Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

In the middle-late of the fourteen century, somewhere at England, at the middle of nothing sits a shabby shack quietly, so is the current person who is occupying it on a bed.

The man wore simple, grey robes that is tattered and dirty, but it’s the only thing he had on his body. Without them, he’s as good as a pile of bones covered with a thin layer of flesh. He has white, long and lank hair that somehow suits with his clothing. His skin is deathly pale from the lack of exposure from sunlight. His eyes and cheeks are long-sunken deep, and now he’s simply laying on his bed, unmoving and certainly not sleeping. He also smells like a corpse from not washing himself for a very, very long time.

He wasn’t sure why, but he got a feeling that today is a special day, perhaps the day he will finally move on, no longer suffering endlessly, a place he can find comfort and peace.

However, it appears that Fate has other plans, as he heard a loud pop that just erupted next to him, He would had jumped from the voice if he weren’t too weak to do so. An intruder? A thief? Someone who wanted him dead?

At least he is welcome to anyone who’s eager to put an end to his miserable existence.

“So you are the one who need help, aren’t you?” It was a sound of a young female, her voice is almost like singing to him, to the point he wished to see her face, just for once. Sadly, he no longer has the eyes to see her face, his parents did a good job on that, but one can always dream.

He still nodded out of courtesy, at the direction of the source of the voice, with both of his eyelids shut right.

“You... can’t talk?”

The man nodded as he touched his throat briefly.

“I understand, and I assume you have been on bed for a very long time?”

Another nod.

“Well, in that case, I’ll fix you in one move, consider it as a charity!” The voice said as he felt a warm feeling enveloped around his body, like the warmest blanket covered him during the nights with the strongest snowstorms. He then felt something grew out of his eye sockets, but he is too weak to protest, as he’a trained not to protest, or he’ll receive more beatings, that’s how things are back at his home before he got kicked out. He shuddered in fear of those painful memories, all the while as he felt the constant sore inside his throat is gone.

Now he really couldn’t resist the urge to open his eyelids, he just has to do so just to be sure, hopefully the young lady wouldn’t scream or run away upon seeing him the lack of eyeballs.

To his suprise, for the first time for the very long time, he can see.

He can see.

He can finally see things again like any normal person, it appears that whatever the girl just did to him, gave his eyeballs — thus his eyesight — back. And for the first time, he got to see his savior the first time for good.

The girl has raven hair and onyx eyes, she wears a formal blue one-piece dress with long sleeves that barely covered her ankles, with blue flats and long white socks to pair with, and an elegant silver butterfly hairpiece on the left side of her head. Her light skin and fair looks gives out a feeling like she’s some sort of royalty.

He would had expressed his gratitude for life by marrying her right on the spot, if only he wasn’t as good as any poor, worthless beggar on the streets, so why she came here just to help him, anyway?

He tried to get up, it didn’t work, he’s still too weak to do so.

“Oops, I forget that didn’t fix your lack of energy! Here, drink this.” The blue girl offered a vial with some sort of bright liquid in it.

At this point, even it’s poison, the man would be all too happy to drink it, consider he’d somehow got his eyesight back, at least he won’t be dying in a painful and lonely death as a nobody. For now, he trusts the blue girl fully and instantly, for giving his eyesight back. He knew it can’t be something that hurts him in any form.

He slowly drank and emptied the contents of the small vial, as he felt strength coming back to his body bit by bit, good enough for him to get up from the bed, but not enough to get down from it.

“There, you’re all better, what don’t we start by introducing ourselves? I’m Dawn, just Dawn, by the way.” The blue girl just got closer as she patted the white-haired man’s arm.

“i’m...perseus...” The man tried to speak, but it came out as a whisper instead, it doesn’t stop him being glad that he got his own voice back as well. Granted, it’s definitely hoarse from the lack of usage for a very long time, and his parents' potion to burn and break his throat doesn’t help his case.

Not that he wants to think anything about his ex-family anymore. Right now, all he wished is to give his savior a big hug, as he did exactly just that while muttering ‘thank you’ again and again.

...still, he really needs to get a bath for himself, once he’s able to get off from his bed.

“Yeah, right, I get your thanks. A lot of people did that every time I helped them with my ‘miracles’ as they say, and it appears you require more help other than fixing you, so I decided not to leave you before you are capable of taking care of yourself,” Dawn just hugged Perseus back as she rubbed circles at his back. “Does that sounds good to you? Provide that you are to explain everything about yourself.”

Perseus is just too grateful to Dawn to refuse her lifeline offered to him, anything to make his life better, he’ll takes it, even if it means to offer his soul to the devil, anything better than just wasting himself to death. So he just nodded his head vigorously, to the point that Dawn starts to worry if the man’s head would fall off from all the shakes he made.

Today is indeed a special day for Perseus.

Chapter Text

A few days of nutrient solutions and porridge is all Dawn needed to give Perseus a speedy recovery, as she’s good at crafting anything with all the resources available inside her inventory. Only to found out that her white friend right now has another problem — thanks to long term of staying on bed — is now having difficulty on something as simple as walking on his own.

That too is solved with another few days of assisting him to walk, and now he can walk around the house freely — just slow with a bit of tottering mixed in.

On the other hand, Perseus has been starting to request eating solid food if possible (politely, of course). Naturally, Dawn didn’t refused his request, for she too wished him a better physical condition, the sooner the better, and being able to eat solid food is certainly a sign of one’s health getting better.

If only the mental wounds are as easy to heal as the physical ones.

Dawn has been observing Perseus during his recovery process, and she found out that he is understandably clingy to her — both physical and mentally — after a long time of isolation. Each time she needs to leave the house temporary, it takes a while to convince Perseus to let go of her, as he keep hugging her and beg her not to leave him alone again, and while Dawn appreciates hugs from anyone — even for someone who hasn’t take baths for a while — she still needs to leave to scout the surroundings and learning this place a little bit more.

At least every time when she returned to Perseus’s house, he’s all too happy to see Dawn again, as the first thing he did is to approach her and hug her as long as he can, his hugs shows him his lack of safety to himself all too well.

Besides, Dawn’s scoutings at the outside proved vital to her understanding to this world, as she learnt that she’s in 1363, Yorkshire of England (in which she’s sure it isn’t united yet), and just ten years after the Black Plague stroke the entirely of Europe.

Dawn couldn’t help but thinking that Perseus is lucky to survived through the Great Mortality, as it took the lives of at least one-third of the local population.

And speaking of Perseus...

Dawn noticed him being shy to talk to her, even she literally saved him from certain death, but she understands his cautions — whatever he had gone through is certainly unpleasant and traumatizing. Nowadays he can communicate with her normally, yet he still talked as quiet as he can, and he’s clearly reluctant to talk about certain things.

And Dawn knows what must be done to open his heart.

Chapter Text

Dawn is now sitting on one of the creaky wooden chairs, next to an equally creaky table in the living room, the chair’s ready to break down at anytime. It’s a shame that sofas haven’t been invented yet, and she’s sure that she needs to wait for at least five centuries for them to be invented. Although based on Perseus’s financial status, she’s sure that he couldn’t have bought one for himself, even if sofas existed in this present.

“Good morning, Miss Dawn. May I sit with you?” It’s Perseus, who just walked out of his bedroom.

“Help yourself.” Is all Dawn said to the tall man.

“Thank you,” Perseus then proceed to sit in another chair, face-to-face with Dawn. “Can I help you with anything? I already own you so much for saving me and feeding me, and I just can’t keep living this way without anything to return for my own conscience.”

“And before we talk about that, perhaps a bit of introduction of yourself certainly helps? Say, your past?” Dawn offered.

“...must I talk about my past?” The man in white’s eyes pleaded not to press on about his origins.

“First things first, I can’t help you better if I know nothing about your past, otherwise I can’t teach you the skills you need to survive, especially when I’m not sure what skills you requires, as everyone has a unique set of survival skills on their own. No skills, no way to survive, or even returning your flavor to me at all. Secondly, one thing for sure, is that normal people don’t live alone and away from society, especially when I found you almost dead from isolating yourself for who-knows-how-long,” Dawn raised her fingers on her right hand for each point she said — starting with her index finger — as she continued: “Last but not least, I didn’t help you to make you return anything to me, I help you because it’s the right thing to do, for your wish to live is simply too strong for me to be ignored, and I know what is like to be helpless and abandoned by others.”

Perseus looked at how Dawn raised her fingers and the first thing come into his mind to speak out loud is this: “You are not from around here, are you?”

Dawn just smirked back in return. “What do you think?”

“You are not,” Perseus confirmed his guess as he explained: “Your accent and your method on counting are all different from us, which is why it is safe for me to assume you are not from England, am I right?”

“You are right.” Dawn just shrugged like nothing as she went on: “For I came from the far east, mystical place with mystical brand of magic on it’s own, and that’s how I fixed you. Amazing, isn’t it?”

That wasn’t a lie, but neither the whole truth. Yes, her nationality has always been Asia, before and after becoming a Wild Card, but she still didn’t came from THIS version of Asia. Anyway, it would be too difficult for any ordinary person to understand that, magical or not.

“Can you teach me to do that?”

“You mean the method to fix you?”

“Indeed, I reckon such skills can be used to save the lives of many, which is why I wish to learn from you. So allow me to ask again — can you teach me to do that?”

“Sorry, pal. My skill’s nature on its own prevents me teaching it to others. So no dice on that.” Dawn shrugged again. “I believe it’s fair for you to tell me more about yourself, now that I have told you everything you need to know. So...what’s your story?”

While disappointed at unable the learn anything behind the secrets that fixed him, Perseus still has many things to ask, like the place Dawn came from, how she arrived all the way to England, the exact nature of her powers...but he decided to settle on answered his saviour’s request, at least for now.

Still, he wanted to ask a certain question before explaining his origins.

”Are you a goddess, or an angel?”

“Nope! I’m better and more of an improvement than any of those! Call me a ‘good friend to mankind’ if you wish!” Dawn raised her hands playfully as she explained herself.

”I see.” Perseus replied tersely, before finally trust the girl in blue enough to talk about his past.

“I...came from a family of royalty, they...disowned me after a mistake I made, one that permanently took my sight and my ability to speak, until you fixed them, that’s it.” Perseus lowered his head as he spoke, his expression is at the verge of crying as he clenched his fists hard. “I never understand why my parents hated me so much, they weren’t always like that, they used to love me, until I stopped following their ideals.”

“...I am sorry for what you have gone through,” Is all Dawn can offer to the taller man. “What your parents did to you is vile and cruel, and I promise you that they can never harm you again, EVER. As for now, I’ll stay with you until you are comfortable to live on your own. Does that sounds good to you?”

“You mean it? Even if it means as long as forever? I mean, for my entire life?” Perseus really cannot believe what his ears had just received, and he’s starting to think that this is a sweet dream for him that has just come true. And if it was really one, he wish he would never have to wake up from it.

He haven’t met many people in his unfortunately very short and miserable life — his parents and his siblings — who all berated and called him names for not sharing the same ideals — are all the people he’d ever know...well, except a few other families he met during the usual banquets his family joined, not that he’s interested in making friends with those nasty people to begin with, consider they all talked about is the same thing — boasting their family being the best or how many people they have harmed per day, in which he’s disgusted at their atrocious behaviors, and he couldn’t help himself but feeling a sense of superiorness for not feeling the same perverted pleasures with them — for more than often he think that normal people are brilliant in their own way, as they are able to live without the same privileges he and his own kind did, nor their assistant required at all.

“Time is never a restraint to me,” Dawn offered a hand to Perseus. “Which means starting at now, that makes us friends?”

“You...consider me to be worthy to be your friend? Me?” Now Perseus is just too shocked to accept Dawn’s hand. No one had ever talked to him with such aplomb before, everyone he had met treated him like a slug, a nuisance to be removed. And yet, here it is, a girl that is so nice that actually wants to be a friend with him of all people, a person with nothing worth on him.

“Why not? I found you pleasant to be my company, that makes you good enough to be a friend to me.”

And now Perseus just bursts into tears as he hugged Dawn tight, while sprouting ‘thank you’ over and over again.

“...looks like you haven’t been treated like a decent human being for a very long time, or at all, and I intent to make a change on that for you,” Dawn just accepted Perseus’s hug as she rubbed circles at his back, while handing out a handkerchief to the latter. “Do you need something to wipe your tears?”

Perseus just took the handkerchief, turn his back to Dawn as he blew at the tiny but well-decorated piece of cloth. “Sorry,” He apologized. “You are so nice to me, no one has been so nice to me for so long.”

“That is hardly saying much, considering your life hasn’t been kind to you for a very long time.” Dawn replied boringly. “And I take that as a ‘yes’?”

Perseus just nodded hard in reply, so hard that Dawn started to worry if the force he applied would end up hurting her in such close distance.

And something blooms between the two of them, something called ‘Bonds’.

Chapter Text

“Now that we have finished introducing ourselves, I trust you that you can give yourself a new look all on your own? Perhaps a bath to clean yourself up nicely? Or perhaps simply changing yourself with better clothing, other than these...rags you are wearing?”

Currently, Dawn has convinced Perseus to be his friend for life — after the latter finally gave the former some space to breath — and it’s time for a new start of his life for the better, and the first and foremost thing she needs him to improve himself is his hygiene, otherwise any sane person would have simply avoid him like the plague, not unlike the one that struck the entirety of Europe a decade ago.

“I’m sorry, but there isn’t any cleaning source around here, and I never bothered digging a well for myself. In fact, I’ve never thought of the possibility of me thriving here after my family abandoned me, all I had in my mind then is to simply embrace death, for life has not been kind to me for too long...” Perseus flushed, his cheeks tinted with a faint of red. “...and I’d never expect anyone to visit me in the middle of nothing at all, let alone helping me. So I never bothered to get some regular clothing for myself to change, nor I have the coins to purchase any clothing at all...” He said miserably.

Dawn’s face remained stoic, but deep inside her heart it’s already burning with righteous anger. What kind of sick family — no, relatives should be a better word to describe them — for leaving one of their kind out of the open, all without bothering teaching him the necessity skills to life on his own, nor at the least giving him any money to at least start a business to earn a living, or simply buying the necessaries for himself. “Unsurprisingly, but that can be arranged: I’ll be the one to supply you a place for bathing, and the currency needed for purchasing things for your living, starting with your clothes.”

“But...” Perseus bit his lips.

“What?” Dawn is now rubbing her forehead, annoyed at Perseus’s hesitation.

“But you already restored my eyesight and my voice! And you already gave me food for a few days! You shouldn’t give me more things! I’m not worthy of your resources!” Perseus protested.

Dawn blinked, then blinked again in confusion. Perseus actually thought himself not worthy to be helped? No doubt to be a product done by his relatives. “Of course you are worthy, everyone is special in their own way, and I assume your relatives used to call you ‘worthless’ a lot?”

“Yes, well...” Perseus’ voice got smaller as he answered.

“Then that is no longer the case. In fact, I would like you to stop thinking anything about your relatives at all. In my professional opinion, THEY are the real monsters out there to bring you nothing but misery, not you, and everything they said to you is nothing short of lies. That’s why it’s time to forget everything they taught you, while I will help teaching you the necessity ways to live, not just surviving.” Dawn offered as she extended her hand.

Perseus shook Dawn’s extended hand. “I’ll do everything I can to repay you! It’s the least thing I can do for you!” He promised.

“That wasn’t necessary, I don’t do things like this for any flavors.” Dawn frowned at Perseus’s choice of words.

“That is true, but I cannot do nothing in return of your help. Other than my conscience say so, it would be rude for me to be the one at the receiving end of your kindness endlessly, as I insist.” Perseus lowered his head as he said, a glimpse of willpower found within his grey eyes, as he hold his fists tight.

“If you say so,” Dawn decided to end this conversation before it escalates out of control. “Now, as for your hygiene and new look...I know a place, but I require you to wear this first.” She placed a blindfold on the table.

Perseus just nodded as he put them on without making a fuss. Then he just remembered something: “This would not be permanent, you promise?”

“I promise. Now that your sight is covered temporary, follow my lead to my secret room...” Dawn said as she hold Perseus’ right hand as she led him to the Persian Room, the room’s door just summoned on one of the decayed wooden wall of the shack.

As the duo entered the mystical room, Dawn failed to notice the slight increased heartbeat from Perseus, one oriented from shyness, and something else.

“..aaaaand here we are! You may take down the blindfold! And take a seat!” Dawn said cheerfully as she let go of Perseus’ hand.

Carefully, the man in white took off the blindfold as he looked around. The room is filled with objects all in persian blue, from bookshelves to the table right in front of him, to the chairs and to the mat where the table is located on, except the mat has a golden stylized ‘P’ on it. There’s also a giant bed behind the table and chairs for one to sleep on, and a fireplace that burns with blue flames.

“Incredible...you owned all of this?” Perseus looked around with curiosity.

“I do! The bathroom is this way!” Dawn led the long-haired man to another door in the main room.

Behind the door contains a modern bathroom — the walls and the floor filled with smooth tiles, with an auto tap, dryer, and a luxury bathtub all included. There are also towels in various sizes and color, from bathing to face-cleaning. There is also a window that shows a scenery of outer-space — with stars that shines in an ever-spreading darkness, all in various sizes and brightness.

Perseus’ mouth is now agape, too stunned to say anything. He had never seen a more luxurious room than this, even the bathroom back in his family’s house paled in comparison. In fact, the bathroom has so much space that he could use this as his new bedroom, even thought he’s sure that Dawn is the one with the final saying on that. “Is this...really just your bathroom in your house? Just how rich are you?”

“Just enough to afford myself,” Dawn humbly answered. “I’m sure I still have some spare clothing for you to change, so I’ll be leaving for a few seconds, and don’t touch anything before I come back, would you?”

Perseus just nodded vehemently in return.

“Okay! I trust you to keep yourself safe when I’m not around!” Dawn happily left Perseus on his own business as she started searching the wardrobes.

Perseus couldn’t help but looking around with curiosity. It’s just a bathroom, where people come in to clean up themselves, but there’s also a lot of stuff here he had never seen in his already unfortunately short life. Such as the metal object at the top of what seems to be a basin carved into smooth marble.

He tried reaching towards the metal object with his hand, and just when he was about to touch it, water came out of it.

He flinched, retracted his hand, and the metal object stopped supplying water.

Fascinating.

He then turned his head to observe the bigger basin in the bathroom better. The basin is carved with smooth, blue marble like the walls and the floor, without any angles that may cut him by mistake. Next to the basin consist a similar-looking metal object, and based on his previous experience with the one at the smaller basin, he deducted this one too makes water should he tried touching it, so he decided to leave it alone, with his attention now focused on a couple of bottles placed on a flat marble.

Those bottles contains some sort of liquid in it, and Perseus is sure that none of those liquid inside them are water. Otherwise, why bother making a metal object that releases water upon close contact?

Perseus is starting to think that this room is filled with magic, unlike the magic he once wield, not that said magic helped him in any way, especially with the lack of a wand to defend himself in the first place, and he’s sure the witch hunters out there are all too eager to burn him on the stakes, or hanging him, as he heard those tales from the others, who escaped from their clutches with well-timed Apparation, should they found out his little secret.

But if this room is really made of magic, then maybe, just maybe, it’s safe to share his secret to Dawn. Not to mention she seems to be too nice to hand him over to the witch hunters...

Anyway, he returned to his original position, sitting on the cold floor, waiting Dawn to come back.

“I’m back! Perseus!” Dawn opened the bathroom door with lots of clothing in various colors. “I don’t know you would like which one, so I decided to bring all of them for you to choose! And if you still don’t like any of them I picked for you, I can lead you to the changing room for you to choose, until you found yourself the one that suits you the best! Do you have fun exploring the bathroom?”

She knows, I'm dead. Perseus faced paled further upon hearing what Dawn just said. Reflexively he curled himself into a ball as he sobbed and cried: “I’m very sorry, I didn’t mean to touch your things. I just got curious of them, don’t hurt me. I’ll be good and do anything you wish.”

“And what makes you think that I would punish you for touching anything in the bathroom?” Dawn isn’t expected such adverse reaction from the young man, so she put down the clothes she was holding as she approached the man now in tears. It’s obvious that he was accused of ‘touching something’ in the past, very likely by his relatives, and the outcome scarred him physically and mentally. “After all, you can’t wash yourself without touching anything in the bathroom, can you?”

Upon hearing that Dawn won’t harm him, Perseus jerked his head up. “You mean, you won’t harm me, at all?”

“Absolutely. If my presence makes you feels uneasy, I am all too glad to leave you alone. Can’t have a woman watching a man taking a bath, right?” Dawn joked as she remembered something. “Speaking of baths, do you want shower or a bath?”

“Shower?”

“To put it simply, you use the long, metal object hanged at the top of the tap — the smaller, metal object next to the bathtub that supplies water when you turn it on — to wash yourself as it sprays water to you. Although I have to admit the current of the shower is pretty strong, except it’s more cleaner and safer than a tub of dirty water in it! Not to mention you use less water to clean yourself up!” Dawn explained as she pointed at the metal objects that are fixed to the wall. “And you turn it on like this!” She demonstrated by pulling the tap up, as water began to flow into the bathtub, then turned it off again, and water stopped coming out of it.

“That is...useful, but I’d rather take a bath instead a shower. I don’t think I can stand the ‘current’ of a shower as you said.” Perseus picked his choice on bathing, as he’s not used to taking a shower instead of a bath, like most people in his time.

“Alright then! Allow me to prepare this one just for you!” Dawn then blocked the tub with a drain stopper as she started to fill up the tub with warm water, she even tested the water’s temperature with her hand, before finally allowing Perseus using it, as she explained the drain stopper’s function as she left. “Oh, and one more thing: The biggest bottle contains shower gel — you use that to clean your own body, and the second biggest one is shampoo — you use that for your hair.” She explained one last time as she closed the door to give Perseus some privacy.

Once Dawn left Perseus all alone, he slowly took off his tattered robes as he walked towards and submerged himself into the water-filled tub. The temperature of the water is just right for him. As he began to examine his body and his back.

Happily, and amazingly, none of the scars he had all over his body are present, at all. It appears whatever Dawn did to fix him, it also took his scars away from him, at least the physical ones, that’s it. He remembered the first time he started being treated as the unfavorite of the house at the age of six, with his parents called him names and beat him and starve him in a regular basis — with ‘worthless squib’ being their favourite all-time insult — all the while giving their best treatment to his other siblings, but never to him, and never will be anymore. And should he dared to complain such unfair treatment, he’ll be at the wrong receiving end of a painful Crucio, or worse, being whipped at his back, until there were done with him.

Not that he really is a squib, he has magic like the rest of his siblings, just really bad at using them, thanks to his parents upbringing to him. And now, with someone to care about him, he’s ready to do some real magic, away from his former family, and make himself proud of being born as a wizard.

But first, he need to get himself a new wand at Ollivanders in Hogsmeade.

If only Dawn is welcome at his status of being a wizard, that’s it.

Chapter Text

Once Perseus have finished his bath, he came out from the bathroom with plain, grey robes, like the color of his eyes and his hair. With the scent of white orchid all over his body from the shower gel he used, and his hair is no longer like something that just come out from a dumpster, but rather smooth without any knots in it. Granted, it is still lanky from his literally poor life, but it is certainly an improvement before taking a bath.

“Oh! Looks like you are done with your bath! And I see you have chosen your new clothes, I hope you like them!” Dawn was reading with an oversized book as she saw Perseus coming out of the bathroom, as she closed it and turning towards the young man, smiling. “I’ll just put back the rest to the wardrobes! Do you need anything else?”

“No. Thank you. And I believe we need to talk.” Perseus gulped as he said. He then took a deep breath, hands folded. “I trust you that whatever I was about to reveal to you, you will still be my friend, right?”

“Why, of course! Take a seat and begin your confession.” Dawn gestured Perseus to sit on the empty chair, so that he will be facing Dawn when he explains himself.

Perseus did as Dawn gestured as he began speaking: “Well, you see, I’m sure you should be familiar with our kind, and while I may not be entirely sure that whether you too are one of us, I believe it’s only fair for you to know the truth behind me, consider you helped me so much.”

“Go on.” Dawn is now staring at Perseus intently.

“Well, you see, the truth is that...I am a wizard, and I can do magic.” Perseus said as if he confessed a great sin, his tone indicated his sincerity.

“And is that all you wanted to tell me?”

“What?”

“What I mean,” Dawn paused briefly, before continue to speak: “Is that I helped magical people in the past, and admitting yourself being one of them isn’t a big deal to me, not to mention that I have seen weirder guests in this room, so you confessing that you can do magic is nothing big to me.” She explained.

Now Perseus’ eyes is widened like plates. Normally confessing yourself being able to do magic in the muggle world is more-or-less a death sentence to oneself, with all the witch hunters around the corner, all too eager to burn and hang wizards and witches upon first sight. And yet, here we are, this girl just said that she’s fine with him being a wizard? Being capable of doing magic? And on top of those, not afraid of him at all? “So...you won’t sending me to the witch hunters? Not at the slightest?”

“Not a chance, especially when you are my friend.” Dawn waved her hand neglectfully.

Well, that’s everything Perseus needed to heard, even though he should have known that from all the promises she made and the good things she did to him, and actions speak louder than words. So maybe asking for more help wouldn’t be too much of a big deal to her. “Can you help me for buying a new wand? I don’t have one to do magic.”

“I thought everyone has wands to do magic, and I assume you can’t do wandless magic?”

“Well, no...unless accidental magic counts?”

“No.”

“Oh, then I can’t do that at all, that’s why I need your help to purchase a new one, as you know, I don’t have the Galleons to buy one.” Perseus awkwardly requested.

“And I suppose your relatives never bought one for you?”

“Err...no, they did bought one for me in the past, but when I made...a mistake that got me removed from the house, they snapped my wand, so I don’t have one anymore.” Perseus’ face flushed as he explained.

“Now that is just beyond petty for them, I guess they really wanted you dead when they kicked you out of your home.” Dawn gritted her teeth as she commented. “Very well, I will go with you to get you a new wand, with me doing the payment. And remember: the wand choose it’s master, not you.”

“I know that too well, the shop owner for the wands said the same thing when I first bought it with my parents, and thank you for your generosity,” Perseus nodded as he stood up, ready to visit the Ollivanders. “Shall we?”

Dawn just closed her eyes as she smiled and willed the exit to the Ollivanders to appear. “Gladly.”

Chapter Text

As the door opens, Dawn and Perseus (blindfolded, of course) arrived Hogsmeade, where Ollivanders should be located in this time.

Once the door to the Persian vanished, Dawn allowed Perseus to take down the blindfold, as he scouted around with the scenery he’s familiar with.

“We’re at Hogsmeade, how did we arrived here this quick, is this has something to do with your magic?” Perseus asked curiously as he kept looking around.

“You can say that, but keep in mind that I am no witch, just someone with lots of magic to dispose with.” Dawn explained as she started walking towards the all-wizard village. “Do you want to hold my hand?”

“Erm, yes. Of course.” Perseus reached out slowly as he took Dawn’s hand. He wasn’t used to close physical gestures like this, and the previous ones he did are all done with his parents and siblings, before they stopped loving him that’s it, all replaced with hitting and smacking and slapping. So every time someone tried raising their hand(s), he instinctively flinched and retracted before they can hurt him. But now he’s doing the same thing to someone he had just met in his life, and she had already gave him more than he could ever asked, more than life could ever offer to him...and he really, really like it.

After a short walk in the community, the two finally found the wand shop they had been looking for. Dawn opened the door slowly as the ring on the door rang to noticed the owner of the arrival of guests, with an old man in white, wild hair came out of the store, his smile friendly and welcoming.

“Welcome, welcome. Mr. Prince. I remember your wand. black walnut and unicorn hair, thirteen inches, unusual pair, isn’t it?”

Wait, Prince? As in, the Prince Family in the Wizarding World? But he said he was disowned, so he can’t be one of those people who sprout all of those ‘pureblood nonsense’, right? Not to mention he looks nothing like one of those people...

Dawn pondered as she looked at Perseus like some kind of prize trophy.

Perseus noticed Dawn’s change on her face, as he gave a look that he’ll explain his heritage later.

“I am not exactly a Prince anymore, Mr. Geraint Ollivander. Just Perseus and I’m fine with that,” Perseus said as he put a hand at his back. “And I am here for a new wand, with this fair lady to pay for it.”

“Dawn, just Dawn, in your services, Mr. Ollivander.” Dawn replied courtly as she extended her hand to the older wizard.

“Why, Miss Dawn, it’s nice to see you.” Mr. Ollivander shook Dawn’s hand. Then he started looking at the wand boxes all around the shop, handpicked a few, and placed them on the desk. He picked one of the boxes as he offered to Perseus. “Try this one. English oak and Phoenix feather, ten inches. Strong and loyal once mastered.”

Perseus gave a swish as he held the wand, and a warm feeling enveloped him instantly, slowly but steady and calming.

“Bravo! It appears this new wand suits you as well as, or even better than the last one. English oak are wands for good times and bad, this is a friend as loyal as the wizard who deserves it. Wands of English oak demand partners of strength, courage and fidelity. Their owners also often have powerful intuition, and an affinity with the magic of the natural world. However, Phoenix feather are the trickiest and the pickiest type of core to be mastered with, for the creature from which they are taken was one of the most independent and detached in the world, and their allegiance was usually hard won. Yet should you won its allegiance, you shall be rewarded with the greatest range of magic and its initiatives.” Mr. Ollivander exposited.

Perseus just stared at Dawn with a faint smile. Looks like he’s in luck of finding himself a loyal friend for life at all, just like the wand itself. As Dawn walked up and paid the seven Galleons for the wand, the duo left the shop.

Once they have walked to somewhere at the boundaries of Hogsmeade, Dawn decided to start talking about Perseus’ familial origins.

“I believe you own me some explanation about your origins from the Prince Family, Perseus.”

Chapter Text

“How come you didn’t tell me anything that you came from a pureblood family?” Dawn is now glaring Perseus with suspect.

“I thought it does not matter to you, nor it is important to you in any form, so perhaps I did neglect to mention anything about my ex-family...?” Perseus is now too awkward to give a reasonable explanation to Dawn.

“It isn’t, but one can always try. Still, I understand that is a sensitive topic to you, and if you wish not elaborate your relationship with them, we can always ignore it, until you are comfortable enough to tell me on your own.” Dawn waved absentmindedly as she began leading the tall man back to the shopping district of Hogsmeade. “Come now, I’m sure we still have enough time for the rest of our shopping trip, you need more things to sustain yourself, and I don’t want to heard you sprouting anymore ‘I’m not worth helping’ your relatives once told you a lot on the way, those disgusting creatures said nothing but lies just to make you suffer, and that will not continue under my watch.”

Perseus is once again, too stunned to say anything to retort. Well, at least she wasn’t pressing on the matter about his ex-family, and he shouldn’t complain about anyone who is kind to offer him help in any form, even though he didn’t want to disappoint her later on, not that she would harm him for disappointing her, right?

Speaking of shopping...

She wasn’t wrong that he needs more things to be able to live, not just surviving. For a very long time, he had been living on the streets, scavenging scraps and leftovers just to stay alive just a little bit longer, just after he was removed from his ex-family home and before he found himself a place to stay, all on his own.

It’s not easy to navigate the world while being completely blind, be it in the magical world or in the non-magical one. Good thing for him is that he still has a bit of magic on his own to scout his surroundings, a perfect replacement of his eyes. Even though more than often it exhausts his magical core just to see the surroundings a little bit better. He wasn’t sure if he could do magic anymore, by the time Dawn found him and saved him.

Until now that he visited the Olivanders, tested with a new wand, and luckily for him, he still has a bit magic inside himself.

Maybe, just maybe, this time, he will be able to thrive with Dawn. Although he is still embarrassed at the whole ‘Being saved by a girl’ thing, and he still hasn’t done anything in return.

Perhaps someday, he can, and he will repay back all the flavors Dawn did for him, even if it means it’s as long as a lifetime.

“Perseus?” Dawn’s singing-like voice pulled him back into the present moment.

“Hmm? Ah, yes, that would be great.” He said before his brain could process the words that just came out from his mouth.

“Good!” The girl in blue beamed a bright smile to the white-haired man. “And what are you good at?”

“Pardon?”

“What I mean,” Dawn paused a bit, choosing the right words to say, before opening her mouth again: “Is that I need to know your specialities. Such as healing people, fighting Dark wizards, brewing potions, or other professionals like that.”

“Emm...I think I’m good at brewing potions, and serving people, without using magic, at all.” Perseus offered with uncertainty. “But I haven’t brewed any potions for a while, so my skills on it may be a bit rusty...”

“That’s good enough for me, we’ll be visiting a couple of cauldrons and Herbology shops separately, and while I’m sure that you have no intention on opening an apothecary, there’s always a demand on every type of potions, and I’m sure I can help you with finding the right customers!” Dawn circled around Perseus as she walked with him to the shops in Hogsmeade. “Oh, and we will need some bags charmed with expansion charms too, and bottles to hold the ingredients for potions, and other essentials and food, and...”

Perseus just gave a faint smile to the cheerful girl. Maybe, just maybe, this is what having a friend feels like, a friend that wasn’t trying to exploit him in any way, a friend that wouldn’t backstab and abandon him for any reason, and it feels wonderful.

And he’s ready to do anything for his new friend, so long she wasn’t like the rest of his ex-family, or the members of other pureblood families.

After a whole day of strolling and shopping around Hogsmeade, Dawn and Perseus returned to the shack through the Persian Room door (with Perseus’ eyes blindfolded throughout the passage again, of course). The first thing they did after putting down the bags filled with all of their brought goods (with Dawn doing all the payment) is to plan for the current residence.

Obviously Perseus can’t keep living in a house that is barely holding itself with nothing but a couple of rotten wood pieces, less he’ll risk them falling over him someday, and Dawn isn’t taking any chances for that to happen at all. So Dawn suggested moving out to somewhere else Perseus is familiar to live at, such as Hogsmeade, the only community with no muggles to live in, and safe from their wizard and witch-hunting fanatical persecution.

However, to the raven-haired girl’s surprise, the first thing she heard from the taller man is an affirmative ‘no’ from his mouth. “Why?” She asked curiously.

“I do not want any business with my ex-family anymore, I loathe to meet them again for any reason, and Hogsmeade is a common destination for many wizards and witches alike to visit regularly, and I do not wish to take any chances.” Perseus is determinate when he explained. “Besides, a location between the boundaries of the magical world and the non-magical world is a perfect place for me to hide away from both sides, for they brought me nothing but pain and suffering to me so far.”

“Oh, alright,” Dawn didn’t know Perseus could be so insightful when he phrased things in that way. “In that case, we’ll have to put up every single protection charms to keep unwelcome guests for coming in the first place then, such as Muggle-Repelling Charm, the Fidelius Charm, charms to make it Unplottable...” Dawn thought a bit as she glanced at Perseus. “And I can help you in terms of casting them one by one, strong enough to last for generations!”

Perseus was in deep thoughts. He knew his ex-family, in order to keep intruders away, casted quite an amount of protective charms all over their house, but he wasn’t expecting that much required just to keep his new home safe from others. Then again, he is sure that his ex-family would wanted him dead for disgracing the family and being a muggle-loving traitor, and the feeling is entirely mutual.

Oh well, at least Dawn is all-too willing to teach him the exact methods to cast those protective charms, and he’ll do it for his own safety, so he just nodded in response.

“Okay then, Perseus. Let’s start with the Muggle-Repelling Charm, you will need to raise your non-wand hand — which in your case, your left hand — while moving your other hand, wand included to cast the spell. If done correctly, there should be haze emitting from your wand...”

Chapter Text

“And now, the last one we have to put on is the Fidelius Charm, once you casted it, make me the Secret Keeper, and no one, and I do mean no one, will ever found out the location of this house, and no amount of coercion done by others to me will make this charm disappear, and I will not, under any circumstances, reveal the secret willingly, as it is the only way to remove the effect of the Fidelius Charm,” Dawn explained the final part of the Fidelius Charm, after teaching Perseus the exact method to cast it, after a couple of charms were casted to conceal the house away from unwelcome guests, with several unsuccessful attempts, thanks to Perseus’ dwindled magic from years of neglect, both physically and mentally. “And remember: like most spells, your confidence is essential to successfully cast any of them at all, and believe in your own inner strength!”

Perseus took a deep breath as he casted the Fidelius Charm, with Dawn becoming the Secret Keeper.

As the spell is casted, both magical people felt a wave a magic washed over the shack. It is like the warmth from a fireplace, lit in the coldest days within a year from the north, one in a tavern where tired traveler came in to drink and rest.

“Did that worked?” Perseus asked, just in case.

“I’m sure with that, as we both felt the charm worked over the house,” Dawn nodded as she looked around. “Now that with the protections been set up, I believe it’s time to work on the house itself, and I’m sure that you know how to fix them with magic.”

“I do. It has been a while to use magic to fix anything at all, my relatives did not allow me to use magic to fix anything ever since they started to hurt me, but I shall manage it.” Perseus said as he pointed to a rotten table as he casted the spell. “Reparo.”

Somehow, the table simply cracks into two separate pieces instead of fixing it.

“Um, sorry?” Perseus gave a tiny apology as he braced himself, ready for the worst.

“Umm, I’m sure that you said the spell correctly, but you sure your wand movement is right at all?” Dawn asked as she examined both Perseus and the cracked table briefly, as she put a hand on Perseus’ shoulder. “And don’t worry, we’ll do this together, and everything inside this house is all yours to practice your spells on!”

At first, Perseus is embraced at the failure of casting a simple spell, especially his earlier successful performance over a couple of more sophisticated spells, and he’s all too ready to receive any form of insult from Dawn.

Surprisingly, and happily, Dawn isn’t angry at the failure of his failed attempt of casting the spell, nor she berates him for it, which is a major change from his treatment he received more-than-often from his relatives — they like to berate and call him names, especially ‘useless squib’, over the smallest mistakes, as they are mostly perfectionist with no room for failures.

Besides, didn’t Dawn said that confidence is essential to cast spells successfully? Now that he knew this, he wondered why his relatives likes to break his confidence, if they wanted him to do well in wand magic, maybe they simply don’t cared at the finer details at all.

So he tried again, and after several attempts, the table is finally back in one piece again. In fact, it’s now as good as new, as if it’s straight out from a recently craved log.

“See? You did it. You should be proud of yourself!” Dawn praised as she observed the table being fixed with magic.

Perseus just gave a slight blush and smile in return. How long it has been since the last time he has been praised for doing something correctly?

With heighten confidence, and wand in hand, he proceed to fix the rest of the shack with his magic, and after an hour later, everything inside the house is as good as new. It may not be as big as the house he used to live in, but it has everything necessary, and that’s good enough for him.

“There you go! With all that magic you used, I’m sure you’ll need a break, say, going to bed for now? Or just a simple magical energy supply?” The small girl is now all-too happy with Perseus’ efforts over the fixed house.

“I believe so, all of this Reparo is causing me dizziness. We can always unpack the bags in a different day.” Perseus covered his mouth as he yawned. “And I want to do something for you, right now. Come here.”

“Yes?” Dawn walked up as Perseus instructed.

Then the wizard proceed to give the short girl a kiss on her hand. “I should have done this ever since you saved me, but I could not fine the right time to do so, now consider this as a late act of gratitude — thank you for everything.” He smiled warmly as he explained.

“You’re welcome!” Dawn joyfully beamed back, as she left him for his own business and return to the Persian Room, out of the other man’s sight.

“You promised you will come back soon?” Perseus is starting to worry that Dawn will left him forever.

“Of course, a night is hardly long for you to rest and meet me again!” Dawn hold Perseus’ hands tightly, gave them a reassuring squeeze (with the latter’s face now in a complete shade of red like a tomato) as she departed. “See you tomorrow!”

“See you tomorrow too, my friend.” Perseus smiled as he waved.

Dawn gives him safety the first time for ages, and he could get used to it.

Chapter Text

Rain is not a common phenomenon one usually see in Scotland, even in summer days, too bad today isn't one of those days without downpour. So with a storm brewing outside, Dawn and Perseus both decided to spend the entire day inside the newly fixed shack they both contributed at.

“Do you like rainy days? I used to live in a land where raining is usual during summers, and I played a lot in puddles with others! Maybe we can do that if you wish!” Dawn gave an eager look to Perseus as she kicked playfully on a chair, in the living room next to Perseus.

“Eh, I’ll pass. Rainy days used to bring me back terrible memories, such as prolonged sickness as a child when it rained, more than often than I would had preferred,” Perseus shuddered as he spoke, clearly having flashbacks back at his family home. “My body ached when it gets humid, from all the wounds I sustained over time, and I wasn’t allowed to use magic or anything else to fix myself under my relative’s watchful eyes.” He somberly reminisced.

“Oh, that’s sad to hear, but you do know that is no longer the case in your new home, right? And are you still hurt when it rains?” Dawn’s enthusiasm flew out of the window as she heard Perseus’ story.

“I know, I just cannot forget those awful memories...but thanks to you, I no longer feel pain in rainy days.” Perseus said as he got closer to Dawn and hugged her tight.

Normally, like most people in Scotland, close physical contact is not commonly practiced, even if the people in question are couples, as arranged marriages are common, so most of the couples have little to no genuine love to each other.

But Perseus wants to make this an exception.

He may not be able to marry Dawn, something he is certain that she would vehemently deny at, not to mention the lack of interest in romance he deduced from the conversations he did with her.

And yet, she makes him feel safe, after a very long time of feeling unsafe — both physically and mentally — he wants her to stay with him as long as he wish.

He just couldn’t stand for a world without Dawn, without anyone to comfort him anymore.

“I’m glad to heard that! Since you don’t like playing in the rain, we should do something else to pass time! Say, brewing potions.” Dawn’s melodious voice pulled Perseus back to reality.

“That would be charming.” Perseus smiled as he went to the lab Dawn just discovered in the cellar of the shack, something he failed to notice previously thanks to his lack of sight.

Chapter Text

Entering the cellar isn’t easy, thanks to the lack of stairs to go down with safety. Good thing being a wizard means one can do many things to compensate many difficulties one's encounters in life, as Perseus demonstrated his wit to go around with that issue by transfigurating some broken piles of wood he collected around the house into an equally broken ladder, and fixed it with a Reparo for good measure.

“That was some brilliant display over Transfiguration, Perry!” Dawn applauded as she watched the piles of wood sticking together on it’s own into a ladder and become renewed through magic.

“Perry?”

“You nickname I decided to use for you! Of course, I’m only using it when there's only you and me!” Dawn explained as she glanced at the pitch black hole to the cellar, from the opened entrance found on the ground in the kitchen. “And I can always stop calling you that if you think it’s too embarrassing or you simply dislike being called in a nickname!”

“Actually, I’m fine with that, no one have ever called me with a nice nickname before. My relatives used to call me ‘worthless squib’ and ‘blood traitor’ and ‘loser brother’, among other things.” Perseus grimed as he remembered the time he was referred with various bad names all the time, and Dawn is the first person to give him a positive nickname, something he certainly appreciated.

“I see,” Is all Dawn said, as she plotted various ways to make the other Princes to suffer, perhaps a couple of jinxes? Bringing a Dementor to them? Or leading a hoard of Acromantulas to them? “By the way, do you know any magic to lit up your wand?” She stared at the dark hole with contempt, as if a monster is about to jump out and eat them both.

“Wait, there is a spell to do that?” Perseus asked blankly.

Right, because Lumos hasn’t been invented yet. Dawn rolled her eyes as she remembered. “It’s alright you don’t know, Perry. I just happen to know a handy spell to navigate the cellar — the Wand-Lighting Charm!” She said as she held her right hand up like a wand. “The wand movement is a simple arrow pointed upwards, from left to right, like this...” She demonstrated as she moved her hand elegantly. “Ok, and all you need to do is to say Lumos, pronounced as ‘LOO-mos’, and you got yourself a wand with a bright light on its tip!”

Perseus just nodded as he did exactly what Dawn told him to do so. “Lumos!” With a quick raise and lowered movement on his new wand, the tip of its wand is brighten like a small, sphere of light. “This is...useful, and is there a way to stop it, like a counter charm?” He asked, as he certainly wouldn’t wants his wand lit up like a mini sun for the entire day.

“Oh, of course. There IS a counter charm for Lumos! It’s named as the Wand-Extinguishing Charm, with the incarnation being Nox, pronounced as ‘NOKSS’, and the wand movement being a wave-like shape from left to right, including a concave in the ‘wave’!” Dawn informed Perseus as she moved her hand to demonstrate the wand movement. “Now it’s your turn!”

“Nox!” With a wave of wand, Perseus turned off the light at the tip of his wand. “This could be useful to many to navigate in the dark! Why wasn’t I was taught with such a handy spell before?”

Because the inventor of both of these charms hasn’t existed yet? Dawn mentally commented as she decided to give Perseus her own version of answer: “Let’s...say that I knew many things, more than any wizard or witch would ever dreamt of for his or her entire life? And no, I didn’t invented the spell, I just knew it from someone else.” She added, just in case Perseus decided to ask that.

“Can you taught me more spells in the future? I’ll do my best to learn them all, honest!” Now Perseus’ eyes are gleaming with excitement.

“Certainly,” Dawn nodded as she stared at the darkness again. “Don’t forget we still have a cellar to explore, and I’ll let you take the lead, would you?” She offered as she stepped behind Perseus.

“My pleasure.” Perseus lit up his wand as he climbed down the stairs, wand in hand, with Dawn followed behind him.

Unsurprisingly, the cellar is devoid of nothing but emptiness, darkness, and a couple of cobwebs. With the walls and the floor around the cellar built with solid, cut stones, with no torches available to keep the place bright. So Dawn simply pulled out everything related with Potion brewing she brought in Hogsmeade, and placed them all onto a couple of shelfs Perseus got with the same method he obtained with the ladder to get into the cellar in the first place.

Once the duo placed everything in it’s place, they are ready to brew the first potion in the shack, with Dawn being the tutor and Perseus being the one to do so.

Chapter Text

“Now, with our cellar-turned-lab being all set up, it’s time to brew potions! And I find the most practical and common potion being consumed is none other than the Wiggenweld Potion! So let us brew it!” Dawn exclaimed as the ingredients were all placed on the table next to the pewter cauldron. “ By the way, do you need a brief review on the exact procedures to brew it?”

“No, thank you. I had brewed the Wiggenweld Potion countless times before, so I know how to brew it,” Perseus bit his lips as he remembered his ex-family’s treatment to him somberly. “My relatives sell and use the potion all the time, and they made me brew it all the time, more than I wished, and I got nothing in return. Not that I am the only one who can make potions in my family, but they pretty much valued nothing but my potion brewing skills, which is the best among my siblings, and that’s the only reason I didn’t get removed from my home, before a certain incident that...have me permanently removed from the house, that’s it.”

“Well!” Dawn puffed as she folded her arms, angry at Perseus being essentially used as a slave labor by his family. “That is no longer applicable here, and I promise I’ll do everything to keep those nasty relatives of yours away from you, and you can keep anything you brewed here as you wish. This is your house, and you are the one to call the shots.”

“Wait, you mean, you won’t take the potion away from me, after I finished it? And I get to keep it?” Perseus asked in reassurance.

“Of course! I can’t drink any potions at all, thanks to my unique physical status, not to mention I could easily heal myself if needed. So I find the potion more useful for you.”

The tall man would want to ask more about Dawn’s ‘unique physical status’, but he decided not to do that right now. In fact, he couldn’t remember the last time he was allowed to keep any potions he brewed, or if there’s such a moment at all. “Thank you, you are certainly much kinder than most of the Princes I know.”

“That is hardly saying much,” Dawn snarked as she stared at the bubbling cauldron, ready to accept whatever ingredients being dropped into it. “I look forward your success on your results.”

“I intent to.” Perseus smiled as he started the fire with an Incendio with his wand, then picked up the bottle of salamander blood and poured into the cauldron, within a few drops its contents turned red. Then, he stirred the contents with a wooden stirrer until it’s orange. He repeated the above process for at least thrice, in which its color changed into yellow, green, turquoise, indigo, pink, and red. After added salamander blood into the potion for the third time, he stopped stirring the contents and heated it up with another Incendio instead, and did that again after adding salamander blood for one last time for this potion.

Once he’s done with adding salamander blood into the potion and heating it up, he carefully added five lion fish spines into the potion, no more, no less, or he’ll end up causing the contents to explode.

“Do you know that lionfish spines are poisonous? I’m surprised that none of you guys are poisoned when you touched its spines!” Dawn commented as she saw Perseus adding the spines into the potion.

“A good potion brewer has ways to touch potion ingredients without harming oneself, all without the usage of any gloves.” Perseus merely replied without even glancing Dawn at all, fully focused on brewing the potion as he added a few drops of flobberworm mucus and it turns purple, then stirring the contents to turn it red. Then he did the same thing one more time and turned the potion into orange and yellow in color.

After that, Perseus added Honey water and turned it into turquoise. Next, he added a few drops of boom berry juice and stirred it. Then he’s ready to left the potion to simmer on its own for a good thirty minutes, and he knew what to do at the waiting period before the potion is complete. “So...do you have anything you wish to do with me, Miss Dawn?”

“Well, not exactly Perry...I’m just fine by talking with you, perhaps you can tell me more about your family, maybe on the accident that got you kicked out of the house you used to live at? If you aren’t in the mood of telling me the story, it’s fine that you don’t have to say anything about it.”

Perseus was hesitant to mention anything about ‘the incident’, but he owned Dawn so much, she deserves to know the truth. Besides, it’s not like she’s the type of person who would look down on him, right?

“Well, it happened some time ago, I wasn’t sure how long I have been away from the Princes, but I still remembered the worst day of my life like yesterday. It happened when I was brewing a complex potion, and my eldest brother was a little bit too close to me for comfort...”

“Go on.” Dawn stared at Perseus intently.

“Suddenly, the potion exploded, I ducked before it’s contents could splashed on me, but I brother...he wasn’t as lucky or as reflexive as I am...” Perseus’ head lowered as he keep speaking. “He was caught in the full blast of the contents, but he was able to protect his face from the contents, his arm’s were burned beyond healing, and my parents had to remove his arms and transfigure a new pair for him,” Tears began to come down from his face. “They yelled at me, called me a failure of theirs, and dug my eyes out with a knife and forced a burning potion down my throat that destroyed my voice, and the last thing I heard before being kicked out is the snapping sound of my previous wand, and the cruel laughter of my other siblings...” Now Perseus can’t stop himself from all those tears that flowed from his restored eyes. “I was sure that I did everything right in that potion, it should not have exploded at all, but it still occurred...”

Dawn didn’t say anything, she just hugged Perseus as he cried silently. It is a big, warm hug like his mother used to give him as a child before bedtimes, before everything went wrong as his parents started loathing him.

“Look, you have already tell me many times that you don’t go along with your relatives, but what they did to you is anything but sadistic and unfair, and you will never, ever going back to them, and I promise to protect you from anyone or from anything that tries to harm you anymore, and they will regret for existing in the first place for having the gall for invading your new home here should the wards failed to keep them away.” Dawn declared her protectiveness as she rubbed Perseus’ back gently.

“Thank you...” is all Perseus can say. He really don’t mind being hugged and feeling safe from everything else, even if it’s only in a moment of flash.

“Speaking of exploding potions, have you ever thought of the possibility of one of your other siblings deliberating sabotaging the potion, all just to remove you from your previous home as they can?” Dawn suggested the idea to Perseus, who is now considerately calmer from the outburst.

“By harming one of our siblings? No!” Now Perseus is horrified from that idea.

“But what if that’s what exactly they did? Because they don’t like you, at all?” Dawn asked again with a raised eyebrow.

Perseus is now grief-stricken and unresponsive. That’s just a possibility, right? Sure, he was never his parents favourite, especially ever since they knew he was interested in muggles. In fact, he even sympathised with them, while his parents cared nothing but his skills and wished him promoting their ideals of pureblood superior, and should be the ones to rule over muggles, not hiding away from them like rats in the dark. He also knew that most of his siblings have the same ideals they learnt from his parents, considering one of their favourite pastimes is ‘muggle hunting’.

But have they really hated him so much that they wished he never existed?

He would never know, nor he wants to know the answer for that question.

“I— ” Perseus opened his mouth, but shut it tight on second thoughts. “I don’t know.”

“See, Perry. It doesn’t really matter whether you siblings messed up your potion back then, what happened in the past stays in the past. We all need to move on from the traumas happened then, or we’ll must so many things in the present and in the future.” Dawn patted Perseus on his shoulder as she comforted him. “We can always have revenge over them in many ways. For now, the best way to take revenge against them is to simply ignore them, vengeance can be postponed until you are strong enough to do so without violence, and there are many ways to take revenge without harming them directly, nor are we harming them so much that the line between us and them becomes nonexistent.”

“I know, and I believe it’s almost thirty minutes to cool down the potion and completing it.” Perseus just nodded as he stared at the still-bubbling simmering potion contents in the cauldron.

“You’re right, the potion is all yours,” With a check assisted with her own powers, Dawn is able to conform his statement, as she witness Perseus putting out the flames under the cauldron with an Aquamenti. Now the potion just need to be cooled down to be bottled and to be consumed. “By the way, that’s a textbook example of a perfect Wiggenweld Potion, and I hope you can keep up the adequate results from your potion brewing skills.”

“Err...thank you. Still, do you punish me for the slightest failure?” Perseus thanked before remembering all the time he was punished for ‘inadequacies’.

“No, Perry. Because your safety — both physically and mentally — are of my highest priority. With my funds, we can always buy and gather more ingredients as I wish, but there is one and only one Perseus I know of, and I will do anything to keep you safe, even from yourself if necessity.” Dawn said as she gave a stern glare at Perseus.

“Erm, thanks.” Perseus just answered tersely. She really does care for me, more than anyone else have cared for me, more than my family did, before they disowned me.

Once the potion is completed cooled down, Perseus is able to bottled them all up with several bottles, all in perfect condition to be drank. “Err...Miss Dawn, pardon me, but do you know any spells or magic to preserve the potions? I know they can went spoiled quickly.” He said as he remembered the difficulties on preserving potions.

“Oh, that can be solved with this!” With a wave of her hand, the potion lab is filled with an unknown magic that makes Perseus feel safe. “This will keep any potion ingredients and potions to be preserved indefinitely as we wish! Don’t forget to keep a few on yourself, in case you are injured!”

“Thanks, Miss Dawn! You are a real life savior!” Perseus praised as he stored a couple of Wiggenweld Potions on the shelves of the lab.

“Now that we are done with potions, you wouldn’t mind to learn a few more spells to defend yourself? There’s nothing wrong just to learn a few more charms, from for defending yourself to daily practical usages!” Dawn twirled around as she left the lab, ready to teach Perseus more spells he would find them useful.

“That would be lovely, teacher.” Perseus teased as he followed after Dawn.

Chapter Text

“The Disarming Charm, the Stunning Charm, the Shield Charm...how come I missed so many charms I never know about?” Perseus pondered as he flipped Le Grimore Dawn borrowed for him, in which the books records every spells the owner of the book is able to observe and understand, from all the worlds and timelines she saw and visited.

“You’d surprised how many charms actually exists, Dawn replied with a shrug as she twirled a blue key on her hand, while leaning on the wooden wall. “Speaking of which, we definitely need a bigger place to practice your charms, this house will break down in seconds if we tried practicing them here!” She joked as she turned around, used the key on the wall as if there’s a door on it, and a blue door manifested out of nothing. It opened with a loud squeak, as Dawn stepped aside to let it open on it’s own.

Perseus just turned his head to the source of the noise and stared at the new door that just appeared, mouth agape. “Where did that come from?”

“I can make it appear at anywhere as I wish!” The girl in blue cheerfully answered as she offered the key to the man, who is still in surprise. “And I believe you are trustworthy to keep it’s key to visit the room at anytime! Say, the very room where you once took a bath!”

Perseus just absentmindedly gave the blue book back to Dawn to take the key and pocketed it. “Is this some sort of space-expanding charm?”

“Nope! Even better! It’s a room between dreams and reality that defies all physical laws and rules!” Dawn explained as she ran pass the blue door. “Follow me!”

“Wait for me!” The man in white ran after the raven-haired girl with short breaths.

“And here we are!” Dawn twirled to face Perseus, who is entering the Persian Room with haste, panting. “We can made up everything we need for any kind of training! Like dummies!” With a wave of her hand, a couple of adorable white dummies with an iconic smile and blue hats appeared in front of the duo.

Perseus stopped running after Dawn once he entered the room, took a few breaths, and he said: “Don’t do that again! You have me worried about your safety, and I can’t bear losing you!”

“Sorry.” Dawn gave a playful face to to the wizard. “Now that we’re here, I can’t wait to see you doing well on casting spells! And if you forget the incantations or the wand movement, I can always teach you to learn them again until you remember them by heart!”

“Not necessary. Mother and father may not invested much on me over anything but the skills to brew potions, but I am always a good learner by myself.” Perseus said as he took out his wand, ready to cast some spells on the dummies. “So what should we practice first?”

“Just the simpler ones should be fine! No Unforgivables, by the way, and it should be ‘you’, not ‘we’.” Dawn said as she added the last two parts, as she certainly wouldn’t want to train Perseus into a Dark wizard, whose family is very likely to be all Dark wizards and witches from what she’d heard from what he said. “My magic is very different than yours, remember?”

“Can you...demonstrate the differences of your magic from mine?” Perseus asked out of curiosity.

“Sure! Most of them are offensive, but some are healing and supporting and sabotaging, and I don’t even need to use a wand at all!” Dawn accepted Perseus’ request as she held out her palm. “Agi!” A tiny fireball appeared at the top of her palm, all without burning her.

“Interesting...” Perseus mused as he took a closer look to the fireball. “It’s a shame that I can’t learn the spells you know, but I am sure that many spells I can use are enough to support and protect myself from many dangers. Still, I would like to know the extend of your spells, and whether there is a limit your spells can’t do.” He pondered.

“Well, the spells I can’t do are the practical ones, as most of my spells are meant to be used in a fight, not for peaceful and daily applicants, like Reparo and Scourgify.” Dawn admitted as she vanished the flame on her palm. “Now, let us talk less and act more on charm practicing! I can’t wait to see your performance!”

“Very well.” Perseus pointed his wand to one of the dummies as he shouted: “Expeliamrmus!” A red light was been shot out from the tip of his wand and it hits the target square. The dummy flinched back hard, before moving back at it’s original position like a darmura.

“Well done!” Dawn clapped her hands as she saw the spell being successfully casted. “I’m sure you can cast the Stunning Spell without any problems, given that you succeeded in casting the Disarming Charm in spades!”

“Thanks.” Perseus just blushed as he said, a shade of red covering his pale face. He then focused back on the dummies as he casted the Stunning Spell on another dummy. “Stupefy!”

A purple light came out from the tip and hit the dummy and shake it vigorously back and forth.

“That’s what we are talking about! Now that you can cast the Disarming Charm and the Stunning Charm well, I’m sure that the Shield Charm would be hardly a challenge to you!” Dawn clapped again as she suggest the wizard on one more charm. “I’ll be the one to test how solid your shields are, over the dummies of course, as I don’t want to harm you by mistake, no one said you have to cast the Shield Charm over yourself, other than anything else!”

“Protego!” With the incantation being spoke out loud, a transparent shield appeared and covered one of the dummies at the other side.

“My turn.” Dawn smiled as she starting firing a fireballs to the shield, it is able to absorb the fireball completely without any visible damage. Then, she casted a bigger fireball and threw it towards the shielded dummy, with the results being the shield — while considerably damaged with multiple cracks— is able to tank down Agilao in one-shot.

“Hmm, adequate.” Dawn nodded as she saw the shield disintegrated on its own. “Practice makes perfect. Which is why it is important for anyone to keep on training, even at the simplest spells, and your spells will be stronger than the ones casted by most of the wizards' and witches’. Do you need a break for now, or can you carry on for further practices?”

“Let us carry on, I never wanted to be harmed by others anymore, and I still have the strength for more spells.” Perseus just focused staring at the dummies, ready to practice more spells at them.

“If you say so.” Dawn said as she keep on with Perseus over charms practicing.

Chapter Text

After hours of practicing over various charms, from dueling ones to homemaking ones, Perseus is exhausted, as he requested rest from all the spell casting he did. He is now sitting on a sofa conjured inside the Persian Room next to Dawn, with she showing him the basic knowledge about Defense Against Dark Arts.

“Defense Against The Dark Arts is all about the methods against various Dark creatures and Dark wizards and witches and so on! So don't expect we’ll always be learning them through reading material!” Dawn opened Le Grimoire as she pointed out. “So do you know the names of the Dark Arts that are classified based on their severity?”

“Jinxs, hexes, and curses.” Perseus answered with clarity. “And the Torture Curse is the curse I am most familiar with.”

“Good! Very good!” Dawn praised as she recognized the context. “I bet that your parents used it a lot over you, for discipline?”

Perseus didn’t say anything but nodded.

“What is the incantation of the Torture Curse then?”

“Crucio, and I would never use it over anyone, not even my parents, as much as I would want fair payback against them.” Perseus said as he clenched his fists, eyes filled with emotions that Dawn wouldn’t expect to see on his face.

It was rage.

“And its function? What does it do?”

“It brings unimaginable pain to the target, and to me, it feels like your entire body on fire.” Perseus shuddered as he replied. “Under no circumstances I wish to be the target of that wretched curse again.”

“I can understand that. In fact, prolonged expose over this curse will cause permanent damage towards the mind, and they will be too broken to function like any normal human being.” Dawn added this information as she remembered what happened to the Longbottoms in the future.

Perseus just nodded in return. He have witnessed too many times his siblings using the curse over poor muggle victims, and then using the killing curse  at them once they were done. Then, a horror thought came into his mind.

“Miss Dawn?”

“Yes?”

“Do you...um...think that...” Perseus tried to open his mouth to speak, but he just can’t, lacking the courage to do so. So he took a few breaths, before finally being able to speak what he wanted to say. “Do you think I’m damaged beyond repair?”

“Absolutely not!” Dawn vehemently denied. “You are capable recognizing me, learn with me and function like any normal person. Yes, you are damaged, with many mental scars I daresay, but you are still physically functioning, and you can response to me like any normal human being. You are a very special wizard who is sorely lacking in positive reinforcement.” She patted Perseus as she expressed her opinion, with him returning the flavor with a side hug.

“Um, Miss Dawn?”

“Got something else to say?”

“No, I just want to thank you, for everything.” Perseus said as he gave Dawn’s shoulder a light squeeze.

“You are welcome.” Dawn replied courtly. “Let us get ourselves lunch as I’ll continue teaching you everything you need to know about the magical world later, then I can teach you things about the muggle world too, once we’re filled.” She said as she got up from the sofa and conjured the exit back to Perseus’ house.

“You mean, I get to eat something, at all? I can help you with the preparations of our meal, and I am good at it. With or without magic, that’s it.” Perseus said as he followed Dawn, who was exiting the Persian Room.

“Of course! I guess your parents didn’t feed you much when you lived with them, right?” Dawn was pinching her nose as she asked. Not only they hurt him on a regular basic, but they starve him and treat him like a slave more than a member of their family? This is getting really thoroughly depressing.

“They didn’t, but I thought that was normal for me, until you started offering me food, which I certainly appreciated.” Perseus gave a faint smile as they arrived their destination. “So what do you want to cook?”

“I could cook pretty much everything, so long I knew the name of the dish,” Dawn said proudly with her arms folded. “Do you have any preferences?”

“Just...porridge will do, I don’t know much about food.” Perseus awkwardly explained.

“But you have been eating porridge for days! I’m sure you can eat something more solid and filling! Maybe some meal or bread! And I got plenty of them!” Dawn protested on Perseus’ choice of food. “Just because you haven’t been eating like everybody else did doesn’t means this will continue!”

“...if you say so.” Perseus decided not to argue on that anymore, so long he got to eat, after cooking with her. “I know where’s the hearth located at. Follow me.”

“After you!” Dawn cheerfully replied as she skipped and followed the taller wizard to the kitchen. 

Chapter Text

Dawn levitated the cutlery back to the drawers as she praised Perseus, once they finished lunch. “Guess your cooking skills can be truly divine, huh?”

“It was mandatory, less I’ll be punished back then,” Perseus pointed his wand to the dirty cutlery as they began wash themselves with soapy water that appeared out of nowhere. “Other than that, do you have anything else you need my help?”

“Nothing! But you can always tell me more stories about the Princes, and in return, I can tell you any story you wish to learn!” Dawn bargained as she looked at the taller wizard with starry eyes. “So we got ourselves a deal?”

Perseus thought for a while, before making his decision with an affirmative nod.

“Good!” The raven-haired girl is now beaming at Perseus. “Maybe you can start on anything you know about your family, their specialities, their motto, and so on.”

“We Princes are good at specialize a certain subject, once we found the one we are most passionate about.” Perseus paused a bit before he carried on. “As I believe that I mentioned earlier, I excel in potions, while some of my siblings excel in charms, care for magical creatures, transfiguration...and the most common subject they were good at, the Dark Arts.” He stressed at the ‘Dark Arts’ part. “Oh, and we had a tradition where we are not allowed to divorce as we wish. Once we are married, we stick to whoever we are courted with, even if said person has more than one affair.”

“That’s...interesting, and that tradition where you are stuck with whoever you are married with is just stupid! What if you aren’t happy with said marriage? What if your mate is abusive?” Dawn frowned as she pointed out the fallacies of those traditions.

“Well, as far as I am concerned, we don’t have a say on that subject. Which is why we are trained to obey whoever we follow after, and do your best at whatever role you are given — it’s literally on our motto!” Perseus doesn’t seems to be concerned at that at all. “I believe it should be ‘Amor vincit omnia’, or something like that.”

“‘Love conquers all’, really?” Dawn snorted at that motto, clearly not fully agreeing it. “While love can indeed do many things, it isn’t everything, especially toxic love, abusive relationships and obsessions are a thing!”

Perseus wanted to open his mouth to say anything, but he couldn’t think of anything to say. It doesn’t help that he hasn’t felt genuine love for a long time, until Dawn came into his life, and he loved every moment with her, to the point of willing to do anything for her. Still, that doesn’t stop him asking the question that just popped into his mind: “Then what do you believe it’s right?”

“Hmm, let’s just forget those tough things for now, as I believe it’s fair to tell you something else in return!” Dawn waved neglectfully as she changed the subject. “Do you know anything about the Deathly Hallows?”

“Isn’t that supposed to be a children’s tale about three brothers? My mother used to tell me that particular story a lot when I was a child.” Perseus tilted his head curiously.

“In a way, yes. But the magical artifacts themselves are real, too. Other than the Elder Wand, the other two are owned by some pureblood families the siblings married into. Still, don’t get too much hopes into those objects, no point of getting them if it means getting yourself being killed, right?” Dawn nodded as she explained. “I can also tell you a bit more about the object themselves, if you wish...”

Chapter Text

After hearing the entire story about the Deathly Hallows, Perseus had to take some time to swallow the information and understand them. “So...not only the story about the Hallows themselves are real, but also the brothers themselves are real-life people, as well?”

“That’s right!” Dawn nodded. “Antioch, Cadmus and Ignotus are all real, and their family — the Peverell family — is the first wizard family that went extinct in the male line. Although the blood of said family persists through the Gaunt family and the Potter family, which I am certain that you are familiar with.”

“I do. As far as I remembered, the Potter family are few and decent pureblood family who have frequent connections and are not prejudiced against muggles, with the Gaunts are the exact opposite of that. I can’t believe they are distant relatives because of them both consisting members of the Peverell family!”

“So do I.”

“Speaking of the Hallows, how exactly do they work? Do they work as described in the story, or was that exaggerated?” Perseus interest is now shifted onto the Deathly Hallows.

Dawn shook her head. “Nope! The Elder Wand is indeed an extremely powerful wand that can turn the weakest spells into the most powerful spells in existence, that’s why many sought it out through ages, and many perished through the process. It doesn’t help that the wand changes it’s recognization of it’s master quite easily, from killing it’s previous owner to a simple Disarming Charm, to even something as simple as stealing the wand physically being sufficient. I trust you wouldn’t be stupid enough to after something as dangerous as that, right?”

Perseus simply nodded. It was true. Originally he hadn’t thought much about life beyond the Princes, but now Dawn entered his life, he decided that it would be better to life a long and normal live, perhaps marrying someone he loves, and have many kids after that, and just avoiding trouble in general...

“The Resurrection Stone can only creates illusions of the lost love ones, instead of truly raising the dead, as described in the tale. I don’t see you the reason you should seek after it, consider you have no use to it, nor the illusion of the ones you love will truly offer any condolences, should you have any love ones you lose in the future. Too bad many don’t understand that, nor I believe the Gaunts do, especially all they are after is nothing but the status of being pureblood, at the cost of everything else.” Dawn took out a water filled with water as she poured the empty cup next to the wizard in white. “Need some water?”

“Thanks, I’ll drink later, and you are certainly right at the Gaunts. For now, they are still spending much to boast their status as the direct descendants of Salazar Slytherin himself, and I am sure that it will be just a matter of time that they will end up in living in poverty, and being too arrogant to admit it to do something to improve their lives then.”

You aren’t wrong about that. Dawn thought. Remembering that the last of the Gaunts ended up living in a shack of all places, too prideful to sell their family heirlooms to live, and being just mean to the local non-magical in general.

“What about the Cloak of Invisibility? I believe it would be something that many would still sought after at, despite it being available through other means, it’s just that none of them rivaled against the one mentioned in the story.” Clearly, Perseus haven’t forget to ask about the third Hallow.

“Well, it works just like any other Invisibility Cloak, only the Hallow one never fades in time. It’s also large enough to cover several people at the same, mostly children, that’s it. It also provides protection against any spell that targets the cloak, not against the wearer of the cloak though. So you may find several spells may and may not work over the cloak. It’s now kept by the Potters, who still kept the tradition of passing the cloak to their children from time to time.” Dawn thought dreamily about the cloak, despite she being able to make herself invisible if needed, thinking of all the potential she could do with the cloak, mostly making mischief like a few Potters she knew.

“Fascinating...” Is all Perseus said about the cloak, now that he knew better about it, as he finally drank up the cup of water Dawn poured for him earlier. “I believe that would be enough for all the talk about Hallows, which is why it would be better that we change a topic and location for our chat.” He stood up from the chair as he offered his hand. “Would you like to follow me outside?”

“To where?” Dawn asked curiously.

“A secret place that only I knew, and you are the third person to knew it.” Perseus replied mystically.

“Which means someone else other than the two of us went there before?”

“You’ll see. We are going there with Apparition.”

“And do you knew how to do that?”

“I splinched more that enough times to master it.”

“Ouch.”

“Ouch, indeed. Now take my hand.” Perseus’ hand is still extended in the air.

Dawn took his head, and the next thing she knew everything went black; she was pressed very hard from all directions; she could not breathe, there were iron bands tightening around his chest; her eyeballs were being forced back into his head; his eardrums were being pushed deeper into his skull...

Once the two of them reached their destination, Dawn felt like she could threw up at any moment, but she managed to resist. I always hate the experience of Apparition, next to taking a Portkey. She took a couple of breaths in minutes to recover, and then she finally got a good look at the surroundings.

Standing right in front of her is the tallest Wiggentree she had ever saw, based on the sheer amount of bowtruckles around it’s branches as she looked up.

Chapter Text

“That...is certainly the tallest Wiggentree I have ever seen!” Dawn couldn’t stop looking up and admiring at the enormous, magical rowan.

“It certainly is!” Perseus’s hand is still holding Dawn’s. “Would you like to relax with me under this tree?”

“Sure!” Dawn instantly laid herself down next to the tree’s thick roots, in which Perseus followed short by her side.

A few minutes passed with both doing nothing but staring at the tree, at each other, and watching the bowtruckles looking at them guarded. Eventually they deducted them to be not dangerous against the tree, as they approached them slowly and steady, until several of them are walking around the magical people, eager to interact with them.

After a couple of minutes passed, Dawn got up slowly with a yawn. “How did you find such a nice place to take a break?” She asked curiously.

“I found it when I was collecting herbs for potions. I tried to collect the bark and twigs of this tree as well, too bad the bowtruckles didn’t let me.” Perseus said as he looked at a bowtruckle hopping on him repeatedly like a trampoline, before finally hopping down as it had enough of its fun. “I was eventually able to convince them to allow me to collect the ingredient, for I am respectful towards nature herself. I have never told anyone else other than the previous friend I made, whom I no longer have contact with, due to her muggle status, and you already know that my family’s opinion towards them. Which makes you the third person I knew to knew this place.”

“That was...unfortunate for your previous friend you tried to make. Did you stopped contacting her because of your family? Or was it something else?”

“No, I just stopped visiting her when my parents started implanting our family’s bigotry towards muggles, and I was the only member against it, and that’s the beginning of everything about my life went wrong, and I couldn’t take any chances of seeing her being harmed by my family, or worse, myself under their pressure.” Perseus sighed as he closed his eyes. “I wonder if she is still living somewhere out there, like any regular muggle did. Perhaps she had forgotten me as a friend in the past...”

“Maybe someday you’ll be able to meet her again, for we are all connected, and the road that separated us to different paths always eventually lead us back together.” Dawn encouraged the white wizard as she sat up, scaring and causing the bowtruckles to scatter away from her. “Do you have anything else to share with me?”

“Well, it wasn’t exactly sharing, but I would like to make a request with you. I just hope you wouldn’t turn it down.” Perseus opened his eyes as he got up steadily, now standing next to Dawn.

“Shoot.”

“I beg you pardon?” Perseus is understandably confused, his head tilted to one side.

Dawn’s eyes went wide comically in a brief moment, before recognizing that she had just make a mistake with certain terms others are certainly not familiar with in this time period, as she corrected instantly: “What I mean, is that I allow you to speak up the request you want to make with me! Don’t get any other wrong ideas with that!” Her face is now tinted with a slight flush of embarrassment.

“Ah, I see.”Perseus couldn’t help but chuckled almost in a non-existent volume, almost. “It wasn’t a great request, but I believe it would be sensible to ask for your opinion on it — I want to give you my Wizard’s Oath to assist me and my family — certainly not the one related to me by blood, but by choice — against any trouble we will face in the future, be it something as normal as daily life problems to natural disasters to enemies against us. In return, we will assist you and help you will our best, and anything within reason. Are the terms acceptable to you?”

“So you wish me to not only helping just you, but also the rest of your family you will make in the future?” Dawn asked with a raised eyebrow as she requested for the clarity of the deal. This sounds like a lot of work to her, but it also sounds like a lot of fun with Perseus and his children.

“Exactly.” Perseus nodded, hand extended. “So...can you give me your word to protect me and my family I intend to make in the future? With your best?”

Dawn gave a calculated look to Perseus. “For what reason? You know that even without giving me your oath, I will do my best on helping you and your family you intend to make.”

“I just want to be sure. I was worried if you changed your mind eventually.”

“So you don’t trust me?” Dawn teased.

“Absolutely not!” Now Perseus is in panic.

“I was just kidding, Perseus. I know you trust me with your heart and soul, and that’s enough to me.” Dawn then tried to reach out to Perseus’ extended hand in the air, then a horrible thought then just came into Dawn’s mind in a flash — what if Perseus' kids decided to turn on her or exploit her to no end? Dawn is many things, but one of the many things she despise the most is being used, and being thrown away once the others are done with her.

So she decided to ask this question, just in case. “Then what if your children turned against me and wish me harm? I know you will never harm me, but that doesn’t mean all of your children and descendants later on will share the same sentiment as you do.”

Perseus eventually calmed himself down from Dawn’s reassurance as he replied: “I thought of that. Which is why in that case, let me and my children's magic be moot and let misfortune rain down upon us, with the world to be our greatest witness for this oath.” Perseus is solemn at this statement. "

Dawn can see that Perseus meant it for the punishment. Losing magic is one of the worst things that can happen to a magical family, and whatever ‘misfortune’ Perseus and his family may face in the future can’t be good with such a powerful oath in work. Perhaps something like the end of his bloodline, or them suffering in poverty, or being considered as outcasts to every community they found...and that’s not even considering suffering her very wrath itself, and she is very, very good at torturing people if necessary. As she thought about the terms of the deal, she glanced at Perseus’ face, who speaks of nothing but simple solemn.

At the end, Dawn just gave a sigh as she took out Le Grimore, opened it as it floated under Perseus’ extended hand in the air. “Very well, with this book as the record of the deal we make today, and connect today’s event’s to the world itself, so there’s always some memory to review it, for forgetting memories is part of human life itself.” She then finally grabbed Perseus’ hand gently, and magical circles began to form as it spun. A few seconds later, the circles disappeared as the book flew back to the girl in blue as she closed the book. “Never forget the words and promises you made today, Perseus.”

Naturally, the wizard with white hair knew Dawn did something magical, possibly some sort of contract magic, one that binds them both with an oath. While physically he couldn’t see any changes over his body, he can feel a tug inside his chest, courtesy of the magic the raven-haired girl just did, and anything else he says would be anti-climatic other than the affirmative of the deal he willingly made with Dawn.

“I intent to.”

With the ancient magical rowan tree and thousands of bowtruckles as their witnesses, the oath is made.

Chapter Text

“So...do you have any ideas for your future? You know that rely on someone else assistance indefinitely isn’t healthy for you in the long run.” Dawn asked as she and Perseus both continued resting at the bottom of the giant rowan tree right behind them.

“Well...I was planning to open an apothecary at Hogsmeade under a different name. While I’m sure that most of my family assumed me to be dead, but better to be safe than sorry,” Perseus said as he played with a piece of dead leaf on his hand. “Maybe something like ‘Pincer’.”

“Seriously?! That was just an anagram of ‘Prince’! And a very cheap one no less! They will certainly notice that!” Dawn got up as she protested the sheer stupidity of the new name. “If you want a new surname, at least make it unrelated to your original name!”

“They do you have any good ideas?”

“Hmm...what about ‘Royal’?”

“Not my type.”

“So you wanted something as normal as a wizard name can be?” Dawn sat down again as she spoke.

“That would be ideal.” Perseus replied as he let go the dead leaf on his hand, which was carried away in the air by the gentle breeze. “So do you have a good name in your mind?”

“Do you accept muggle surnames?”

Perseus thought for a bit, before deciding to answer with a nod. “If it means to severe the connection I once had with my name, then so be it.”

“Ok! Usually I myself avoid using family names because I simply don’t need to use them, but I can make an exception this time! You wouldn’t sounds bad if people calling you Perseus Pepper!” Dawn grinned as she suggested.

“No.” Is all Perseus said with a face.

“Oh! What about Thorn?”

“As in thorn of roses?”

“Yep!”

“A defense but no less beautiful name...except I’m male, so I don’t think it may suit me well. Do you have any better names close to thorn?”

“Nope! Because ‘Spike’ and ‘Prickle’ make bad family names!”

Perseus sighed in defeat. “Very well, ‘Thorn’ will do as my new surname.”

“Do we need to do anything to register your new family name?” Dawn asked.

“What register?” Perseus pondered.

“Never mind. Ready to set up your new shop in Hogsmeade? Do you have a name for it?” Dawn got up, ready to help Perseus setting up the new shop.

“I do.” Perseus stood up as well. “It will be named as ‘Magical Solutions’.”

Chapter Text

With financial assistance from Dawn, and with the Galleons Perseus earned from the few days he earned from potion selling, the latter is finally able to buy a good spot in Hogsmeade to open his apothecary — Magical Solutions — to earn himself a living, with the former gifting the latter a couple of advanced potion recipe books for opening the shop.

Dawn also told Perseus that the recipe of each potion is never perfect, but one can always be improvised from countless experiments, should one has enough understanding at the art or potions brewing. Such as adding, substituting, or even omitting adding certain ingredients, stirring the potion in different directions, using certain spells or not and so on.

“And you’d not blow yourself up from those experiments, I expect to see you still in one piece once I’m back from ingredient hunting, or it would be messy for me to clean up the mess! Not to mention I did promise to keep you safe from anything, including deliberate or accidental harm to youself!” Dawn cheerfully said as she left the potion shop.

“Messy would be an understatement, and I’ll try my best to keep myself safe, and the same can be say to you too.” Perseus smiled as he witnessed Dawn leaving the shop, one hand stirring the contents of the potion he’s currently brewing.

“Of course I will! See you later at night!” Dawn waved Perseus as she exited the shop from the front door.

As the night falls, Dawn returned to Magical Solutions with several extension-charmed bags filled with various potion ingredients. As she opened the door,  she was expecting Perseus to come out to greet her. But nobody came, even when she called Perseus out for a few times loud, so she decided to wait for a few minutes while browsing the surrounding of the shop itself.

The shop is built with simple wood, its walls charmed with the color Persian blue, just like the color Dawn wear most of the time, with the floor being just plain wood without any color painted on them. There are also various shelves with all kinds of potions in different colors, all placed neatly with their functions and date of creation labeled on the glass bottles in various shapes and sizes. Dawn is able to recognize several potions to be antidote and healing potions for various situations, enhancing potions such as the Wit-Sharping Potion and even Polyjuice Potions. There all seemed to be in exquisite quality as Dawn guessed from their color, and from Perseus better-than-average potion-brewing skills. The man just need a bit more confidence.

Speaking of which, where are the Love Potions? You can’t call yourself a shop that sells potions without Love Potions at all, right?

After a few minutes passed, Dawn decided to enter Perseus’s laboratory to see what’s wrong, and the first thing she saw in sight other than the countless potion ingredients on the shelves in the lab, or the cauldron that is bubbling with sicking pink hearts instead of regular bubbles, is that Perseus is now sitting on a chair, his head leaning a desk as if he’s sleeping.

