Chapter 20: A Picture of Peace

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A week had passed since Saber and Sam had visited **Mikaela's garage** to fix up their cars, and life at **Howler Manor** had settled into a comfortable routine. The renovations were progressing steadily, with the west wing nearly complete and the gardens beginning to show signs of restoration. The once-crumbling estate was slowly being transformed into a home filled with life and magic.

It was during one of these calm mornings, while Saber was in the study reviewing a new batch of magical texts, that he heard the familiar sound of wings flapping outside the window. Looking up, he saw **Hedwig** swoop gracefully into the room, a letter tied to her leg.

Saber smiled warmly as he crossed the room to greet his old friend. "Welcome back, girl."

Hedwig hooted softly, extending her leg to allow Saber to untie the letter. It was from **Draco**—he had been expecting a reply for a few days now, and it seemed Hedwig had made the long journey across the ocean once again.

Saber scratched Hedwig's feathers affectionately, letting her rest on her perch by the window as he opened the letter. The familiar neat handwriting of Draco greeted him as he began to read:

---

#### **Draco's Letter to Saber**

**Saber,**

It was great to hear from you, and I'm glad to know that things are going well. It sounds like you've really started to make a life for yourself out there. I have to say, I'm a bit jealous—**Howler Manor** sounds like the perfect place to get away from all the madness back here.

Things on this side are still... complicated. There's a lot going on, and I can't say too much in a letter. But I want you to know that we're holding our ground. Voldemort—well, you know him as **Tom**—is still working hard to free the wizarding world from Dumbledore's control. My parents are involved, of course, but I'll admit that I've been kept out of most of the action.

Still, it's good to hear that you haven't cut ties with us. It's strange to think about how far we've come from our time at Hogwarts, isn't it? Back then, I couldn't stand you, but now... it's different. I guess that's what family does.

I hope your studies are going well, and I'm curious to hear more about your **two-headed snake**. That's rare, even in our world. And as for your new owl, **Noctis** sounds like a force to be reckoned with. I've always been partial to Hedwig, though. There's something comforting about her.

Anyway, stay safe out there. I look forward to hearing more about what you're up to. Maybe one day, we'll both get the chance to just sit down and talk about all of this—without the weight of the war hanging over us.

**Draco**

---

Saber smiled as he finished reading the letter. Draco's tone was more relaxed, more open than it had been in the past. It was strange how much their relationship had shifted in such a short amount of time, but Saber found it refreshing. Despite everything that had happened, there was still a sense of connection between them—a bond that went deeper than just being godbrothers.

With a soft sigh, Saber set the letter down and glanced out the window. The weather was perfect—bright and clear, with the kind of sunshine that made you want to be outside. It gave him an idea.

He moved through the house, calling out to **Patch**, who was exploring the kitchen, and to **Obsidian**, his two-headed snake companion, who had coiled himself comfortably in one of the armchairs in the study. "Hey, you two," Saber said with a grin. "What do you say we go for a little outing today? I've got a letter to write back to Draco, and I think a change of scenery would be nice."

Patch let out an enthusiastic bark, while Obsidian lifted one of his heads to glance at Saber, his forked tongue flicking the air. The other head remained lazily resting, content to go along with whatever Saber had planned.

---

By the time the sun was beginning its slow descent toward the horizon, Saber, Patch, and Obsidian had made their way to one of the nearby **cliffs** overlooking a vast stretch of open land. It was a beautiful spot, one that Saber had discovered during one of his early explorations of the area. The view from the cliff was breathtaking, with the sun casting a warm, golden glow over the landscape below.

Saber laid out a blanket on the soft grass, setting up a small **picnic** for himself and his companions. Patch immediately settled down next to him, his mechanical tail wagging as he watched the sky, while Obsidian coiled around the edge of the blanket, both heads resting contentedly on Saber's lap.

As they sat together, watching the sun dip lower, Saber couldn't help but feel a sense of peace. It wasn't something he was used to—not after years of being manipulated by Dumbledore and the chaos that had followed. But here, with his new companions by his side and the quiet serenity of the cliff, he felt... free.

He pulled out a **Polaroid camera** he had picked up during one of his trips into town. It was a simple, old-fashioned device, but it was perfect for capturing moments like this. Holding the camera up, Saber positioned it to capture the scene: him sitting on the blanket with **Patch** on one side and **Obsidian** coiled next to him, the brilliant sunset casting a golden glow over the entire scene.

*Click.*

The camera whirred softly, and the Polaroid slid out from the front. Saber smiled as he picked up the photo, shaking it gently until the image began to form. It was perfect—a snapshot of a moment that felt like a new beginning.

With the photo in hand, Saber pulled out a fresh piece of parchment and began writing his response to Draco:

---

#### **Saber's Letter to Draco**

**Draco,**

It's good to hear from you. I'm glad to know that you're holding up, even with everything going on back in Britain. I can't imagine how complicated things must be with Voldemort—or **Tom**, as we've come to know him—fighting to free our world from Dumbledore's grip. I know that it's not easy, but you're doing the right thing, even if it doesn't feel like it all the time.

As for me, things have been... peaceful, I guess you could say. I've been spending a lot of time exploring the area around **Howler Manor**, and I've found some amazing spots. There's this cliff nearby where you can see the sunset over miles of open land. It's one of my favorite places to go when I need to clear my head.

I've enclosed a **Polaroid** picture for you. It's of me, **Patch**, and **Obsidian** (my two-headed snake) having a little picnic on the cliff. It's become our favorite spot. There's something about sitting out here, away from everything, that makes the world feel a little smaller. I guess that's what I've needed lately—a way to just breathe and not think about all the heavy stuff for a while.

I've been keeping up with my studies, of course. The library here has so much information on the **Pendragon lineage** that it feels like I'll never finish reading it all. But I'm learning. I'm building something new. And it feels good.

I'm not sure when I'll be ready to come back to Britain, but know that I haven't forgotten about you or what's happening. We'll see each other again. Until then, stay safe. And if you ever need an escape, you know where to find me.

Take care, Draco.

**Saber**

---

Saber smiled as he tucked the **Polaroid** into the envelope, sealing the letter with a simple spell. He called to **Noctis**, who was perched on a nearby tree branch, her golden eyes glowing in the fading light.

"Noctis," he said softly, holding out the letter. "Take this to **Draco Malfoy**."

The **giant Cuban owl** gave a low, soft hoot before spreading her wings and swooping down to take the letter from Saber's hand. She soared off into the darkening sky, her silhouette barely visible against the setting sun.

Saber leaned back, resting his hands behind his head as he watched Noctis disappear over the horizon. Patch settled down beside him, and Obsidian coiled more tightly around his leg, both heads resting comfortably as the sun dipped lower.

For now, at least, everything felt right.

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