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Chapter 36 - "A Family Day"

"A Family Day"

Sirius left the courtroom with steps that were light from regained freedom, but heavy with the emptiness that surrounded him. He no longer knew what to do. He had won his freedom… but lost everything else.

His friends were dead. Remus, the last one he had left, had abandoned him when he believed Sirius was the traitor responsible for James and Lily's deaths. And Peter… that filthy rat… had escaped, though Sirius would have preferred to kill him with his own hands rather than send him to Azkaban.

As he wandered aimlessly through the Ministry's halls, the echo of his own footsteps became unbearable. Then, he heard other steps. Softer. More determined. He stopped and turned quickly, instincts still sharp despite the years in prison.

Standing before him was a woman with vivid red hair, ethereal beauty, both familiar and unsettling. It was the same woman who, during the trial, had claimed to be Harry's mother. Before Sirius could utter a word, she shoved him.

He fell to the ground, heart poundingmore from confusion than from the impact. When he looked up to ask for some explanation, his surroundings had changed. The cold marble of the Ministry was gone. He was now in a cozy living room, warm and impeccably decorated. The furniture was elegant, the curtains velvet, and the air smelled of lavender and old wood.

And there, in a portrait in front of him, he saw two figures he recognized instantly.

Euphemia and Fleamont Potter.

James's parents. The only people who had taken him in like a son when he was cast out of his own home for daring to think differently. The ones who had loved him unconditionally.

"Godfather… godmother…" Sirius whispered in a trembling voice. That's what he'd called them since he was a teenager, refusing to acknowledge the legal godparents his blood family had forced upon him.

Tears flowed freely as he fell to his knees before them, guilt and grief choking him.

"I'm sorry. I couldn't save James… I'm so sorry…" he said with a broken voice, shoulders shaking with sobs. "He was always there for me… and when he needed me, I wasn't there. I wasn't there…"

Fleamont looked at him with a grave expression, but not a cold one. A shadow of sorrow darkened his face. Euphemia, on the other hand, was already crying in silence, looking at the rebellious boy Sirius had once been, now turned into a man broken by time and tragedy.

"Get up, you brat," Fleamont said firmly.

Sirius looked up in fear, like a child awaiting punishment. His face was soaked with tears.

"It's okay… you did what you could," Euphemia said gently. "You lost James too. And to you, he was more than a friend… he was your brother."

Fleamont nodded. "We don't blame you, Sirius. We also thought that rat was their friend. The four of you came every damn holiday. No one would've imagined."

"But if I hadn't changed the Secret Keeper…" Sirius began, his voice breaking.

Fleamont raised a hand to silence himhis gesture soft but final.

"Blaming yourself for what might have happened is pointless. No one can know how things would've gone. Only fate. What matters is that you're free now."

Sirius cried harder, pressing his forehead against the floor as if he wanted to disappear into it. After all, they had raised him like a second son. Like James's brother. And they had never regretted it.

In the distance, unnoticed by Sirius, Wanda's figure faded into the air.

She reappeared back in her own living room, her face tense. She removed the uncomfortable, pompous Wizengamot robe and tossed it into a corner with frustration.

"Harry! Where are you?" she called out loudly.

Hurried footsteps came from the playroom, and a six-year-old boy launched himself into her arms with a bright, joyful smile.

"Mum!" Harry shouted, hugging her tightly.

Wanda held him close, gently running her fingers through his hair.

"Yes, I'm done with my work," she said softly. "How about we go for a walk?"

"Yes! I want to go to Diagon Alley! The new chocolate frogs with cards arrive today!" Harry said excitedly.

"Then let's go," Wanda said, smiling.

Harry quickly changed clothes, and the two of them went out for a walk. Harry bought several boxes of chocolate frogs, eager to find the cards he needed to complete his collection.

"Ugh! Dumbledore again…" Harry muttered, grimacing in annoyance before tossing the card into a nearby bin.

Wanda smiled at his reaction. Ever since Harry had discovered that Dumbledore had ignored the suffering of the house-elves in his family, he hadn't wanted a single image of him. Not even on a trading card.