Well, at least I now have the answer for the location of Love Potion. Dawn thought as she used her inherent ability over space-time to prevent the just-completed Love Potion in the cauldron to go bad with a wave of her hand, as she approached the seemly unresponsive man next to the desk. “Perseus?”

“My sunshine?” Perseus finally acknowledged Dawn’s existence with a dreamy look. “You are here for me?”

“Hm?” Something’s wrong here. “If you are talking about bringing you back to your house, then yes. You need a good rest for tomorrow’s work!”

“But I’ll rest well with you on my side, we could do this right here instead on a bed~” Perseus is now risen away from the desk as he knelt down and hugged the shorter girl. “So would you want to sleep with me?”

“Perseus Thorn...” With the evidence next to him, it’s obvious what happened to him. “Did you just drank that Love Potion you just brewed?”

“I do~ it tastes like the best juice I’ve ever drank~ And now all I wish is to stay with you until the end of time~” Perseus just hugged harder as he answered. “Would you accept my feelings to you?”

Okay, now Dawn really needed to do something to control the situation, before Perseus decided to do something stupid, starting with changing a place. No point of sleeping on the stone-cold floor if there’s a bed available for both! “I will. But first you need to let me go, this place is certainly not a homely place for us, wouldn’t you agree?”

“Your wish is my command, my mistress~” Perseus nodded obediently. “And you won’t let go of me just like Ella did?”

“Who’s Ella?”

“My first muggle friend, she left me because they don’t like her.” Perseus’ dreamy look seems to fading. “I couldn’t find her...”

“By ‘they’, you mean the Princes, right?” Dawn is starting to wonder if Perseus added Veritaserum into the Love Potion he just tasted.

“Yes, they are the worst...they don’t want me too. You won’t left me like they did, right?” Now Perseus is on the verge of crying.

“In case you need a reminder: I promised to be your friend for life, so no, I won’t left you like your previous family did.” Dawn gave a solemn look to Perseus as she declared. “Come on, let’s go home to rest together.”

“Thank you~” Is all Perseus said as he followed Dawn — through the Persian Room — returned to his home, quite distant to Hogsmeade. His grip on Dawn’s hand is so tight that Dawn resigned that he won’t leave her alone for the rest of the night.

As both of them reached home, Perseus insisted to be the one to lead Dawn to their bedroom(as he claimed to be). With a Lumos as guidance, the tall wizard is able to reach the bed in the dark, all the while keeping his hold over Dawn. Despite the bed being meant for one person, Dawn’s small size allows her to use the bed while it’s been occupied. The wizard then turn off the wand light as he kissed on Dawn’s forehead and went to sleep. “Goodnight, my princess.”

Dawn hoped that her white friend won’t remember a thing for treating her more than a friend from the effects of the Love Potion. “Good night to you, pal.”

Tomorrow morning is going to be with a rough start…

Chapter Text

As the first rays shone into the little hut over the hills, Dawn stretched her arms as she was awakened from the bright light. As she opened her eyes to scan around her surroundings, the first thing that got her attention is a pair of gray eyes staring back at her black ones.

“Good morning, sweetheart~ Sleep well?” Perseus said with dopey eyes.

Wonderful, the love potion’s effects he drank yesterday hasn’t worn off yet.

“I have just finished preparing breakfast for you, and I have finished mine. Would you like to take your meal on the bed? Or would you prefer to eat at the living room?” The tall wizard asked with a couple of floating food next to him, courtesy of his wand magic.

“I’ll eat at the living room. It would be hard to clean up all the mess left on the bed, even with magic. Oh, and thanks for the breakfast you made for me.” Dawn replied as she added the last sentence on the fly, just to be polite.

“Alright then~ I’ll be waiting~” Perseus smiled as he left with the floating food he directed through his wand.

With a snap of her fingers, Dawn became tidy within less than a second. She then walked out of the bedroom for breakfast, seeing Perseus was already sitting next to the table, with all the plates of food placed neatly on it. He is now staring at Dawn with a loving look. In fact, it was starting to creep Dawn a little bit, ever since he drank the love potion he brewed, for no sensible reason.

The raven-haired girl then began eating the breakfast Perseus just served for her. It was just plain soup and bread, but it was sufficient.

Once Dawn was done with her food, with a wave of a wand, Perseus cleaned and removed the utensils out of their sight. After a few seconds of the silent staring contest of each other, Perseus is the one who first broke the silence: “So, what will we be doing today?”

Honestly, Dawn hasn’t thought much about that right now. Under the effects of the love potion, Perseus definitely isn’t under the most optimal situation to do things alone, with the former being sure that the latter will stick with her like gum for the rest of the day.

Still, Dawn is a good friend to mankind, and she knew every trick to keep others busy, be it academical or recreational.

Then, an ideal just popped up from her head: “What about we fly?”

“Hmm, that doesn’t sounds so bad~ But I don’t remember I have a broom...” Perseus pondered a bit, before lowering his head in disappointment as he mentioned the absence of a flying broom.

“They we’ll go to Hogsmeade to buy one for you! Don’t worry about me, I have other ways to follow you.” Dawn suggested as she hold Perseus’ hand as they began leaving the house.

One quick trip at Hogsmeade later, Perseus stared at the newly brought broom with deep inspection. “Thank you, my love. I couldn’t remember the last time someone gifted me, and you are the first one for a very long time to do so~”

“I don’t remember we are in a relationship.” Dawn recalled. The way the white wizard calling her is getting under Dawn’s soul.

“Then can you play pretend for me, please?” Perseus staring at Dawn with a pleading look.

“Maybe someday, maybe.” Dawn tersely answered.

“Thank you~ It must be hard for you to barter from the local broommakers~ You know how much of a scoundrel they can be, selling cheap brooms to us and keeping the best for their own!” Perseus checked the broom of it’s flaws as he complained.

“Well, at least this one definitely wouldn’t break down on its own, and I can always get you another one if you need!” Dawn said as she promised with a reassuring and light hit to her chest. “Oh, speaking of which, I’m sure you wouldn’t mind if you get another gift right now, wouldn’t you?”

“You have another gift for me? But you already bought me a broom! I don’t need anything else!” Now Perseus couldn’t mask his surprise that is written all over his face.

“Yep! You should put down your broom and turn back! Don’t worry, call it a surprise and I promise I wouldn’t hurt you!” Dawn said as she saw Perseus obeyed with enthusiasm. She then flew up slightly to place the gift for Perseus (thanks to their height difference).

Once Dawn is done giving the tall wizard the other gift, she saw Perseus inspecting the other gift now equipped over his neck — a simple necklace with a metal symbol of a reverse triangle, with a typical Celtic knot located inside the triangle.

“Consider a gift as a good friend to me, it will help you when you are in trouble.” Dawn smiled warmly as she flew back on the ground.

Perseus can feel a slight warmth coming out from the necklace. “Thank you, Dawny~”

Dawn rolled her eyes from the nickname Perseus just gave her. “So are you ready for some flying?”

“Always~” Perseus then grabbed his broom and his friend as they left the house for some outdoor flying. Once the wizard is ready with the flying position, while inviting Dawn to sit behind him on the broom, they began their flying trip.

But there’s something wrong.

Once the duo reached a considerable height, while the broom is flying in a moderate speed, Perseus seemed to be barely able to hand on the broom, his hands shaking.

“Perseus Thorn...don’t tell me you are terrible at flying?”

Chapter Text

“Err...it appears to be that case, I suppose?” The tall wizard sheepishly answered.

“Next time, you should tell me you aren’t exactly the best at flying, before inviting me as your passenger!” Dawn scolded as she looked around the surroundings in the air, the ground is filled with blurry green and blue scenery due to sheer height.

“Sorry... should we be landing then?”

“Do you think you can keep up flying in the air in long durations?”

“I’ll try my best. Can you accept me flying slowly in the air?”

“I don’t mind that.”

During the flight, the duo witnessed many interesting things in the sky as well, such as birds and other wizards and witches on flying brooms as well. They greeted them as the others greeted back as well. Many of them commented them like a good family of brother and sister, despite them in fact unrelated.

“Say, Dawny, do you think we would make a good family together?”

Dawn gave a scowl in return. “Why would you think I would marry you? I have other more important things to do! But I’ll always help you when you want a good girlfriend, anyone other than me.”

“Then why can’t you be my special half, if you cared for me so much?”

“Perry, being caring to someone and loving someone are two completely different things. Just because I like you as a friend doesn’t mean I want to love you as your date and creating a family together. You still have a long life waiting for you in the future, and you will certainly meet someone perfect for you for the rest for your life.” Dawn casually explained, carefully hiding the real reason unable to marry others.

After all, being immortal has it’s own problems, such as outliving her special half, and even the immortal ones would be dangerous under that thing’s watch, and she couldn’t risk them a terrible fate beyond their understanding.

Dawn pretended not to notice Perseus’ disappointed look.

And the dragon that they just encountered doesn’t help her (and Perseus) case either.

Yep, you hear that right. A rather large and fire-breathing dragon.

“RUN! Er, I mean, FLY AWAY!"

Unsurprising, after hours of flying (including extra flight done to outfly a dragon on hot pursuit), Perseus couldn’t take it anymore as he landed back to his home, him immediately fell to the ground like a log from fatigue, and Dawn have to personally carry him onto his bed for some rest (and yes, she is stronger than she looks). The very fact that for someone who is supposed to be bad at flying, it is impressive for them to be able to remain flying for hours with an extra passenger, so Dawn decided not to say anything at Perseus’ exhaustion.

It helps that it’s already nighttime, so once Dawn is done tucking Perseus in, she then left him for some space, before sleeping at her Persian Room, where she should be sleeping, instead of sharing a bed with her wizard friend. Friends don’t sleep in the same bed, right?

But just before she could depart from the bedroom, she could heard Perseus calling for her, or at least in his dream, as his eyes were shut tight. “Don’t leave me, please. I’ll be good...and no dragons either...”

Good thing that won’t be much problem soon, as one of the functions the necklace she gave him is to repel nightmares, and it only took a few minutes to see Perseus’ face turned from grief to tranquility.

And if the love potion’s effects is still not over at tomorrow, Dawn will certainly need to cast Armita Shower to remove the potion’s effects, and the only reason she didn’t do it earlier is that he hasn’t done anything stupid, yet.

But for some reason, she still thought about the night she spent with Perseus. She knew that she can’t do that for every night with him, it won’t help him to be independent for the long run.

Still, maybe it won’t be too bad should he has a terrible day, maybe I could do it for him later in the future... Dawn thought as she dozed herself into sleep in the Persian Room.

Chapter Text

Another day of waking up in the Persian Room, another day to keep an eye on Perseus for his safety. Dawn yawned as she stretched her arms and left the room. Hopefully the love potion’s effects over Perseus is finally over, otherwise she really, really need to find a way to remove its effects, like an Armita Shower or something like that.

As she entered and looked around the hut, Dawn couldn’t find Perseus anywhere. She searched the bedroom, the hearth, the loo, the living room, but no sign of Perseus.

She then decided to search the underground lab, where she rarely ventured ever since she helped arranging it for his personal experiments.

As she opened the the trapdoor to the cellar, went down there with the stairs — courtesy of Perseus’ transfiguration from the ladder previously — and the first thing she saw is a curled-up grey ball at the corner in the lab, which is barely lit up with a few torches, and he’s crying.

“Perry? What’s wrong?” Okay, whatever he’s crying for, Dawn needed to do something to help him, he need her help.

The tall wizard looked up briefly — tears streaming from his eyes — before he lowered his head again, as he continued his sobbing.

“You wouldn’t mind if I get closer with you, would you?” Dawn asked politely, just in case he’s under a panic attack, or something else like that.

Perseus merely shook his head in a timid way.

“Alright then,” Dawn took a few steps and sat on the ground, just next to the weeping man. She handed a couple of handkerchiefs to Perseus, who took them gently to wipe his tears as he gave them back when he’s done with crying. “So, why are you crying?”

“I messed up. I hurt you. I should be punished.” Is all Perseus replied concessively in a row.

“And why would you thought that you ‘hurt’ me in the first place?” It appears that the love potion’s effect it off, as he doesn’t seems to be as lovestruck as he was yesterday.

“I slept with you, and I tried flying with you and we barely escaped from a dragon, especially when I’m terrible at flying! I never wanted to hurt you, but I did, I remembered...” Perseus confessed as if he committed an unforgivable sin. “I shouldn’t have meet you at all...”

“First of all, Perry. You didn’t slept with me while touching me, just snuggling me like a stuffed doll. Secondly, both of us are still alive within this house, right? Thirdly, you are under the effects of the love potion you just brewed, so you can hardly be accounted of your own actions,” Dawn reasoned with Perseus, meanwhile patting his shoulder. “Don’t blame yourself for the mistakes you made, even though I’m curious why would you try the love potion you brewed, because they are supposed to be used on someone else.”

“I was trying to see how potent they are! And I swear in Merlin’s name that I’ll never use it on you, ever,” Perseus gave a pathetic look to Dawn like a child caught red-handed. “It worked too well, and my memory is all but fuzzy until its effects are off, but the damage is done! I’m so sorry.”

Dawn stared at Perseus intently as she smiled warmly. “Perseus, look at me,” She cupped Perseus’s face lightly, the two now face to face. “You have nothing to apologize for, everything eventually went fine at the end, right? So you don’t have to blame yourself for the mistakes you made. Everyone makes mistakes, even I’m not immune at that.” 

“So...do you forgive me?”

“You didn’t do anything wrong in the first place, but if you insist, then yes.”

Perseus sighed with great relief as he hugged Dawn tightly and cried in joy.

“Perry, at this rate you are going to flood the lab with mere tears!” Dawn couldn’t help but joking in such a situation — especially if it means to make Perseus happy — as she rolled her eyes all the while offering a couple more handkerchiefs to the brawling wizard.

“I don’t weep helplessly!” He wiped his tears with the hankies as he returned them once he’s done. “Sorry.” He apologized like a natural reaction.

“Well then, do you feel better now?”

“Definitely.” Perseus nodded.

“Alright! Then let’s get out of this gloomy lab for a better place to talk! I’m not done with you yet. Don’t worry, you are not in trouble,” Dawn got up while pulling her friend up as gentle as she could. “I just want to ask you a few more questions.”

“Oh, fine for me then.” Perseus just gave a look that would be amusing to Dawn.

Chapter Text

Once Dawn has finished preparing tea for the both of them, as they sat on the chairs of the living room, face to face, Dawn is the first one to break the silence between the both of them. “So do you remember everything under the effects of the love potion you brewed?”

“Err, almost everything. I remembered I spent a night with you on the same bed,” His face turned bright red when he mentioned that, he’s never going to live down from that. “I remembered me flying with you, meeting a couple of wizards and witches on broom as well, escaping a dragon...” He stopped a bit as he’s in deep thoughts briefly. “And...err...did I confess my love to you, more than just being friends?”

“You did, but no permanent damage is done between the both of us. We are still best friends until the end, remember?”

Perseus didn’t say anything but giving a sad nod in return, he seemed to be serious at the confession thing, even when the love potion’s effects are off.

Dawn couldn’t help but feeling bad at Perseus’ look of disappointment, her heart seems to be cracking at making him on the verge of crying again.

“Anyway, I’m glad you are back to do many more things between the two of us. Perhaps you can hone on your flying skills as I tutor you. Or maybe brewing antidotes for love potions, in case something like this happen again in the future, or we can try something else...”

“The broom is still intact? After I used it to outfly a fire-breathing dragon, with you as an extra passenger no less?”

“Surprisingly, yes.”

“What about my love potion I brewed? Did they get spoiled?”

“Nope. I was able to preserve them in the cauldron with a little bit of my own magic.”

“Then we should finish bottling them up first!”

Dawn couldn’t help but noticing the skewed priories of the wizard in white. Spoken like a true potion maker indeed...

Once the both are done at bottling up the remaining, preserved love potions. Dawn decided to teach Perseus the proper way to fly, as she flew without the aid of a flying broom. She taught him the ways to maintain a broom, the gripping charm, and the various flying techniques while on the broom.

Too bad even with Dawn as his tutor, Perseus struggled on the broom as he shook like a leaf, his face further paled over his already white skin, and he couldn’t bear fly too high away from the ground without being scared. She wondered if the stunt he did yesterday is just a one-time fluke she would never witnesses again.

“Perry, just a quick question — are you afraid of heights?”

“I — I am...” He admitted sheepishly.

Well, that explains a lot. It’s not like everyone is natural over flying on a broom after all. Can’t push them to do something they are not talented at, especially they don’t like it in the first place.

“It’s ok, Perry. We can always learn to fly someday in the future. I won’t push you for something you don’t like to do,” Dawn said as she saw the wizard slowly come down and tucking away the broom into the expansion-charmed bag. “Still, the fact that your broom skills — even if you are under the effects of love potion and your aren’t entirely yourself — allowed us escaping a dragon on hot pursuit, shows that you have potential, you just need the time to adjust and learn to be better on brooms.”

Now Perseus’ face is tinted with a faint shade of red, obviously seen all over his pale face. “Thank you…”

“Maybe today we can explore the outskirts instead! Where the non-magical folks lives! Or even finding secrets we didn’t know in the first place!” Dawn decided to change the subject to something more adventurous and exciting, as she added the last part abruptly. “With plenty of disguises and spells, of course.”

Perseus was a little wary of exploring the unknown at first, from magical beasts to angry muggles with torches and pitchforks to dark wizards and so on. However, he was also curious how muggles prosper without the aid of magic, and he’s keen on searching for new ingredients for his potion experiments, or maybe making friends more than Dawn herself, not that he isn’t satisfied at being her friend…but rather, there are simply too many opportunities for him to ignore…

Still, it wouldn’t hurt to ask for his personal safety.

“And would you protect me if those rowdy muggles try to hurt me? I don’t think they will like the both of us at all, as far as I remember. And I am sure that even without magic, they can easily outmatch us in sheer numbers, and I don’t think I alone can protect the both of us from them…and let’s forget the other potential dangers outside…” Perseus asked the questions with uncertainty.

“Always. That I promise, and it wouldn’t be an adventure if one didn’t encounter any kind of hazards on their way! I’ll try my best to keep you safe!”

As the girl in blue and the wizard prepared by keeping their bags of holding, in which contained various emergency objects for every possible situation, they disguised themselves with magic, as they are off to today’s adventure, with the time of the entire afternoon and night.

Chapter Text

It’s been minutes of walking, but all the girl and the wizard see is nothing but green plains and blue sky they see on their way to find a non-magical village.

As Dawn walked on her way, a question can into her mind.

“Hey, Perry?”

“Yes?”

“Just a quick question, what did you smell in the love potion you brewed a while ago?”

“Err...” His pale cheeks are now brimming with crimson colors. “Would you keep it a secret to everyone else?”

“Sure! It’s no big deal in the first place.”

“Thank you. In that case, I remember that...” Perseus was in a thinking gesture for brief, before giving his answer: “...would be the scent of the cottage we lived in, the scent of freshly picked herbs in a full moon, and...”

“And what?”

Perseus looked at the earthly ground, feeling a bit ashamed, as he opened his mouth and answered: “...you. The scent of something akin to fluid magic. Mysterious and deep, but warm.”

“Wow. Just wow. Guess I really am that important to you already? Even if, I mean, we just met like for a few weeks or something?”

“To me, it is. You already offered me more than I could ever dreamt of, and I would never trade you with anything else, ever.”

“Even for the chance to live longer?” Dawn asked jokingly.

“It would be meaningless to me without you in my long life, if that’s the case, and I will do my best to stay with you from anything, I give you my Wizard’s Oath over that.”

Dawn jar give out a hearty laugh. “You don’t have to bring that up again and again just to be sure! I already am you friend for life as I declared! So unless you are like, very bad or something like that, I don’t see the reason to leave you alone again.” Then she is distracted by something from the far distance.

“Hey, what’s that?”

Chapter Text

What she saw is a rather large trading fair, one hosted by non-magical humans.

The medicinal fairs are very different from modern fairs. Instead of merely providing entertainment, they are also the opportunity where people sell all kinds of goods that they would not be able to buy normally, such as spices, meat, wine, animals, rugs, wool, cloth, and so on. Different types of people are easily spotted among the people, from peasants to nobility to merchants to performers and more. Some haggling for the goods, some giving eye-catching performances, some just sitting at the corner and drinking.

“Well, guess what? We are in luck of a limited-time fair of the non-magical! Have you ever joined any of those back when you lived with the Princes?” Dawn smiled brightly as she turned to Perseus and asked him.

Perseus nodded. “I did, except they were hosted by we wizards and witches that’s it, but I never got any chances to buy anything I wished, nor am I allowed to doddle around for too long, and I was always the one responsible for carrying the goods back to home, and I wasn’t allowed to use magic for assistance, they always say the stuff is sensitive to any kind of magic...” He folded his hands together. “Sometimes, I wonder if they were lying to me in the first place, not that I was allowed to question against that anyway...”

“In that case, you can put that behind your head and enjoy it like the most of them! That’s what a fair is for, right?” Dawn just remembered something as she said. “Oh, I don’t think they would welcome us for our choice of clothes! I hope you wouldn’t mind if we wear something closer to them!” With a wave of her hand, both of their clothes are changed into something that wouldn’t stand out of place from royalty, one that non-magicals wear, behind some tress to keep anyone seeing them by mistake.

Perseus was slightly stunned at the display of her magic, before recovering from it by calming himself down. The past weeks have been special to him and his latest friend, so why would he assume she is normal in the first place?

Oh well, perhaps it would be better for him to enjoy the fair for now, even thought the tight clothes brought back some nightmares that was well-hidden inside his mind, as his parents yelled at him for wasting their money and time over selecting the outfit during changing, it doesn’t help that he never adored tight clothes, anyway.

“Come on, Perry! Last one is a rotten egg!” He saw the girl now running towards the fair.

“Don’t run!” He chased after Dawn.

Inside the fair that contains various set-up stalls, for more than once the duo were called and stopped by various stall owners to buy their own goods. The only thing Perseus seemed to be interested in are the various fabric he saw and checked their texture with his hands.

“I don’t know you are a person who liked making clothes.”

“It was an essential skill, the better of their quality, the better they can be used to create better clothes.”

“Perry, you are literally starving a few weeks ago, shouldn’t you be focusing on buying food instead?”

“I know, but I always wanted to buy clothes made of silk. I heard that their texture are legendary, so I always wanted to try one someday.”

“Perry, if you wanted looking for silk, you won’t be able to find them around a small fair like this. Those things are like, limited and controlled trading goods by China, and they are very, very good at keeping outsiders from know their secrets of their creation.”

Perseus looked sulked as he sighed, then his eyes brightened up at the mention of a foreign land. “And where is this ‘China’ is located?”

“Very far of the east from here, it has its own culture that is very different from us, at it’s like 39 times bigger than England!” Dawn made an exaggerated arm-gesture as she stretched them wide.

“39 times...are you sure about that?” Perseus shuddered as he couldn’t imagine how many people live in China, in comparison to the entirety of every single wizard and witch who live in England.

“Obviously! Why would I lie to you at something like that? Look, I think their last performance of the day is about to began! Follow me!” Dawn’s attention is directed to the medieval circus performance that was there, along with the fair, as she dragged Perseus gently, waiting him to respond.

“Hmm, I have never seen how muggles performed in a fair, let’s see how well they do without magic like us.” Perseus seemed to be interested as he followed Dawn.

“So, what do you think about the fair?” Dawn asked as she took a bite on the cookie on her hand.

“Muggles are...more impressive than I thought. All of those things they achieved, all without the aid of magic...” Perseus said as he ate his cookie, smiling. “I always know they are not gullible livestock, despite what they would like to believe.”

“Of course, it’s dumb for them to assume themselves being better because they have magic, while others don’t!” Dawn agreed as she finished her cookie, licking the brown sugar that covered her fingers.

Perseus turned his back to see the fair one last time, as he swallowed the last of his tart, only to be seeing it to be brighter than before, more than just the flames that oriented from torches as light sources. No, the bright light seemed to be coming from the fire that seems to be going out of control.

“Umm, Miss Dawn, do you think those flames at the fair seemed to be normal?”

“Someday, I’ll get you to call me just Dawn, Miss not included...what do you mean, flames at the fair? You need to light torches up to see things clearly in a dark area, right?”

“Yeah, but I think I hear screams coming from the fair we just visited.”

“Is that so? Do you want to investigate what’s happening? I mean, it probably is just a riot or something like that. Things like that happen all the time, right?”

“Hmm...” Technically, what happened to the fair is now none of their business, as they are just visitors at best, so it’s not like they can gain much from helping them from whatever trouble that’s happening right now.

Until he saw a couple of familiar light that flashed at the fair, the light he is sure what do they meant to him.

And he knows what is like to be helpless and alone, without anyone to care.

“Dawn, I believe it would be our business to help those people, I am sure whoever is causing trouble to them, includes at least a Dark wizard or witch.”

“And how can you be so sure about that?”

“Green light.”

“Oh.”

“So would you help me to save them? I mean, it’s not necessary for us to help them, but...I just don’t like seeing people hurt, even if they have nothing to do with us.”

“There’s nothing wrong to be kind to others, Perry. Which is why that’s exactly we are about to do, wands at your hand?” Dawn asked as a ball of magic appeared at her palm.

Perseus nodded as he took out his wand.

“Oh, and just in case they recognize any of us, this will keep them from doing so!” Dawn took out a simple, white bird-like mask and placed it onto Perseus' face. “It’s made of magic, so it will do more than just covering your face — when others try looking at you directly, they won’t know anything, not even your voice and stature! Of course, I myself too have something similar!” A mask came into existence among blue flames onto her face. “Are you ready?”

“With you on my side, always.”

“Well then, it’s time to for some magic vs magic time!”

They proceed to charge back at the blazing fair.

Chapter Text

Once the duo has returned to the now-burnt down fair, it didn’t took too long for them to found a couple of wizards and witches in dark robes, shooting the surroundings with fire and green light alike at the tip of their wands, along with screaming of ‘purging filth and cattle’ and so.

Honestly, Dawn find all of this very stupid, because these ‘filth and cattle’ are the very reason that the wizardkind doesn’t go extinct from inbreeding, in the future, at least. Yet many of them are too prideful to notice the truth and the obvious. How come they didn’t figure out that the non-magical beat them in sheer numbers and they actually think that they can rule over them, even if they have magic while others don’t?

Oh well, not that is the main concern for her today, as she currently got some troublemakers to be dealt with!

As she was running her head with the train of process, she took down several dark wizards and witches with a simple wave of her hand, as they were rammed with invisible force of a speeding lorry. They did not get up afterwards.

Perseus himself is doing his job as well as he waved and slashed his wand towards the dark wizards and witches to fire jinxes and hexes. An unfortunate wizard is cut by one of the many Diffendos Perseus casted, as he is left bleeding on the ground as he struggled from the precisely cut wound.

Not that he himself is safe from the very same spell he just used, as he quickly found himself being traded with several spells that harmed him, as he was not fast enough to use Protego to block several of them. Not that he was overwhelmed by them. In fact, it was quite the opposite, as the dark wizards and witches that remained standing being to lessen in numbers overtime, thanks to the efforts of the duo.

Eventually, every single dark wizard and witch were downed, moaning and grunting from the pain under a futile attempt to get up and continue. Dawn herself hardly sustained any damage at all, because she is simply too fast to be hit by any spell at all. Perseus, on the other hand, isn’t as lucky as Dawn. He is now sustained with several bruises and cuts all over his body, as he is now kneeing on the ground, breathing hard.

With a snap of her fingers, Perseus is enveloped within ribbons of light, as every single scrap and bruises over his body vanished under Dawn’s magic, he is also no longer physically exhausted. Magically, on the other hand, not so much.

“Well!” Dawn stretched her arms as she yawned loudly. “That would be enough of today’s good deeds to the non-magical! So, Perry, you satisfied?”

Perseus merely nodded, as he opened his mouth: “I noticed you didn’t use the word ‘muggle’ to refer the non-magical humans, is there a specific reason behind that?”

Dawn gave a bright smile as she explained: “You are right! I don’t think the word ‘muggle’ is nice to describe them! They are certainly way better that just being mugs! But I don’t see any problem if you insist to use that term anyway!”

“Ah.” Is all Perseus said. “Let us return home before someone else found out what we just did, I wish not involved with the Wizard’s Council.” He tottered as he got up on his own.

The Wizard’s Council, right. Dawn thought as she remembered it to be the previous governing system before the Ministry becomes a thing. Getting into trouble is certainly not a good thing, as she thought of the various thing they could do to Perseus, from snapping his wand, expelling him from the wizard community indefinitely, or just AK him on the spot. It’s very fortunate she remembered that Azkaban hasn’t been build, yet, so he wouldn’t ended up there no matter what, for now.

Before she could think for more, she decided to focus at the present moment as she replied: “Good idea.” As she held Perseus’ arm, of whom shook as if he was hit by lighting briefly, as his turned his face away from Dawn shyly, like he is currently experiencing an embracing situation. Which, to him, isn’t too far from the truth.

Then the both of them Apparated back to to hut as the non-magical started arriving what was left at the fair to investigate it’s remains.

Chapter Text

As the two of them returned to their hut, the first thing Perseus did is to sit on a chair as he relaxed himself, understandably and clearly exhausted from today’s events.

“Would you like a pop? It helps you regenerate your magic faster!” Dawn offered the candy-with-stick in the shape of a small, blue butterfly to the tired wizard, as she vanished the mask he wore.

“I do not fancy sweets, but I accept your help anyway. Thanks.” He took the candy as he looked at it with curiosity. “And it is the blue part to be the only edible of this ‘pop’ you mentioned?”

“That is correct! Don’t forget to give me back the empty stick once you are down with it! I’ll help you to dispose it!” Dawn answered as she saw Perseus tried to bite the candy, with predictable results.

“Ouch! You should have mentioned to me that it's hard!” Perseus put the free hand to nurse his cheek, as he pulled out the candy from his mouth.

“Sorry.” Dawn sticked a tongue out as she apologized. “Just keep it in your mouth and you’ll be fine. By the way, do you like its flavor?"

“It wasn’t bad, but it’s not like I ate sweets often, so...” Perseus said as he took out the candy temporary, unable to think of an appropriate word to describe the candy’s taste.

“It’s okay! I’ll fetch you some new robes to replace the tattered one you are currently wearing. Can’t go out with some damaged clothing like that, right?” Dawn said as she tried going off to the wardrobes.

“That would not be necessary.” Perseus waved his wand and his robes are as good as new, as he went back on eating the pop.

“Oh, silly me! I keep forgetting you can do that!” Dawn smacked herself as she sat on a chair next to Perseus’. “It’s getting late, so would you like to hear a story?”

Perseus nodded as he gazed into Dawn’s black but shape eyes intently.

“Okay, then! This is the story of a witch named Wendelin the Weird, who has a tendency to let herself captured to be burnt on a stake repeatedly, as she enjoyed being burnt over and over...”

“I know about her, as she was indeed weird, even by our standards.” Perseus stopped Dawn before she could go on. “Speaking of which, did you know how many times she did in total to let others burn her on a stake? Fourteen? Fifty?”

“Neither of them are right! It’s forty-seven times. So long a wizard and witch knows how to use the Flame-Freezing Charm, the flames cannot harm them at all!” Dawn explained as she continued. “Sometimes. I wonder why the non-magical didn’t simply hang the wizards and witches instead, it’s the more commonly used method of execution, after all.”

“I thought the ‘burn on stake’ is the commonly used exception.” Perseus insisted.

“Nah. That’s a misconception. The ‘burn on stake’ execution is just more famous than hanging, with the latter is actually the more commonly used execution instead.” Dawn filled in the information. “I am curious to know what a wizard or witch do when they are about to be hanged.”

“We use Levioso to stay floating in the air, so they couldn’t hang us.”

“What if they saw that and tried something else instead?”

“We would have plenty of time to escape by the time then, like Apparating us out of there.”

“But what about for those who couldn’t Apparate?”

“They we’ll use a Disillusionment Charm to make ourselves ‘disappear’ instead."

“Then what if a wizard or witch couldn’t do both of them?”

“Then I guess...”

The two of them kept debating until it’s time to sleep, bonding throughout the process.

Chapter Text

Yesterday was quite a day worth of workout that burnt out both Dawn and Perseus thoroughly, to the point of both woke up late in the afternoon. Nonetheless, Perseus voted to be the one to cook today, as they ate a simple soup he adequately cooked as lunch, before deciding spending time to clean up the house. “I had practice.” Is all he said, very likely under pressure from his ex-relatives.

While Perseus has a wand and could use household charms to clean up faster, he wasn’t allowed to use magic to make his job easier, back when he lived with the Princes, not that he was very talented at charms then, thanks to their continuous berating. On the other hand, he preferred cleaning the house to be one of the best chores, so was anything else that kept him away from them, the process being exhausting otherwise.

Of course, Dawn too chose to help him to clean around the small hut they lived in, it’s certainly much smaller than Prince Manor, but it also means less space and things are required to be clean up wit. Perseus is more than thankful to receive any form of assistance, since nobody cared enough to bother helping him in the first place.

“Hey, Perry! I’ve just finished cleaning the loo! Are you done with this...” Before Dawn could say anything else, she saw Perseus curled up in fear on the ground of a storeroom, where the door to the cellar is located.

It didn’t took too long for her to found the source of his distress, especially with a man standing in front of him screaming all kinds of foul oaths and swears. The man is like an older copy of Perseus, except with dark hair and a bigger build.

“You! You dirty little Mudwallower, blood traitor! How dare you ever thought of loving muggle filth of all people?! Only purebloods like us are worthy of your lineage, and anyone else with muggle blood in their veins are only good for being dead! I am very ashamed of you! You are an ungrateful bastard from your poor mother! You should have died when we removed you from the manor!” He screamed as he sprouted out many other derogatory lines.

Perseus is too scared to response, he remained unmoving on the ground.

Dawn opened her Third Eye to check whoever, or whatever is that. The wards around this hut is still standing, so it couldn’t be an actual intruder, like a member of the Princes who wanted Perseus dead, right?

And her ability confirmed it by showing a glowing ball of smoke, the signature of a boggart, one that transforms to one’s worst fear.

Despite lacking the ability to cast Riddikulus, Dawn has other ways to get around with it.

With a wave of her hand, she shouted “Kouha!”, a small ball of light appeared from thin air, flew around a bit, before hitting the man as he vanished with a blood-curdling scream.

The boggart is now gone.

“Perry, you can get up now.” Dawn said as she observed the man who is still on the ground with a safe distance.

Perseus had both of his eyes closed and his hands protecting his head, he slowly opened one of his eyes, looked around a bit, before finally opened his other eye and getting up slow and steady.

“Want some chocolate?” Dawn offered a bar of KitKat to Perseus.

“I’m fine. Thank you for saving me,” Perseus took a few, deep breaths as he turned around with a sad smile on his face. “And sorry for letting you down for seeing such an embarrassment.”

“There’s nothing wrong to be embarrassed from being harassed by a boggart, you know!” Dawn just put back the KitKat as she waved her hand with neglect. “Maybe I should teach you how to cast Riddikulus to prevent such problems to happen again in the future...”

“What’s a boggart?” Perseus asked.

“I thought your family would have taught you that, considering they raised you, abusive otherwise.” Dawn frowned at Perseus’ lack of knowledge at magical creatures.

“They never liked investing much over me, even in knowledge.” Perseus said, shamefaced.

“I see.” Dawn decided to switch the target of her anger instead. “Well, as you had witnessed, a boggart is a non-being that shapeshifts into what you fear the most, and in your case, you father, I assume?”

Perseus nodded. “He was always the one in charge of the manor, even my siblings feared his wrath.”

“I can understand that.” Dawn imagined Perseus' snobby and cruel siblings standing obediently in front of their old man like soldiers being checked by their general, them worrying one wrong move would send him ticking off. “Come now, let’s clean up this room as we practise the Boggart-Banishing Spell later, so it won’t be able to scare you anymore.”

“That would certainly be helpful to me.” Perseus said as he picked up the cleaning broom he dropped on the ground out of fear. “By the way, what’s your boggart looks like to you, Dawn?”

“Ah,” Dawn thought for a bit before making a decision on the way to response the question. “Someday, you’ll be able to understand the nature of my greatest fear, but for now, not yet.” She said with a completely serious face and tone.

Recognizing she isn’t going to say anything, Perseus decided not to press on and chose to focus on sweeping the corners instead. Perhaps it’s truly worse than an abusive and dangerous dad.

Perhaps it’s not something he wished to know, at all.

Chapter Text

Once the both of them finished cleaning the house, Dawn brought Perseus into the Persian Room to train him using the Boggart-Banishing Spell, with the former using the room’s powers to conjure a copy of an actual boggart for target practicing.

As Dawn taught Perseus the incarnation and the wand movement, she unleashed the not-boggart in front of the white wizard, it’s form cycled through Perseus’ parents and his siblings as Perseus tried casting the Boggart-Banishing Spell, again and again.

Eventually Dawn vanished the not-boggart as she offered KitKat to Perseus, who wholeheartedly accepted the chocolate bar, too exhausted to protest.

Once he’s done with the bar, Dawn vanished the wrapping as she sat next to Perseus, who is still too drained to stand up. “Still too scared to change your boggart into something else harmless, huh?”

“I just can’t.” Perseus buried his hands into his face. “Every time I saw them, every awful memory about me staying there just come out of my head and clouded my ability to think. At this rate, I won’t be mastering the spell at any time...”

“Maybe we could try something else instead! Like the Patronus Charm!” Dawn suggested. “It’s made of happy memories, after all!”

“What’s a Patronus Charm?” Perseus asked, now no longer covering his face.

“Another subject your relatives never bothered teaching you?” Dawn asked with a frown.

Perseus just nodded meekly as he barely stood up on his own.

“Very well,” At this rate, the Princes would had won the prize for not even bothering teaching the necessity skills for their kid to survive outside, even if he were their unfavorite. “A Partronus Charm is a complex spell that summons your spirit guardian to protect you from Dementors and Lethifolds, both cloaked non-being monsters which are very dangerous to wizards and witches and muggles alike.” Dawn explained. “It requires happy memories to work, the incantation is ‘Expectro Patronum’, and the wand movement is...”

After hours of trying, Perseus is finally able to produce a wispy ball of light from the tip of his wand, one that flew around gracefully, like a butterfly.

“You have done well, compared to most wizards and witches from beyond. Most of them can’t even produce the slightest shape of the spell itself.” Dawn praised at the wizard’s display. “So what memory you have chosen to cast the spell?”

“Every single one with you.” Perseus said as his face blushed like a tomato.

“I see.” Dawn just smiled with interest in her eyes. “Keep it up and eventually produces a Patronus with a physical form, not just an incorporeal, glowing sphere, would you?”

“I’ll try.” Perseus banished the incorporeal Patronus with a flick of his wand, now sitting on the ground again. “I’m hungry after all of this spellwork.”

“So am I, with all the teaching. Perhaps we could try something foreign instead. This one’s on me.” Dawn said as she pulled Perseus on the ground. “How about pizza?”

“What’s a pizza?”

“It’s like bread with various toppings on it, it’s got lots of energy for you and you’ll love it!” Dawn guided Perseus out of the room, hand to hand. “Let’s get out of here, I’m starving.”

“After you.”

As they finished the meal, Perseus exclaimed the pizza is one of the best things he’d even eaten, and wouldn’t mind more in the future, with Dawn minding him it’s unhealthy to eat it too much in the long run, or he’ll be drinking nutrients potions in the future, in which he understood and nodded vigorously.

With Dawn returning to the Persian Room for a rest from just another day of work, she heard an almost inaudible, whispery chant of “Expectro Patronum’ right behind her, which she responded with a slight turn of her head.

She was greeted with a glowing butterfly, and merely replied with a smile as she went through the door to the Persian Room.

Chapter Text

Today is supposed to be just another ordinary day.

Except Dawn’s very existence calls to any adventure available, even the ones happened at home.

“Hey, Perry! Look what I have for you!” Dawn held out a tin box with something in it.

“Is that...for me?” Perseus asked, just in case.

“Yep! These are mooncakes! One of the best treats available beyond Europe!” Dawn opened the box as she explained. “I was supposed to share them with you earlier, but I know you are busy from many things, from the Dark wizards attack weeks ago to running your shop...so sorry about that!”

“That’s alright, now we can eat them together.” Perseus said in an amused tone, as he stared inside the box — it contains four round, short cylindric objects in cooked brown-yellow color.

Dawn opened the package as she cut the mooncake into four equal pieces in quarters. “Have a bite!”

Perseus tried one of the cut mooncakes. It was oily, filled with some sort of paste he is not familiar with, and sweet.

“Not bad, but I wouldn’t eat too many of them. There are too saturated for my taste.” He commented as he wiped his now-oily fingers with a hanky.

“I knew you would say that!” Dawn smiled as she withdrew the mooncakes back to her mini pocket space. “Here are some cold ones that are certainly less greasy and fattening!” She then took out some smaller, white mooncakes instead, as she opened their packages and handled one of them to Perseus. “This one’s chocolate! My favorite!”

Perseus took several small bites as if dining in a restaurant as he finished the snow skin mooncake. “This is one is certainly much better, but I’d avoid eating too many of them, other on certain occasions.”

“You are right at the ‘certain occasion’ part! Normally, people are supposed to eat them to celebrate a certain festival, but today we’ll make an exception! Would you like to eat more of them someday later?” Dawn beamed at the tall wizard with big, enthusiastic eyes.

“Perhaps someday, Dawn, perhaps.”

“Speaking of which, tonight’s the fullest moon of the whole year! Do you have certain herbs you required to be collected? I can help you with that!” Dawn volunteered herself as she reminded the potion maker.

That definitely clicked a button inside Perseus’ head. “Thank you for that kind reminder of yours, Dawn. I believe several fluxweeds would be ideal for brewing Polyjuice Potion, perhaps we can discover certain unidentified herbs as well.” He wiped his hands clean with the handkerchief again. “You should sleep now, so we can remain awake tonight to a trip to the forest for the herbs.” He placed his hands over Dawn’s shoulders briefly, before putting them away as he went to bed.

“I don’t really need that much of sleeping like you do! Which is why I’ll do something else instead!” Dawn conjured the door to the Persian Room instead, in which Perseus is hardly surprised at its presence anymore, as he witnessed it in action several times before. “See you later tonight, Perry!”

“See you later too, Dawn.”

Chapter Text

As Dawn checked the time outside in the Persian Room, she came out from it when it’s nighttime. The door manifested inside Perseus’ bedroom, where the man is still sleeping on his bed.

“Hey, Perry! It’s time to collect some herbs!” Dawn shook gently as she urged in a kind voice.

Perseus merely responded by getting up slowly as he rubbed his eyes. He immediately straightened his robes on the first sight seeing Dawn next to him, took the magically enhanced bags, along with herb collecting tools, and most importantly, his wand, as he returned with a smile. “So, shall we?”

“I’m prepared more than ever! Are you?”

“As certain as always.”

“Do you have everything you need to pick herbs?”

“All ready.”

“You wand?”

“Wands at the ready.”

“Okay then! Lead the way!”

“As you wish. I know a good spot for herbs in the local forest...”

After several hours of navigating into the depths of the local forest and herbs collecting — with help from Lumos for searching them in the first place — the duo’s bags are all filled with different kinds of herbs, from fluxweeds to wormwood to dittany and many more.

“Guess this is enough of tonight’s workload for the both of us, right?” Dawn proudly gave the bag filled with herbs to the wizard in white.

“I believe so, it’s getting late for our safety, so we should go back.” Perseus took the bag as he urged the girl in blue to stay close with him. “Hang on, did you hear something?”

“Like the trampling of many creatures?”

“I believe so, they seemed to be orienting from this direction. Follow me!” Perseus turned to his back as Dawn followed him behind tightly.

Eventually the both of them managed to exit the forest and found themselves next to a clearing with many, many creatures dancing under the moon. They had smooth, pale grey skin, and four spindly legs that ended in large flat webbed feet. They also had a very long neck and bulging blue eyes that sat on the top of its head. From a distance, they look like tiny giraffes with grey fur, big eyes and no horns on their heads.

“A mooncalf herd! Looks like we are lucky to met them during a full moon! That’s when they do mating dances!” Dawn explained with excitement, under a low voice, in case of scaring the herd away. “Do you want any of them for your potions? I heard that their dung are potent fertilizers for herbs to grow...”

“No, thanks. While I am good at handling magical creatures, I do not believe any creature would make good company for my potion shop, especially with all the potions on the stores, possibly breaking down at the slightest push...” Right now, Perseus seemed to be focused on the dancing mooncalves, fascinated at the pattern they made.

“You have a point on that, do you think we are lucky to meet a mating dance of the mooncalves just on time?”

“I am lucky to have you, more than anything else in this world.”

“Aw, Perry. That’s nice to hear from you!” Dawn blushed at the commitment. “Hey, why are the mooncalves leaving? Have they finished their mating dance?”

“No...” Perseus armed himself with a wand as he pointed it to a direction where the little creatures are fleeing from, his face completely drained of color.

The creature looks like a wolf, but with a shorter snout, eyes that somehow looked humane of all things, and a tufted tail. It looked like an amalgamation of a man and wolf, able to run on twos and all fours at the same time. It sniffed at the air, as if searching for a prey, and howled under the full moon.

It’s a werewolf.

Chapter Text

The werewolf howled again, as if calling for mates.

“So...genius, do you have any good ideas against werewolves, or are you choosing to simply calling a night worth of herbs we have collected so far?” Dawn eyed at the tall wizard next to her, who is equally alarmed as she currently is.

“I’d like to call off a day, but I haven’t fully perfected the art of Apparition, perhaps we should see if there’s any other possible routes to escape...” Perseus said as he looked around with the dim light from the tip of his wand, and he’d recognized something, no, things — as in, in plural — are around he and his best friend. “...or not.”

His worries are proven as more howls echoed around the forest in the dark, the same as the werewolf they just found.

“Couldn’t you simply use your special room to bring us back to our home?” Perseus suggested.

“Under the eyes of plenty of werewolves that will certainly discover my little secret, and risking them pursuing us as we try to escape? Better not.”

“Then do you have any better other ideas?”

“What about allowing me to fight against the werewolves? I can handle them own my own.”

“And risking you blowing up the entirety of the forest and ruining my future opportunities over herb collecting? I don’t think so.”

“How about you try Apparate the both of us to the top of a tall tree? Just pick a random one in your line of sight.”

Perseus gulped audibly, but eventually he nodded, as he held Dawn’s shoulder and Apparated.

The next thing the girl in blue remembered is that she is sitting at a thick branch of a very tall tree, a rowan one, and the very same one where she made a pact with Perseus a few weeks ago.

“Not the tree I was expecting, but will do nonetheless,” Dawn heard the werewolves running and growling like hungry, savage beasts, which isn’t too far from the truth. “Besides,  good thinking on picking a Wiggentree, as they are said to repel Dark creatures, which I am sure werewolves are.”

Perseus just smiled weakly in return.

For some reason, Dawn noticed something is wrong with him, as if he’s hurt, or he’s just being scared of the werewolves themselves. After all, one bite under the wolf form is all they needed to make you join their pack permanently, and there won’t be a cure (or at least a suppressant of their feral instincts) until the second half of the twentieth century.

Oh well, at least that wasn’t the main concern right now.

“Can you sleep at the branch? I can. Can you?” Dawn asked in a low voice, in case the werewolves heard her. If he couldn’t, then she’ll be the one to be on the watch for this night, which is totally fine to her, since a night’s skip of sleep won’t be too much a hassle to her.

Perseus looked around as he took a deep breath, as if he was about to perform a confession. “I can try, with a sticking charm to both of us that will last long enough for the both of us until the sun rises up.” He said in a low volume.

“Okay then!” Dawn whispered with a smile as Perseus casted the charm, and she felt herself stuck on the branch. “Do you have any sleeping troubles, like insomnia?”

“With you on my side? Unlikely, as I know you would keep me safe.” Perseus leaned next to Dawn as he took regulated breaths and fell asleep, his gray eyes closed.

“And I will.” Dawn replied with a near-silent voice, her eyes wide and on guard.

She will eventually sleep in the future as compensation. Just because she doesn’t need to sleep, it doesn’t means she doesn’t wants to.

It is one of the activities that gives her peace in mind and soul, after all.

Right now, all the girl with raven eyes could do is to wait until morning, and maybe, just maybe, tonight would be a short night, or as short as she could hope.

Chapter Text

When the sun finally came up to shine the land bright, Dawn’s eyes are still wide as a dinner plate, ready to remove any immediate threat upon sight. Luckily for her, nothing threatening is detected within the surroundings, in which she double-checked with her Third Eye. Time to get down the tree and go home.

“Perry?” Dawn shook her magical companion to wake him up, of whom slowly opened his eyes in response.

“Are the werewolves finally gone?” Is the first question the wizard asked.

“Look around, Perry. Werewolves don’t maintain their form without the full moon.” Dawn gestured Perseus to the surroundings.

“I see,” Perseus nodded. “Let us return then, allow me.”

He then Apparated the both of them down the tree with safety, too bad the ‘safety’ part is soon negated, based on Perseus’ nursing over his back. Perhaps he’s merely stiff on stuck on a branch overnight. Most people don’t sleep on branches overnight, after all.

Not that escaped from the girl in blue’s keen eye. “Do you need a healing spell for recovery?”

“Once we returned to the hut, that’s it.” Perseus directed the subject of his own health to a later time.

Dawn decided not to press on as she opened the blue door as a shortcut.

As the two of them returned to the cottage with relative safety, the first thing Perseus did is crouching on the ground, panting.

“Now, Perry. I must insist you telling me what’s wrong with you. Don’t make me doing a full body check on you like you are to be broken into a million pieces from a single touch.” Dawn frowned as she crossed her arms, seeing her friend’s condition is anything but fine.

He answered silently by taking his robes off, showing his bare back, part of his skin torn, the flesh exposed with crimson blood dripping.

He splinched. That’s what happened to him, and how come I failed to notice that? Dawn gave a horrified look to Perseus, but she quickly recovered as she casted Diarama on the injured wizard, with the injuries and his fatigue vanished within ribbons of green light.

Perseus took a few deep breaths, before finally being able to stand up as usual. “Thank you.”

“Do you need anything else?” Dawn asked, just in case.

“Not really.” Perseus checked his back to see if the injuries are really gone.

“You are lucky you merely lost a few parts of you back on the skin, ‘cause I’ve seen worse, such as losing a limb, or worse, the head.” Dawn grimaced at the mere thought of those things happening at Perseus. “What happened?”

“I — every time I see you being sick with Apparating with me, I thought I should do it slower, so you won’t throw up or feeling sick, or something like that,” Perseus replied gullibly. “I’m sorry for making you worrying about me, I should have mentioned that I self-taught how to Apparate, as my relatives won’t teach the arts of Apparition, and I was never a confident person myself...”

Dawn simply waved neglectfully. “Nah, many wizards and witches struggled over Apparition, so you have nothing to apologize for. In fact, I should be the one owing you an apology for getting you injured under my watch.”

“No, this should be my own fault, not you. In fact, I merely got them when we Apparated on the tree and they started to ache as I started sleeping last night, but I can manage them myself. Honest! As I had worse injuries. So you really don’t have to apologise for me...” Before Perseus could continue his rambling, Dawn simply raised a hand.

“If we keep arguing like this over trivial matters, we’ll never get a consensus! Really...” Dawn rubbed her temples. “Maybe next time, you should tell me if you are injuries for any reason, instead of trying to deal with them on your own! There’s no shame for asking for help, that’s why we are here, right?” She stared at Perseus as she keep on speaking. “Maybe you can try focusing on the three utmost important aspects on Apparition — also called as the three D’s — Destination, Determination, and Deliberation. They are very helpful for improving your skills over Apparition, if you ask me!”

“Destination, Determination, Deliberation. Got it.” Perseus nodded as he took out a quill and a parchment to write it down.

Once he finished writing, he put the objects at his study, as he felt his head still dizzy at the disastrous results of a semi-botched Apparition. “I believe it would be fair for me to rest for now, despite being the mere beginning of a day, as we had just gone through an ordeal.”

That’s what he considered an ordeal? If he picked a fight with Emeric the Evil, chased by angry villagers with torches and pitchforks, or having his wand snapped by the Wizard’s Council, then he’ll know what a real ordeal is. Dawn pondered without saying that out loud, obviously. A pack of werewolves are hardly a challenge to me, so are elder vampires, as a simple Megidolaon will suffice, I say.

Anyway, there’s always limits to a mortal’s physical form, and Dawn decided not to push it. “Okay then, off you go.”

Perseus gave a bid farewell before going to the bedroom. “See you later once I am better, and thank you for everything.”

“Having you as my friend is everything I need, pal.” Dawn responded courteously with a nod, as she retired to the Persian Room, searching for more secrets of the ‘Sea’ itself.

Chapter Text

Another day out of the Persian Room, another day to do anything with Perseus. Dawn came out the blue door as she appeared in front of the wizard’s bedroom. “Perry, are you awake?”

“I was about to! Allow me to dress up myself first, thank you.” A voice came back as Dawn left to give Perseus some space.

A few minutes later Perseus is in one of his many plain but practical grey robes as usual, much cleaner than the one he used to wear back when Dawn first met him, with no patches and less dust and tattered parts to add.

With a flick of wand, Perseus prepared breakfast in the form of black bread with cheese. Not the best Dawn has eaten, but she had worse.

“So, Perry, do you have any ideas what to do today?” Dawn began their conversation as she chewed hard on the bread.

“I was planning to do the usual shop business, then we’ll have a round at the local inn. I know a good one with quality Butterbeer. What was it called again? Henry’s Broomstick Inn? Or was it Henrick?” Perseus pondered as he took a bite from the rye bread he is currently holding.

“Eh, we’ll know once we finished today’s sales! Do you need any extra help from me?” Dawn asked as she finished the bread.

“I think I can deal with the business part on my own. I just can’t depend on you forever, it’s just wrong for me,” Perseus shook his head as he too finished his breakfast. “But I don’t mind if you help me with the shelf sorting part instead. Some potions are magic-sensitive, as you know.”

“Okay then! Time to run the Magical Solutions again!” Dawn rushed out of the hut as she waited outside, ready for another trip to Hogsmeade. “Are you done with your meal?”

“I do.” Perseus wiped the crumps with a hanky Dawn gave to him as a gift. “Do mind me if you are sick with Apparition again.”

“I don’t throw up every time when I took Side Along Apparition!” Dawn protested as she puffed up her cheeks. “Just do your Apparition already!”

“Alright, alright. We are going.” Perseus is amused to see Dawn’s childish side — despite the many clues that told him she being anything but an ordinary human — as he Apprated.

Once the duo finished a day worth of business in the Magical Solutions — with all sorts of wacky customers visiting them for various potions, from healing potions to antidotes and even love potions (Dawn still hasn’t forget the day Perseus somehow got drunk with it) — they finally decided to call off a day as they went to the inn Perseus mentioned before.

It looked like one of the many wooden shops scattered around Hogsmeade, except it’s painted in a bright red hue, with a rather large sign that proudly declares it’s name —

Hengist’s Broomstick Inn

Old home of the founder of Hogsmeade with the best Butterbeer — compared with the other two broomstick inns!

Well, that was an oddly specific tagline. Dawn thought as the both of them entered the inn.

The inn is warm and a bit smoky, but mostly clean and certainly welcoming, crowded with wizards and witches that just finished a day worth of trading goods with one another. Many are drinking Butterbeer or gossiping, or both.

“This one’s on me. I owned you so much, so think of is as my thanks. So feel free to order as many Butterbeers as you wish.” Perseus smiled at Dawn as he patted her shoulder.

“Are you sure? I’d like to warn you that I am good at drinking, and your purse would be empty by the time I am done!” Dawn said jokingly. Not that she couldn’t drink a lot, but she certainly wouldn’t want to burn Perseus well-earned money at a drinking feast...

“Even if you did that, I wouldn’t mind. I can always earn more of them in the future, yet I only have one you, my friend.” Perseus insisted. “Besides, I am genuine curious at the limitations of your capacity over drinking Butterbeer. Show me what you have.”

“Don’t say I didn’t warn you.” Dawn said as she took the first jars of Butterbeer carried by a random pub server.

As Dawn finished the 50th jar of Butterbeer — everyone in the inn is now eyeing at the girl who drank much with great shock — even Perseus himself isn’t excepted as part of the gazes. “Annnnnnd I am done!” She slammed the now-empty jar as she wiped her mouth with her arm. “I told you I can drink a lot.”

“I know. Are you fine with the Butterbeer?” Perseus is more concerned as the little girl’s health than the shock at her mere showcase of her ability.

“I’ll be fine, silly! Now, I think it’s time for the both of us to go home, shall we?” Dawn smiled as she stared at Perseus.

Perseus nodded. “Yes, that would be reasonable.”

As the both of them left the shop, someone called them as they turned their heads to the source of the voice.

“That was an impressive of display of your drinking skills, my lady. Perhaps I could inquire your name?”

The one speaking in question is a man with blonde hair in black robes.

Chapter Text

“Well, mister. If you want a lady’s name, should’t you being the one to announce your name first? Still, thanks for you compliment anyway.” Dawn’s eyes were slightly tensed when she saw the wizard in black.

“Ah.” The man noticed as he paused. "My apologies on my part then. Let us try again, shall we?” My name is Nicholas Victor Malfoy. Although simply calling me Malfoy is as fine to me. I suppose you and him are new to this place, aren’t you?”

“You can say that, and my name is Dawn. Just Dawn.” Dawn could felt Perseus gripping her hand tightly. The man himself feeling nothing but anxiety.

“Hmm, are you saying you lacked a family name?”

“In a way, yes.”

“Interesting.” Malfoy gave Dawn a calculated look. “By the way, I sworn I had seen your friend next to you somewhere else. Hmm, perhaps in one of the many parties I attended in the past?”

The grip on Dawn’s hand had gotten worse. “Maybe you should just leave him be, as I am aware that you are more keen on me than him, am I right?” She drew Malfoy’s attention to herself.

Fortunately to Perseus, Dawn’s tactic worked. “Well, you are right on that matter. I am sure that you are far more capable than simply drinking more Butterbeer than most wizards and witches could, isn’t it?”

“Well yeah. I can beat an army of elite wizards and witches if I wanted to...”

“Bold statement you had.” Malfoy raised an eyebrow at Dawn. “But can your skills and strength hold truth at it?”

“Are you trying to pick a fight with me?” Now Dawn is frowning at the man’s words.

“Not today, my lady.” Malfoy simply threw us his hands. “However, consider that your deeds have gained interest from me. Perhaps a trip to the Malfoy Manor in the future together would enlighten the both of us, should we are capable to be on the same side.” He lowered his hands. “Or we could talk in your home, if you wish.”

This is getting annoying to Dawn, she needs to put a stopper over this conversation. “Not really. Our home is filled with various protection charms, and I haven’t consider you to be trustworthy, yet.”

“I see.” Malfoy’s tone indicated an underline disappointment that isn’t shown on his face. “Well, my offer is still up. Feel free to call me if you changed your mind then.” He then took off in an Apparition.

The grip on Dawn’s hand is finally released, with Perseus taking short breaths like he’s under a panic attack.

“Are you okay?” Dawn patted Perseus’ hand to comfort the man himself.

“Take your time for deep breaths.” Dawn is now holding both of Perseus’ hands. “1...2...1...2...off you go. Much better. Well done.”

With deep breaths, Perseus is in a calmer state. “I can’t believe we have met a Malfoy! It is fortunate for the both of us not being his enemies, or at least, for now.”

“So? It’s not like he can hurt the both of us physically, not under my watch.”

“There are many ways to be hurt with more than a wand.”

“Oh.”

“By the way, are you considering accepting his offer?”

“Hardly. They don’t like non-magical people a lot, and the only reason Malfoy is interested into me is because of my abilities. Big bunch of opportunists the all of them are, not to mention the one we met earlier is said to have killed many non-magical folks, very likely with Avada Kedavra or some sort of nasty Dark Art...”

“I remembered that. He was on trial held by Wizard’s Council, and got away with it. Very likely with lots of money.” Perseus sneered as he agreed.

“Good to be rich. By the way, have you ever really met him in a pureblood party you joined before you got kicked out by the Princes?”

“I did.” Perseus nodded. “Always proudly boasting how he got away with killing poor muggles who had done nothing wrong, along with the Gaunts and the Blacks, which I am disgusted at. That’s one of the reasons why I never enjoyed joining pureblood parties.”

“But surely you have meet decent people in the many parties you joined, didn’t you?”

“I did. Such as the Potters, the Weasleys, the Prewetts, some of the Peverells... not that they joined those parties much, but I welcomed their presence nonetheless.”

“I am sure that’s because they aren’t being invited that often, not to mention they being busy to their family business.”

“Which, your last statement, is true to every pureblood family.”

“Still, enough of this gloomy talk! And mark my words, Perseus, is that there won’t be anymore Gaunts or Blacks in the future eventually, once they knew all of this pureblood supremacy is nothing but a load of crap, as they learnt it the hard way by practicing it in the most logical way.”

“What about the Malfoys?”

“They weren’t that extreme, as they accepted halfbloods, not that them being opportunists will keep them away from trouble forever, especially when they bet on the wrong side.”

“What about... the Princes?”

“I don’t know much about them, but I think they just disappeared from the streams of time, due to lack of mate heir to carry the name.”

“...I see.” For some reason. Perseus isn’t happy from Dawn’s prediction, despite he should be happy at the eventual end of the Princes. “But predictions are called predictions because of being a mere possibility of the future itself, not necessary to be the absolute future, right?”

“Everyone has an opinion at predictions. Take them with a grain of salt.”

“Very well.” Perseus decided to stop talking at the subject. “Let us return to the hut and forget all of this in the dreams.”

“Yeah. I can’t wait to recharge myself for tomorrow!”

And tomorrow is another day of an adventure.

Chapter Text

“Dawn! Wake up! Today is the day!”

With the girl in blue was sleeping on a cloud bed she conjured in the living room of her friend’s hut, she was rudely awakened from repeated shaking, as she rubbed her eyes and looked at Perseus with narrowed eyes. “The day for what? Your birthday?” She asked in a clearly unamused tone.

“Nay! But that would too be wonderful for me! It’s the day of All Hallow’s Even! Which means there are free soul cakes for us to eat!”

Oh, right. Today just happened to be none other than All Hallow’s Even, also known as Halloween in modern times, which its name had been changed many times throughout the ages. In Middle Ages, Trick or treat was already a thing, except candies and chocolate aren’t commonly a thing among the common folks yet, so they baked soul cakes instead — which are more like cookies in flavor. Apples and money and anything useful are also other possible objects mummers (essentially, anyone in cheap disguises) may obtain during souling (or currently known as Trick or treating).

In fact, this is pretty much a day of glorified and legit begging without the worry of being swept and kicked out by the owners of any house. No wonder Perseus is pretty thrilled, especially considering his nearly lack of personal belongings (and most importantly, food) before Dawn’s arrival.

Besides, who are to deny free (and mostly safe) food and money in the first place?

“Okay! I am coming!” Dawn jumped off the fluffy bed as she vanished it. “Still, you do know souling is an event to be done at night, not at day, right?”

“Of course! Which is why I am preparing my trusty black robes for this occasion, hood included!” He took out some robes which, while are far from new as shown by various patches all over them, isn’t completely unusable.

“Maybe you should try buying a new one instead.” Dawn suggested.

“Well, it’s not like they no longer fit or torn for me, and in the worst I simply have to use magic to fix them, so I fail to see the reason to get myself a new set of robes.” Perseus shook his head as he tried them. They fit. “Besides, there are secret pockets inside these robes I personally added to hold and conceal my wand. I owned them before I was removed from my previous home, after all.” He then stared at the shorter girl. “Speaking of which, do you have your own set of black robes for souling?”

“Actually, I have a better idea.” With a snap of fingers, the blue dress Dawn wears all the time changed itself into a set of appropriate black robes that covered her from head to toe.

“You just never failed to surprise me, do you, Dawn?” Perseus just smiled at his friend’s casual display of her powers.

“A good player must always possess a good hand and an ace up to his or her sleeve.” Dawn replied in full confidence. “So what do we do before night falls upon us?”

“Hmm, what about some good old-fashioned muggle-baiting?” Perseus suggested as he placed a hand on his chin.

“But I thought you never liked harming muggles.” Dawn said with a frown on her face.

“There are good and bad muggles just like good and bad wizardkind. I only target the bad ones.”

“Hmm...” Dawn thought for a while, before finally accepting the wizard’s idea. “Fine, but you are doing them under my supervision, which means there’ll be no tricks too outstanding for the muggles and no permanent damage, understand?”

“Clearer than crystal.”

“Oh, and don’t forget the Disillusionment Charms! You don’t want the muggles discover us and send us to the wrong end of the gallows as you know!”

“Ah, of course.” With a wave of his wand, both Perseus and Dawn are invisible to naked eyes, good enough to hide from muggles.

“And let the muggle-baiting of the day begins!”

For the entire morning and afternoon, Dawn and Perseus checked every muggle house they stumbled upon in the local village, and they discovered almost everybody are busy for preparing for the night. Still, that doesn’t means there aren’t idling muggles in the village, such as drunkyards, pickpockets for the thrill, and just random nasty thugs and so on. Which makes them the perfect target for muggle baiting.

Eventually, it turns out Perseus is surprisingly an expert on muggle-baiting — from vanishing the muggles’ personal belongs to conjuring pests to secretly firing tripping jinxes, all done without showing the wand out.

As for Dawn, she simply transferred a very small portion of ‘misfortune’ she accumulated from her journeys to those muggles. Good enough for the muggles to experience misfortune for a day worth.

By the time the two (mostly done by Perseus) are done with their muggle-baiting, as they returned to their hut, all that they left are several confused muggles to their own ‘bad luck’.

When night has finally come, the two took a brief break in their house from all the muggle-baiting they just did for the day. Once they are recovered into a better state, they left the hut again for the real event of the night, bags with Extension Charms included.

It’s time for some souling.

With the both of them in black robes, Dawn and Perseus went house by house, asking for soul cakes, with several interesting phrases that Dawn wasn’t going to forget them for a long time.

“Soul, souls, for a soul-cake; Pray you good mistress, a soul-cake!”

“Mercy on all Christian souls for a soul-cake!”

While the line ‘Treat or treat’ is obviously not used, the phrases used to get soul cakes are nonetheless fun, and it didn’t took too long for the both of them to be completely filled their charmed bags with soul cakes, apples, and even some pence and shillings. Not that wizardkind use muggle currency, but they are still free cash.

“This year’s results in souling is great, isn’t it, Perseus?” Dawn looked at the full bag as she said with brimming eyes.

“Indeed. Last year didn’t worked out for me that much despite I used the same robe I was wearing them then, but I guess that’s because they simply don’t include Extension Charm, and I can only hold as much as I could carry with my bare hands.” Perseus agreed absentmindedly as he stared at the ‘spoils’ with deep thought. “So the amount of food I got that way was only enough for a few days before I went back to the usual long-term starving as I continued wandering. Before I found the hut and...you know the rest.”

“I see.” Dawn’s smile vanished in a flash as she heard the tale. “Well, needless to say, that sort of thing will never happen to you anymore with me on your side, and I won’t leave you as much as you won’t leave me, you heard me?”

“Loud and clear.” Perseus nodded with a smile.

“Speaking of All Hallows Even, I knew a story happened this very night, and do you fancy it?”

“I certainly wouldn’t mind one, tonight is supposed to be a long night for the both of us.”

“I knew you would say that!” Dawn grinned as she took a bite on one of the many soul cakes she collected. This one almost somehow broke her teeth. “And perhaps I should’ve waited for them to get softer before eating them, or...” She then softened the cake as she spun it with her fingers. When she tried it again, this time, it came with a satisfying snap. “Not bad.” She nursed her teeth as she finished the cake.

Perseus just chuckled at Dawn’s reaction towards the soul cakes. “They are indeed tough. You are not the only one to experience their hardness. I would rather save them to eat at home.” He put away his bag. “I wonder what’s your story, then? Is it a wizard fairy tale? Or a muggle one? Or something original?”

“Consider it to be original, and an actual story.” Dawn replied cryptically as they reached their hut.

Chapter Text

Once the duo settled on the chairs next to the hearth lit by a simple Agi, Dawn began telling the story as Perseus slowly ate the soul cakes one by one in small bites.

“Well, you see. This is a story about the Potters, presumedly in many ages later or something like that, if the events still happened and so...”

“Wait, so you are talking about events in the future?” Perseus paused her story at the most glaring subject from his perspective.

“Possibly.”

“So are you a seer?” The wizard pressed on the subject.

“I can be, in a way, but the only reason I know about this story is because I observed it in a different time.”

“Different time?” Perseus cocked his head in confusion.

“Let’s...say that time and space is never a restraint to me, so I can know things about the past, the present and the possible future.” Dawn merely waved her hand neglectfully.

Perseus just nodded in response, clearly too confused to ask for more.

“Anyway, as I said, this is a story about the Potters, whose love saved the world twice, in one way and another. But before I begin saying their story, I must first say the story of the one who ended their lives prematurely.” Dawn paused as she cleared her throat. “At their time, there was a very, very evil and dark wizard from the long line of the Gaunt, whose evilness surpassed Emeric the Evil, or even Herpo the Foul.”

“Oh.” Is all Perseus said. “I knew Emeric, he’s very aggressive, as he likes to duel with random wizards and witches he saw on sight. No one have ever won against him, as he easily beat them with the black wand of his, not to mention him using all kinds of curses frequently like eating and drinking against them, especially the Instant Death Spell...”

“You mean the Killing Curse, right?” Dawn said as she narrowed her eyes.

“Is that how other people called it? I thought we all call it the Instant Death Spell...” Perseus pondered if he was wrong.

“Names of the same thing changes from time to time.” Dawn merely explained tersely. “You said that you knew about him, so can you tell me more about him? How was he like?”

“Loud and boastful, but what unnerves me the most is his black wand, it gave me an unnatural fear that made every part of myself to scream and run from him...”

“I don’t blame you for being scared of him, considering that’s none other than THE Elder Wand in the tales...”

“Wait, so he is currently using THAT Elder Wand?” Now Perseus is truly surprised at that fact.

“You mean, you don’t know about that?”

“You didn’t tell me!” Perseus accused. “That also certainly explains why he never loses in a duel, with such a powerful artifact on his hands!”

“Sorry then.” Dawn gave a quick apology to Perseus. “Anyway, Emeric is still a mortal man, and eventually he’ll be defeated by another wizard, but that’s a story of another time.” Dawn held her hand up. “Anyway, as I said, that evil wizard’s evilness surpassed that of Emeric and Herpo’s, both of their evilness combined, as...”

“I read about Herpo. Said he was the first creator of the deadly Basilisk and the Dark-Art-That-Must-Not-Be-Named. I had read about him in the books.”

“That was a ridiculous name for Horcrux, worse than He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, if you ask me.”

“Do not speak of that Dark Art’s name!” Now Perseus is truly angry, as he pounded the wooden table hard.

“Sorry again.” Dawn scratched the back of her head. “I didn’t know that you reacted very bad at its name.”

“It wasn’t exactly an open knowledge to every wizard and witch, but it involves murder, which spilts the soul of the wizardkind, which is the worst of any crime we can commit! Since it prevents our souls to remain whole to move on at death!” Perseus explained with rage. “And it’s not like I want to be stuck at the journey when I have to move on! Which is why I sworn I will never use the Instant Death Spell for any reason for the rest of my life, unlike my parents and my siblings.”

“You are right at that, and the state of a damaged soul is...not a pretty sight to behold.” This time, Dawn didn’t disagree with Perseus.

“So you are saying you have seen how a damaged soul looks like?”

“Yeah, but I think you aren’t the type who wants to know THAT kind of details, do you?”

“I won’t poke around THAT kind of information.” Perseus tried pushing out the potential gruesome picture of a mangled soul out of his head. “In fact, the book I read about him speculated that he died when he and the h-object he created was destroyed by an accident involved the very Basilisk he bred, something involved with it’s venom...”

“Talk about irony.” Dawn puffed. “I wonder if he knew his pet could took away his ill-attempted immortality. Which, if your book is anything to go by, he didn’t.”

“Well, I am glad there aren’t any Basilisks in England! Considering the only cure to their venom is phoenix tears, and they themselves are too very rare...” Perseus sighed in relief.

“That’s what you think.” Dawn said with a wicked grin.

“What do you mean?” Now Perseus is genuinely worried.

“Salazar Slytherin, one of the four founders of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry at somewhere in Scotland, has a Basilisk at the Chamber of Secrets inside the school itself.”

Now Perseus is completely horrified at the fact. “No!”

“Unfortunately, it’s true. Fortunately, she’s dormant, so unless someone awake her with parseltongue, she won’t be slithering around and killing students randomly with her stare.”

“The Basilisk is a female?” Somehow, it never ceases to amazes the girl with raven hair that the wizard would focuses at trivial things, instead of the glaringly more important ones.

Nevertheless, Dawn answered truly. “Yes.”

“I knew about Parseltongue too — the ability to talk with snakes and snakes only, it’s also seen as a sure symbol of Dark wizards and witches in out world.

“Not really. At the end, Parseltongue is no more than an ability that can be used for the evil and for the good, and the only reason it’s seen as evil because it’s hereditary, and most people who possessed this ability chose to use it for evil purposes instead of the good ones.”

“That was a bold but wise statement you have.” Perseus replied politely. “And you weren’t wrong at the hereditary part, because as far as I know, all of the Gaunts, as direct descendants of Salazar himself, all possesses the ability to talk to snakes, and we already knew how awful they are, as many of them are pureblood supremacy supports to a ‘t’, to the point of refusing to talk or spend time with anyone who isn’t a pureblood, and they always talking about how purging all the muggles in the world would make it a better place...”

“If they really did that, they would’ve doomed themselves with inbreeding instead.” Dawn pointed the fact out as she rolled her eyes. “Still, not all Gaunts are necessarily evil, because as far as I know, one of them eventually becomes a founder of another magical school at a land across the sea, and there’s another blind one who himself is a decent fella who despises his family, and the feeling is mutual, and the same goes for his aunt...”

“Wow. Just...wow.” Perseus mouth opened agape. “Never would I thought of a day where not only one, but at least three of the the Gaunt family members would be labeled with anything but good.”

It took a while for the wizard to notice his mouth left opened and finally close it with both of his hands. “Sorry, I think it’s just that you have revealed many things I have never knew before, to the point of I require extra time to absorb all of this information.” His face tinted with a shade of faint rose red, which never ceases to amuses the girl in front of him.

“You are forgiven for that, take your time.” Dawn merely gave an acknowledged nod. “Even families with mostly evil people can occasionally give birth to a couple member of white sheep. Too bad this one I was about to describe was just as bad as the rest.”

After a few breaths Perseus took, he’s back in a more stable mood to keep on hearing Riddle Junior’s story, as Dawn opened her mouth: “Okay, back to that Dark wizard — he's worse than Emeric the Evil and Herpo the Foul combined, because he created more than one of those h-objects to secure his immortality.”

Perseus just leaned back at his chair, his eyes and already pale face completely going white, as he fainted with a completely horrified expression that made him looked decades older, as if someone hit him with an instant aging curse.

“Err, hello? Earth to Perseus? Are you still alive?” Dawn got off from her chair as she patted Perseus’ shoulder and checked his pulse. It’s still there, but it seemed to be weaker than usual.

Eventually, the wizard in grey was able to come back from fainting as he took a few deep breaths and leaned forward from his chair again. “I’m fine.” His panicked tone is anything but fine from all of its shakiness. “I just — I would never — ever thought of some — or anyone — even Dark wizard or witch — would be mad enough to try creating more than one of those things...” He buried his face with one of his hands.

“That Dark wizard is really afraid of dying, as his mother passed from simple mortality born of despair, and we’ll be referring him Riddle Junior from now on, with his full name being Tom Marvolo Riddle.” Dawn continued the story as she witnessed Perseus’ recovery.

“Why Riddle?”

“It was the family name from his father’s side.”

“Never heard of any pureblood family with such name.”

“It was a muggle family name.”

“That Riddle Junior is a half-blood?”

“Yep, but blood type has nothing to do with good and evil, right?”

Perseus nodded. “So why Riddle’s mother would gave into despair? She’s a Gaunt, as you mentioned Riddle descended from the Gaunts, so she has to be the magical one of Riddle's parents, right?”

“That is correct. As for your question, I can tell you that the last branch of the Gaunts in England, by the time of Riddle’s birth, has long succumbed from the results generations of inbreeding and lack of financial management, which reduced them to a family of three in squalor in a shack of the local muggle forest. Isolated even from many of their wizardkind. With a mere two of family heirlooms left, unsold because of their pride.”

“Good riddance. I knew they’ll never prosper in the long run, but they are always too prideful to listened to anyone, even from members of other pureblood families.” Perseus folded his arms. “Is that why the Gaunt woman died of despair?”

“Not fully because of poverty, it’s more like because of her ill-attempt on obtaining genuine love — in which her family never gave her due to her lack of magical strength.”

“Elaborate on the ill-attempt on obtaining genuine love. I can understand the latter part though. Many purebloods looked down members of their own family should their magic is weaker than most of them. And they’ll be instantly expelled should they showed themselves to be a squib.”

“Okay. You see, she bewitched Riddle Senior to love her, even if it’s a lie, despite the man already has a consort on his own, with either love potion or the Imperius Curse. Personally, I’m more inclined at the love potion part, due to her lack of magical talent.”

“And I thought my opinion over her couldn’t get any lower, especially love potions are only used by witches and wizards who lacked magical talented and personal charm, which she certainly lacks both.” Perseus snorted after hearing the story. “At least my magic is decent.”

“You’re right. Anyway, it’s not exactly a surprise Riddle Senior ran when Gaunt girl stopped supplying him with love potions, she being tired the pretense of false love, when she’s pregnant and told the man this fact.”

“I would be running away too, if I found out I’m under someone else’s love potion’s effects for a while. Good thing should the person drank the love potion he or her brewed, the worst thing could happen to him or her is merely a sudden unhealthy obsession to the person he or her love the most at the moment, as I unfortunately discovered by testing it myself.”

“Believe me, if we are talking about unhealthy obsession of love, I’ve known worse.” Dawn shuddered as she remembered every single Yandere she came across with (especially with the queen of Yanderes) “Back to the story: Once Riddle Senior was out of the picture, Gaunt woman died shortly from despair of losing her ‘husband’, gave birth to Riddle Junior, and sent him to a muggle orphantage.”

“Guess she hasn’t anyone in the magical world to be entrusted with her son, did she?”

“Yeah, and since she believed magic to be the source of her problems of her pathetically short life, it’s natural for her choice to stay away from the magical world and took refuge at the non-magical one.”

“Speaking of which, her story is awfully similar to mine, and I’m glad to have you on my side.” Perseus held his hand over Dawn’s, smiling with relief.

“So am I.” Dawn gave a warm smile back. “Eventually when he reached the age of eleven, he received his letter to Hogwarts, took in by the Transfiguration teacher at that time, and eventually became one of the worst Dark wizards of all time.”

“Too bad my parents denied my education to Hogwarts.” Perseus sighed. “They sent their owls with their own rejection letter to ensure that.”

“Yeah, which is why it would be interesting if we pay a ‘friendly’ visit to them in the future, including their other kids, or just me visiting them...” Dawn muttered as she flashed a very dangerous grin.

“Wait!” Perseus protested. “I may not tolerate their presence, but I don’t want them dead!”

“I know, there are many ways to make one suffer more than death.” Dawn suggested. “And I am very, very creative at that, but tonight it won’t be the night they repent.”

“Just — when you eventually visit them, don’t go too hard on them, could you?” Perseus requested with a worried look. “I may not like them anymore, but still...”

“I know, despite everything, they are still your relatives.” Dawn’s grin didn’t fade, yet.

“Exactly.” Perseus nodded in grief.

“Well then. Back to Riddle Junior, many years later after he graduated from Hogwarts, he renamed himself into something more dangerous —  instead of keeping his everyday name — which is Voldemort—”

“ — He who flees from death, a name only those who fear death would choose.” Perseus explained. “I learnt French from my family, so I knew what it means.”

“ — formed a group of Dark wizards and witches under the name of ‘Death Eaters’ to surpass death, running it with the pretense of promoting pureblood supremacy by torturing and killing muggleborns and muggles, despite his half-blood origins, he eventually created those h-objects with the intent of six of them, to ensure he has seven pieces of soul to secure his immortality. And thus, he began his reign of terror across England as the second Dark Lord of that century.” Dawn finished the tale of the origins of Riddle Junior.

“And nobody noticed his actual heritage?”

“Or perhaps they simply don’t care.”

“Right. It was more than an excuse than anything else.” Perseus nodded. “What about the first Dark Lord then?”

“He was defeated.”

“I see, but I still fail to see if this has anything to do with All Hallow’s Even, or the Potters.”

“Which I am getting back to the story of the Potters! On a particular night of an All Hallow’s Even, he attacked them because of them housing a child that just happened to be a potential candidate of a prophecy that foretells his eventual defeat...”

Chapter Text

“...the one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches... Born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies... and the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not... and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives...that is the prophecy that changed the fate of the Potters at than time, causing their sole child became an orphan.” Dawn relaid the prophecy as she explained the Potter’s eventual end.

“So it was a real prophecy then? I thought it was like one of the many phony ones most seers made, they just love to make themselves much brilliant than they are...” Perseus pondered.

“Unfortunately yes, and the self-fulfilling ones are the worst out of them all, just like this one. Riddle, who wouldn’t take any chances to be defeated by anyone, especially by a mere child. So he attacked the Potters at a night during All Hallow’s Even, however...”

“What happened?”

