[2] after darkness → tom riddle

Chapter Twenty-Two: Heading Back to Hogwarts

Everyone returned back to Dove's house shortly after Morgandy stormed out and half the house followed, thankfully Emory and Michael managed to get Morgandy to reevaluate the situation and calm her down, they got her to think of it in Dove and Rune's perspective, which surprisingly worked.

The group walked back in halfway through Ophelia, Rune, Dove, Harlen and Theodore explaining everything about Tom, Abner and Starr to Anwen. They didn't say anything but sent over apologetic looks to Dove and Rune. All except for Morgandy who walked over and hugged Dove, kissing her on the head - her way of apologising.

After her parents had finished explaining everything to her about Tom Riddle and Abner and Starr, Anwen looked up to her parents, "although I never got to meet them, I know uncle Abner and Aunty Starr are proud of all of you," Anwen smiled up at her parents, aunts and uncles.

"Thank you, baby," Dove reached out to her daughter, "but, I think it's time to move on from this, it still affects us all, and I'm really sorry we weren't honest with you."

Anwen nodded, agreeing with her mother, "it's okay, I understand why you didn't tell me sooner."

Ophelia walked over to Anwen and reached out her arms for Anwen to hug her. Anwen walked into Ophelia's arms and Ophelia wrapped herself around Anwen, "you're as brave as Starr, my lovely."

"So what's the gossip at Hogwarts? What did I miss this year?" Emory asked as he reached out to his wife, wrapping his arm around her waist.

Anwen pulled away from Ophelia and looked to her dad, Rune and Anwen both shrugged realising that Hogwarts had been a peaceful year.

"It's not like our days at Hogwarts, Em," Rune laughed, "Hogwarts doesn't have a short-tempered witch anymore, you've got a few pranks from Peeves and a couple of the Slytherin boys but other than that, it's quiet."

Anwen gasped, "oh wait," Anwen looked to her dad, "Professor Laurence isn't coming back next year, said he was only a temporary placement until they found another Professor, he's no longer our Ancient Runes teacher."

Ophelia burst out laughing, "probably couldn't control the seventh years, Emory struggled too during his first year."

Rune laughed, "I can't believe I forgot to mention that, but it was a shock for all of us. He did complain about the seventh years a lot though." Rune shook his head as he looked over at Emory.

"Seventh years who study Ancient Runes are wild," Emory admitted.

"It's a shame he didn't last long," Dove shrugged, "he was actually really nice."

"Yeah, but not as nice as his replacement," Emory smiled.

"You've already met them? You're not even working there anymore and you've already met my colleague!" Rune expressed his annoyance.

"Well, he was filling a temporary placement, and I was only on paternity leave," Emory shrugged.

It took a while for the group to realise what Emory said. It was Anwen who realised first. "Uncle Emory, you're finally going to teach me!" Anwen exclaimed as she hugged Emory.

"Holy fucking shit!" Rune gasped in excitement, "I'm getting my best mate back."

"Language!" Dove exclaimed.

"Are you kidding me? Mam, I'm in the same year with the most foulmouthed boy in all of Hogwarts," Anwen admitted, "Dad swearing is not news to me!"

"Caradoc Andrew!" Emory exclaimed, "oh how I've missed him!"

"That boy is always in the hospital wing, whether it's him, or Fionn, or Atlantis," Rune shook his head, "they're trouble, I tell you."

"Fionn?" Ophelia asked. Her heart began to flutter, it was the first time she'd ever heard his name in 13 years. She knew it was her Fionn, he was in the same year as Anwen, he was just five months older. A big smile grew on her face.

"Yeah, Fionn Walker," Anwen rolled her eyes, "he's a Slytherin, he found out he was a wizard on his 11th birthday, but his parents are muggles, turns out he was adopted but his parents didn't know that Fionn's biological parents were wizards."

"He's irresponsible and short-tempered from time to time, but he is really bright," Rune nodded his head, "he kind of reminds me of you, Lia. All whilst at the same time he reminds me of Tom, he's charming and manipulative, he's like your love child."

Morgandy looked over to Archer, but he was already looking over. They knew the same thing. "Same year as you this Fionn Walker boy, Anwen?" Morgandy asked.

"Yeah, he's a couple of months older, but the majority of the year is," Anwen joked, "his birthday is the end of March, let's just say the entire year knows when Fionn's birthday is because the Slytherin boys all throw a party. They all love him."

"Is he good looking?" Nicole asked.

"Okay for starters, I don't fancy him, but he is good looking, I can't lie," Anwen admitted, "he's got these gorgeous green eyes with freckles all of his face, and raven hair, he's the definition of beautiful."

"But, you don't fancy him?" Harlen asked. He looked at her, not knowing to believe her or not, he had his arms crossed as he leaned against the wall near the fireplace, trying to read Anwen's body language, to no avail.

"I don't," Anwen admitted, "Dad knows who I like, he sussed it out when he saw us practising Quidditch."

"Name!" Dove and Emory yelled out.

Anwen rolled her eyes and nodded her head towards her dad, giving permission for him to tell them, "his name is Acacius," Rune said, "he's a Hufflepuff, same year as Anwen."

"He's a Hufflepuff and he plays Quidditch too," Daxten pointed out, "I can see another wedding in 8 years time."

Dove put her hand over her ears as she gasped, trying to block out everything Daxten said.

"Funnily enough, her mother did the same thing when we told her we got engaged," Rune pointed to Dove.

"Awh, poor gran," Anwen laughed, "but don't worry, I won't be getting married as fast as you two, I plan to have a steady career before I commit to marriage and having children, no offence mum and dad."

"None taken," Rune shrugged, "but you seem to forget, I had a job before we had you."

"Oh yeah," Anwen laughed, "actually, so did mam."

"She's been out of school a day, and she's already lost all her intelligence," Harlen joked, "don't worry Annie, you'll feel like this all the time in Emory's classes."

"Fuck you!" Emory exclaimed.

The group laughed it off and went back to normal. Well, we say normal, Morgandy, Michael and Archer pulled Ophelia outside for a chat. Ophelia, for once unaware why she was being pulled for a chat was left with her heart pounding and her mouth hanging open when Morgandy asked, "Gorgeous green eyes? Freckles and dark raven hair? Is it Fionn Walker? Or is it Fionn Riddle?"

***

Happy New Year! 

Although very belated, I hope you enjoyed the holidays and 2020 is treating you well (despite the imposing threat of a third world war and now a potential pandemic of course).

As some of you may now I'm now in university and at first, my posting schedule was actually decent until deadlines hit :/. However, new semester means deadlines are not for another three months so I intend to sit down at my laptop and finish writing this book so it can all be released this year!

Also, if you don't follow me (I don't mind if you don't), you wouldn't know that I've published the cast for a new HP universe book. It's completely different to this book and Prophecy as it follows the adventures of a new OC named Orla Kervoy and her strained relationship with Theseus Scamander.

As with this series, my new book "In Her Darkest Hour" is my own story and my own interpretation of the characters mixed with a few OC's here and there. I'm still tweaking the first 6 chapters but have plans for approximately 30 chapters split into three acts (so 10 acts for each part of the story). But if you'd like to head over to the cast chapter now and familiarise yourself with my new characters as well as add the book to your library so you'll be notified when I post that would be great! ;)

Lots of love,
C x