That was when the door opened. The first to look was Madam Pomfrey, ready to chase away whoever dared to intrude—but when she saw who it was, she gave a small nod and let him enter.
By now, everyone had noticed the newcomer. The Potters didn't recognize him at first, but after seeing the children's smiles, they had a pretty good idea.
Noah walked up to the bed and smiled.
"Glad you're awake."
Violet smiled at first, but then, as if struck by a thought, she pouted and turned her face away.
"Hermione, can you tell me who this is? I don't think I know someone who took this long to visit me."
Hermione smirked and tickled Violet's foot.
"He saved you before this. Saved us both."
Violet shivered slightly but didn't drop the act.
Noah let out a genuine laugh—a rare, bright smile.
"Don't be like that. I was late for a good reason."
Violet's curiosity got the better of her. She peeked at him from the corner of her eye. She wasn't the only one—all eyes were on Noah now.
"Or maybe you don't want a present?" he teased, pretending to turn away.
"Wait!" Violet grabbed the sleeve of his uniform. "Who said I didn't want a present?"
"I thought you didn't even know me," Noah chuckled.
"Didn't know you? What are you talking about?" She spoke louder now. "Noah, you're here. You didn't need to bother."
Lily smiled at the sight of her daughter acting that way. James, on the other hand, raised an eyebrow, frowning as he sized Noah up and down—only to get a sharp pinch from his wife.
"So, where's my present?" Violet asked, making Noah's smile widen.
"Here." He turned his hand over. Where there had been nothing, now lay a small box—no bigger than ten centimeters, pale lilac with a neat red ribbon.
It looked like a wand box, only smaller.
Violet wasted no time opening it. Though her hands moved quickly, she didn't crush the ribbon or the box. Inside, however, was something none of them expected.
A small silvery twig. From its tip sprouted even smaller, dried-out branches, like withered limbs of a dying tree. Odd, yes—but not ugly. Not beautiful either. Just… strange.
"It's weird," Ron said what everyone was thinking.
But Noah didn't look disappointed. If anything, his smile grew. Of course, it wasn't impressive yet. It wasn't finished.
"What is this?" Violet asked. She didn't understand what she was holding—but she clutched it tightly all the same.
"You know when you hold your wand and cast a spell? That feeling of connection with the core, like it's an extension of you?" Noah explained.
Everyone nodded. Not just Violet—every witch and wizard present recalled that extraordinary feeling, the bond with their wands.
"I want you to think of that feeling. And then try to pass it into this," Noah instructed, saying nothing more.
Now, everyone's curiosity burned. Could that odd twig really be something else?
Violet stared at the object in her hands. She recalled the sensation of holding her wand—the first time at Ollivander's, and every moment since. She hadn't used much magic yet, but every time she did, it left a mark. The way the magic spread through her body and mind was unforgettable. A wizard's feeling. The feeling of magic itself.
She didn't take long. The memory came easily—and at some point, it felt as though the twig itself was guiding her.
Right before their eyes, the twig gave off a faint white glow. The withered branches lifted, straightening. Then came something breathtaking: from the branches bloomed flowers made of fire—delicate flames twisting into blossoms. In seconds, Violet wasn't holding a silvery stick anymore, but a small bouquet of blazing purple flowers.
"They're violets," Noah said softly.
The infirmary, already quiet, fell into absolute silence.
"They're beautiful," Violet whispered.
Noah's smile was full of satisfaction. This was his second true creation in this world—a magical artifact built from scratch with his own runes and design. And everyone seemed to like it.
But soon he realized: they weren't just impressed. They were shocked.
And rightly so. None of them had ever seen anything like it. The children were amazed, yes—but James and Lily, who knew far more about the magical world, understood just how unique this was.
Violet was enchanted. She touched the fiery petals with her fingertips, surprised to feel warmth but no pain.
"If I'd known, I would've stayed in the infirmary a few extra days too," Hermione said with a pout.
Her words broke the silence, making everyone laugh.
"Don't worry, I'll give you a gift later," Noah promised, earning her smile.
The mood returned to normal. They talked about the flowers, the incident, and anything else that came to mind. Whatever they'd been before, the troll attack had pulled them even closer together.
At some point, Lily and James pulled Noah aside.
"There's no need to thank—" Noah began, only to stop when Lily hugged him. She trembled, on the verge of tears.
"Thank you for saving her."
Noah froze. He'd expected words of gratitude, but not this.
"I just did what any friend would do," he said once Lily let go.
"Even so, we owe you," James added, resting a hand on his shoulder. "Madam Pomfrey told us how you made the best choices in treating her injuries."
Noah said nothing more. He didn't feel he'd done anything beyond what was right. Words of thanks weren't necessary.
"Can I ask you something?" Noah said as they prepared to rejoin the others.
They nodded. He looked unusually serious.
"What did Dumbledore say? About who let the trolls loose?"
Both parents blinked at the question. It wasn't what they expected.
James shook his head.
"Nothing really. Just that it might've been a prank by some older student."
Noah studied him for a moment, then sighed. He smiled faintly.
"Of course. Just a prank. I should've guessed—after all, it was Halloween."
He started walking back, but his words lingered. James and Lily exchanged a glance. They could tell—Noah knew James was lying.
Strange…
Everyone regrouped, laughing and talking, pushing worries aside. On the surface, it was lighthearted. But deep down, every one of them still carried questions without answers, and culprits without faces. For now, they left it alone. It was Violet's time to recover.
The next morning, Violet was discharged. Lily and James left the castle, and the young witch returned to classes.
The teachers welcomed her warmly. Homework was light, as if to give her time to catch up. Even Snape went easy that week. Though perhaps for other reasons—he seemed exhausted and walked with a limp.
So when their cauldrons bubbled too much, they weren't scolded. And the only homework was to copy a single scroll on potion types.
No one cared enough to wonder why Snape was limping. Their minds were elsewhere—on the troll incident, yes, but mostly on what was coming next: Gryffindor versus Slytherin. The Quidditch match everyone was waiting for. Not only because of the house rivalry, but because it would be Harry Potter's official debut as Seeker.
The news had leaked, some said on purpose, to cover up the troll attack. And it seemed to work. No matter where you went in the castle, you could hear someone talking about it.
Noah, however, couldn't be less interested in Quidditch.