“He, under the request of one of his followers, tried to spare Mrs Potter, but as the mother of her only child, she refused. So naturally Riddle killed her with the Instant Death Spell, just like what he did to her husband earlier...” Dawn grimaced as she spoke.

“And the child is too killed at the end? If that’s what happened, this story would be one with a depressing end, I must say.” Perseus commented.

“No, and that’s where the miracle happened — due to the love from little Potter’s mother, the Instant Death Spell rebounded and destroyed Riddle’s body instead, and that’s how little Potter — Harry Potter — became the Boy Who Lived.” Dawn finished the story as she took a sip from the glass of water on the wooden table, before putting it back to where it belongs.

“Sacrificial Protection...” Perseus realized. “But who — under the orders of a madman no less — would wished Mrs Potter to be spared in the first place?” He wondered.

“Oh, as for that, I can tell you that it was a childhood friend of hers, one that still loves her despite losing his friendship with her due to a mistake he made.” Dawn waved her hand neglectfully.

“They ended up on opposing sides? Guess time really changes everything...” Perseus’ mouth opened agape, before closing it off again.

“They did. In fact, the irony of the most is that if he knew Mrs Potter would be targeted in the first place, he wouldn’t had spilled the beans at all, but he was too eager to prove his own worth among the Death Eaters at that time, so what’s done is done.” Dawn shrugged.

“And who is this selfish jerk who let the cat out of the bag?” Perseus raised one of his eyebrows.

“That would be a story of another time. Many years later, Harry eventually defeated a resurrected Riddle, all the while destroyed all of his h-things, rendering him mortal once more, and finally killing him for good, with the lost of many, that’s it.” Dawn shifted herself on the chair as she finished the tale.

“It’s still a sad story to hear...” Perseus lowered his head. “Aren’t there any other possible candidate at all, why him?”

“Actually, there is another, but Riddle still chose Harry because of him being a half-blood, just like himself, as he too knew how much danger a half-blood can poses, instead of a pureblood one...”

“Ah.” Perseus understood. “So my guess is that something eventually bad happened to them as well, with them being the other possible family with a candidate of the prophecy?”

“That’s right, Perry. Four followers of Riddle broke into their home while they’re in there and tortured them with the Torture Curse with an extended period, eventually throughly destroying pretty much every nerve cell they possess, thus guaranteeing two members of them becoming permanent members of the local wizardkind hospital...”

“There is a hospital for our kind in the future? That’s good news to hear! Especially with all of this dragon pox spreading around!” It appears Perseus is good at focusing at the oddest parts of a story, but seeing the usually timid wizard smiling warms Dawn’s heart. “Still, that must be a really long time for them to be under the effects of the Torture Curse to render them all-time members of an hospital, considering the Torture Curse is pretty common to be used to break the victim, until they’re as good as being kissed by a dementor, especially done by many pureblood families, as far as I knew and witnessed.”

He couldn’t forget it when he personally witnessed a poor muggle got tortured by one of his brothers for a very long time, went mad and unresponsive, and got thrown to the wolves when his brother got bored at the mentally dead victim.

And this is done by them as a regular recreational activity, he just got dragged in from time to time, until he finally got removed forever.

“That was certainly disturbing.” Dawn commented. If what happened to the Longbottom were considered to be one of the most vile actions to be done at modern times, then the wizardkind should be glad at such action was not commonly done anymore, based on what Perseus said. She also wondered how many people ended up just like the Longbottoms in ancient history, not to mention being a common practice at that time.

“Anyway,” Dawn decided to go back at the present topic instead. “they went completely insane. More of a stuck in their minds to me, and try their best to reach out to others and learn and remember what happened, to themselves and to others.” Dawn remembered in depression at what happened to the Longbottoms — shuffling around the ward like headless chickens, unable to speak and thus communicate at all, and retreating to their beds when exhaustion kicks in easily, especially with every bit of their nervous system damaged indefinitely by Dark Magic.

Good thing is that such fate would never happen to anyone she cared under her watchful eyes.

Wait, did he just said dragon pox? Isn’t that a disease that used to claim the lives of many wizardkind in the past? But wouldn’t the first one to die from it was in 1379? Some kind of Oldridge guy, perhaps?

Except this year right now is 1363.

Uh oh.

“It is, but you won’t want to get stuck at a hospital for the rest of your life, right?” Dawn narrowed her eyes.

“Well, if I got fed, I actually wouldn’t mind, even if I really am not leaving at anytime...” Perseus answered sheepishly.

“Maybe for those without anyone to care for, but now you have me, don’t you? It would most likely hurts me to see you being a prisoner in a hospital for the rest of your life, should that happened to you.” Dawn huffed and puffed as she folded her arms together.

“Well, you aren’t wrong at that...” Perseus scratched his head. “...which is why I am glad to have you on my side.” He hugged her sideways. Dawn most certainly appreciated it in silence.

After a few minutes passed, Dawn decided to go for the topic about dragon pox. “Speaking of which, do you know that you can prevent getting dragon pox if your body knew how to fight against it, way before the real thing attacks you?”

“And how is that, pray tell, is accomplished?” Now Dawn has successfully wrestled back Perseus’ attention on her side.

“With vaccines, by taking shots like this.”

Dawn pulled out a hypodermic needle with dragon pox vaccine.

Chapter Text

“What was that?” Perseus stared at the tiny sharp object on Dawn’s hand in clear fear.

“Vaccine against dragon pox. You will need it,” Dawn explained tersely. “And yes, I know you are scared of taking shots, so is everyone else did, but don’t tell me you want to be infected by it and dying from it in the first place, right?”

“And what does that supposed to help me against dragon pox?” Perseus asked with skeptic.

“As I said — it’s a weaker version of the actual dragon pox. By inserting it into your body, it allows your immune system fight against it, and thus teaching it to fight against the real thing, in case you are unfortunately infected by the real thing.” Dawn elaborated, knowing that Perseus wouldn’t fully understand the full thing as much as most medieval people do.

“So...I wouldn’t be infected by dragon pox once I ‘took the shot’, as you said, right?” Good thing Perseus still understand what it does, mostly, that’s it.

“Mostly, and even if you still get infected, you will have better chances at survival, compared with those who didn’t.” Dawn withdrew the needle as she took out a cotton stick and a bottle of alcohol and dipped the stick into the bottle. “Are you ready?”

“Do I really have to? It looks painful to me.” Perseus glanced at Dawn nervously.

“Compared to Crucio, that I remembered you had endured many times, this is nothing, and the pain lasts no more than seconds.” Dawn put back the bottle into her item space, as she reached out to Perseus’ right arm. “Or are you saying you wanted to be infected by dragon pox and dying from it?”

Perseus shuddered at the thought of his green becoming green with pimples, while breathing fire from his nostrils like an actual dragon. He had seen enough wizards and witches infected by it, not even his relatives are immune to it, as an uncle of his learnt it the hard way. Besides, Dawn said dragon pox can kills, even if no one died from it, yet.

Better not take any chances.

At the end, Perseus made his choice. “I’ll take it. So what do I have to do?”

“Show me your right arm.”

Perseus lifted off his right arm from the voluminous robes he is wearing, showing off his pale and thin arm.

“Okay. First I need to do this to prevent infection...” Dawn wiped a part of Perseus’ arm with the cotton stick laced with alcohol. Once she’s done with it she vanished the stick. She took out the syringe needle again as she removed its cap. “Hold still.”

Perseus said nothing but looked up, ready for the worst.

The next thing he knew is the texture of a sharp quill piecing his skin, with the pain of being pecked by a bird coming from the arm itself.

Once Dawn is done with her part of the job, she vanished the syringe as she quickly took out the bottle of alcohol and dipped another cotton stick in it, then withdrew the bottle again, as she placed and held the cotton stick’s end — the one laced with alcohol— onto the place the syringe just pieced. “Hold this for thirty minutes as I observe any visible chances from you.”

“What visible changes?” Perseus asked in worry.

“Something like allergies or any other negative aftereffects from the shot.”

Perseus merely nodded as he stared at his arm that just took the shot, now covered with a cotton stick.

Once thirty minutes passed, Perseus released the stick from holding the wound gained from the syringe. Blood no longer came out from it.

“Any discomfort or funny feeling you are currently experiencing?”

“No, nothing at all.” The wizard’s gaze is still fixated at his arm. “So we are done.”

Dawn nodded.

“Well, it’s not that I don’t trust you that this ‘shot’ would works on me or not, but...thanks, anyway.”

Dawn gave a simple smile in return.

“So I guess it’s time to sleep for the both of us as usual, right?”

Dawn looked at outside from the window, it’s almost the dead of the night. “You’re right, Perry. See you tomorrow as always! Always keep yourself clean and safe!”

“I will.”

As the girl in blue passed through the blue door that appeared in thin air, Perseus put out the fire in the hearth with his wand, as he too went to sleep.

Chapter Text

Another day in the potions shop — Magical Solutions — opened by Perseus, another of assistance for Dawn she volunteer on her own.

Today, the owner of the shop is brewing batches of Beautification Potion — surprisingly (or not) ordered by the Malfoys, and all Dawn needed to do is to hand over the correct ingredients to Perseus.

Clearly, using Beautification Potion is a family tradition to the Malfoys, and Dawn could imagine Nicolas and Lucius the second couldn’t start a day without consuming at least one dose of these potions. She then started looking for the ingredients required for brewing the potion.

Fairy wings (Dawn winced at them. She doesn’t even want to think about how they are harvested, she merely found them in the storage), morning dew she just gathering on the leaves, a freshly picked red rose, ginger root, dried Lady’s Mantle, and the most expensive ingredient of all — a lock of unicorn hair.

Just when Dawn was about to start searching the storage, someone knocked at the door. Another customer? Perhaps?

No reason to refuse a guest’s request, so long they pay their Galleons well.

While Perseus isn’t the talkative type, his social skills are still decent enough to communicate with normal customers without any major problems, a skill he picked up during all of parties he was dragged to join with his family.

Although, it turns out that this isn’t a customer, but a supplier of several potion ingredients Perseus ordered earlier. Once he paid the supplier, he gave them to Dawn to put them away with safety.

All of the ingredients required to brew the Beautification Potion are available in the bags she just got, provided by the supplier, so she sort them out and placed the rest of them into the storage.

As Perseus filled the cauldron with basic potion liquid, Dawn checked the ingredients with her Third Eye ability.

Most of the ingredients on the table shimmered in blue color, which means there are safe to be used. Except for one ingredient.

The red rose. Despite looking fresh, instead of the safe blue color seen under the effects of Third Eye, it glowed with a dangerous and red color.

Whatever it’s problem is, Dawn needed to do something to ensure Perseus wouldn’t be using it for brewing the potion.

Dawn looked back at Perseus with a stoic face. The wizard is preparing the ingredients in a ridiculously fast speed, one that is normal to any potioneer but not to Dawn herself.

Three fairy wings grinded, poured into the cauldron. Its contents being stirred slowly as morning dew is added into it. Then he stirred it vigorously as he heated the potion up with Incendio.

Just when he was about to get the rose as he turned his head to pick up the flower, Dawn pointed at the air with a finger.

“Lookout, Perry! It’s a fly!”

“A fly? Inside a shop?”

“The windows must haven’t been shut up tight to keep it from getting in! It’s up there!”

“Where?”

As Perseus’ attention is directed at the air, Dawn quickly switched the rose with a fresh one she kept inside her personal space.

“I see no flies, are you trying to put anything foreign to ruin the potion?” Perseus looked back at Dawn with a stern look.

If there is one thing all potioneers hated, that would be someone ruining their potion with foreign objects, or being distracted during a potion brewing. Dawn knew this too well from a certain Potion Master.

“I...I think my eyes deceived me and I got it wrong. I’m so sorry!” Dawn gave Perseus the best puppy eyes she could make, to avoid being scolded.

Perseus eyes soften as he plucked seven petals from the rose Dawn just switched. “There, there. Everything is fine,” Once he placed the petals into the cauldron, he patted Dawn’s shoulder. “Everyone makes mistakes, so do I. You already prove yourself to be better than most people by apologizing to me.”

“So you are not mad with me?” Dawn continued at the act with puppy eyes.

“Not at all.” Perseus chopped the dried Lady’s Mantle as he added them into the cauldron and stirred its contents. Once he added unicorn hair and stirred the potion vigorously, grinded ginger roots until there’re powdered, as he dropped them into the cauldron as well, he heated the potion once more with Incendio and waved his wand to finish the potion.

As Perseus and Dawn collected and bottled the finished cauldron contents, Dawn checked the liquor inside the bottle she was currently carrying — it is in various bright colors, as if tempting anyone else to drink it, even without the ‘Drink Me!’ label.

Perseus then went out the shop which Dawn followed tight. He tested the potion by pouring it on a henbit, in which it instantly blooms with many tiny, pink flowers in the shape of mini pitcher plants, except much prettier.

“Erm, Perry. Are you sure you didn’t brew a plant enhancing potion?” Dawn crouched next to the bloomed weed to observe the plant better.

“No, that is how a perfect batch of Beautification Potion works on plants, the only reason we use a Germinating Potion is because it requires cheaper ingredients.” Perseus tilted the potion he is carrying.

“Speaking of which, should we double-check the ingredients we just bought? Just in case.” Dawn suggested.

“A potioneer can never be too careful at the quality of every single ingredient being used.” Perseus nodded as he and Dawn entered the shop again.

A few minutes later, while most ingredients are confirmed to be safe to be used in potion brewing, the batch of roses are anything but safe to be used as ingredients, as they turned out to be dried roses under the effects of a magical glamor.

“Wait, if the rose petals are not safe to be used in brewing potions, then...” Perseus easily deducted the situation as he glared at the girl in blue next to him. “I believe you have something to do with it?”

“Err, you aren’t wrong. The rose petals you just used belonged to me, but I think it would be better to be used for you,” Dawn gave an awkward expression as she bowed to apologize the tall wizard. “I should’ve told you about them, but I just don’t have the time to do so, I’m sorry!”

“Well, at least you have good intention at your action, but next time, do inform me if you want to do something, would you?” Perseus patted at the short girl’s head. “Still, I thank you again for saving the potion and, more importantly, me.” He kissed Dawn’s head with a simple peck.

“I will!” Dawn beamed with a smile. “But who would give you subpar ingredients to you in the first place?”

“Some incompetent supplier, I assume.” Perseus anger is now directed at somewhere else. “Perhaps I’ll have to consider owning a personal garden for various herbs with better quality...”

“Do you think you have enough time to take care of them? I do have seeds of every single plant used in potion brewing though!” Dawn raised her hand as she offered her help.

“A simple Herbivicus Charm will do the trick. I am a wizard, after all. Still, I thank you for offering the seeds.” Perseus smiled as he stared at Dawn, who gave him packages of seeds. “Still, how on earth have you collect seeds and stored them into these tiny bags in the first place?”

“There’re collected every time the plant makes seeds, and I merely stored them until further usages! I am pretty sure you would find them more useful than I do!” Dawn spun around Perseus as he examined the seeds. “Do you need anything else?”

“For now, I’ll be brewing other potions for a while, and I don’t mind a little bit more assistance,” Perseus smiled as he offered his hand. “Especially after the little stunt you just performed.”

“Alright!” Dawn smiled as she took the hand.

Chapter Text

Once Perseus attached the expanded bag of Beautification Potion supply to the Malfoy owl, Perseus decided to call it a day as he and Dawn returned to their house.

The first thing Dawn sat down is to check the Le Grimoire for anything interesting. From small events like gossips to big ones like potential wars that would affect she and Perseus.

Before she could read it’s contents, she was swarmed with black bread, thousands and thousands of them.

“Help!” It’s Perseus’ voice from the kitchen, except it’s muffled from all the bread toppled over him.

Oh well, it’s time to pick up the mess.

Dawn swam through the sea of black bread as she pulled out the white wizard to the top of the bread swarm. “What have you done this time?”

“I — I think it would be a good idea to make more bread for winter with Germinio, except I couldn’t get them stop duplicating themselves?” Perseus gave a sheepish smile in reply.

“Why couldn’t you simply use the General Counter-Spell?” Dawn stated the simple solution.

“I don’t know how to cast that spell?” He argued in vain.

Dawn face-palmed herself. “The spell incantation is Finite Incantatem, and the wand movement should be this...” She made a gesture of a shield with her hand.

“Oh.” Is all Perseus said as he cast the spell, and all of the duplicates disappeared, except the original black bread.

“Next time, learn a spell to counter against the undesirable side-effects of any spell, before actually casting them.” Dawn thoughtfully disinfect the bread with her powers, before giving it back to the tall wizard.

“Got it. Now I will try Germinio again until we have enough food for the winter.” Perseus said casually as he returned to the kitchen with the bread.

“Perry!”

Chapter Text

After All Hallow’s Even, winter is coming, and Dawn and Perseus is cleaning around the house from all the leaves dropped and blown to it.

Perseus gathered the leaves with a flick of wand and vanishes them with another flick (which he is infinitely grateful at, as he was used to clean them up the muggle way, back when he lived with the Princes). Dawn, on the other hand, has other plans.

As the wizard vanished just another pile of leaves, he saw something approaches him.

It’s a pile of leaves, moving in a peculiar way, as if something is using them as cover.

“Arrwoooo!” Dawn screamed as she jumped out from the leafpile. “I am the monster of dead leaves! Fear me!”

Unfortunately to her, Perseus, who at this point is used to Dawn’s antics, is barely fazed, as he vanished the leafpile that covered Dawn and lifted her up with magic. “Don’t you have anything better to do?” He narrowed his eyes.

“But I can help! In fact, I have just gathered the rest! Right behind you!” Dawn waved her hands in protest as she pointed behind the wizard in white.

Perseus turned, and lo and behold, there really is a moderate-sized leafpile behind him. “Thanks, then.” Perseus let the girl off on the ground.

“Next time, warn me first before doing that!” Dawn protested as she rubbed her bum, who quickly recovered as she jumped up back with ease. “Watch me!” She ran towards the leafpile as she dived into it, as she started throwing the leaves up like a child playing in the snow.

Perseus stared in disbelief for a few seconds, before finally caved in, as he walked towards Dawn and sat next to her, on the leafpile no less.

“Say, Perry. I am sure you parents never let you play the leaves like this, so as for now, would you like to play with them?” Dawn threw another hand of leaves as she asked.

“Dawn, I’m afraid I am too old for this. I mean, I am no less 21 for now, and most of my siblings are already married at this point...” Perseus examined a leaf he just picked up as he spoke out his own thoughts. “At this point of my life, I should be preparing for forming a family, but I just wasn’t ready for one yet...”

“Don’t worry then. With me on your side, I guarantee you’ll live a long and happy life!” Dawn threw a pile leaves towards Perseus as she laughed.

Now Perseus was really annoyed at Dawn, but merely in a playful way.

This means war.

The two of them kept throwing leaves at each other until dusk settled in.

Once the two removed all the leaves they threw around, Dawn escorted Perseus back to the bedroom, as she returned to the Persian Room.

“See you tomorrow, Perry!” She waved as she walked through the blue door and vanished.

“Same here...” Perseus replied with a brighter shade of red on his cheeks as usual. This is fine to me, I can’t rely on her for everything, all I need to do is to keep her out of my room for a few days, and everything will eventually went well. 

He massaged his burning forehead as he went to bed.

Chapter Text

“Morning, Perry. I’m here for you as usual!” Dawn opened the door of the Persian Room, as she stayed in front of the bedroom door, waiting for a reply.

Except that there is none, even when a few minutes passed. Odd.

“Perry? What’s wrong?” Dawn started to be concerned. Perseus isn’t the type who would reject a polite reply without a good reason.

She tried to open the door, and unsurprisingly, it’s locked.

“don’t come...not yet...” A hoarse voice replied from the other side of the door, accompanied with a few coughs and the sound of running nose.

“I won’t hurt you, I promise, and I won’t get hurt, really!” Dawn tried comforting the wizard, despite being blocked by a door’s distance. “Are you sick?”

“not stopped...later...” The voice seemed to be pretty reluctant to let Dawn in.

“But you really need help! You should be! There’s no shame in asking for help! We can do this, I mean it.” Dawn tried again to help Perseus.

Silence remained for a few minutes, before Dawn grew tired of the waiting game and tried to open the door on her own, the door opened on it’s own instead, and what she saw isn’t a pretty sight.

There are dozens of empty vials on the ground, with a shivering figure, completely covered in plain, grey blanket like a cocoon, curled up on the bed like a threatened pill bug.

It’s clearer than water that he caught the cold.

“Need help, Perry?” Dawn stood by the sick figure on the bed.

The figure merely showed its head. It’s Perseus, but with a completely red and hot face instead.

He reached to Dawn and touched her cheek with a shaky hand. “...real?” He whispered.

“More real than a pearl! Completely hallucination-free!” Dawn kissed Perseus’ hand, which the man withdrew it with a panicked look, as he turned to the other side on the bed.

“i...won’t hurt...later...” Perseus said with frequent breathing. “please...”

“I assume you tried Pepperup Potions to cure your problem, and it didn’t work, did they?” Dawn picked up one of the empty vials on the ground. “In case you don’t know, getting the flu can kills you, so for once, let me help you again, please?” She asked politely in a bright smile.

Perseus turned to face Dawn again when he heard his sickness can kills him. His face temporarily drained of color, before the red overwhelmed it again, his expression obviously terrified.

There is no shame in asking for help.

He reached out weakly with a hand.

“Good! Now what you need to do is to sleep, as I’ll purge the sickness out of you, slowly and steadily...” Dawn said as she placed one hand over the sick wizard’s head, the other hand grasping Perseus’ stretched hand lightly.

It didn’t took too long for the fatigue to overcome the man in grey as he fell asleep.

Once he woke up, he will feels better.

Chapter Text

When Perseus finally opened his eyes once more, it’s in nighttime.

He scanned his surroundings, and found Dawn sitting next to him on a chair, the one supposed to be part of a set for the study. She’s now reading a rather thick and large book, assisted with a glowing sphere hovering over her head.

“hi?” Perseus vocally tried for a reaction from the girl in blue.

“I am here, and good to see you are finally awake.” Dawn closed the book as she vanished it back to her inventory. “Are you hungry?”

“soup?” Perseus requested in a low voice.

“Here you go then,” Dawn handed a warm soup in wooden bowl and offered it to the sick wizard on bed, wooden spoon included. “Veggie soup I prepared with the hearth in this house, with all the vitamins one required!”

“vitamins?” Perseus asked with curiosity.

“They’re small but useful things in our body that helps and keeps it running smoothly!” Dawn explained. “We may not be able to see them with naked eyes, but they are always there in all kinds of different food! That’s why eating only one type of food won’t be healthy to anyone in the long run!”

Perseus merely nodded as he sat up on the bed as he took small sips from the soup with the spoon. He complemented it’s flavor with an affirmative nod.

“At least you still got your appetite,” Dawn commented. “By the way, I had put all the empty bottles you left on the ground onto the desk right behind me, so you don’t have to clean them up by yourself.”

“Thank you.” Perseus can finally speak in his usual volume, as he thanked. “I still feel weak, though.”

“You should be, just because I removed the coldness out of your body, doesn’t mean your immune system has recovered from it,” Dawn smiled as she patted Perseus’ head. “Still, all it takes is another sleep to fix it.”

“Thanks...” Perseus cheeks is now brightened in a rosy red color. “I don’t know how to say about this, that you really like to treat me like a child, but I don’t mind you keep doing it, despite I’m already an adult,” He returned the now-empty bowl and spoon back to the girl in blue. “And sometimes, I wish my mother kept treating me like what you did.”

“Many said the same thing as you just did, and I’ll take it as a praise.” Dawn gave a bright smile as she sent the utensils back to the tables next to the hearth with her magic. “Do you need anything else?”

“Can you...can you tell me a story?”

“Like a bedtime story?” Now Dawn is really interested at that particular task.

“Yeah...mother stopped telling me ever since my family found out my preference over the muggles, and I miss them.” Perseus almost shredded a tear from what he said.

“Okay then! I am sure you are familiar with every single tale for little wizards and witches, aren't you?” Dawn asked, just in case.

“Yes, and I can recite them to you if you wish."

“That won’t be necessary. In fact, how about a tale about magic from the perspective from muggles?”

“Mother and father always said muggle tales are mad and biased and makes us wizardkind look bad, but I always wanted to know the exact details.”

“Good! Here’s one that’s a classic! It’s called Snow White, and it all started with a beautiful and kind queen who bore a child at late winter...”

Chapter Text

“So...the second queen fed the good princess poison, the princess dies, and a prince came and brought her back to life with a kiss?” Perseus couldn’t believe what he’d heard from the wild tale.

“Yep, and the second queen was punished in several version of tales, and the prince and princess married and lived happily ever after!” Dawn finished the tale as she raised her index finger on her right hand. “Now, do you have any questions?”

“Plenty!” Perseus protested. “First of all, the princess can’t actually died in the first place, did she? The queen must had used a very powerful version of Draught of Living Death on the princess, because it’s the only potion I knew to be able to stimulate a near-death like experience.”

“You weren’t wrong at that. In fact, this story is said to be based on a real story in which a hag tried to charm a prince and offered him an apple spiked with the aforementioned potion you said, it doesn’t help that in many muggle tales that included suspected witches, they may be actually hags, which people often mistaken them as actual witches.”

“That I can agree on. In fact, I never like those child eaters anyway. Good thing father taught me the necessary defense magic against those monsters when I was very little.”

“Good for you then. Do you have anymore questions?”

“I do! The prince may be actually a skilled potioneer in disguise, because I suspect he was able to brew a powerful Wiggenweld Potion, put them on his lips, and awaked the princess by kissing her! Am I right?”

“That’s a possible solution suggested by the actual wizardkind.” Dawn nodded in agreement.

“Still...” Perseus held his chin. “Why not simply feeding her with the potion then, and instead doing it with the dramatics that includes a kiss on the lips and so?”

“Perry, this story is told from the perspective of non-magical folk. You can’t expect them to knew anything about a death-like inducing potion or a waking potion. Which is why they decided to use the excuse of a magical kiss of ‘true love’ instead.” Dawn explained with a sigh.

“Right sorry.” Perseus sheepishly scratched his head. “If I too were under the effects of the Draught of Living Death, would you kiss me to wake me up?”

Dawn narrowed her eyes. “I would rather force-fed you with a gallon worth of Wiggenweld Potion instead, and I am not talking about gold coins!”

“No less expected from you, my friend.” Perseus smirked. “At this rate, I can learn a couple more of fairy tales from the perspective of muggles.” He straightened himself on the bed. “So can you keep up telling me more?”

“Alright then.” Dawn agreed. “This is another story about another princess who was not only cursed for once, but twice. And here’s her story...”

“So...once the prince defeated the wicked fairy, he woke the sleeping princess, and lived happily ever after again, am I right?” Perseus summarized with a bored tone.

“Now that you had phrased it in that way, it is rather similar with ‘Snow White’,” Dawn placed herself into a thinking pose. “Perhaps I should’ve picked a rather different story instead...”

“Not really, at least I had a better understand over how muggles think about curses, which isn’t too far from how we think about them,” Perseus shook his head. “Muggles are as afraid of curses as we do, and they too believed that killing the one who casted the curse may or may not remove it. Which, I suspected, was what eventually happened to the wicked fairy — who may be actually a hag or a powerful witch mistook by muggles.” He placed his arms on the bedsheet. “Still, what kind of curse that is powerful enough to put everything under a stasis for a century? Otherwise, I highly doubt everyone would survive from a century worth of passing, especially if they were all muggles, and no sane prince would marry an old princess who should be old enough to be his great-grandmother or something like that. Not to mention the whole ‘fairy doing magic thing’, because they can’t!”

“That’s how one of the versions of this story has been taught. The original story merely mentioned everyone, or at least the princess fell into a deep sleep, nothing worth a century of time being mentioned,” Dawn explained with a bored yawn. “As for the ‘fairy doing magic thing’, it’s very likely yet another hag in disguise, ‘cause they love messing with the non-magical folk and stuff.”

“Oh.” Is all Perseus said.

“Speaking of great-grandparent...” Dawn leaned next to Perseus. “Would you allow me to stay with you, until mortality finally claims you? I can live very, very long, in case you haven’t noticed, and I’ll never leave you, even if you were old enough to be the great-grandpa of your family, if you make one, that’s it.”

Perseus stared at Dawn’s eyes. They leak of longing emotions.

“If I live long to be a great-grandpa, that would be a yes.” He half-jokingly answered.

Dawn beamed brightly as she offered her pinky. “Pinky swear?”

Perseus stared at the pinky left in the air. “Umm...what was I supposed to do?”

“You say ‘Pinky swear!’ as you hook my pinky with yours, silly?” Dawn simpered.

“Alright then. Pinky swear.” The wizard hook Dawn’s pinky with his.

This is a promise he will keep for the rest of his surprisingly long life.

“Do you want to hear any more fairy tales?” Dawn asked.

“One without wicked hags disguised as witches or fairies, thank you very much.” Perseus replied.

“Okay then! I have just the perfect tale for you — it’s called ‘Cinderella’! And trust me — you’ll love it!” Dawn clapped her hands as she started telling the tale. “There was once a fair but poor girl named Ella, who lost her mother from illness...”

“...and with the pair of glass slippers perfectly fit into her foot, the prince declared he had found the girl he met in the ball, as he married Ella, and they lived happily ever after!”

“That...wasn’t a bad story, if you ask me.” Perseus commented. “I mean, all of that Transfiguration skills, from rags to ball gown, to pumpkin to carriages, and mice and lizard to human servants are all just brilliant. Perhaps I could try doing that someday...”

“Better not until you’ve fully mastered your skills over Transfiguration — or you’ll be losing a limb or a leg!” Dawn warned.

“Absolutely. In fact, that’s what happened to one of my poor great-aunts — she’s permanently disabled ever since a horribly failed Transfiguration about furniture, and she still couldn’t conjure her lower body back.”

“Yeah, and I don’t think I need the exact details for that.” Dawn gave a look at that poor woman’s description.

“By the way, it’s good to hear a story that depicts we wizardkind in a positive light. I wonder if there’s more tales like that?” Perseus pondered.

“Maybe someday. Should’t you be finally sleeping? I mean, it’s pretty much the dead of the night.” Dawn suggested as she pointed at the window. It’s completely dark outside.

“You weren’t wrong at that. Perhaps I really should be sleeping for now.” Perseus looked at outside as he agreed. “But don’t forget what you had promised — a story about magic depicted in a good way!”

“I will.” Dawn vanished the sphere of light as she left the bedroom, with it’s owner finally falling asleep.

Talk about an entire night worth of fairy tales.

Chapter Text

With outstretched arms to the sky, Dawn woke up in the Persian room as usual as she marched towards Perseus room, hoping the latter should be recovered from a week worth cold.

Except that once again, even after knocking the door, there’s no one to reply.

“Perry?” Dawn opened the door.

And the next sight was not unlike the night she first discovered Perseus caught a cold — empty bottles everywhere on the ground, with something shivering on the bed, fully covered in bedsheet.

With a wave of her hand, Dawn moved the bottles onto the desk as she approached the figure-on-bed. “Hello?”

“I-I-I’m so sorry, mum...” The figure answered in a pitch not different from a child’s. “I am really sick and I can’t get down to do chores for you, so no more green light, please...”

Okay, this is really confusing, like, mom? And green light? Dawn tilted her head in confusion, as she tried getting closer to the figure on bed.

“No! Stay back!” The figure protested as he moved away from Dawn, shaking like a leaf.

Perhaps it would be more appropriate if Dawn start with an explanation.

“Hey, little fella, I won’t hurt you, and your mom isn’t here.” Dawn raised both of her hands. “Maybe you can show yourself and explain everything, if we want to get this work.”

The figure poked his head out of the sheets and revealed a familiar face, except a younger on. It’s obviously Perseus — with all the white hair and the grey eyes — but de-aged as shown his now-oversized robes all over his body.

“You are not my mom in some sort of glamor with a magically altered voice, are you?” The now-child asked in skeptic. “Mom and dad and everyone else I know like to play all sorts of bad tricks to bully me, and are you too, like to do that?”

“And what, pray tell, gives you such impression? You aren’t even in your house anymore.” It appears that Perseus’ mental age is matching to his current physical age.

Alarmed, the child looked around, and found himself in an environment he is (currently) not familiar anymore. “Did you kidnapped me?”

“Absolutely not!” Not this kid is giving Dawn nerves, if she still had any of those, that’s it. “In fact, they don’t want you anymore and kicked you out of their house, and I simply chose to help you by picking you up.”

“Oh.” Child Perseus merely acknowledged in a slightly sad tone. “Dad always said werewolves eat little children who behaved badly in their home when they aren't wanted anymore, so are you trying to eat me?”

“For starters, I am not a werewolf, but something a million times better,” Dawn explained. “In fact, you were supposed to be already all grown up, but based on the bottles I found earlier, you drank some sort of experiment potion that somehow de-aged you back to a younger age, both physically and mentally.”

“Oh.” Is all the child said, unsurprised. “Mum always said I am only good at making potions and should be the first one to try them no matter what, and when I asked her why not letting others try them first, she answered me with painful green light.” He curled himself like a ball, trembling in fear. “So I never let other people or animals try the potions I brewed anymore.”

Good grief, Perseus is essentially the Professor Guinea Pig of potions in the Middle Ages, and it’s a miracle he didn’t drank anything lethal and lived on so far. Dawn massaged her forehead as she placed an arm over the child’s body. “Listen to me this, child — your parents are wrong at everything they told you, and since you aren’t living with them anymore, you are to ignore everything they once taught you, unless you want me to wash your mouth to get the message ingrained into your head.”

“So — are you saying — I don’t have to obey them and try potions on myself anymore?” Child Perseus asked in disbelief.

“That’s right, kiddo. By the way, do you know me?” Dawn asked, just in case.

“Hmm...” Perseus is now clinging his head with both of his hands, trying his best remembering everything. “Nuh huh, I can’t remember anything at all, sorry. Last thing I remembered is that I was supposed to live with my parents and siblings, and now I am here.”

“That was expected, but we can always try again,” Dawn nodded. “My name is Dawn, but you can call me big sis if you want, and believe me, I am a lot better than your actual sister by blood.”

“Oh, I am Perseus Prince.” The child slowly held out his skinny arm to the girl in blue. “I don’t want to complain, but I am hungry, and my head doesn’t hurt anymore, even though it hurts a lot before.”

“There’s nothing wrong for requesting food for survival! Everyone needs to eat to live, especially for growing boys like you!” Dawn took out a warm bowl of soup she stored in her personal space she kept, made by Perseus prior of his de-aging, spoon included. “Here, you made this before you became tiny.”

“I did? By I thought...” Child Perseus wanted to mention something from the mouth of his parents again, before remembering the mouth-washing promised Dawn made earlier. “Never mind, I’ll drink it.” He took careful spoons of the soup, and finished it within a few minutes. “I can’t believe I made this myself...”

“Right? On contrary of whatever lies your ex-family told you, you are special and are capable of many more great things.” Dawn encouraged child Perseus, as she vanished the now-empty bowl and spoon to wash them in the inventory. “For example, an antidote of your de-aging potion by mistake!”

“But...I don’t want to be big anymore...” The child pledged. “Can you be my new mum, then? Since my actual mom don’t want me anymore, now that I am here, living with you.”

“Hmm...” To be honest, Dawn is a lot more older than her appearance shows, so obviously she can be old enough to be Perseus’ new mom, even though this mum is only a little bit taller than the child. “Sure, I don’t see why can’t I be your new mom, for temporary, that’s it.”

“Thank you so much!” Child Perseus proceeded to throw off the bedsheet as he pounced towards Dawn, who bared moved from the force, due to the former’s near-nonexistent build. “I promise I’ll do my best and I won’t disappoint you, ever!”

“Yes, Perry. You will never disappoint me, because I trust you.” Dawn hugged the child as always. “But shouldn’t you be wearing something more appropriate, something that suits your current size?”

Chapter Text

Ever since Dawn discovered Perseus de-aged himself by accident, with the latter currently wearing robes that suits his non-shrunken size, she had been spending her entire time with him over many things, from tutoring him at brewing potions to teaching him transfiguring many things to performing Charms, with the latter doing extraordinarily well over the various subjects. It is a great lost for Hogwarts that this prodigy never went there, thanks to his family.

“Moooom! I am bored! May we leave the house and go out to play? I wanna see if there’s any neighbor to play with!” Child Perseus whined as he rolled around on the floor of the house.

“If you stop rolling on the floor and making yourself a mess, then we will.” Dawn scolded as she shapeshifted herself into an unremarkable peasant with yellow eyes, black hair and cheap clothing. “Put up these clothes, and we we’ll be good to go.”

For a few months of settling here, the only place with other human settlings is a small village that they visited, when a fair was hosted there a few months ago, with most kids who live there being busy working with the adults, either at the farmlands or at home. So naturally, Dawn won’t have much hope over finding a playmate for Perseus, until he’s back to normal, that’s it.

But how to convince him to become bigger again it’s another question for another day.

As Perseus took the clothes, he went to his room and quickly changed into them. “I got changed!”

“Good job.” Dawn sincerely praised the de-aged child, as she changed his hair into a much-healthier black. “Now, we are visiting a village where people who live there can’t do magic, so you are not to display any form and shape of your magic to them, and you already knew the consequences.”

“Or I’ll end up at the wrong end of the gallows, or stake!” Perseus chirped cheerfully, somehow disturbing from the mouth of a kid. “I know that well!”

“Good! And never, ever, lost that necklace of yours I gave you earlier. You may not remember it, but it helps you when you are lost, so I can always find you, even when bad people got you.” Dawn said as she poked at the sliver necklace Perseus is wearing.

“Oh,”Child Perseus poked at the necklace. “I’ll be good and stay close to you!”

“Have you packed up everything in your bag? Including your wand? Just in case.” Dawn asked one more time.

“All check!” Child Perseus swung the bag he is carrying proudly.

“Well then, with everything set, let’s explore!” Dawn declared cheerfully as she grab Perseus’ arm gently as she led the child out of the house.

Today is gonna be a day to be remembered.

“Hey, mom. What are those people doing in those odd-looking objects, while riding horses?”

“Those are bows and arrows, Perseus. They must be hunting for food to survive the winter. They can’t survive without enough food, and it’s not like they can duplicate food like you do.”

“Ohh, mom, that must be hard for them to chase the animals just to feed their family, and I’m glad we have the simply solution of duplicating!” Perseus stared at the hunters in awe. “Mom! I think those are kids I can play with!” He pointed at a couple of kids in an all-out snowball fight.

“You are right, Perry. Have fun with them, and don’t forget to come back here when it’s dark!” Dawn sat on the ground far away from the kids playing with the snow, but clear enough to see them all.

“I will, mom, don’t worry about me!”

Perseus said as he joined with the kids, not knowing what the future folded out for him.

After an entire day of snowball fight with the kids, Perseus grew tired as he tried leaving, but the kids insisted one more game with him — retrieving a hanky they placed in the depths of the woods. Which he agreed. After all, his mom did promised finding him, even when he’s lost in the woods, right?

It took a few hours of walking around the woods to finally finding the hanky in the woods, at a place that seemed to be an abandoned shrine, but just when he was about to take the hanky and get outta here...

The problem is, which way leads to the exit out of the woods?

It’s been a few hours and every single kid went home, but still no sight of Perseus. Where did he go?

Dawn decided to use the necklace she gave to the kid as a gift to check the kid’s current location, and...

It didn’t took too long for her to found the lost kid at the middle of the woods, and all it takes is a simple ‘shortcut’ with the Persian Room, and the kid is at home with her, with the latter carrying the former over her shoulder.

“I’m so sorry~!” Child Perseus cried as he wiped his face with the newly acquired hanky. “I was looking for you, but I got lost~!”

“I know, and I am glad to see you are safe.” Dawn put down the kid gently on the ground. “Do you want to be bigger again so you can keep yourself out of trouble?”

“Hmm...maybe someday, just not now.” Child Perseus pouted. “Do you want to wack me, or green light?”

“No, but you have earned yourself an early bedtime, without any bed-time story to add.”

“It’s not like they would give me any bed-time stories anyway, so no hurting?”

“No.”

“Oh, thank you then.” Child Perseus went to his bedroom.

“Do you want me to tuck you in?”

“You can? Even after I was naughty?”

“Yeah, but you still got your punishment coming after this one, which you will be doing tomorrow, since it’s getting late.”

“Oh.” Child Perseus blushed as he saw Dawn tucking him into the bed, as the latter left his bedroom.

How long had he being tucked into bed since last time, or at all?

Maybe staying a bit longer as a child would be better for him.

But earlier, he got into trouble for not coming back soon, so what's to stop himself getting into trouble again?

Eh, that would be a problem he’ll eventually think about, just not now.

Child Perseus ceasing thinking about those difficult things as he drifted into dreams.

Chapter Text

On the next day after yesterday, which means today, Dawn kept good on her word over punishing child Perseus for not coming home in time by assigning him writing the lines ‘I would not go into the woods at night’ five hundred times at the dining set. Once the small wizard finally finished them, he shook his now-aching fingers as he saw his ‘mom’ checking the lines. “Adequate.” Is all she said.

“Then can I go out with you today?” Child Perseus asked timidly.

“No.” Dawn denied the request bluntly. “In fact, you are to clean up the mess you had made from all of the handwriting you just did. You are free to use magic to remove the ink stains, though.”

Perseus beamed with a smile as he flicked his wand in an ‘s’ motion. “Scrougify!” And every single tiny spots of ink spattered around the table were gone.

“Well done.” Dawn clapped as she praised the child. “I assure that you have the message I had just tasked to you to be drilled into your mind thoroughly?”

Child Perseus nodded vigorously, not taking any chances of writing another set of lines.

“A verbal answer, please. Or you won’t be able to communicate with others effectively.” Dawn reprimanded.

“Ye-yes!” Child Perseus stuttered, as he struggled to give out a verbal answer.

“Very well, then,” Dawn patted the kid’s head, as she sat right in front of the kid. “By the way, that was some girly writing you got there.”

“Was that a bad thing?”

“Not necessary. In fact, if someone wants to check your identity through your hand-writing, such style can be misleading, and it’s useful to hide yourself from others if needed,” Dawn shook her head as she explained. “No two person ever possess the exact same hand-writing style.”

“Ohh, I certainly didn’t knew about that!” Perseus exclaimed. His ‘mom’ never ceased teaching him new stuff.

Speaking of writing, a horrible thought just came to Dawn’s mind. “Have your former relatives ever used a blood quill to you? In case you didn’t know, say, a quill that use your blood to write lines and leaves permanent mark over your hand?”

“N-no. I have never heard of that,” Perseus shook his head so hard to the point Dawn worried it falling off his head.

“Oh, right.” Dawn just remembered that blood quills aren’t invented at this point. “So what kind of bad things they did to you when you were ‘bad’ to them? You don’t have to say anything if the memories are too painful for you to endure.”

Perseus fidgeted his fingers. “The-they don’t even want to admit I existed, so their favorite punishment to me is to send me to ‘The Closet’, which is filled with shards of glasses and metal pieces inside of it, and I had to stand completely still for hours to avoid getting hurt, or even days if they ignored my existence badly. I couldn’t even use my wand to escape, as they withheld that before starting my punishment...”

“Had you ever triggered accidental magic to escape from that torture device?” Dawn asked.

“A couple of times at the earlier punishments, but they got smart by warding ‘The Closet’ that kept me using magic to escape, even if it’s accidental. So I got more and more tired when I did succeed in escaping from it later, to the point of passing out for days...” The little wizard placed his hands over his face as he sobbed. “Why did my relatives hated me so much? I really tried to be good!”

Dawn sighed as she patted the kid’s shoulder. “Look, Perry. Your relatives are awful people, so even if you tried your best won’t change their opinion to you. They should had treated you decently like the rest of their children. They shouldn’t hurt you physically for anything you did, even accidentally. They should had feed you and keep you safe and healthy and so on,” She ranted. “The faulty lies within they wicked nature, and you shouldn’t blame yourself for the misfortunes that fell upon you, otherwise they would simply hurt you even more than ever.”

Child Perseus sniffed. “You mean it? Even after everything happened? Even if they don’t want me anymore?”

“Absolutely, or do you want another set of lines?” Dawn narrowed her eyes. “If needed, I can, and will make you write more of those lines to get the message across your brain to do so.”

“No! No more lines!” Child Perseus protested. “Still, you are a lot brilliant than my former relatives: You didn’t hurt me, and you fed me, gave me a bed to sleep on, and even letting me playing with the muggles without any problem. So thanks for everything.”

“You’re welcome. I’m just doing everything most decent parent would do to their child, even if we are not related in any fashion, while your former parents would had failed spectacularly,” Dawn gave a simple nod of acknowledgement. “Do you have anything else you wish to request to me? Anything but requests that requires you leaving the house, that’s it.”

“May I...may I watch you doing whatever you are going to do? I can help you. Honest!” Child Perseus gave the puppy eyes to Dawn, who is, unfortunately to the former, is immune to it. Not that it was needed for the latter to accept such simple request, that’s it.

“Very well. You may watch me creating the formula that return you back to your original physical age, and you are to absolutely touch nothing when I make the formula.” Dawn warned as she got up are ready to experiment in her lab (located in the Persian Room, obviously).

“Yes! I’ll be good!” Perseus chirped as he too, got up from the chair as he followed Dawn into the Persian Room.

Chapter Text

After being effectively grounded for a week, child Perseus was finally able to get out of the house for some fun, even if’s under strict supervising, watched by the dutiful eyes from Dawn herself.

“I’m so boored, mom! I’ve learnt so many things about magic, so can we do something else that’s more fun?” Child Perseus whined as he kicked, while sitting and resting on the bed.

“So are you saying learning magic is boring?” Dawn raised an eyebrow.

“No! I don’t mean that, but I just want to play like what most kids do at this age!” Child Perseus corrected.

“Most kids should be assisting their family at this point to survive the winter, and count yourself lucky that you don’t have to do all the hard work they need to do.” Dawn narrowed her eyes as she said.

“Well, but it’s not like I have any love towards my former family! But if you need my help, then...” Child Perseus paused shortly, before he kept on speaking. “I guess I just have to take it.”

Dawn chuckled. “I’m just testing you, Perry! It’s good to see you would choose me rather than throwing a tantrum like most kids, not that you actually are one, but rather one in terms of appearances,” She patted the little wizard’s head. “Which is why I’m taking you out for a swing!”

“What’s a swing?” Child Perseus asked innocently.

“It’s a form of non-magical entertainment that contains a seat that does not take contact with the land, one that allows you to experience staying away from land temporary,” Dawn explained. “It was like flying, but the non-magical can’t do that, so they use a swing to experience it instead, even if for a slight moment.”

“I want to try! So how do we prepare this ‘swing’ game?” Child Perseus asked in excitement.

“Well, Perry. To begin, I require your abilities, and consider this to be a test of your Transfiguration and Charms skill...”

It didn’t took too long for the duo preparing a swing on a steady branch of a tough tree just outside of the woods, with transfigured ropes tied with a wooden board as the bench of the swing, as the little wizard finished the swing by tying the ropes onto the branch with a flick of his wand.

“Is that how the ‘swing’ you said is built?” Child Perseus asked with skeptic at the finished swing.

“Yes, that’s how it looks like when it’s finished, and you can be proud of yourself for what you just made.” Dawn gestured the little wizard to the finished swing. “Now you can try it yourself by sitting on it.”

“Like this.” The child walked towards the swing and sat on it, hands gripping the ropes tightly.

“Yes, and now allow me,” Dawn walked to the kid’s backside, as she pushed him high. “Hold on tight!”

“Wow!” Perseus swung himself wildly as Dawn walked sideways to avoid being hit by the swing. “This is so much fun!”

“Now you should be able to play it by yourself, try it?” Dawn encouraged.

“Yep! I can keep playing this for hours!” Perseus swung again and again.

“Well, good for you then. Just remember to come home before the sun goes down, or expect yourself another set of lines to be written,” Dawn warned as she walked away from the child. “The restoration potion is almost complete, and I have to be sure it’s harmless without any other undesirable side effects, so I’ll be checking it on my own, and try not getting yourself injured! Even if you are lost, remember, that I always have a way to find you, so don’t worry about losing your way to home, or someone taking you to somewhere else!”

“I’ll be good, I promise!” Perseus exclaimed as he kept playing with the swing.

After hours of playing, Perseus is finally tired with the swing, as he began walking towards home.

On the way to home, just when he was a few more meters away from home, he felt something or someone hitting him over his head.

Where is Dawn when he needed her?

All he could feel is nothing but pure fear, just before he completely lost his conscious.

Help me...

Chapter Text

When Perseus woke up, he found himself at an unfamiliar environment, with his eyes, mouth, arms and legs, bounded and gagged.

So much for a simple trip of playing on a swing for hours and ended up being kidnapped, if only he remembered to bring the wand with him....

Not to mention his currently smaller body wouldn’t be able to support him for a safe Apparition, thus risking a higher chance of splinching himself, should he try to do so.

“O’l, is that all of them around here?”

It’s clear that he isn’t alone, from the deep voice that boomed into Persesus' ears.

“Seems to be the case. These days, I heard that the brothel buys them much better than the labour we used to sell them.” Another man’s voice echoed.

Ah, so it appear to be members of a human trafficking group, a muggle one nonetheless, with he himself being their latest victim. Wonderful, just wonderful.

While he isn’t a huge bigot against most muggles, like most of the Princes, Perseus could make an exception to these lowest scum of this land, and Merlin forbid him to hold his fury to Avada the whole lot of them, should he still had a wand, that’s it.

Not to mention the other kids that was kidnapped along with him.

“Speaking of brothel, right now, I’m a bit tired, so why don’t we try ‘relax’ ourselves with them first? They won’t pay us less with ‘used products’.” One of the man spoke as Perseus felt the blindfold around his eyes being removed, revealing himself inside a dark room, with only a lit candle as the source of light, surrounded with several children who are restrained like himself, and two large, bearded muscular men standing over him, with the left one taking off his pants.

Perseus also found the door to leave this room is blocked by the muscular men right in front of him, so escaping this room through the door, and running away from them isn’t an option.

The right one — who has a heavily scarred face — pulled the gag off Perseus’ mouth and spoke: "Do you have any last words to say, little girl with white hair? Imma sure that the brothel will pay you for extra from your unusual white hair at such a young age, and from your fair looks, obviously. Not to mention this little pretty sliver on your neck, that will makes quite a fortune on it’s own...”

“Wa-wait! I am not a girl! I’m just a boy!” Perseus tried to crawl away from both grown men inside the room. “I won’t be worthy of your services! Spare me, please!”

“Oh, is that so?” The next to the scarred one — the one with a leather cloth covered his left eye — chuckled: “With that pretty long hair and such nice features, no-one else wouldn’t have questioned your actual gender. Still, it’s been a while since we ’tried’ on the last kid, so don’t faint too soon and bring pleasure to me!”

Well, too bad diplomacy didn’t work, at least he tried.

Perseus crawled away from the two grown men, until he was corner by them and no longer able to move away from them.

Somebody...anybody...anything...help me...where are you when I needed you, Dawn?

Perseus can only panick frantically inside his head, as he closed his eyes as patchy approached him, closer and closer.

Just as he was about to touch the kid, a huge burst of light came out from the kid, pushing both men to the walls hard, and knocking them both out at the same time.

“Perry!” A familiar voice finally came to his ears. It’s Dawn, who just came through the door as she immediately hugged the small wizard in white robes tightly. “Are you alright? They didn’t hurt you, did they?”

“I’m fine, Dawn. My accidental magic was able to protect me in time, just as they are going to hurt me,” Perseus explained. “How did you find me?”

“You do remember that the necklace you wear is a tracker that allows me to find you, don’t you?” Dawn narrowed her eyes.

“Oh, right.” Perseus’ cheeks went cherry red. “Can you help releasing the rest of the children inside this room? I’m sure their parents are worried about them, as much as you are worried about me.”

“Of course, anything you say, Perry!” With a wave of her hand, something slashed through the air as the ropes that bound the other children were cut and released. They immediately took off the gags around their mouths and approached the girl in blue with gratitude and curiosity. “Thank you!” “Who are you?” “How did you do that?” “Where is mummy and daddy?”

“Okay, guys. I knew you have many questions, but maybe we can talk about that as we lead you all back to your home, and then we can speak again someday.” Dawn raised both of her hands. “It’s getting late, after all, so why don’t all of you exit this room and wait up there, once I have finished dealing with these two bad guys?” She pointed at the unconscious men leaning at the walls.

“Okay!” “Me first!” “We are finally going home!” All of the children left the dark room as instructed by Dawn, and eventually she, Perseus, and the knocked out child traffickers are the only ones in the room.

“So, Perry, how are your permanent Human Transfiguration skills are?”

Chapter Text

Once all the kids reunited with their parents in the local village, Dawn and Perseus silently slipped out of the crowd and returned to their house, as the sun goes down.

Even better is that this can be considered as an early Christmas miracle to many families, considering without their (mostly Dawn’s) intervention, many families would had gone through the upcoming Christmas (Or Yule, as the wizardkind preferred to call the holiday that way) with an unwhole family, searching and waiting for their kids to come home, which is thankfully averted thanks to Dawn’s efforts.

And Dawn, ever a humble person despite everything, did not bothered following the kids to meet the rest of their families to ask for a reward, a favour for later, or even a simple gratitude, all because she simple did all of this to rescue her friend, with the kids being an added bonus she didn’t wish take advantage of, and simply chose to leave the reunited families on their own to celebrate a jolly Christmas coming at next week.

With the antidote prepared by Dawn to return Perseus back to his original age finished, he drank it without hesitation to restore his magical might, after everything that happened to him.

With his height and age restored, the first words that came out of his mouth is this: “Remind me myself not to drink experimental potions to cure myself again, not that I did not enjoyed being a child for a while, but being a child also means being less able to defend myself from both the Wizarding world and the muggle one, and I believe I would be sticking with you for a while, if you don’t mind.”

“Absolutely, and I certainly don’t mind spending time with you in this house.” Dawn nodded. “Perhaps a cup of Hazelnut Latte would help?”

Perseus’ eyes brightened up. “Did you just brew that for me?”

Dawn gave a playful smile. “Not yet, but I want to make one with you. I got the ingredients to brew as many as you wish.”

“Gladly, I can’t want to try tasting it.”

“What is that yellow flower you are trying to put in the bowl?”

“That’s Mallowsweet, used to sweeten the drink as we finished brewing them.”

“By putting them whole, without even cutting them or mashing them?”

“They are more potent being added that way.”

“That was a lot of sugar you prepared for the drinks, and it’s certainly not from sugar canes.”

“Thanks you. I gathered them from Sugar Shrubs.”

“You must have taken a very long time to convert them from plants to fine sugar.”

“Hardly, such work is common as a potioneer.”

“Well, let’s hope that they work as well as common sugar that came from sugar canes.”

“Don’t expect to find coffee beans easily. Currently, they are only available from Ethiopia, which is far away from south-east from here.”

“Hmm, they are like most beans I’ve seen from magical plants, are you sure they are the main ingredients to make the ‘Latte’ you mentioned?”

“Absolutely. Just grind them as hard as you can.”

“That would be easy for a practicer of potion-making.”

“Wait, Perry! You can’t just add the cup completely filled with coffee! Latte is all about coffee with milk!”

“Whoops, sorry. So what do we do with this coffee?”

“Well, you can certainly taste it, so you can have a better understanding how coffee tastes.”

“Very well.” Perseus took a sip from the coffee. “It’s strong and bitter!” He almost threw it out.

“That’s why we need milk instead of just drinking the base coffee, Perry. And if you think this is strong, then you would hate to drink black coffee, which is a lot stronger than this weak stuff.”

“Wait, this is just weak?”

“Yep, this one’s brand is Peru Tapir Andino Red Honey, which is less stronger and more fruity than most coffee beans, and a good one to brew latte.”

“Is that so? If it weren’t the strong and bitter taste, I would’ve mistaken this as a fruit drink.”

“Yeah, but don’t worry — we’ve got more ingredients to be consumed, and as you know, failure is the mother of success!”

“I have never heard of that before, but I guess it’s true for everything and everybody else, so I’ll take it. Let us return to brew Latte, shall we?”

“Of course!”

“With a little bit hazelnut syrup added in, and a bit mixing, annnnnd...done!”

“Hmm, it smells nice, can we drink it right now?”

“Better not, you may burn your tongue if you drink it immediately after you finished brewing it.”

“I see,” Perseus stared at the smoking cup of Hazelnut Latte. “So do you drink this often?”

“Not really. I’m more of a fan of sweeter coffee, and I drink pearl milk tea too!”

“I have never heard of that, can we try brewing it someday?”

“Of course we can! I’ll teach you how to brew it, editable pearls included!”

“That would be lovely.”

As the duo finished the drinks at the dining room, they faced each other in front of their now-empty cups.

“So...how do you think of the Latte?” Dawn asked as she leaned her cheeks with the back of her hands.

“It’s warm, sweet, and brilliant.” Perseus answered. “I’m eager to try this ‘pearl milk tea’ you mentioned.”

“Maybe later, Perry. It’s almost night, but with the coffee we just drank, even a weak one, may keep us up for later.”

“It can do that?” Perseus asked, surprised.

“Yeah. So we should try something else, or you can push on try sleeping for now. I can help you with magic, if you wish.”

Perseus perched with a hand on his cheek. “it won’t harm me much, would it?”

“It won’t hurt you in the name of The Sea! Once you are ready to sleep, call me!” Dawn smiled as she slightly bounced on the chair.

“I trust you with that.” Perseus nodded as he prepared himself away from Dawn. After a few minutes, he’s back in a nightgown (Which looks like the rest of the robes he usually wears) as he called. “Come with me.”

The two of them are now in Perseus’ bedroom, with the owner of the room now laying on the bed. “I am ready.”

“Okay then.” Dawn stretched her arms, then waved one of her arms. “Dormina.”

A couple of sleepy bubbles appears briefly, as they popped over Perseus.

“Well, I don’t feel any-“

Just before Perseus could protest more, he fell asleep serenely on the bed.

“Sweet dreams, Perry.” Dawn beamed as she left the bedroom.

Chapter Text

“So, how do you feel after I put you to sleep, Perry?”

The girl in blue stared at the now-awakened wizard on his bed.

“Much better than using Dreamless Sleep, to be honest,” Perseus stretched his arms. “Still, I wouldn’t rely on it for too much, I already owned you so much, and I just can’t rely on you forever and stand my own, or in this case, sleep by my own.”

“I’m glad you had a good sleep, Perry.” Dawn beamed. “By the way, I heard there’s a large carol to be hosted at Banffshire — you know, the closest non-magical settlement around here! Would you like to join me to have fun? I’m sure they give out free food after they finished dancing and praying...”

“I’m in. By the way, which way is to this ‘Banffshire’ village you mentioned?”

“I can’t believe we would be able to blend in with these muggles with nothing but peasant clothing, and a bit of magical glamor for the face.” Perseus deadpanned in a low voice, as he danced with the other villagers in a large circle, with Dawn at his right side, holding one of his hands.

“You’d be surprised at how gullible most muggles can be,” Dawn whispered, as she danced under the music of some cheerful bard performance. “To the point of certain blatant display of magic — even being shown right in front of them —  would be merely being excused with various ‘logical’ reasons as they say, but they are always wrong, which is good for us.”

“Indeed.” Perseus gave a faint smile as they began a different carol dance from a new song, from something about ‘Redeemer’ to ‘Father’.

“So...what exactly are we actually doing right now?” Perseus copied most of the people’s poses around them, as the priest right in front of them preached various things he don’t understand.

“Just follow them as a good example to keep you yourself safe, don’t use magic, and everything will be fine.” Dawn replied near-silently, as she pretend to be praying.

“...But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars — they will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.” The priest perched as people around him continued praying with complete devotion.

“Revelation 21:8,” Dawn explained the sources of the lines the priest is currently speaking of. “Don’t believe what he said, Perry. The only reason the good book said stuff against wizardkind is because most non-magical are wary of your kind, fear and hate at worst. But hey, at least you get a good impression why most non-magical folk don’t like magical ones.”

“I understand,” Perseus glared at the priest, as the latter continued saying things about how God will punish sinners at the end of the world, which won’t be happening at any time.

For all the holiness the church people preached, they would never expect there are now two magical people, who they considered sinners to be put to death, have now sneaked in the church and blended within the crowd, do they?

“So, what do you get, Perry? I got some milk that can be drink for days!” Dawn cheerfully carried milk in a moderate-sized jar, as she asked the man next to her, who is equally occupied with the rewards he just obtained from the church.

“Some black bread, not the best, but will do,” Perseus smiled as he carried the loaf on his arm. “Perhaps we can do this next year again, if you don’t mind.”

“Absolutely not! I’m glad you enjoyed it. Your happiness is what I value the most!” Dawn hopped happily as the duo continued walking back to their home, which isn’t too far away but merely separated of a forest, nearly spilled some milk onto the ground from all her movements. “Ready for Christmas Day tomorrow? Or rather, Yule for your kind?”

“It would be the best one without any social balls, neglect from my relatives, and from loneliness.” Perseus grinned as he imagined at the upcoming day of pleasant surprises.

Chapter Text

“Morning, Dawn. Is time for a merry day!”

Unusually, Perseus woke up earlier than Dawn did, as he prepared his gift for her, his first gift to someone he genuinely cared. Not as a relative or as courtesy.

Dawn yawned as she stretched her arms and asked: “Same to you, Perry. So what would you like to do with me?”

“Anything entertaining.” Perseus suggested in a mischievous(?) tone.

“What about a whole day of board games? I have plenty for you to play with!” Dawn advocated.

“What’s a board game?” Perseus asked curiously.

“It’s a term for games to be played on the board, and the most famous among them is none other than Monopoly!” Dawn explained as she laid out the board and its rules. “All you have to do is to use the money as part of the game to buy as many locations as you can! And the last one player that isn’t bankrupted from payment to the other players wins!”

“Hmm, that sounds challenging, but I am always up for a challenge.” Perseus held his chin in a thinking pose. “Let us began, where are the pieces that are suppose to represents us?”

“Over here! Pick one, and we can start...”

“Erm, I think I overdone this one.” Dawn looked at the board with an awkward expression. Somehow, she almost bought out the entire board and pretty much almost win against Perseus, despite her usual misfortune.

“It’s fine. Besides, for a muggle game, it’s fun, and we still have more games than this one, don’t you?” Perseus took his defeat pretty well, as he prepared himself for the next game.

“Okay!” Dawn retrieved all the pieces back to the box of Monopoly as she put the box back to the inventory, and taking out another box. “This one is called Jenna, where you have to pull out wooden blocks out of a wooden block tower, with the last one who causes the tower to collapse loses!”

“Interesting.” Perseus watched Dawn piling up the blocks to create a tower made out of them, ready for the next game.

“Ouch,” Dawn mourned as the tower collapsed from the last block she just pulled. “You did well on this round.” She scratched her head from her defeat.

“That makes us even.” Perseus gave a smitten smile. “More games?”

“Of course!” Dawn took out even more boxes of board games.

After what it seems to be forever, the night arrived as the two laid on the ground, exhausted from a day-worth of board games.

“You are pretty great for able to keep up at playing games with me, I haven’t been this entertained for a long time.” Dawn praised as she breathed heavily.

“Same to you. It’s great to know such amount of entertainment with you,” Perseus replied with shaky breaths. “Still, two is too little people for we both to play and have fun. Perhaps I should make an effort on socialising with other people, both magical and non-magical alike in the long run…”

“That’s a wonderful idea! More friends to play with for life!” Dawn cheered within heavy breaths.

“Glad you can understand that. In fact, it’s time for the best for the both of us to call for the night, once we finished the Christmas feast I prepared for the both of us.”

“You prepared a Christmas meal for the both of us? How come I completely missed it?” Dawn asked in genuinely surprise.

“It’s a secret to everybody, and that includes you, along with the other one I will give it to you, once we finished the meal.” Perseus explained as he got up, waved his wand, and a grand feast (to peasants, that’s it) appeared on the table of the living room. There’s a whole turkey, a solid block of cheese, pies, cakes, and some drinks and more food, all placed on the table neatly, to the point of taking almost every space it can hold from the delicacies.

“I have a warning to you, Perry. If I want to, I can and will clean up all the food on the table with no time,” Dawn licked her lips. “Which is why I’ll let you dine first, and I’ll eat less at the beginning, so help yourself, and good job on preparing and keeping the food fresh at my back.”

“I’m glad you preferred my choices of the feast, I was worrying whether you would eat them or not.” Perseus sighed in relief. “Shall we.”

“Yeah! Let’s eat.” Dawn rushed towards the table as she took her seat, waited for Perseus to sit next to her, and began consuming all the food in a slow pace.

“I wasn’t making up when I said I could clean up the entirety of the feast, and it’s a good thing we didn’t eat up being inflated like balloons!” Dawn wiped the food residue at her face with a hanky, as Perseus casted a Scrougify at the now-empty food vessels as he sent them back to the cupboards.

“I know, and I believe it’s time for me to give you one more gift to you,” Perseus placed a small and ordinary gift box with something contained inside of it, with red ribbons to add. “Consider it as a thank-you gift for everything you did to me.”

“Thanks, Perry!” Dawn took the gift as she placed it inside her inventory. “Speaking of gifts, I too have one for you. Happy Yule to you too, Perry!” She offered a gift box that is not too different from Perseus’ — a small box with wrappings and ribbons covering all over it.

Perseus looked at the gift with a shocked expression. This is the first time someone actually gave him a gift on Yule. Even at the past, his parents never bothered spending much on him, even before discovering his stance on muggles, neither were his siblings who considered him their unfavorite, all because he wasn’t ambitious person who are ready for the best of the Princes, but merely interested in living a normal wizard life.

But the Princes won’t let him, until he was finally being removed by them.

Still, today is Yule. So it’s better keep those gloomy thoughts inside his head.

“Th-thanks, Dawn. I promise I’ll open it at Boxing Day.” Perseus nearly broke down to tears from the small gesture of goodwill. “You are a good person. In fact, the best person I’ve ever encountered, especially the first person who ever bothered giving me a gift.”

“That is a very high praise from your mouth, Perry,” Dawn smiled brightly. “Still, I hope you would never enter the circumstances of using the gift I just gave you. Don’t worry, it’s nothing dangerous.” She assured at Perseus’ worried look.

“I hope so.” Perseus took the tiny gift box. “By the way, is it me, or was it getting hot around here?” He asked, face blushed with rosy red cheeks.

“Or rather, you drank too much.” Dawn pointed out as she offered: “Would you like me to carry you onto you bed?”

“I don’t mind...” Perseus walked shakily, as Dawn assisted him to the bed, and he slept instantly as he was laid on it.

“I wonder what have you prepared for me?” Dawn inspected at the tiny gift box with curiosity, checked its safeness with her Third Eye, as she returned to the Persian Room for the night.

Chapter Text

It’s been months ever since Dawn came to his home, became his best friend for life, and gave him many things he’d never dreamt of. He’d never wished anything more than her company, and wanted to keep it this way.

Still, he already owned her so much, and she even wasn’t asking any favors from him. So naturally, he’ll have to pay them back someday, not because of being a deal or something like that, but because that’s what people with common decency would do, right?

Giving her the luck potion he tested through various experimental animals (including several unwitting muggles and wizardkind, by spiking it into their drinks, and he’d swear not to give potions to any muggles in the future from their vicious reactions from the potion) on Christmas Day this year was one of the many things he could do as a gift in gratitude, even if the potion is a real pain to be brewed and finished, for half a year nonetheless, not to mention the various expensive ingredients he used. Still, anything Dawn appreciated would be all he asked from her, he wondered if there’e anything else he could do for her in the future, so long it isn’t anything life-threatening.

Speaking of gifts, what is that ugly-looking doll Dawn gave it for him does? It’s certainly some sort of magical item, as Perseus could sense from it, but it’s not for cursing others, as he detected no Dark magic flowing out from it.

Anyway, she said it would be useful for life-and-death circumstances, and hope he’d never find a reason so dangerous to use it, so he trust her words for it and keep it around his robes as a safety charm.

Perseus though as he woke up from the bed and prepare for a day, but there’s no sign of Dawn, even though she’s the one most of the time greeting him for another day of adventure.

He walked and scouted around the house, but still no sign of the girl in blue.

Maybe she’d come back later after she finished whatever adventure she’s in, or maybe she’s just sleeping. Perseus pondered as he began another day worth of potion experiments inside the basement lab, and this time, he won’t be using himself as the lab rat anymore, but rather, with other animals, ever since Dawn complained him for neglecting his health, from all the potentially lethal potions he drank.

And night comes when Dawn finally came home, as Perseus finished nearly a book-worth of notes, all filled with innovations of results from the various experimental potions he made.

The first thing he did upon seeing the girl opening the front door of the house is too bend down his knees and hug her tight, under uncontrollable trembling.

 “Hey, Perry. It’s okay, I’m still here.” Dawn put down the box of objects she was holding to comfort the nearly-breaking down man. “I take you thought I was leaving you and to never return to your side?”

He nodded so hard to the point Dawn worried him shaking his head off.

“Here, Perry. I promise I would leave you a note next time when I temporary leaves, and sorry for all the fuss I made.” Dawn patted the now-crouched wizard’s head. “It wasn’t easy to get all the stuff I need to have fun for the last night of this year.”

Perseus didn’t say anything, but merely kept hugging the small girl, as a rumbling sound came out from both of their stomachs and breaking the tension.

“Oops, I definitely should’d ate something before coming back. Good thing I got enough food for the both of us!” Dawn took out some tiny confectionaries from the box she put down earlier. “...even though I was about to save them for later, but if they can make you happy, then they would be worth it!” She took a bite from a cupcake she just picked up from the box.

“So I can have one of these treats?” Perseus asked.

“Of course you can! Go ahead!” Dawn spread her free hand, gesturing Perseus to take any treat he wishes.

Perseus sniffed at the cupcake and took a small testing bite, before taking another bite on it. “So where did you go for a day to obtain such wondrous treats?”

“Just a little trip to my secret stash and cleaning it up from excessive items! There are so many items I forget they simply existed to be managed, that’s why it take so long for me to see you!” Dawn scratched her back with her free hand. “So sorry for the delay again!” And finished the cupcake on her hand.

“You came back for me, that’s all I asked for. So no need for the excessive apologies.” Perseus too just finished his cupcake. “And I take these are not for consumption, am I right?” He pointed at the sticks inside the box.

“Absolutely not! Those are sparklers for entertainment! But they won’t be anywhere useful in daytime, and most certainly unsafe to be used inside a house!” Dawn took out the sticks for a better visual demonstration to Perseus.

“So how do we play with them?”

“I’ll explain later, but first, do you know a high place for a good view to our house and to the village?” Dawn placed the sticks back into the box and picked the whole box up.

“Hmm, I’d recall a certain location that satisfy your requirements...” Perseus replied as he took Dawn out of the house and Apparated with her.

“You need to give me a warning before you do that.” Dawn coughed and nearly threw herself up from the Apparition. She sworn to herself that she’ll conquer the unease from Apparition someday.

“Apologies for that, then. Does that make us even, by the way?” Perseus apologized as he looked around the surroundings, before putting up every ward he could think of, including muggle-repelling charms, before finishing with several Lumos to see the surroundings better in the dark.

“It doesn’t matter for this night! So, do you want to eat first or play first?”

“I believe it would be better for us to gain enough energy to play with those ‘sparklers’ you mentioned first. No one would want to play with hunger, after all.” Perseus took out another dessert from the box, which is a box of macarons. “Is this some sort of biscuit? It looks more colorful than most biscuits I tasted.”

“You are right! It’s called a macaron, and it’s more-of-less two biscuits with various flavors, and with fillings in between them!” Dawn swallowed one of them whole as she took it out from the box Perseus is holding. “Why don’t you give yourself a try?”

“‘Maracon’ doesn’t sounds English to me, so it’s French?” Perseus asked with a mouth of crunchy macarons.

“Not really, because it’s an Italian dessert! The French merely took the recipe and improvised it!” Dawn ate another macaron as she explained.

“Then what about the cake you just gave me earlier? It’s certainly not fruitcake, and I thought they’re used as a weight by muggles, not to be consumed.” Perseus finished the last macaron as he asked.

“That’s a cupcake — a miniature cake to be eaten at outside! As for fruitcake, the only reason it’s only being used for anything but direct consumption it’s because it’s terrible in taste and last much longer than every other dessert you can name.” Dawn said as she took out a sparkler. “Are you done with your food?”

“I did, and thank Merlin I’m not the type to eat a lot.” Perseus finished the cupcake and vanished the wrappings. “So how do we play this?”

“Simple — you cast Incendio at this end of the sparkler, and fireworks should be coming out of it as we watch it burn. Oh, and I almost forget this!” Dawn put down the sparklers back to the box and wear gloves for both of her hands. “Safety first!” She picked up a sparkler from the box and handled it out to let Perseus lit it up with magic.

Perseus nodded and with his wand on hand, he lit the sparkler with the Fire-Making Charm. It then starts sizzling and fireworks appeared at the end of the now-lit sparkler, burning with yellow and white in color.

“Ahh!” Frightened, Perseus took a large step away from the tiny, burning stick. “Is this some sort of magical toy?”

“Nope! It’s a muggle toy filled with gunpowder! Very dangerous if left alone!” Dawn waved the burning stick in the air, creating glowing symbols in a flash. “Still, I am here, so I won’t let it harm you!”

“Gunpowder?” Again, as always, Perseus curiosity wins against everything else.

“Just imagine powder that makes everything explosive, like Confringo!” Dawn kept waving around the sparkler. “So don’t get too close!”

Perseus nodded as he watched Dawn moving the sparkler in the air. “Can I have one too?”

“Sure, but don’t forget to wear gloves first — they’re hot, very hot!” Dawn threw a pair of gloves to Perseus on the ground with her free hand.

He picked them up and wore them. Then, Dawn offered another sparkler that hasn’t been lit yet to play on it’s own. So he lit it with another Incendio, as it began producing blue light instead.

“May I have a question with you, Dawn?” Perseus asked the girl who is now playing with the fireworks.

“If you are asking about the color of the fireworks, then here’s the answer — different materials mixed in it creates different results!” Dawn waved the sparkler on her right hand to create an infinity symbol. “Besides, if all the sparklers burns with the same color, it would be boring, right?”

“I won’t argue you with that.” Perseus said as he waved his sparkler on his hand carefully.

“Oh, and one more thing,” Dawn waved the sparkler with the sky-high pose. “We will be doing well together at next year too, won’t we?”

“Without doubt, Dawn.” Perseus smiled as he waved the sparkler in small circles.

The two kept playing with the sparklers and changed them when one burned out, until all of them were all used up, while the sun rises at the same time, which Dawn instructed Perseus to cast the Water-Making Spell into the bucket she brought inside the box, filling it with water, and dumped all the burned sparklers into the water-filled bucket. “They are still very hot even when being burned out!” She said.

They returned to their house with another Apparition, and when Perseus finally reached to the bed, he’s too tired to think of anything else and placed Dawn next to him on the bed, as his heavy eyelids overwhelmed him.

Hopefully she wouldn’t be mad at this once she’s awake...

He thought, as he too drifted into the world of dreams.

Chapter Text

Dawn opened her eyes, and found Perseus facing her on the bed he usually sleep, with the latter sleeping soundly.

Besides, she too wants to sleep a little bit longer, so a day more of sleeping won’t be too bad for her, and for him...

Just when Dawn was about to go back to the world of dreams by closing her eyes and began dreaming, the person who’s facing her had too opened his eyes.

“Sleep well?” Perseus smiled.

Dawn beamed. “Do you want to sleep longer?”

“Not anymore, and sorry for putting you on the bed with me. There’s only one bed, and I’m too tired to duplicate another with magic...” The wizard stroked the girl in blue’s raven hair gently.

“Ehh, it’s okay. I’m fine, so long you aren’t trying any funny business with me,” Dawn gave a very dangerous smile as she said, which Perseus immediately get her idea. “Still, I don’t want to get up yet, so we can talk about what to do this year instead.”

“Hmm...what is your wish, then?”

“My wish? Seeing you happy, helping you form a family with someone you truly love, and lots of kids, including one who can do magic to pass your knowledge on.” Dawn answered. “What about yours?”

“Just seeing you happy. But what I want to ask, is that, what do you want without me on your side?”

“That...is a difficult question, but I guess I’ll help your kids instead. I make an oath with you, remember?” Dawn reminded.

“Of course I do. Still, I am eager to spend time with you when I can.” Perseus patted Dawn’s cheek. “Shall we continue sleeping and wake later?”

“Later, Perry.”

Dawn is used to be alone, due to the nature of her job.

Punishing the wicked, helping the helpless, righting wrongs and so on...

But for a brief moment, a break of company with someone else isn’t so bad.

It is a good reminder to herself who to help and why.

And maybe, just maybe...

She wished this moment to last, just a little bit longer, than it should be.

Perseus was alone for a very long time, even when he lived with his relatives.

No one cared for some nobody, being useless, and to be forgotten.

And then Dawn came into his life, and for the first time, colors started to flow into it, as it’s no longer monochrome.

But how long can this stays unchanged?

Just because she promised not to leave him, doesn’t means he shouldn’t give her no reason to stay with him.

So if he tried hard, did well and be useful, she wouldn’t leave him, right?

For her, make her happy, and...

Search for his own happiness?

Chapter Text

My name is Perseus, Perseus Thorn, formerly Perseus Prince.

Disowned member and official blood traitor of a (self-claimed) noble pureblood family, local potioneer at Hogsmeade, best friend of Dawn, a girl with many secrets that I trust her not to question any of them, and anything you wished to call me.

One thing I found it hilarious is that in reality, there is no such thing such as ‘true pureblood’ at all, and even the so-called purebloods merely ridded all ‘impure’ members tangled within their family tree, which hardly mattered to me anymore, since I no longer wished to be involved with them.

It helps that the only pureblood families that will eventually survive, from the passage of time, consist none but pragmatic ones like the Malfoys, who at least don’t mind involving half-bloods as part of their kind, while most don’t even bother want to see someone with muggle blood, let alone accepting them as family, which seals their fate of the end of their bloodlines, without proper management, investment, and flow to their riches, along with the madness and sickness from marrying close relatives for so long...

Even though their downfall is something I would not be able to live long to witness, knowing all of this is enough for me.

All of this is something I heard from Dawn, and I believe her, and if I spread this fact among the purebloods (not that I have any chances to get close to do that anymore), then they would very likely shooting me with countless beams of AK for sheer blasphemy , all before I could utter a word about the truth.

Dawn seemed to be reluctant at telling me the final fate of the Princes, but I believe I already know the answer to that...

Speaking of madness, I once thought it was infectious, even among our kind, and that’s why my relatives quarantined me when I lived with them, not wanting my ‘madness to the muggles’ to infect their sane and pure family.

But at the end, they are the ones who should be quarantined away from the rest of the world, among with most of the anti-muggle purebloods, away from muggles, for their destructiveness against them can only end with nothing but blood, death, and end of their proud bloodlines.

Wait, which means our kind should never be contacting with muggles at all?

But honestly, I already wanted vengeance against them by simply living well with a muggle wife, have many children, and raise them well, depending on the presence of their magical abilities.

If none of them possess even a spark of magic...well, I guess I can only send them to muggle orphanages, and hope them having a happy life at best.

I guess we just can’t completely separate us from the muggles, we need communication and financial flow with them to survive and prevent to be stuck within a closed community. But how do we do that, when muggles are most likely out for our blood, from the simply fact of knowing our existence?

I don’t have much hope on the Wizard’s Council to do that, considering they literally let Nicholas Malfoy getting away with his crimes against muggles, which I reckon must have a lot of riches paid to make them stand at his side, considering that is a trick he used very frequently at many trials involving him, due to his family’s frequent mingling with the muggles.

Sigh. All of this pondering is too much for my head to hold, it’s not like it’s my job to change our kind’s future, or keeping it safe, even though Dawn ensured it will survive in the future, and all I need to do is to live well and be happy at the present.

Which is why I am currently at the local forest all alone, armed with nothing but my trusty wand on one hand, and a basket for gathering herbs and rare materials for potion-making, for muggles as potential customers in the future (with the potions disguised in the name of healing medicine, after some modification to make it safe to be consumed by them). They are much, much cheaper to be gathered than simply buying them at a shop, not to mention their far superior freshness and effectiveness compared to most of the poorly contained rubbish they sell to most newbie and gullible portioners, for Merlin’s sake!

As for Dawn, she knew she can’t be around with me forever, and decided to give me some personal space for a few days, until I start to miss her, such feelings unable to be hidden from her, with the emotion-detecting necklace she gave me.

As I gathered some bloomed snowdrops, I found something rustling from the bushes next to me.

I held up my wand, ready for the worst, from ordinary animals like wolves and bears to magical ones like Jarveies to, Merlin help me, Hippogriffs...only to found out the creature behind the bushes is nothing but a hedgehog, or a Knarl.

Since they are identical at appearances, I decided to test it whether it’s really a hedgehog, or a Knarl, by offering it with a blueberry I just collecting from the nearby bushes.

“Hello there, little one. Would you like to have a berry?”

The little creature simply snarled back, with every single needle at it’s back now pointing upwards.

“Never mind.” I just popped the blueberry at my mouth with my free hand. “I’m not gonna hurt you, little one.” As much as I would like to prove myself to be harmless against the little Knarl, I just can’t take any chances to be punctured by the hedgehog-like creature, so I kept my wand up for safety.

Before we made our next move, the wild Knarl just ran away from me, all before I fire a spell in self-defense.

So it can be only be afraid of something behind me, something I wish to need not turning around and confirming it’s existence, but something I must to survive...

