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𝐶ℎ𝑎𝑝𝑡𝑒𝑟 44: 𝑊𝑒𝑙𝑐𝑜𝑚𝑒 𝑏𝑎𝑐𝑘 ℎ𝑜𝑚𝑒!
"𝑇𝑜 𝑎 𝑛𝑒𝑤 𝑏𝑒𝑔𝑖𝑛𝑛𝑖𝑛𝑔"
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As Harry and I walked up the gravel path to Potter Manor, the warm afternoon sun cast long shadows ahead of us, and the grand silhouette of the house loomed just beyond a patch of flowering hedges. But it wasn't the house that caught my attention—it was the five figures standing just in front of it, their outlines gradually sharpening as we got closer. Even from a distance, I could make out who they were: Lily, James, Sirius, Remus, and... Snape, all gathered together in an oddly civil little group, deep in conversation.
I blinked, a little surprised to see them all like that. "Hey!" I called out, raising a hand. "Was wondering where you all vanished off to after that whole scene in the hospital wing."
Harry added beside me, "Yeah, same. Thought you lot had disappeared on us."
Before I could say another word, Lily turned, her eyes lighting up the moment she saw me. Without hesitation, she hurried toward me and pulled me into a hug so tight, I staggered slightly from the sheer force of it. Her arms wrapped around me with that unmistakable warmth only a mother could give, and for a second, I froze—awkwardly patting her back as my mind scrambled to figure out why I was suddenly in the middle of such a heartfelt embrace.
"Uhm," I started, voice muffled slightly against her shoulder, "Am I... in trouble?" I leaned back a bit to peer over her shoulder at the others, my expression somewhere between confusion and mild panic. "Because this definitely feels like a 'you're in trouble but I love you anyway' hug."
Lily let out a soft laugh as she pulled back, her hands resting on my shoulders. "Unfortunately for you, no," she said, her green eyes sparkling with warmth. "You're not in trouble. But you are one of the bravest souls I've ever met, Y/N. I mean it."
Her words hit me like a gust of wind—gentle, but enough to knock me off balance. I blinked, caught off guard, my voice fumbling for something to say. "Oh. Um... thanks?" It came out more like a question than an acceptance of a compliment.
Harry, clearly not wanting to be left out, grinned and piped up with his usual charm. "Oi, what about me? Don't I get a hug too? I helped, you know."
Lily turned to him with a soft smile and pulled him in just as affectionately. "Of course you get a hug, sweetheart. You and Y/N—my two little heroes."
James, who had remained a few steps behind, his hands casually in his pockets, nodded in agreement with a proud grin. "Our two little heroes," he echoed, puffing his chest slightly in that way dads sometimes do when they're trying not to get emotional.
I raised a brow, smirking. "Did you just call me little?" I asked with mock offense, placing a hand on my hip. "Excuse me, I'll have you know I'm not little. I'm tall."
Sirius snorted from beside James, never one to let a moment of teasing pass him by. "Hate to break it to you, sunshine, but you are little. Pocket-sized, even."
"I am not!" I said, dramatically crossing my arms over my chest. "I'm taller than Harry!"
"By what, a whole inch?" Sirius teased, leaning forward as if he were squinting at an imaginary measuring tape between us.
"Hey! An inch still counts!" I argued, though I was fighting back a grin now.
Sirius only grinned wider. "Not when your hair's doing most of the work. Honestly, Y/N, have you seen your hair today?"
YOU ARE READING
Ancient Magician (Severus x Reader)
FanfictionThe disappearance of Y/N Grimblehawk has left a void in the wizarding world that has yet to be filled. Her bravery and selflessness in the face of danger have earned her the title "the girl who Fought" and "the goddess of magic". Many believe that s...