Yet Wanda felt something odd as she watched the card… a faint magical connection, subtle but real. And only the Dumbledore cards had that residual energy. Perhaps it wasn't such a bad thing for Harry to be throwing them away.

"Which one are you missing?" she asked with interest as she watched him carefully sort through the cards and stash the frogs for later.

"A lot, but the one I want most is Merlin. Daphne got it by cheating, but I want to find it on my own."

He opened another box with hope, skillfully pocketed the frog, and checked the card.

"Mm! Godric Gryffindor!" he said in awe, looking at the animated image of the ancient wizard with admiration. "Wow, this one's also hard to get!"

He held the card up like a trophy, beaming with pride.

Wanda watched him in silence, smiling warmly. That child, who had once been just a pawn on someone else's board, now had a life, a mother… and a future that no one else would define for him.

Over the weekend, the four families joined together to take the children to an amusement park. Since the magical world didn't have one of its own, they decided to visit one in the Muggle world.

Before leaving, Wanda stood in front of everyone with her arms crossed, examining each person with a critical gaze.

The Greengrasses were impeccable, dressed with understated elegancethough perhaps a bit too much for an amusement park. The Grangers, on the other hand, looked completely appropriate in casual, comfortable clothing. But then her eyes landed on the Lovegoods… and she went speechless for a few seconds.

Two adults dressed as clowns, red noses included, and between them stood little Luna, her face painted white and wearing enormous colorful shoes.

"Why… clowns?" Wanda asked, one eyebrow raised in disbelief.

"Because they're fun," Luna answered with a radiant smile, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

There was a moment of silence… before everyone burst into warm, genuine laughter. Even Wanda smiled.

"Well, at least you won't go unnoticed," she murmured with a resigned smile.

"Relax, Wanda. Edward made sure to rent out the entire park just for us," Selene said casually.

"Wow… What an unnecessary expense," Susan commented with a half-smile. "But I appreciate it. This way we won't have to wait in any lines."

A few hours later, a shiny black limousine arrived to pick them all up. The children crowded at the windows, fascinated by the luxury and the fast-passing scenery outside.

During the ride, Wendel, wearing a curious expression, broke the silence.

"Can I ask something? I've been reading about the laws of the magical world… and I was wondering, isn't there one that completely forbids mixing with the Muggle world?"

Selene nodded softly. "Good observation. The truth is… separating both worlds completely is impossible. We live in the same land, breathe the same air. What the law really prohibits is visible magic, being discovered by Muggles, or altering their world in obvious ways."

"Then… how do you have companies and rent things like this?" Wendel asked, pointing at the limousine in astonishment.

"Because the magical world doesn't prepare its students to live outside of it," Selene explained with a hint of irritation. "Hogwarts, for instance, teaches spells, potions, and magical creatures, but nothing about how to make a living among Muggles if you're a half-blood or Muggle-born. So many end up returning to the non-magical world… where they have no degrees, no legal documents, no way to survive."

"We… well, some magical families, saw an opportunity," she continued. "We offer them jobs, financial backing, and they manage our businesses in the Muggle world. Officially, they have no connection to magic… except, of course, for the profits. And the goblins at Gringotts don't complain if the vaults fill up with Muggle money, even if they pretend to despise it. After all, they surely have mines in the Muggle world extracting gold and paying in pounds sterling."

"So…" Susan began, processing the information, "are there Muggle companies funding magical things too?"

"Exactly," Selene said, nodding. "Some Muggle families with magical children invest huge sums to support them. It's their way of entering this new world. They don't have as much influence as the big magical families, but they do exist. That's why it's so difficult to completely separate the two worlds."

"And there are also smugglers," Edward added in a grave tone, barely lifting his gaze. "Muggle groups that obtain magical objects and sell them on the black market. Some even experiment with them."

"But well, that happens in all worlds," Selene said with a serene smile. "There will always be light and darkness."

While the adults continued their conversation, the children grew increasingly restless. Suddenly, one of them pressed their face against the window and shouted excitedly.

"There it is! The roller coaster!"

They all rushed to the same side, laughing and pointing at the colorful rides already visible in the distance. The parents smiled at the sight of their glowing faces, knowing this day would be unforgettable.

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