...and it’s something I feared to encounter, something I suggested to myself earlier.

Chapter Text

A hippogriff, that’s something I suggested earlier in my mind, right?

This one has chestnut color all over it’s body, with wings and the size of an average Abraxan, the head, front body and legs of an eagle, but with the tail, back body and legs of a horse.

With it’s front legs scratching the ground, it’s about to charge towards me like a wild horse! And I’m no expert to tame it like a magizoologist!

Apparition is my best and the safest solution in this scenario, with the amount of ingredients I gathered, it’s safe to call it a day, especially a day without becoming hippogriff food, even though it doesn’t eat humans, usually.

Too bad the hippogriff had already charged towards me, and it’s now just a few foot away from me, so I don’t have the reflexes and time to Apparate away from it, but resorting a quick Shield Charm just in time, before the sheer force pushing me to a tree, breaking it and and causing it to fell onto the ground.

Calm down, calm down, Perseus. Hippogriffs don’t just attack you for food, there has to be another reason why it’s unusually this aggressive...

As I pondered, I caught a glimpse of a smaller and injured hippogriff — one with the same color of the larger one — at the center of a nest made of countless branches. One of its hind legs red and swollen.

The larger hippogriff is the child’s mother, and she was just trying to protect it from me, of whom she perceived as a threat.

As for why I knew it was a female...well, I just guessed.

Now, speaking of hippogriffs, I remembered a story Dawn told me the right way of dealing them...

So, let me get this straight, a Hogwarts student, one without any prior experience at magical creatures, or even magic at all, successfully gained the respect of a hippogriff on his first try?

That’s right! All he did was bowing at the giant creature and maintaining eye contact at the creature, keeping it that way until it finally bowed back in return!

And he didn’t get injured at all?

Yep!

Did the other students get injured then?

Well, yeah, but he deserved it, as he literally baited the hippogriff with sheer idiocy, and get away with it with riches and relations!

Let me guess — he’s a Malfoy, am I right?

Unfortunately, yes.

Of course he would be. Still, why would the teacher thought it would be a brilliant idea to bring a hoard of hippogriffs to newbies of the Care Of Magical Creatures in the first place?

Eh, to be fair, said teacher is a half-giant who is a lot more resistant than most humans, and his idea of ‘safe’ is very, very different, compared with most human's.

Wait, so half-giants are a thing.

Yeah, but don’t be too hard on him, he’s a rather nice chap, if he had a better way over keeping dangerous magical creatures away from ordinary humans, even magical ones.

I see, so did the hippogriff got away from the blatant baiting, or was it executed?

Fortunately for that friend with wings, with help from the students he showed respected earlier, he managed to escape at the night of execution.

That’s good, very good. By the way, do you have more stories...

Maintain eye contact with the hippogriff, bow down, don’t move, don’t blink, and hope for the best, is how you deal with a hippogriff, hostile or not.

So I did exactly that and inwardly prayed for Merlin and Morgana, and every powerful wizard and witch I could come up with.

The creature stopped right on the tracks, just as she was about to peck with it’s large beaks, as she examined me with a curious look, while tilting her head, like a pray playing with it’s food.

She kept staring at me, and even circled around me, her’s footsteps trampling the ground and causing mini shakes, but all I can do is to maintain my gaze to the creature with my best.

After a few minutes, which to me seemed to be not far away from eternity, she finally bowed back, and retreated to her nest, blocking it’s view from me, with an alarmed look to me, as if daring me to strike her child.

After laying onto the ground from being spared, taking a few breaths, nursing my poor back from all the bowing, I was finally able to get up, took a few footsteps towards the nest, and the hippogriff mother nearly got up and was about to screech and attack me, but I stopped approaching her before she could do that, a few feet away from the nest.

The small hippogriff whimpered in it’s nest in pain.

“Hey, Mrs. Hippogriff,” I tried talking with the hippogriff, hoping she would understand my words. “I can help your child, and I promise I won’t hurt him, and you are free to torn me into shreds if I did that. But I need your cooperation, or I won’t be able to help your kid,” I pointed at my wand. “So, please?”

The hippogriff mother glared at me, and after a few minutes, she stepped aside, her sharp eyes remained upon me, ready to strike at the slightest mistake.

I checked the small hippogriff’s injured leg, red, swollen but without cuts, perhaps earned from crashing onto the land from flying lesson with the hippogriff mother?

Thankfully, a simple Episkey is all I needed to fix such a minor injury, and the wound is gone in a flash, with the little hippogriff quickly getting up, nuzzling me, before going to it’s mother’s side, nuzzling her.

The hippogriff mother gave me a bow in gratitude.

I bowed back for courtesy, before finally Apprated away from the hippogriffs, before they changed their minds.

“Master, it appears that he’s fairing well on his own, are you sure he would not need our assistance in the future?”

A little humming bird with a white hat whispered into the girl in blue's ears, sitting on her right shoulder inside a blue room, the two watching the wizard’s actions through a projection screen shown from the large book on the table.

“No need. Someday, he’ll has to live on his own, and what we did is nothing but offering the assistance, and showing the way to him to live, and he’ll have to strife on his own with someone else,” Dawn replied. “Still, his feelings to me is not something to be severed, so complete independence is not a possibility, and I can still be his friend for life as I wish,” She smiled. “Yet, Perseus, here’s my question to you — what is your goal and choice to thrive for life?”

Chapter Text

Right after the incident involving a hippogriff in the forest near our home, I decided it would be wiser to stay in home instead of getting out, until it’s safer for me to do so. Good thing Dawn never failed to amaze me with new things I didn’t know of, and that’s enough to keep me occupied, as I’ve reached a dead end on my work over potions, and I was never a prodigy at inventing new spells.

Today, she brought me some white, sticky, stretchy and soft substance for me to squash and press around with my bare hands to occupy myself and to make it less raw, all without the necessary worries at tainting the edible but now raw material, something she solved by placing some sort of protection that keeps all kind of pollution sticking onto it, she said that once it’s sufficiently rubbed around, it’ll become one of the best food one could ever eat.

She also said this food came from the east, that’s why I’d never heard of it, and when I asked it’s exact materials needed to make it, she simply said it’s material can’t be found in my homeland, nor it would be a good place to make those materials, since it’s sensitive to climate change, in which I deducted it to me some sort of plant.

Still, I highly doubt this dough-like object can keep me occupied for too long, so let’s see how it works under the effects of some house charms I learnt from my mother, one that’s normally used to knead ordinary dough.

After a few hours, I finished reading yet another book about potions, as I placed it back to the bookshelf. With the book filled with many beginner mistakes that I had to correct them with a quill on my hand. How is such a book with many beginner mistakes being published in the first place? Was its writer not a wizard or witch at all? Or one never brew a potion in his or her life? And what if many young wizards and witches died from these faulty inscriptions? I knew this too well from poor aunt Lutetia, who died because of a potion explosion caused from one too many porcupine quills she dropped, not that stopped me at becoming a brilliant potioneer at all, and it’s their lost my former relatives kicked me out of their house for not agreeing their ideals, despite my abilities.

“MOCHI!”

Before I could ponder more about the book, I heard an ear-shattering scream coming from the kitchen. An intruder, perhaps? But how?

With the house heavily warded against nearly everything, from muggles to other unwelcome wizardkind to even magical creatures if needed, the only way to bypass them is to find a way to invade the house inside out. But even them, how did I failed to notice?

Anyway, the intruder revealed itself by leaving the kitchen and showed itself — a gigantic, blob-like monster in pure white color slithering the walls, with two comical eyes on it’s ‘head’ at it’s top, looking around and catching me with it’s sight, by exclaiming the same word with the same tone it said before. “MOCHI!”

Uh oh, apparently my household charm didn’t exactly worked as I expected, and it turned the mochi (said by the monster itself, who seemed to be only able to said that particular word) into a semi-sentient monster instead. Looks like I had to deal with the problem I made myself as always.

At first, I tried vanished the spell, which is the safest spell I could cast while minimizing the damage to the house, but the spell simply bounced off its bouncy body.

Oh, Merlin…

I made an anti-magic monster by mistake.

Now, the only thing I could do is to run away from this monster, as I couldn’t find anything usual inside the house as a suitable weapon against it, nor do I want to damage them as well. Good thing the master came from the kitchen, so he still had enough time escaping into the cellar and waiting Dawn to come rescuing him, all done with a simple illusion charm to keep the monster from noticing his escape. (That monster may be immune to magic that directly attack it, but it’s certainly NOT immune to being tricked by magic)

As I stayed at the bottom of my potion lab in the dark, my surroundings only visible from the Lumos I casted, the silver pendant I wore glowed as I felt it’s warmth.

Where is Dawn when I need her help?

Chapter Text

“Perry?” Dawn asked as she appeared next to the obviously frightened wizard she appeared next to, who is now curled up into a ball.

He jumped a bit at his crouching position, before turning his head and facing the girl in blue, whose face shone in the dark thanks to the wizard’s Lumos.

As usual, he embraced her and whimpered. “I’m so sorry!” He cried.

“For what?” Dawn asked in confusion.

“MOCHI!!!” A loud scream came from the celling of the lab.

“Oh, that one.” Dawn deadpanned. “I’ll be back soon.”

“Be careful!” Perseus informed, as the girl left the lab.

Then, the various sound that came from the celling indicated a fight occurred between the white monster and the blue girl, with the former kept screaming “MOCHI!” in pain repeatedly, before everything went still, with the girl returned to the lab in triumph.

“It’s gone, right?” Perseus asked with the slightest of doubt.

“Yeah.” Dawn gave a mere nod. “And where did it come from?”

“Er, I’m afraid I made it by mistake.” Perseus meekly answered.

“And that calls for tea, right?” Dawn petted Perseus’ head. “I’ll also be needing your powers to fix the property damage in the fight I did with the monster, it won’t be too hard for you, right?”

“Sure, I guess.” Perseus slowly got up from the ground and followed Dawn to leave the lab.

With a simple Reparo, all the damage done by the monster were all fixed by Perseus’ magic, as he brewed tea for the two of them. Sitting at the table of the living room, he explained everything he did, of how he tried kneading the mochi Dawn gave him with magic, and somehow created a monster instead.

“Well, at least the monster it gone, and it won’t be able to harm anyone anymore,” Dawn clapped as she spoke. “And in compensation, I’ll give you some samples of finished mochis that will never attack you in any shape and form! Still, did that happened because of your cleaning charm skills are terrible? Or was it something else?”

“My charms are sufficient to work without any major problems! Most of the time, that’s it,” Perseus protested, but changed at the end. “What happened to the monster, by the way?”

“I ate it.” Dawn replied bluntly.

“You...just...ate it.” Perseus’ jaw dropped, not showing it by covering it with one of his hands, while putting it back with the other one.

“Yeah, it’s still a giant, walking pile of food, despite being immune to magic!” Dawn cheerfully explained. “Now, here are some completed food made of mochi as consolation!” She took out a box and opened it, revealing it’s contents.

There are several types of different shapes and colors of mochi shown in the box, some are in the shape of squares and spheres and rings, some covered with leaves Perseus didn’t recognize of, all of them looked appetizing.

“You won’t be needing a dinner after finishing all of these! They’re very filling for your stomach, despite supposing being desserts!” Dawn took out a pink mochi and took a small bite from her inventory, while drinking the tea on the table. “Have your fill!”

As Perseus tried, the sweet flavor of the food slowly flowed into his mouth, and urged him to take another bite of these heavenly food. He decided to mark them as his favorite dessert in the future, being an ‘upgrade’ to most of the desserts he ate so far, due to not overly sweet and filling at the same time, and perfect for him as a workaholic, especially coupled with the tea he just brewed.

So long it didn’t involve any mochi kneading anymore in the future...

Chapter Text

It’s a day like any other day, in which Dawn grew bored and decided to take a look at Perseus’ handwritings at his notebooks, after asking the man’s consent.

His handwriting is quite girly, but it’s neat, detailed, and filled with theories and potion experiment results that may changes the potion brewing techniques and skills for centuries ahead, should he decided to write a textbook about his knowledge over potions. Such as using other cheaper ingredients like non-magical plants as substitutes of the more expensive ones, or stirring more or less times with different methods.

Guess girly handwriting really runs in the family, huh?

Still, with the man himself being far from social, all of this knowledge may likely, at the end, became a privilege of his new family he may start in the future, so the discussion is to moot. Not to mention his personal opinion matters a lot to Dawn, and to himself.

But the most important problem to the notes, right now, to Dawn at least, is that...

They are all written in Latin, and the only reason she knew them is that technically she doesn’t, but her cognition-altering abilities allow her to understand them by translating them into legal English, as she process the texts.

Still, with English not being the scholastic language in Europe during the Middle Ages, but rather Latin, so it makes sense that Latin is used in any text writing, instead of the local language for now.

“So, what do you think of my theories?” Perseus approached and sat next to Dawn at the table.

“They should work, if you have the necessary tools, that’s it,” Dawn replied. “Still, do you think Latin will always be the common language among scholars?”

“You are implying it won’t be like that forever, which means they aren’t used at some time later, can you tell me why?” Sometimes, Dawn believes that Perseus is getting smarter and smarter by days.

“That’s right, and do you want to know what language became the most common language used in the future?” Dawn asked with a bright smile.

“Humor me.”

“Of all languages, it’s English.”

“The language of this land? That’s a good one.”

“No, I really mean it, especially when the non-magicals build ships that allows them to travel the far west and east and explore and conquer other lands, there won’t be any place populated with people the English do not visit then, earning them the title ‘The empire on which the sun never sets’.”

“Those must be some really big and sturdy ships they had built, if they did managed to travel that far.” Perseus mused. “Still, I can write English as much as I can write Latin, so don’t worry about my writing skills!”

“Of course I won’t doubt that,” Dawn stretched her arms. “As for Latin, people eventually stopped using them, in daily life at least, but they still use them in one ways and another, for example, creating new spells as your kind do.” She handed the notes back to Perseus.

“Indeed, Latin has always been the main language in most of the spells, not that English didn’t work, but Latin is more commonly used right now, as the main language for the intelligent.” Perseus nodded as he took his notes back, and put them back into the drawers in the study.

“Anyway, that’s enough talk about Latin here and there! I may not use it, but I can write with them if needed. Still, I’m more in need of a break from all of those notes, they are impossible for me to read without a bit cheating,” Dawn yawned. “Do you need a break like I do?”

“Not now, I still had a few innovations in my mind to be commerced.” Perseus politely declined. “Take your time at your break, then.”

“Okay, Perry. Oh, and one more thing,” Dawn got up from the chair. “Would you like a walk with me at the beach when you have time?”

“What’s a beach?”

“It’s a type of seaside filled with fine sand grin by nature, with many critters to be found, and a tranquil place to relax!” If without the garbage left by careless people, that’s it. Something Dawn didn’t said, as ‘tourists filling beaches full’ isn’t a thing yet.

“Sounds lovely, I’d like to join you tomorrow, if you don’t mind.” Perseus accepted the invitation.

“That’s a wonderful idea!” Dawn clapped. “See you tomorrow then!” She opened the door to the Persian Room and vanished within it,

“See you as well.” Perseus smiled at the vanished door.

Something tells him that tomorrow will be a wonderful day.

Chapter Text

The next day...

“Hey, Perry! It’s time to visit the beach!” Dawn took off the sheets that the wizard covered himself with. “Ready to change your outfit to something casual for outside?”

“Alright, I am getting up.” Perseus rubbed his eyes as he slowly got up. “Would you kindly give me some time to prepare myself?”

“Take your time!” Dawn left the bedroom as she waited at the living room.

Once Perseus changed into his outdoor robes, which looked like the rest of his usual grey robes, he took his wand, wore a pair of leather shoes, and came out. “There, I am ready. So how do we got to this ‘beach’ you mentioned?”

“With a shortcut, of course!” Dawn took out a blue key as she summoned a blue door out of thin air.

Once Perseus went through the door, the sight he saw first with his eyes is something he’d never seen in all his previously-thought-to-be short life, a beautiful sight he wished he had seen earlier.

At the furthest distance, the sky and the sea contacted each other and created a perfect line between the two of them. The gentle winds from the sea brushes his thin cheeks, the golden sand he’s currently stepping on shifting around from the wind, the salty scent from the sea overwhelm his senses...

“Nice place, isn’t it?” Dawn asked.

Perseus nodded, as he grabbed a handful of sand, and letting them slip through his fingers. “It won’t be dangerous for me to take off my shoes, would it?”

“Maybe, maybe not. There ARE many creatures, big and small hidden in the sand, but the sand is warm and mostly safe! Mostly,” Dawn answered. “Still, even if you are injured, I’ll always have your back!”

“That I do not doubt of,” Perseus took off his shoes and tested the sand with his toes, and as Dawn mentioned, it is as warm as the lit hearth in the deepest night of winter, a gentle touch he certainly isn’t going to forget at any time. “Would you like a walk with me?” He extended his hand to the girl in blue.

“With pleasure.” She held her hand at the extended hand from the wizard himself.

During the walk, the duo talked many things they saw in sight, from the seagulls they saw far away at the sky, the shells and starfish they discovered lying on the beach, and even sea turtles(in which the wizard is understandably confused at the sea turtles being incapable of tucking themselves into their shells, compared with other non-sea turtles).

Perseus insisted over taking a few starfish for ‘magical experiments’, something Dawn is against because of their eventual endangered status, not to mention she does not trust Perseus’ animal caring skills, in which the man is crest-fallen and sulked from the response, but his eyes lightened up again when he is allowed to take a few inanimate seashells back.

As they walked, inspired by the sea, Dawn also explained the concept of fishing to the wizard, with the latter being confused at the complex muggle way of such activity, and commented how most fish are dumb enough to bite the bait when the hook harms them so much as they are caught, all the while insisted wizardkind’s superiority at fishing with a simple summon charm, until Dawn explained fishing with fishing rods are more of an entertainment and less of the actual fish catching for most of the time, and fishermen would’d use large nets for consumption and for commercial uses instead.

Hours and hours passed, and finally the man is too exhausted to walk furthermore and the seemingly endless beachside, so after picking up a few seashells that is rather large and beautiful, the both of them returned home through the blue door.

Perseus said he had a little surprise to Dawn, once he finished the gift, as he began working in his study. He has always being the type to work non-stop, once he started over his project, no matter big or small.

Dawn is eager at the girt as she went to the Persian Room and drifted into sweet dreams.

On the next day, Dawn opened the door and entered the little hut to see Perseus’ work results, only to discovered a sea blue box decorated with plain, sky blue ribbons, with a small note next to it. ‘To Dawn’.

She unwrapped the ribbons and opened the box with curiosity, and found a rainbow-colored fan-shaped seashell lying silently inside the box, charmed to remain colorful for all time, and to be indestructible against anything thrown against it, or it against anything.

Dawn smiled as she closed the box, wrapped it back with the ribbons, and took the box into her inventory. She entered Perseus’ bedroom quietly, finding the man sleeping with a similar-looking box at the desk.

She crouched next to the man and examined him closely, finding his eyes somewhat large and sunken, even if covered with thin eyelids.

“I appreciated your gift very much, thanks for everything.” Dawn kissed at Perseus’ hollow cheek at the side in his sleep, and leave the sleeping wizard alone.

All completely not noticing him smiling as he turned in his sleep. 

Chapter Text

It’s a cold afternoon today, where Perseus decided it would be better to stay at home, spending time with Dawn as usual. When he left the cellar, after checking the quality of the ingredients and the potions he kept in his lab for experimental purposes, and ensuring all of them are in the best state and safely kept at where they should be, he found Dawn shuffling brilliant red and black cards on her hand, while sitting on a chair at the living room.

“What are you doing?” He asked with curiosity.

“Just checking my personal tarot cards,” Dawn replied tersely. “Or perhaps you’d like a reading for you for free?”

“I wouldn’t mind, now that you asked,” Perseus accepted the courtesy as he sat at the opposite to Dawn on another chair, arms placed and relaxed on the table they’re sharing. “Still, I’d also like to remind you that Divinations is never something that I truly have much faith in it, with actual seers are a rarity even among our kind, nor do I possess much knowledge about that particular topic.”

“That I can understand, but my Divination skills aren’t made-ups, I had assistance from the other side...” Dawn paused as she shuffled the cards one last time, and placed them all in a neat stack, with it’s back showing two taunting faces of two jester-like faces, evenly split into two and their halves fused with the other face, as the face’s heads stuck at the opposite direction and decorated with a black and white star. “Not to mention my abilities are more of checking one person’s life at a time, instead of generating some random self-fulfilling prediction...”

“So...you can use them to know everything about me? Or someone else’s entire life?” Perseus asked, now really into the topic.

“Yeah, even though it’s clear you aren’t born a seer, and don’t bother learning to get Divination skills. It doesn’t work that way.” Dawn is now too paying attention to Perseus, her fingers now tenting and holding her chin. “By the way, what I can learn from the cards is only the important things about your life, and the future I can tell from them isn’t always set in stone, so take whatever you will.”

“Got it.” Perseus nodded. “So how does they work?”

“Well, there are many, many types of tarot spread as far as I knew, so for starters like you, we are using the most simple method among all — answering your questions with nothing but a card drew from the deck!” Dawn spread her palms. “Now, this is a major tarot deck, which means there are only the major arcana inside this deck, and that means twenty-one of them, with the minor arcana ain’t the focus of the day, we’ll be talking about them at a different time if you want to know more about them. So, what’s your question?”

“Hmm, I think I should test them first, say, what’s my past is like to them?” Perseus held his chin as he asked.

Dawn nodded as she drew a card from the tarot deck on the table, it is the Reversed Star. As it shows black and grey stars shining on it’s red sky, with a naked woman pouring water from one of the jugs she’s holding onto the dessert, while drinking water from the other jug gluttonously at the same time with a greedy expression. (The cards are supposed to be read from the customer’s perspective)

“Well, this one is obvious.” Dawn commented. “Now, the position of the tarot is very important, as it gives a completely different, mostly opposite meaning when revealed, depending it’s upright or reversed. While The Star in its normal position means hope and faith, in reversed, it represents despair, lack of trust to anyone, even to one-self, and disconnection. Which fits your bill perfectly.” As she explained what the cards said, she took the card back into the deck as she shuffled it again. “Would you like to know about your present situation?”

Perseus nodded, and so Dawn drew out the card that represents the present — the Upright Fool Arcana. In which it shows a jester starting his journey while carrying his possessions, while being bitten by a dog at his rear. “Hmm...interesting...”

“Um, is that supposed to be a good card?” Perseus asked, concerned.

“I’d say it’s more of a neutral card, as it represents infinite potential and possibilities, including good or bad.” Dawn replied. “In fact, the Fool Arcana is supposed to be the blank card in the deck, and the reason the deck gives me this card is because...there’s already nothing to be read, be it good or bad, important or not, so you don’t have to worry anything about it.” She elaborated as she withdrew the card and shuffled the deck again.

“Oh, alright.” Perseus didn’t know how to properly reply such result, but at least there’s nothing he need to concern too much, right?

“Still, never forget you are the only one to decide your life, your choices, and your future. What the cards tell me is not the absolute truth, but the most likely result they can tell us,” Dawn added. “So, would you like to take a look at your future right now?”

Perseus nodded. “I’d like to know the specifics on looking for my other half.”

“Very well.” Dawn accepted the request as she drew a card — Upright Temperance. In which it shows an angel pouring water between the two jars she’s holding, like the woman in the Star card, except she’s standing on the ground with one leg lifted, with a scandalous expression to boot.

“Hmm, the Upright Temperance Arcana tells you that all you need to do is to remain patient, and you will found your perfect half.” Dawn told Perseus what the cards said. “It also means you are already doing well on that subject, so you don’t have to worry too much on that either.”

“I see, and thank you for your enlightening telling,” Perseus stood up from the chair as he gave Dawn a warm smile. “I look forward for the next activity we will do together.”

“Same here,” Dawn gave a smile back to the wizard as he left, and the moment he did, her expression turned solemn on a card she just drew. “Still, it would be the best you didn’t asked for anything about your new family you will make, because my cards tells me that whatever they will face, it’s nothing short of catastrophe.”

She said as she held none other than the Tower Arcana on her hand.

Chapter Text

My name is Perseus Thorn, I am now trying to start a family on my own, and now I need someone who will love me, support me, be my perfect half, and one capable of creating a family together, all by their own choice no less, especially if I want to get kids by blood and magic, and a loving one no less.

Still, creating a family is no small business, neither is looking for my perfect half, so I must make my choices wisely, and I decided to start that by looking one at the muggle world. Just because Dawn said to be patient doesn’t means I can’t look for one immediately, as long as I didn’t kidnap, trick, harm, or using love potions or spells on said person, which is something I will never be that low to use such underhanded methods.

Why not looking for a witch or wizard in the wizarding world, you might ask? Well, you see, I am effectively a dead man in that world, with my family exiled me, took my family name, burnt my eyes and throat (both healed thanks to Dawn), so they’d expect me more-or-less dead by now. Even if I’m now under a new name and a new life, all it takes is a little deeper dig, and it’ll takes no time for them to know who I am really am, and the Princes will be after me like hounds from Hell in no time (I’m not a big follower of Christianity, but I heard and knew enough stuff about that from folks during congregations, and I can never understand why they’d believe a grail that can bestows immortality exists, considering it is impossible, even by we wizard standards). So the safer option would be someone who knew nothing about magic, one who would not repel nor reject it.

Of course, adoption exists, but most of the magical children saved from horrendous muggles are already battered inside out, so they are most likely Obscurials who wouldn’t live long to attend Hogwarts, somewhere I wished to study as a student myself, if my relatives didn’t burn the letter right in front of me out of sheer spite, before giving the school a letter of polite (on paper) refusal, thus completely denying any chances of studying in Hogwarts.

While Dawn herself would be a good person as my perfect half for life, except she chose to be just best friends instead, and I think I knew already why she couldn’t be my perfect half, from all the things she said being physically different from me, the suggestion of outliving me, a wizard who can outlive most muggles, and the fact she’s only staying here to help me...

Whatever she is, it’s certainly not muggle nor witch, but something much, much powerful than the two types of people I just mentioned. I may not know everything about her, but one thing I know, is that she has more people to help, other than me, and I am just one of the many need her help, and she will leave once her job here is done. But can I follow her if her job here is finished?

Anyway, if she couldn’t be my perfect half, I still have another candidate available, provide that she is still alive after the Great Mortality, something that is very unlikely, since she is but a simple muggle.

And now I am here, scouting the muggle village under a Disillusionment Charm to avoid being chased by angry muggles with pitchforks and torches, quickly searching every farmland and house just to see a shadow of her, but still no luck. It also doesn’t help that most woman here simply aren’t my type, ugly (but don’t tell them!), or just already married.

Oh well, if she isn’t at this muggle village, I can always look for another one, since there’s nothing to stop she and her family moving away from the plague, not to mention I am already here for hours today, so I decided to call it a day.

Someday, I will find you, Ellie, even if you became a corpse, I will find what was left of you, give you a proper burial, and visit your grave regularly.

Your are the first one to show genuine kindness and willingness to be my friend, the second one being Dawn, and I can never forget you.

I swore the above mentally as I Apparated back to my house, completely failed to notice a familiar looking, lank-haired, hunched woman who just came out from one of the more torn down houses in the village.

Chapter Text

Today is supposed to be a normal day like usual.

Supposed to be, that’s it.

Except that when the first thing Perseus saw as he woke up and came out from his bedroom, all he saw is nothing but red walls and floors.

“Hey, Perry! I thought it would be great to change the room into a redder color! What do you think of it?”

Breathe, breathe, breathe. It’s not blood, absolutely not blood, not from wizards or muggles or animals at all.

Perseus fell onto his knees as he clutched his chest, trying to breath in a stable rhythm, trying his best to ignore the nonexistent pain coming from it.

No one is dying in front of him anymore, the plague is gone.

But, why he kept remembering nothing but red and black inside his head?

“Breathe, Perseus. I am here.” Dawn was already at his side when the wizard is drowning from his emotions, one hand holding his shoulder. After a few more breaths, Perseus took one more breath as he stared at Dawn with a terrified look, while finding all of the walls and floors are back to the usual wooden color.

“I guess you aren’t a fan of red, are you? No more red for you for now, and in the future.” Now both of Dawn’s hands are on both of the wizard’s shoulders, her expression equally worried. “Sorry for that, if I knew you hated red that much, I wouldn’t had made the room red in the first place.

Apology accepted. Perseus nodded, as he slowly got up from the cold floor.

“Is there any other color you hated?” Dawn asked, just in case something like this happened again.

“Black.” Is all the wizard answered.

“So do I,” Dawn nodded in agreement. “Do you want anything else?”

“Just...stay with me, nothing more.” Perseus held onto Dawn’s visibly smaller arms tight.

“Alright then. Perhaps a few more stories and knowledge would enlighten you as well,” Dawn smiled as she held on Perseus’ hand. “Perhaps you hearing them at your room would be more comfy to rest better, after from reacting badly at all the commotion happened today.” She then began guiding the taller man to the bedroom.

“That I won’t doubt.” Perseus gave a weak smile, as he followed the girl.

Chapter Text

“Do you know that most non-magical folk around here believes that anything outside of their living places are where ‘bad things’ live, they themselves usually don’t venture beyond their places, and they remove exiles and what they considered ‘bad’ out of their living places to fix whatever bad things happened to them?”

In the evening, Dawn is telling Perseus how most muggles think of from their point of view.

“I have no idea... but that certainly explains why they don’t move away from their settlings too far,” Perseus’ back leaned on a wall as he spoke. “But really, ‘bad things’? That’s what and how they think of us?”

“Well, ‘bad things’ isn’t only a term to describe wizardkind like you, but also evildoers, animals, and anything they considered ‘different’ from them,” Dawn explained. “Besides, it’s the only thing they can do to remove any potential threats against them, considering that they themselves are usually defenseless, usually, that’s it.”

“Yeah, but still, a cornered Niffler can bite hard to its enemies, that’s why they start witch hunts periodically, especially if they can’t find out who and where the magical folk are,” Perseus commented. “Still, it would take more than torches and pitchforks and fire to completely remove our kind, and they certainly  can’t kill something they can’t even see in the first place, like Obscuruses.”

“Yeah, even if they see them, it’s not like they are fast enough to catch and harm them in the first place, nor that kind of black smoke is flammable at all,” Dawn agreed. “Still, you can’t give props for having some sort of defense at all, that’s what the knights and lords are for.”

“As if those muggles with swords can get close enough to harm us in the first place! A simple Transfiguration spell is all we needed to dispatch them.” Perseus held his chin. “ Speaking of lords, how would you think of me, should I become a lord?”

“If you have the personality and abilities to be able to hold the many responsibilities.” Dawn jokingly hit the wizard’s back, and he fell flat on the bed from the sheer force.

“Uh, you still here?” Realizing that she may had harmed Perseus by accident, she casted a quick Die at the man’s back, while lifting him back up. “Sorry!”

“I...I am fine.” Perseus rubbed his back with a wince. “Just don’t do that again, okay?”

“Sure,” Dawn absentmindedly rubbed her head. “By the way, have you ever thought of selling potions to the non-maigcals to help them, under the name of medicine to cure them?"

“I am working on that,” Perseus replied. “Muggle’s biology are vastly different compared to we wizardkind, so I had to modify the potions to ensure they won’t bring any side effects to them, especially when certain sickness that can be easily cured with magic is not the same when muggles face them, who obviously do not possess that to save them.”

“Well, good luck with that!” Dawn encouraged with a smile. “There’s nothing wrong of helping people to gain more allies, magical or non-magical!”

“I’ll take your kind words then,” Perseus gave a small smile in reply. “Still, I wish I can openly help their harvest results if I can, like with the herbivicus charm, especially when I heard that last year’s results are terrible, and many suffered long-term hunger because of that...”

“Right, a lot of problems can be solved, should the non-magical and the magical worked together...” Dawn thought of the possibility of a Wizarding World timeline where the Statute of Secrecy never existed, but it won’t be easy with all the biases between the wizardkind and the non-magicals.

“That is a big dream you have there, if you don’t mind me.” Perseus showed his opinion.

“Yeah, but one can always dream big, right?” Dawn quipped, hiding the fact that she can do that, if she wanted to.

“That I can respect, and all of this talk tires me. Can I lean on you as I sleep?” Perseus is already dosing, as he began closing his eyelids.

“I didn’t say that you can — “ Too late, the grown wizard has fallen asleep, and surprisingly, he is almost as light as a feather. Guess it’ll take more than simple food to raise his health, right?

Besides, it’s not like that she didn’t appreciate close contact like this, especially she is always concerned and complained his cold hands.

The only problem she had to face is keeping her sitting posture for hours, and she certainly isn’t going to do that...right?

Not that isn’t a hard challenge at all.

So she did exactly that, while stroking the wizard’s worn out face, his white hair, and his thin arms and waist, all the while watching his sleeping cute looks.

“I am not a pervy, am I?” Dawn whispered with a worried tone to herself, as she watch the peaceful expression of the sleeping grown man, something she don’t mind, so long he’s happy.

And maybe, just maybe, she don’t mind to sleep with him in this posture.

So the two eventually slept together on the bed, shoulders leaned onto each other.

Chapter Text

After the incident that involves painting the house red, Dawn decided it would be wise not to do the same thing all over again, while it appears that Perseus is already comfortable enough to share the same bed (without overly close contact, of course) for nights, even though he clearly mentioned that he would only do that at special occasions, or when he just needs some comfort, in which Dawn happily provides, so long he doesn’t do anything stupid, for the man seemed to only using Dawn as a cuddling life-sized doll at best, so far.

Anyway, today, the girl in blue decided to clean and tidy up the information she gathered in Le Grimore at the living room, and after hearing Perseus leaving the house to gather potion ingredients for hours as usual, and then coming back with a rather large and full basket of mushrooms (lifted with magic, of course).

Once Perseus left the basket on the table and left the living room to the study, Dawn couldn’t help herself from resisting her own curiosity for checking the species of the mushrooms, and she found herself the basket filled with various magical mushrooms, with the ones that hopped non-stop and the ones that seems to be on the verge of exploding particularly stood out from the rest.

Dawn just can’t stop herself from poking at the aggregating mushrooms, all to test the damage those bursting mushrooms can bring out. I wonder how much damage those mushrooms can be? After all, it’s not like they can actually hurt me. 

And the next thing she knew is that everything in the living is covered with mushroom leftovers, all came from the chain reaction of the many bursting mushrooms that blew up all at once, including the non-explosive ones. Even the basket is now completely non-existent. Still Dawn is still standing here, her face completely filled with mushroom liquid that itches her face for a bit, but nothing big when she already equipped Fafnir to keep herself safe.

Then the door from the study opened with a loud ‘Bang!’, with Perseus rushing out.

“Dawn! Are you hurt? I came out as soon as I could from the loud noise!” The man seemed to be less concerned at the mushrooms and more at his friend. “What happened?”

“I, uh, thing the mushrooms you collected just exploded, when I tried to touch one of them,” Dawn sheepishly answered. “Um, and sorry?”

“Never mind the mushrooms! It’s not like I can’t collect them anymore! I am more concerned at your own well-being!” Perseus held both of Dawn’s shoulders tight. “Are you really fine?”

“Eh, don’t worry, Perry. The person or thing who can actually harm me hasn’t been born into this world yet, and these mushrooms are certainly not one of those things!” Dawn spread her arms wide to show herself being truly healthy as usual.

“Well, while I am glad that you are not hurt at all, but please, kindly refrain yourself from your own personal recklessness in the future, as my heart may not be able to take the news of you being hurt in any form or shape at all!” Perseus rubbed his forehead as he complained. “Still, allow me to clean up the mess you accidentally made,” With a wave of his wand, all the mushroom stains were gone, as if they never existed.

“Um, Perry, do you need any compensation? You know that I am wholly capable of getting anything you wanted, if you just asked.” Dawn awkwardly added as the wizard swept his gaze onto the small girl.

“Well, if you say so, then the only thing I wish right now, is to put you at the range of my eyesight for tonight, at the usual place.” Perseus huffed as he crossed his arms, “All to avoid you from injuring yourself, or simply getting yourself into trouble. Not to mention the next few days you are being grounded, might as well to mention that to you right now.”

“Aw, man! Not again!” Dawn protested, to no effect.

This is going to be a really long night. 

Chapter Text

Unsurprisingly, the wizard kept good on his words for the next few days, from staying in the study to moving to the living for food and even moving to the lab, he took Dawn with his hand firm at pretty much anywhere he went to, with the latter unable to escape under his vigilant eyes. Not that she minded, if it means to spend more time with him.

Still, just because she’s with him all the time, it doesn’t means that the both of them are immune of getting themselves into trouble, from nearly trampled by  Graphrons, narrowly avoided being clubbed by actual smelly Trolls, and stuck in the air by the sting of a Billywig passing by.

“Why did we always get into trouble together?” Perseus shook his head, exhausted from another day of trouble with encountering dangerous magical beasts, before turning his head to face Dawn.” You didn’t have a thing at this, do you?”

“Absolutely not!” Dawn protested. “I didn’t make those things happen as I wish, as I would like to stop them if I could!”

“Is there a way to keep ourselves from all of these troubles?” Perseus exasperatedly asked for a solution.

“A little bit of fortune change with the cards may do,” Dawn suggested, as she placed a deck of cards on the table, and quickly drew one, which is the ‘Wheel of Fortune’ card, upright. “Tomorrow, and only tomorrow, your luck may change for a better pace.” A flash went through the room as it disappeared as quickly as it came.

“Does that even work?” Perseus asked, skeptic with the results.

“Only time would tell.” Dawn replied tersely.

“Then why you didn’t do that earlier?”

“You don’t just change one’s luck without any offerings! That’s how equivalent exchange works!” Dawn explained in an annoyed tone. “Not to mention it only works at one person at a time, with the first one being a freebie!”

“Very well,” Perseus nodded. “I still trust you, despite everything.”

“You aren’t mad at me, aren’t you?” Dawn asked, worrying their friendship cracking.

“It’ll take more than those minor misfortune for me to leave you, especially for one who’s been in one for their entire life.” Perseus answered as he petted Dawn’s head. “Let us wait for tomorrow for the change of luck, as we now, we go to bed.”

“As in, in different ones!” Dawn added indigently, as she entered the Persian with the key, thus leaving the house.

“I’m counting on you.” Perseus muttered, as he stared at the leaving girl.

Sure enough, Perseus’ luck has been a lot better at the next day, with Dawn finally free to do anything she could again, so long it doesn’t involve blowing up the house or harming herself, outside of Perseus’ watch. As for the wizard himself, not only he found rare potion ingredients in the forest, he also found a couple of sparkly objects at the deep woods, in which Dawn identified them to be actual gems that’s worth a fortune. Not that the man himself is interested at them at all, when he is more interested at brewing potions. That doesn’t stop him from purchasing the more expensive ingredients he normally wouldn’t be able to pick up at the forest, like Occamy egg shells, or Niffiler’s Fancy (in which Dawn had no idea what is that supposed to do).

“Even without the spike of luck that happened over me, I would had still thanked you for your effort.” Perseus bowed at Dawn, when he arrived at home.

“Eh, at least that’s fine for me,” Dawn waved her hand neglectfully. “Still, luck isn’t everything, and your’s are already getting better with my mere presence. So long you are happy, I would be fine as well.”

“That I understand.” Perseus nodded. “Speaking of which, do you have any recipes of ordinary food as the next suggestion of our meals? Not that I can’t stand the taste of black bread anymore, but still...”

“Plenty, if you wish.” Dawn clapped her hands with a brilliant smile, all-too-happy to introduce the man any new dish she knew.

“So, what it would be?"

Chapter Text

Today is supposed to end just like any other day, but Perseus still haven’t returned to home, ever since he left the house for the shop for hours. Usually, he’ll had came back in the afternoon, and at worst, at night. But now, it’s way beyond dusk, and still no sign of him.

So Dawn decided to check his current location by sensing the necklace she gave him a while ago, as she made that with tracking being one of it’s many functions.

And what she got is a deeply unsettling place.

The graveyard next to Hogsmeade.

As much as she’d like to simply use the key to directly access the actual location Perseus is, she can’t do that to places she never visited personally. So she simple used it to access the outskirts of the graveyard inside, before actually entering it.

Under the beaming moonlight, Dawn got a better look at it — like most graveyards at that time being, it’s filled with nameless graves, some named but are either covered with moss, or the text on it now no longer legal, faded from the passage of time. Unlike most graveyards, it’s filled with ghosts, with some just minding their own business, some sitting on their own tombstones, and some just messing with one another.

“Hey, guys! Did someone came here before I did?” Dawn asked as polite as she could.

While most are understandably not amused at me interrupting their own business, one friendly one answered her question: “Why, yes, missy! Several hours ago, there were a couple of robed folks entered the Tomb of the Villager, then they left it like nothing happened!” The ghost tipped his hat as he bowed. “Friends of yours?”

“Sort of, and thanks for the answer!” Dawn replied as she waved her hand and rushed into the mausoleum without hesitation, after double-checking the necklace’s presence coming from the mausoleum, the highly bobby-trapped mausoleum she knew from the adventures of a certain Hogwarts student.

There are many perks of being somewhat between non-physical and physical, something Dawn exploited by phrasing through the walls, floating through the traps, and bypassing most of the mausoleum like nothing. She’s pretty sure whoever built this place’d never expected a person who can simple touch things and phrase through walls at the same time exists.

It didn’t take too long for her to finally lock on the exact location of Perseus — in which — to her horror, he’s now inside one of the tombs, all the while being alive.

Without hesitation, she pushed off the lid of the tomb covering Perseus with her super strength. “Perry!” As she opened the tomb, all she found is the wizard sleeping serenely inside it, like Snow White during her supposing funeral, and if Dawn didn’t do something quick, this tomb might as well become his actual tomb, all without him recognizing what happened in the first place.

“Alright, sleeping beauty, it’s time to go home.”

Chapter Text

Darkness.

Darkness.

Still darkness.

As Perseus opened his eyes with all his might, all he found himself is on his usual bed at home, covered in sheets, with a folded, wet towel covered at his head.

He took deep breaths as he coughed, clearly too weak to get off the bed for now, as he tried to calm himself down.

What happened? Perseus tried to remember his last memories, where he should be working at his shop and...

A couple of wizards, knocking him out with their spell fired from their wands, and...

When he woke up, it’s nothing but darkness, and at a tight space, and finding himself difficult to breath, as time passed on.

But now, he’s all safe, back at his house.

Is that all but a bad dream?

“Perry!” Dawn charged  at Perseus and hugged the wizard when the girl found him woke up. “You are alive!”

“Of course I am.” Perseus coughed from the embrace as he tried to push the girl for some space, only to came out as a light nudge instead. “And could you please give me some space to talk?”

“Oh! Of course! Sorry for that.” Dawn immediately stepped back as she stared at the wizard intently. “Do you need anything else?”

“I will be fine, just give me some time,” Perseus replied as he tried assuring the girl he’s already getting better. “Did I had a bad dream or something?”

“Absolutely not! Last time I found you is that you are inside of a tomb of all places! If I didn’t find you in time, you would be meeting Merlin and Morgana in no time!” Dawn yelled that all out at once. “How come you ended up there instead of coming back home soon?”

“I did? That certainly explains why I was having a hard time at breathing.” Perseus blinked.

“You don’t even know you were in a tomb in the first place?” Dawn asked incredulously.

“Last thing I remembered, is that I was at my shop, a couple of customers came in, blasted me with their spells, and the next thing I knew is that is ended up in a tomb, of all places, as you said,” Perseus explained. “And once again, it appears that you had saved my life, and thank you for that.”

“Well, in that case, you should instead try repaying that by at least raising a bit self-awareness against strangers! Customers or not!” Dawn huffed and puffed as she turned to left the bedroom. “And you are not to leave this house, or even the bed at all, until you have fully recovered, you hear me?”

Perseus merely nodded meekly, as Dawn nodded affirmatively and left, with the latter already plotting all the dark ways to torture whoever tried to kill Perseus for whatever reason they have.

And she is very, very patient to achieve her vengeance.

Chapter Text

“Look, I am fine, I will be able to get out of the bed very soon, and you don’t need to keep over-looking after me like a mother hen!” Perseus held the bedsheets tightly with a flushed face, as he took a bite from the spoon of soup Dawn just brewed and fed to him.

“Says the wizard who almost literally entered an early grave of his own, and somehow couldn’t simply use magic to escape.” Dawn narrowed her eyes as she reminded the still-somewhat sick wizard.

“I hid the wand at the shop, and it’s not like I am very good at windless magic!” Perseus protested, but to no avail.

“Which is exactly why you need some decent rest right now, and normal people don’t just get randomly kidnapped and stuffed into empty graves, all the while being alive,” Dawn sighed as she placed the warm bowl of soup on the desk, next to the bed Perseus is currently laying. “Stay here while I’ll do some outside chores, and for the love of Merlin, don’t leave the house before I came back!”

“By ‘outside chores’, you mean hunting the ones who kidnapped me, and the ones behind it, right?”

“You got it.”

“Well, I’m pretty much considered to me dead to my family, but if they knew I somehow survived and having my eyesight restored...” Perseus shuddered. “...I don’t think I can survive from their torture twice.”

“Even if the ones who tried to harm you have nothing to do with your family, I don’t just grab and punish someone without knowing the full truth,” Dawn added. “Still, one thing I can guarantee them is that, no one can ever get away harming those I cared without consequences.” She gritted her teeth as she growled.

“That I am certain about, and thanks for your concern, by the way,” Perseus merely nodded. “Be safe!”

“I will.” Dawn nodded back as she entered the blue door.

It didn’t take too long for Dawn to found that it is indeed the Princes are responsible at Perseus’ kidnapping and near-murder.

As much as she’d like to simple remove all of them from existence, they are needed for the future’s safety, all the way for centuries.

But there are many, many ways to harm someone without killing them, such as cursing them with all the karma they brought upon themselves.

And all Dawn needed to do is to manifest them as madness through inbreeding for ages, along with many other small misfortunes.

After all, where’s the fun at simple ending their suffering, when you can hear their agony and screams from all the crap they will go over?

Dawn shuddered at those thoughts she came up herself, and the only reason she isn’t evil (or at least she tried to be), is because she knew the Princes are far from the best sort.

Now, with a quill on her hand, she succeeded in rewriting their memories of the Princes, ‘remembering’ him as a dead man, and they won’t be bothering Perseus anymore.

They will also be many, many ‘fun’ things they will go through in the future.

Still, the above trick is a one-time thing, and it only worked is because of all the acclimated atrocities they committed, and Dawn won’t get another chance to do again.

But it’s more than enough to keep Perseus safe.

Once Dawn finished the change, she closed the thick book, as she skipped happily back to the wizard’s home.

Now, what else she could do to compensate her Perry?

Chapter Text

Dawn isn’t having a good day.

Since Perseus hasn’t fully recovered from being kidnapped yet (or at least, that’s what she thought to herself), she decided to kill time by hunting in her favourite all-time hunting area, namely Mementos.

As one of the many domains of the collective subconscious of mankind, it changes from time-to-time, depending when and where one currently are, or in this case, a nearly endless forest with dangerous and thorny plants, with shadows as the apex ambush predators of this place.

Too bad Dawn proved them to be one hell of a trouble to be hunted, as she is able to easily fend of anything that tried to finish her, and it didn’t take too long for them to go ‘observation mode’ instead.

Not that stops Dawn from actively hunting them for quick cash and rare items, especially treasure demons. Considering that her special reserves are indeed getting a little bit low, despite that had nothing to do with helping Perseus.

The only good thing she got today is a soma she got through trading (there are indeed shadow-ish merchants who are willing to trade with Persona users, like Jose, but he isn’t the one Dawn traded with this time), and a new but low-level treasure demon named Faberge Egg, whose treasure part is indeed shaped like the real thing in the real world, and glittering with all the diamonds decorated on it.

Oh well.

Let’s see what it can offer through the execution.

Chapter Text

“You really don’t have to hover over me like this forever, but I do appreciate your attempts for cheering me up with...these little creatures.”

Perseus said as he squished one of the orange-yellow Puffskein he’s currently holding, with both of his hands.

“Aww, Perry. I was planning to let you out a week later anyway, so you don’t have to whine for too long!” Dawn said as she laid on the ground, stacking a brown Puffskein over a purple Puffskein. In a way, she got to admit grounding Perseus to keep him safe from his former families isn’t the best way to deal with it, not to mention he already is a fully grown wizard with his own rights, really! “Wanna see how many Puffskeins we can stack if we try?”

“No, thank you. The last thing we need is a house filled with these scavengers running everywhere and making a mess.” Perseus declined as he put the Puffskein he’s holding on hand back to the tall basket where they belong, brought to the house courtesy by Dawn.

“That I can perfectly understand. By the way, do you know that Puffskeins possess long tongues inside their mouths?” Dawn asked as she picked up the Puffskeins she stacked back to the basket.

“Yes, of course. Which, in my opinion, is the only unfortunate flaw these adorable creatures have.” Perseus agreed as he witnessed Dawn placing the basket back to her inventory by vanishing it. “Speaking of Puffskeins, I just remembered a potion project involving their hair...”

“Is there anything I can help you with?” Dawn asked, her attention now focused solely at the long-haired wizard.

“Perhaps...what about you help me by becoming my potion tester?” Perseus stared at the girl in blue with a pleading look.

“What?”

“I needed someone for an experimental potion I brewed weeks ago, it should be still fresh enough to be safety consumed.”

“If I recall, Puffskein fur is an essential ingredient at brewing potions that instill uncontrollable laughing, and did you just make that?”

“I did, and don’t worry about it working too well if it works, I had also obtained some Glumbumble treacle to counteract its effects if it works."

“Substance that brings melancholy if consumed?”

“Exactly.”

“And if it didn’t work?”

“They I’ll have to improvise the formula for the potion instead.”

“...no more potion test with me for the next week.” Dawn suggested. “And just a friendly reminder — I am very resistant to most potions!”

“Deal.”

The two proceeded to march towards the lab.

Chapter Text

“This should be the potion you talked about, right?” Dawn asked as she stared at the purple substance inside the potion she’s carrying with her right hand. “Because, as far as I remember, potions that induce laugher should has a more cheerful color, instead of something as dull as this, like poison.”

“It is poison for those who hate laugher, but it’s not like you hate laugher of all things, right?” Perseus is now holding a notebook on one hand, with the other hand holding a quill, ready to write down the results.

“In a way, you are right. Anyway, you ready with the Glumbumble treacle?” Dawn asked, just in case.

“Ready as ever.” Perseus pointed at the black substance contained in a small glass tray with the quill on his hand.

“Very well,” Dawn looked at the potion with a worried expression, as she sipped the potion. “Will this amount sufficient?”

“It’s only an experimental potion, so a little amount will suffice,” Perseus nodded. “So, how are you feeling?”

“I feel...” Dawn is about to express her current feel towards the potion, but just as she was about to do that...

Nothing.

Absolutely nothing.

No emotion remained.

“...nothing. As in, I can’t feel anything at all.” Dawn stared at the ground with a blank expression. “I think it has something to do with my powers shutting up my emotions as a defense mechanism.”

“...are you hurt?” After writing the results on his notebook, Perseus immediately put them away as he tried comforting his friend.

“...it won’t last, just a week to recover, give or take,” Dawn replied tersely. “Let’s end this for the day.”

“...very well.” Perseus held one of Dawn’s shoulder with his hand, giving a look he’s about to cry. “...sorry.”

“Accidents happens, so don’t feel too bad about it,” Dawn waved her hand neglectfully. “I had worse.”

Well, that certainly didn’t work at all, based on Perseus’ unchanged look.

Still, having someone to be cared of feels wonderful, even if the potion’s effects dulling the warm, fuzzy feeling on her chest.

The two then left the lab for the rest of the day.

Chapter Text

As the week passed, Dawn is finally able to experience both positive and negative emotions again, once the potion no longer locks her into an emotional lockdown state. She is very glad that she can finally feel something at all, or it would be ‘as boring as a piece of stone’ as she described.

The other thing is that Perseus decided not to test his potions with Dawn again, or at least for a while, given that she had to stop feeling anything at all to prevent the potion’s effects working, and she couldn’t turn it off on her own.

Today, in the afternoon, as Dawn stayed at the house, reading Le Grimore as usual, Perseus came back with a bag of herbs, ready to test their properties, magical or not. With a simple acknowledgment to each other, the latter went downstairs to his lab to begin his experiments.

As hours went by, Dawn felt Perseus’ necklace she gave him released the warning signal to help him again. But what could one would be in trouble inside a magically heavily warded house? Perhaps it had something with the bag of herbs he came back with earlier?

Anyway, a simple check wouldn’t hurt much, as Dawn thought to herself and went downstairs, and she is immediately greeted with a wizard somehow choking on the floor, his hand holding his neck, despite clearly not strangled by anything at all.

Dawn scanned around the surroundings and she found the culprit behind this — some green herbs in the shape of rat tails — undoubtedly known as Gillyweed, a magical herb that allows one to breath underwater...with the unfortunate secondary effects of making one losing their ability to breath on land.

So the next thing she knew what must be done, is to immediately use her blue door to take a shortcut to the lake next to the woods, and jumped into the lake with the suffocating wizard without hesitation.

As the both of them floated in the waters of the lake, Perseus took a few, deep breaths, before finally petted Dawn’s head as a sign of gratitude, as he tried to speak something in return. Too bad the moment he tried to spoke, only bubbles came out from his mouth instead, so Dawn took out a waterproof board to communicate instead, with a waterproof pen to add.

This is why you don’t just try herbs on yourself without knowing its properties — what if it’s poisonous? Dawn wrote, as she offered the board to the confused man, after she showed him the message.

Sorry, and how do you know the way to fix whatever it had done to me? Perseus asked on the board.

I didn’t. I simple put you underwater to allow you to breathe, and that’s exactly what it does, at the cost of the ability to breathe on land. Dawn explained. Right now, there are good news and bad news for you, and by my tradition, I’ll start with the bad new first — you have an hour to wait until it’s effects wore off.

Perseus dour face upon reading Dawn’s message speaks it all.

The good news is that you beat Elladora  Ketteridge for discovering its magical properties by accident as well, for two centuries ahead. You should record this in your notebook once all of this is over.

Perseus simple gave a look that screams ‘Which doesn’t help out current situation!’.

Oh, and one more thing — do you want to name it something other than Gillyweed? That’s how it was supposed to be named at, but with you discovered it before someone else did, you can name it with a different name.

Do you have anything to neutralized this ‘Gillyweed’s’ effects? Perseus simple wrote.

None, as far as I knew. Good thing I have a book that tells all kinds of stories to kill time, before the herb’s effects wear off.

Guess I don’t have another choice but to wait, and how do you breathe in underwater in the first place?

I already told you at the beginning — special properties different than most people.

Alright. Perseus decided not to push on the question.

The two then spent the next hour reading underwater with the waterproof tome.

Chapter Text

Once the herb’s effects wore off, as water enters my body naturally again, Dawn slowly took me out of the waters as I grasped for air, as she brought me on land, and I couldn’t help but kissing Mother Land and sworn not to take in random herbs again without knowing it’s effects, as the girl next to me gave an understandably disgusted look at my indigent actions.

Good thing is that I can still walk by my own, as I am far from exhausted, as we two returned to our home, which as I remembered as I collect herbs regularly around these woods, isn’t too far away from here.

And the first thing I knew and did is to fell on my bed and immediately fell asleep.

By the time I finally woke up, I wasn’t greeted with the girl that I am always familiar with, but two girls with matching raven hair and obsidian eyes and yellow skin, that certainly doesn’t belongs to people who live around here. The two of them wearing the same set of blue suits in short skirts (which is odd to me, for I remembered that men usually wore short skirts than women do, especially in Scotland). The only difference between them is that the left one from my perspective has two hair buns tied into the shape of trinity knots I saw a lot in certain knot magic, with the right one has a long intertwined braid that almost reaches her rear, with the braid’s end tied up into a symbol of infinity.

“Morning, Perry!” The one with buns waved and called to me loudly, her voice boomed into my ears and causing them ringing.

“Would you like to have some breakfast?” The one with a braid asked politely, staring at me with an oddly (to me) motherly look.

Instinct told me to fetch my wand and be on guard against strangers, which I did with a non-verbal and wandless Summoning Charm, which while tires me a lot, worked. As the two girls looked at the wand flying towards me, they don’t seemed to be alarmed at all, just giving me amazed looks.

“I didn’t know you can do non-verbal wandless magic! Wonderful!” The one with buns cheered.

“Indeed, perhaps we underestimated your true magical potential, or perhaps you never bother discovering that on your own...” The one with a braid seemed to be absorbed within her thoughts.

“Who are you two and how did you entered my house?!” I shouted at the loudest volume I could muster up, which admittedly, isn’t much.

“Aww, Perry, we simple took a different form, and this is how you treat us in return?” The one with buns accused in a clearly hurt tone.

“On the positive side, it’s good to see you retained the decent awareness against strangers, or should the real intruders came here, you are as good as dead,” The one with a braid nodded as she tilted her head. “In case you didn’t know, Perry, it’s us, Dawn, in a different form, or forms, in this case.”

Perseus merely gave the dumbest he’d ever had, before tucking himself into the bed with the sheets tightly, with a tint of embarrassed shade of red not left unnoticed over his face.

“We’ll give you some time to recover, if you still aren’t used to our other forms. By the way, we too have other names when we look like this, so don’t bother trying to name us ‘Dawn 1’ or “Dawn 2’ or something like that,” The one with a braid commented. “I am Riena, by the way, and this is Zinna.” She pointed to the other girl with buns.

“Nice to meet you!” Zinna waved as she greeted cheerfully. “Your breakfast is on the study desk!”

Perseus merely nodded in acknowledgment, signing the girls to give him some space, as she two understood and left.

“Say, should we try the challenge of Puffskein stacking for the day? Just like we did a few days ago!” Zinna suggested.

“That would be interesting, Zinna.” Riena replied, as the two left the house for today’s adventure. “Speaking of our favourite wizard, don’t you think his body temperatures is still too cold for someone who is alive?”

”Yep, it’s a bit too cold for me too, but we had already done all the things we needed to do to fix that, so now all we needed to do is to wait and see.” Zinna assured. “Sometimes, I still worry he didn’t eat as much as he was supposed to, considering that his skin is still barely covering his bones…”

”Perhaps certain things just won’t change easily, and…” Riena pondered. “…do you think we are really treating him as a friend, or just a pet or fun?”

”But Perry is human, and humans are not pets!” Zinna exclaimed. “But what exactly is the difference of treating a pet and helping a human? I just don’t know…”

”Neither do I, Zinna. Neither do I.”

Chapter Text

As Zinna and Riena finally finished the Puffskein stacking challenge — with a whopping 100 in total — they returned to the house and found Perseus to be less restless towards the twins than before, who finally accepted the two of them as ‘trustworthy’ at best, as the next day arrived.

Normally, it should be a fine day as usual for potion making to Perseus, except that today’s weather is hot, much, much hotter than usual, to the point that even Perseus, who usually brew potions in his basement lab, feels the heat. So he simply called it a day by not making potions instead, and preserved them, along with all the potion ingredients, with a preservation spell (something he learnt from Dawn, who got it from somewhere else), as most potions are temperature-sensitive, and extreme weather is one of the least ideal periods to brew a potion.

For the twins (who still refused to become one again to help Perseus adapting their other forms), on the other hand, any changes of the weather itself is nothing to them, as they can survive in nearly any unusual weather anywhere, be it high or low temperatures or acid rain, or even the outer space itself, thanks to their special properties.

When they were sitting at the living room, happily discussing what to do next, they saw Perseus coming out from the lab and walking towards them, the twins shared a warm smile over their faces.

“You came!” “Is there anything we can help you?” Zinna and Riena both happily chirped as they spoke at the same time.

“Nothing particular at the moment, but thank you both of your concern anyway,” Perseus replied politely. “Still, it would be ideal to have something to lower our temperature for the day, if you don’t mind my request.”

“Not at all!’ Zinna is the first to response. “But for starters, we won’t be swimming again, especially ever since the experience you tried Gillyweed without knowing it’s effects.”

“And I highly doubt there’s any public facilities to cool people down around here.” Riena nodded in agreement. “Which is why we’ll use the direct way to lower your temperature through, all the while we enjoy the taste they bring as well!”

“...Why’d I had a bad feeling about this?” Pursues shuddered, unwilling to process whatever the twins had in their minds at the moment.

“Don’t worry, Perry! It’s a completely normal method for everyone to cool themselves down! Except that right now, not everybody can gain access to this method, that’s because...” Zinna stopped as she took out a small machine and a large cube of ice. “Right now, not every person in the world can obtain ice at hot times easily, when it’s now merely a privilege to certain people!”

Perseus gulped at the sight at the rather large ice cube — twice the size of any of the twins — they’re not trying to shove that to his throat to ‘cool him down’, right?

Chapter Text

“If you are thinking that we’ll be shoving that straight down your throat, then you are wrong,” Riena explained. “Because it’s much easier to be consumed when it’s in smaller pieces, like this, “As Riena added, Zinna already placed the ice cube on the table, as the former placed took out a metal hammer and chisel. “And even then, we’ll need to make it small enough to be able to place it inside the machine, for this.” With a single strike, a moderate-sized ice, just big enough to be placed inside the machine, fell off the large block of ice, as Zinna put the smaller ice inside the machine. “Don’t forget to use a container to keep the shaved ice! Oh, and Perry? I suggest you staying back and cover your ears, with your hands or magic if necessary.”

“Without doubt!’ Zinna enthusiastically answered, as she ran to the kitchen, found some wooden bowls, and placed one of them at the one end of the machine, before started cranking the bar and shaving the ice. Perseus, on the other hand, merely stepped back, as he prepared to protect his ears for the worst.

As the machine worked, the noise it made isn’t as bad as the twins claimed, but still large enough to gain a person’s attention, and it didn’t take too long for a bowl of shaved ice to be completed.

“So, Perry, what’s your preferred flavor for your shaved ice? Strawberry is the classic, while mango is the most popular flavor of all time. But if you have any other preferences, feel free to spell it out.” Riena asked as she chipped out another smaller block of ice.

“I’ll...I’ll try rhubarb instead, because I’d never heard of strawberry or mango, and rhubarb isn’t so bad as an ingredient for dessert.” Perseus made his choice.

With a nod, Riena took out a bottle of red sauce, and squeezed its contents out, coating the bowl of shaved ice into a small mountain of crimson red. “You should try strawberry and mango someday, they aren’t so bad in terms of their flavors.”

“Well, to be honest, fruit isn’t exactly a necessity to be for daily life, it’s a luxury for festivals...” Perseus meekly mentioned.

“Then I’ll bring you some should you have time to taste them! I’m sure you won’t regret it!” Zinna clapped her hands as she spoke. “And don’t eat too fast on the ice — that gives you a freeze brain!”

Perseus nodded as he took a spoonful of shaved ice with rhubarb sauce...it immediately kicked in his flavor buds — sour, sweet and savory, they all came into one place, somewhat singing in harmony, as the ice balanced the sweetness and the sourness of the syrup itself.

He indulged the shaved ice intently for the next minutes, while the twins consumed theirs with different syrups, within a few minutes, the large ice cube is all but consumed into the stomachs of the three people inside the house.

Once they finished their desserts, Perseus is the first one to speak: “It was great to eat them in occasions, even it’s simply solid water. Still, I wouldn’t mind to consume them again at a later time, should the weather becomes unbearable again.” With a wave of his wand, the now-empty wooden bowls flew straight to the kitchen, as the utensils washed themselves with magic.

“That’s nice to hear from you.” The twins wiped their own mouths with their hankies, as Perseus wiped his own. “Do you want to try something else? As in, doing something?”

“Actually, I do have an idea right in my head...”

Chapter Text

Recently, Dawn (now combined back into one) discovered that Perseus’ social skills is improving, not courtesy like what he learnt as a pureblood, but basic, decent communication he did with other Hogsmeade shop owners, mostly done in order to obtain potion ingredients for potion inventions. She also wondered if he’ll become a great poioneer that surpasses the likes of Zygmunt Budge or even Linfred of Stinchcombe, with the former not even born yet, and the latter being more famous as the founder of the famous Potter family, due to his reputation at planting magical herbs in his garden, while his non-magical neighbors simply assumed them as ‘funny plants’, which, from their perspective, isn’t too far from the truth. All of this is even possible because of her choosing to save the wizard’s life, instead of simply leaving him to his fate, and fading in the passages of time, just like most pureblood families eventually did.

Just as she continue to ponder for more, she heard a huge ‘thud’ from the study. Another experiment gone wrong, perhaps?

Anyway, it’s time to save Perseus as usual.

This time, he’s entirely encased with a green jelly-ish substance, no, really. With him seemingly swimming inside the the substance itself, with his mouth closed to keep the substance entering in it, or, rather, to be accurate, he’s more like flailing both of his arms helplessly instead of swimming, as he waved them more vigorously upon the sight of the girl in blue.

Dawn touched the jelly-ish substance. Not the best way to inspect an unknown substance you have no idea of, especially if you are an ordinary human, because certain unknown substances could’ve eaten your flesh away like acid, or in worse case scenario, go after you like a predator, if it’s alive.

Thankfully, the substance doesn’t react to outside stimulation, nor it possess acidic properties, at least at the outside, that’s it, as Dawn doesn’t feel being harmed from the unknown substance. Still, any normal person would not survive from being stuck inside any substance that does not provide sufficient oxygen, and Dawn won’t let that happen to Perseus.

So she took out a simple, black katana, pulls out the blade from its sheath, cut the slimy substance with several strokes that is too fast to be caught with naked eyes, and instantly putting it back in the sheath as soon as she’s done. And the jelly-like substance dropped onto the ground, now cut into pieces, in which they didn’t reformed. All the while Perseus coughed out some green stuff that is identical to the one that just enveloped him, as he took a few deep breaths, glad to be alive again.

“You need to stop getting yourself from trouble with all these experiments,” Dawn commented. “What is it for this time?”

“Mixture of Bundimun Secretion and a new potion I am testing.” Perseus coughed as he cleared his throat. “Pity that the potion didn’t worked out as I intended."

“And what are you trying to brew this time?”

“A potion that creates portable, cleaning substance that will only clean the intended targets, and based on what was left of them, that didn’t worked as well.” Perseus replied as he looked at the evaporated green substance with pity, while being glad that his failed experimental potion didn’t corrode any parts of his house.

“So one can carry and store them more easily than the typical potions used to clean up the house, am I right?”

“Exactly. Got that idea from all the shaved ice you made last time.”

“Do you think that you have put too much ingredients that caused such an unusual reaction that destroys its original property?"

“Possibly, and thank you as always.”

“No problem.” Dawn nodded.

“Speaking of which, what is that weapon you just used to free me from the diabolical stuff I just created? I haven’t seen such a thin blade ever. Is that a muggle weapon?”

“Yeah, it’s a katana, and you won’t be seeing it anywhere around here, ‘cause it’s made from Japan, or Giapan as first being introduced to the West.”

“Ah, the place where Mahoutokoro is located at.” Perseus nodded. “I heard about that place, recently built to avoid muggles and any potential threat against them, like, at the top of a volcanic mountain of all places! I mean, I bet it won’t survive that long without renovating to somewhere else safer, for Merlin’s sake!’

“Then you are likely to be proven to be wrong, because that magical school will still be running, even centuries later in the future,” Dawn remarked in a dry tone. “Besides, they got all the experience to survive against terrible geology hazards, so it’s nothing new for them to build buildings at places with lots of earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.”

“Ah.” Perseus decided not to argue further over that topic. “In that case, may I examination your ‘kanata’, as you previously mentioned?”

Chapter Text

“This is truly a finely made blade with such a long length...” Perseus examined the katana with awe. “I’ve never known that one can forge a sword to such thin but sharp level, too bad it won’t be effective to pierce against armored foes...”

“On the positive side, it makes a fine blade over cutting fruit,” Dawn joked. “Besides, this is junk compared to my top-tier equipment, just a vessel for a greater blade to be forged.”

Perseus gulped and shuddered at the thought of Dawn's ‘top-tier’ blade she could use against unimaginable enemies, with the possibility of ’severing mountains into halves’ being it’s minimum of it’s capacity, of all things.

“Still, I didn’t know that you are that interested into muggle weapons. I mean, aren’t you a wizard? You could’ve simply fired an AK and then your enemies drop dead one the ground, right?” Dawn questioned.

“Well, for starters, I was never good at using AK, since I never got the heart to use it. Besides, my family likes to collect trophies of their fallen muggle enemies, such as broken muggle weapons,” Perseus explained. “Not to mention they like to use some of them in ‘The Room’ if they wanted to, with me being their unfortunately favorite all-time.”

“By ‘The Room’, you mean a torture room, right?”

Perseus didn’t verbally replied against the question, but a meek nod from him is all Dawn needed to confirm her guesses. Perhaps she should try giving them a taste of their own torture devices should she got the time to do so... Dawn pondered as she put back the blade into her inventory.

“Just...one more thing. May I take a look at your best katana you have?”

“So long you don’t try anything stupid, such as touching the blade, you can look all over it as you wish.” Dawn said as she took out the Usumidori R from the inventory.

The blade is much, much longer than the previous katana, which would make the shorter blade a toothpick in comparison. Not to mention its grader colors, in contrast with the black, dull blade Dawn used earlier, which consists of the main blade and sheath in crimson blood color, with brilliant gold decorating all around the katana — from its guard in the shape of a typical sword, with both of it’s ends in the shape of a pair of small handheld fans, to its pommel decorated with a burning wheel, and the sheath mostly decorated with intertwined flames — all in the fine, luxurious color of gold.

All Perseus can do is to look at the gorgeous blade with a confounded look, his hands holding each other to resist the urge of touching the blade, as told off by Dawn herself. “If the last one is a fine blade, then this is the work of a true master — a blade that earned the title of being a masterpiece.” He commented.

“Thanks, and if you want to complement that fine ‘master’ who forged the blade, then you can do that right here.” Dawn smirked as she pointed at herself.

“...I always forget that you never failed to offer me surprises,” Perseus awkwardly said as he scratched his head. “In fact, I am starting to understand why Godric would chose to fight with his sword, instead of simply using magic, which is why...”

“What?”

“I think it won’t hurt me for learning a few muggle tricks of their own weapons.”

Chapter Text

My name is Perseus Thorn, and now I am collecting mushrooms in the forest next to my house. Right now, I had collected some death caps, webcaps, skullcaps, dapperlings, and some milk-caps, all known to be lethal if consumed.

You may now think that I am an assassin for knowing so much about these deadly fungi, and collecting them at the moment, but in fact — I am not — I am actually a wizard instead, and many poisonous mushrooms are essential ingredients in many potion-brewing, be them dangerous or not. Yes, it may be hard to be believed, but I really am one, it’s just that I don’t need to use my magic to collect them right away, considering that most of them grow in unconventional places, and I had just finished collecting the last one for the day.

By the way, is it me, or the necklace I am currently wearing is glowing brighter than usual?

“~~~”

Now it’s time to call it a day and return.

“~~~”

Wait, is that someone calling me?

“~~~”

It’s...over...there?

“~~~”

As I walked to the source of the voice, I felt my entire body becoming more and more numb, my breath remained stable, but I felt more and more weightless, as if I lost control of myself... but why do I felt wonderful and safe?

Then, as the light feeling overwhelmed me, my eyelids became too heavy for me to handle as I fainted.

When I woke up, I found myself no longer at the forest I am familiar with. Instead, I found myself awoke at a rather broad flower fields, with petals flowing through the gentle breeze, the warm temperature like the burning fire in a hearth...

“Perseus...”

A voice called to me, not Dawn’s, but someone else’s. My family? An enemy I am unaware of, or...Ellie?

“Perseus...”

I turned to face the source of the voice, and found myself staring at a pitch black, humanoid figure from the far distance.

I tried walking towards the figure to see it better, but before I can do that, I felt a firm grasp at my right arm wrist.

“Found you!"

It’s Dawn, with a bright smile on her face, as she always do.

I looked at the girl in blue in confusion, as I looked back at the figure at far.

I tried to walk towards the figure with Dawn on my side, but she won’t allow me, as she gave me a sad look. “No.” is all she said.

The figure began to whisper something.

“I am hurt, Perseus...please come here and save me...please...”

It is Ellie’s voice, without doubt.

But why...I felt that there’s something wrong?

So I trust Dawn and turned away from the figure. She definitely know what to do at this odd situation.

She gave me a big hug as I kneed to match her small stature, as she glared at the figure, extended her index finger from her right hand, and then shooting azure flames from the tip of her finger at the figure, toasting the figure to non-existence.

The figure screamed in agonizing pain as it disappeared.

And then, once again, I can feel nothing as my conscious faded away.

Chapter Text

“Hey, Perry. You really should be awake for now, or I’ll eat all the tasty biscuits I had just made for you on my own!” Dawn demanded and nearly screamed at the man sleeping serenely on the bed as he remained unmoving, with her holding the man’s right wrist, as she sat on a chair to be next to the man, as the wizard slowly opened his eyes.

“Where..am I? And...Dawn?” Those are the first words Perseus spouted out as he turned to face the girl in blue.

“Look, everything will be fine, I mean, I even helped you retrieving those mushrooms you almost left at the forest!” Dawn patted at the man as she pointed at a basket of dangerous mushrooms, sitting silently on the table. “Are you absolutely fine?”

“I think I will be...” Perseus tried to get up, only to found himself too  physically drained to do so. “...or not. So what happened?”

“You don’t remember? Really? I mean, you just tried to walk off a cliff of all things! And you weren’t even trying to use magic at all to at least try saving yourself!” Dawn gave a very light tap at Perseus’ head with her finger. “So here’s my question to answer your question — what were you thinking?!”

“I did?!” The wizard is genuinely surprised. “Because all I remembered is that I somehow ended up at a rather broad flowery meadow, with you and a shady figure at far...”

“Oh, it’s all about perspective, I guess?” Dawn scratched her head, looking embarrassed. “Then allow me to explain, Perry — some evil spirits almost got you, tricked you going off a cliff, and nearly claiming your soul to the world beyond, should I didn’t interfered!”

“Ah...” Perseus face is now drained of all color. “It appears this will be another add to my extremely long list of life debts to you. Anyway, once again thank you for saving me. And sorry for getting myself into trouble.”

“Don’t be,” Dawn waved neglectfully. “They are cunning, and this is merely one of the many parlor tricks they could do to harm the living, because of jealousy, because they couldn’t live like we do anymore, because they wasted theirs, so they took their hatred out on the living instead,” She puffed her cheeks as she explained. “Speaking of which, shouldn’t your necklace warned you about impending dangers ahead like this one? Or did I never mentioned to you before?”

“It can do that?” Perseus asked dumbfounded. At least that explained the glow from the necklace he’d seen back there.

“I never told you about that? My bad then.” Dawn gave an embarrassed look, as she took out a basket of biscuits. “Here, eat them, your soul must be drained after contacts with evil spirits like that — they can drain yours by simply being close to you, as they nearly got you.”

Perseus just nodded as his slowly got his upper body up from the bed to eat the biscuits better. That also explains why he is now unusually tired, despite the previous outdoor activity consisted nothing but collecting mushrooms, and he wasn’t doing that in a hurry. The biscuits are filled with butter, as Perseus ate one, it’s flavor possibly better than the ones made by the house elves back in the Prince mansion.

It’s great to have a friend to know everything you need, and help you with everything they can provide.

Chapter Text

“So where exactly are we going?”

“You’ll eventually know.”

After the incident involving ‘bad things’, a few days later, the wizard decided to take the girl in blue to a ‘special place’ for a ‘special event’. While she is a bit wary the two of them getting into trouble again, she decided to trust him, as equally as prepared she is as usual.

It is evening, and they took around ten minutes to arrive at a familiar lake in the middle of the forest Perseus mostly visit for rare herbs he doesn’t possess yet, while he uses the Herbivicus Charm to grow the more common ones for potion brewing and experiments.

“Wait, isn’t this the lake we jumped in when you accidentally ate the Gillyweed a while ago?” Is the first thing that came out of Dawn’s mouth, the moment she arrived here.

“I know, but the lake isn’t the centre piece of tonight’s special event, just wait and see, and you’ll know what do I mean.” Perseus put his right index finger up to his lips, as he replied mysteriously.

After it took what it seemed to be an eternity to wait, one by one, glowing, little objects like will-o-whips appeared in the middle of the air, in which upon closer inspection revealed them to be none other than harmless Glow Bugs. The sheer amount of them illuminated the lake and the forest like stars over a clear night sky.

A perfect place and time for a date, or a confession.

Just kidding, he can’t have those ideas, right?

“Nice view,” Dawn complimented. “But where all of these Glow Bugs come from?”

“It just happened to be their mating season, and this lake just happened to be one of their mating spots, that I just discovered a few days ago.” Perseus explained.

“Got any ideas for any events?” Dawn asked as she looked at the floating bugs mingling one another.

“Now that you mentioned, I haven’t have any appropriate ideas on that...”

“I do, but first...” Dawn said as she sat down the grassy lake bank. “Would you mind if we simply sat down and watch the sight together?” She smiled to Perseus.

“Not at all.” Perseus smiled back, as he sat next to Dawn, leaning at the smaller girl.

The two of them stayed in this pose as they watched the wonderful sight, letting time flow as freely as always.

Chapter Text

As the two of them got stiff from each other’s leaning, they laid down onto the grassy plains as their eyelids became heavier and heavier. Still, a lake in the middle of a forest isn’t the best place for a nap, especially when where’s carnivorous creatures, magical or non-magical, lurking in the dark.

“It’s almost midnight, while the Glow Bugs will remain here until the sun rises. Perhaps it’s time for us to leave.” Perseus pointed out. “Or do you have something else in you mind? to do?”

“As a matter of fact, I do.” Dawn gave a playful grin to the wizard. “Follow me.” She took one of Perseus’ hands as she led him to the lake.

“Wait, I can’t swim!” Perseus protested. “And I am not going down there with you. at anytime!”

“No worries. We aren’t swimming with the fishes under the lake.” Dawn explained. “In fact, we are doing something that would make Jesus proud!”

“You mean that Jesus Christ? I knew him to be a wizard that loves Muggles and excelled in the arts of healing, in which he used them to help them centuries ago.” Perseus opened his mouth wide as he asked. “I read that in one of the the wizarding world history books in my former family's library storage.”

“Wait. Jesus Christ is a wizard?” Dawn asked back. “Then again, this is the magical world, so...never mind.”  She muttered as she continued walking towards the lake. “Then I am sure you are familiar with his miracle with one of his followers.”

“Well, I am mostly familiar with his healing abilities, but not so much with the rest of his magical abilities...” Perseus gulped as he walked with Dawn.

“Then you’ll learn as you trust me on this.” Dawn smiled confidently, now her feet touched the surface of the gentle lake, as ripples formed from her steps. Instead of her feet sinking into the deeps of the water as one expected, her feet remained standing still on solid water as she continued walking on water. The texture is like walking on solid ice, except the ice is also constant moving and shifting like its liquid counterpart.

Perseus held his tight grip on Dawn to keep himself from falling into the watery depths of the lake, as the two walked and walked, until they reached at the middle of the lake, over the water but not in the mid-air nonetheless.

“Care a dance with me, over the lake?” Dawn greeted courtly to the wizard.

“So long I do not fall into the lake.” Perseus replied cautiously.

“Have faith into me, and you will stay safe.” Dawn said as she began leading Perseus to their dance together.

Spins, steps, small hops with their heels, their hands spread wide as they take their dance steps over the watery floor, like they’re the absolute centre piece of a ball, where everyone else are too stunned to continue their dance with their parters, even if said ball consisted of a mere two dancers. The stage illuminated by countless Glow Bugs, in the forest under the clear but starless dark sky.

The two of them kept dancing until they were too tired to dance on as they returned home.

Chapter Text

Experiment [DATA REDIRECTED]:

Daily quota contact with███met.

███used Patronus Charm that produced Patronus in the shape of a butterfly.

Attempt of copying the charm successful.

Unexpected devolvement between conjured butterflies occurred — [REDIRECTED]

Experiment is to be delayed until more stable results are to be conducted.

Chapter Text

It’s another day where Dawn decided to remain at home and read the latest stories across the multiverses, with the power of Le Grimore that is connected to the Sea of Souls and its vast information among all the worlds she can access to.

”What are you reading?” Perseus asked as he approached the girl in blue, the former just finished one of his many potion experiments.

”Just some revenge fantasy,” Dawn explained. “There’s simply too many evildoers at different places who got away from their crimes for their own selfish benefits, and it’s always satisfying to see them reduced to a sobbing mess as they faces their consequences of their own actions. I’m also highly interested and appealed at how the avengers delivered vengeance to the evildoers in the most…creative and ironic ways one can ever imagine.”

”May I…read it? Even just a little bit?” Perseus asked politely.

”Why yes, of course.” Dawn nodded as she handed the book to the wizard. “Still, I’d like to warn you that many of its content may cause your stomach to churn, you have be warned.”

Perseus nodded back as he began reading the first chapter of the book’s contents, ready for the worst.

He wasn’t readied enough.

”I’d never expected people can be this cruel…they’d make my former family look cuddly in comparison…” Perseus’ already pale face went completely blank once he’s done with the book. “But I can’t understand how the female main character can simply retry her life and use her newly gained powers to take revenge against her former family and became the most powerful person in the world…and simply crush anyone who don’t agree with her ideals or simply aren’t on her side, all actions done without the clear difference of a tyrant…”

”That I agree with you, and the worst part of the ending is that she simply became the goddess of the new world, rewrite reality and create a new timeline, all to continue her torment against her former tormentors in the new world she created, if killing most of them in the previous timeline isn’t enough.” Dawn nodded in agreement. “The dragonslayer becomes the dragon at the end indeed. By the way, this is just a bad example of a revenge fantasy. Because the better ones includes how to take revenge with an extra dose of irony and holding the higher moral ground at the same time, and without those things, the revenge fantasy is as good as a busted one.”Dawn then remembered something. “Do you need me to remove your memories about this story, if it makes you few better?” She asked Perseus.

