's up," Mark answered quickly, regaining focus.
Adrien gave a firm nod and prepared to storm the front gate. The knights adjusted their weapons and positions—the tension was palpable.
However, before Adrien could give the order, someone began walking toward them from inside the property.
The footsteps were calm, measured, echoing over the marble courtyard with an aura of calculated elegance.