”I…thank you. But I knew the tragedies happened in the book will never happen to be anymore, because I have you on my side, and I am fortunate to have you on my side.” Perseus parted the girl in blue’s head.

”My pleasure.” Dawn smiled, as another normal between the two ‘normal’ people passed.

Chapter Text

“It’s been a while for the both of us visiting the local non-magical settlements, isn’t it?” Dawn asked as she led Perseus walk around the quite village.

“It is, Dawn.” Perseus agreed with the girl in blue.

Today is a day where Perseus ran out of ideas over potion invention, so he decided to walk out with Dawn to get some inspiration. He remembered how much muggles feared magic like the plague that stroke a decade ago, so he 

“Speaking of the non-magical folk, how is your business over them? Did the potions you sell to them help them?” Dawn asked, as the idea came up to her mind.

“It is working.” Perseus replied with a small smile.

“Good!” Dawn gave a bright smile. “Still, keep in mind that most people around here associate anything that charms people with witchcraft, and that is a guarantee trip for you to the gallows or a stake.!” She warned, which Perseus gladly nodded in obligation.

“Hi there, you two!” Someone just called Dawn and Perseus in their way, and they met a short man in blonde hair, with a tacky leather clothing to boot, who waved at them. “Fancy for some witch hunting, do you?”

“What?” Dawn asked back in a suppressed tone, that barely passed as a calm one, while feeling the tight grip from the wizard next to him.

“Oh, pardon me for not introducing myself!” The weird man tipped at the other two people. “I am Lockhart the Magnificent! Best witch hunter around here who never misses the mark!” He gave a goofy smile to the other two people around here, which somehow had the effect of blinding them in the metaphorical sense.

“I sense no magic flowing out of him, so it’s safe to say he’s a muggle.” Perseus whispered to Dawn’s ear.

Well, clearly being an idiot is in the blood, and I highly doubt he can actually detect our magic at all. Dawn thought as she relaxed internally. “Well then, Mr. witch hunter, do you have any advices against evil witches, if I ask?”

“Absolutely!” He smiled back, but Dawn doesn’t like his smile at all. “Keep a hammer in your bag for all the time, and hammer the wicked witches’ footprints they pasted by, and they won’t have magic no more to harm the innocents!”

As if that actually worked! And that’s not even accounting his magical descendant I knew about. Dawn nodded as she thanked the man for courtesy. “Thank you, Mr. Lockhart. And keep an eye to your neighborhood, would you?”

“Or course I will! Good day!” He grinned at the duo one last time as he walked pass through them. Once the two of them couldn’t saw that idiot furthermore, they finally sighed in relief.

“Now you know how most non-magical witch hunters are like, they are more of a weird person with an odd hobby to add, than an actual expert who knew everything and anything at all.” Dawn explained.

“He still scared me.” Perseus spoke with the slightest terror in his voice.

“I am here, so you have nothing to worry about.” Dawn reassured the taller man in white. “Come, let’s go home with your Apparition. Better to do that in a well-hidden spot, like in the woods.”

“I know.” He said as he led the girl in blue to the woods, as they returned home with a ’snap’.

Chapter Text

You can practically ask Dawn, the the transmigrator between world anything, almost anything, that’s it, and mood slime is one of the many things she can offer.

For those who don’t know what is it, it’s a substance that reacts, and can be charged from outside emotions, emitted by other beings capable of expressing emotions. If it’s charged of positive emotions, then it provides locomotion abilities towards inanimate objects, or simply overloading sentient beings with positive emotions. If it’s charged with the negative ones, then vice versa, and generally, bad things happens, most of the time, and Dawn just gave a sample or two of these slime to Perseus, who wanted something he never discovered as part of his potion experiments, with the latter currently succeed in brewing a potion that was meant to enhance one’s ability to sense their personal emotions, which he dubbed it ‘Vibe Potion”.

Unlike Love Potions, this potion doesn’t cause them to love the brewer, but instead cause them to be more susceptible over losing control over their own emotions, which shouldn’t work against Occlumens, in theory, that’s it. Which is why he asked Dawn to be his lab rat, despite the former had been using actual lab rats (brought by Dawn no less) as targets over various experiments these days. Because his explanation to it is that ‘rats cannot provide an observable change over emotional alterations’. So Dawn rolled her eyes as she took it.

“Did it work?” The wizard asked.

“In terms of forcing my defense systems locking down my emotions for mental protection? Good enough. I still don’t know what you are going to do with this potion...”

“Hmm, perhaps to lighten other’s vibes, when they are in a terrible mood?”

“That’s a possibility, but if you actually want to try that in your next test, you should try charging the slime with happy vibes first, say, praising it as a semi-sentient object.”

“It can do that?”

“Yeah, you just noticed? How do you think it can react to outside emotional stimulation in the first place?”

“I have no idea...but thanks for your tip, anyway.”

“Glad to help you.”

Hopefully, the pink slime won’t hear any form of insults, or the results would be more than just messy. 

Chapter Text

It’s a beautiful day where Dawn stayed at the dining table of the house to spend time with Perseus, the both of them ready for some taste testing at the rather large and green jelly on the table, placed on a wooden plate, made by the latter no less. Well, mostly Dawn, at least.

“Where did you get this from?” Dawn, as usual, is the first one to question it.

“I made it.” Perseus replied tersely.

“Did you taste it first?” Dawn asked.

“Not yet, and that’s why you are here for.”

“Hey! What if it’s poisoned for people like you?” Dawn questioned with concern.

“Then I’ll simply vanish it. This is just one of the many experimental results I made.”

“...someday, you’ll have to give me some real compensation for that, I didn’t become your friend just to be your lab rat!”

“Sorry then, you can always refuse to try it if you don’t wish to.” Perseus looked down as he spoke.

“Still, is not like it can actually can poison me to death! I tried worse.”

“Why!” Perseus sounded horrified.

“Certain circumstances made me. Anyway, allow me.” With a wooden spoon she picked up on the table, placed previously by the wizard, she took a bit out of the jelly. It tastes like cough syrup.

“Is it good?” The wizard asked.

“...I prefer ones with a fruity flavor.”

“...very well.” Perseus vanished the pudding with a flick of wand. “Is there anything wrong with it?”

“Nah, as far as I know, it’s just tasted bad.” Dawn explained. “But that’s fine, because I have something great for the both of us!”

“What would that be?” Perseus asked.

“Allow me...” Dawn is taking something out of her inventory.

Chapter Text

“What exactly is this?” Perseus asked as he examined the drink Dawn pulled out.

 “I call it ‘The Leafstorm’, a drink literally made of fermented non-poisonous common leaves with bacteria! One that tastes like many soft drinks, or sweet drinks, for your question,” Dawn replied as she picked up her drink and is ready to drink it. “I already tested it many times at other places with other people and creatures, so don’t worry about it.” She added.

With a small sniff and taste of caution, Perseus drank the contents bit by bit, while Dawn one-shots it. The sweetness overwhelmed the wizard in no time, as something is about to burst out from his stomach, as he stopped drinking it as he gasped for breath.

“What was that?” He coughed as he asked, worried about his own safety.

“Mostly carbon dioxide, the amount of it inside your body is mostly safe, and that’s how most soft drinks like this works.” Dawn explained.

“...I don’t think I’ll ever be used to this, and I’ll stick with the drinks I currently drink.” Perseus wiped his mouth with a hanky as he expressed his opinion.

“Not polluted water, or wine, or potions you made all the time?” Dawn raised a brow as she questioned.

“Most of the potions I made for simple hydration has no additional effect!” Perseus protested indigently.

“And you already clearly said ‘most’,” Dawn facepalmed. “At least I have healthier and safer drinks for simple hydration purposes! Which is why I’ll give you this,” She offered a bottle. “Special bottle that generates 100% clean water indefinitely.” She explained.

“Without anything that hurts me?” Perseus is skeptic, as he examined the bottle. “What in the world is this made of? It doesn’t feels as heavy as glass...”

“Plastic, and It’s certainly a lot lighter than glass, that’s all you need to know for now,” Dawn explained. “Don’t lost it!”

“Thank you...” Perseus nodded as he took away the bottle. “And would you like to see a new spell I invented, if you have the time?”

“I can watch it any time you wish, I am still your friend, buddy.” Dawn smiled. “Say, now?”

“After we put away all the utensils on the table.”

“Okay!” Dawn said in a cheery voice as they did.

“So, what’s your new spell?” Dawn asked with shining eyes like stars on an empty sky at night, as she waited whatever surprise Perseus is ready for her.

“Watch carefully...” Perseus said as he casted the spell...

Chapter Text

As the wizard muttered the incantation, a swirl of water droplets began to gather into something small, smooth and solid. Slowly and steadily, it grew into the shape of a small sphere. As Perseus continued pointing his wand at the sphere, it became larger and larger, until he removed his wand at the ball as it is in the same shape as your typical crystal ball, which isn’t too far from the truth, as far as one simply observe it.

“Neat!” Dawn poked the crystal-like sphere, only for small cracks formed at the exact location she touched the ball, as it crumbled down into pieces, and disintegrated into nothingness. “Err...oops?”

“Hmm, allow me to try again,” Perseus chanted the spell again, and another identical crystal came into existence. He poked it with his wand, as it once too break down into nothing, “It appears that I need more modifications at this spell, before introducing it to the others...” He pondered.

“It’s a good try though! Considering that many wizards and witches can’t or simply don’t bother inventing a spell in their entire lives!” Dawn encouraged. “Still, what did you originally invent this spell for?”

“It’s a gift, for you. Once it’s truly finished, that’s it.” Perseus answered.

“That’s nice! Thanks!” Dawn beamed. “By the way, do you have a name for the spell itself?”

“I’ll call it... Aqua Crystallisatio.” said Perseus.

“Ohh, so it’s effective solidifying water in the air! But it doesn’t feels like touching ice, as I’ve tried. So it’s like collecting water and turning them into actual crystal, I guess?”

“Brilliant as ever, Dawn.” The wizard beamed back.

“Yeah, but there’s a reason Transfiguration is the hardest spell among all magic! Still, speaking of Transfiguration, I knew a spell with similar effects...”

Chapter Text

As Dawn leaned on the table, pointed the air with her index finger, a small snowflake formed from the middle of nothing. Then, its icy branches spread out as they extended, and they became longer and longer, and the snowflake became larger and larger, until it’s the size of its creator’s palm. “So, how do you think about this?”

“Impressive as ever,” The wizard praised. “Ma I touch it?”

“Sure.” Dawn handed the snowflake to Perseus, who began to examine it carefully. The magically conjured snowflake’s texture is a cold as one expected for touching ice. It consists of elaborate branches spread out in the shape of a hexagon, with smaller branches extending from the sideways of the main branches, and yet, somehow, the spike doesn’t cut the wizard’s palm or fingers.

“How long can this be preserved?” Perseus asked out of curiosity.

“As long as I wish, or exists.” Dawn replied with pride. “Still, don’t bother to perform experiments over this snowflake — I mean, after all, it’s still just your ordinary snowflake, for all it’s purposes, so there’s not much you can do with it.” With a snap of fingers, the snowflake disappeared as quickly as it was conjured.

“You didn’t learn this spell simply for entertainment nor decorative purposes, right? Considering that every spell exists for a reason.” Perseus wondered.

“You are right on the bat, buddy. The spell was supposed to be conjured into a much, much larger snowflake to freeze one’s enemies, or simply pierce them with sharp snowflake branches,” Dawn casually explained with a clear lack of concern. “And the only reason you aren’t hurt by this one is because I won’t let that happen to you.”

“Oh...” As he heard the explanation, Perseus immediately examined the hand he just used to pick up the crystal. Luckily and thankfully, no sign of frostbites, or even a scratch is found. “And is there a name for the spell? Perhaps I could learn from you?”

“It’s called ‘Diamond Dust’, and as for learning it, I am strongly against that, considering it’s requirement of using a large amount of magical energy, and you probably faint before successfully casting it, and you know well the damage an incomplete spell is capable of.” Dawn shook her head.

“A shame, then.” Perseus took out a hanky as he rubbed his hand that took direct contact with the snowflake previously, just in case. “Still, I am sure that you can at least provide tips at completing my spell, can’t you?”

“Of course I can! I can be a very good teacher, just so you know!” Dawn declared the statement with the proudest face she could ever made. “And to the lab as we improve it together!” She ran to the lab, one hand dragging Perseus as gentle as she could.

“Wait for me!” Despite the statement he said, Perseus isn’t concerned at Dawn accidentally harming him, because he trust her so much, as the two of them spent the rest of the day improvising the original spell he created.

Chapter Text

“...” Perseus is laying on his bed, with a clearing unamused look.

Apparently, somehow, the man in white and simple robes kept up working for three whole days for yet another experimental potion — this time in the nature of a physical enhancement, sold for muggles due to them mostly came up with strength to compensate of their lack of their magic (Under the name of ‘good medicine’), and Perseus is just this close to finish the potion, or at least one that should work, if his calculations over the ingredients, upon all the magic work he tried over the contents of the brewing cauldron, is indeed correct.

By the time Dawn found out this, the wizard is on the thin line to fainting, and she knew that Perseus certainly needed some decent sleep for his long-term health, before allowing him back to his work, before he goes down from fatal insomnia.

“You need to stop overworking yourself and get some sleep.” Dawn nagged as she covered the wizard with bedsheets.

“I can’t...I won’t...” Perseus tried to get out of the bed, only to be pushed back lightly by the girl in blue.

“You can’t sleep because of outside sources, or you won’t?” Dawn snarked. “You do know that you can literally die if you stopped sleeping for too long, do you?”

“just...one...more...project...” Perseus insisted, his eyes red with bloodshot. “one...more...”

“Look, if you sleep, even if just for once, you’ll be pretty much back to your work in no time. Besides, you can sleep in my special room where time won’t passes at all! Still, don’t be used to it, especially that’s very much not my room is used for!” Dawn suggested, as she stepped back from Perseus to give him some space.

“...you can do that? You mean it?” The wizard looked at Dawn with disbelief.

“With whatever sweet dreams you wished, along with the best bed you ever wanted, all in a package!” Dawn nodded as she added. “So, are you coming?”

“...let me see the room first.”

“Fair enough.”

“I’ve never expected there are so many choices of beds in the first place!” Perseus looked at the different types of beds shown on Dawn’s Le Grimore, now changed into a bed-choosing book for preference. “Still, it’s not like I really needed a bed in the first place, even before I came here, especially I am used to sleeping on hard floor...”

“Why would you sleep on hard floor if you can sleep on a bed?!” Dawn asked incredulously. “Wait, don’t tell me you were regularly punished by the Princes with that?!”

“How did you knew?” Perseus asked with clear shock.

“Good guess, and look, buddy. You won’t have to sleep on the floor, ever,” Dawn looked at Perseus with a fierce look, her anger certainly not directed at the wizard in the blue room. “If you really can’t pick one, then you can try my favorite choice of all time — the Fluffy Cloud! Which is what you certainly expected from it’s name!”

“...why would I want a soft bed? Shouldn’t beds are supposed to be hard?” Perseus asked back.

“Wait, why would beds be...wait...” Dawn tried to argue back, only to kept her mouth shut in time, before remembering that most medieval people (most peasants, at least) don’t sleep for a whole night, but instead wake up in the middle of the night, then going back to sleep until the next day comes. Not to mention they mostly sleep on piles of hay, because most of them don’t have the need of affording a bed in the first place.

Well, the customer is always right, as they say, so better stick with whatever they want. “In that case, here’s the section of hard beds, and I guarantee you that you can always find what you needed!” Dawn flicked the book to its next page, and it is completely filled with various tough beds in various materials and color. “I needed to, er, ‘communicate’ with my ‘friends’ for now!” She hurried entered a door made with bars.

The wizard merely focused on the book, until a picture of a certain made him smile.

Once the girl in blue came back, she found the wizard sleeping sounding with a smile, on a simple, wooden bed, one that is nothing but ordinary. Guess less is more in this particular case, right?

“Guess we won’t need to offer him further assistance, right?”

”We won’t, trickster. I see his dreams are nothing but sweetness overflowing out from it.” Hypnos, god of sleep, in the form of a handsome, young man with slight build in typical white, Greek clothes, his eyes covered with a blindfold, commented with a sweet smile.

“Good!, we shouldn’t bother him anymore.” Dawn nodded as she desummoned Hypnos, and left the room where Perseus is currently sleeping, to another room with nothing but blue walls and floor. “I was starting to worry if we need to cast a sleeping spell to help him sleep better, but those spells can be addictive in the long run, and I don’t want to harm him that way...” She summoned her trusty Le Grimore, as she began searching and reading it’s contents.

“Now, what should I do?” She asked as she flipped the pages in incredibly fast speed, one that is impossible by human standards, as she checked it’s contents as quickly as she can. “Speaking of which, I haven’t exactly go out for finishing quests for a while, not to mention that the previous book I showed to Perry has quite a stupid setting and a stupid ending...” She gave a devious smile.

“Perhaps, I can do something to it?”

Chapter Text

My name is Rose Spring, member of the Spring Family, one of the four great Families Of The Four Seasons of all time. You got it if you guessed the names of the remaining Families right — the Summer Family, the Autumn Family, and the Winter Family. To be honest, it wasn’t so hard for one to guess them right, isn’t it? Each Family members are all distinguishable with their hair colors — mine with rosy hair, the Summer Family with blonde hair, the Autumn Family with brown hair, and the Winter Family with black hair.

Now, I am pretty sure you are about to ask “In that case, anyone could’d simply pass that by dying their hair color!” Hah! If such a simple trick worked, then nearly everybody would’d became a member of the Four. Too bad for them that’s not how it works.

You may wonder why, which is what I am about to explain to you — there was once a time with many gods and goddess, who once lived in this world with mortals in mutual benefit — mortals supplying them strength with faith towards them, and the gods and goddess return the flavor by suppling them with all kinds of blessing them in many shapes and forms. From growing more crops to giving individuals unimaginable powers.

Except that most of these higher beings never desired to stay in this world forever, so one by one, they left because there were bored, until Arania, last goddess of this world, remained.

She loved mortals so much, to the point that she offered various gifts to save humanity — bestowing four mere mortals supernatural powers to guide over people and create an everlasting age of peace and prosperity, with their descendants too possess her gifts to humanity, as the gods and goddess no longer here to maintain order amongst mankind, and we all returned to the age of strife and chaos we humans have always being engaged into, before leaving this world like the rest of the gods and goddess. The four mortals eventually became the founding members of the Families Of The Four Seasons.

Which is why if they couldn’t prove themselves capable of supernatural work, then they would be executed for ‘Fraud Against The Four’. Yes, the rules are harsh, but no Family could and would take risk of some random, powerless scum ruining their reputation as a member of them at all.

Still, what the goddess promised to her people, at the end, didn’t worked out at all. ‘Age of peace and prosperity’ my ass.

All they succeeded is that they created an extremely unfair castling system that is composed of ‘Non-Family peasants’, ‘Powerless Family members’, ‘Family members with powers’, and the rarest of them all — ‘Family traitors’. Which all of them are self-explanatory. The ‘Non-Family peasants’ are treated no more than work labor and well, peasants, with any resistance from them are met with absolute domination of our powers, with anyone related to the resistance are to be executed as well.

Here’s the part I am about to explain what exactly our powers are — my Family members all possess powers to control over plants. The Summer Family have mind-based powers, the Autumn Family have weather-based powers, and the Winter Family have time-based powers. Which is why most powerless don’t even dreamt of rebelling against the Families, no matter how unfair it is.

And unfortunately, I was born unluckily as a member of the Spring Family, without any powers at all.

Good news is, born members of any Family cannot be removed from the place they live in, with or without powers. Bad news is, the aforementioned rule only applies to minors, which means once we go through the ‘Ritual Of Ascension’, which is more-or-less a fancy name of a coming-of-age passage, I am banished for good.

Which is exactly happened to me at my first life, not to mention all the shit I went through from the hands of my father and my brothers. As for my mother, she died after giving birth to me, and I become the youngest of the Spring. Still, I highly doubt she would love me at all, if she lived to see and knew me as a powerless member of The Four.

What do you mean by ‘first life’? I’m pretty sure you must be asking this question right now, because lol and behold, I was reborn upon my first death on the streets, after being stoned by the mostly angry peasants, who never liked any Family member at all — for their unfair treatment towards them — with or without powers, despite them all being more than willingly to do anything to get into one of the Four. What a joke.

If only they’d knew that they’re merely trading one hell for another one.

Anyway, as I kept rebirthing again and again, I found out the pattern of my ‘rebirths’, that I always reborn back to the age of five, where I first received abuse from my family, and conscious enough to understand what and why they are doing in the first place.

So I tried running in my second life, and it ending before it get started, for I met my end then through indefinite house imprisonment until a combo of malnourishment, starvation and dehydration got me.

Third life? I tried telling my family my past-life memories. It backfired spectacularly, and I pretty much died the same way in my second life.

At least starting from my fourth life, I’ve finally obtained my powers — complete control over roses. From their flowers to their thorny vines to their roots. Which I took that as a pity gift from whatever god or goddess or entity who is the one responsible for making me reborning, over and over again.

Too bad my family never considered that as something big, as my father has power over mind-altering plants, my eldest brother possess powers over thick, non-penetrating plant walls, my other brother is capable of creating literally burning plants out of pretty much anywhere. All of their powers certainly overshadowed mine, which is why I am still abused for that. At least I didn’t ended up being banished starting at that life, and actually learning things about the Families, not that being used as a marriage tool between Families helps. Which is why I ended up married into a member of the Summer Family, before dying from being overused as one of the many breeding tools for the Family for ‘kids with powers’.

There’s a way for me to change my fate — each Family is run by a and only one ‘Master’, and in order to become the new master, either the previous one is dead, or someone else usurped that position by claiming the ‘Relic’ of the Family, and winning it’s obedience. (most Masters are males, but female Masters are a thing, if male Masters are absent, or if they are simply less powerful than the current Masters)

Relics are a series of magical tools saturated of blessings from Arania, originally ordinary tools used by the Family founders. No one know how exactly to win its recognition as its master, so most Family Masters only own them as a symbol of power, and any Master who somehow lost them are not considerate as a Master anymore, no matter how powerful they are. Good thing is that they are indestructible, as various previous Masters tried destroying them for various reasons, and they always have a knack of returning to their corresponding Families, so even if some absent-minded person lost them, they always find a way back to their Families.

As for how the Relics looked like, the Spring Family’s Relic being a music box that charms anyone who hears it’s music (Which I still can’t understand why would anyone would own a music box of all things during the age of strife and chaos) The Summer Family's a fancy sword that can cut through everything. The Autumn Family’s is a pin-sized gem that shines out every single color, with the power to protect the owner against any harm. And the Winter Family’s is a well-decorated mirror that shows the truth of any person who stepped right in front it.

Back to the subject of changing my dead end — having the Relic isn’t enough — I must find a way to strengthen my powers to overcome the rest of the Spring Family members, or they’ll remove such a potential threat against them before I can act at all. That’s why in that life, I spent most of the time studying history of Families Of The Four Seasons, along with instructions of enhancing one’s performance over using their own powers more effectively.

And that is the life that I learnt the cold, hard and well-hidden truth about the Families Of The Four Seasons — Arania may had offered blessings to the four founders willingly, but she didn’t just offered them powers and then left this world — she was literally eaten by the founders when she was alive, so they can obtain her strength in the first place as she died, and I got ‘silenced’ for learning such forbidden knowledge in the first place. There goes my fifth life.

And then, my sixth life, the most recent one where I’ve got the most control over my whole life, compared with my previous lives.

I fought back against the Spring Family members’ abuse, and lived long enough with nothing but sheer wits to became a member of the Winter Family through marriage (Who, surprisingly, are the kindest Family out of the four, in which I can never comprehend their exact reasons of acting like that, despite them being the strongest Family out of the four). With a loving and caring husband to add. Too bad we ended up being killed in an explosive carriage, political and power reasons are why, if you wanted to know the exact details.

Now, here I am, my seventh life, in which I will do every single Arania-damnit thing to end this cycle of death-and-rebirth for good.

And then, no one will be able to harm me and kill me anymore. EVER.

I’ve never knew much about the Autumn family — they’ve always being the least influential Family out of The Four. Sure, creating rainstorms and long-term droughts and conjuring twisters out of nowhere isn’t some powers one’d consider weak, but it is their lack of interest towards political influences to the society that makes them the oddity among the Families. Still, anything that doesn’t get in my carefully laid out plans are fair game to me.

However, for some reason untold, one of the Autumns, the Amber girl to be exactly, gave me an uneasy feeling overall. Perhaps it has something to do with her powers that have nothing to do with her family traditions? The power to summon creatures from beyond this world? Instead of just your typical sunny-making powers?

Anyway, having one more ally is better than having one less ally, not to mention keeping an eye on her would certainly reduces the changes of any detrimental effects such exception she may brings against me.

Let’s see what you are made of, Amber Autumn.

I’ve finally accomplished it.

The day of seeing my father-and-brothers-in-blood only, crouching on the floor and begging on their knees, and powerless against me, after I’ve enhanced my powers strong enough, with the help of my Family Relic (Which I didn’t know it could do that before) to stripped their powers for good, they hair colors now faded into nothing but a shade of grey. After seven-fucking lives of endless abuse I’d received from them.

Now, they are as helpless as I was, and it was fucking satisfying and exhilarating for me.

But even when I banished them from the Spring Family once and for all, leaving them to the mercy of the hateful peasants, making me the solo Master of the Family, it wasn’t enough.

There are still many scum out there, abusing their powers to the helpless, just like I was. No, I must find a permanent solution that ends this vicious cycle of ‘powered individuals abusing vengeful powerless against them’ problem for good.

Perhaps one with all the might of the world to rule over them all.

Especially when The Four aren’t the only Families with people with powers, it’s just that the others are just less famous and influential.

What if... what if I simply become the goddess of this world?

‘The one who united the Relics and passed the Ritual Of Ascension, shall obtain the one chance to succeed Arania’s powers, and shall truly ascend and become the new deity of this world.’

Sounds ridiculous, right? Not to mention the lack of trust between The Four prevented this prophecy to be tested for its reliability. But now, I, Rose Spring, Master and only member of the Spring Family, have all the right and might to try out that theory.

Once I am able to meet Arania, I’d like to tell her, even if she’s a spirit, to leave the fuck us alone.

Scum, scum, scum.

This party is like, super boring. All but scum who harmed the powerless for fun.

Which is why I decided to make things more interesting by spreading blood with my powers over roses, piecing their bodies with thick, thorny rose vines. One by one, their deaths reprimanded them of their fragile mortality, just like the powerless.

These people...no, animals, who disguise themselves with supernatural powers like gods, are now reduced to a mess that run and scream and cry, all the while the roses got them, until they all stay dead.

But why, pray tell, is that Amber Autumn, current Master of the Autumn Family, is looking at the suppose-to-be terrifying scene with her typical calm, see-it-all looks?

This is getting more Intriguing and more intriguing... and terrifying.

Still, if she wants to make a fool out of me, in which I am fucking tired of, after seven fucking lives of being used as a mere puppet for the Spring Family, I won’t go down without a fight, and I would like to see her try.

Then, she’ll know the true meaning of hell out of me.

She succeeded.

I was this close of contacting with Arania, and becoming the new and only goddess of this world, where the wicked will eternally pay for their crimes, and I’ll be the only ever-lasting goddess of this world, with nobody ever questioning it, with my designated lover, who will be equally bestowed with eternal life.

When I was about to succeed in the ritual, I couldn’t get to Arania and become the goddess, all because one of the Relics are fake. None other than the one from the Autumn Family, no less.

She was able to swap the real thing with an elaborate fake one, one that even emits the power identical to the real thing, but none of its full powers at the end, just a small portion compared with the actual gem. More than enough to fool everyone, me included, until the ritual began.

When I just came out from the pocket space where most chosen ones with power must enter as part of the ritual, she was able to use every Relic of The Four to strip my powers, forever.

No, No, NO!

I died fucking six times, and I was about to die for the seventh time, because of some random Autumn girl I never know stopped my plans and torn them into pieces, despite everything I did to avoid suspicion from her?!!!

Now, here I am, being charge for ‘Crimes Against Humanity’ (as if they had any of them in the first place!), ‘Owning Forgery Of Relics Of The Four’(Obviously an accuse from Miss Autumn, what else do you expect?), ‘Deception During The Ritual Of Ascension’(Happened thanks to Miss Autumn, again), ‘Mass Murder Against Powered Indiviuals Beyond Legal Laws’, and several more. Now, I and no more than a prisoner of the Autumn Family, and is now under their mercy.

Her words are well-disguised enough to deceive the gullible masses, all the while achieved overwhelming support from the masses through sheer kindness, more than every single Autumn members ever did. Which is why I never suspected a thing from her, assuming her doing all of those ‘kind’ things to everyone she meet for charity or simple decency, or for family fame. 

Still, why did I become the number-one public enemy, all the while everyone else is just as guilty as I am?! Especially six times of lifetimes told me more than enough, is that genuine kind people doesn’t exists, or are all dead exactly because of their kindness in the first place.

Hmph, I guess I’ll just have to come back for the eighth time to get her for good, once they executed me. After that, I’ll be able to become the solo goddess of this world, and break this cycle for good, and get the last laugh, all will be accomplished as I reborn once more, just like always.

HAHAHAHAHA!!!!!

“Is what you think of, right?”

“What do you mean? You already achieved total victory against the Spring Family, and the Spring Family is no more. Which makes ‘The Four’ to become ‘The Three’ for good.”

“No, what I mean, is that, do you still remember what did I asked from you, from one of our many meetings?”

“Which one? You’ll need to be a little bit more specific.”

“The one where I asked about your truth feelings.”

In one of many family parties of The Four...

“Hey, Rosy! We meet again!” Amber was running towards Rose at the balcony.

“I told you not to call me that. I never liked nicknames, nor are we close enough to address each other directly.”

“Then why are your ears red?”

“That is none of your concern.”

“Nope, that means you cared for me! Because I cared of you!” Amber tried to hug Rose, who avoided it with a nimble twirl, with the former being clearly disappointed. “Daww!”

“Why were you here? Shouldn’t you be at the party, looking for a husband or something?”

“Nah, I’m not even interested at those airheads at all! In fact, I am not hurry at looking for my perfect half!” She explained with a bright smile. “Still, sometimes, you look distant from the rest. Are you planning to achieve something great in the future?”

I hid my surprise with my typical face-at-social-meetings, as I replied with an neutral expression: “That is an interesting assumption, Miss Autumn.”

“I’ll take that as a yes!” Amber merely smiled as she made a hopping-like movement. “It’s just that, whatever you are trying to achieve, you aren’t alone! You can always try confessing your feelings to someone you knew, so as to make yourself feels better! Especially if those feelings are trying to consume you!”

Well, she wasn’t wrong at her last line, but she had no idea I’ve tried that before, in my third life, to be precise.

Still, I’ve never tried confessing them to Milo before, even if he’s my husband in my last life, even then I’ve never told him anything about my ‘rebirths’, even if I did used my status as Mrs Winter to ask whether they posses powers to allow a person to retry their lives, in which they denied.

Even where the day where the explosion got the both of us, I was never wholly truthful to him, because I never trust anyone, when every single person around are either trying to take advantage of something out of me, or merely using me, or just looking down me like scum, and I will never trust anyone as always.

Genuine bonds and trust between two people just doesn’t exists. Which is why a god or goddess is necessary to lead over foolish mortals, even if done in the dark.

Still, for now, a polite reply is better than nothing. “I’ll consider that.” I left the balcony as I said.

“Call me if you are ready!” Amber waved her arm as I left.

And by denying her attempts to bond with me, I sealed my fate.

Back to the present, I laughed as I said: “Do you really think you’ll ever understand me? AT ALL? I AM a selfish person, and I’ve always been faithful to no one but myself. People are but tools to be used and to be discarded, even Milo is no exception, and he’s only good for his time powers and knowledge he and his Family can provide.”

“Then why are you crying when you say that?”

She’s not wrong at that, my right cheek is flowing with a single stream of tears, which I quickly wiped with my hand. “You must be hallucinating.”

“No, I understand,” Amber continued. “You’ve experienced countless betrayal, deception and manipulation, and all the bad things you did are merely your desperate attempts to steer your fate back to you.” She just won’t keep her Arania-damnit mouth shut. “Still, if you really wanted to make the world better, you really need to make sure to keep the innocent out of this. They don’t deserve their fate of being your targets from your wish you tried to made.”

That’s it, seven lives of training to keep one’s composition isn’t enough to keep my bottled rage staying at where it should be. “NO ONE IS INNOCENT IN THIS WORLD! LIKE EVERY SNOWFLAKE IN AN AVALANCHE!!!!!”

“If that’s the case, why’d the Winter Family helped you in the first place, especially Milo Winter? There’s nothing to stop them being jerks like the rest of the Families, and don’t forget me!”

“...I intent to spare them, once my wish is made, including you, if you simply keep yourself out of this!”

“By becoming the new goddess of this world?”

“...that was just a good guess. Am I right??!!” I couldn’t keep my emotions down anymore, as I screamed.

“No, I’ve been watching you, from the beginning to now, and I knew everything — including your rebirths, and your plan on becoming the only goddess of this world.” She finally dropped her act, as she explained everything. But how?

”...are you some sort of gods and goddess reincarnation?” I asked incredulously. Arania, I sounded dumb.

“Nope! I’m just a powerful being passing by! Never a goddess at all!” Amber waved her hand in casual denial. “But you do realize that a new world with you is essentially a world under a control of an all-powerful tyrant, don’t you?”

“It’s called necessity management.” I shot back.

“No, it isn’t. Especially you’ve never thought of a powerless world, one that is not ruled by some sort of powerful person at all, a world where everyone can make their own choices at their own!” Amber argued back. "Even if you decided to become the shadow dictator of the new world, you are still a dictator without doubt, and what’s to stop you reshaping the world, every time when you are dissatisfied with the new world?!”

“Then I’ll make them until they’re in my image!”

“Until they have no more free will?!”

“I’ll DO IT IF IT MEANS FOR ETERNAL PEACE FOR MANKIND!!!!!”

“No, not mankind, but for yourself. You are hurt, so you are merely trying to avoid the pain by making them disappear. By making them non-existent,” Amber spoke her head. “You may be able to reshape the world in your image, if you succeeded in becoming its only goddess, but you can never lie to yourself, for your soul is still human, despite everything, and the pain you’ve suffered shapes what you are. Without pain, you are nothing, literally."

“THEN WHAT SHOULD I DO??!!”

“Simple — don’t recreate the new world as the goddess who overrules everything in this world, no matter how much direct control you wish to take or not. Simply make yourself an ordinary human like the rest of the people in the new world. No longevity, no more wars over society and politics, just you and Milo, living happily together ever after,” Amber suggested. “It’s wasn’t so hard, seriously. All you needed to do is to trust people a little bit more, really, because you may not realize it, but you have been distancing them by claiming them ‘foolish masses needed to be ruled over by someone or something competent’, and all the while completely failing to realize that you too, is one of those ‘masses’ you despised.”

No, she almost got me there. Everyone around me is always wrong, except Milo, because he’s the first one who understands me, and now, Amber took that only person away from me, and he won’t be coming to save me anymore, so that makes him wrong by default. And now, I am the only person who is truly right.

“I WON”T ACCPET THAT!!! SUCH WORLD DOES NOT EXISTS!!! IT'S ONLY THE WORLD I DESIRE OR NOTHING!!! FINISH ME!!! END ME!!! I’LL BE BACK!!! I’LL ALWAYS BE BACK!!!!! AND YOU’LL PAY FOR WHAT YOU HAVE DONE TO ME IN THIS LIFE!!!!!” I completely lashed out as I screamed at the top of my lungs.

“No, you won’t. Because this life of yours will be your last,” Amber said in a tone that completely lacks any emotions, despite smiling as usual. “You have a terrible fate, Rose Spring, fmc of this world. Throughout your journey, you avoided and ignored various signs of warnings, and stubbornly marched towards the path of abyss and eternal condemnation. And now, you threw away your final chance of redemption and salvation, so goodbye.”

Amber then laid her hand on my shoulder for a single second, where light-blue squares began to appear at where she touched me, as I began to feel the place she touched me started to fade away. After that single touch, she drew back her hand as she left the cell, but there are just more and more of those light-blue squires that spread out my body, as I began to feel less and less solid. I tried to scream, but no sound came out my mouth.

As my conscious fade into nothingness, with Amber’s words somehow ringing through my ears, despite she being nowhere around me.

”No one will miss you if you never exists in the first place, nor the new world I’ll create has your place there.”

Quest Completed!

Name Of World: The Unapproachable Lady

Difficulty: SSS

Complete Rate: 100%

Rank: SSS

Reward: 3T Karmic Points

In the Persian Room…

”That’s more like it. I mean, I’m lucky enough to stop the og fmc from going all godhood before she succeeded, as described in the og story…”

”Still, as expected from what the story told me, she’s a devious one, and I’m not surprised at all she deducting my existence is more than a simple variable than anything else she ever knew, more-so at her many attempts at removing me from her way.”

”Too bad for her is that I am simply too experienced against those parlour tricks of hers, and I hate arrogant mcs and fmcs…”

”By the way, I’m absolutely not taking any quests in the future. I mean, I’m technically still on vacation, and I not supposed to receive any quests at all!”

”*Sigh*, at least the amount of points are acceptable for me — I could’ve made a new world with the sheer amount of points alone! Not that I am interested in making a new world at the moment, let alone running one, and I should’ve asked for a greater amount of reward points…”

”I wonder is Perry already missing my presence, even if time doesn’t passes in his world when I’m on my job…”

Chapter Text

“Help, Dawn!” Perseus came to Dawn’s side, who is relaxing herself as usual at the living room.

“What now?” Dawn looked at the frantic wizard.

“I lost my pouch that holds most of my Galleons! And I can’t find it!” He seemed genuine worried.

“And you are a wizard, Perry.” Dawn deadpanned.

“So?”

“Which means why couldn’t you simply use the Summoning Charm to get it back?” Dawn suggested the simple solution,

“Oh, right. Silly me.” Perseus almost couldn’t resist the urge to smack himself on his head, as he casted the charm with his wand, and a pouch flew towards his free hand. “Still, thanks for the suggestion, Dawn!”

“You are welcome.” Dawn replied politely, as she went back idling.

Chapter Text

...where am I?

Nothing but darkness around here.

...okay, it’s this dream again.

Or nightmare, to be precise.

I walked around to see if there’s something to be seen.

Nothing, nothing, nothing.

Until there’s something seen within my eyesight.

Perseus is laying on the ground (darkness?), bloodied and badly battered.

...

This again? This is getting old.

His corpse vanished as quickly as many, many tombstones appeared in front of her. Many were marked with names she wasn’t familiar at, or that she simply no longer recognizes.

There’s a good reason she has an overall bad memory, as far as she’s in her job.

It was necessity to combat ‘erosion’.

Still, should sentient life — especially humans — persists, she’ll find a reason to exist, and save as many as she can.

But then, who will save you?

That voice mocked me, but I wasn’t scared at all.

That has always been it’s favorite trick against me all the time.

Not that it worked at all, or at least, for now.

Anyway, it’s about time to wake up.

For this is just one of the many nightmares she’ll have to endure, and this is mild to compare with the worse ones.

Besides, it’s not like she doesn’t get sweet dreams at all, just like most people do.

Not that I want to meet you again, XXXXXX.

Next dream is like any other dream.

Chapter Text

Today is just another day where Perseus finished experimenting new potion formula. When he came out of his lab, he found Dawn is looking at some candles placed on a table, all with a thinking pose, who is now seemingly lost in her thoughts. The candles emit various aroma, from mint, to rhubarb, daisy, and many other ones, all with a scent he is not familiar with.

“What are you doing?” Curious, the wizard asked.

“Preparing,” Dawn answered. “I am planning to lit the best of them up tonight, and placing them all on the window stools of our house, all to test how long they last and how great they smell!”

“Interesting.” Is all Perseus replied, as he began smelling some of the candles with unknown scents to him. “I think this purple one is the best out of all of these candles. What was the scent it emit?” He asked as he picked up one of the many candles.

“That’s lavender! It’s a type of herbs with great scent. It’s also commonly used as a main ingredient for perfume!” Dawn explained. “Good to see you have good tastes! Even though my favorite is rhubarb!”

“That’s good to hear, rhubarb is also a good choice to be used as a dessert ingredient.” Perseus agreed along with Dawn’s tastes, as he put the candle back onto the table. “How about I try baking you a magical rhubarb pie someday for the both of us?”

“That would be great!” Dawn beamed, as she took the lavender and rhubarb candles. “Anything else you would like to talk about these candles?”

“This one.” Perseus picked up a white candle. “I am sure that it’s not the typical candle with no special scent at all, because I can smell something out of it. Faint, but it is certainly there. So what is its scent?"

“Oh, that’s just vanilla.” Dawn pointed out. “Perhaps not exactly the best in terms of being used as a candle ingredient, but certainly great for a dessert ingredient, even its flavor is light!” She added. “Since you suggested making a magic rhubarb pie someday, I guess it’s just fair for you to be rewarded with a vanilla ice cream someday later! You wouldn’t mind, would you!”

“Certainly not.” Perseus smiled. “Is there anything else I can help?”

“Not at the moment, unless you want to watch over the lit candles to keep them from burning down the house.” Dawn suggested, keen on safety precautions.

“Or, perhaps a fire-shield spell would work, one to keep the flames spread, in case they fell off the window stool.” Perseus recommended.

“That would be wonderful!” Dawn nodded in joy, as she sent all the remaining candles back to her inventory, as she began preparing placing the candles onto the window stools.

That night, the house where Dawn and Perseus live, is lit up with many, many candles with lavender and rhubarb scents all over the house, the candles placed onto every single window stools of the house itself, which admitting isn’t many, while they are all shielded with magic to keep the fires from spreading around the house.

Perseus first volunteered staying up with Dawn, only for the girl in blue to politely decline from the request, considering that she only needed to keep it that way for a few hours in the middle of the night, and she values the wizard’s own health beyond anything else, while sleep is never a problem to she herself. Especially when the wizard’s health is always something she needs to look after for.

“There are things people forget all the time, and this isn’t something you should know. Which is exactly why we need to remember them, and pass them down, generations for generations.”

“Still...today isn’t the day you should learn about what my real goals behind all these candles are.”

“Sleep, and dream well.”

Chapter Text

“Dawn!”

“What?”

“I’ve baked you a rhubarb pie! Remember you mentioned you like its scent?"

“You made this with magic?”

“Of course!

The pie is baked in perfectly symmetric shape.

Let’s hope it tastes as great as it looks.

“Hmm, somehow it tastes like green apples, but it works for me! The fillings are more than enough, and the pie crust is just in the right amount of ratio — not too thick, nor too thin!” Dawn licked her fingers, who just finished a slice of the rhubarb pie. “And it’s crunchy!”

“I am glad you enjoyed it.” Perseus gave a slightly embarrassed smile, as he looked down while sitting on a chair, and took a nibble at his slice with a fork. The both of them now at the dining table. “Should I keep the rest of them to be consumed at a later time? Or you possess the confidence to finish it all?”

“Of course I can! You just never know the true extensions of my eating capacities!” Dawn puffed as she took a bit a an another newly-cut slice of rhubarb pie. “Do you have the space for the other dessert I promised? The vanilla ice cream I mentioned before?” Dawn asked with a mouthful of pie. “Don’t worry, it’s won’t be as tough as the shaved ice you ate before.”

“...I guess I can try.” Perseus fidgeted.

“Perfect!”

“...I was never expecting ice cream could be this wonderful, not that I’ve ever had ice cream before, nor do I know what it is.” Perseus commented as he took another small bite at the vanilla ice cream, with a cone to add.

“Ice cream is one of the best desserts of all time, especially with an editable cone to add!” Dawn praised, as she took a big bite at her food, in which she took them out of her inventory. “Still, I think that’s enough sugar for the both of us for the day, perhaps we could use something salty for dinner.”

“What about lamb stew? Or pottage?”

“...I think I’ll stick with whatever I had, but I won’t stop you cooking for yourself.”

“Very well.” Perseus is visibly sulking in disappointment.

“Aww, don’t be like that. Maybe sometime later I”ll introduce more food you’ll never be able to imagine before!” Dawn comforted at the disappointed wizard.

“You don’t have to keep your words like that on purpose, because I trust you.” Perseus gave a faint smile back.

“Good to hear that from you, Perry!” Dawn beamed back, as the both of them finished their desserts on their hands.

Chapter Text

Today, Perseus is out of ingredients over inventing new potions, so he needed to go out for some shopping, in which Dawn is more than willing to follow him. Once they are done with getting various herbs, fungi, and many fantastic beast parts for the potions in the shop, Dawn decided to take a detour to visit the famous London Bridge with the understandably confused wizard (Why would be a bridge would be special enough to take a visit? He even asked), by using the blue key on her hand as usual, when they need to visit faraway places (They live in Scotland, which is quite far away from England, even if both of these places are connected on land, not to mention we all know they have a long history of hating each other for ages).

And Perseus understood why the girl would wanted to visit the bridge, the moment he witnessed the marvelous sight of the architecture itself.

In fact, the bridge hardly looked like a bridge at all, at least at first glance, that’s it. As it’s more like a housing area built just above the waters, with many starlings — tall, defensive tower-like fortresses built along with the great bridge to support and protect the bridge, with the many houses on the bridge being later additions — as payment for the maintenance of the bridge, all the while giving a place for the needed to live by. There are also many giant robes — or support hammer beams in this case, to keep the bridge from collapsing, along with the many buildings over the bridge.

Too bad before Dawn could explain more about the bridge, an overwhelming stench quickly overrides the two’s smelling senses, so Perseus solved that problem by using a simple Bubble-Head Charm, while Dawn simply used a gas mask from her inventory instead.

“Welcome to the famous London bridge. While I must apologies for not considering the pollution and the terrible smell it brings to us, I would still like to show you one of the best building structures the non-magicals built!” With the gas mask over her face, Dawn’s voice is distorted, but still vaguely recognizable. “Fires, structural collapse, countless boats hitting the bridges, and none of the many more troubles can fully take it down!”

Perseus merely nodded in response, admiring the bridge from far distance, far enough to not be spotted by the muggles who lived up there, nor the watchmen who scout for potential troublemakers.

“Still, I think that’s enough for some sightseeing, especially with all the terrible smell around here! Maybe we should go home first, and then ask questions later?” Dawn suggested as she pulled out the blue key, and opened a blue door out of nowhere.

Perseus nodded again, as he followed the girl in blue, as she entered the door.

“So, what do you think about the bridge?”

“It’s quite a magnificent bridge, and the biggest bridge I’ve ever seen. But what it amazes me more is that it’s completely made by muggles, so the bridge itself is completely lacking in magic to be built.”

“I know, right?”

“...the only problem is that the waters there is in poor condition.”

“And that’s a problem for the people in the future to be solved! It’s easy to pollute the waters, but not to remove the pollution itself!”

“...is there something we can do?”

“No need! The non-magicals are more ingenious than you thought. Besides, this is their world, and we don’t exactly have the right to choose what’s the best for the to live — the choice is theirs to take!”

“...I see.”

“Anyway, I don’t think we would be visiting that bridge for a long time, thanks to the awful smell, right?”

“...you are right, but I am sure what we witnessed today would be something I can tell to others for a very long time.”

“Of course it will be! Is there anything else you would like to do?”

“...at the moment, none.”

“Then let us call off a day, see you later!”

“Later, Dawn.”

Chapter Text

Today, despite already restocking the rarer potion ingredients for the experiments, Perseus is out of ideas over improvising the potion effects, nor does he feels like he’s in the mood to run the shop he owns in Hogsmeade, so he decided to see if Dawn has something special for him, and the first thing he found out is that she is playing with some dolls, or was she?

Dawn is waving her hand over the dolls, as they began to move, jump, and look around the house. They are all in all kinds of shapes and sizes, but all of them are no more bigger than you average hand-held dolls for girls.

“What are you doing?” Perseus asked in curiosity.

“Making potential servants, or guards.” Dawn answered. “In case of trouble finds us.”

The dolls make cheerful and adorable noises, but a cold feeling ran through Perseus’ chest. It has nothing to do with the loyal and (mostly) harmless dolls, but instead, it came from something else.

And all of his instincts screamed at him to get rid of those emotions.

“Are you...actually trying to use the dolls at all?” Perseus asked, in a nearly quite voice.

“Well, this house is still yours to live in, and if you dislike to have these dolls to run around the house and making a mess, you can always say that out.” That sudden change of attitude did not escape from Dawn’s keen observation, as she replied appropriately.

“That would be ideal.” Perseus voiced out his thoughts, surprised at Dawn being this quick to notice his actual thoughts.

The girl in blue then proceeded to take back all the dolls into her inventory, much to they dismay, as she turned to face Perseus. “Don’t tell me you are actually jealous against a couple of sentient dolls, of all things?” She joked.

“Of course not! It’s just that I certainly appreciate your attention towards me, and I know it would not be ideal for you to stay with me against you own will for all day! But...” Perseus bit his lips. “...in fact, I don’t know why I am feeling this. Turns out, I hardly know myself at all.” He looked depressed.

“Nah, jealous is just a normal feeling for most people, not that is something I mostly experience, considering my mostly generous personality...” Dawn muttered. “Still, knowing your feelings, and not letting it overwhelming you, is something worth some praising.” She smiled.

“Thank you...” Perseus is now looking ashamed, despite his words.

“If you wanted to know yourself better, I can certainly help you with that! That’s exactly what my job is, from the very beginning!” Dawn had gotten physically closer to Perseus’ side. “So, is there any other problem you would like to confide to me?”

“Well...” Perseus then proceed to explain his feelings to Dawn for the entire day, in which the girl in blue listened.

Even a day that went with mostly socializing with each other, isn’t necessary a bad day to be wasted, as long as they have each other.

Chapter Text

“Stop that! Perry! Please help me!”

Crack!

A cute-looking doll, with an axe around it’s size — that totally contradicts it’s adorable face, a bit sooted otherwise — is smashing the wooden floor with the weapon it’s welding.

“Where did you get that dangerous toy?” Perseus asked, his wand ready to blast the doll to nothingness.

“Explanations later! Just do something useful!”

“Very well. Impedimenta!”

With a chant of the spell, his wand pointed towards the hostile toy, it’s movements slowed to the point of visibly struggling to pull out the axe it used to smash the floor, as if it smashed it too hard to pull it out instantly.

“Good job, Perry! I’ll take it from now!”

By holding the doll onto her hands, the girl in blue put the doll away into her inventory, the entire motion done as if vanishing the doll into nothingness.

“And, uh, sorry for the damage I caused.”

Dawn pointed at the hole on the floor.

“That’s nothing to worry about. As long as you are fine, then all can be restored back in no time.”

With another wave of the wand, the wooden floor began to pull themselves back together in one piece, as if nothing happened.

“So, where did get that doll?” Perseus asked.

“I didn’t ‘get’ the doll, I ‘made’ it, for acquaintances, to say the least. And it’s still under testing procedures.” Dawn fidgeted.

“And who would want a doll that attacks people out of nowhere?” Perseus pursued.

“You had no idea...” Dawn eyed at the wizard, daring him to ask for more, the latter wisely sealed his lips shut. “On the other hand, I would never gave you such a dangerous gift to you!” Her mood changed within a flash, trying to change the subject.

“And why couldn’t you simply destroy it? Or use your own brand of magic to restrain it?”

“I make it magic-proof, and I ain’t touching a doll with a large axe with my own bare hands!”

“Alright then.” Perseus nodded back, as he went back checking the stocks in his shop.

So much for another day of usualness.

Chapter Text

Subject: [REDIRECTED]

Experimenter: Dawn (Alias, true name no longer available)

Origin Of Sample:[REDIRECTED] Took me very hard to smuggle this out of that dumb man-eating house without being found and caught!

Location Of Experiments Conducted: Persian Room Not that most of you guys— yes, you the guys who’s watching this report right now, I knew everything about you guys — not that messes up my mind at all — would be able to access this location written on this report in the first place! Unless you have ‘friends', or are ‘friends' from the ‘Sea’!

Description: Item appears to be black-red sludge with unknown origin. For now, at least! Its actual property defies common physics — states of matter to be precise, by demonstrating the capacity of shapeshifting between matter and liquid (both partially and totally), while usually in the default state of sludge, which is the closest you people can understand! and are not to be released or to be used upon any sentient beings at all (See below).

Sludge is observed outside of experiments to be capable of inducing prolonging headaches, fatigue, nausea, dizziness, nightmares, and audible hallucinations of phone ringing sounds upon direct contact. It is also shown to be able to affect non-biological sentient being’s minds, alongside with biological ones. Aside from that, it is capable of inducing hypnosis and auto suggestions to further expand it's influence towards the masses, be it directly or indirectly through it’s subjects, and to prevent complete understanding from the masses towards source of sludge through distorting their cognition towards it, thus creating a weakness against it to be exploited. But once Observation against it is completed, through sufficient analyzation, that won’t be a problem anymore!

All experiments with this item are handled with care without direct contact with said substance, Outside of experimental usages, it is placed within a gapless and indestructible pocket-space cube for storage.

Experimenting the sludge with various elements and items shows that the sludge is merely a by-product of something greater and stronger, a small piece of essence from something alive and powerful. Origin of sludge is similar in origin with cognitive physiology, with at least 90% of similarity. Energy power emitted from sludge is significantly weaker, different, and disconnected, compared with most cognitive physiology, implying the source of the sludge is perishing, most likely due to lack of tether to provide it constant supply of energy. Based on this hypnosis, it is possible to simply leave whatever the source of this sludge alone to allow it perish through sheer lack of food supply. Except that everyone is now giving lots of attention and food to it and its followers! So that is no longer an option!

Sludge has also shown characters of situational-awareness, as demonstrated during experiments when the sludge is shown to have repeated attempts of escaping and not cooperating within experiments. No successful attempts of actually escaping the laboratory has been done yet. Sludge had also attempted to attack and even directly assault experimenter's that’s me! mind. Experimenter is well-prepared and reflexive enough to block both physical and mental damage done from the sludge and did not sustained any permanent negative alterations.

Potential Actions In The Future: Nothing specific for now, except continuing observation towards the source of sludge to further determinate actual alignment of source of sludge, with ‘Observation’ — especially denial — to prevent active feeding towards it. As if it isn’t well-fed enough already! More information is required in the future to dispose source of sludge if needed.

Chapter Text

“Um, Dawn, I have a question for you.” Perseus asked as he came to Dawn’s side, who is reading her big blue book in the living as always.

“What is it, Perry?” Dawn put down her book, as she looked up to face the wizard in white.

“You see, when I sold ‘medicine’ to muggles, they don’t seem to be able to read the labels on the bottles. Is that a normal thing to most muggles?” Perseus asked in curiosity.

“Unfortunately yes. Because the ability to read and write is mostly a privilege to the rich and the religious, at least for now. So most non-magical folks can’t read and write, even if they wanted to.” Dawn explained.

“Then how did they learn from books if they wanted to?” Now Perseus is totally baffled.

“They don’t. So they mostly go by the word of mouth.” Dawn gave a look to to the taller man.

“But others could be lying to them!” Perseus found out the problem in this situation.

“Which is exactly they wanted. Foolish people are easier to control.”

“And that’s not right!”

“Too bad there’s not much our community can do to solve their problems — we’d be chased out with torches and pitchforks before we can do anything!” Dawn shrugged, as she went back reading her book.

“So when would you think they would be finally be able to read and write like we do?”

“3 centuries later, give or take. Even with printing becoming available soon within half a century.”

“That will take like forever to everyone...” Perseus sighed, looking defeated.

“At least things change, not staying the same for ever, which is eventually good for the non-magicals in the long run.” Dawn smiled up optimistically.

“Speaking of which, what is printing?”

“Well, you see...”

Chapter Text

After a brief explanation of what printing is, and how it works...

“...and why nobody every thought of using them in the first place? That would’ve saved us a lot of trouble over copying books! And that includes both magical to non-magical books!” Perseus complained. “Still, printing the letters block by block could be troublesome...perhaps we could use magic to solve that?”

Of using a machine of many blocks to mass-print the books, which is what the non-magicals eventually did. Dawn thought as she kept her lips sealed. “If you wanted a simply printing set of blocks with words on it, I am more than willingly to give you as a gift right away.” She grinned.

“Perhaps later...” Perseus pondered. “Still, recently, I have been thinking that I had spent too much time over my researches, more than spending time with you, and to think that you are the one provided all of these knowledge and resources in the first place...” He lowered his head. “Which is why...do you have any ideas for me to make this up?”

“Hmm...what about a picnic?” Dawn suggested.

“What’s that?” Perseus tilted his head.

“It’s an outdoor activity where we spent time together having freshly-made meals! And talking about life, and just relaxing!” Dawn explained. “It’s definitely a nice change after all the time you were coped inside your lab.”

“That doesn’t sounds bad, and I think it’s interesting.” Perseus rubbed his chin. “So when do we start this ‘picnic’ you mentioned? And what do we eat?”

“Anytime and anything you wish~” Dawn hummed. “Take your time~”

Chapter Text

Somewhere at the void between worlds…

“How many times do I have to tell you this is legit lemon juice for consumption, not illegal goods?”

Dawn protested for the nth time as the transmigrator tracker checked the goods one last time.

You see, there are many, many departments made up of dimensional travellers, all from various parts of the multiverse itself, and the Transmigrator Trackers is one of the many departments that exists to prevent game-breaking items to be smuggled into worlds, and greatly changing the results of the story of a world, for better or worst (mostly worse, but exception exists).

And right now, one of them is detaining Dawn temporarily in a spot check, who is just getting herself some ordinary lemon juice in small cartons, something that won’t be very much out of place in the modern day.

”Everyone could say that when they get examined, which is why I’ll be taste-testing one of these samples, in case you are lying.” The man in uniform rose his hand, as he took one of the small cartons, pulled the plastic straw at the side of the carton, removed it’s wrapping, pieced the hole on the top of the carton, and drank it. “Hmm, this is indeed a carton of lemon juice, but I can’t say the same for the rest!”

”Don’t tell me you want to drink the rest of them for all…” Dawn deadpanned. This tracker, even by his organisation’s own standards, is purposefully ignoring his own guidelines.

”Just a few more.” He said as he drank a few more cartons of lemon juices.

”That’s on your tab, once you’re done with them.” Dawn bargained, as she dodged the suddenly nearly-spit-to-her-face lemon juice just in time.

“Woops, sorry!” The tracker wiped his mouth as he apologised, with a clearly lack of remorse in his tone. “Consider this one on you, and we’ll call it good, would you?”

Normally, Dawn would’ve protested, and in fact, do everything in her power to ensure this uncivilised individual to learn his lesson (normal trackers are a lot more reasonable, as she remembered in her memories, witnessed them taking down multi-dimensional black market dealers), even to the point of willingly to sue the Transmigrator Trackers organisation if she wants to. But today, she has something else better in her mind.

”Very well.” Dawn beckoned the tracker to leave, as he gave an obvious taunting smile to him. Unbeknownst to the man, she grinned as she whispered, her eyes glowing yellow:

”May you enjoy lemon juice for a very, very long time.”

It is said that the man crossed Dawn had been tasing everything he drank as nothing but lemon juice for a very, very long time.

And this is why you wouldn’t want to cross a transmigration wrong, and this is simply what they could do, when they are in a good mood.

Chapter Text

“So this is a picnic...certainly a luxury for the rich...”

Perseus commented as he took a bite over Dawn’s homemade sandwich — as he learnt from Dawn— food made with two slices of bread, and with fillings in between them, all the while sitting on a typical red-and-white checkered blanket with the chef herself, at the middle of a meadow somewhere close to their house in the afternoon.

He’d protested to use black bread instead of white bread for ‘cost efficiency’, while the latter protested that with ‘white bread being the one that has supremacy over black bread’, which isn’t wrong, not to mention she can get as many white bread as she wants to.

Still, the idea of making a sandwich is now inside of Perseus’ head.

“Right? I’ve also got you some lemon juice that I had trouble over getting them for this!” Dawn took out some small cartons of lemon juice out of her picnic basket, which seems to be literally bottomless, along with many other things it contains.

“Why yes, anything that is not water will do.” Perseus nodded as he (under Dawn’s instructions) drank the lemon juice. Sweet, but somehow icy and refreshing, even if it’s mass-produced. “Not bad.”

“Yeah, and we both know water is not to be drank, with all the pollutants people randomly dropping around!” Dawn joked as she drank her lemon juice.

While there is many more food inside the basket, Perseus is never the person to eat much, as he proceeded to talk with Dawn over the future. (Or at least, his future)

“So...you are just going to be a Potion Master, even if without a legit license?” The girl in blue’s mouth opened agape, as she heard the wizard’s choice of his future.

“Ah yes. My should-be dead circumstances prevented me from earning a proper paper of mastery over the potions, I don’t want to take any chances of being found alive. Besides, having the paper or not doesn’t matters to me — the customer’s problems being solved does.”

“Fair enough,” Dawn nodded as she finished her sandwich. “Speaking of which, looks like someone needs help over there.” She pointed somewhere far away from here, spotting the collapsed person with her enhanced sight, while retrieving back all the picnic goods and sending them back to her inventory.

“Ah, perhaps it would be a proper time to test my latest healing potions,” Perseus got up as he Apparated with Dawn next to the unconscious person on the ground.

“Speaking of potions, have you tested its property first?” Dawn questioned.

“I do. Over some white rats you gave me. But first...” Perseus replied as he began examining the person on the ground. “Hmm. Seems to be yet another victim of the Great Mortality, perhaps we should burn them instead.” He said as he checked the horribly mutated person on the ground, who is filled with scars that indicated lumps once grew there, as he drew out his wand, ready to burn them.

“Not so fast, Perry. Let me check if this person is still alive.” Dawn stopped Perseus before he could set the person on fire, as she checked the person’s life force with her Third Eye. And good thing she did, because the person on the ground is still pulsing out life force from their soul. Otherwise, the person in question would’d met a painful end of being burnt alive, just like how some people prosecute witches by burning them on the stakes. “Say, Perry, is your potion is effective over people who are almost dead?”

“Not really...so they are still alive?” Perseus is now somewhat confounded over that revelation.

“Yeah, but just barely. Which is why we are moving them to our house, cleansing the filth out of them, all the while keeping us from being contaminated,” Dawn explained as she stayed close with Perseus, equipping Arahabaki as her current Persona, to keep the both of them catching the plague, just in case. “As for the potion, you can save them for a later date.”

“Allow me.” Perseus waved his wand, as he lifted the near-dead person up with magic, as they floated next to the due, all the while being unconscious, as they all three Apparated back to the house.

But little do they know, by saving this person, once again, changes Perseus’ life forever.

Chapter Text

“I can’t believe that all this time, when I was supposed to find her, she found us instead.”

“And I can’t believe she survived the plague, and not just by avoiding it like you did, but actually contacting it and barely lived through it!”

“Those black things over her fingers and face, and those round things all over her body, can you remove them?”

“Normally, those things will stick with her for the rest of her life, but since this is ME you are talking about, you are lucky that yes, I can get rid of them.”

“That’s great! I have so many things to tell her, and I don’t want her to die before we can talk again, just like we did as children!”

“Still, you didn’t say anything about your friend being actually alive, instead of assuming that she perished in the plague!”

“Well, it’s not like I was expecting her to be lucky enough to live through that in the first place!”

“Anyway, let us not jinx ourselves and allow me to heal her, this will be over in less than a minute.

Hazy, foggy and groggy, immobile but conscious, like a boulder placed over her body, with she being able to hear and barely make out her surroundings through fuzzy silhouettes.

“are you sure...this working...?”

“don’t doubt me...besides...eyes opened...”

“Ellie...better...right...?”

“give her time...and space...she will...”

Ellie couldn’t make out more, as she passed out again from the fatigue over her entire body, like an old friend she is acquainted with.

Still, the very fact that someone called out her name, like any decent person would do, after God knows how long she was treated like a sinner and an outcast because of the plague, is more than enough to warmth her heart, even if only for the slightest.

On the positive side, this is the first time, for a very, very long time, she was able to sleep without the constant pain over her decaying, frail body, just like she always did, before the plague got her.

Right?

Once Ellie woke up, as she slowly got up from the bed she was laying on, the first things she saw is that she is inside someone’s cottage, and a tall, thin man with long, white hair and white robes is within her sight.

“Glad to see that you are finally awake again, Ellie. Would you want something to drink?” The tall man offered her a cup of colored liquid. Whatever it is, it certainly isn’t water, for that matter.

The woman merely nodded as she drank the cup’s contents. At this point, her throat is simply too dry to protest anything. Hell, she hadn’t remember the last time she ate or drank anything at all.

“thank you...” Ellie said in a low voice. “who are you, anyway?”

“Do you remember a little boy you met as a child? As in, the one who likes to wear robes all the time. I still wore them as part of my attire, just not the same ones anymore.”

A boy with robes..is not something she would forget for her lifetime, especially with most villager wearing leather clothing instant of soft, billowing robes.

“Perseus?” 

The tall man didn’t say anything but embraced the weak woman on the bed. “You still remember me, after all this time...” He is on the verge of crying.

Ellie tried to push Perseus away from her, afraid of the plague consuming him, but right now, she is too weak to make a visible effort to do so. “don’t” Is all she could said.

“Ah, no worries! You are now completely cured of your plague, thanks to a friend of mine! So we can do everything we did as children once more! Without the plague troubling us no more!” Perseus patted the woman’s shoulder as he explained. “Still, I am sure that your current condition prevents you from doing so, which is why I’ve prepared you some soup for you, so feel free to relax and take your time!” He offered the still-frail woman a wooden spoon and a bowl of soup.

Her plague...the plague will trouble her no more...

But that shouldn’t be possible.

The plague has always been seen as a symbol of God’s wrath, displeased by human’s bloodshed and sins, and whoever had them is sinned, and only death brings them salvation.

And now, she is fully cured, so does that means she is no longer sinned. No more bubos, no more black over her fingers. Just…being herself again. Fresh and clean.

For some reason, something tell her to keep those question to Perseus’ ‘other friend’ for a different time, whoever they are.

As she slowly drank the soup with the spoon, the two people in the room chatted for hours, trading their life stories as they parted

They both enjoyed their time with each other, unaware of the pair of the black eyes staring at them through the door gap. 

Chapter Text

For some reason she couldn’t explain, Dawn felt something burning inside her heart, despite she knowing she is totally fine.

With Perseus and the woman she rescued — with Ellie being her name — talking together with a joyful atmosphere, that’s just what friends do, especially for friends who haven’t met for a very, very long time.

But, for some reason, Dawn simply don’t like how they go along with each other just like that, all the while they talked without her presence.

It’s not like she couldn’t just kick the door and join they reunion, but she just knew that would be inappropriate. But at the same time, there is something within her heart that tells her to separate them, break them, don’t let them get close to each other.

As if she is jealous of Ellie.

But that couldn’t be true, right? Especially with jealous being an emotion she could never truly comprehend with.

People feel jealous at other people because they couldn’t obtain the things other possess.

But Dawn, all-powerful transmigrator, being actually being jealous at a sick woman whom she just saved, who can be easily defeated from a single poke from Dawn herself?

That very idea ridicules her.

Besides, Perseus won’t be happy at all, if Dawn actually hurts Ellie.

So why did Dawn is worrying that Ellie would steal Perseus from her?

They are all just friends, right? A friend of Perseus is also a friend of Dawn. That is something she knew.

Then why is she feeling that something has permanently changed, and there is no going back?

Anyway...

Dawn has always being the one to embrace change.

And one single woman, whatever changes she will brought upon between Dawn and Perseus, it won’t change everything Dawn cares and believes in.

So all she needed to do is to help and protect them, like she always did with most humans and peaceful sentient beings.

But...why does this terrible feeling won’t just leave?

Chapter Text

After taking a few deep breaths, pushing the bad thoughts out of my head, I opened the door, and entered Perseus’ bedroom, with the woman he confirmed to be Ellie — a non-magical children friend of Perseus’ — resting on his bed.

“Ah, you just came in the right moment!” Perseus is the one who greeted me first. “We were discussing about you, as I was thinking about the best way to introduce you to Ellie!”

I gave the woman on bed a courteous smile as I waved. “Hi, Ellie.”

“Ellie? This is Dawn, my savior and helper all this time. She is also the one who saved you, so don’t forget to thank her!” Perseus turned and told to the resting Ellie politely, who seemed to be too shy to give out a verbal response, and resorted to merely nodding instead.

“Say, Perry, can you give us some private space? It’s just some girl talk.” I requested.

“Sure.” Perseus allowed as he left and closed the door.

“So...do you have any other questions about me?” I asked to the malnourished woman.

“...are you an angel?” Is the first thing she asked about me.

“Well, I was called as many things throughout the ages. Angel, Demon, God, Monster, Human, Abomination, Trickster, Avenger, Savior, Destroyer...all these things correctly describe me and are all wrong about me all at once,” I gave her a vague answer. “Which means I can be whatever you wanted me to be.”

Ellie nodded again, with a clearly confused look over her face.

“Anyway, a friend of Perry is a friend of mine! Want so bread?” I offered her a typical and complete piece of white bread as a peace offering. Only for her to give a shocked expression.

“Perry?”

“Perseus. I call him Perry.”

“I can’t take this! This is too precious for me! We only have white bread on special occasions such as festivals!” Ellie shook her head as she tried to refuse the bread, not used to such hospitality.

“Not anymore. I promised to take care of Perseus well, and the same applies to you! So don’t worry about anything about resources, unless you insists...” I was about to put back the bread into my inventory, only to be greeted with Ellie, who is reaching out for me, or for the bread in this case.

“...can I still have the bread? Because the only thing I ate recently is the soup Perseus offered to me, and I am still hungry...” Ellie looked like she is about to beg for the bread, and given what she most likely went through, this probably happened to her a lot.

“Sure!” I gave her the bread as she began gobbling it up, and less than a minute the bread is gone. Yeah, she really hadn’t eaten anything in ages...

“Not that you are feeling better, would you like to explain how did you ended up at the meadow not very far away from this house? You don’t have to, if you simply don’t feel like yourself being in the mood to say your story.” I convinced her to speak up for herself.

“...ah, it was nothing. Just a story as a typical peasant and sinner left to death...until you came. Does that means I am no longer sinned? Or are you here to save us like a messiah?”

“First of all, being a sinner or not has nothing to do with the plague, for disease and death comes upon all sinned or sinless ones equally. Next, to answer your question, while I did saved many people before I came here, I won’t going so far to self-proclaim as a savior. That is something you people calling me, which I certainly don’t mind.” I answered as much as the woman on bed could understand. “Still, the only thing you can be sure is that I saved your life, not because for any gain, but out of altruism, so that’s that. And please don’t worship me as some sort of higher being! I hate people doing that, but at least I can accept your thanks, now that I think it’s about time to give you and Perseus some space again. See ya.”

“Wait!” The woman on bed called me out.

“What is it?” I asked, head turned.

“What’s your name?” Ellie asked.

“Dawn, just Dawn.”

“Dawn...Thanks for everything.”

As I left the room, I can clearly heard the woman saying ‘thank you thank you thank you’ over and over again, she is certainly overjoyed.

The plague was not meant to be curable in the Middles Ages.

But I can change that, or at least, to those who survived, I can ease their pain, without killing them.

Not that I am altruistic enough to do that to everyone in Europe. I am here for vacation, not doing my ‘do almost whatever I want’ job, which is hardly a job at all, so to speak.

Oh well, that’s enough of me to speak and explain to Ellie. Time to give her and Perry some space, as I first saw Perseus outside the door, who just cleaned up the utensils with magic, and greeted him with a nod, silently telling him that I am done with talking with Ellie. He understood it as he nodded back, as he entered to greet the still-frail woman on bed.

As for me...I’ll try my best to introduce the new world Ellie is about to enter.

Chapter Text

A few days had passed, as Ellie began adjusting her new life living with her wizard friend (in which she is surprised that wizards are a thing, thinking that only girls can do real magic and being called as witches), along with Dawn, who she called as ‘little angel’. Of course, the last thing she needed is another angry mob coming here to take all of that away from her, so her lips are sealed.

Now no longer wearing tatters, but actually some decent leather clothing thanks to Dawn. So plain that no one would suspect her to be different from most of the peasants who live around here. Her health is also slowly getting better thanks to Dawn proving decent food, not just enough food for survival, but also everything she needed to get out of malnourishment.

Of course, she knew she just can’t live here without something to pay back, that would be hogging, and hogging won’t helps her in the long run. Fortunately for her, like most woman in the Middle Ages, she is good at doing most housework (which she doesn’t have to do here thanks to magic), but more importantly, sewing clothing and fabric, along with all the tools for weaving, and with a little help and sponsor from Dawn, she was able to open a small shop for tailoring in the closest non-magical village around here, in which is thankful to the latter for giving her a way of living. Still, with most of her family perishing in the great mortality, she has no where to go, so she now lives with Perseus and Dawn. (Sharing is caring, right?)

Sometimes, Dawn would offer Ellie potential fashion advices, such as adding patterns or decorations over the clothes Ellie could make to sell clothes for a better price, not that the former knew that the latter would take them seriously, especially with that most of Ellie’s clothes and fabric are sold for the commons, so they would usually stick with simpler designs with easily-earned materials, and more importantly, to be sold in a reasonably cheap price, and it’s not like this little town where Ellie opened her shop would have many nobles to come or visit in the first place.

There’s even one time Dawn managed to get some silk for Ellie to show off her wavering skills, only for the woman to politely refused to use such precious materials. Because, as she explained, someone would definitely notice it and suspect her for stealing it from some noble to make it in the first place, and then that would cause a chain of problems that Dawn may not be able to fix, so Dawn can only sulk and put the silk back to her inventory, not that most peasants would ever see silk for the rest of their comparatively short lives with modern people lives, let alone with learning and knowing the skills to weave them.

With Perseus and Ellie having their own shops in different worlds, and only coming back at night, after a whole day of work, they talked a lot and shared their stories during their working hours, mostly about everyday things, with an occasional mix of spice of life in it. But Dawn certainly don’t mind, so long she too is included.

Still, over-extorting their health to an early grave is bad for both of their health, especially if Perseus and Ellie died without having kids, so Dawn regularly offered them entertainment and knowledge with various objects and subjects the former two never knew, on the days when they don’t work or simply needs to take a break.

But Dawn isn’t the one who always offers Perseus and Ellie surprises, because today, she is the one who is the surprised one...

Chapter Text

Today is just another Dawn didn’t received requests of help from her friends, so she simply chose to clean up her inventory instead.

Dawn’s inventory is literally a packed-tightly pocket space where everything of the same type of objects are all well-placed together, so when she needed to retrieve the specific object she needed, she could do it within a second, and she won’t need to rummage her inventory like an idiot for forever, except that for now, she has another problem with it.

There are like way too many ofudas inside her inventory. Mostly buff-giving ofudas, some curse-inducing, but mostly buff ones, and burning them would be a waste, despite their relatively cheapness in terms of their pricing.

Okay, perhaps not cheap at all, especially for three of these things to be worth 12,800 yen, which is around 67 pounds in modern day, and obviously no normal family would afford these papers for whatever reason they have, especially when most people don’t believe in magic in the first place.

Except that she wasn’t in modern times anymore, she’s in the Middle Ages, but she still couldn’t find any uses of these talismans for the public. Considering that most of these magical papers are assisting items used in battles, and the best one she could find use of is the Idaten Ofuda, which boasts the accuracy and evasion of all allies for a short time, which might possibly speeds up the work speed of the user and their allies for any work they do, with a temporal enhanced observation skills as a bonus.

Just as Dawn continued to ponder what to do with these scribbled papers, Perseus came out of his home lab.

“Hi, Perry!” Dawn greeted the wizard with her usual cheering attitude. “Do you need my help? Or are you here just to see me?”

“Actually, I do need your help for my latest spell creation.” Perseus pointed out with an embarrassed look. “I just happened to ran out of ideas at this moment, so do you have any ideas for me?”

“Hmm, do you know any spell that allows people to move or act faster within a short time? Infuse that within objects, and they’ll be blessing their holders with swiftness, as long as they held the item themselves!” Dawn had an idea, as she just put away the papers just in time. “Sure, you guys have Apparition, but it doesn’t works in everywhere, considering that wards against it exists!”

“Now that you mentioned, I hadn’t ever heard of that, which makes it ideal for my next project!” Perseus now looks like something who just got his light bulb being lit up. “Thank you for your suggestion, Dawn. I’ll be going back to work on this swift spell you just said!” He rushed back to his lab, wand ready at his hand.

“One more thing.” Dawn called the man to stop and turn his head back, before he could disappear within her eyesight, in which he did, as the girl in blue waved her hand, as green pillars of lights surrounded the wizard’s body, as he felt a surge of overwhelming swiftness running all over his body, including the feeling to be able to see through walls. “A gift for you, and good luck on your project!”

“I will!” Perseus thanked one last time as he left. Ready to work on an original speed-enhancing spell.

Chapter Text

A few hours later...

“Any luck on creating the swift-enhancing spell?” Dawn asked. She is now inside the underground lab, next to Perseus, who is laying on a chair.

“Yes...but the enchanting items isn’t my forte, not to mention if I simply casted magic to make it a magical item, the magic infused with said item will only work for so long, until it’s out of magic, a few years give or take.” Perseus sighed as he looked up the rocky celling. “I’ll be naming the spell ‘Celere’, which means swiftness in Latin, with the wand motion being this...” He waved his wand in a pattern not different from a wave ended with a spiral towards the centre anti-clockwise.

“That’s one word away from celery, and let’s hope that this spell won’t be joked as a vegetable as other people use it in the future!” Dawn chuckled and joked as she heard the name of the spell.

“What’s a celery? You said it as some sort of greens, isn’t it?” Perseus asked with his usual curiosity.

“Yep! It’s a green, thin vegetable with a mildly bitter taste!” Dawn explained. “Back to the subject of enchanting items, have you ever considered carving runes into the items to make them work?”

“Runic items exists, that I knew. It’s just that...” Perseus bit his lips. “ There’s not much I knew about runes themselves, not even I could get the books about them when I lived with my former family...”

“Guess we’ll have to start from scratch, can’t you?” Dawn said as she took out a rather thick book, with the title ‘All Runes You Need To Know From The Norses’ written at the top of the book. “Take your time to learn from it.”

“I certainly will, and thank you for your help as always.” Perseus thanked as he took the book and went upstairs, using the afternoon sunlight to assist his reading, hours before the sun goes down.

“Glad I can help!” Dawn chirped in joy. “Oh, and one more thing, do you think you would give your latest ‘swift-enhancing’ item to your wife as a gift, once you finished creating it?"

“I am not engaged with Ellie yet...” Perseus protested with annoyance. “Besides, how come you yourself didn’t consider that you could be a potential spouse to me?” He asked back.

“Hey! I may not look like it, but my actual age could easily makes me your ancestor, even if I stopped bothering to count it’s exact amount...” Dawn gave a somewhat angry shot at the wizard at first, before it turned into a somber one. “...not to mention that outliving a spouse is a pain I would like to avoid, and I have no intention to be as mortal as you are, at least for now.”

“I see...and sorry for bringing such hard feelings to you...” Perseus bowed his head as he apologized. “I promise I won’t say anything about it anymore, and mean it.”

“Eh, don’t mention it. I’m not offended at all, everyone would’ve asked a reasonable question like that to me, and I’m used to it.” Dawn waved back neglectfully as she followed the wizard and leaving the lab. “Just don’t forget to call me if you need more help!”

“I will.”

Chapter Text

Apparently, there are more customers than usual in Perseus’ potion shop at Hogsmeade today, not that he can’t manage them all by himself, but that means he won’t have time to spend with Dawn just for today. While both are disappointed at this simple fact, they are also fine with it, so Dawn simply left the wizard to attend his own business, while deciding to spend time with Ellie instead, who is more than willingly to do so, all to understand and bond with her new-found ‘angel’ all the better.

“You know, I haven’t been called that way for a while, and you probably don’t want to know how do I do some ‘clean-up work’...if I had to.” Dawn expressed her opinion when she learnt her new title from her latest non-magical brunette friend.

“I know, and I have faith that you won’t ever ‘clean’ me up, for you are simply too kind to do so.” Ellie smiled as she replied.

“‘Kind’ is also too generous to describe me, or at least, I wouldn’t deny that I am indeed kind to you...” Dawn turned her head as she continued to protest, her cheeks tinted with a shade of red.

“Which is more than enough to me, you don’t have to be too humble and feel too hard on yourself. I trust you, my little angel.” Ellie held Dawn’s smaller hand with hers, compared with her own, since Dawn is now the size of a small child, as she encouraged the latter.

“So where are going?” Dawn asked, decided to change the topic.

“We are going to the church, that I heard from others to learn their teachings.”

“...oh.” is all Dawn said, clearly not amused, but barely hid said emotions from Ellie. Too bad she noticed anyway.

“Is there something wrong?” Ellie asked with concern.

“Nothing.” Dawn lied, which she dislikes to do a lot. Thankfully, she isn’t exactly on a ‘mission’, or it can goes a lot more worse.

“Do you...dislike going to a church?”

“What do you think? You and I literally live with a wizard, and me myself can do magic! What do you think they would do if they knew about this?” Dawn deadpanned.

“Actually, the witch hunts are mostly done by their followers, not the church themselves. They never expressed their opinion over witchcraft, only discouraging people from practicing them.” Ellie explained, trying to comfort Dawn. Not that it worked, but she tried.

“Yeah, that I know. But if you are telling me that they were truly completely squeaky-clean, then you’d had better chances of getting healed without my help! And that means — I don’t trust them, most of them, at least.” Dawn answered with disdain. She’d seen more than enough religion doing bad things because they can, starting wars to gain more power and influence, or hiding some sort of ancient conspiracy from the world, and she had ‘permanently brush them off the map and history’ more than she remember, and that’s a story for another time.

“When then, at least you can accompany me. Two is better than one, no?” Ellie gave a faint smile to Dawn, as she tugged the latter’s hand lightly.

“I won’t argue against that, just don’t expect me to hear and take their words seriously.” Dawn gave her conditions clearly.

“Not that I would force you to be a member of them in the first place. I respect your choices.” Ellie led Dawn to the local church as she nodded.

It turns out that a church has many open-hours (also called as canonical hours) for daily liturgies (religion gathering for the public), and Dawn and Ellie managed to get in during the Sext time (noontime). The more important (and unfortunate to Dawn) is that they usually last for one to two hours, even longer if a bishop is present, which thankfully for the girl in blue is that said person is now not present, but hours of nothing to do for her is still painful for her to wait, except for the occasion of looking at Ellie, who is completely devoted into the prayers.

Of course, at this point Dawn had already changed herself into something more appropriate to blend in with the peasants — brown clothes, leather shoes, and a hood that wraps around her head, all done all before she’d stepped into these holy grounds.

Too bad even the holist grounds can be easily tainted with the hearts of the wicked, while nothing too special (or worse, evil)  happened inside the church today, one thing did happened as a normal procedure — indulgence.

Originally, indulgence is the act of the church gathering funds to spread the good words far and wide, and many of the followers back then a genuine of it, except that as time passed, the church raised and raised the price of indulgence, which eventually keeps the poor out of ’the path of salvation’, and it became a ’special treatment’ exclusive to the rich. Some of them even going so far making them indifferent from taxes, making the living conditions of the poor worse and worse.

Until Martin Luther came, which Dawn is certain that he isn’t born yet, not until a century or so.

The other thankful thing Dawn is grateful that this church is none of those things yet, as they only required a reasonable sum to get an indulgence, which even someone like Ellie can afford, despite her somewhat meager way of earning a living. (Dawn can certainly help Ellie to earn more than that, but the latter insisted to earn a living on her own, to the former’s admiration)

Hours passed like an eternity, as Dawn and Ellie finally left the church, to the former’s exhaustion, and to the latter’s joy, with a piece of paper on her hand.

“You actually really don’t have to give them money for personal indulgence — just prayers and helping the needed are more than enough.” Dawn told Ellie this small fact.

“I know, but if my donation can be used to help the helpless, just like what you did to me, I believe that would works for me as well.” Ellie said back with optimism.

“I guess that’s one nice way to donate your earnings...” Before Dawn could say anything else, her eyes changed from idling to shape ones, looking at a certain direction.

“What’s wrong, little angel?” Ellie patted Dawn’s shoulder.

“...nothing. Allow me to take you a shortcut to your home, I’ll see you later,” Dawn said as she dropped a smoke bomb on the ground, covering herself and Ellie with smoke, as she teleported the latter away, back to her house. “...well then...”

“You can come out now, guys. I don’t have time for all day. My pals are still waiting for me to go home.”

Chapter Text

Instead of people jumping out of wherever place they’re hiding, crossbow arrows were fired towards Dawn’s head instead. Just because ordinary arrow can’t kill her, doesn’t means she won’t gets hurt from them. Not to mention the last thing her enemies have to know is that she is anything but normal.

Still, a good actress needs to be adaptive on the stage, and never get exposed as a shoddy one, all the way until the play is over. So Dawn bowed down just in time to dodge the arrows, as they just flew over her head in a whoosh.

Seeing their arrows aren’t hitting the small girl, several grown men in black hood that completely covered their faces, they all jumped out from the bushes, armed with daggers in their hands. But the most significant identifying them from your usual assassins is that they all wore white, shiny crosses on their necks.

“Rowdy folks who just don’t like me, huh?” Dawn chimed as she readied herself. All bets are off. Sure, she could’ve simply teleported or escaped, but she always loves a non-lethal fight from whoever that challenges her, so here we are.

The closest one that is approaching her simply fell flat, after Dawn responded him with a simple offhand backhand, Batman-style. The second hooded figure tried to attack Dawn right in front of her, only to be stunned with a strong punch to the gut, who is now clutching his stomach, while moaning in pain. Then, Dawn barely dodged another arrow to her head, but not fast enough to dodge a close attack from yet another hooded figure. Not that she needed to dodge from him, as she simply countered the attack with a roundhouse kick.

Three out of the many, and more are still coming closer to Dawn, surrounding her within a circle. Seriously, just how many of them are out there, just to get a simply little girl?

“Surrender yourself, witch! We have witnessed your witchcraft, and your resistance is futile!” A loud voice boomed from the outside of the circle, from a hooded figure with a slightly decorated cross on his chest, who is pointing Dawn with a finger of accusation, in which Dawn assumed him to be the leader of these hoodies.

“I know nothing about the witchcraft you claimed to have witnessed from me.” Dawn mocked with a playful smile. “But if a fight is what you are asking for, then I am more than willingly to engage and accept it with grace!” She then punched down yet another hoodie down.

As the fight goes on, Dawn certainly has the strength and stamina to go on with these people for all day, despite their size differences, because it is clear as day is that they are not used to their target actually fighting back, much less actually winning against their tides of attacks. Some are even considering changing their career at the spot, but their professional morals keeps them from doing so.

Eventually the hoodies got smarter and decided to attack from a range instead, as they began held up their crossbows and began shooting the raven-haired girl from a distance, all the while moving away from Dawn’s eyesight as they changed their locations time for time, thus engaging the ‘hit-and-run’ tactic. Too bad their opponent has the Third Eye, which allows Dawn to easily spot them from their hiding spot, as she eventually knocked them down one by one, all until their leader is the last one standing. When it comes to a fight of endurance, Dawn doesn’t loses easily, much less against ordinary humans without any special powers, even if they are armed.

“Looks like you are out of minions,” Dawn shrugged as she spoke to the clearly frightened man in front of her. “Call it a day, or do you want to press on?”

“What...WHAT ARE YOU?!” The hooded man asked in a demanding tone, not even trying to mask his fear mixed in it. “You...you witch! What kind of deal you had made with the Devil to obtain such powers?!”

“All of this ‘witch’ nonsense is getting boring.” Dawn made a tired yawn. “Still, for a bunch of local hoodlums, you guys do have impressive weapons and strategies, too bad you picked the wrong target — me,” She patted her non-existent dust over her shoulders. “Want to call it a day, and take your people away from me?”

“Never! In the name of God, I shall vanquish you!” Clearly jabbed at Dawn’s words, the man simply drew out his dagger as he charged towards Dawn.

“Then you will die braver than most.” Dawn calmly responded. I always wanted to say that! She thought to herself.

The two then began to engage into a long fight. Dawn tried to land a few blows on the tall man, but the latter is quite nimble, as he dodged every single punch Dawn tried to land on him. Not that she herself isn’t nimble at all, as she too is able to equally dodge all the attempted stabs from the tall man.

Throughout their dance steps of death, with one mistake means fatal to the both of them, Dawn is the first one who made the mistake, even if it’s just a scratch to her face. “So...the witch isn’t invincible at all, with this black, tainted blood flowing all over her veins...” The fervent muttered as he took a step back from Dawn.

“Hey, I never claimed to be invisible, nor do I claimed anything about being a witch in the first place.” As much as Dawn is tempted to simply use a Dia to fix her face, the last thing her enemy needed is more proof for any further accusations, so she simply wiped the ‘blood’ off her face. “Still, this is more than enough entertainment for a day. This ends now.” She said as she quickly flash-stepped behind the tall man with a cross.

“What?!” Before the leader of the hoodies could react from Dawn’s sudden speed burst, he received a solid whack from the back of his head, as he fell down and joined with the rest of the his fellow unconscious teammates.

“You are lucky that I am not the type of person who just kill people for no reason, even if you guys attacked me in the first place,” Dawn spoke to the unconscious vigilantes, not expecting them to be able to reply her for now. “Now, let’s see what you guys have inside your pockets...”

After a small search from the hoodies, all she found from them is nothing but the usual equipment to kill, some pocket money, unlit torches with flints and steel to add, and a few bottles of boozes and bandages. Guess they really are nothing but rogue vigilantes, as Dawn previously suspected.

“While it’s tempting to loot from one's defeated enemies, I decide to make an exception just for today.” Dawn said to no one as she put back all the loot she found right back to their rightful owners. She may be a Phantom Thief at times, but certainly not for this time! It’s not like she is poor or desperate enough to rob these fanatics of all people! Not to mention the lack of worthy loot for her to be useful in the first place...

Anyway, as the fight is over, Dawn healed herself with a simple Dia, as she casted Makajamaon to all of the unmoving vigilantes on the ground to wipe three-days-worth of their memories out of their minds, as she take her departure.

“Guess I’ll have to be careful not to get spotted by the non-magicals for a while...” Dawn wondered as she finally teleported back to Perseus’ house. “Let’s just hope that they won’t be mad at me for not coming back in time...”

Chapter Text

“You...certainly know how to clean up your own house, once you are available for work.” Dawn commented as her eyes scanned around Ellie’s house.

Right now, the reason the girl in blue is with the non-magical woman’s side, is because Perseus had to check his entire stock of ingredients in his shop, since he’d just found some of them somehow went bad, and he had to discard them to make room for the new ones (Even though Dawn suggested helping the wizard to fix the ingredients, Perseus insisted that the ingredients just ‘aren’t the same’, even with her powers), which will certainly takes an entire day due to the sheer amount of the ingredients, even assisted with magic, and it would had taken days if he were a muggle in the first place.

“We all do, don’t we? Just because we don’t live in lavish castles like nobles do, doesn’t necessarily means we can’t, at least, try making our home as cozy as we can,” Ellie replied with a courtesy smile, then she noticed something. “Or, are you saying that you don’t clean up your own house often? Or it’s just that you don’t know how to do so?”

“Well, the closest thing I have a home is my ‘special room’, and it’s self-cleaning. Besides, I usually don’t do ‘normal life stuff’ such as cleaning. I’m more focused on my ’special tasks’ that requires me to stay out for long periods.” Dawn awkwardly scratched the back of her head, as she explained.

“So it’s like ’the room won’t clean itself up’ doesn’t applies to you, ah, ’special room’ at all?” Ellie asked, realized something.

“Exactly.”

“And that’s why you don’t do chores at all, even it’s essential to life?”

“...sorta?”

“Or you use your powers to do the cleaning for most of the time, even if you must clean up a place?”

“...yeah?”

“...then I had an idea of punishment for you, in case you are being naughty, not that you are a naughty person in most of the time.” Ellie playful smiled as she stated her case.

“Noooo!” Dawn whined. She knew what exactly the taller woman meant. “Speaking of which, did you left something on the oven? Cause I was like, smelling something burning, with the smoke to add.” She described as she tried to remove the smoke away around her, by fanning the air with her hand.

“No, I didn’t cook anything today yet...wait, I have an assumption.” Ellie’s face turned pale as she stopped mid-sentence. “I think I know what is happening, let us go outside.”

“Sure.” Dawn nodded, catching up what the taller woman was trying to say.

Unsurprisingly, there is a fire, but nowhere close to Ellie’s house, but instead at one of her neighborhood’s a few blocks away. The red-and-yellow fire’s are flickering around the stone-and-thatch built house, greedily consuming everything it touches. The scent of burnt wood can be smelled everywhere in the smoke-filled air. People could be here screaming, running away, and demanding water to extinguish the out-of-control flames.

“Oh dear...if I recall, the closest source of water around here is from a river, and that was miles away from here...” Ellie covered her mouth as she watched the flames burning the house down in horror. “I hope there’s no one trapped inside there.”

“Doesn’t seemed to be it. I saw no one is trying to rush inside the house to retrieve anybody inside it.” Dawn gave her observations as she took out something from her inventory. “Besides, a little assistant won’t hurt them at all, so long nobody noticed it.”

“Are you...trying to help them?” Ellie asked.

“Yeah, just not the conventional way you’d expected.” Dawn revealed the objected that she’d just taken out from her inventory.

It was a tiny teacup filled with water in it.

Chapter Text

“That...doesn’t seems to be enough to put out the flames, if that’s all you are trying to extinguish them with nothing but a small cup of water.” Ellie stated the obvious.

“Yeah, which is exactly why I said I won’t be using the normal way to help them, and it’s a good thing it’s that most of your neighbors are too occupied at the fire for me to do this.” Dawn said as the cup she’s holding began to glow with a soft-cyan light, as she splashed it’s contents into the air far and wide, letting droplets fly freely in the air, before all of them dropped onto the ground from gravity, all done while holding the cup on her hand tight.

“...that’s it? Is that how you will help to put out the fires?” Ellie asked with skeptic.

“Lady, you knew you have two magical friends on your side, and that includes me in it. What’s the harm of using a little bit of magic to put out the fires?” Dawn asked with a smug smile, her face just screamed ‘wait and see’.

Moments later, a grey cloud appeared at the top of the burning house, as it got larger and larger, and finally, it let down a small torrent directly over the house, and the fires all goes out. Naturally, all the people are confused at the sudden appearance of the rain from a clear sky, but nevertheless celebrated and cheered at this ‘miracle’ briefly, before they got back to business as they moved away the now-useless building materials from the burnt house.

“A small good deed, but a good deed nonetheless. Don’t avert it because of it’s smallness, nor comment evil deeds because of it’s smallness.” Dawn commented poetically, as she put back the cup into her inventory.

“Amen to that. That was an incredible display of magic.” Ellie smiled brightly as she patted Dawn’s shoulder. “But what and how exactly did you do to extinguish the fires at all?” She asked in curiosity.

“Nothing. Just using the cup of water as a medium to summon a rain cloud to put out the fires. Other than that, nothing special at all.” Dawn explained in a humble tone.

“It was more than enough to amaze me. I am glad that you use your magic to help people, not bewitching them like how we assume most witches do.” Ellie expressed in a soft voice.

“And I am glad you guys are nice enough not to make an enemy out of me, and a good mood keeps me from using magic to harm the innocent.” Dawn smiled back, holding Ellie’s stretched arm lightly. “Is there anything else I can help for you? Or are you planning to do something with this tiny fiasco?”

“Hmm, speaking of which, I could use an assistant for a sweet pie that I was about to bake...”

“Count me in.” Dawn stopped before Ellie could say more, the two walking back to their house. As they completely missed a shambling person laying at the corner, wrapped with tattered fabrics, both of their eyes somewhat milky, as they stared at the small girl with horror and awe, muttering something in their mouth:

“that’s a witch...a witch...”

Chapter Text

When I woke up, I found myself nowhere inside of Ellie’s house anymore. As l looked around, I found myself barely covered with hay, the ceiling I looked up has an obviously large hole on it, along with the scent of rotten wood all over the place, and the periodically creaky sounds of broken floors. All clear signs of housing neglect are present, which indicates whoever owns it must not be keen on caring their own house, or alternatively, this house is abandoned, and whoever is living here for now is just temporarily using it as a place to stay under the roof.

That’s strange, because the last thing I remember is that I was supposed to be sleeping in her house for a night, after spending the rest of the day helping her sorting out of usable fabric for her shop. (Perhaps she could use a storage to keep the bugs from gnawing the fabric?) And I am sure that Ellie likes to keep her house clean and comfy, so this house I am currently in is certainly not her house.

Well, at least whoever took me here didn’t meant to harm me, otherwise, they could had chained me up and kept me a prisoner for worse.

Speaking of which, where’s my kidnapper, anyway?

Oh well, if he or she isn’t coming to get me, I am leaving. This place is giving me creeps, after all.

As I got up from the makeshift hay bed, I looked outside from another large hole from the decayed walls of wood — which I assumed it meant to be a cheap window of sort —  where the night is still young. Too bad for me, there are lots of pointy, sharp wood on this ‘window’, otherwise, I would’ve simply jumped out of the window and escaped. I’d rather stay in one piece as I escape, and not exposing myself with the ability to do magic, as most people in this time period hates, or simply are scared of magic, thank you very much. Just because it’s the dead of the night doesn’t means there aren’t people outside the house for various reasons, like the night patrol, for example.

With the creaky floor, the moment I walk around, my kidnapper would noticed my attempt to escape, so I decided to dive into the shadows to see what they’re up to.

As I scouted around the house in the (literal) dark, I found this house to be bare, containing nothing but the place I just got up from, which I assumed to be the main room with a simple hay bed. With my kidnapper I found next to a hearth, cooking something as they hummed in a creepy tone. Their voice badly damaged to the point I can’t determinate their gender, not to mention the tattered and dirty brown robes they wear over their body as I saw from behind them doesn’t help their case. So I tried to take a look at their face, too bad it was been obscured in the hood, but the hand that was exposed from the robes to hold the spoon told me more than enough that is person is physically ill, with all the disgusting red spots all over the back of their hand. On the positive side, it’s not the Black Death she’s been infect with, as I learnt that from Ellie.

I looked into the contents of the dish they are trying to cook. It consist of a pitch-black cauldron with an equally pitch-black contents in it, as the hunched figure it’s stirring it’s contents with a wooden spoon. No doubt I am getting a stomach ache if I drink that.

Okay, now that I am next to my kidnapper in the darkness, what am I supposed to do? Ambush them right now, or just adapt the ‘wait and see’ mode?

Before I could decide what to do, they had finished tasting the soup they just made, poured its contents into a wooden bowl, and carried the bowl with a shaky body. Looks like they have a hard time over something as simple as walking, thanks to whatever disease they are plagued with. On the other hand, the only positive news I just knew is that whatever is inside the cauldron is most likely not poisonous, otherwise they wouldn’t had drank it, unless they want to die with me, which is a small but non-neglectful possibility, now that I think of it. Too bad for them, I can’t die from poison, due to my status as a soul entity.

Anyway, it’s now or never.

Just before I decided to strike at the robbed figure, I decided to check them one last time, should they possess magic or anything dangerous. With none of those things present, I silently came out from the shadows, with a black blade on my hand, as I placed the cold piece of metal on their neck. I have slashed more than enough people’s necks to do this with muscle memory, no matter how tall or short my target is. Still, I am not cutting anyone’s necks without getting some answers first.

“Don’t move,” Is the first thing I told to my kidnapper. They dropped the bowl on the rotten floor in shock, the bowl's contents splashed and seeped through the floor. “Be cooperative, for I will just ask you a few questions, and no blood will be spilt. We don’t have to make this too complicated.”

They slowly kneed onto the ground, as I moved the blade on their neck in their pace, their body shaking. It’s rather hard to see whether they are shaking in fear, or shaking in pain from the disease they have.

“Okay. Let’s start with something simple. What’s your name?”

“...mary.” Her voiced croaked. Clearly not used for talking for a very long time.

“Rather common name, I say. And you have no family name?”

“...they dead. sick. alone.”

“Oh,” For a second, I looked at the woman with pity, but not enough for me to put the knife down. “Your reason to kidnap me?”

“...need help.” The woman on the ground said tersely, as she breathed heavily. Apparently, even merely talking is painful to her. Just what kind of disease she is infected with?

“By taking me out of my pal's house? Rather rude way, if you ask me.” I narrowed my eyes, all the while keeping them sharp on the woman, who is still kneeing on the ground.

“...you are my only hope.” Mary clutched her chest as she said. “no time left for me. need someone dead.”

“I don’t just kill someone for no reason,” I shot my standards right at the back of the woman’s head. “But at least I can do research to your target, and if they are acceptable to me, I will help you,” I added. “And, of course, I need a name of your target in the first place.”

“...bates, baron bates.” She said as she coughed with a hand covering her mouth, trying her best not to touch the knife with her neck, as she wiped the fresh blood on her hand with the rags she is wearing.

“Alright then, Mary. One last question — what is the feud you have with this Baron Bates?” I asked, not expecting an unbiased answer, but more information is always better then nothing.

“...my child, cherry, dead, because of him...” Mary replied, with a slight fury in her tone, with her ruined voice makes it sounds a lot more worse. “ ‘I would never allow a bastard daughter become a member of my house, nor your existence will ever be accepted’ he said,” She held her fist so tight that I could almost see the white on her knuckles, or her nails almost digging into her palm. “she is all I had, and I became this from my...profession...” She hacked as she stared at the floor. No bonuses from guessing what her ‘profession’ is. “she was only five...” She wept as quietly as she could.

“Fine, and what can you give me in return?” Not that I am seriously expecting a sick and poor woman could pay me with anything at all, nor am I sincere at getting a payment in the first place, which means I am doing this as a freebie for her, as I withdrew my knife over the woman’s neck.

“...my life, my soul! anything...for her...”  Mary cackled as she turned to face me, her face still covered in the hood, as she remained on the ground. It’s clear that standing up isn’t easy for her, thanks to her disease, so she remained staying on the ground. “I know you, you can do magic, killing bates would be as easy as cutting my neck here, if you wish...” She laughed. Looks like the disease also cracked her head.

“Actually, you don’t have you. Considering it for free,” I put up my palm to stop Mary from rambling. Besides, I clearly need to be a bit more subtle over using magic discreetly in the future. “Oh, and one more thing. May I look into your face? I need to do that to recognize you, as I am certain that we will meet again.”

“...not appealing...” Mary mumbled. She covered her face with her spotty hands.

“Just a peek, please? I promise I won’t laugh at you, or be scared of it.” I tried to assure the woman, along with a light pat over her shoulder.

She didn’t say anything, just slowly removing her hands from her face, as she looked up and her eyes greeted with mine.

And yeah, she wasn’t kidding that she is ‘not appealing’ at the slightest. It is filled with red spots all over her face, and a few, swollen lumps to add as well. She had lank, grey and messy hair, and a pair of milky eyes that I would not be forgetting for a while.

“Hey, it’s okay. I won’t kill you, so long you won’t double-cross me,” I patted at Mary’s shoulder lightly again. “By the way, just a somewhat irreverent question — is this really your house? So that I’ll remember it, in case I’ll be seeing you again.”

Mary shook her head. “just staying, abandoned, like me.” 

“Okay. What if I wanted to meet you, once I am done with dealing with this Baron Bates?”

“meet me in graveyard, at night.” Is all Mary said.

“Yeah, sure. There is only one graveyard in this small town, but the graveyard is still pretty large to find just one person. You’ll be a little bit more specific than that.” I reminded the hunched woman.

“I wait at entrance.” She said the simple solution.

“And what if someone else came instead?” 

“I hide, good at it.”

“Oh.” Is all I answered. “Very well then. Once I am done with the research with Baron Bates, I’ll be seeing you at the graveyard a few days later. Because I prefer to arrange his to-be death as an accident! Not to mention all the clean up work I need to do!” I smiled. “Now, do you have anything else you wanted to say?”

Mary seemed to had shifted her hands in a prayer pose. “good luck, you will need it. and thank you...miss...?”

“It’s Dawn, just Dawn. And same to you too.” I replied courteously, as I left the torn down shaft, with one last shot at the woman, who is still in her prayer pose, while nodding non-stop, to the point I worried that she would’d shook her head off, before perishing that thought as I left for good.

In order to ensure Ellie wouldn’t worry about me being missing in the first place, I went back to her house as soon as I can, as I laid back onto the place I was sleeping on. During the trip back to her house, I am also fortunate to avoid meeting anyone else in the dead of the night, otherwise they would had tons of questions about a child wandering outside at night.

As the morning sun arrives, Ellie greets me with a warm smile, as I too greeted her back. I asked her about Mary, and her reply about that woman is...understandable. Saying that hunched woman is also know as ‘Crazy Mary’ by the locals, always wandering on the streets and begging for a living, with most people avoiding her due to her hideous looks, saying that she was cursed. Not much was known about her other than that.

Which is exactly why I need to do research about this Baron Bates in case she’s just bluffing, or just mad and delusional.

Turns out Mary isn’t delusional. For there really is a Baron Bates just around this lands, and he’s also known as the rich, douche bag, by the locals. As for his deal with Mary, she’s right for everything — Bates is already married and has a son as his heir, but that doesn’t stops him from ‘getting around’ with other woman, and when he found out Mary had an illegitimate child with him, he’s not amused at the slightest, and simply decided to...remove traces of her and her child.

Aside from that, his favorite part-time jobs other than running the lands are hunting (thankfully to me and the people around here, not with humans), ‘work out’ with every single ladies around here, included married ones and children (eww!), and overcharging taxes. With even his own people hates him, he sounds like a perfect target to be eliminated, right?

Unfortunately, there is just one good thing about him — he runs the lands rather efficiently. So if I just kill him there and then. There would be more troubles to solve, from a lack of leader or ruler to keep the people safe and satisfied.

But to solve a difficult case is always a challenge I love to seek.

And I just happened to have the perfect solution for everything...

Chapter Text

With all the job being done, I walked my way to the graveyard in the dead of the night, all the while holding a moderate-sized black box with no decorations on my hands. It didn’t took too long for me to find Mary sitting and leaning with her back on the cold, stone walls of the graveyard, humming with the same creepy, twisted song she did when she first kidnapped me.

I moved towards her, to the point we are merely a step away from each other, but she still seemed to failed to discover my arrival, probably too absorbed in her song (a lullaby, perhaps?) to notice me.

“Err...earth to Crazy Mary?” I tried to reach out to get a reaction from her. The next thing happened exceeds my expectations.

“I am not crazy! I am just bid — oh wait...” Mary’s milky eyes immediate shot up and met with my dark ones, her voice unusually higher than most of the time, despite being badly damaged, with her expression changed from a snarling one to a much softer one in a flash. “cherry?”

“Wrong answer.” I shook my head, as I sat next to the woman, while placing the black box next to me, on the other side. “Feeling better?”

“unlikely.” Mary coughed as she cleaned the blood from her mouth. “if I die, before bates is dead, I guess i’ll haunt him as a ghost, until he’s dead...hahaha...” She laughed as she looked up. “but thanks you, I don’t have to do that, and I can join my child soon, with you be my witness tonight.”

“Word spread rather fast to your ears, huh?” I mused.

“quite. horrible man mauled to death by a bear during one of his hunts. his servants couldn’t stop the bear from tearing his head, and escaping with it! hahaha...” Mary just won’t stop laughing, despite her frequent, painful wheezes in her laughs. “that was the best thing I had heard I my years of life, after he took everything from me...”

“And perhaps this would be the other best thing in your life?” I smirked as I offered the black box to the woman.

“what is that?” She asked.

“A gift you will most certainly appreciate.” I merely remained smiling mysteriously.

Mary carefully placed the box on her lap as she opened it, with a peek, she immediately closed it, as she gave me back the box. Then, she laughed with a face covering her face. She remained that way for a few minutes, until she’s too exhausted to laugh on, as she turned to face me. “I assumed that you had a hand in arranging his accident of being mauled by a bear, don’t you?”

“Let’s say that most people don’t expect a bear escaped from hot pursuit by transforming into a human,” I grinned as I put back the box into my inventory. “Still, it took me hard enough to have good Sir Wellington from the neighboring lands to be the next and better ruler of these lands, with the Bates’ family being busted for tax fraud I was able to expose to the good king Edward the Third himself...” I stretched my arms as I explained.

“I see. no less expected from a witch! ahhaha...” Mary too grinned with crooked teeth. “always thinking more than just a few steps ahead! you truly know how to do your job, don’t you?” She leaned over my shoulder lightly.

“Actually, I am a lot better than just a witch, and I don’t like being called that way for now, even though it’s a role I am willing to take up if I need to, just not tonight.” I corrected, but it’s clear that the woman simply doesn’t care for the details.

“then shall I call you a demon instead?”

“NO!”

“hmm, then what would you like me to address you?” Mary tilted her head as she asked.

“Eh, forget the formalities, just Dawn will be fine.” I beamed at the hunched woman.

“that works too, even though you are more than just a kind child, and nobody would believe this local crazy beggar who just happened to know you who can do magic! hahaha...” Mary laughed once more, before dying down from her laugher. “...sorry, haven’t had a great speaker for ages, you are the first.”

“Yeah, I know what’s like being ignored by the masses, being an outcast and so...” I grimaced as I said. “So what’s your plan tonight?”

“we are visiting my child, dear.” Mary stood up with a hand on the walls for support.

“As in, visiting her grave, am I right?” My face changed into a neutral one.

“indeed, I have good news for her...”

“Uhh, are you sure you are walking to the right way to where Cherry is buried? Because we are like, already walking around the graveyard in circles, for minutes, no less, in case you failed to notice.” I asked with my arms folded, following the hunched woman, as she searched around in the dark with her milky eyes.

Good thing this is a relatively small graveyard with no grave keepers present. Otherwise, it would’ve been a different level of trouble for a little girl and a sick woman on these grounds.

“I am sure is this way...or was it that way?” Mary just looked around with a frustrated face. “is it my memory is falling me? perhaps it did, I couldn’t remember anything about my parents, and now I am forgetting her resting place too...” She held a blotchy hand over her head. “but I need to tell her the good news...I must...I will...I am so sorry...cherry...” Mary panted from exhaustion.

“Perhaps I could offer you some assistance?” I suggested.

“how?” Mary asked.

“This.” Is all I said, as I carefully took a single strand of grayish hair from Mary’s lanky head without accidental harming her. By burning it with my special azure flames, an arrow appeared right in front of me, pointing at the opposite direction we are walking from. “Follow me, and we’ll be finding your Cherry soon,” I explained, as I offered her a hand. “Need a little leaning of help?”

It appears Mary didn’t seems to be too startled at that display of magic, possibly due to she already knowing I can do magic in the first place, so whatever happens doesn’t fazes her anymore, or perhaps her life is too traumatic to the point that anything else can no longer surprises her anymore, and all she did is a nod of acknowledgment, as she leaned on me as we followed the arrow in the air.

A few more minutes later, the arrow finally stops moving away from the duo, at it points at an unmarked grave, with nothing but a small patch of bumpy dirt, with few stones placed neatly together to form a small, rocky tower, indicating it to be a grave of sorts. The arrow then promptly disappears into nothingness, as we approached the grave.

“I think we’d found it.” I stated the obvious as I helped Mary kneeing next to her child’s grave, as I pulled out the black box once again, giving the box to the grieving woman next to her child’s grave.

“cherry...oh, my cherry...you were so young...so precious...” Mary placed both of her hands onto the small patch of dirt, as she weeped openly. “at last...with help...I avenged you...” She kept sobbing. “I wanted to give this as prove...but you never liked those icky things...right? shh...mama’s coming to meet you soon...” She spoke in the tone of comforting a child, and she meant it when she said she was about to ‘join her child’.

With her staying with her child’s grave and meet her end, her story should be completed. Sad, but at least with an acceptable ending.

But...this isn’t that kind of story.

Besides, there’s me, who hates this kind of ending, not to mention the ‘potential’ I possess for a new beginning.

“Actually, have you ever considering a possibility where you and your child living together, away from people, for the rest of your lives? Or at least she is old enough to find someone to live with, and forming a loving family together?” I asked, not just as a possibility that will never happen anymore.

“...she’s no longer alive...so that meant nothing to me...” Mary muttered in depression.

“Then...what if I revive her for good?” I finally said that out loud.

Mary’s milky eyes seemed to have sparked up with the slightest glimmer of hope in it. “...what?” She looked at me with pure disbelief. “...you can...just do that? you meant it? not just a trick of the eye?” By using me as a support for standing up, she’s now holding my shoulders with both of her hands tight, with nothing but desperation in her eyes. “do you...required a sacrifice or something like that? or even my life? I would gladly give it to bring her back if that’s the price...”

“No cost. No price. No more innocents will die anymore, for now, at least.” I shook my head as I pointed at the black box on the ground. “Speaking of which, I think it would be better to destroy the evidence, just in case if something went wrong.”

Mary turned her head and looked at the box with clear disgust. “...you are right, remove that thing from my sight, for I have no need for it anymore.” She requested politely.

“As you wish.” With a snap of my fingers, the black box bursted up with azure flames, a with just a few seconds, any traces of the black box and its content is reduced to nothingness. “Now, back to bringing back your daughter to life, I need you to do the most obvious thing to allow me to do so in the first place.”

“which is...?” Mary tilted her head again.

“Please, let go of my shoulders. You grip on them is making them sore.”

“oh, sorry about that.” Mary put down her shoulders as she fiddled her damaged fingers absentmindedly. “can you do your thing now?”

“Sure.” I nodded, as I prepared charging up with magic. Heat Raiser, Concentrate, and finally...

Samarecarm.

As I thought of the words of that spell in my head, as I extended my hand towards the small grave, several glowing vines sprouted around the tiny hill of dirt, as several glowing butterflies that appeared out of nowhere to circle around the grave, with a larger one appeared at the top of the grave as it flew down and touched the grave.

Samarecarm isn’t meant to revive those who have long passed, or worse, those who passed on with nothing left behind.

But I am good at making exceptions.

As the spell is completed, and with all the glowing things disappeared — as if they never existed in the first place — the small grave started to move, as if something is trying to come out.

“Whoops, maybe we should try digging her out first next time, before I revive her with my spell.”

A few digging later, done by a powerful being in the form of a small child, and a sickly but desperation mother, a small child was found inside the grave. However, unlike most people, who laid down inside their graves and stay dead, this one came out on her own by standing on her own legs, to the amazement of the child’s mother herself.

The child has auburn and short hair, her eyes consist of the typical color of blue, wearing clothing that won’t be out of place among with peasants in the Middle Ages. Her skin somewhat pale, but mostly in a fair color.

“Hi!” The child greeted the two people in a cheery tone. “What is this place? And where’s my mommy? This place is creepy, can I go home?” She understandably shuddered at the surroundings, as she asked a chain of questions.

“cherry...oh, my cherry...” Mary kneed next to her child, as she embraced her once more, something she’d dreamt much before tonight. “you are finally back...”

“Uhh, who are you?” Cherry asked in a confused tone.

That would normally break most of the parent’s hearts, when they realize their own child no longer recognized them. Not for Mary though. “it’s me...your mama...I had been waiting for you so long...”

“Hmm, but mama has beautiful brown eyes and brown hair, not white eyes like yours. Not to mention your hair is gray!” Cherry stated the facts she remembered, as she asked with skeptic.

Mary sighed as she held her child and began singing the song she hums from time to time. With a damaged throat, it’s very out of pitch, but the rhythm is still there.

“That song...it sounds like what my mama sang to me every night before I go asleep! Mama!” Cherry finally accepts the aged woman right in front of her to be her mama, as she hugged her mama back with her little hands. “But...why do you look so different than I remember you?”

“it’s been so long, my Cherry. things change, I lost and forget so many things, but my song for you is one of the things I will remember until I take my final rest.” Mary cubbed Cherry’s cheek gently, all the while crying in tears of joy.

“Don’t feel bad, mommy! I am here! Why are you crying? Are you sad?” Cherry asked in confusion.

“no, sweetheart. I am crying because I am happy to see you once again.” Mary rubbed her only child’s cheek softly and lovingly.

“How long?” Cherry asked innocently.

“ten years...or perhaps longer...” Mary shook her head. “I was expecting to be the one to meet you on the other side...but it appears that you are the one who came back instead...”

“I was asleep in a dark place for a very long time, with nothing but lots of glowing objects around me, and it was getting booooring.” Cherry pouted. “But we are here together again, mama, so that means I won’t be alone anymore! Yippee!”

That sounds like the Sea of Souls. Rather impressive of her to even knew its details. I thought as she gave the mother and child some space.

Over the conversations, it is clear that Cherry doesn’t understands that she died and came back to life, thanks to my powers, instead merely assuming that she felt into a long sleep and was just recently being woke up again, and Mary has no intention to tell her that kind of truth, until she’s old enough to understand it.

Once the mother and child chattered for a few seconds, Mary came towards me with a faint smile, with Cherry on her side. “no words can express the entirety of my gratitude, Miss Dawn. But I still offer my thanks to you, as I try my best.”

“Yeah! Thanks for making mommy happy!” Cherry chirped along with her mom, then her expression turned to a sad one. “But mommy said she was sick, and won’t be with my side forever. If she left me because of the sickness, what should I do?”

“cherry, Miss Dawn already offered us more help than we can ever ask for, all for free nonetheless. do not be pushy.” Mary scolded Cherry with the best stern-mum tone she could gave, despite her sickly state.

“Actually, Cherry has a good idea, and I don’t just help people halfway-through and stop right there.” I, for once, agreed with the little child at the infected woman’s side. “So here’s one final gift from me to you, Miss Mary.” I casted Salvation over Mary, as I said.

A ribbon of rainbow-colored lights surrounded at the woman, playfully waving around her in the air, and disappeared as soon as they appeared, with a pillar of light that followed up and covered her entire body to add. Then, she began to feel the pain she is all-too familiar with began to leave her, as she discovered the red spots all over her skin is all gone, so are the lumps, as she is physically restored to her original form, before she is infected. No more back ache, no more sore throat, no more ailing mind, and no more walking difficulty, just like any normal person could do. Except for her hair, while no longer thin, is mixed with strands of auburn an grey. Looks like there are only so many things can be restored and some can’t, just like her trauma, and she still looked like someone in her sixties, despite being a lot younger than that.

Naturally, all she can do upon this ‘miracle’ is to thank me over and over again, with a confused Cherry followed her mom by mimicking her, with ‘You have my eternal gratitude’ from Mary as the most memorable one to me, the other one I won’t be forgetting for a very long time would be ‘Thanks for healing my mom!’.

Once they are done with their thanks, both mother and child got up from the dusty ground of the graveyard, as they decided to remove the now-unoccupied small grave, as they began discussing about the future.

“Do you have any future plans? Now that you and your child are back in one piece?” I asked.

“We are thinking about moving into the woods, away from the town.” Mary looked at the woods not far from the graveyard. “This town has too many sorrowful memories for me and my child, and I plan to start our new lives again there.”

Wait...that woods is the only thing that keeps them from finding Perseus’ house! That makes us neighbors in a sense! “Sure! While I don’t live inside these woods, I do, live with someone else around here, we can be neighbors who help each other!”

“Yay! We can meet each other everyday!” Cherry cheered.

“Is that so? What a coincidence!” Mary said with a surprised tone. “That means I can still ask you for help, if I requires them in the future, even though I feel ashamed at myself for asking so much from you, after everything you had done, and we had nothing to return...” She looked down with an embarrassed look.

“Eh, just don’t be too dependent on me, everything’s fine.” I waved my hand neglectfully. “Speaking of which, if you wanted to start your new life in the woods, are you sure that just the two of you are strong enough to build a house to live in there, all on your own?”

“...I’ll find a way to solve that.” Mary quipped, biting her lips.

“Just kidding. Didn’t I said earlier that I don’t just help people half-way through and stop right there?” I smiled brightly. “So what kind of house you’d like to build in the woods?”

“Well, this one’s rather bare by my standards, but it’s more than enough for the both of you to live here for now.” I looked at the stone house in the middle of the woods, satisfied at my work. “No need to thank me for this — I’ve had enough of those for this night. Just live well, and we’ll call it good,” I parted away with the woman and child, witnessing them waving at me and thanking me helping them. “Oh, and don’t forget to ask for help when you guys feel unwell. See ya!”

Once I am out of their sight, the mother and child entered their new house, as they looked around its interior. It is indeed as I described — bare, but at least functional. 

“Is this the new place we are staying, mommy?” Cherry asked innocently.

“Yes, it will be. And this time, I won’t let go of your hand, anymore.” Mary patted Cherry’s head.

“Umm, you aren’t holding my hand at all, mommy.” Cherry tilted her head.

“That was just an expression, sweetheart.” Mary just smiled.

“Can we play with Dawn someday later? Can we?” Cherry asked, cheerfully.

“Of course we can, sweetie. But now, it’s time to bed, and I will be singing for you to sleep, just like what I have always been doing just for you...”

Chapter Text

After moving a certain pair of family into the woods safely, and taking a well-earned rest back in the Persian Room, Dawn is ready for another day of normality, or at least as normal as a transmigrator could have.

Because it didn’t take too long for her to found her magical friend’s house to be damaged with mini explosive marks and frost spots everywhere.

“Perry? Are you here?” Dawn called out her friend to answer, but no response, except for the sound of a small explosion, in which she investigated the source of the sound.

And what she saw is somewhat surprising, even to someone like herself, who’d seen lots of things.

It’s the sight of Perseus  with some protective gloves. He seemed to be...trying to put Fire Salamanders and Frost Salamanders together?

Another loud pop, as the lizard-like creatures exploded from direct contact together, leaving nothing but a dumbfounded and dazed wizard standing.

With a muttered Episky to his face, Perseus is as good as new. Before turning his head to see the guest who just entered his study, from the footsteps he heard earlier.

“Ah, welcome back, Miss Dawn! Pardon me of my lack of hospitality, but as you see, I am a little busy here...” Perseus greeted as he turned back to continue his experiments.

“And what exactly are you doing here, Perry?” Dawn asked, curious.

“I am trying to see if Fire Salamanders and Frost Salamanders can be both used to breed a new species of magical Salamanders for future potion ingredient experiments. Unfortunately, it appears that I am mostly unsuccessful at the various attempts I did...” Perseus sulked. “Which is why you just came it time to assist me! Perhaps you can suggest something to solve that?”

“Maybe you should try something else, such as don’t put elemental-opposing Salamanders together?” Dawn deadpanned.

“Ah...” Perseus looked defeated, as he banished the magical amphibians to a small, magical menagerie just outside the house he built on his own a few days ago. “It was a good try, though. Speaking of which, I still have some new potions I invented to be tested on other people, and I’d like you to be their latest tester! And don’t worry about their adverse effects! I had already tried them on some Puffskeins, and the results are...interesting.”

“Interesting in a good way?” Dawn eyed at the tall wizard.

“Absolutely yes! All they did was changing the Puffskein’s fur color, or make them smooth and straight! Imagine them used on wizards and witches...” Perseus mused as he thought of his potion’s potential.

“Before I would agree to be your lab rat as usual, I have something to tell you.” Dawn pulled Perseus back to reality.

“Yes?”

“Do you failed to notice that your house is filled with destruction marks of your experiments you committed earlier?”

“...oh.”

With a few Reparo here and there, the little cottage is as good as new. No more burnt and frozen marks on the floor, on the walls, or on the celling. So Dawn proceed to try out the experimental potions as asked by Perseus.

“So, am I supposed to drink them, or what?” Dawn asked for the exact instructions to use the potions, just in case.

“Ah, no. Just apply them directly over your head, like a balm. Except that this one is liquor.” Perseus shook his head as he explained, which Dawn did exactly he said, with just a little amount of the potion, just in case.

The next thing happened within seconds, with Dawn’s hair changed from raven black to crimson red, and it started to burn on its own. Before the fire burns Dawn, she put them out with a simple Bufu with a snap of her fingers.

“Well, at least we know your potions are not safe for human-usage yet.” Dawn stated the obvious.

“Indeed. Perhaps I should not have added too much dragon heart in the potions...” Perseus looked at the floor, his face filled with guilt. “Sorry for that, it was my idea, after all.”

“Eh, things happens all the time, I am now fine, see?” With a flip, Dawn showed her perfectly fine black hair she restored with her powers to the potioneer.

“Indeed. I believe that we should use the rest of the day over improvising the potion formula, and...” Perseus is now looking at Dawn. “Do you know the art of improving potion recipes?”

“Anything that can be improved, I can improve them for the better,” Dawn boasted. “Shall we?” She extended her hand to Perseus.

“Gladly.” He accepted the offer, as the two went down to the lab.

The rest of the day went smoothly, with tons of discussions and improvisations done under the floors of the small cottage. As the night arrives, Perseus mentioned the recent appliance of nightmares about the horrifying past he had, so Dawn decided to help him removing those nightmares by sleeping next to him, like a lucky charm.

But the following night, despite the lack of nightmares the wizard wished of, still contains more than he bargained of.

Chapter Text

At the dead of the night, a crash was been heard by the mildly-sleeping wizard, who woke up in a bounce, as he readied his wand, and no sight of Dawn next with him.

Where’d she go?

That’s the first question he had in his mind, as he left the bed in search of the girl in blue.

With the sound cue, it didn’t took too long for Perseus to found Dawn standing at the kitchen, right in front of a broken plate, her hand posture indicated that she’d been holding the plate earlier for unknown reasons. She is now staring at the remains of the plate vacantly.

“Dawn? Are you fine?” Perseus approached the girl with a soft tone, his wand tucked back inside the pocket of his robes. “What are you doing here? Do you need help?”

Still no response, just Dawn staring at the plate shards with a glassy stare, her pupils dilated, as she bend down, trying to reach and pick up the shards with her bare hands.

“Wait!” Perseus instinctively called the dreamy girl out, despite knowing that she is more likely to ignore him, as he held the girl in place with both of his arms, keeping Dawn from harming herself by accident. “Allow me.” With a wave of his wand in the pocket, and muttering a simple Reparo, the shards moved themselves and formed back into one, whole plate, as he banished the repaired plate back into the wooden drawers. With Dawn seemingly reacting from this small display of magic with nothing but a small, bare and confused: “mmh?”

“Now, with that out of our way, can you speak? Or are you here at all?” Perseus tried to reach out the sleepwalking girl, despite not knowing what sleepwalking even is, only knowing that there’s something wrong with her. Too bad all Dawn did was slowly looking up, facing the wizard, who is now embracing her. She seemed to be trying to focus on her surroundings, but to no avail.

“Well, if you aren’t, or just can’t, answer my questions, then perhaps we can always talk in a better time later.” Perseus sighed, defeated, as he picked up the sleepy girl in blue like a small child, at least, she physically is one. With her only reaction from this sudden movement is nothing but comfily planting her face on the wizard’s chest, leaning on it, and wrapping her arms lightly around the person who just picked her up, making a loving “mmh” sound, that appears to be a satisfied and relaxed posture, as she closed her eyes.

With the wizard back to the bed with the girl in blue, the rest of the night passed on without more sleepwalkings, until the day comes.

The next morning...

“Hey, uh, Perry, didn’t something went wrong with you last night? Just in case...”

“Finding you somehow outside of my bed and breaking one of my plates? Yes. Don’t worry, the plate is fixed, and you aren’t cut by it.”

“Oh...I still sleepwalk despite everything. I guess that can’t be helped, due to my nature.”

“What nature?”

“It’s a long story.”

”And what’s sleepwalking?”

”That…just people doing things when they were sleeping, and they usually don’t remember what they did. Anyway, thanks for taking me back to the bed! Did anything else happened?”

“I wish there’s something to record your actions done during your ‘sleepwalking’, as you said. You are so cute that way.”

“If it makes you happy, then I’m glad that you like it!”

“Oh, and one more question out of curiosity — how is your dream? Because I got none, thanks for your protection.”

“Uhh...I was in a very, very deep, dark and cold place, with nothing around me, I was trying my best, looking for help from somebody, anybody...”

“And?”

“I thought of hearing something broken, like glass dropped onto the ground, and...I worried about you being broken.”

“Which is just you breaking a plate by accident, and no actual harm is done, so don’t worry. Your concern for me is sweet, too.”

“Yeah, and I felt something warm around me, and it is that moment, is that I know I wasn’t alone anymore, so thank you too!”

“You are welcome. Do you want anything for breakfast?”

“Hmm...some eggs with sausages, ham and bacon would be great. I’ll fetch the ingredients for you! And...”

“What?”

“Promise me. Promise me you’ll stay will me, until you can’t, that I know.”

“...I’ll try.”

“Thanks, that’s all I need to hear from you.”

The two then began their new day, along with their other friends.

Chapter Text

Today is a normal day, like any other day, especially where Dawn decided to take a brief vacation, far away from the hijinks she usually brought to others (and more likely, upon herself), and giving some space for her friends to ‘spend time to do their own things the way they should be’ as she said.

As for Perseus, he’d just finished a batch of ordinary dyes requested by Ellie, as she said she’ll return some patched robes back to the wizard he accidentally burnt from his ‘experiments’ a few days ago, since he himself lacked the skills of sewing and patching clothing. They don’t charge anything else for each other, as to them, this is just simply helping each other with anything they could, just like normal neighbors do in the Middle Ages.

Now, the wizard is right in front of the shopkeeper’s stone hut and home, as he opened the door, entered it, and greeted Ellie. The house is divided into two parts, one used as the main clothing shop, and the other one is used as Ellie’s personal living space, and now Perseus is obviously inside the shop, but not deep enough to be inside Ellie’s living quarters.

“Greetings, Ellie. Are my robes ready to be worn?” Perseus placed the bottles of dye on the wooden table next to him. “Here’s your new batch of fresh dye for you, but are you sure these are the right color to be used? Because they all looked the same to me.”

“Oh, they certainly are ready for you, Perseus,” Ellie came out from her personal room, sewn robes on her hand. “You’d surprised how much difference there could be from similar colors,” She glanced at the bottles of dye and nodded. “These colors are perfect, well done, and thank you for helping me.”

“You are welcome,” Perseus smiled a bit as he took the robes Ellie delivered to him. He examined the burnt parts of his robes, and they are all patched up with a color similar with the robes themselves. “I am glad you helped me as well, it certainly saved me a lot of Galleons — which is gold coins in our wold — as I mostly use them for obtaining rare potion ingredients.”

“And I am sure that should you at least try saving just a little bit of your ‘Galleons’ you mentioned, you’d easily be the richest man in my world in no time!” Ellie teased.

“Yes, right. Except that for all purposes, I am still a wizard, someone who could do magic, so of course I’d try earn a living through the magical way, not the muggle way, Ellie,” Perseus sighed. “By the way, is there anything else I could help?”

“Now that you mentioned, I have just received some leather to be sewn into clothes, and it would be helpful of you assisting me by sorting the decayed ones away from the usable ones. You know some of the providers can be rather cheap at times,” Ellie said as her eyes darkened briefly, before shifting them back to her usual bright ones. “Or perhaps you know a spell to make them all fresh?”

“That would be difficult even for me. but it’s the thought that counts,” Perseus shook his head. “Let us work them out together..”

“Gladly.” Ellie joined in as they began sorting the leather. It was a very tall pile of leather, so the two of them took a very long time to sort them out, which puzzles Perseus how’d they were brought inside the house in the first place, especially it’s unlikely to be achieved with magic, nor Dawn would be behind this, since she is taking a vacation. Perhaps it’s done by a muggle with great strength?

Anyway, it’s good to have Evanesco to remove the decayed leather, disposing them in the safest way he could imagine.

Despite the sheer amount of leather being sorted, with enough patience, and more importantly, teamwork, the two of them are able to finished sorting the unusable leather from the usable ones, as Ellie put them through the trapdoor, at the basement.

“It’s great to have a magical friend to help me in need, contrary to most of the people’s belief,” Ellie thanked the wizard as she wrote the amount of the usable leather on a parchment, including the amount of money she used to buy them all before sorting. “Still, the amount of total leather that can be used from this pile of leather is actually less than desirable to me...perhaps I should try a different provider next time.”

“Indeed, there’s nothing wrong at comparing and getting different sources of ingredients for the best out of them all.” Perseus agreed with Ellie, for he himself too frequently tries different providers for various ingredients, and the prices of the same items can greatly differ, and that’s not even getting started  whether the ingredients themselves are legit. “Are you done with a day’s worth of work?”

“Hmm, it’s getting colder, so there’ll be a great demand of leather and fur clothing soon, and I had already stockpiled the shop with those types of clothes,” Ellie muttered. “Perhaps I could call it a day...”

“And, ah, do you have time with me?” Perseus pale cheeks seemed to be stained with a tint of rosy red.

“For something interesting for the both of us?” Ellie asked, curious.

“A walk, perhaps? I have a place of great view.”

“A strolling with you would be wonderful, after a day worth of work,” Ellie agreed. “I am eager of you to guide me to the place of great view. Shall we?”

“Sure!”

The two hold hands as they left the hut from the door.

“This is the tallest tree I’d ever seen!” Ellie looked up at the very tall tree whose leaves seems to reach the clouds. “I guess you really meant this place a place of great view. Is there anyone else who knew this place exists?” With a few bread and drinks in a basket she brought along, the two arrived at the heart of the forest next to their home.

“Just you, me, and Dawn,” Perseus said. “I actually brought her here with me first, it wasn’t exactly the place where we first met each other, but it is certainly the place where we became friends for life, so I guess this place would be special for you too.”

“Ah, no worries,” Ellie smiled at the wizard. “Besides, I like this place too, and I’d like to keep it that way, so this place will be a secret just for the three of us,” Ellie put a finger on her lips. “Do you think it would be safe for the both of us to sit next to this giant tree and relax ourselves?”

“So long we don’t try damaging the tree, we would be safe.” Perseus eyed at the bowtruckles everywhere over the humungous Wiggentree — them peeking curiously at the two humans in the dark — as he and Ellie sat down, with their backs leaning on the sacred tree, as they relax.

The scent of the grasses, bushes, trees, they all calmed them down with their unique aroma. The flowers bloomed as they danced from the gentle breeze. The birds chirped in a happy and singsong tone. Some squirrels are also spotted jumping over the branches of the trees...

All of this worked much, much better than a sleeping charm, as the two humans drifted into slumber, only awoke when the moon rises.

Still, with a simple Lumos, the path out of the forest is clear as the light of the day, as the two chatted joyfully as they left the forest.

Chapter Text

My name is Cherry, a special, little girl my mum loves me so much!

I always aim to help my mum as much as I can, especially after I woke up from the long, dark sleep I somehow fell into.

I don’t wanna remember what happened before I slept like that, just lots of shouting and crying and a world of hurt before I did.

But it doesn’t matter anymore! Because my mum found me with big sis Dawn and woke me up! We can live together again!

As much as I want to write all of this down in a diary for me, mum warned me in a stern tone to never do that at all, saying that it would be dangerous for someone, anyone to know that I ‘woke up from a very long sleep’. I don’t what does that means, but I’ll be good!

Now, we live in a small, wooden house in a forest big sis built just for us! Me and mum go out everyday to gather nuts and berries, and anything edible for the winter upcoming!

Mummy said winter is the time where everything and everyone, including animals, would gets cold and hungry, and it would be bad if we don’t have enough food to live through it, as she seen people stopped moving from the coldness before, and she hates it, but more importantly, she hates that could happen to me.

So I’ll do my best to gather lots of nuts and berries to live through winter!

When we explore around the forest for food, I always keep up with her pace, and walk beside with her, no matter how fast or slow she moves, even if her pace is mostly slow, or at least slow to me. Even if we had to spent half of a day together, holding hands as we look for berries and nuts.

Mummy also said that winter brings snow, which is a white, soft thing that can me molded into various shapes, and children likes to play with them by building them into the shape of a ‘snowman’, a man made of snow, heehee!

I am gonna make the biggest, cutest snowman with my mum, one for mum and one for me! Once I touch the snow and learn its texture!

And big sis also promised that she would help out with out food problems if we couldn’t get enough for winter!

Anyway, back to now, mummy is teaching me how to identify safe and poisonous mushrooms. Honestly, they all looked the same to me! This is so hard! But at least, I know not to eat flashy and colourful mushrooms in the forest, or I’ll getting a stomachache in no time!

She also taught me everything about simple chores, handicraft over clothes, mending pots and jars, and even gardening for crops to be eaten! She said she’s glad to have me on her side and being able to teach me so many things she missed all over the years.

Guess I did really slept too long to make my mum cry a lot. I mean, she now looks so old that she could be mistaken as my grandma, or a witch, for that matter! As mum explained to me that a grandma is a mother of a dad or mum. Given that she has many black circles around her eyes, with bags under them. Her cheeks sunken with lines all over her face, and with gray, sparse hair instead of auburn hair like mine, I don’t blame anyone for mistaken her to be my grandma, instead of my mum. At least she doesn’t has a hunchback, or bloats, or a bended back for now.

As of witches, mummy used not to believe in their existence, only saying that if their exists, I am to stay away from them. Except that big sis can do great magic like them, by waking me from my deep slumber, but she is much nicer than those scary, old hags who likes to scare and eat kids in the stories, which is why I don’t think she is one in the first place.

Old and withered, all of that it doesn’t matter to me! She’s still my mum who loves me dearly, who sings to me when I go to sleep, and I loved her in return! I wish we would live together forever.

Sometimes, I asked my mum where my daddy is, and all she gave me is a pair of dull eyes in response, she also stopped smiling when she heard me mentioning my dad, and she smiles all the time, at least in front of me that’s it.

All she said is that daddy is a bad man who hurts me and mummy a lot, and she’s glad that he isn’t around anymore.

But if mum doesn’t like dad, why did they get together and have me in the first place? Oh well, adults are weird. Not to mention that she never tells me anything about what she did to earn a living, and her job right now is simply raising and caring me.

I am always happy when mum is around with me, and I’m sure she feels it that way too!

But...for some reason, there’s been something wrong with her.

We only have a bed, so we shared it in most nights. But sometimes, I found myself alone on bed, unable to sleep, or just woke up on my own, so I tiptoed and creeped out of my bed and go out, looking for my mum, and I found her slumped on a chair at the main room, humming the lullaby she sings to me on her own, or muttering stuff I just don’t understand, all the while keeping a doll shaped like me on her lab, and she never put the doll away from her, even in her sleep.

She also created a similar doll for me, and another one that looks like her before she becomes so different, saying I would love them so much, which I did!

When I tried sitting on her lap, she always notices the sudden weight on her lap, and gives me a faint smile and lots of pats on my head, as she goes back to bed with me. When I stay from a distance to see what she’s doing at midnight instead, she just got tired of whatever she’s doing, and eventually fell asleep. Until the sun rises, she woke up and frantically searches for me, as I went back to bed to sleep, with her finding me there and hugging and crying in relief that I didn’t vanished like I did before.

Mummy also cries, screams, and wake herself and me up at times when we sleep, and then apologising to me that it’s not her intention to wake me up, as she puts me to sleep first, then going back to her own slumber.

Even at day, she sometimes stares at blank air and forgetting what she’s doing at the moment, that almost including ignoring me, then saying sorry to me and that she should be more careful to her surroundings. I tried asking her what she’s doing, and even she didn’t know what and why she’s like that, just saying she’s unwell.

Maybe my mum is still hurt after everything, maybe mum is just tired, and with me helping her sharing the chores, and me spending time talking and working with her, she’ll be fine soon!

And if that too didn’t work, guess I’ll get big sis to help my mum...I don’t wanna keep seeing her so sad like that...

Especially when her knees are getting more bendable and fragile like a twig, and having a hard time standing up, or getting off from bed, as she needs to use her hands as support to get up, and at times I helped her to get out of bed. Not to mention getting tired so easily, and sleeping longer than I do.

I worry that she may someday falls into an eternal slumber if this goes on…

Chapter Text

“Big sis! You are here!” Cherry opened the door and greeted at the slightly taller girl in blue with a small hop.

“I am,” Dawn looked at the smaller girl. Recently, she got news from the local wildlife (yes, she can speak with animals) that Mary was still sick despite her child’s return, and she may perish if Dawn didn’t do something to it. That’s why today, she’s visiting the mother and child again to help them as much as she could. “Doing great at your new life?” She asked, both figuratively and literally.

“I do!” Cherry answered in her usual cheerful tone. “But my mummy was still sickly all the time, and she hasn’t been better when I live with her, can you help me fix her?” She asked with a genuine concerned tone.

“That’s what exactly I am here for, I’ll try my best to help her,” Dawn promised. “Speaking of your mum, do you know any symptoms of her sickness?”

“Symptoms?” Cherry asked, her head tiled at one side.

“What and how she’s sick of, the things she did while healthy people won’t do. Like getting hotter or colder than usual, liquids coming out of her nose, or ugly stuff popping out of her skin, or things like that.” Dawn tried to describe and explain symptoms in a way even little girls could understand.

“Umm...mummy does feels cold all the time, so sometimes I tried to warm her up with myself , and she always appreciates it.” Cherry thought as she put a finger on her lips. “She also gets tired and weak all the time, dozing off at anywhere else that’s not on a bed, or ignoring me when I tried to get her attention.” The little girl’s expression turned to one that is eaten up by guilt. “Do you think that it has something wrong because of me? Because I got up from a long sleep, and mum got sick after that happened?”

“No, no, Cherry. I’m pretty sure that has nothing to do with you, your mum was already very sick when I first met her, and you already tried your best to make her better.” Dawn comforted the worried child with a pat over her shoulder. “Anyway, where’s your mum?”

“On the bed.” Cherry led Dawn to the interior of the simple stone house. “You can help her, right?” She asked again, just in case, perhaps.

“I’ll try.” Dawn wouldn’t make uncertain promises if she couldn’t, but she reassured the child again anyway.

As the two walked and is now next to the worn-out woman on the bed, Cherry got her mother’s attention by lightly tapping her face with her hand. “Mum! Big sis is here to help you!”

Mary turned her head to face Dawn. With a better look, Dawn could see better Mary’s current appearance — while no longer wearing tatters, but rather simple peasant clothing made of brown leather, her skin tone is still as sallow as she is, with hollowed cheeks, grey sparse hair over her head, and dull eyes that barely response from outside stimulation.

“sorry...cherry...wasn’t supposed to borrow your time...and I will be fine...with the just the two of us...” Mary apologized in a whisper, clearly lacking the strength to speak properly.

“Hardly, not to mention helping people is what I do,” Dawn shook her head. “By the way, allow me to check your pulse to determinate your actual problem.” She asked politely, and is greeted with a faint nod in return, so she started checking the thin woman’s pulse. As she checked the pulse, Dawn discovered that even Mary’s arm is as thin with lines like dried wood, to the point that Dawn worried that Mary’s skin is too thin to cover her bones and they may come out from the slightest cut. After the pulse check, it’s more than enough for Dawn to determinate the exact problem Mary is currently experiencing.

“So...what’s wrong with mummy?” Cherry asked in anxiety.

“Nothing too much...” Dawn sighed. “It’s just...a combination of long-term malnutrition and exhaustion, so all you needed to do is to keep her from over-extorting herself, and feed her well, and luckily for the both of you two, compared with most people like you around this land, I can help you two, unlike most other people.” She took out a tin can and a bag. “Here’s a can of endless candies, one piece for a day worth of all the nutrients for everyone in any age, and here’s another bag of bread and clean water for the winter. They should work as long as I am around, use them wisely.” She watched Cherry took the can and the bag, as she took out a candy from the can and ate it, before giving another one to her mum, who swallowed it and thanked Dawn with a faint smile. “Oh, as for you, don’t forget to walk around if you can, to keep your legs becoming too stiffly to be used, just don’t exhaust yourself out, alright?” Mary simply nodded again, as she got the message.

“Thank you for your gifts, big sis! I do hope my mum would get well soon! I still have so many things to do with her!” Cherry hugged Dawn in gratitude, who can only patted the smaller girl awkwardly in turn.

As Dawn left the house with a job done, Mary asked Cherry: “sweetheart...why do you think dawn is so nice to us, even if we had nothing to gave her back...?”

“Why do you think she needs to help us with a reason! She’s just nice!” Cherry just replied with a simple, yet effective answer.

Mary didn’t say anything at first, but eventually settled with a sigh and a smile. “yes, child, you are right, she doesn’t need a reason to help us.”

Chapter Text

Another day of Dawn exploring the magical side of Scotland, another day of whatever surprise events Dawn is ready to face, and it didn’t take too long for her to found herself to had stumbled upon a hidden dueling club under a random tavern in Hogsmeade — one she’s definitely not familiar with — by sheer accident through a secret passage. On the positive side, the wizards and witches are a friendly bunch, who accepted Dawn rather quickly, once she displayed her capacity of using wandless magic skillfully.

The dueling club is a local and rather small one named ‘Passionate Duelists’, with their motto is 'Duel For Improvement, Duel For Life’, and all members were like they were all straight-out from Gryffindors in Hogwarts — they are all too eager to look for someone strong to fight, learning from every duel they engaged, but all at the same time avoiding unnecessary conflicts, and obviously, no killing, so anyone who used or even tried using the Killing Curse are out and are banned indefinitely. The reason they had to remain an unofficial and secret club is that they allow members to use any form of Dark Magic as part of the duel, so long no permanent damage is being dealt.

Still, being a small and secluded club means they won’t be able to join the All-England Wizarding Dueling Competition at any time, despite their burning desire to participate and win the champion of that competition, not to mention their actual legal status.

Still, they add new rules from time to time, if certain specific scenarios happened. For example, according to Alison Appleby — Half-blood witch, head, and member of the club — when one of the members — Park Plummly, a Muggle-born wizard — got hit by the Torture Curse for a bit too long, which ended up sending him bedridden supposedly for the rest of his life, with the Torture Curse ended up being on the banned spells list, with the unfortunate sod who casted the spell got kicked out and banned from the club for good, despite their protests on using the spell ‘just to keep him staying down on the floor’, their protests ended up being invalid. The sadder part is that Park’s family abandoned him because of his magic, and the club pretty much adopted him, so they are understandably cross of him being broken by someone else’s mistake, with members of the club taking turns of caring him, instead of simply just dropping him out by mercy.

Of course, Dawn being Dawn, suggested her using her own brand of magic to fix Park, and with the club members already tried all magic they knew and to no avail, they allowed Dawn to try her own magic, and all is done with a simple Salvation, and the then-bare responding boy is now finally being able to hold normal conversations with other members of the Passionate Duelists, even though he is without doubt requires time to fully recover like any normal person needed, while the other club members are all grateful of Dawn’s miracle, and they all now consider her as an honorary member of their own club for life (or as long as the club isn’t being shut down, considering that Dawn is sort of an immortal, not that they needed to know that),

Days passed as Dawn performed her miracle, and now she’s watching Alison dueling Mira Myriadd, another member of the dueling club. The both of them are fast in the duel, but Dawn could see that Alison is slightly faster than Mira, and lo and behold, she won with a successful Disarming Charm among the flurries of spells the witches shot at each other.

“Well played, Alison,” Mira accepted her defeat. “Speaking of the newbie who just came here, are you sure she’s only here just because she healed little Park? It would be a shame if she’s only good at healing and not at fighting.”

“Mira!” Alison scolded. “Have you forgotten that the first thing she displayed when she first came here is using wandless magic? I bet she could easily defeat either you or me if she wanted to.”

“And you should heed her words, Mira,” Dawn quipped, as she stood up from the wooden bench. “Or maybe I can demonstrate a small display of my magic, if all of you wanted to?”

“So you can actually duel?” Mira is still skeptic.

“Yeah, but it won’t be the any of you two, since you both are burnt from the last duel.” Dawn nodded.

“What about that Louis Lucky? He’s been awfully lucky in his duels, just like his family name. I’m pretty sure he got time for now.” Alison recommended.

“Gladly. By the way, where’s him?”

It didn’t take too long for the other club members to find Louis and escort him to the dueling chamber, with Dawn as him opponent. As the two opponents stood at the dueling area, bowed at each other, Louis only then noticed the lack of wand at Dawn’s side.

“So...are you saying that you are fighting with nothing but wandless magic? That doesn’t feels so fair to me.” He asked with actual concern, surprisingly for an to-be opponent.

“Actually, you are the one who’s going to say I am the one being unfair, once you get to see the actual extension of my powers.” Dawn boasted. “In fact, I’ll let you win, if you are able to actually get a single hit from me, considering that’s me upping the ante for you.”

“And don’t forget what did you just said to yourself, and don’t cry over it!” Louis smirked as he readied himself.

With Alison being the judge of the duel, she began the countdown of this dueling. “3...2...1...GO!”

And all hell breaks loose.

Chapter Text

The duel began.

No weapons, no items, just pure magic.

But it’s more than enough for Dawn.

When Louis used Aquamanti or Incendio against his opponent's face, Dawn simply eliminated the projectiles with a simple Bufu, it was still nearly strong enough to literally freezes him upon his feet, but he dodged it just in time. Then, he tried a different approach by conjuring various objects — arrows, tree branches, birds, etc, then he guided all of them towards Dawn. Too bad for the wizard, she was fast enough to avoid the barrage of conjurations, with one of them nearly cut her cheek.

With rapidly fired Agi, Dawn blasted all the conjurations to non-existence, as she stirred up Bufu to start her assault around the wizard, with razor wind began whipping around Louis’ feet.

Not that all the continuously spell-casting assault Louis just did previous makes him any slower, for he is fast enough to block the wind attack with a well-timed Protego.

Still, that’s enough of this little game between the two of them, especially for Dawn.

With a simple gesture towards the ground, Louis suddenly felt the ground pulling him, as if his weight suddenly gets much heavier than before, but he was able to grind his teeth and grip his wand tight.

Too bad for him is that particular single second is all Dawn needed to finish this duel.

Because before he could react from the gravity spell, Dawn blasted his wand out of his hand with a simple Snap spell, one that is significantly weaker than usual, so that she wouldn’t accidentally blow his entire arm off, and then dashed towards his wand and kicking it away from Louis, all the while holding the wizard on the spot with a Bufu over her fingertips over his neck, the spell ready to fire with a single snap over my fingers, all before the words Accio could leave the wizard’s lips.

“That’s a wrap!” Alison raised her hand. “The victory goes to Miss Dawn!”

“Your attack speed is great, but it certainly requires more finesse for improvement.” Dawn stepped back to let Louis pick up his wand, as she smiled.

“Indeed, tis lost is all mine.” Louis, surprisingly (to Dawn, at least), took his lost well. “By the way, nice display of that spell you just casted, whatever it was.”

“Oh, that one,” Dawn yawned casually. “Just a simple gravity spell, nothing too special, it’s not even meant to dealt direct damage in the first place...”

“What’s ‘gravity’?” Louis and Alison asked, the both of them turned to face the girl in blue.

“Before I’ll explain...” Dawn held up her hand, as she gestured to her own stomach. “All of this fighting makes me feel hungry. Let us fetch some food, as I can explain to everybody here. Consider this as free knowledge to everybody here...”

Chapter Text

“So there’s this ‘gravity’ thing that keeps us from sticking to the ground, so we won’t be flying everywhere like birds in the air...” Alison muttered as she wrote on a parchment, with a quill on her hand.

Now that all of the wizards and witches available here are all gathered at a rectangular table, as they consumed their food, they are now writing what Dawn said on one of the many papers Alison generously shared to all the club members here.

“Actually, birds, too, are no exception from gravity, they are only able to defy it temporarily with their wings,” Dawn corrected.

“Okayyy.” Alison pouted as he continued to write. He may be the youngest around here, but that doesn’t stop him from trying to learn something, anything from anybody else.

“Speaking of which, isn’t there anybody who would suspect me simply lying to all of you of this ‘gravity’ tomfoolery?” Dawn asked, the idea just came up in her head.

“Well, there’s nothing to keep us writing all of this stuff down, not to mention that if all what you said turns out to be true, you’d be the one to do the honours of all of this ‘gravity’ theory!” Mira smiled, as she continued to write.

“I’ll pass that,” Dawn pouted playfully. “ ‘Cause I’m no mathematician, nor a physicist. I’ll leave the more complicated theories to somebody else,” For example, Issac Newton. She thought to herself. “By the way, a mathematician is a person who study maths, like an arithmancer, while a physicist is a person who study the laws of physics themselves, say, gravity, or any force around this world.”

“Suuure,” Louis wrote down what Dawn said, seemingly without a care of the contents on his parchment. “Could you teach us using the spell, should you have the time?”

”Unlikely. My own spell is a completely different class, compared with yours,” Dawn shook her head. “You can, however, try creating a spell that can manipulate gravity someday, even if it’s simply used as a means to win a duel,” She continued her explanation:

“Gravity is everywhere, and that includes us, animals plants, and of course, the earth itself. The greater the object is, the greater the power gravity is, which is why you won’t be feeling any power that pulls you guys from one other — humans in general are simply too small to generate gravity so great to be able to be felt in the first place. Oh by the way, the reason the moon doesn’t float away from Earth is because of gravity as well.” Dawn said as she tried to use as little sophisticated words as she could.

“So do you know what the moon is made of? And why does it glows like the sun? Are there wizards or witches using Lumos over there?” Park asked curiously. His desire of learning is burning.

“To answer your questions, Park — it’s made of rocks, and the reason it glows it’s because it reflects the light from the sun, like a mirror or water, and no, Park, life cannot exists on the moon due to it’s lack of requirements to create and host life.” Dawn answered the chain of questions.

“Aww...” Park looks disappointed, but he quickly recovers from the disappointment. “Still, thanks for the answer, anyway!”

“You are welcome, anyone else have a question to me?” Dawn asked, unknowingly dug herself a deep hole to be jumped into.

“I do! Say, what is your opinion over the shape of Earth?” Mira asked, her eyes shining brightly, as if they are burning with fire.

“Speaking of Earth, it’s actually...”

So Dawn kept answering the many, many questions the wizards and witches asked, like an actual teacher, even if all of these facts are nothing but elementary knowledge to most people (of modern age, that’s it). Still, these knowledge are more than enough to make her a scholar in the Middle Ages, under the sun is completely down, as the moon rises.

“Wow! I’d never know you’d know so much things, and I believe in you!” Alison said, her hands now filled with parchment completely covered with words.

“You wouldn’t mind to tell us more things you know to us someday? Would you? Please?” Park asked, his eyes filled with plead.

“Someday later, I guess. All of this telling makes me super tired...” Dawn waved her hand, another hand pressing her forehead. “And watch your way to your home respectively!”

“What about you? Dawn? Where do you live?” Mira asked.

“Just...leave me be, okay? It’s a secret to everybody, and that includes you guys.” Dawn’s tone indicated her urge to bury herself on a bed and fell asleep.

“...sure.” Mira bit her lips, as she and everybody else left the club. Without any else here, Dawn pulled out the blue key, as she entered the Persian Room, she instantaneously threw herself on the blue bed as blue sheets appeared and covered her body.

Oh, brother. Today is certainly a long day, more so than usual.

And Dawn is glad that all of this is over for now, as she drifted herself into the realm of dreams.

Chapter Text

“Hi, Mary! I am here for visiting!”

“Ah, Miss Dawn, it’s good to see you again. Pardon me for not preparing anything for hospitality...”

“Oh, I certainly don’t mind that! Not to mention that it’s great to see you getting better than ever! By the way, where’s Cherry?”

“She went outside to collect some fresh flowers to create a wreath for me as a gift.”

“That’s nice! I’m pretty sure she’s big enough to avoid trouble all on her own!”

“I hope so...”

“Speaking of hospitality — here’s a gift for you! A freshly obtained apple to keep doctors away from you! Now that I think of the vitamins I gave you some time ago, I just remembered that you certainly need some actual food to get vitamins the usual way, and I am more than willingly to share some for you!”

“That’s...nice of you. Considering that fruit are hard for our people to obtain, let alone to taste for most of the time...and we have nothing in return...”

“I know, right? Still, you don’t have to deliberately give me anything that benefit me to return the flavor, just live well and be happy, that’s more than enough for me.”

“I see...still allow me to thank you for everything you have done for me and my child.”

“You are welcome. Now that we are alone, we can talk about your problems, something I may help.”

“What problems?”

“Problems in your head. Your girl told me.”

“Oh.”

“Oh, indeed. So take your time, and think of and for yourself and for Cherry.”

“Hmm...even if you asked for the issue, I wasn’t exactly sure what’s exactly wrong about me, I just know that I have done many things normal people would not commit — talking alone...having nightmares of my child’s death regularly...and just being inattentive to my surroundings, especially to my child’s callouts for my attention...do you think I am possessed? Will that harm my child?”

“Unlikely at the slightest, if you were truly possessed, I would had detected that the moment I saw you, and for now, I sense nothing unusual from you, and my idea is that you are just...unwell in your mind, and that’s why I am here to help you.”

“If it means to keep my child safe, I am willingly to sell my soul to the devil himself if I needed to.”

“Selling your soul is completely unnecessary. I already understand your determination for Cherry, but you don’t have to give up anything. Just let me know the reason you are doing all of those ‘abnormal things’ you did. Maybe you are just doing them because you are hurt, but you don’t have a normal way to express and relief your trauma and relief, so you did those ‘abnormal things’ as you mentioned.”

“Perhaps...is there a way to stop that?”

“Maybe we can start over the topic about your current thoughts in your head. Say, how do you think about yourself, Cherry, and your future...”

Chapter Text

“I...I honestly don’t know about myself either. I thought of me myself don’t deserve the gift of life. My parents left me alone, as they succumbed from the Great Mortality...he refused to take me in, even when I bear a child of his blood, Cherry too left me when they were done disposing her...”

“If you didn’t came and saved me, I would had wished and lived in ignorance, a life free of pain, even if it means as an outcast, until death claims my unworthy life and soul.”

“I see...after everything you had gone through, I don’t blame you for dissociating from the harsh reality, and being suicidal. Which is why you are indeed very lucky to had meet me.”

“Indeed I am...Cherry is everything I had...which is why I am willingly to give her the best I had...but...still...I don’t think I did my job well over there.”

“Why would you think of that?”

“Because I failed her, I failed to keep her safe, and thus she died then, that would had be the last straw on me of my woeful life — I simply didn’t know what to do then anymore.”

“Yeah...even if I brought her back, guilt and remorse isn’t something that would leave a person easily...”

“Indeed...”

“Still, have you tried everything to help your girl? Have you ever regret doing that? Even if it failed at the end?”

 “I...don’t think so?”

“Then that’s more than enough. For now, Cherry loves you, and you love her in return. Let that be the reason for you to live, for her, and for you.”

“...I’ll try, but what if I hurt her again?”

“To err is humane, to forgive is divine. I am sure that she could and would understand the truth behind your mistakes, as you apologize to her sincerely. Oh, and don’t blame or harm yourself. Always remember you have someone else to help you in need.”

“But what if she leaves me again, in the future?”

“That is a fact you need to cope with. No matter how much you love your child, you cannot clip a bird’s wings and trap it in a gilded cage in the name to keep it safe — she’ll grow up, as any normal person would do, and marry someone else, and have offsprings with her other half. However...”

“Mhm?”

“You can, at least, try guiding her to do the right thing, and keep any undesirable or unpleasant people away from claiming your girl. Have more confidence over yourself, for you may not notice it, but you are a great mother, from all the genuine love you give to your child, for not all mothers love their own children.”

“I...thanks for everything.”

“You are welcome, I think I heard someone is coming from the door, perhaps your girl is coming home?”

“I guess so. I have so many things to tell her...”

“I can understand that, as for me, I’ll be leaving to give you two some space, and see you later on a better day!”

“Same to you, a merry good day to you too.”

Chapter Text

My name is Dawn. Transmigrator, Wild Card, Savior, and many more titles I have. I came, I saw, and I recorded everything I witnessed in the worlds I visited. Currently, I am taking a small break in this Harry Potter world, centuries before the actual events of the plot occurs, for the smallest change creates the greatest diversion over history.

This year’s Halloween, after spending time with Perry at the last one, I decided to spend time with Cherry and Mary instead. I brought them some pumpkins, soul cakes, and some candles, as we spent the early night eating the pumpkin puree and the soul cakes, and carving pumpkins once we are done with the eating. The resulting shapes of the pumpkin are rather predictable for the two commoners who had never at once held a knife on their hand in their lives, but at least they tried, while mine looks identical as the head of one of my Personas — Jack-o’-Lantern.

Speaking of Perry, I’m not worried about him at the slightest, as I found him willingly offered some moonflowers to Ellie as a gift, and wished to spend the night of All Hallow’s Eve with her. Of course, I also received some moonflowers as well, but I noticed Perry’s face got red as he mentioned Ellie, which is good for him, I guess.

Once we lit the candles and placed them inside the now-hollow pumpkins, I told them the story of Jack himself, as Cherry spent the whole time hugging her mother tightly. At one point I even suggested summoning the Persona himself, with Mary frivolously declined out of fear, despite my assurances that Jack is anything but scary, at least physically, while Cherry nodded in agreement with her mother.

As I left the cottage, Mary said she would lit the remaining candles in my name, and I thanked her kind actions, as I went to the local cemetery of the village where Ellie lives.

In Harry Potter worlds, they say that only wizards and witches would become ghosts when they die with great regret, and the ‘ghosts’ are more akin to reflections to the real thing’s soul, instead of the person’s immaculate being, while the non-magicals can never become ghosts as a result.

But...with the ‘ghosts’ they knew being no more than a reflection, instead of the actual being in spirit, could they be actually being wrong?

What if...what if other forms of soul exists, but merely unnoticeable due to them being too weak to be seen or heard in the first place?

Due to my connection with the Sea of Souls, my spiral sensibility has always been strong. In fact, sometimes too strong for my own good. Thankfully for now, it’s just enough for me to do my job.

As I placed my first step on the burial grounds, it didn’t take too long for the wandering souls, more like weak, energy spheres around the graveyard to start floating towards me, they all muttering and urging and begging me to ‘take us’, ‘save us’, ‘I am tired of this form of existence’, ‘help us’ and so on.

I gave them all a courteous nod, and with a wave of my hand, azure flames consumed them, and carried them to the place they truly belonged. There whispered in many voices in sincere gratitude. ‘Thank you’, ‘thanks’, ‘see you soon’, ‘we will remember your kindness’, ‘I wish I had met you earlier’. Perhaps some of their kind words may not be the best for me, but it’s the thought that counts.

Souls exists in the mortal plane because they usually have unfinished business, or were wronged in life, and in death, they seek vengeance. However, should they remained too long here, they losses the reason of their unnatural existence here, as they began losing bits and bits of their own sense of self, and eventually becoming blank souls — pure energy fodder of nature herself, thus experiencing their second death. Which is why we psychopomps are needed, even if most of us aren’t welcomed to the living, or in my case, being a part-time one, which means I only do spirit guiding on occasions, not as a occupation, and I’m lucky that I haven’t found any hostile spirits around here, or any one’s with lingering regrets.

As for my azure flames, they don’t really have a solid name, for they are merely a conduct of my powers, they can be used to judge the wicked, test people’s hearts, guiding souls and protect the helpless and so on.

With the bright, full moon over the sky, the souls of many flew towards the heavens and vanished into nothingness, their path in the air shown and filled with the azure flames, which guides their way to their next life.

And it’s once more, fortunate for me is that there’s no one around here who witnessed the blue flames in the sky, less I’d have a lovely date with the burning pyres, not that I can be burn by them in the first place, with the protection from my Personas, but I’d still like to stay away from completely avoidable pain.

With my job in the dead of the night done, I patted my dress and straightened it, I began departing this resting place of the deceased...

...just about time that I found a person laying in front of a dusty grave, with their back facing the sky.

Are they dead? Or they alive? It’s hard to know in such darkness. Even with the bright, full moon over the sky, I can only see them as nothing but a lump of black from a distance...

Only one way to find out.

I lit up a hand-held lantern from my inventory with a simple Agi, as I approached the seemingly unconscious person on the ground...

They are breathing.

Chapter Text

Tap, tap, tap.

Someone is touching my head.

My professional reaction kicked in first, as I tried getting up on my own fast, only to find my body being too groggy to react immediately. Still, I was able to support myself with a hand and got up as soon as I could, all on my own.

I immediately reached for my dagger in my sheath, my other arm reaching for my lantern. Good news is, I was able to arm myself with the dagger. Bad news is, it appears that I lost my lantern, for I could not reach nor find my trusty lantern.

Still, I covered my eyes with my other free hand, when my darkness-adapted eyes picked up light from whatever source it came from. A few seconds later, I found the light came from another lit lantern that is too oriented to be mine, with it’s carrier being a peasant-clothed little girl, who was blinking with her black pupils at me with curiosity.

What is a little girl doing at a graveyard at the dead of the night? Is she a witch?

Before I could say anything, she opened her mouth first and asked with a mix of confusion and sincerity: “What are you doing here, big brother?”

I looked around again, and found myself next to my parent’s grave, and then I remembered everything.

I was supposed to be visiting my father and mother’s grave, and...it appears that I passed out? From the cold weather? Perhaps?

“The same can be say to you, little girl.” I gave a cold answer as I remained guarded.

“I found you sleeping next to a grave of all places! Isn’t that weird?” She titled her head as she pondered.

“I wasn’t sleeping here! I just passed out! I don’t know why, but still...” I argued as I sighed. “...this is awkward.”

“I know too! Right?” The little girl agreed with me, as she asked again with a sweet smile: “Would you like to go home? I can help you!”

“Not before you state your actual business. It’s way pass curfew, and I am sure you don’t have a permit for that, nor do I know you being around here.” I coldly declined, diligent at my job. “What are you up to?”

The girl gave a clearly shocked look, as tears began streaming at her eyes, as she laid on the floor and began sobbing. “I...I was just lost and I couldn’t find my way to home! I was just trying to help you! And now you are saying me being a bad girl?” Her hands covered her crying face, but the leaking tears didn’t stop, as they continued to drip through the gaps of her fingers.

I frowned. Perhaps I was a little bit too harsh at a little girl of all people, but...I couldn’t take any chances.

Because that’s how my parents died in the first place outside the village.

By the hands of a friendly-looking person who killed them with green light from a stick. Witchcraft. On this very day many years ago, no less.

And I barely survived because I hid behind a tree, and that murdered failed to spot me due to sheer dumb luck.

So I became a watchman to search for my parent’s murderer, ever since that very day they died, all the while raising the rest of my siblings, and I am glad that they are helpful enough and lessen my burden by doing all the house chores all on their own, all the while when I work outside.

Still, that doesn’t means I can just kill her right away, without any proof, that’s it.

So I decided to break the ice here: “I apologize of my own rudeness, but I am a watchman, and it’s my job to keep an eye on suspicious people, and I have every right to be alert on you, since you obviously wasn’t around here.” I slowly sheath my dagger, but still keep a hand on it, just in case. “Which is why I am detaining you back to my house, until you have proven your innocence.”

The little girl pouted, but she understand my caution with her reply, as she wiped her tears. “Okay! Would you like to take this lantern?” She handled the well-decorated lantern on her hand to me. 

“...no, keep it to yourself. And don’t try any funny business at me, alright?” I refused the offer as I warned the girl.

“Aww...it’s okay! I won’t go anywhere! I’ll follow you!” The girl beamed despite everything, to the point I actually started feeling bad at the child, before perishing the thought in a flash.

After double-checking the rest of my belongings are present, including the large horn at my back, I proceeded taking the girl back to my home, with my large, free hand over one of her little hands, just to keep a better eye on her, really.

As time passed on the way back to my house, we chatted a lot. I was never a chatty person, but she has her way with words, so bit by bit, I told her some things about myself, that I no longer have parents, that I have six other siblings, and that I was the only one who can feed them for now.

We hardly have enough food for a day, and I highly doubt we all can survive through this winter...

The girl gave a sympathetic look at me, but that’s just how we live, and eventually, die.

So why was she like that?

Once we arrived at my home, with my siblings all already sleeping soundly, I directed the little girl over the table set. She sat on one of the chairs as she placed the lantern on the table, while I sat on the chair at the opposite of the small table. 

“Now...I believe it would be fair for you to stay here for the night, as it’s dangerous outside for now.” I told the girl not to go anywhere.

“I know, and I was planning to give you the lantern, since you seemed to have lost the last one somehow, and a watchman can’t be one without one of them!” The little girl nodded, “Oh, and one more thing, how about some bread? I’m sure that you are hungry at this point.” She carefully took a slice of white bread out of a leather bag.

“Wait here.” I told the girl as I fetch an antidote I bought from a herbiest with white, long hair. It may not work, but at least I tried.

Slowly, I carefully took a small piece out of the slice of bread, rubbed it over my skin, then bit it.

Nothing happened, so I ate the bread piece. After a few seconds, bit by bit, I ate the rest of the bread.

“You really seemed to be careful at the food. Did someone tried to poison you at some point?” Of course, my actions are not left unnoticed by the little girl, as she asked me.

“...I just can’t left my siblings alone here by dying in an accident.” I replied.

“I know, and I know you care for them a lot, you must be a very good brother.” The little girl smiled warmly, “Which is why this bag of bread is too yours from now on!”

“Flattery will get you nowhere.” I shot down her kind words, “And one more thing — why are you so charitable to a random stranger to me like that? Giving me a free lantern and a bag of white bread just like that?”

“Do people need a reason to commit good deeds? Not to mention we can always play the waiting game!” The girl’s friendly smile seems to never fade from her face. “By the way, I am Dawn! What’s your name?”

“...Walter. Walter Harrison.”

Chapter Text

“Anyway, let us get to the point. Who are you, and what are you planning at the dead of the night at outside?”

“Hmm, I’m just helping the helpless, and that include you!”

“Helping, you say? At a graveyard of all places?”

“Do a watchman like you watches a graveyard of all places? Shouldn’t that being the job for the local grave keeper?”

“I was visiting my parent’s grave, and then you came.”

“...oh, and you just tried sleeping in front of their graves? I don’t think you missed them that much, right?”

“I wasn’t trying to sleep at a creepy grave of all places! But...now that I think about it, why did I loss my conscious in front of my parent’s graves?”

“Maybe the environment there doesn’t benefit you at the slightest?”

“...understatement in the century.”

“So can I leave now?”

“Not until you tell me everything you know, and we can start at your family name, just as I told you mine.”

“I...don’t have one. I don’t have parents.”

“I see. Your occupation?”

“Do I look like someone with a job?”

“I have seen younger kids of your age working at outside. So does that mean you are unemployed?”

“You can say that.”

“Very well. What was your original plan if you didn’t met me?”

“Hmm...I don’t have any plans.”

“...you don’t seems to be lying, but it is still unusual for a little girl like you to be going outside at the dead of the night, which is why you are staying here, until I am satisfied with your explanation. My eyes are on you.”

“Daww!”

And the watchman kept his words true by staring at the little girl’s black, hypnotizing eyes...until his eyelids somehow became heavier and heavier, as he passed out again. By the time the watchman woke up, the little girl is long gone, as if she was nothing but a trick to the eye, not if it weren’t a small parchment with words was left on the wooden table—

‘You think you can detain me of all people? Better luck next time!’

Chapter Text

What happened last week hardly traumatized Dawn, as she’d seen far worse in her long, semi-immortal life. Still, she knows when to quit being in trouble, so for a while she stayed at where Perseus usually lives, and she spent time by baking several cakes with her own materials and tools.

She never likes sponge cakes, for the layered part of the cakes are visually too rough for her to enjoy, not to mention all the water she needed to consume after eating a slice of it, which is why she preferred cheese cakes, especially lemon cheesecakes. Yes, they are rich, but that’s exactly why she loves them. What’s the point of making a desert if they weren’t strong-flavored?

Well, at least, that’s what she thought to be true to herself. She tried baking blueberry cheesecake, strawberry cheesecake, mango cheesecake, caramel apple cheesecake, pecan cheesecake, chocolate cheesecake, peanut butter cheesecake, cherry cheesecake, pumpkin cheesecake, and even cheesecake cookie, but they all just don’t taste right to her. Sure, they are fully edible, or even better, good enough for me to open a bakery that could last for generations, but she already tried that at one time, to the point she saved that world with nothing but deserts, but that’s another story for another time, because right now, she knew her deserts could taste better, but she doesn’t know how.

Until Perseus had a few failed experimental potions to be discarded, which Dawn tried them, after asking from their brewer that the potions are completely harmless, just contains strong flavor for the drinker.

So Dawn tried pouring them from the top of the cakes she baked and cut, and tasted them. They worked.

The milid but present flavor now only didn’t overwhelm the flavor of the cake itself, but also elevated and worked with the cake’s original flavor very well, so she asked for the formula of the failed potions from Perseus himself, and promised she’d gave him some cakes for him to taste with, which he certainly don’t mind, and so he did.

Anyway, with the magically enhanced cheesecake, Dawn decided to share them with her friends, and that obviously including the magical condiment maker himself. Ellie, Cherry and Mary, the members of the Passionate Duelists themselves...

Not that she can’t eat them all by her own, but sharing is caring, right?

Even if she didn’t admit it, Dawn knew that for a short while, she already got so many friends she helped, and maybe, just maybe...

She doesn’t mind staying with them just for a little bit more for a while, a moment worth eternity.

Later at night, with the glow bugs being their only light source, Dawn and Perseus are laying on a meadow field, right in front of a tall pine tree. The both of them completely relaxed, as they watched the stars on the night sky.

”Hey, Perry, do you see anything interesting in the sky?” Dawn lazily pointed at the sky without batting an eye.

“I do. The star Regel and Betelgeuse from Orion are shining bright tonight, and thus, winter is coming.” Perseus made his astute observation.

“And why is that?” Dawn asked with a tilted head in curiosity.

”Because Orion is a constellation that only appears in winter.” Perseus explained.

”Heehee, you are so smart! And do you anything else you spy with your little eyes?” Dawn praised as she turned her head to look at Perseus as she asked.

”Like what?” The wizard is now confused.

”Me, your best friend, of course!” Dawn beamed at the wizard with a large, bright smile.

”Ah, yes, of course,” Perseus nodded as he looked back at the girl in blue. “I can’t imagine a life without you, things have changed so much with your mere presence alone.”

”The same can be say to you too, Perry! I’m glad to have meet you.” Dawn nudged closer to the wizard, as she extended her palm, her fingers completely relaxed.

“I am fortunate to have meet you too, my friend.” Perseus held Dawn’s palm, as they spent the rest of the night, protected by his own wards, as they fell asleep together.

Chapter Text

Today is a sunny day in winter, where snow starts to pile up all over the ground, coloring the ground with clear white. Not that Dawn is leaving Perseus’ house at all, because she saw the man himself sitting right in front of the table in the living room, with a board game placed neatly on it.

“Ah, morning, Miss Dawn, you have just arrived at the best moment!” Perseus exclaimed. “Mind if you join me a round of game?”

“Morning, Perry!” Dawn greeted back. “By the way, shouldn’t you be inventing new potions or spells like you always do?”

“I miss you.” Is all Perseus said, with an...unusual look in his eyes? “It’s just not the same without you on my side.”

“Oh, I get that!” Dawn chuckled, as she sat at the opposite side over Perseus’. “So what are we playing today?”

“I believe you can enlighten me with this one, it’s a muggle game I brought at the local market.” Perseus patted the board game with his fingers lightly.

“Let’s see...this is the nine men’s morris!” Dawn remarked. “A strategic game, one with lots of planning, nonetheless fun anyway.”

“So how do we play with this one?” Perseus asked curiously.

“See...you place these pieces over the dots on the board, each starts with nine, either black or white, and you try removing your opponent’s pieces by cornering them with yours vertically, horizontally, and diagonally, until they are all out!” Dawn explained as simple as she could. “I’ll let you pick white and you go first! For courtesy, of course! And don’t forget you are supposed to be only be able to move the pieces adjacently!”

“So you have played this before?” Perseus is surprised, his mouth now opened wide.

“I think the better question should be ‘what game I haven’t played before’,” Dawn just smiled mysteriously. “So are you ready?”

“Hold it, where are we supposed to place the pieces?” Perseus inquired.

“Anywhere you wanted.” Dawn easily answered.

“Very well,” Perseus sighed with relief, as he started to place the white pieces as over the board as he could. For a first-time player, his placement of his pieces are well-placed. “There. I believe it’s your turn to place your pieces.”

“That I am aware of.” Dawn placed the black pieces over the board. They seems to be randomly placed, but an eagle-eyed person would noticed the placement is all well-planned as well, not that minds Perseus at all, it’s just a friendly game, anyway. “Anything else are we betting on, Perry?” Dawn asked, just in case.

“Nothing, I just want to chat with you throughout the whole game.” Perseus requested.

“That won’t be too hard for me,” Dawn smiled, as she started the chat first, as she witnessed Perseus moving the white piece. “So how’s Ellie doing?”

“She’s well. Better than ever, in fact,” Perseus smiled back, as he saw Dawn making her move. “While her business is far from booming, it’s more than enough to support herself. She’s also seems to be interested in me, and...somehow, I feel the same to her, and she’s nice.”

“That’s good to heard!” Dawn remarked, as Perseus moved a white piece, the man’s current expression does not left unnoticed by the girl in blue. “Then why the long face?”

“I was just...uncertain with that, marring a muggle of all people. Not that I am against them, as they proved to be capable of being decent, or even better than our kind, it’s just...” Perseus bit his lips, as Dawn moved a black piece. “I just worry about our future.”

“I know, but if you two do care about each other, and if you two can rely and help the other half as well, I won’t be against it.” Dawn calmly stated the obvious, as she just saw one of here pieces has been taken down from the board.

“I wasn’t just talking about me and Ellie...” Perseus stopped in mid-sentence, as he continued: “I was talking about me and you.”

“So you are worried about me, like for what?” Dawn is now looking confounded.

“I was worried that...you won’t be my friend and being around with me as much as before, or even as much as now.” Perseus lowered his head, noticing one of his white pieces is too been taken off the board. “Should I be pursuing Ellie for love? Or should I stay with you for happiness?”

“That decision is all up to you, Perry.” Dawn moved a white piece, as she stated her opinion. “You can always try confessing to Ellie, no matter if she wants to be with you or not, but what do I know is that, the greatest risk is to take no risk at all, not to mention you probably would regret for life, if you never bothered at least trying, especially if she married with some other person.”

“I won’t allow that!” Perseus yelled, he barely hold himself from slamming the board game, before shrinking himself back on the chair. “...sorry about that.” He apologized.

“Yeah, and do you have anything else to say?” Dawn gave Perseus the chance to start a topic.

“I do, as a matter of fact,” Perseus is now staring at Dawn, as the board game seemed to be in a stalemate. “I see you have been staying less and less inside this house for a while, so where have you been?”

“Oh, it’s nothing, Perry! I mean, making new friends at outside its just my hobby!” Dawn answered casually, as if it mattered nothing to her, and that wasn’t too far from the truth. “Do you want me introducing them to you?”

“Are they magical or not?”

“Does that matters?” Dawn held out her palms, her expression screams ‘I got nothing’.

“No. I’m just being cautionary.” Perseus shook his head. “Still, making more friends definitely sounds like you, Dawn. And I certainly don’t making more friends with you on my side.”

“I know, right?” Dawn gave a bright smile.

Perseus didn’t gave a straight answer, as he is now completely focused back to the game. “It appears I am winning, for you have no more than three pieces left, a beginner’s luck perhaps?”

“The game isn’t over, until one side has completely lost every pieces they owned on the board.” Dawn exclaimed, then she remembered something. “Oh, and did I forget to tell you that the ‘only being able to move pieces adjacently’ rule no longer applies, when you have only three pieces left, where you can move the piece at any dot on a line?”

After a few movements later, Dawn is able to beat Perseus with only three pieces against seven pieces, with nothing but strategic, where Perseus took his defeat well. “There’s still much for me to learn.” He said.

“I know, and I am sure you can make more friends with this game!” Dawn beamed. “Do you want a few more rounds, or we call it a day?”

“More experience of a game sounds better for me.” Perseus noted. “So can you keep up the pace with me until nighttime?”

“You are in!” Dawn cheerfully raised her hands in air, as a new game of nine men’s morris has began.

For the rest of the day, unsurprisingly, Perseus couldn’t even win a single game against Dawn, but that’s because he knew Dawn is much experienced than him in pretty much every game he knew, or with the ones he didn’t even knew their names, nor their existence.

Still, this is just one of the many memories to be cherished for Perseus, and he doesn’t mind Dawn playing the game with him again someday.

Chapter Text

On a field of snow next to a frozen lake...

“Hey, Cherry, it’s a me, Dawn!”

Three snowmen with similar size appeared in Cherry’s view. One barely decorated with stones as ‘eyes’ and as ‘mouth’, and a carrot as the ‘nose’. One wears a top hat with a scarf on its neck, and one that wears a blue hat, a blue frilly over its neck, and blue shoes over its...feet? Does snowmen has feet in the first place?

“Is this you, big sis?” Cherry approached at the blueish snowmen, only to be greeted with a loud “HeeHoo!” instead. “Wah!” Cheery fell to the snowy ground in surprise.

“Are you okay?!” “Are you alright?!”

Two people screamed with concern at the same time, one from the snowmen with top hat, and another from a woman with leather cloak, as the latter hugged the little girl on the ground tight, while the former was wreathed with blue flames as it turned into a girl with blue clothing instead.

“Sorry, didn’t meant to scary you like that! Jack Frost just loves pranking people!” Dawn apologized to Cherry.

“It’s alright, big sis! I’m glad to see you again!” Cherry waved back.

“The same can be said to you, and to your mother, Miss Mary. We meet again.” Dawn greeted courteously.

“No need for the formalities, Miss Dawn, especially after everything you have done to us.”

Mary’s eyes are still hollow without light from the irises, and she still looks like she could be easily knocked down by the wind itself, but she’s definitely getting better than before, not to mention Cherry did said that her mother is already doing less weird things at night, now that she has a daughter to take care of again, not to mention some ‘forced’ socializing from Cherry herself, which in a sense, did helped her from getting better.

“Who’s Jack Frost?” Cherry asked curiously.

“Him!” Dawn pointed at the little snowmen in blue.

“HeeHoo! Nice to meet you, humans!” Jack Frost waved at the other two humans.

“Is that...a monster? Or something like that?” Mary asked with genuine concern.

“Close, Miss Mary. But to be polite, referring them as my ‘friends’ would be a better choice of words, and whatever you say, don’t say them as ‘demons’, thank you very much. And don’t worry, I got them on the leash.” Dawn eyed at Mary.

“Ah...my apology about that.” Mary looked at the small creature again with the slightest fear.

“Can I pet him?” Cherry asked innocently.

“Sure, just don’t forget to put up some mitten on yourself, he’s made of literal snow, after all.” Dawn nodded.

“HeeHoo!” Jack Frost shouted again.

“Does he bite?” Now Cherry asked with a scared look.

“Not unless you provoked him first, and I am sure you are far cleverer than that.” Dawn rolled her eyes.

“Okay...” Cherry gave a light pet at first, and when Jack Frost didn’t reaction negatively from that action, Cherry proceeded to hug the small snowmen instead. “He feels fluffy for a snowmen.”

“Interesting,” Dawn remarked. “Is there anything else would you want to do?”

“Oh, I know!” Cherry jumped with raised arms. “Let’s build an snow castle!”

“Easier been said then done, but we’ll have to remove it from sight once we are done with it, can’t have too many people seeing it, and are you sure fine with that, Cherry?” Dawn reminded the smaller girl before making the castle.

“Aww...but I guess it would makes me sick if I stays in a cold castle for too long!” Cherry understood that. “Okay...”

“Jack Frost?” Dawn looked at the small snowmen.

“Leave it to me ho!”

As he skated around the snow in circles, a small pile of snow appears from the snowy ground, as it became bigger and bigger into a huge pile of it, and it was shaped into the shape of a large, grand castle, it’s grand entrance welcoming it’s guests entering it.

“So anyone have questions over the castle? Good thing nobody visits this place most of the time, especially at winter.” Dawn asked, and is immediately on the end of receiving one from Mary: “Is this what you are truly capable of, or the power to do so it’s from your friends? Or was it something else?” She whispered in Dawn’s ears.

“Both, Miss Mary. Besides, your kid is satisfied, and that’s all you needed, right?”

“Just...keep her safe, alright? I’ll stay here to keep an eye on the surroundings.” Mary eyed at the castle with awe and concern.

“Noted.” Dawn nodded as she entered the castle with Cherry. They had a wonderful day inside the never-melting castle, thanks to Jack Frost’s powers. Other than that, they had a very long snowball fight outside the castle, and they only stopped as Cherry wanted to go to bed from exhaustion, which Dawn accepted as she told Jack Frost to remove the castle, despite the latter’s clear disappointment. Still, with the contract intact, not to mention under the rare circumstances of being able to go outside of Dawn’s mindscape, he didn’t make too much protesting as he vanished the castle.

That night, Cherry’s dream is filled with Jack Frost and the snow castle, as she slept with her equally smiling mother on her side.

Chapter Text

Today is supposed to be just another day for Dawn — staying with Perseus, having fun, and just spending time with him, until she got an urgent letter from the Passionate Duelists, delivered by a tawny owl.

How they managed to get her address, or at least her friend’s, she has no idea, but maybe the members of the dueling club too being wizards and witches have something to do with it.

The letter, in short, requires her help, over an accident from a failed attempt of a spell creation. It was an attempt to replicate a spell Dawn casted at her last visit at the duelling club, namely Gry, to be precise, and considering the existence of a letter requesting her help to fix whatever happened at the club, it is clearer than the day that it didn’t work out at all.

The good news is that nobody is hurt, as they all are currently at the outside of the clubhouse. The bad news is that they can’t use the clubhouse for the remaining time, as any attempts of entering the club would had ended up them floating around uncontrollably, like swimming in the air, and obviously they can’t proceed duels in such environment.

They already tried all of their methods they knew to cancel out the rampaging magic there, from casting the General Counter-Spell all together, to making use of certain spells Dawn had never heard before, and they all failed to remove the anti-gravity magic once and for all. So Dawn is literally the only option left for them to try stopping the spell all over the clubhouse.

The girl in blue simply sighed as she took a shortcut with the door of the Persian Room, and arrived at the clubhouse, and she immediately felt the gravity there is completely absent, as she starts floating up and around like the rest of the various objects around the basement. She recovered from it as soon as she could, as she placed her palms together, concentrating her magic, channeling them throughout from her soul, and casting the spells to end this mess.

Heat Raiser, Concentrate, Dekunda.

With the spells being casted, a huge, yellow, transparent sphere enveloped the entirety of the clubhouse, as the floating objects began falling down from mid-air, like shooting stars from a comet shower, as the falling objects take contact of the solid, stone tile ground, making various volume of ‘thud’ sounds as they drop, and that includes Dawn throughout the process, in which she levitates herself as she slowly descended on the ground with her feet.

With a twirl, she hopped out of the basement, as she delivered her job been done for the rest of the dueling member. When they returned to the dueling grounds to see if the anti-gravity magic is really gone, they all felt they themselves are no longer subjected to the anti-gravity magic, and thus no longer floating around uncontrollably, so they all threw Dawn up with their arms as celebration.

“You did it! You saved us!”

“We can duel once again, as we always do!”

“Good job, Dawn!”

Flattery isn’t something Dawn is used to, but she won’t reject well-earned praise.

The Passionate Duelists, other than duelling animals, are also known for their own unique attitudes for life, for they cherish everyday life as if it’s their last day of life, so they threw up a small but sufficient feasts the group can manage and finish.

At the end of the day, Dawn departed away from the duelling club members with a cheerful smile,  and several huge waves from her right arm, as she returned to Perseus’ house, ready for tomorrow as ever.

Today is indeed just another day for Dawn, nothing too remarkable for her happened, but too filled with joy and remembrance.

Chapter Text

“...”

“Perry?”

“...”

“Perry~!”

“...”

“Boop!”

“Ah! You scared me! Please refrain yourself from doing that again!”

“Sorry, Perry! But...I’ve been here for a while, and...you have been staring at the cauldron for a while.”

“Ah...my apologies then. I was pondering something.”

“Like what?”

“Like...the exact identity of the transparent spheres that appear briefly over the boiling brew, the ones that disappear as soon as they exists.”

“Oh, those were just bubbles! That’s what happens when there’s air on both sides of your solution — which is inside and outside, to be precise!”

“Air...? Like wind?”

“Close, but not exactly the same. Both of them may be invisible, but the difference is that wind cannot exists without air in the first place, and we need air in order to survive, and that’s why we can’t live underwater without outside assistance — there’s not enough air for us to breath!”

“Hmm, I think I am getting what you are trying to tell me, and thanks for that extra knowledge you share for me, so do you have anything else you wish to share with me?”

“As a matter of fact, I do! A few decades later, there would be a bubble blizzard caused by soap that would crashes the economy! So be aware! Bye~”

“...what?”

Chapter Text

The tavern in the evening has always been a place of gathering, especially for the peasants, who share and learn the things they witnessed through word of mouth, or simply drinking all the way until sunrise, temporarily relieving them from a day of hard work.

Among these people, John is just one of the many customers inside the tavern, his current life and occupation being a hand-to-mouth one. Still, any job that helps him to live through another day, he’ll do it, so long it doesn’t gets him into trouble.

And it appears that someone else is about to start just another night worth of bar fight, might to the dismay of the owner, which seems to be caused by a hooded figure with sharp, ebony eyes, one that doesn’t seems to belong to a commoner’s.

“What did ye just say?!”

“I’m not specifically targeting anyone, pal...I’m saying that everyone here is nothing but rubbish!”

Well, there goes nothing. John sighed, as he can only offer his mental condolences to that unfortunate sod — who just have to taunt someone else who is obviously a lot bigger and stronger, and who is not afraid to talk to the fist.

“I mean, seriously. You just tried pushing me away from my seat, stole my drink right in front of me, and you want to make me bow to you for being bigger and stronger than me? You’ll have to try a lot harder than that, buddy.”

John just lowered his head and waited for the worst to come. Surprisingly to him, no sound of violence came out, because of the upcoming line from the hooded stranger:

“Since you like to steal drinks that much, I am pretty sure that a drinking contest won’t mean a thing to the likes of you at all, and the tab’s on me. So, you dig it? You win, I’ll bow to you, and give you all the gold coins I have at the moment. If I win, though...”

“Heh...as if a scrawny, little brat like ye would win me! I’m in!” The muscular man, who John recognizes as the local bully and blacksmith — also named as Steve — sat right in front of the hooded figure. “Bartender! Give me and this little man the strongest brand here, until the both of us are out!”

“And I’ll pay for all of your drinks you gave to the both of us, sir! Tip included!” The hooded figure added, his voice, for some oddly reason, doesn’t sounds like a man’s voice, to him at least, as they placed a couple of gold coins on the table casually, whose glitters which immediately gains the attention of everybody else in the tavern, as they all gathered around Steve and the little man’s.

The bartender bit one of the coins to check its genuineness, and gave a nod to confirm the coins being legitimate, as they rushed to fetch the bottles of drinks on the wooden rails, all with a radiant smile. It didn’t take too long for Steve and the small figure’s table to be replaced with bottles of drinks from the pile of gold coins.

“Ye can still quit if yer chickened out, just to tell ye, that I’m the best drinker around this town!” Steve boasted, with the figure at his opposing side just smiled back at him as calm as they could. “Then I aim to change that.” Is all they said.

Anyway, with the mugs ready, as the bartender announced the contest to begin, they drank.

Even though it wasn’t done out of malice, I do wish the stranger to win against Steve, he’s been terrorizing us for a very long time...

And any form of defeat of him would brought him down to a peg would do all of us a flavor.

Chapter Text

Eight...nine....ten...more bottles went empty, and Steve is seen to be obviously groggy, but the stranger at his opposing side doesn’t seems to be bothered at all.

“I...I can’t loss! Not yet! Not yet! Just...one more! I can still — “ Before he could finish saying his words, Steve passed out, as the crowd cheered the stranger from beating him.

“And I was expecting a greater challenge, I mean, I can still drink like twenty bottles or more...” The hooded figure clearly sounds disappointed, as they spoke: “Buuuut I guess that works too! Everyone else wants to drink up with me until the sun rises? The tab is still on me!”

Then everybody else roared in joy, as they all ordered drinks they normally wouldn’t be able to afford, with the bartender giving a bigger grin than ever, but not without muttering: “Guess I’ll have to restock my drinks after this...” From alcoholic ones such as mead, cider, ale, beer, wine, perry, possets, hippocras...to non-alcoholic ones such as juices, milk, honey drink, tea, infusions, spiced water, whey...

It is truly a night for the commoners there to go all out, far away from stress.

Except for one.

As much as John would like to join the round of the house, he was never a great drinker, and he only drinks to relief himself from his dull, daily life. Work for the whole day, then sleep and wait for another day of work to come. Rinse, and repeat, simple as that. So he tried to sneak out from the tavern all by himself, and called it a night.

Only to be stopped by a hand over his shoulder.

“Leaving so soon?” It’s from the generous, hooded stranger.

“What do you want from me?” John asked, his volume nearly as loud as a whisper out of fear.

“Not much, just an answer of not joining the party.”

“It’s just that it doesn’t changes much from my current situation.”

“Then what about this?” The figure slipped a gold coin into John’s palm. “A tip for you for being well-answered.”

John simply gave a silent nod as a sign of gratitude, not wanting to draw attention from the drunk masses, as he left. Considering that he couldn’t even get a copper from a month worth of labor, this is more than enough to afford him for a while.

Or perhaps, maybe he could do something with the coin to get a better job, or learning a few more set of skills, or anything else just benefits him...

But before he could thank the stranger who has great drinking skills, as he exited the tavern, he couldn’t find the hooded stranger anymore.

As if they vanished within the darkness itself.

Chapter Text

Today, for some reason, Dawn was worried at Perseus’ care and safety, more than usual. Yes, he’s sufficiently fed and cleaned, but there’s still this sticky feeling to her that just won’t leave her alone. So she decided to give a full check to the wizard himself, with the man himself cooperated, with help from the Persian Room’s ability to create nearly everything she knew and learnt. The timeless nature of the room itself also helps the both of them for not being away from their own activity for too long, and once the results are out, Dawn frowned a bit a the words on the papers, even for just a little bit.

“Anything too severe on me?” Perseus asked with a little tint of fear in his tone.

“Nothing, just some early signs of chronic fatigue.” Dawn sighed as she delivered the results to the man in white. “Working too hard on your projects, I guess? I thought you could simply earn yourself a living by selling potions, it’s not like they are cheap anyway.”

“Well, you aren’t wrong with that, but still...” Perseus’ face is now contained with shade of red on it, as he spoke: “Inventing new potions that helps others always brings joy to me, even in hard times, not to mention it was for an important customer who paid well.”

“Like how much?”

“Just a few gold coins, more than enough for me to afford myself for the rest of my life.” Perseus bit his lips.

“...okay, that’s a really important customer for you,” Dawn didn’t argue with that, as she went on: “So what went wrong?”

“See, I’m...working on the last part of the potion, and I’ve been stuck there for months, because...” Perseus lowered his head. “I...tried every combination of all the ingredients I possess to neutralize the more harmful effects of the potion, so it could be potent and works exactly the customer requested, and...I think I skipped a few nights of sleeping because of that.”

“Oh,” Is all Dawn said. “And you didn’t ask for help from me?”

“I...haven’t seen you around the house for a short while, and I thought you have forgotten me.”

“You...actually lack that much faith on me?” Now Dawn’s expression is a genuine hurt one.

“No, no!” Perseus shook his head. “I just thought you were busy on whatever you are doing, and I wish not to bother you, as I respect your boundaries...”

“Perry, look, you are always my best friend here, and you always will be, and I am not going anywhere until you drew your last breath, and I can assure you that, it would takes a very long time for that to happen on you,” Dawn puffed her cheeks as she declared. “I won’t let you neglect yourself to death that way without interference, which is why I am giving you this!” She handled a light-brown potion with a harp label on it.

“And this is...?” Perseus asked, as he took the potion, and began examining it.

“Just a potion of inspiration...the most potent one I know,” Dawn stared at the wizard’s eyes intently. “Don’t rely on it too much though, it won’t do well to your mental health if you drink it too often.”

“I see, thank you...and sorry...”

“Huh?!” Dawn couldn’t believe her ears. Why on earth did Perseus apologized to her? It’s not like he did anything wrong!

“I just...don’t know if we can keep this on, with me getting help on you again and again.”

Chapter Text

“And what on earth gives you that idea we can’t keep it that way?” Dawn raised an eyebrow. Now she is genuinely confused.

“What I mean.” Perseus paused, took a deep breath, as he confessed: “Is that I was worrying myself for relying on you too much, not that I am not grateful of you for everything you helped me every time I am in trouble, still...” He fiddled his fingers. “You may claimed you are not doing this for charity, and you never asked anything from me, and you aren’t exactly wrong at me for being self-sustainable, but...” He took another deep breath. “I just thought of the possibility of you leaving me should I do that, since that means I don’t need anything from you anymore, and...the mere thought terrifies me.”

“Perry,” Dawn rubbed Perseus’ hands with her own. For someone who spends most of his time in the lab, Perseus’ fingers are in rather good condition, even if there are traces of damages from the potion brewing accidents he caused. Long, slender, cold, but the palm of the hands are always warm, even if faint. “How many times do I have to remind you that should you never betray me or harm me, I’ll always be on your side, even if I had to engage my worst side for you?” She sighed. “To have doubts on life, to be afraid of the uncertainty of the future...they are all traits to be human.”

“Still, remember this: the moment you met me, you are now no longer alone. Even if I weren’t here, you still have Ellie, your neighbors, your guests, and many more...they all can share your pain and worries, and you don’t have to carry them all alone.”

“You are no longer the homeless blood-traitor you once were. You are a renowned Potion Master, even if a local one, and there are people who cared of you, and that includes me.” Dawn is now holding Perseus’ shoulders. “And I certainly don’t mind ‘educating’ you again and again, until you perish those thoughts if I need to!” She gave a playful smile to the taller wizard.

“I...” Perseus still wanted to argue, but seeing the shining eyes from Dawn, the determination to help him and staying with him...

It fills him with determination and hope.

“Thank you for everything...” At the end, he settled with a simple thanks instead.

“Don’t mention it!” Dawn grinned. “With the potion, you should be finishing the project in no time, and do you have any ideas to rest better, say, other than sleeping a little bit more?”

“Hmm, that would be great, but I don’t think that would be sufficient for me.” Perseus gave a smile to Dawn back, and for some reason, Dawn felt like she’s in trouble.

“Like what?”

“I could use you as my sleeping partner for a few nights, like what we did at the beginning of our meeting...”

“Oh.” Dawn gave a dumbfounded expression. “Any specific reason for that?”

“Hmm, you gave me a very special calming presence, which is more potent than a hundred of Calming Draughts, not to mention...” Perseus gave another faint smile to Dawn. “You smells like lavender, and I love them, because of you.”

“I’ll take that as a confession of sorts?” Dawn playfully teased.

“You can say that.” Perseus teased back, as he turned to the potion with a harp label on it. “Now, allow me to test the properties of this ‘inspiration potion’ you just gifted to me, and perhaps I could analyze it’s ingredients that I can substitute with...”

Chapter Text

I am Dawn, just Dawn. Best friend of Perry who’d just prepared a Christmas special for the wizard, and I am not talking about the Christmas ‘feast’ right in front of us — which is nothing more than a large chunk of meat with wine as the drink, a result of our collective work for the most of the day.

You may think this is too cheap to be a feast, but to most people at this time, it’s more than a feast they could every imagine, and I never reject free food anyway. Ellie next to me can prove that, who is invited by Perry.

Yes, Perry bought all of this on his own. Yes, he could’ve afforded for more, but he said he wanted to save the rest for rare ingredients in the future, which I can understand.

Anyway, we ate the food, chatted extraordinary subjects we saw recently (which, unfortunately to me, isn’t that extraordinary at all), and just having fun overall.

Once the dining is over, as we cleaned up the mess we made, we traded gifts. Mine is just a potted poinsettia with its top leaves that changes its color between red and white, while Ellie’s is a simple wooden comb, and Perry’s is a beautification potion.

As the small party is over, Perry tried accompanying Ellie as she left the house, while I block their way out, all the while pointing a small, green plant over them.

A single branch of mistletoe, with the duo under it immediately understood what does that mean to them, as they looked at each other with visibly seen awkwardness, as I looked at them with great eagerness.

“Don’t say you don’t having anything to do with it.” Perry said in an exasperating tone.

“Guilty as charged.” I shrugged.

The two tried excusing each other at first, trying averting the tradition, but after several minutes, they both decided not to take any chances of taking bad luck at all, as they both kissed each other, with me screaming as loud as I could inwardly.

I mean, they both are very nice people who cared and loved each other a lot, so why not be together and doing their first when they still have time? I can wait for that anyway, but the same can’t be said to them, especially with most people around this period don’t live through 30s, to the non-magical, at least.

Wait, you are asking my relationship with Perry?

...

For someone with a nearly infinitive lifespan, this is the best arrangement I can make with Perry, being his best friend for life and that...

Jealous, you asked?

Pah! As if I would ever think of that! I still cannot fathom why people would be jealous of things that aren’t theirs in the first place.

Then again, I am very used to being able to get nearly anything for a very long time...

If they don’t want to be together, I would still respect their choices, and I’ll apologize to them anyway. Since it's my job to help people, all the while attempting to understand their deepest desires.

At the end, this development didn’t detriment everyone's holiday mood here, as Ellie departed in good terms with us.

I can’t wait to give Perry my latest surprise later! Hope he won’t be mad at this one, and with the other one later on...

Chapter Text

At a night of the last of a year...

“Can you remove the blindfold now?” Perseus protested as he was guided by the girl in blue at his side.

“Almost there, Perry! Just wait a little bit more!” Dawn chirped.

...

“Are you done with your surprise?” Perseus is getting a bit uncomfortable with the blindfold.

“Yes, I do! Now, you can get rid of the blindfold!” Dawn let go of the wizard’s hand, as she raised her arms up cheerfully.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Various ‘flowers’ in many colors bloomed in the night sky, as the duo is now sitting on a rooftop,

“This...is something, something that I’ve never seen. Is that magic?” Perseus asked, as he shielded himself from the bright light briefly.

“Not at all! That’s fireworks! You get some explosive chemicals mixed in a correct way, and shoot them into the sky, and you got this!” Dawn explained with a prideful smile.

“Hmm...wait, are we at the rooftop right now?” Perseus examined his surroundings, noticing the ‘floor’ he’s on is highly unusual.

“Close, at least, a simulation of your house. You are now in my special room, since fireworks are rather loud, and I don’t want any unnecessary attention from other people who’d mistaken this as...heavenly retribution or something like that.” Dawn fiddled with her fingers.

“I see.” The taller man chuckled. “Thank you for your gift in the sky anyway.”

“Yeah, and...sorry about that mistletoe thing in Christmas, I think I’m just worried about you two not having enough time in the future, so I did that. To me, you two match each other very well.”

“It’s okay, I wasn’t really mad at your attempt, and your concern about us isn’t completely unfounded. It’s just that we need more time to be more comfortable with each other, with understanding and acceptance being the most vital part in it.”

“Yeah, I guessed that...anyway, Perry, do you have any particular wish you want to accomplish in the new year?”

“Well...now that you’ve mentioned it, I do have one.”

“What is it? What is it?”

“I...wish you be more genuinely happy, and not just because you helped me, but because you being yourself.”

“That’s a silly wish — I am already happy with you!”

“Is that so? But are you happy on your own? Have you ever considered your deepest desire?”

“My...deepest desire? What are you trying to say?” Dawn asked with a tilted head, genuinely confused.

“I am saying that it’s just my intuition, but...you seemed to be carrying more things most people should, and...that would be too much for you to handle in the long run. You don’t have to be always reliable all the time, and you should concern your own well-being should you can.”

“Did you...did you said that because of what happened that time I sleepwalked? Or was it something else?” Dawn is now, in a rare situation, the one with bright red shades over her face.

“Partly, and there’s nothing you have to be ashamed of. Accepting your own weakness is what makes us stronger and better, that’s what you taught me.”

“But...I wasn’t even sure what do I want. How am I going to make myself better that way?”

“Perhaps...allow me to carry a little bit of your burden to me, for example, helping with your requests.”

“Speaking of requests...I just happen to have one right now!”

“Oh, and what is it?”

“Let me sleep around you, just for once, instead of the other way around! You smells nice and comfy!”

“...alright, just this once.”

“Yay!” The girl in blue cheered as she immediately dozed off into the man in white’s robes, who merely sighed in return.

Everything will be alright in the new year, in the future.

Chapter Text

“So, is it real?”

“Like what?”

“Glowing fungi being a thing. I read it from a muggle book I just brought.”

“Didn’t know you’d appreciate muggle knowledge.”

“Well, they can be more resourceful than we wizards and witches, so I don’t see the reason not to take in the knowledge they possess, unlike most of my people, who are too prideful to accept ‘mudblood knowledge’ as they say.”

“Nice to see you being more open and acceptable than most pureblood, Perry. And, to answer your question, yeah, glowing fungi are a thing. Just not all of them can do that, like, at least a hundred and twenty-five types of mushroom can do that, with something called enzymes and luciferins to make them glow like that.”

“That’s neat. What’s ‘enzymes’ and ‘luciferins’ anyway?”

“‘Enzymes’ are protein that helps you from sustaining your life through metabolism, and ‘luciferins’ are chemicals that makes stuff glow through chemical reaction. We don’t have luciferins, because our body simply don’t need them, so our bodies don’t glow in dark.”

“I see, thank you for your explanation, Dawn. Speaking of glowing fungi, do you know a few species of them?”

“Hmm...there’s sulfur tuffs, a few Mycena, and Schistostega I knew that can glow around here, if you can accept glowing moss as part of whatever you are trying to do.”

“I see...”

“Perry, I don’t like that expression you are making.”

“Is that so? To be fair, I was justing thinking...”

“...that I should accompany with you, to assist you getting some glowing mushrooms, for whatever you are trying to do?”

“You knew me too well, Dawn.”

“Well, I can help. Just don’t be stupid enough to eat them on your own, alright? Many fungi are poisonous, as you know.”

“I know, I was just curious if I can extract its luminescent properties and replicate it within my experimental potions."

“Always the scholar and scientist you are, Perry. So, are you prepare for another adventure as always?”

“I will, but first, I must prepare the essentials for the search...”

“This is the closest cave I found around here. I can’t guarantee you that there’s glowing mushrooms inside here though.”

“That’s fine for me, for we can always explore another one, once we are done with this one. Heh, I even have my wand ready for the worst.”

“In that case, do you remember how to cast the Bubble Head Charm?”

“For what?”

“In case of lakes in the cave, not to mention they are rather deep, and don’t forget the Lumos spell! You will need it, as the cave is a very dark place, and stick with me!”

“Alright, I got your back.”

“Oh, and here are some really tight ropes for us to stay close...”

“This is truly awkward...still, it’s amazing to see life exists inside a place where light is not part of their lives, not to mention the sheer height of a cave.”

The wizard is right. The cave starts out to be as tall as your typical tunnel around an adult’s height, but as they explore, it gets taller and taller, until it’s literally several meters high from the exploring duo, with bats filling up the majority space of the cave celling, and various critters crawling around, for this is their home for their entire lives, and the girl and wizard are but temporary visitors of this place.

“If there’s oxygen, water, and food, life will exists, no matter where and how.”

“What’s oxygen?”

“Just gas you need to live, we get it by breathing.”

“What about the stone cones over us and around us?”

“The ones above us are named ‘stalactites’, while the ones around us are named ‘stalagmites’. Both are formed from centuries of mineral water dripping from the celling of the cave to the bottom. Oh, and stalagmites have an ‘m’ in it, while stalactites don’t.”

“That’s...one way to comprehend their difference. Speaking of which, is that a lake over there?”

“Uh oh.”

“Look, Perry. I can’t take any chances of you drowning here, because of some glowing mushrooms we are trying to search for. So I’ll be the one who will be diving in this lake to explore for further, and once I found the other side, I’ll swap place with you with my magic, and I’ll dive in again and reach you. Sounds like a plan, right?”

“Then...what if the ropes broke?”

“I’ll still find you, that’s what your necklace for. I know you are still wearing it, and I’m glad you do.”

“There...won’t be any adverse effects on the necklace you gave me, does it?”

“If it does, I wouldn’t given to you in the first place.”

“But what if you were in danger?”

“Have a little bit more faith in me, would you? Everything will come out fine for the both of us, and I still have you, in worst case scenario, as I trust you.”

“...very well. Stay safe, anyway.”

“You can count on me with that!”

Chapter Text

The first time Dawn exploration under the lake works out like smooth sailing, as she discovered one, single path that contains two sumps on the way, and Dawn is glad that she doesn’t need to breath, but stuck at the bottom of the water for a very long time is still a fate she would not like to meet. Thank you very much.

And at the end of the cave consists of many, many glowing Mycena, with the size of a trampoline, in which Dawn is extremely tempted to bounce over them, but decided to hold herself back from her urges, in case of pollen problems.

So, with a mere thought, she swapped places with Perseus with her own magic, with the startled man nearly jumping at his new spot.

“Remind me the next time you are swapping location with me, Dawn...” Perseus moaned, but no one responded, as he expected. Now, all he needed to do is to wait for the girl to come to his side, and he’ll Apparate with her out of this place with the goodies. If only Apparation can be used at places he’d never know, but he decided not to do that, since splinching is a thing, and he’d like to keep all of his parts intact.

One minute, two minutes, three minutes...

Many minutes passed, but no sign of Dawn coming up, just the ropes moving irregularly.

And then, what happened next is anything the wizard wished to never occurred, and he wished he could pretend it did not happened.

The ropes snapped.

Back at Dawn’s side...

Swim. Swim. Swim

You can feel something trying to pull you down to a watery grave. Not that you can actually die that way, but stuck in the depths of water can still be nasty.

By the way, how’d the ropes were broken in the first place?! She already tested them much before the actual exploration began, so it can’t be severed by conventional means.

Then she saw the prickly, stone walls all around here, and with the path of the lake containing two sumps of all things...

Yeah, definitely not the best navigation path in a cave.

Even the best navigators stumbles at the harshest paths, or the ones without paths at all.

But there’s no time over crying over spilt milk, or in this case, torn ropes.

Swim. Swim. Swim.

Strange, why’d she feels so tired?

She should’t be, especially with a Kouha lighting her way. No, she can’t be lost.

But the murky waters is all she could see.

She can’t lost her conscious right now! Perseus is still waiting for her, but she can’t eat anything underwater to recharge her stamina! Not to mention both of her hands are too occupied at all the swimming she is doing right now.

Thankfully for her, she saw Perseus swimming his way to pick her up. Which also means she’s on the right path.

But...even with the Bubble Head Charm working on him, it doesn’t means he can actually swim, right?

Still, that wasn’t exactly her concern, as for now, both she and the wizard are both out of the waters, just as she passed out from exhaustion.

She thought she should have more stamina than this, but then she remembered she wasn’t in a ‘mission’ right now — she’s just in a vacation, so her stamina may not be in the greatest situation.

Guess I’ll have to work with that some time later...

Those were her last thoughts as she closed her eyes.

“Dawn...just...wake up...please...”

The girl in blue opened her eyes as she rubbed them, as she was immediately greeted with the wizard’s tight embrace.

“Thank Merlin you were awake! I thought...I also thought you were...” Perseus tried his best to fight against his tears.

“Sorry for the whole fuss, Perry.” Dawn patted the crouching man’s shoulder. “Still, it’s gonna take more than simple exhaustion to take me out, we can talk about this once we gathered some of the Mycena here, shall we?”

The taller man wiped his tears with his hand, as he did as Dawn suggested. The two of them didn’t say a word until they Apparated all the way home.

With the wizard changing himself with a new set of dry robes, while Dawn simply did the same with a single snap of her hand, they started their conversation.

“So...about the whole saving you thing...” Perseus tried to say more, but he just coughed, as he covered his mouth with one hand.

“Hold it,” Dawn just remembered something, as she checked Perseus’s breathing organs with her Third Eye ability. Nothing too severe, just mild reaction from diving into water suddenly, and getting out of it too soon. It won’t have any everlasting effects. “Look, your lungs are recovering from the stunt you just did earlier, but you are nowhere sick. So for now, just rest, until you gets better, alright?”

“But...” The wizards tried to protest, but he was interfered with a cough from his throat again.

“No buts. You don’t want to have asthma for the rest of the life, do you? Not that a single diving would leave you an incurable coughing disease for life, but we better not take any chances.” Okay, the ‘incurable’ part is just a little bit exaggerated to Dawn, considering that she possess a spell that allows her to cure literally anything that is not ‘insanity through forbidden knowledge’ or ‘death’, but she still needs the tall man to care for his own well-being, even for just a little bit more. “Just rest until you get better. And...sorry for getting you into trouble, and I accept whatever apology you want to say, not to minion you merely did the right thing to save me, and...thank you.” Dawn patted the man one more time as she left the house, with the latter watching her leaving through the blue door.

Perseus felt like his lungs being heavier than usual, he still have many things to tell to Dawn — telling her that he cared much about her own well-being, as much as he cared for his own — telling her that he would try his best to keep her safe and happy — telling her that it’s his fault that he got her hurt because of some mushrooms, with all the idea being his.

But with Dawn’s simple reply, he understood, as he swallowed his words from his mouth, while staring at the mycena he’s holding.

He’ll keep them at a dark corner of the basement, while watering it periodically, and treasuring it like a small gift from Dawn.

Chapter Text

A man in white robes, and a girl in blue, are sitting under a rather large and tall tree.

“Is there anything you wish to tell me, other than just calling me to come out and meet you here?”

“...yes.”

No expression can be read from the girl in blue’s face.

“Then what would it be?”

“...it’s about what happened at the cave we explored sometime ago.”

“I thought we already talked about that before?”

“Yeah, but...I just solved the situation from my side, and...I didn’t consult about your opinion, or even giving you a chance to speak out your thoughts.”

“And I just know that things...can’t end just like that, so we are here, and you can say whatever you want, and you don’t have to hold yourself back.”

“So...here we are.”

“I see...”

The wizard seemed apologetic.

“And, I mean, there’s nothing wrong to be angry or telling me I did the wrong thing, we all make mistakes, and —"

The girl hugged herself tighter and tighter, until she felt someone petting her head.

“Dawn.”

“Hmm?”

“Is that how you think about yourself, after all this time?”

“Not really...but I’d expect you’d be at least a little bit mad at me.”

“Dawn, stop, look at me.”

The wizard shushed at the short girl, as he got her attention to him by tilting her chin to make her face him.

“I wasn’t angry at you.”

“Huh?”

“I too panicked at that time, and...the very thought of losing you...right in front of my eyes you fixed them for me...”

“It was unbearable and unthinkable.”

“I know you are much stronger than I can ever be, not even Merlin could match you.”

“But...that doesn’t means you have to be the one to take up all the pain and suffering for everyone else.”

“No matter how powerful one person can be, there’s a limit of how much one can take.”

“That’s why we are all here, or at least me, to share the pain with you, and for you, and you don’t have to do this alone.”

“Which is why you can cry if you want to, to express yourself, to grief, just like we all do..."

“...and I’ll stay with you until the end.”

The girl was lost in her thoughts, remained idling for a few minutes, before finally giving her answer:

“...okay, and thanks. This is stupid, but...it feels good.”

The girl stood up as she stretched her arms.

“It should be.”

“And...yeah. I think we’ll just stick with the typical things your kind usually do for now, and...call me when you are ready for another adventure, or when you need my help.”

“I will.”

The wizard stood up.

“Now that we are finished, do you want to eat anything special, like meat?”

“Well...it isn’t exactly a celebration we are about to commerce...and I am fine with the usual...”

“I’m actually fine with the usual too.”

“You are? Good. I just thought of a new dish I just experimented with. Turns out, cooking isn’t very difficult for me to learn, even more so compared with brewing potions...”

They had a long and lively chat, as they walked back to the house.

Chapter Text

Once upon a time...there was a mother and child, both who lived in a cozy cottage, in the middle of a woods.

They tend to stay away from strangers, since their last experience with people...didn’t end well.

Except when someone, who they are familiar with, visits them.

With provisions from the woods itself, the small family are more than capable of feeding themselves for life.

And all is well...

...until one day, a strange, round object appeared in thin air...

“It should be here, big sis!”

Cherry dragged Dawn’s hand, as the child let the taller girl towards the depths of the woods.

“I do recall you didn’t tell anything about the ‘peculiar object’ you just discovered to you mom, did you?”

Dawn sighed as she let the child pull her on the way.

“I didn’t! Mommy would worry me if I told her anyway! And I know big sis would knew something to do with the big ring I just found!” Cherry’s smile is unwavering as ever, as she guided Dawn to the darker parts of the woods. “And here we are!”

Dawn was greeted by a large, floating ring, right in front of her eyes. The ring is large enough for somebody to pass through it, with the mist coming out from its center. The ring is also decorated with six rectangles around itself, along with some knot around its frame. Its way of floating seems to be beckoning any brave person to jump in and explore whatever awaits at the other side of the ring.

“So...do you know anything about the giant, black ring, big sis?” Cherry asked with a tilted head.

Dawn examined the flying, black ring with her Third Eye.

It shows that this is a gateway to another world.

Or at least, to a pocket space.

Dawn didn’t remember magical gates like this one exists in this world, so maybe this one is created from some sort of ancient magic lost in time? Or perhaps some otherworldly being like her make this one?

Before she could get some answers about the gate, it gave an answer that not even Dawn expects.

It shots a solid, white laser beams towards Dawn and Cherry.

And that is the moment Dawn realized why she is unfamiliar with the giant ring of black.

It wasn’t supposed to be here, in this world, at least. And yet, here we are.

“Wah!” Cherry screeched as Dawn took the smaller child into her arms, and she dodged the beam in the nick of the time, while anything else unfortunately in its way is reduced to nothingness in a flash.

“It appears that this object isn’t here for a friendly stay, and you are right to call me instead of approaching it all alone, or that’ll requires me raising you back from the dead once more.” Dawn pointed out as she looked at the child in her arms. “Now, Cherry. I’ll be sending you back to your home, as for the ring, I’ll take care of it.”

“But what about you?!” Cherry is genuinely worried for the safety of her ‘big sis’.

“It’ll takes more than a naughty portal to hurt me very badly.” Dawn gave a confident smile. “And don’t tell anyone else what happened here! You mom will certainly ground you if she knew any of this!”

“I won’t!” Cherry shook her head vigorously.

Dawn nodded, and with a single thought, she summoned Sylph, an elemental being of the wind, in the shape of a small fairy, to guide Cherry back home in the fastest speed she can.

“Good luck!” Cherry waved her hand as she was whisked away by the small fairy in high speed. “Eek!”

Dawn sighed mentally. Perhaps for the next time, I should told Sylph to slow down just for a little bit...

She turned her attention back to the aggressive ring.

A great battle begins.

Chapter Text

The giant, black, floating ring tried to hit Dawn with a laser beam, straight from the mist continuously generating at the middle of it. In fact, it did several times, all bearing ear-shattering and ground splitting results from the sheer shockwaves from the beams, scaring all the animals around the forest as they all fled. But Dawn is simply too fast to be hit by any of the thick beams of white.

So it changed tactics by shooting several large spheres towards Dawn, who too easily dodged all of them, and it kept shooting white, hot lasers again.

However, unlike the laser beams the ring generated, the spheres didn’t disappear as part of the ring’s attack — they remained.

The spheres appears to be made of some sort of crystal, one that refracts light into various colors from its surface, while partially wrapped by black rocks with a pattern not unlike the one from the ring they came out from.

And they too began attacking Dawn by charging towards her on their own, all the while emitting red light over their surface, as if signaling their attacks.

Still, it’ll takes more than rolling spheres and lasers shot from a giant, black ring to take down Dawn. Once she was freed from the barrage of attacks from the ring and the rolling spheres, even if temporarily, she made her move.

Heat Raiser, Concentrate, Deliberate.

Megidolaon.

The all-purpose combo to deal with most troublesome enemies.

And this tough-looking ring certainly meets the requirement of ‘troublesome’.

With a flash, a white dome of destruction appears right at the shadows under the floating ring, as it expanded and engulfed the spheres around the ring, despite their futile attempts to escape from the still-expanding dome by rolling away from it.

As the huge explosion died down, all is still, the spheres gone without a trace of them left, while the black ring remained in pieces on the ground, unmoving still.

“Well, I expected this to end up much quicker than it should had been,” Dawn sighed as she took out a cup of milk tea as an after-battle snack and award to herself. “But I suppose what is done is done. Now, time to clean up the mess I made...”

“Big sis!”

“Huh?”

Dawn turned her head to see the source of the voice she is familiar with. It’s just Cherry.

“Didn’t I told you not to bring your mom here? I did said I would take care of the rest.” Dawn gave an accused look against the smaller child.

“Emm...it’s pretty hard for me and my mom to ignore the big explosion just happened!” Cherry made a guilty and awkward look.

“What happened? Did you get hurt? Is there anything else we can help?” Mary asked with genuine concern to Dawn, despite her clear lack of visible damage over her body.

“To answer your questions, Miss Mary — a battle occurred. No, I did not, and...” Dawn answered as she scanned the ground with her eyes, as she spotted her loot from the ring she just obliterated. “Yes, you can help me dealing with these leftovers I just got from the battle, while I’ll clean up the mess I made. Last thing the people around here need to find their forest being destroyed by an unknown force beyond their understanding.”

Chapter Text

“You...actually wanted me to use these...crystals...to make clothes? Why don’t we just sell them?”

Mary is flabbergasted at Dawn’s idea of usage towards her loot the latter just obtained from the black ring she fought earlier. They are rhombohedron crystals that generates shifting colors when viewed with, like a rainbow crystal but seemingly alive.

“First of all, Mary. It’s not easy for you and your kid to explain to others the real reason of obtaining these very special materials without raising eyebrows, if you simply tried to sell the crystals to the merchants — worst case scenario is that they would pursuit question to you two about the actual origins of these rare crystals themselves, which disturb you two’s quite but peaceful life away from most people,” Dawn blinked with one of her eyes playfully as she explained. “Secondly, despite their seemingly mythical properties, these crystals are actually harmless in terms of actual powers — they just glitter with different colors and do nothing else, like normal crystals. Last but not least...” Dawn stared at Mary with eagerness. “I want to give you the chance of showing your own skills — I know you can be much better than you are, and don’t worry at failing over this, as I got your back.” She patted at the humble woman’s back lightly, which is still more than enough to make the latter hop at the chair briefly.

“But...it’s not like I have the clothing materials that fits with these crystals...I mean...it’s all shiny...and I need to use silk to match with them...and it’s not like we use silk at all...” Mary bit her lips, clearly uncertain at her skills, as she tried to excuse herself away from the crafting.

“Oh, in that case, I got them all.” Dawn smiled as she spread the wooden table with various top-tier material for tailoring. From the finest silk, to the toughest leather, string, thread, etc.

“But...what if I failed? I don’t think I can ever paid you back for the materials I wasted that way...” Mary is still wary of her skills at tailoring. Most woman in the Middle Ages has tailoring as part of their essential life skills, and Mary is of no exception from that, that also includes Cherry, whose experience over tailoring are still less-than-ideal, compared with her mother’s.

“The tab’s on me, so don’t be afraid of wasting the materials.” Dawn patted at the woman’s shoulder with assurance. “Weave as you wish, and you are the owner of whatever you’ll make with the crystals.”

After several deep breaths, Mary gave a mild nod as her answer to Dawn’s help. “...I’ll try.”

“And good luck with that!” Dawn beamed brightly as she left the mother and child on their own. “See you two at another day!”

“Bye, big sis!” Cherry waved back at the girl in blue, as the latter is away from the former’s eyesight.

Let us hope that whatever Mary will weave won’t be something too absurd... Dawn thought as she returned to Perseus’ house.

Chapter Text

Today is yet another day for Dawn, dueling with another member of the Passionate Duelists, Park Plummly, to be precise. The boy had fully recovered ever since the former healed him, with the latter doing well over his dueling skills with others in the club.

Most of the time, all Dawn did with the club members isn’t dueling with them, but instead simply coaching them on their skills, due to the girl in blue pretty much outmatched everyone in the club — for she has much better skills and knowledge when it comes to fighting.

And when she has to fight, she deliberately gives herself one or a few handicaps so as much as giving her opponents a chance of winning, to boasts their confidence, such as not using any of her magic in a duel at all, or even using unconventional objects as her main weapons — such as tarot cards. The cards themselves possess a tint of Dawn’s power, not that she uses them to cast spells at all. Instead, she just uses them for fortune reading, not that stops her from using them as weapons, effectively in fact. As she has, at this very moment, pinned the wizard on the wall with her cards, one at each of his ankles and waists.

“...two minutes, you lasts a little bit longer than the last one I fought at here.” With a wave of her hand, Dawn recalled her cards by to her inventory, as Park was released from his restrains, who slowly fell down on the ground.

“That was brilliant! How’d you fight so well, even without using magic? And why not using magic anyway?” Park doesn’t seems to be annoyed at his lost, and is instead admired at the girl in blue’s skills.

“Well, Park. If you got time for training yourself for pretty much anything, you’d be mastering them all, no matter how long it takes,” Dawn smiled, as she walked up to help the wizard get up on the dueling grounds. “As for you other question — I thought you already knew how devastating my magic are capable of, remember the time I demonstrate it under every wizard and witch’s defenses, and I still nearly blew it off the roof?”

“I haven’t.” The wizard — who got up with help from Dawn — shook his head in response.

“Good, and I hope there won’t be a day that made me ever using my powers, because most of my offensive magic a a million times worst than the vilest dark curses you wish you’d never know, like the one broke you.” Dawn nodded, as she reprimanded grimly.

Park didn’t say anything in response. He may had help from the others to recover from the trauma he endured from the Torture Curse he took, which while doesn’t kills him, at that time, he wished it did.

He still remembered the many days where he could do nothing but laying on the bed, his body and mind constantly tingling in pain from the lingering effects of the curse itself, his inability to speak, to reach out for help, or to even try to remember something, anything...

Even in his better days, he just wandered around the clubhouse, dragging with his body in chronic agony, shuffling and examining everything he discovered in his line-of-sight, receiving a few cuts and burns from the objects he touched — which is nothing compared with his physical and mental condition back then — desperately trying to reminiscent the slightest traces of his lost memories in the past, making a mess in the progress, leaving the others leading his confounded self back to his bed, as they put back everything he touched at their original position, while he fell asleep from all the fatigue he brought upon himself, and from the effects of the lingering Torture Curse, and repeating the process on the next day, and the next day after that, and so on.

And he was stuck in this hellhole state for years. 

Park shivered.

He was glad at the other club members, who chose not to abandon him at his worst moments, to accompany with him time over time, despite all the hardships it followed them...

Back then, he already forgotten them, thanks to the literally mind-breaking curse that tortured him periodically, along with many other things. But there is one thing he never forget them — their kindness, their words to cheer him up, and many other nice things they all did...

And it pains him incapable of doing anything in return of their unconditional kindness, other than just staring at them and holding them with his weak fingers, until Dawn fully cured him.

Ever since then, he had been very active of recruiting other new members of the club, training himself to be stronger, and with help, remembering everything he forgot from the effects of the curse he had taken ages ago. They’re all the least thing he could do to return their love and care over him.

“Everyone! I’ve gotten some food here! Come and help yourselves!” Alison shouted as she carried some treats in a large bowl.

“Perfect! I’m sure the both of us are famished from all the fight we just finished! Let’s go and help ourselves!” Dawn led the wizard with a light tug at the wizard’s hand, her feet already dashing towards the source of voice.

Park smiled as he joined the others for the break. With all the love and friendship he received, and is still receiving, he wouldn’t trade his place with any other person in the world.

Chapter Text

“Do you believe in fortune telling?”

“It depends what are you playing at, and I know you you better than anybody else here. So no advertising or scamming here.”

“Why, you wound me! All I would do here is but a simple reading of your current life status! Everyone is always curious of their own future, aren’t they?”

“I don’t have to pay for anything, do I?”

“The first time is always free.”

“Alright then. What do I need to do?”

“Draw three cards, any card. The cards will tell me everything.”

“...”

“Let us observe the first card — which represents your past — is Upright Death. Do not fret, for this card does not means literal death in the traditional way, but a new beginning and change. You had a tough past, and you made a tough choice, and that shapes the current you.”

“...I did. Mother left father when she found him dabbing witchcraft, along with my magical talent. Since then, I had never seen her again.”

“A tough past indeed. Now, the second card...your present...the Reverse Moon."

“Is that a bad thing?”

“Sort of. You are indecisive of your current choices. More precisely, you are bounded by fear and anxiety, paranoid at yourself...and your future.”

“I...I don’t know.”

“That is fine, and there’s nothing wrong at yourself. To be uncertain of yourself and the future is something we all faces, but these burdens is something you don’t have to take it all upon yourself — that’s what all the other club members are, and that includes me.”

“...maybe we can talk about the third card and ignore the second card? Like, can we?”

“...as I said, you have nothing to worry about, for this is a mere reading of your current situation, and nothing is absolute. Still, your wish is my command, and here’s your third card about your possible future at the moment — Upright Temperance, your goal is clear as pure water, Miss Alison.”

“And what does that mean?”

“It means your goal is success through patience and consideration — to achieve what you want and need, all you need is patience and confidence, you are already doing well, as the cards had told it all. You just need to keep it that way, and everything will be fine.”

“...I see. Thank you for your reading, I will take your kind words with the depth of my heart.”

“You are welcome. Still, if you wish for a small but a better future, even for just a little bit...I always welcome for a charge.”

“Dawn!”

“What? They works anyway!”

Chapter Text

Another day for Dawn, another day for her to clean up Perseus’ house in the non-magical way. Yes, Perseus did use magic to clean up his house from time to time, but there are only so many places and so much time he could clean with his wand, so Dawn decided to focus on removing dust at the deeper parts of the house, with nothing but an actual broom (not the flying one she bought Perseus a while ago, with the latter still uses it for potion deliveries at far distances) for ‘personal training'.

As she swept and swept the dusty wooden floor, she felt something hit her face, which is definitely done by the object flying all the way on its own, since the other occupant of this house is currently at his own room, so being hurled with the object is not an option, not to mention Perseus would never do such a thing without a reason.

Dawn removed the object blocking her sight, and noticed the object being a pink envelope wrapped with red ribbons, as it began folding itself like an origami, into the shape of a face. It spoke in a gentle tone: “Will you be my Valentine?” It then folded itself back into an ordinary letter, as if nothing strange and unusual happened at all. The girl in blue recognizes this to be a Howler — a magical letter that delivers messages by announcing its contents like a talking person, except the common ones are much louder and more angrier, with this being a ‘Valentine Edition’, it’s obviously a lot more nicer than the angry ones.

Then Perseus dashed out of his room, all with a panicked look. “Are you alright, Miss Dawn?” He asked with concern.

“I am. It’ll take more than a talking letter in the face to actually hurt me.” Dawn gave the Howler back to the wizard. “Speaking of Howlers, who are you trying to deliver it to?”

“I...” Perseus clearly doesn’t seems to wish to answer that question.

“Well, it’s okay if you don’t want to answer that. After all, everyone has their own preferences.” Dawn sighed as she gave an understanding nod.

“Thank you for respecting my privacies.” Perseus tugged the letter inside his robes. “But what I can tell you is that you are one of the receipts of them, and I haven’t finished this one, and it went off because of I being distracted by the other one I was about to write...”

“I know, I know.” Dawn nodded. “Still, to me, it’s already finished. Since it was capable of delivery the message ‘Will you be my — Mmm!” Perseus covered Dawn’s mouth before she could go on.

“Miss Dawn, please.” Perseus pleaded, his face is now redder than a tomato.

“Alright, alright,” Dawn removed the finger covering her mouth one by one, as gentle as she could. “And I think I already know who’s your other receipt of your Howler, and you don’t have to say anything to it. Just don’t forget to remove all traces of magic on the Howler once you are done with it, once you are done with the delivery.”

“I won’t,” Perseus nodded back. “Just...don’t say anything about the Howlers to anyone you know, would you?”

“I got that,” Dawn replied. “Say, about your receipts of the Howlers, do you like me more, or the other one being better for your choice for the future?”

“I...I wasn’t sure for that yet.” Perseus stopped at his way back to his own study, like a marble statue.

“Take your time, Perry. This is important for the rest of your life, and I knew it being a long one, so you don’t have to immediately give me a definitive answer to me at the moment!” Dawn chirped as she went back to sweeping.

“I...” Perseus still wanted to say something, but decided to save the words for another day. “Thank you.” Nevertheless, he thanked the girl in blue’s acceptance and support, as the wizard returned to the study to finalize the contents in his Howlers.

He knew he can’t take both of his close people for courting, but that doesn’t stops his personal thoughts and feelings over them, right?

Still, now he knew why those ‘letters’ are cheaper than most of the parchments he bought...

Chapter Text

“Hi, Perry! Had a great day with Ellie, didn’t you?”

“I did, and she gave this to me, needle by needle.”

“That’s a nice gift she gave it to you. Oh, it even got your name on it! Guess she’s warming up with you, isn’t she?”

“...Dawn, we were just friends.”

“Friends who could be better than just friends, right?”

“...”

“Aww, I’m just teasing you! Here! For you and Ellie!”

“Is this...a lantern?”

“Yep! And it can fly all the way up until you can’t see it anymore! Don’t worry, I’ve designed to make it disappear once it reaches to a certain height, or if it is about to hit something, so nobody will get hurt! Do you want to use them to give Ellie a surprise tonight?”

“...can to teach me how to make them?”

“Sure!”

“Hey, Miss Ellie, we met again!”

“Hi there, Perseus! Ah, I see you are wearing the sleeve I made just for you! Do you need anything?”

“That would not be necessary, would you like a walk with me tonight?”

“What if we meet the watchers? Even in a small town at this place, we can’t afford taking the chances...”

“Miss Ellie, have you forgotten who am I? We can take a shortcut...”

“...perhaps I should have warned you the next time we do that again, and my apologies on that.”

“Apology accepted, Perseus, and why are we here?”

“For this.”

“Is that...a lantern.”

“It is, a friend taught me the art to craft one of these. She also told me we could write something on it.”

“We wouldn’t accidentally make a hole on it, would we? It seems fragile.”

“I already tried it with my pen. It’s sturdy enough for my pen, I even brought the ink for it.”

“I see, so what should we write on the lantern?”

“Perhaps something about us?”

“That would be nice.”

“Do you think it would came true in the future?”

“If you wish it to become true, then it will.”

“Do you mean it?”

“What?”

“The words you wrote on it. I can’t read, but I know you put much efforts on it.”

“It’s all up to your choice, my lady.”

“So...you really have such thoughts on me...”

“If it’s too much for you, I can change it, and we can still be friends —”

“No, I am glad that you have such positive feelings to me, because I too, have such feelings to you too, I just don’t have the courage to confess them to you.”

“So that means we can be together?”

“Perhaps. I take you possess the patience to understand my flaws, as much as I will understand yours, while we…court? I suppose?”

“I do, and thank you for expressing your kind thoughts.”

“The same can be said to you, Perseus.”

Chapter Text

Moonlight Potion

Creator: Perseus Thorn

Advocate: Dawn

Function: Liquified ’essence of the moon’ in a potion. Improvised and enhanced from ‘Potion Of Truth’ — a foreign potion that removes ‘lies’ over its drinker (Assumed to be negative effects like curses), and has nothing to do with truth serums. Further effects are recorded below.

Ingredients

• Standard Potioning Water (32fl. oz.)

• Dried Rainbow Pink (3 tbsp.)

• Luminescent Mushrooms (2 tbsp.)

• Frogspawn (1 ladle)

• Powdered Moonstone (1 oz.)

• Jobberknoll Feathers (12, whole)

• Moonlight (Can be substituted with Moonflower, in the amount of a handful of its petals)

Instructions

1. Under the moonlight, pour Standard Potioning Water into an copper cauldron and bring to a simmer.

2. Grind Rainbow Pink with mortar and pestle into fine dust and pour the contents into cauldron, one spoonful at a time, dissolving thoroughly.

3. Stir the mixture clockwise, and keep it stirring with magic or using a self-stirring cauldron. (I personally prefer the  former method, because you had to be an amateur to use a self-stirring one! Besides, self-stirring cauldron? Really?! It sounds ridiculous to be real.)

4. Grind Luminescent Mushrooms with mortar and pestle again (Be sure your mortar and pestle are both clean before you do this! Or you could simply use a different set instead.), one spoonful at a time, dissolving thoroughly.

5. Stir Powdered Moonstone into the mixture, dissolving thoroughly.

6. Drop Jobberknoll Feathers into cauldron, stirring clockwise one time between each feather.

7. Carefully add Frogspawn into the mixture, and allow to simmer for ten minutes.

8. Leave the mixture cooling under the moon. (Or add a handful plucked petals of Moonflower into the cauldron, if you wish to enhance the chances of successfully brewing this particular potion) Should the potion is correctly brewed, it should be produced in the form of a clear, bright, yellow glowing mixture.

(The potion cannot be brewed without moonlight, no matter how many moonflower petals are added)

Details Of Effects Of Potion

• Possess the same effects comparable with the ‘Potion Of Truth’ (See below) (Effects possible to be further enhanced)

• Repel or/and remove dark-related beings, including the spells itself (Actual potent needed further testing)

• Boasts energy when drank under the moon temporary (Might be used as main ingredient on accessories?)

• Boasts plant growth that is affinited with the moon

• Used as a lamp in the dark (Glowing time need further testing)

• More effects to be discovered

Notes

Remove the process of adding Powdered Moonstone and Jobberknoll Feathers, you have the process of brewing the ‘Potion Of Truth’, which gives out a light-blue color instead of the bright, yellow one. Be warned though, should you take in the ‘Potion Of Truth’, it can unveils all false enchantments upon the drinker, and I mean ANY effect, including the effects that the drinker is unaware of.

Ptolemy causes the mixture becomes blood-red, while its scent allures people to it develop a great desire of tasting the mixture itself, as tested on a lab rat. (Usage of this particular type of creature is suggested by the advocate, who said they resembled humans the most when used for potion-testing) Tested creature is euthanized due to its aggressiveness gained upon consuming mixture. Mixture is vanished due to its potential danger posed on living beings.

Adder’s Fork causes the mixture becomes pitch black, and is believed to be deadly enough to kill an entire village of people with ease, as the tested creature died within seconds being fed with a teaspoon of the brewing. Mixture is saved as conventional poison. (However, with the ease of obtaining poison as a potioneer, this formula is considered to be too cost-effective to be conductive, as other formulas exists with cheaper ingrediants, all the while yielding deadlier results.)

Sopophorous Beans causes the mixture becomes pearly-sliver, while its scent is not different from the greatest wine usually drank by the nobles. Alluring the mixture is, some ideas from my head is fleeing as soon as I smell the mixture, and therefore this mixture is deducted to possess memory-wiping effects. Further proven on test creature as it died from asphyxiation, after several minutes of idling and eventual complete stillness. Further test required to determinate the actual potent of mixture in terms of forgetfulness-inducing.

The advocate said that there is a formula that ‘came package’ with the ‘Potion Of Truth’, which she refused to tell me the details, but hinted it to be ‘mind-control related’. Further details of said potion is not pressed on.

More notes will be added in the future.

Chapter Text

“Morning, Miss Ellie.”

“Morning to you too, Perseus.”

“Here are some tools for your tailor shop. I’ve seen you breaking them too often.”

“Oh, thank you, Perseus! That’s very kind of you, and...oh my...what is this?”

“A...new creation of mine. I named it ‘Serene’s Charm’. A simple magical charm infused with the power from the moon, one that repels misfortune and bring good fortune, while offering you extra energy to work in the night. Or at least, I hope it is.”

“Ah, many thanks to you again, Perseus. Say, do you remember what we’ve said about our relationship?”

“I do, and is there anything wrong with it?”

“Somewhat...see, my neighbors all around this little village, we are all very close, both literally and figuratively, and word can spread around them very quickly, and...I was worrying you getting into trouble because of them.”

“Oh, that won’t be a problem, Miss Ellie. That’s what magic is for, and I'll protect you from the more evil wizards and evil witches too.”

“Evil wizards and witches...actually, I’m not that surprised at all, that’s what we’ve been taught for all life from word of mouth.”

“I know, which is why I make a good exception from them, not to mention we wizards and witches have communities of good, as much as you have yours.”

“That’s nice to hear. Perhaps I can visit it someday?”

“Not without certain enchantment, but I can try.”

“Thanks!” (Yawn)

“Anyway, I see you’ve be a bit exhausted recently. Did you have a hard time on sleeping?”

“Well, you aren’t wrong...and I don’t know how to fix that...”

“As much as I wish to use a simple sleeping potion or a sleeping spell, they don’t do well in the long run, but you have gave me an idea on it...”

“Like a magical accessory that makes me more likely to sleep sooner and longer?"

“You are correct.”

“Perseus, you are a genius! I am so glad to have a magical friend like you to be with me!”

“The same can be said to me, and I was planning to buy some new robes with better quality and grander colors...”

“Got it, Perseus. And good luck on making that magical item!”

“And good luck on the robes you are going to sew, Miss Ellie.”

Chapter Text

In the multiverse, there are countless worlds out there.

The ones with names, known and remembered by us, are classified as ‘Greater Worlds’, and the ones without a name at all are classified as ’Small Worlds’ by default, all separated by the void — the world that contains all worlds, and the world of nothing that erases any unprepared being that accidentally wandered in it by spitting it into countless pieces across the multiverse itself. The one we live in, on the other hand, is named as ‘Alpha Prime’, also know as the origin of all other worlds out there, all the while untouchable nor perceptible (for most of the time, since fourth-wall breaking is a thing, but it always come with a price) by the beings from those worlds, all the while we percept them through what we better known as ‘fiction’.

Literature, movies, video games...all of these things create a ‘Greater World’ through sheer belief and faith by default, with the ‘Small Worlds’ possessing the potential of becoming a ‘Greater World’ if there’s enough faith and belief to support and expand their existence.

Each of these worlds, no matter named or not, possess an infinite timelines and alternative universes, all based on one particular world — the ‘Prime Timeline' — which is basically the backbone of all of the timelines and universes around it.

Which is why an immeasurable amount of energy is released, even when an insignificant, nameless world is suddenly gone, or destroyed, if its ‘Prime Timeline’ is gone, with the energy of the destroyed world itself is converted to construct new worlds.

Some ‘Small Worlds’ are based on the events and settings of ‘Greater Worlds’, but should a proper name of the world itself is absent, they are all ‘Small Worlds’ by default.

Others, such as fanfiction, are considered as a different timeline of a ‘Greater World’, based on whatever story is based on, unless it’s an original project, which, as previously described, has the potential of becoming a ‘Greater World’ with enough time and belief.

This is a story based on one of the countless ‘Small Worlds’ lost in time and space...

There was once a world governed by two kingdoms, which are at constant war at each other.

One possess the might of magic and technology combined, named as ‘El-light’.

The other possess a deep, literal connection between the living and the dead, named as ‘El-blaze’.

Fire is a dominant trait used by the people in El-blaze, to light up the path to afterlife, to borrow, succeed, and create power from and with the people who came before, to burn away their enemies...

El-light, on the other hand, prided on their ever-evolving magitek, and wouldn’t trade it with anything else.

Still, the two kingdoms both wholeheartedly believed their own are the best of the world, and despite their many attempts at negotiations for coexistence, they all ended up null from the nature of their respective cultures.

The people of El-light believed physical existence is everything, and deemed their existence gone without any physical traces, which is why they preserve their own deceased people through the form of data as their ’second life’, with the complete deletion of said data is deemed as their ‘final death’, usually preserved for the unforgivably guilty ones, all the while calling El-blazes ‘heretics’ and ‘necromancers’.

The people of El-blaze, on the other hand, are better attuned with the dead beyond the grave, as they communicate, accompany and work with them for all the time, as if they never died in the first place. Still, the longer a deceased soul remained along with the living, the more ‘eroded’ they become, which risks them becoming hostile to the living if given enough time, which never happened as the El-blazes perform a ritual periodically to guide eroded souls to the ‘Path Of Reincarnation’, in which they believed the dead will eventually be reborn as the living once more, with a complete wipe of their previous life memories as a ‘gift’ for their new lives. Not that this stops them calling the El-lights as ‘non-believers’ and ‘blind morons’ from time to time.

When it comes to the flow of people, El-light straightly forbidden any form of teaching about the culture of El-blaze, only allowing the mineral learning for scholarly education to be permitted, should the latter wishes to become members of the former. El-blaze, on the other hand, welcome the El-lights with open arms, so long they respect El-blaze's culture, and are willingly to give up their seats of their reserved ‘second lives’ at their own choice, which the El-blazes deemed ‘a torment of eternity’, since El-blaze does not possess the technology of creating a life in the form of pure data being.

The gift of ‘eternal life through data’ and ‘a life beyond death as a spirit’ are both tempting for everybody else not associated with these two kingdoms, which is why there aren’t any other significant countries in this world other than the aforementioned El-light and El-blaze, all drawn to these two great kingdoms like moths to flames.

Still, despite the  animosity of these two kingdoms, they both possessed great strength, and are of equal in combat for ages, and they weren’t able to take out each other for a very long time, despite their many advancements over their strengths.

Until they found a ritual to summon a god, or at least a god-like being, to turn the tides of this endless war, and they just happened to summon the very same god at the very same moment, unbeknownst to their own.

And the powerful being who heard their call for help, answered in the form of splitting themself into two beings. Whose strength is unmatchable to their combined, original form, but nonetheless powerful enough to wipe out an entire kingdom, to wipe out their rival for ages.

The El-light only sees the power to destroy souls on the godlike being they summoned — whose name is Riena — and extracted said power on her without her consent through various experiments, and ever since trapped her inside a glass case with no escape, all the while using her as an eternal energy resource for their kingdom, since she refused to harm her other self and others as a tool for war, and ever since then, she’s unable to escape from the special glass case specifically tailored to trap her for eternity, and with what was left of her power in her split form, she is unable to overpower and escape from her prison.

The El-blaze, on the other hand, immediately revered the being they summoned — whose name is Zinna — and threw a huge, welcome celebration upon the summoning and acceptance from the goddess herself, despite her many protests of not actually being one, just powerful enough to be considered as one. They all loved her with adoration from her kindness, along with her abilities attuned with souls.

Still, even when spilt into two separate beings, they are both connected mentally, and are able to exchange information throughout in the dreams. When Zinna delivered her message to the people of El-blaze, of how they defiled her other self by making her a prisoner, the rage of the El-blazes are at the highest height. However, one does not simply storm into the kingdom to rescue a goddess without a proper plan, as Zinna knew Riena is heavily guarded by the El-lights, who had no intention of releasing the goddess at all, so they had to look for a weakness, an opening, a perfect timing to strike like the flash of lighting.

Immortal-like beings like Riena and Zinna can afford waiting for ages for the right time to come, and a millennium passed as a result, since the weakness of El-light isn’t an easy one to find, nor they lack the resources to play the long game.

The El-lights did tried using the power extracted from Riena to take down the El-blazes, only to find out that power was countered by a power not unfamiliar to them, and they were able to recognize the clue and concluded that Riena’s other half is located and allied with the El-blazes, to their most detrimental. With Zinna settling in El-blaze, the El-lights had to resort to many, many tricks to win the war, all of them negated from the various combined efforts of Zinna and the El-blazes.

Once the El-blaze studied enough of the structure of the kingdom El-light itself, and with enough sleeper agents in said kingdom, all activated at the same time when the time for the final battle comes, the war between the two kingdoms for a millennium finally came to a curtain call.

For a very long time, despite their magical and technological advances, the people of El-light never understood the meaning of ‘having a heart’, not in the physical sense, but in a metaphorical one.

Even with everything provided right in front of them, without any tricks and cuts in a deal at all, none of the El-lights can truly understood each other, and thus incapable of forming everlasting bonds, despite they knew everything about the others in the form of their kingdom’s database.

No...perhaps it is exactly the existence of a database that containing everyone’s information from life to death, the ability to know everything about a person in the kingdom, including their deeds, is what doomed their ability to bond with others in the first place.

Not for the last prince of El-light though.

Unloved by his parents and his siblings for his lack of talent, he once accidentally wandered into the prison held Riena captive, but nonetheless befriended with her, ignorant of the crimes his kingdom committed on her.

The information about the existence of the goddess, and everything else related to her, is classified information to the masses in El-light, which is why he was unable to find anything about her, while Zinna’s information to the El-light is recorded as a ‘demon who will bring the end of the world’. 

At first, he befriended her out of curiosity and attempt of understanding her, and nothing else, but as time passes, he began to felt something blooming from his chest, something that urges him to continue doing what he’s doing.

Reading books for her, telling her tales about El-light, making promises of taking her out of her prison in the future...

All of them originally mattered her not, for her soul is in a meditation status for a millennium, her mind mostly traveling away from her soul freely and accompanying with her other half, all the while receiving information from where she is imprisoned.

She cared not of the El-lights, just like how much the El-lights cared her not.

But this boy...he was an exception, as he tried, at the very least, which causes a single, tiny ripple on the clear surface of water inside her mind.

Which is why she spared him at the day El-light fell, when she gave him a gift that is both a blessing and a curse at the same time.

“I cannot condone the actions your people brought upon themselves, after all this time...”

“However, for the very least, I can tell you the reason why your kingdom fell in the first place, and everything that causes it to happen...”

“And the only reason you live...is that you showed something beyond the capacity of the people in your country.”

“May you live a long life in peace.”

Riena patiently told her tale, just like the countless times the nameless prince told her the many tales in El-light.

It was too much for the prince to accept. The crimes committed by his ancestors, the atrocities of living based on someone else’s suffering, the undeniable truth, right in front of him.

At the end, he ran, never to be seen again, as the solo survivor of the once glorious kingdom of El-light.

With Riena finally free from her prison, after her final meeting with the nameless prince, the first thing she did is to meet Zinna.

The spilt beings are finally reunited, after a millennia passed.

And they departed this world that brought them great sorrow, along with the existence of the ritual to summon gods, to ensure the tragedy that happened over them to never happen again anymore, despite the heartbreaking pleads from the El-blazes.

Nonetheless, the twins gave the El-blazes enough time for them to accept their permanent departure for good, in which they threw a grand farewell party to them.

“Remember, children of El-blaze, the path you walk to reincarnation...is the place where I reside.”

“We are never truly separated, when you are ready to meet us once more, do not be afraid of your path to your next journey beyond death, for we will surely meet on said path.”

“Farewell, children of El-blaze...we are all connected.”

As they made their departure, the twin goddess left the world through a blue door, and never returned.

However, the El-blazes never forget the benevolence, nor the wisdom taught from her for ages. They ensure this by naming her as their ‘Great Spirit’, the one who awaits them all at the end of their journey, her stories passes on, generations and generations...

As for the nameless prince...

Some said he went mad from the truth, and spent the rest of his days wandering the rest of the world, babbling the crimes of his former people, earning him the moniker ‘Wandering Prince Of Lost Kingdom’.

Some, on the other hand, said he was accepted by the El-blazes as a member of their own, and find peace by becoming one of the elders to pass on the twin goddess’ stories as atonement, so they would never be forgotten.

Whichever is the truth doesn’t matter anymore.

Because said now-recombined being just find out this message right in front of her.

Mandatory Quest

Name Of World : Harry Potter

Goal: Avert The Tragedies In The Main Story To The Eponymous Character Himself

Difficulty: B

Restriction: You Can Only Use Your Powers For Helping The Main Character Himself And Nobody Else At The Start. Restrictions Can Be Removed Upon Mission Progress

Failure: Erasure

“Duh! Of course the Big-Eye-Knew-It-All isn’t amused at me at all, removing a kingdom just like that, all because they imprisoned me for a very long time...”

“But what? It’s not like I want to be trapped in any world forever at all!”

“*Sigh*, I guess it’s time to work...”

“A ‘Harry Potter’ world should be easy, compared to darker worlds like ‘A Song Of Ice And Fire’...”

Chapter Text

Mostyn House, 1892 (In a dream)...

...

...up...

...wake...up!

“?! Where did that voice come from? Who are you?!”

Greeting, Nightingale Williams.

I assume you are looking for the others.

“Well, not really...it’s not like I really help from other people in the first place!”

Oh, but you WILL find out that you WILL need assistance from others, especially based on your current situation, and your exact location.

“And what makes you think I would listen to some creepy, dismembered voice from my head?! I mean, where did you even come from? What are you doing in my head? Am I not at the Mostyn House?”

Yes and no...and right now, I suggest you immediately evacuate yourself to a saver and more obscure spot, less you suffer the first of you soon-to-be many deaths in this place, non-permanent it might be.

“And, pray tell, what exactly what am I trying to hide from?”

Hide first, ask later. I believe it’s approaching.

“You have’t answered me!”

*Clonk* *Clonk* *Grrr!*

“Who’s there?! This isn’t funny!”

Look, birdie. You really need to hide now, this isn’t the Mostyn Gatehouse you are familiar with anymore, and it’s filled with monsters. I can explain everything once you are safe.

“Alright...but you’d keep your promise, creepy voice from my head!”

...I have a name, just so you know...

”Then what is it? I don’t have time for all day!”

Oh, but you will, and that includes the many more time you will be spending here, whether you want or not. Still, I can help, only if you trust me and be a bit nicer to me, that’s it. As for my name, just call me Ray. Consider me as an guardian angel of a sort, and I know many things about you.

“Argh! Fine! Ray, what do you mean mons—”

 *Roarrrr!*

*Gasp!*

“What...was that thing?!”

As I’ve said, one of the many monsters of this place. And you’ll be encountering many more in the future...

“Is that why the Mostyns taking us it — turning harmless little girls into monsters?!”

So close, yet so far...yes and no, little birdie. Some became that because of the manipulations of the Mostyns... but some were already here long before the Mostyns have a hand in their existence...

“Alright, that’s enough for me! Where’s the exit of this creepy place?”

...you won’t be finding one easily, due to your...circumstances of entering this place, not that you can never escape, that’s it.

“So where is it?!”

...look for Margaret Blackett, you can trust her.

Also, avoid witches, whenever you can. They are not to be trusted.

“Great, first, there are monsters, now, there are witches too! How come the authorities failed to notice all of these weird stuff happening in this place?”

The authorities wouldn’t help you much from the oddities of this place, it’s all up to your own to keep yourself safe.

“Well, sorry to disappoint you, Ray, but I don’t even have a weapon to defend myself at all! So how you’d assume me to save my own skin in the first place?!”

Search for the surroundings, little birdie. There should be a butcher blade that will suffice.

...

“Ha, I found it! Now those monsters won’t be a problem to me!”

Do not be overconfident at yourself, Nightingale. Weapons break down from time to time, not to mention some monsters may just happened to be immune to mere weapons such as the simple blade on your hand. Escape when you must. Death is not permanent here, but it does not make it any less easy to you.

“Well, I don’t give a darn at that! I’m gonna kill the monster who’s responsible for creating this creepy place, and go home once I’m done here!”

Nightingale, please.

“La la la, I can’t hear you! Oh, and who are these ladies in black? They got style!”

Uh oh.

A night later...

“Ouch...that really stinks! Wait, I’m back? How am I still alive?!”

Well, well, well...it appears that someone finally stops being a sleeping beauty, not that it makes a difference to me anyway.

“Ray? Is that you? Why are you still in my head? Isn’t what happened last night is just a bad dream?”

It is more than just a bad dream, silly little girl...and you are going to experience it many more times in the future, if you keep ignoring my kindly advices.

“Okay then, I demand an explanation to pretty much everything! Ray! What is going on?”

If only you give me a pretty please.

“...please?”

There we go, I know you are capable of being a decent person, and you are gonna need to do that a lot more in the future mandatorily.

Well, this is going to be a long tale to tell...

But to put it simply, you are trapped in a dream. Inside someone, or something else’s dream, to be precise.

Technically, only your body and mind is trapped here, while your body is safe and sound in the waking world, sleeping soundly.

Well, it won’t be just sleeping soundly if you your body stays that way for a very long time.

“Well that explains why I’m not dead...tell me who or what’s dream is making up all these weird stuff. The monsters? The witches? I am gonna pay them a visit...”

I know your intentions, little girl. But just finding them isn’t sufficient, an no, little birdie. The monsters nor the witches are responsible at creating the dream.

The one behind everything...they have many ‘bodies’ around this place, are if you wanna leave, you’ll need to destroy every single of them, all at once.

And the Margaret Blackett I mentioned is vital at accomplishing that.

“Okay then. Then where is this ‘Margaret’ person you mentioned?”

...if I knew that, I would had told you, but alas, I do not, and it’s up to you to explore this place, find Margaret, and leave here for good.

“Can’t you do anything more than explaining things about this place to me? Like conjuring things and making monsters disappear and so?”

My...assistance...to you...is very limited, to say the least. I am so sorry.

But at least, I have faith on you at escaping this place for good, at the end of everything.

“Thanks a lot...guess it’s up to me to find out everything about this place on my own...”

On the very least, I am on your side. Just let me know if you need more spiritual assistance.

“It would be much, much helpful if you just lead me to the exit of this place.”

...do I forget mentioning that you loss most of your things when you die in the dream?

”Now that you mentioned — you are right! I don’t have my knife anymore! I can’t find it!”

At least knives are a commodity in this dream...just search around again to find another one, and try not dying again.

“...I’ll try.”

Thank you, little Nightingale.

“Do I really have to kill every single in my sight? I don’t think my weapon can hold much longer!”

You should, little birdie. Monsters drop loot you can use later, such as buying weapons or crafting items that benefits you in the future. Even if most of them disappear upon you death here. You can never know the true capacity of these objects are capable of.

“Like what?”

That, my little girl, is something you’ll have to discover on your own.

“Uh! I hate it every time you said that!”

You’d be used to it. What’s the point of telling you everything, if you can’t learn it on your own?

“And that is stupid to me!”

Nice lamp you got from the vicar. By the way, as they said, geometry and geography in a dream means nothing. Things can be stranger in the future.

“Whatever I am seeing in the future won’t be stranger than having am dismembered voice in my head!”

Touche.

“Just why are there so many monsters on fire on this forest path?! What if those fires touches the tress?!”

Don’t give them ideas, Nightingale. Just finish them before they’d have the chance.

“I am trying! Oh wait, they are now all on fire! Oh no!”

Looks like this is it. Better luck next time.

Several nights later...

“Finally, this flaming monster is dead! Hooray!”

But have you forgotten the OTHER monster on this forest path, Nightingale?

”Uh oh.”

Several more nights later...

“Okay, seriously, I am sure that the both of them are now absolutely deader than dead!”

Congratulations on your first victory on your first boss of your journey, little birdie. Mind you, there’ll be many more vicious bosses in the form of more terrifying monsters in the future. Not bad for killing them within a few deaths on your own.

“I mean, it also take me 10 times, right? Isn’t that bad, right?”

...Yes, yes, well done.

“Woah, this place is like, super weird.”

It is, isn’t it? It looks like we are at space, and I believe that isn’t too far from the truth, since this place is more or less the ‘default state’ of the dream itself.

“What do you mean ‘default state’?”

Would you believe that this dream is originally created as a means of a recreational sight to escape from reality?

“Then whoever or whatever made it must had done a poor job on it!”

To be fair, persistence over the passage of time isn’t something they’d taken account of, when they first created this place...

“So this place just existed just like that for ages?! Just how long this dream had existed?!”

It has existed long before you were born.

“And that literally means nothing to me!”

Perhaps it means nothing to you for now, but at least it is an answer in a sense. Anyway, look alive, there’s a witch on your line of sight, and did you remember what I have told you about witches?

”I haven’t.”

Several nights later...

“That...witch...is just cheating! Seriously?! Using that piece of junk to fight against me, all the while fighting along with it at the same time?!”

When it comes down to survival, or just plain spite, morality is thrown far out of the window, little girl.

“At least she won’t be in my way anymore in the future.”

Don’t bet on it, little birdie.

“Speaking of her...”

What is it?

“That...she said her face is rotting in the real world...will that happens to me at well? If I haven’t escape from this world fast enough? What if that already happened?”

...Nightingale.

What I can tell you, is that your father is a loving man to you.

The first thing he finding you not waking up is to escort you all the way back to your own home estate, all the while calling all the best doctors to try waking you up. futile it is.

At the very least, as long you have the will to live in the dream world, all the while your body is still preserved alive in the waking world...

You will live, no matter what.

And I will ensure that on behalf of you.

“So…am I really dead? Them what I am?”

Just imagine your body is in a status between living and dead, merely existing, like a living mannequin.

“Right, totally not creepy at all. Oh, and Ray?”

Yes?

“Look, I’m sorry at saying all the mean things I said to you, like, a long time ago? I don’t know how long I’ve been here...”

That is normal, for time passes differently in the dream, but that does not means it is not stagnant in the waking world.

“Yeah, and...thanks for saying those nice things to me. Now that I think about it, I could have avoided this whole ‘stuck in a dream’ mess if I’d just behaved myself just a little bit more...”

You are not behaving terrible at your own choice. You are merely grieving, after the lost of your mother.

“...”

I know this is a touchy subject to you, but as I said, I know many things about you.

And there’s nothing wrong at grieving somebody you are close with, you just used the wrong method at expressing it.

Even if your actions caused the results that leads your imprisoned in this place, it does not necessary means it is, automatically, a bad thing.

For it allows us to meet each other here.

And I am still here to help you as much as I can.

“...hey, Ray?”

Yes again?

“Thank you.”

You are welcome. Let us continue our journey in the dream.

Some time later...

...

“zzz...”

...up...

“zzzzzz...”

...wake...up!

“Alright, alright, I am waking...”

Nightingale, can you hear me?

“Of course I can, Ray. Why I can’t?”

Thank goodness you are finally awake! That Filthy Wretch...she didn’t hurt you anywhere else?

“No, just that I think I just took a nap, and just woke up. Are we out of the dream yet?”

Unfortunately no, and you didn’t just slept for a short time. You we under a sleeping spell and slept for a very long time. How much to be exact, that I don’t know, but at least you are awake for now.

“That sucks. Hey, why am I in different clothes than before?”

Just one of the many dream weirdness. You can always change yourself back to your usual attire if you wish, not that it does anything to the ones over your real body in the waking world.

“Of course it’s like that...by the way, where’s Peter?”

Perhaps somewhere deeper in the dream for now?

“What...guess that means I won’t be seeing him for a while, huh?”

Do not mourn him too much, Nightingale. Most of the Mostyns are a devious bunch whose actions caused you and many innocents trapped into this hellhole in the first place. Even if he did felt remorse of his actions, he need to held account of it and the consequences his choices brought upon him, and so is his end.

“...”

I know it’s too much for you to endure, which is why I do not forbid you from mourning a man whose last moments is to try redeeming his mistakes he made. Take your time until you are ready.

“...thanks, Ray.”

You are welcome, little birdie.

“Why are treasure chests of all things are trying to attack me?! Why are their legs and tongue inside it?!”

Mimics are the least trouble you’ll be facing. You may have a worse reaction when you faces possess portraits.

“I am sorry, but what?!”

“Well, it’s nice to see there are other people inside this dream who isn’t trying to kill me...”

Indeed. While some are more fortunate travellers who can just come and leave this dream unbeknownst to them, some, such as you, are less fortunate, and remains here until the idols are all gone, or this place shall be your tomb for good.

“A very big one no less. Now that I think of it, are those monsters...are they are what happened to people who stayed here for too long?”

...you are correct, little Nightingale.

Some just become that when their connections to their bodies are severed permanently. Some, on the other hand, are the results of using too much magic in the dream, which is why most witches here doesn’t not possesses the greatest sanity.

And I can tell you that yours hasn’t be severed yet.

“That’s...good for me, for now.”

It is. Still, do not take that for guaranteed — you will become one of them should you remain here for too long, or if you relies on magic too much, unless you choose to remain her at your own choice, either as a monster or a witch.

“Absolutely not! Yes, being able to fight monsters with magic and making literally anything is fun, but...”

But what?

“...I missed my father.”

“He — he is, as you said, a good man. He was with me when mother is gone from consumption. He was with me when I grieve. He was with me when I lost myself. And yet...”

You took his love for guaranteed.

“...I did, and...I want to go back, apologize to him, and...just live with him for the rest of the days. Nothing more.”

...I see. I can understand that. Still, no progress can be made should we remain doing nothing, so shall we?

“...yes.”

A few nights later...

“ *Huff* *Huff* I finally got rid of this...abomination! Just how could this...thing even exists in the first place?!”

Anything is possible, my dear Nightingale. Anything.

“At this rate I won’t be surprised if there’s a dragon popping out of nowhere...wait, there’s stairs down here!”

Perhaps you can explore with them, my little birdie?

“Of course I will! What do you think I am? I am going down anyway!”

Glad that you are still you, after beating so many monsters, more than most men ever do.

“Yeah, and I ain’t stopping until I am outta here for good!”

Then let us descend.

“Is that...a cable car?”

I believe it is, my little birdie.

“And how do I get this thing to work?”

It appears to operate on it’s own.

”Oh, you are right — it’s moving! And hey — the board there reads...1916?! And someone’s at the end of the line!”

Wait, Nightingale. I don’t think that’s a —

*Fffwooosh*

“Ahhhh!”

Mostyn House, 1916 (In a dream)...

...

...up...

...wake...up!

...this is getting old...

“Ugh...I died again, did I? Ray?”

Unfortunately you did. At least I sense your belongings are still with you. You can always take that back against that huge man in black with a flamethrower when you had the chance.

”Say, Ray...”

What is it?

“Why do you think the board at the end of the cable car reads 1916? Do you think...we traveled to the future?”

Or, perhaps, the more logical explanation — we have been unwillingly prisoners inside this dream for 24 years.

“No...”

Which means your body would be 39 years, almost 40, if we managed to return at all.

“That — that means — ”

It is what you expected — your body won’t be in a pleasant condition when you do return.

“...”

I know this is hard for you to accept, but...have you forgotten about your father? What if he’s still alive?

“And how you are sure about that? Ray?”

For being your guardian angel. For being knowing many things.

“...does that means you’ll hold account on it, should I never escape this place?”

Only if you choose not to, and I respect your choices if you need to. Escape isn’t the only option you have at the end, just the relatively better choice you can choose, but at the end of everything, the choice is all yours.

“...I think I can understand that. Let us back to exploring this place. Maybe starting with...meeting with whoever the ‘king’ of this place.”

Stay alerted though — the ‘king’ in question is possibly a figure you’d familiar with, but at the same time not someone you personally wish to see.

“I will. Thanks for the tip, Ray.”

“What’s with Filthy Wretch for bossing me around like that? It’s not like they can do anything to protect me at all, not to mention I never like anyone allied with Robert anyway!”

Patience, my little birdie. Once we are out of this place, they can influence us no more. We are merely borrowing the tools they provided to us to get the job done.

“Well yeah, and why are there so many giants in black and floating eyeballs all over this place anyway?! Where did they even come from?!”

Dream logic, my little birdie.

“Again, that doesn’t explains anything!”

It wasn’t suppose to.

“Somehow, I always find a way to Nowhere, as described by Grumio the skeleton.”

The dream may constantly shifting itself from the many things the idol saw in the waking realm, but they are places in the dream that remains in a constant.

“Yeah, I guess...and...”

And?

“There are several people in the uniform of the military...with damaged or lost body parts...I was thinking...is there something wrong at the real world? Because I don’t remember a war from happening before we are here.”

...I’ll explain everything, once we are out of the dream for good.

But be warned, it’s not pleasant.

“Figures...but I guess I can understand that.”

I am glad you do. Subjects about the future is never an easy topic, to say the least.

“Yeah, whatever you say.”

Several nights later...

“Alright! That witch on a horse is finally dead! Surely there can’t be any worse monster on our way outta here, right?”

I hate to interrupt you but...prepare yourself at killing several more monsters from a portal with a stationary machine gun.

“Excuse me?!”

“Haa...haa...who could think of killing monsters with a big gun could be so much fun?”

On the other hand, our way to the church is clear, and I sense several witches inside in there. Be prepared.

“I always will!”

A night later...

“Urgh...I really hate being burned to death...at this point, just how many times I already died that way?”

Good to see you were recovered much faster than usual, little birdie. Is there anything else you wanted to tell me?

“Well, yeah...I had a really weird dream...”

A dream within a dream? How peculiar, but I’ll be your audience.

“Yeah...and...I just don’t feel like telling it to you right now.”

...very well, little birdie. Feel free to tell me when you are in the mood to do so.

“...I will.”

“Wow, all of that was just...wow...”

‘Wow’ indeed, my little birdie.  Priscilla is a woman with many talents, and that’s why she nearly knew everything in the dream.

“And...did you read that? What is on the newspaper? The Mostyn Gatehouse...now named Mostyn Private Asylum...is been closed down for good!”

You seems to be enthusiastic about it.

“Of course I am! That means there won’t be more victims of the idol itself! Like me! And...the father mentioned in the papers...is my father, am I right?”

I am sure it is that way, little birdie. As I’ve said, Nightingale, your father is a loving man to you, and even up to now, he is still waiting for you to wake up from this nightmare.

“Yeah...but the time of the papers...and what we had seen at the cable car station...I guess your assumption is right, it’s been so long that we have been the dream world. And...I am scared.”

Scared of what?

“Me myself, and my father, and many more things in the future.”

“What if my body is too old for me to use? Can I even go back to a normal life with it? Will my father accept me in a much older body? Can I make friends with an aged body like that?”

“Sometimes…I think my body, the one in the real world…it is starting to affect me, making me more tired and slower than before, even though it shouldn’t be, nor have I had seen or feel it for a very long time. I had seen it inside my ‘dream’ — seeing someone in white sleeping on a bed, being completely still, but not exactly dead at the same time, and...I just knew that is me, or exactly, the current state of my physical body in the real world, with my ‘dream’ being telling me what is happening to me there.”

“I have so many questions for myself, and…I’m scared of the future.”

...I can see your understandable worries like that, and that explains your recently slower and stiffer movements, compared with the you who recently arrived in this dream.

But...that’s exactly why, little birdie — I promise I’ll be always on your side, until you draw your last breath, as your heart beat still.

“...that way you promise me sounds scary to me. Are you absolutely sure you will be on my side until I am dead?”

In the name of God, I will.

“I am counting on you then, Ray. And that’s including caring for an old lady in the future!”

I will, and I believe that is the reason I am with you.

“And...now that we are back to the very same room I first woke up...Ray...thank you for being on my side so far, and thank you for not giving up for me. Without you, I would had died a lot more times in the dream, or worse — long given up myself and becoming one of the monsters in the dream.”

I appreciate that. I know that even without me, you can escape from the dream for good on your own, but having one more helper is always better than having one less helper.

“Right! Now, I may felt myself being stiffer than before, but I am sure that we can make this work before I am too old to leave this place! So let’s get working!”

Good luck, my little Nightingale.

Several nights later...

“I...I did it, right?”

It appears to be. The First Witch is no more, nor do I sense her presence in the dream anymore.

“Yeah...serves her right for burning me to death at least twice in the dream...”

Indeed, and it appears that the dream has started on resorting to morbid imitations of yourself to prevent you ever leaving from the dream.

“Yeah! No evil knockoffs are going to stop me from ever leaving! Onward!”

As you wish, my little birdie.

“This place is giving me creeps — sometimes, there are nice things, like the church, and sometimes, there are nasty things, just like this jail with huge monsters on the hallway!”

That is a good reminder that as mesmerizing this place could be, it is still a prison to the unfortunate ones who wandered here by mistake. Do not loss sight on the goal you are achieving.

“I won’t!”

“What is with all of that dead witches ordered by Robert? I thought he worked with them.”

Perhaps it has something to do along with ’no witches in his paradise’ thing ?

“Well, it would be a lot more helpful to me if he just lead me the way out of here.”

Indeed. However, Robert has always been a man with great ambitions, and offering an exit to somebody, anybody at all, is not on his to-do list.

“Figures. Hey, do you feel something upstairs?”

I do. The echoes of many idols...I can sense them up there...

It’s now or never to leave this dream for good. Destroy them all, and we are free at last.

Are you ready?

“...I am.”

Several nights later...

“Well...I was expecting a fight against Robert, and I got Priscilla in a metal suit instead. She was a difficult one to defeat.”

Indeed, should your goal haven’t wavered from the original path, then this is it.

A hundred deaths in total you have experienced, and persisted you still are, all to leave the dream world for good, and perhaps many more, should you take a different path.

“Wait, I can do more than just leaving the dream for good?”

There are, my little birdie. Margaret and the Filthy Wretch will show you the ways, and I can inform you more possible paths, should neither their paths satisfy your choices.

So...have you made your choice?

“I...I want to know more about more paths than the two showed to me, even if it’s just out of curiosity.”

I understand that. Anyway, here’s the other paths you can take on, other than the path to escape the dream by destroying it for good, or by becoming the new ruler of it.

There’s one where you bring the entirety of the waking world into the dream world, completely removing the boundaries between these two worlds.

And there’s one involves great trickery — one that allows you to escape from the tragedies within this timeline, one that allows you to live blissfully in a new timeline, one free of the pain and suffering brought upon by the idol.

Anyway, the choice is all yours, and feel free to ask for the details, if you wish.

“...what will happen if the dream world completely taken over the real world?”

Then everyone will perfectly live in the dream for eternity. Free of wars, free of suffering, free of...potential for the future. An eternally peaceful world, but a dying world nonetheless.

“Yeesh...absolutely not taking the path. What about the ‘escaping into a new timeline’ path? It sound wonderful to me, like the path you mentioned before, but done correctly, without all the ‘dying world’ part.”

It should work perfectly, after a lot more trials required to achieve said results. However...

“What is it?”

...my connection would be severed from you, forever.

Between the two of us, only you will be the one entering the new timeline, the one free of the tragedies brought upon by the idol.

At least you can make new friends there, like the girls pretending to be witches inside that version of Mostyn House, or Peter, who never brought back the idol in that timeline, who is as decent as you’d expected.

”What?! But why?!”

I...have always being an anomaly in this world. In both of the dream world, and in the waking world, for y ou are not supposed to meet me.

You are supposed to finish your journey, and chose one of the many paths I all knew at the very end, all accomplished on your own.

In fact, so far, I haven’t seen any visible changes on your journey, despite my very existence, hardly being a variable to it at all.

Heck, I doubt that I was needed in the first place, with my role being nothing but a mere observer, and nothing more.

“So you aren’t really a guardian angel at all?”

Not in an actual sense, but since my goal is to keep you safe and happy, then it still counts.

“I see...actually, I think I have the answer of why are you here with me in the first place.”

Enlighten me.

“Do you know anything beyond the end of my journey in the dream world?”

...I do not, to be honest.

“Then there’s your purpose! You said you will be on my side until I drew my last breath, am I right? And I intent to keep it that way, no matter whatever choices I am going to pick! Even the one where I must go back to the real world, back into my elderly body!”

“By the way, is there really no other way you can follow me into the new timeline?”

Well, my connection with you only started when you first entered the dream, if you never entered the dream in the first place, we would never meet each other at all! It’s just that simple!

Still, I respect your choice, no matter what you will take at the end of everything.

Regardless of what will happen to me.

“So...will you die, or something like that?”

Hardly, my little birdie. For a transcendent being like me, I will simply return to where I came from, a place beyond your reach, as if nothing happened.

“Oh...”

If you are willingly to leave to avert the tragedies you met in the dream, in the form of living in a new timeline, one where the idol never dragged you into the dream, never brought all the pain and suffering you had to go through, all so you can be happy, then I am all too willingly —

“No.”

Oh?

“I — at first — I may not realize it, but...all the things we talked in the dream, all the things we achieved, all the things we accomplished together...They are all irreplaceable to me.”

“You said I was able to achieve all of these things on my own, but...I don’t think I'll make the right choice at the end on my own.”

“Maybe I would had become yet another tyrant in the dreams, a blissfully ignorant little girl in a new timeline, a lonely old woman in the real world, or, as you suggested long ago, becoming one of the many monsters in the dream forever...”

“At the end of the day, what happened in the dream world, those experiences...they’re all part of my life, and no amount of timeline-hopping can erase that, nor do I intent to escape from them.”

“I wouldn’t have reached so far if you never came in and helped me anyway, despite your claims being unnecessary for my exiting of the dream world.”

“You are not an ignorable variable as you claimed to be. In fact…you are my first and best friend ever in my life who stays with me, even when I am in my worst times…”

“That’s why...I am with you, even if it means going back to the real world, together.”

“Then...you’ll have to explain pretty much everything about yourself to me!”

...

Even if those experiences in the dream are relatively useless to you in the waking world? Even if your future is grim? With many pain and suffering awaits you?

“Yes, I will. Most importantly, beyond everything else, is that I am going to wherever you are, I — I just can’t imagine a timeline where you were no longer on my side, we have become so close to the point that I can’t even think of the possibility of that.”

“Which is why...I am expecting you to be on my side, until old age finally catches up and brings me down!”

...very well, but you have been warned. The waking world is not a pleasant place for you, as much as for anybody else.

Still, on behalf on you, and in the name of God, I am with you, until the very end of your life, no matter what trials await you in the waking world.

So long you do not lost what makes you you.

“I won’t!”

Very well, let us return.

“Yes, and I am ready.”

We can do everything, so long we are together.

Williams House, 1916 (In reality)...

A woman, who had been sleeping and stuck on her bed for almost a quarter of a century, twitches and shakes from her long-rigid body. She was still wearing the very same clothing she first entered the dream world ages ago — a white one-piece all over her body, with white rags covering her head to keep her from catching a cold.

The first thing she needed to learn again is to breathe properly. Who’d know that something as simple as breathing would be so heard, when you haven’t been doing for a very long time?

She felt her entire breathing system is on fire. Her lungs, her trachea, her throat...

But she will take the pain. No pain, no gain, especially when her will to live is strong.

In, out. In, out. In, out...

“My God...she’s awake!”

The maid gasped in surprise from what she seemed to be a miracle — live to see her (not very young anymore) mistress finally awoke from what she assumed to be a long sleep, one that she’s not going to woke up from anymore.

She dashed out to deliver the news to the others.

Nightingale just kept twitching on the bed. She can’t even say anything at all, thanks to the lack of speaking through her body ever since for the last quarter of a century.

With the only other person in the room left, she immediately felt fear of remaining in this state, just as she escaped from the dream world at long last.

She tried moving her legs, her arms, her eyes, ANY part of her body, to see if any of them still functioned at all, but as expected, they all gave her nothing but numbness like a corpse. At this rate, back in a nearly completely unmovable body at all, can she be considered as alive.

Nightingale started to regret her stubborn choice, until she felt something holding her right wrist. She tried to tilt her head to see who is holding her hand, but she is too frail to move it, so she had to roll her eyes instead, using whatever remaining eyesight her eyes are capable of showing her surroundings — and found nothing next to her.

It’s me, Ray.

I promised to stay on your side until your very end, didn’t I?

Don’t worry, little birdie. That maid will return with the doctors to help you recover from your almost-paralyzed body. Have faith on them.

And sure enough, the maid returned with several doctors, who were equally flabbergasted at the awoke lady on the bed. They began doing a thorough body check to Nightingale for her well-being.

Oh, and I have a present for you, once you fall asleep that’s it. Do not worry, the dream you will be entering is independent from the one that ensnared you ages ago, and you can always leave if you wish.

For the very first time, when Nightingale let the doctors do their job, she smiled. Knowing that she is safe, very safe, far away from the idol’s dream world, and in the waking world.

Still, she wished to remain in the waking world, even if just for a little bit longer, in a body with the fragility of a vase with many cracks all over it. The scent of wood, the voices of people who cared for her chattering, the air in the room...

It is a nice change after all the horrors she endured from the dream world at long last.

When Nightingale opened her eyes, as much as she tried resisting her heavy eyelids, she found herself awaken on the very same bed she was sleeping on, with the very same clothing she was wearing with, except that she was very much not in her house estate anymore, with everything else tinted with a deep, calming blue.

The first thing she saw next to her, is a girl with black hair and eyes with the same colour of her hair, who is now holding Nightingale's dangling hand on the bed. She’s in an elegant blue dress that would easily allows her to blend in the room surroundings, while wearing a sliver butterfly hairpiece on the left side of her head. The girl in blue is staring at Nightingale with a caring look.

“Greetings, Nightingale Williams. We have meet at long last.”

...Ray?

Nightingale thought in her head, despite her best attempts to ask out loud, she couldn’t, and chocking sounds came out instead, but as if the girl in blue understands it anyway, She spoke:

“Yes, this is how I really look like. I may not have great influence to show my form in the idol’s dream world. However, now that you are in your own dreams, not the one created by the idol, I was able to manifest myself through your dreams, by meeting you in my personal room between dreams and reality, and now you are able to see me, both within the dreams and in reality.”

The girl gave a courtly bow to the woman on the blue bed.

“Allow me to formally introduce myself — I am Ray — and I am a friend to humanity in general, and your personal guardian angel for life.”

“You do not need worrying your current incapacity of communicating verbally — your thoughts in your mind will suffice, for I can read them, if you allow me.”

So this is how you look like...you are so beautiful…

“Thank you, Nightingale, even though this is merely my default appearance to communicate with most of my guests.”

May I…may i return to the real world now? I am tired, and I need more sleep...

“As you wish, little birdie. Sweet dreams…we will meet again very soon.”

Ray smiled as Nightingale closed her eyes, her mind and soul leaving the Persian Room, returning to the waking world where they belonged.

A few days later, Nightingale relearnt opening her eyes for extended periods, and tilting her head to sideways. Allowing her seeing the maids and the doctors caring her fragile body.

A few more days later, she relearnt moving her fingers again, and eventually, her arms.

A few more days after that, she was able to speak once more, in the volume of whispers, and eating solid food again.

Another few days later, she was able to support herself on laying on the bed with her upper part of her body.

Yet another few days later, she was able to get down and walk around with a cane as support, while with a hunched back. She still couldn't move her wrists, so she have her hands dangling and pointing to the ground in a very odd fashion, but she doesn’t mind it anyway. She wasn’t able to leave her room, and she knew she is still too weak for a walk outside, but at least she is trying, no matter how much it tired her out after taking just a few steps. At least there’s a rocking chair she can rest on, as she spent the rest of her time beyond physical rehabilitation on reading or sun-bathing, which she both enjoyed.

But none of that topped talking with Ray, who is literally floating next to her for all the time, with the former being the only person around here who is able to see the latter, of whom explained that Nightingale is the only person in this world to be ‘contracted’ with her, something Nightingale didn’t press on, despite not remembering making any contracts with the mysterious girl in blue in the first place. When she is in the mood to do so, the girls talked and talked for all day, from reminiscing their exciting adventures in the dream, to their current situations, and possible futures awaits the both of them.

“sometimes, I felt that everything here is still too unrealistic to me. to think, we had finally escaped from the dream, only to found out that it had successfully trapped the both of us for 24 years, and to have returned into an elderly body just like that...”

Nightingale pondered as she rested on her rocking chair.

“Well, to me, an almost 40-year-old body is hardly elderly to me, even for a 15-year old person like you.”

“easy for someone who does not have a body at all!” Nightingale tried to stand up with a cane and argue with it, only to had herself slumped back into the chair as soon as she tried to get up, all the while rubbing her back. “ahh...my back...I think a part of my backbone is in the wrong spot...”

“Maybe you just need to lie on bed, or just bending yourself back on the rocking chair and sleep, instead of bending yourself forward!”

“note taken…” Nightingale glared at the floating girl in blue. “have you always been a child, or is that how you preferred to show yourself?”

“It’s the latter, little Nightingale. If you wish, I can change myself to suit with your current age.”

“no need...besides, I highly doubt myself being ‘little’ anymore, I mean, I am almost forty, all things considered...”

“You are still my little birdie, no matter how old you’ll be! Sixty, eighty, a hundred years old, they all make no difference to me!”

“thanks, Ray...” Nightingale replied half-sarcastically, half-sincerely, while holding Ray’s hands as she leaned back on the wooden chair. Despite Ray being invisible to most people, her hands emit warmth like most people’s hands do. Holding her best friend’s hands has become one of the many things Nightingale likes to do, as much as talking together.

“...do you have a mirror or something like that? I was a little bit afraid to see it, but I still need to know my current looks.”

“Just seeing yourself through a window will suffice, you just need to squint your eyes a little bit more than usual to do the trick!”

“...I’ll try.”

And so Nightingale did. The face she saw in the windows, a diluted reflection of her current face...it is a face she is both familiar and unfamiliar with. She still has the same baby-like face, after all those years, except that her cheeks are no longer as rich as she remembered — with the cheekbones almost popping out of her face. Her eyes are caved with deep tunnels of black, the both of them filled with dark circles around them, while the eyes themselves are of lack of light. Her hair is completely tinted in a grayish color instead of the light brown she remembered.

Nightingale laughed drily.

“...God, I really look like someone in her sixties, don’t I?”

“In a way, you are, at least your skin isn’t shrivelled up like dried raisins! Nor that stops you doing things most people in your age do! Once you have fully recovered, that’s it.” Ray patted Nightingale’s shoulder as she encouraged the woman in white.

“indeed, we have come so far, and I thank all the company you brought to me all this time.”

“You are very welcome, Miss Nightingale.”

Three months later...

Nightingale is finally able to walk outside with a stick, under the supervision of the doctors and maids that’s it. At least she’s glad that she doesn’t has to be cramped up inside the small room of hers anymore, with Ray floating next to her everywhere she goes, unbeknownst to most of the people outside Nightingale.

“I see you don’t really need the cane to walk anymore — you are doing great without it!”

“I am...but I am just used to using it. It keeps me safe, until I am strong enough to completely walk around without any assistance at all.”

“Very well. By the way, I just found you are getting a letter from your father! Why don’t you go home and read it?”

“he’s...still alive? where is he?”

“Why don’t to find it out yourself?”

As Nightingale rushed as fast as her still-brittle legs could carry her, she returned to her room, found the letter from her father on the desk, and immediately opened it with shaky fingers.

It’s a letter where her father expressed his joy upon learning the news of her girl finally awoken, after all these years, never giving up on her, proud of her being able to walk once more, with a promise of returning on her side on October from the front.

“the front...so there is a war after all...”

“I can explain later, little birdie. Besides, you have something you need to attend to.”

“what is it?”

“The meeting with Miss Margaret, do you remember?”

“...I have not.”

Someone opened the door of Nightingale’s room, to invite her to go to the car, to the Mostyn House before dinner.

“let us go, Ray.”

“Yeah, let’s go.”

The woman in white robes sat on the car, and proceeded to be drove to the Mostyn House.

Things have taken an interesting turn when Nightingale arrived at the Mostyn House, especially when the house is on fire.

She saw some of her friends — the ones affinated with the military — three of them standing right in front of the burning house.

Nightingale slowly got off from the car, and walked towards her friends to greet them.

“Oh, Nightingale, you made it!” Mary, the military nurse, exclaimed. “It’s so wonderful to see you walking! I can only imagine how difficult it has been.”

“Stuck in a bed for over 20 years? I’d rather be in the trenches...” Edgar, the two-faced solider, shuddered.

“We all have our crosses to bear.” Rakesh, the one-legged solider, smoked as he commented.

“I suppose you’ve noticed the mansion is on fire,” Mary stated the obvious, as she continued: “It’s the funniest thing...this afternoon we received a letter from none other than Margaret Blackett. It instructed us to evacuate all patients. As soon as the last one was out, there was an explosion in the basement. It wasn’t long until the flames had spread to the rest of the house...” She shivered.

“We should all be glad to be free of it, I suppose.” Edgar comforted.

“I’d lite to invite all to my home for dinner tonight.” Mary said. “It’s not as grand as Mostyn House...”

“Well thank Christ for that! Let’s go...” Edgar stopped Mary to go on her words, as he nudged the nurse, eager to leave this cursed place for good.

And so, the quartet left away from the burning house for good, while having a small, but nonetheless sufficient dinner in Mary’s house. They exchanged many words about themselves after they escaped from the dream, with some saying that they are required to return to the front for their duties, while some of them are exempted because of injuries.

It was a long night, but a good night nonetheless. Nightingale eventually departed from the trio with the car, and immediately fell asleep on the bed. Just as she completely lost conscious into the dreams, she had this exchange with Ray.

“hey, Ray, do you know anything about the war father is coming back from?”

“Of course I do, my little birdie. It is a great one, and it will end two years later.”

“that’s great!”

“yes, well...there’s something else I need to tell you as well, once your father had returned on your side. It’s as important as the current war that he’s fighting in.”

“then...what could it be?”

“I’ll spare no details, once he’s back for good.”

“alright, then. goodnight, my Ray of sunshine.”

“Goodnight to you too, my little Nightingale.”

When October had arrived, Nightingale finally get to meet her father once more, after everything. He’s obviously been a lot older than she’d remembered, but thankfully to her, he came back in one piece, and he immediately hugged the woman as hard as he could, ensuring himself that this is not just some fantasy inside his mind, just like the many days and nights in the past he remembered.

He said that he worked hard to be able to be exempted from the front to take care of Nightingale, so that he won’t be perishing on the battlefield at any time, and he wish to do many, many things he missed with his darling girl, ever since she went comatose.

Still, with his little girl in relatively poor shape, he decided to patiently wait for her little girl getting better, and then, he can take his time over ‘family activities’ he always wanted to do with her, even if it means for the rest of his life, he’ll try his best to help his little girl, and keeping her safe, and give her the best he can provide. Good thing for him is that he have more than enough fortune to spend on his daughter, as much as he wishes to, the funds oriented as a family fortune made by his ancestors, of whom had been a long line of merchants for ages.

Williams House, 1918 (In reality)...

The Great War is finally over, when Nightingale had long since recovered from her comatose. Now, she’s able to walk around without assistance, even though there are a few traces of the damage done from all the years she slept, it won’t be affecting her too much, so long she doesn’t push herself too hard.

The first thing Mr. Williams did with his daughter is that taking her outside for many activities. From walking around shops, taking meals with her at the outside, taking many more fun activities with her...including a field trip to visit her mother’s grave.

Sure, the country isn’t in the best shape, as it is just recovering from a war, but it’s the thought and the actions counts, in which Nightingale greatly appreciated.

On one of the many days she decided to walk outside alone, she found herself surrounded by a couple of thugs, who picked the wrong person to nab with, as they were forced to fled from the fierce woman with a stick on her hand, who was able to fight them off by whacking them hard.

“I thought you don’t use the cane for walking anymore.” Ray commented.

“Guess it still comes in handy for certain situations like this, doesn’t it?” Nightingale mouthed back, before the stress over her body from the fight is too much for her, as she crouched on the ground, breathing heavily.

At the very same time, a handsome, young man just happened to appear right in front of Nightingale, who is courteous enough to help and carry Nightingale back to her house. He has blonde hair and blue eyes, just like every typical English around here. He appears to be a solider-in-training, based on his military uniform. The young man introduced himself as Arthur Peruere, and he’s glad at Nightingale being safe when she’s back at her house, who in return thanked the young man as she met her father back in the house, who understandably berated his little girl for getting herself into such dangers, and grounded her for a week as a result. At least Nightingale was able to meet Arthur again, once she’s free from her father’s grounding.

It didn’t take too long for the seeds of love between Nightingale and Arthur to sprout and grow into a giant tree of romance, despite the age gap between each other for at least a decade. Still, they passion between the two of them burn like stars in the night sky, where Arthur muses Nightingale as ‘an old woman with the spirit of a young lady’, which the latter merely chuckled nervously in return.

Mr Williams, ever-supporting to his daughter, after performing a thorough background checking on Arthur, and find the young man is as kind and trustworthy as he claimed to be, he decided to fully entrusts his daughter to the young man, with his will to have his daughter as his solo heir of the family fortune just in case. It didn’t take too long for the two to become engaged, where they shared their vows inside St. Elli’s Church nonetheless.

Nightingale was shocked upon hearing the name of the place she once visited in her journey inside the idol's dream world, only to find the real thing is a lot more comfy and safe from the one she knew in the idol’s dream world, which she greatly appreciated.

Two years later, their wedding was carried out, it was one of the happiest times in her life, accompanied with many friends she met in the dream world, and that includes Margaret Blackett, who is by now one of the most famous philanthropists in England, providing funds to build orphanages for lost children, especially for troubled girls, all the while setting up proper therapies for troubled little girls, aiming to leading them out of the tragedies there were in, and unlike her father, she truly wished to help to girls by giving them a greater variety of options for a better future, and she did her job well. She also looks like nothing from the dream anymore — a middle-aged woman with clothing between casual and formal all over her body, all the while emitting a warm aura around her entire body, instead of the young and curious teenager Nightingale first met her there.

Until the terrible news Ray brought upon Nightingale, once she’s alone with her, who’d just finished sharing her first night with Arthur in her bed.

“I got some bad news for your future, my little birdie, and you’d better listening to it.”

“Wait is it?”

“There will be another war happening around 20 years later, and it will be a much bigger one than the Great War itself.”

The news of yet another war terrifies Nightingale, just as she escaped from the prison of a dream world, meeting her father once more, making love with her other half for life, all away from the horrors of a war...

And then another war is coming, ready to take everything away from her.

“Is there...anything you can do to stop it?”

“I am sorry, my little birdie. This is a catastrophic event that is destined to happed globally, the path that leads to it been long set in stone by the Great War itself, and even if I am able to influence it, it may yields undesirable results, such as the fall of your country, who should be on the winning side if there are no other factors included in the Second World War itself.”

“So there’s nothing we can do?!”

“Not exactly — we can’t stop the war from happening, but we can at least try saving as many people as we can, the ones not called onto the battlefield, at least.”

“Like what?”

“Well, little birdie, here are a few things we could try to alleviate the disastrous results of the Second World War upcoming...”

The first thing that came up into Nightingale’s mind is to flee into a different country, far away from the battlefields. Only to heard from Ray that nearly every main country she knew will be involved with the Second World War, so no point in that.

Instead, she — with help from her supporting father — decided to hire some workers to build a deep bunker, where she and her family with hide from the warfare, until the upcoming war is over, from all digging the base, building the ventilation systems, the generators, waters filters, waste removal system and so on, and she ensure she paid the workers well once they’re all done with their jobs.

She also bought many resources to survive the years through the Second World War. Rations, water, medicine, fuel, and some other objects to entertain she herself and her father during the hiding. Of course, she didn’t bought them all at once, less it raises unwanted suspicions, so day-by-day, she bought them in a steady pace, until she got them all.

She even tried warning her father and husband about the upcoming war in the name of ‘prophetic dreams’ and ‘terrifying visions’, and they actually listened to her, while her father comforted his girl that he’d be too old to join the front, and won’t be going anywhere away from her. Arthur, on the other hand, believed it’s their duties to go to arms to protect their country, not to mention the government won’t allow any missing men away from the battlefield. At least Nightingale tried, while being reduced in tears.

Nightingale and Arthur tried many times to bear a child, but the formor’s aging body didn’t help much, to the point of fainting many times as she tried. There are many times where she blamed herself for ‘not getting up from the dream world sooner’ and dooming herself a life without any offspring’s left. Arthur is kind enough to understand his wife’s urge to have a child, so he opened the possibility of adoption for them, but Nightingale insisted to bear a child with her blood, knowing how devious children she is unfamiliar with can be, based on her experience with children she met in the dream world.

Nightingale also asked for any possible relatives Arthur had, so she can care for them in case he didn’t made it in the future, only for the young man to answer that he had always been an orphan, with Nightingale being the first person who’d cared him so much, with the latter offering her condolences to the former at the end.

It is also fortunate for Nightingale is that most of her neighbors are as well-prepared for the coming of another war as she is, and she won’t be needing to warn them for extra when it finally came. As for Mary and Edgar, she knew they will be called onto the battlefield once again, due to their capacities of performing their duties over there, while Rakesh will be spared, due to his lack of a leg, which greatly hinders his ability to fight in the war.

After countless tries with Arthur, Nightingale finally bear a child in the year of 1935, as she is reaching her sixties, a girl and in the name of Florence Williams.

Mr Williams is now a grandfather, who threw a great celebration party in return.

It will be one of the last, grand parties of happiness in his life, along with being one of the last, happiest moments to Nightingale as well.

The Second World War eventually broke out in the year of 1939, as expected by Ray.

Arthur went on the front anyway, as expected for someone in his age, while Nightingale and her father stayed behind the mansion, under the bunker, filled with rations, and most importantly, far away from warfare and the bombs.

With nothing but homemade calendars prepared before the war, it’s all Nightingale and her father could use to count the days before the war finally ends. The Williams take turns of caring Florence as a child, to which they both enjoyed.

But Nightingale is worrying her father’s health — he had be hacking and wheezing more than usual, him sleeping much more than before, and him feeling cold despite the preparations Nightingale prepared to keep all of them warm.

Nightingale’s father is reaching his end, and she knew it, and is terrified of it.

And Ray is, as always, powerless against mortality.

“Mama, why is grandpapa sick? I wish him to get well soon!”

“I wish to, my little Florence.”

“Don’t worry me, my little ones... *Cough* We will make this out together, I promise... *Hack*”

Six years of war seems to be an eternity for the Williams, but they made it.

Then Nightingale received the heartbreaking news of her husband, Mary, and Edgar not coming back from the battlefield.

A few years later, her father too finally passed away from mortality, who in his final moments, apologised to his little girls that he couldn’t be with her anymore, as he bid farewell at both of his crying daughter and granddaughter, him expressing being glad at seeing his children of his life as the last thing to see with his fading eyes, as he closed them for finality.

Even Rakesh, who is far away from the battlefield, eventually passed from his declining health due to his habits.

Nightingale’s friends and family are buried at the same graveyard where her mother rest, so are many other soldiers who lost their lives on the battlefield, their funerals were attended by many people, Nightingale and Margaret included.

For a very long time, Nightingale went silent, only communicating with her daughter and Ray as a result. Yes, she still converses with the surviving neighbours, but the damage has been done. As for Margaret, she is a busy woman occupied with the work of settling all the orphans from the war, so Nightingale won’t bother her, until she had finished her work.

“...little bird, do you want to cry?” Ray asked with great concern.

“I wish,” Nightingale replied as she cried.“But I fear my tears are not enough to grieve all the people I lost. I don’t even know what to do if Florence is gone...”

“Don’t forget me, Nightingale. As I said, I will be on your side until the very end.”

Ever since then, Nightingale has become much, much more paranoid to everybody else, while acting normal on the surface, she has been trying to keep Florence away from the society as a means to keep her safe, which naturally gets the latter angry.

Eventually, as if fate is playing a cruel joke on her, Florence left the house with a polite, farewell letter, as she reached adulthood —  its contents including thanking her mother for raising her well as a child, protecting her from the horrors of war, apologising to her for her sudden leave, expressing her desire to explore the outside world, which is being repaired from the war devastated it, and promising her eventual return to the Williams House.

That was the last straw that puts Nightingale to an almost catatonic state, mentally at least.

Her grasps on reality started to become blurry — forgetting her loved ones being gone for years, mistaking herself inside the horrendous dreams she was once trapped in, mistaking objects as her ‘family’...

If it weren’t of Ray’s positive influence, she might had lost herself a long time ago, as she patiently waited for her daughter to return this place.

Nightingale refurnished the Williams House at some point after the Second World War, after her only daughter’s departure from the Williams House, all the while keeping her daughter’s room the same as she left.

It’s the only thing she could do to make this place remain bright, one that was filled with many memories, all at the same time making herself feel better.

Williams House, 1946 (In reality)...

“...”

“Wake up, sleepyhead. It’s morning.”

“...Ray?”

“Yep, that’s me.”

“...is Florence home?”

“Unfortunately as usual, no.”

“...*Sigh*”

“Sighing won’t help you finding your girl anywhere, but the least thing I can tell you, is that she is still alive somewhere out there. By the way, here’s your today’s meal.”

“...I just want my little girl to come back soon...she must be very lost out there...all alone...”

“And you health is as important as Florence’s status! Don’t make me feed you myself!”

“...alright. I’ll take the meal.”

“I also got the feeling that she may come back, if we do something great, like, writing your exciting adventures in your dreams, and publishing them as fantasy books!”

Nightingale’s ever-dull eyes flashed with light brighter than ever. “Where do I start?”

Williams House, 1960 (In reality)...

At the elderly age of 83, Nightingale is now one of the most famous writers in the world, with her only book named ‘The Withering Dream’. Other than being one of the best sellers of the century, the sheer amount of lore and events in the book even creates a small fanbase based on the book, which isn’t Nightingale’s original intention. Nonetheless, that pleased her, knowing that her story won’t be forgotten at any time, even if it means being know by the masses as fiction.

After getting over the shock of losing her only daughter, she started communicating with her old friend — Margaret Blackett once more, telling her own frustrations and grief of losing her only child, with the latter giving the former professional advices on overcoming said pain, which is one of the many factors of getting Nightingale to starting writing her own experience in the form of literature, aside from Ray’s encouragement, they continued trading letter for years, as they remained old friends for a very long time.

While she has more than enough fortune left by her late father, no one can say no to more fortune, right? Not to mention the contents from the book she wrote is a good reminder of her adventures in her youth, refreshing her memories from time to time, even though she is now very old — she is filled with wrinkles all over her body, her hair is now completely white as snow, and requires a cane to walk, the very same one she used at the beginning when she first awaken from the dream world, as her strength had long-sapped away from her body.

Still, none of her fortune would worth more than her only daughter out there, if she’s still alive that’s it, and she’d do anything to see her one more time, even if it means giving up the entirety of her fortune.

Eventually, she stopped receiving letters from Margaret, Nightingale started to worry if something’s went wrong with her, which, to her horror, is eventually proven right from a letter she got from one of her many ‘children’ Margaret adopted —

Margaret has passed away, like many friends and family Nightingale knew, as all the hard work she pushed upon her finally got her down forever.

She attended her old friend’s funeral, just like the ones of her family and friends before, along with the many people Margaret helped in life.

Nightingale started wondering if she would meet her end alone, even with Ray on her side.

On one day...

“Morning, sleepyhead. We got guests.” Ray patted Nightingale’s thin arm to get her attention, the latter is sleeping on a rocking chair.

“Mmmm...Ray, is that you?”

Nightingale rubbed her eyes, as the two pairs of black eyes eventually greeted each other’s.

“Yep, it’s me.”

“Come closer, my eyes aren’t what they are used to be.” Nightingale beckoned with forward arms and a thin smile.

“Okay.”

“Hmmm...you are still the same as I first meet you, you are so warm...” Nightingale cupped Ray’s cheeks with her crinkled hands lovingly, as she looked at Ray with a soft smile. “Sometimes, I envy your never-changing appearance, along with the your ever-healthy form, while my body and my bones now aches and creaks upon my smallest movements…my age is truly wearing me down...” She slowly rubbed Ray’s cheeks affectionally.

“Immortality comes with many perks and drawbacks, so don’t bet on it.” Ray quipped. “Besides, you might be old, but you’ll always be my cute, little birdie to me, alongside with that lovely personality of yours.” The girl in blue patted at the head of aged woman in white rags with a smile.

Nightingale laughed as she put Ray’s hand on her head away with her own hand, and placed the held hands on her chest. “Flattery as always, aren’t you?” She coughed a bit, as she cleared her throat with her other hand. “Still...could you escort me to greet my guests? I’m afraid my bones aren’t what they used to be, and I’d appreciate some assistance, especially from you.”

“Sure.”

When the duo make way to the entrance of the Williams House, old Nightingale met someone of whom she thought to be lost for a long time ago.

It’s Florence, who’s been grown up, and she’s here with a man whom Nightingale assumed to be her husband, and two kids she assumed to be of hers, a boy and a girl.

“...you are back.”

“Yeah, mum...it’s been so long...”

The first thing Nightingale did is to hugging her long-lost daughter.

“I am not forgiving you for leaving this house without even saying at least one formal farewell right in front of me. Still...welcome back, my child.”

“I miss you, mum.”

“So am I, my child.”

The mother and child remained that way for a few minutes, until Florence released her hold first.

She introduces her husband — Terrance White, as well as her children — Barry White for the boy — and Aria White for the girl.

Nightingale just sighed in relief, as she invited the family (her family!) into the Williams House. The Whites explained their situation — Florence got a job inside the factory, while Barry being a car salesman, like most of the people around this time. Recently, they lost their house from a fire, so they had to move into another family member’s house, and in this case, Florence’s side of family’s home mansion.

“I’ll paid you if you need rent.” Florence sheepishly added.

“No need, just don’t break anything in the house, and don’t cause any trouble, and we are all good.” Nightingale just waved neglectfully, as she returned to her room, only to be stopped by two little figures around herself.

“Mama said you are the writer of ‘The Withering Dream’! Is that real?”

“How did you know so many things about magic?”

“Did you actually fought against zombies?”

“Why are you wearing those white rags?”

Nightingale just chuckled in actual joy, as she led the children inside her room. “Come, little ones, granny’s got so many stories to share and answer your questions...” She already began takes a liking on these children, her actual grandchildren, no less.

Williams House, 1977 (In reality)...

As Nightingale reached her twilight years, she began feeling more tired and tired, sleeps all the time, while trying her best staying up, and began forgetting many things, despite her best attempts at remembering them, not to mention being bedridden for all day, much to her dismay, all the while doing her best soothing all the crying ‘strangers’ she saw on sight.

Ray is the only reason she hasn’t completely gone senile, as she celebrated her century-year-old birthday with her daughter, her son-in-law, her grandkids...despite her mostly lack of interaction with the rest of her family, so she smiles at them instead. Surely they understand that she is trying her best to enjoy herself, right?

She couldn’t ask for more. While she has experienced many things in her life, and right now, her loving family is everything to her, and she wouldn’t trade it to anybody else.

Right now, she is very tired, much, much more than usual. Just a little rest as always will fix everything, right?

Nightingale can’t wait to play with her family on the next day, as she drifted into the dreams.

At the very same night…

“Hey, grandma Nightingale, would you like to go out and play with me tomorrow? I can carry you out there.”

Ray asked with complete silence in turn, as expected from a sleeping elder. Nightingale has been unresponsive these days, so the only way Ray could communicate with the bedridden woman is to enter her mind or her dream to do so, which she decided not to do so this night, all to give the woman some well-deserved sleep.

“Don’t worry, grandma. As I already said, I got time to wait for it, so don’t make me wait for too long!” Ray poked at the weathered doll-like figure’s cheek on the bed, as she vanished to rest.

But that day never came.

In the age of 100, right after her birthday, Nightingale Williams passed in her sleep with a smile, she was eventually being buried next to her parent’s graves.

Persian Room, 1977 (In a dream)...

Nightingale opened her eyes, as she found herself laying on a blue bed, with a girl in blue staring at her intently.

“At long last…you came, Nightingale Williams.” The girl sitting next to Nightingale on a blue chair said with a neutral expression.

“Ahh...who are you? Stranger?”

Nightingale asked innocently as she turned to face the ‘stranger’ will all her might, trying her best to focus with her faded eyes on this little ‘stranger’, which somehow gives her a sad ping of pain to her chest, something to urge her to remember this person, who is important to herself.

“Still playing the guessing game, I guess? Allow me to enlighten you with a little help.”

Ray snapped her fingers, and Nightingale began feeling an ebbing pain from her head. “Ah!” She clutched it as memories began flowing back into her head.

“Ah...ah...ah...it is all coming back to me...”

Nightingale’s memories of her adventures in the dream world, her memories in her real life, her memories of being surrounded by her family with love…

She laughed heartily. Finally remembering everything she had forgotten in her last years, like someone trying to reach and touch anything in a thick fog, and always futile to successfully touch something, anything at all, and she couldn’t even call out for help not to forget her family then, no matter how much she wished to, a distance so close, yet so far…

Still, it doesn’t changed the fact that she forgot her best friend for life, the one who is right next to her.

“...sorry.”

Using all the strength she has, Nightingale reached out to Ray’s hands and rubbed them gently.

“I promised that I will always remember you, no matter what, but I guess I still forget you anyway...”

“Don’t mention it.” Ray shrugged as she helped Nightingale sitting up on the bed. “You have been forgetting a lot of things ever since you entered your nineties, the first signs of that appeared when you almost went to the wrong direction when going home, with that averted because of me. Then, you kept asking questions you already asked, but I played along and answered them again and again, all because they made you happy.”

“Oh, you have also been rejecting anyone you are unfamiliar with ever since then, all except your family and me. I still can’t forget how scared you are back then, just like the first time you entered the idol’s dream...”

“Caring you then was a challenge to me and to your family, but we never gave up on you.”

“...still, sorry for everything again.” Nightingale closed her eyes in shame.

“Do you...ever regret of making this choice?” Ray asked with a sad tone. “The choice of going back to reality, experiencing all the pain and lost you lived through your life, and...here we are.”

“...no.”

Nightingale opened her eyes, they now filled with resolution.

“The pain of experiencing the lost of people I am close with, is something we all live to deal with, regardless of the choice I made, with the only difference between them, is that whether your encouraging presence stays or not.”

“Without you, I do not think I would possess the courage to live long enough to experience the many joys in life.”

“Which is why, even if I went back in time, returned to very same moment then...I would had made the very same choice I made at the very first time. Never have I once regret making that particular choice for you, Ray.”

Nightingale closed her eyes once more, as she placed her hands — along with Ray’s — right onto her chest for seconds, before putting them all down on the blue bed.

Then the old woman just remembered something.“Speaking of family, are they well?” Nightingale asked with concern.

Now that Nightingale recalled everything about them, her first concern she had in her mind is their well-being.

“As well as you’d expected. Mourning at your death in your funeral. They loved and missed you so much.”

Ray answered as she petted Nightingale’s creased cheek.

“Good...that’s good, very good.”

Nightingale sighed in relief, knowing that her family will remember and continue loving her beyond death.

“And...thank you for everything.”

The old woman leaned on the girl in blue and gave her a hug.

“So...are you ready for your next journey? I know that you want to stay with me, but I don’t think there’s much help you can offer to me.”

“Actually, there’s something there I always wanted to do with you.” Nightingale looked at Ray with a grandmotherly smile.

“Which is?” Ray asked in confusion.

“Can we go out together for one last time?” Nightingale requested, with Ray reacting with a tilted head.

“Oh?” Ray was totally not expecting the old woman’s question that answers her question.

“I’ve always wanted to do this, just having fun with you and nothing else, and yet…” Nightingale sighed. “I never got to do that because of your invisible state...but now, here we are, and we should be able to accomplish that, right?” Nightingale gave a toothless laugh. “Besides, I heard your request last night, but I am too frail to give you a verbal response, so apologies on that, and...let us not depart with any regrets,” She gave a sad smile. “It is the least thing I can do in return to you, after all the help I received from you, after all these years. Even if I am too old to get off the bed for something as simple as going out for a small walk…”

Ray stared at the old woman on the bed for a seconds, sighed, and said: “So…you can hear me, after all…”

“...alright.”

“I know a perfect place for the both of us.”

“And I think there’s a solution for your ‘too old to move around’ issue you have. Grandma Nightingale.”

The perfect place turned out to be a modern city of skyscrapers and lights, a place of many entertainment, with Nightingale is back in her 15-year-old self again. As explained by Ray, the state of one’s soul is based on his or her own belief, which is why Nightingale is able to will herself back to her prime as teenager, as they started enjoying they day together.

The girls have all kinds of fun around the city in dreams, all created by Ray’s memories in her experience in different worlds. They played arcade games, ate many foreign desserts, spent time in a maid cafe, and many more.

It’s literally one of the best moments Nightingale ever had, just like when she first married to Arthur, just like when her little girl first came into existence, just like when she first returned to home, ever since she left it.

But everything beautiful must eventually come to an end, as their very last day with each other finally ended, Ray guided Nightingale to the Sea of Souls.

“This will be the place where your soul will be reincarnated, and I assure it will be a life with great joy, just like your last one, as your guardian angel one last time in your current life.”

“Will we meet again then as best friends once more?”

“...I’m sorry, Nightingale. But my services with you ends here, and my chances of meeting my previous ‘clinics’ are slim to none.”

“So that means farewell for the both of us for good, isn’t it?”

“I’m afraid so, my little Nightingale. I am so sorry.”

“I can understand, my Ray of sunshine. Just...don’t ever forget me, would you? I am glad to have you as my invisible friend for life.”

“I will try. I am too glad of my presence creates a great life of your liking. Goodbye, Nightingale Williams...”

“Farewell, Ray, and thanks for everything...”

Nightingale stepped towards the Sea, as her soul is accepted by it, ready to be reincarnated...

“Nightingale…”

“*Sniff* Damn, I definitely invested a little bit too much emotions for my own good, but it’s great to do the right thing, when I have the chance...”

Quest Completed!

Name Of World: Withering Rooms

Difficulty: C

Complete Rate: 100%

Rank: S

Reward: 10K Karmic Points

Extra Reward: White Robes Of Healing+The Withering Dream

White Robes Of Healing: Somewhat tattered clothing in white that contains belief from an elderly woman in healing, both physically and mentally. When equipped, receives an extra bonus from been healed for 50% in all traits. 

Equipment Type: Robes (Armor)

Item Rank: B

The Withering Dream: A book filled with the knowledge and memories of a woman’s magical journey in a dream world where she escaped from. When equipped, doubles the power of any physical and magical attack performed inside any form of dreamscape.

Equipment Type: Spellbook (Weapon)

Item Rank: C

Chapter Text

Today’s a warm day in England, where Dawn is resting as usual, reading her book in Perseus’ home to kill time.

“Miss Dawn!” Perseus ran to Dawn’s side with a panicking expression.

“What is it?” Dawn looked up and greeted Perseus. “Need my help as always?”

“Yes, I do!” Perseus panted as he caught his breaths. “I need your help from a diricawl who stole the necklace you gave me as a gift! It just keep teleporting itself away from me, so I can't target it with an Accio to get it back!” Perseus panted as he explained.

“Shouldn’t there’s a...oh wait...” Dawn tried to say something, only to remembered something else. “I think I did forget to give it a small enchantment to return itself to your side, if it’s stolen by others! Oh well.” She stated it in a matter-of-fact tone. “So have you tried using the Levitation Spell to catch it?” She asked.

“Like Levioso? I never thought of a simple Levitation Spell would works against teleporting creatures,” Perseus pondered, eventually giving a nod to the girl in blue. “But I guess it should worth a shot! Thanks for the tip, Miss Dawn!” The wizard thanked as he tried leaving the living room Dawn is residing in.

“Hold it, I have one more thing to ask you.” Dawn told the wizard to stay, and he compiled.

“What is is?” Perseus asked.

“Why do you keep a Diricawl in a house in the first place? You do know those little birds love to prank people and escape by teleporting themselves away from them, do you?” Dawn asked with a raise eyebrow.

“Well...their feathers are common ingredients to be used in potion brewing, so...” Perseus explained with a sheepish look.

“Say no more, and good luck with your diricawl hunting,” Dawn dissed with a hand, as she returned reading her book. “Just let me know if you need more help from me.”

“I will!” Perseus grinned enthusiastically, as he left the living room.

Once Perseus captured the naughty bird in blue, he gave the necklace stolen by the magical bird to Dawn, so she can enchant it, so that should the bird somehow stole it again, it will return it it’s owner automatically, regardless of the distance or location the necklace resides, and as she finished enchanting it, she gave it back to Perseus as always, he immediately wore it in a cherishing mood.

The diricawl, on the other hand, tried giving the biggest puppy eyes it could, to avoid a grim fate, even after everything it had done, and the only reason it hadn’t met it’s end is because the potioneer still has uses to it, and he will make sure that he will grind all the value out of the little bird that somehow scammed him.

The bird just knew it’s life later on won’t be a pleasant one.

Chapter Text

Inside Ellie’s clothing shop...

“That’s 3 sets of tunic you would be buying, so that’d be 9 shillings.”

“I’m bit of short in shillings for now, so can I pay with 5 instead?”

“A hundred pence then, no less.”

“Still can’t afford it, mind it be 50?”

“Too low to be payment. Make it 7 shillings.”

“What about 60 pence?”

“...6 shillings, I can’t go lower.”

“70 pence?”

“On second thoughts, make it at least 80 pence, I need to earn a living.”

“Can I paid it with other items?”

“If they are of interest to me, they yes, I can.”

“They would you accept some oil? I can’t use them, and I have lots of those, and throwing them away would be a waste...”

“I think I can take them in, give me half a dozen of them in jars, along with 75 pence, and it’s a deal.”

“Can’t I just give you all in oil?”

“Just because I need them, doesn’t mean that I need lots of them — I’m just testing their capacity, not to mention I don’t want to take any chances of setting my whole shop in fire. Otherwise, make it 100 pence with a jar of oil for the clothes.”

“Deal!”

Chapter Text

Inside a humble house in the middle of nowhere, a girl is staring at a palm-sized functioning, cylindrical machine, which is releasing harmless, watery mist from a hole located at its top.

It was yet another day Dawn is tidying up her pocket-space inventory, which contains many, many objects she put inside for keeping, with many she didn’t even remember why did she put them in it in the first place, such as this simple humidifier.

Perhaps it was a gift from somebody else? Perhaps she brought it at a shop from a very long time age? Perhaps she built it and forgot it existed in the first place?

The answer of the origin of the currently working humidifier doesn’t matters to the girl in blue anymore, as for this very moment, she has uses to this common machine, not to her, but to somebody else.

“Are you sure you are giving this to me?” The recipient of the humidifier asked. “I just happened to need a particular tool to keep the fungi I was growing the perfect environment in terms of humidity! And any water-making spells I knew can’t constantly provide just the right amount of water to them, but this solves the problem!” Perseus asked as he examined the cylinder.

“Sure. It’s not like I have any use of it to myself,” Dawn nonchalantly agreed. “Still, you are a wizard, Perseus, and I never planned you using it for ever — you can’t just keep using Reparo to ensure the machine remains in top condition, nor you possesses the fuel to keep it running.”

“Those are reasonable words you’d just said! Which is why I am trying to recreate a spell that works the same way this object does!” Perseus replied as he continued examined the humidifier, with a look that is too eager to disassemble the small machine.

“It won’t work if you just try to break it down with force!” Dawn reminded the wizard as he took the machine and stepped down to the basement with it.

A few days later, the good news is Perseus didn’t break it — he just used it as an example for the base of a new spell he was trying to create.

The bad news is, magic hijinks happened, so does a common results of creating brand new magic out of nothing. For example, he accidentally flooded the basement for a few times, and had to vanish all the water he accidentally conjured again and again. There are even a few times it worked the other way around — the backfired magic drained all the water around Perseus, at that included he himself, which Dawn had to escort him out of the laboratory and fed him with lots of water to rehydrate him back to normal.

But we all know that failure is the mother of success, and he eventually succeeded.

Visually, it doesn’t do anything more than emitting a small amount of fog from the tip of the wand, that lasted for mere seconds. With the only reason it worked is that Dawn just happened to have a hygrometer from her inventory (among with many other objects she has no use to it) — It showed a whopping 90% of humidity from its original 30%.

Still, Perseus wants to improve the spell so it’s not only used to raise humidity, but to be able to adjust humidity in the air itself, for higher or lower, as some mushrooms need greater or lesser humidity, depending on its species, and he did it. He also invented a spell to check humidity so he won’t have to rely on Dawn’s device to check the change of humidity.

“Looks like your spells finally worked perfectly, Perseus,” Dawn congratulated sincerely. “By the way, have you thought for a name on them? The closest thing I knew related to this spell is the Fogging Spell, with its incantation is Nebulus.”

“Hmm...I haven’t thought for a name for the Humidity-Checking Spell, so that’ll be its name for now, but for the other one...” Perseus paused. “I think I might have an idea on it...”

“I’ll name it...Caliginous.”

Chapter Text

“Can I remove the blindfolds now? I can’t wait to see your gift to me!” Dawn asked as she felt herself being guided by a larger but gentle one.

“Just a little bit more...and...here we are!” Perseus stopped his steps at wherever he took Dawn to.

“Are you ready?” Dawn asked again, ready to remove the blindfolds in a second.

“I am! You can now remove the blindfolds and look up!”

Dawn did as instructed, and found the celling gone, replace with darkness containing big and small sparkles everywhere. She knew it is some sort of Atmospheric Charm, which means whatever seen from the celling isn’t real and won’t last, but at least it’s visually appealing.

“I take it as one of the many more spells you just invented?” Dawn asked as she looked around the starry celling. “By the way, it’s beautiful.”

“I am glad that you like it, Miss Dawn, and you are right,” Perseus gave a bright smile. “This is another spell of my own invention, and I call it Spatium Corusco, or the Space Shining Spell, for simplicity.”

“Hmm...” Dawn pondered at the name. “It’s not a bad name, but I thought of a better name — how about we call it the Night Sky Spell instead?”

“That’s a wonderful idea, Miss Dawn.” Perseus smiled at he took looked at the shiny celling in dark with a tint of pride.

“By the way, Perry, have you considered making constellations appearing through this spell? That would be very useful education spell for astrology-studying wizards and witches — they could see them all for the better without using charts!”

“I...I don’t have a chart on that. It’s not like I am that interested in astrology in the first place...” Perseus explained as he scratched the back of his head. “But I guess that is something I can try...if I have an example, that’s it.”

“I do.” Dawn declared as she pulled out a thorough constellation chart from her inventory.

“This...should be suffice,” Perseus examined the chart as he said. “Still...it wasn’t my original intention to create constellations through this spell, but merely to create the atmosphere of a clear, night sky, as a gift to those I am close with. Which is why I don’t intent to teach this spell to anybody else for now.”

“And I suppose I am one of those you are of ‘close to’? And there’s more than just me you wish to gift this spell to?” Dawn asked with a smug smile.

“That is one way to say it.” Perseus didn’t elaborate more on that.

“Well, I don’t mind it, so long you don’t get yourself in danger out there!” Dawn shrugged. “So when would you start creating constellations with your spell?”

“I don’t think I have enough magic, nor the confidence to accomplish that all on my own.” Perseus shook his head. “So...would you like to help me with that?”

“Sure!” Dawn hopped in joy.

The next hours went by as the duo improvised the spell to create the correct constellations through it, with a lot of spell accidents occurred through progress, but that didn’t stop them.

It will be a just a matter of time and patience that they will succeed improving the spell to be capable of holding all the constellations shown on the chart.

Chapter Text

In a shining morning, a girl in blue is sleeping on a literal bed of blue clouds she conjured, the rays of sun do not deters her snoozes inside the cottage.

A wizard in white robes walked into the same room Dawn is sleeping, and tried to wake the napping girl. “Miss Dawn?” Perseus shook at the small girl on the bed of clouds to no avail.

Then, as he looked at the thin bed of clouds, an idea came up to his head, as he took out his wand and casted Evanesco on the clouds, and they vanished as quickly as the incantation was chanted, with the dozing girl dropped onto the ground with a loud *Thump*.

“That was totally uncalled for,” The now-on-ground girl rubbed her head as she surveilled her surroundings, and immediately complained at the culprit of her sudden awakening, who is standing right next to her. “Next time, try calling me with you necklace I gave you — it has a communicating function in it, and all you need to do to activate it is to hold it and think of calling me in your mind.”

“Sorry.” Perseus gave an apologetical smile. “I was used to coming to your side to ask for your help, and...I like meeting you face-to-face that way,” He explained in a smitten tone. “Not to mention I was unfamiliar with the many functions of your necklace, and I simply keep wearing it as a treasured gift from you.”

“Yeah, and the fault is mine on that.” Dawn gave an annoyed look to herself. “Is there any other reason you woke me up, more than just because you can?”

“I just baked some pancakes, with some of my potions as condiment, and there’s milk for the drinks for today’s breakfast,” Perseus said. “Would you like to join me?”

Dawn frowned at the mention of ‘pancakes’, but it went away as soon as she heard the invitation for breakfast. “I would never free food, especially the safe ones with no catch!” Her expression immediately changed into a mouth-watery one. “Lead me the way!”

One breakfast later...

“So...is there any other reason you called me here more than a simple invitation for breakfast?” Dawn asked, as she wiped her mouth with a hanky.

“Well, actually...yes,” Perseus said in a nervous tone. “I just created some magical juice, but I am unsure if there’s undesirable effects if they were served on muggles, and...I think you can solve that problem for me.”

“By changing my structural property similar to a non-magical person? Sure! That also means more food for me!” Dawn chirped in a joyous tone. “So what are we waiting for? Let’s go!”

“Thank you as always,” Perseus smiled sincerely. “The laboratory where the juice are stored are of this way...”

“So...how do they taste? Is there anything wrong?”

“Nothing — this one tastes like apples, this one is like orange, and this one is like blueberry...wait, why am I feeling lighter?”

“You aren’t feeling lighter! You are floating and bloating up like a balloon! Like a blueberry!” Perseus gasped at the floating figure. “Allow me to help you — Finite Incantatem!”

With the spell casted, the bloating and floating ceased, as the girl returned back to normal and descended on the ground.

“Well, at least they could have been great juice sold on the market, if it weren’t for the side effects,” Dawn chuckled at the effects of the juice, not even bothered by them at all. “Not to mention some finds it fun.”

“Yes, but it would spells disaster to muggles if I sold the drinks to them,” Perseus said as he pondered at the drinks. “I guess I won’t be selling any of them at any time.”

“Yeah, I can guess that,” Dawn checked her body by turning herself around to see if it’s all back in one piece. “Have you even think of mixing all the drinks all at once?”

“Well. I haven’t thought of that...” Perseus shook his head.

“Then we can try that to see if they works!” Dawn went on the drinks as she mixed all of them at once, as she drank them all in one gulp...