Muggle | 𝐹𝑟𝑒𝑑 𝑊𝑒𝑎𝑠𝑙𝑒𝑦

Chapter 86

I grinned to myself at those words, my heart giving an exciting lurch as Dumbledore stood up. I still couldn't believe it. It felt like a dream. But everything just made sense.

      If my body wasn't aching, I would be jumping up and down in sheer happiness and pinch myself in utter disbelief.

      But then, my heart sank as I thought back at one of the unanswered questions that was still lingering in my head.

     "Professor?" I suddenly said, stopping him.

     "Yes?"

     "Now that I've done what I'd been sent to change... when will it be time for me to return back to my timeline?"

     "You're still eager to go back, then?"

     "Well, I do miss my parents... but I also dread going back. I've been too used to the life I have here."

     Dumbledore gave me a sad smile as he stood there, looking down at me. "It's just a guess that saving Sirius was what you've been sent to change, Lexi. But now that you've received your sign... now that you have your magic back... I think you will be able to go back."

      "Wh-when?" I gulped. "And how?"

     "Whenever you want... whenever you're ready," said Dumbledore. "But I think we better leave that conversation about the how of it for later."

     I hesitated at first, but nodded either way.

     "I should better go and call Mr. Weasley inside, then. I'm sure he'll be a great company to you at the moment," he said, giving me a knowing smile as he stopped by the door.

     I nodded at him yet looked away, hoping that I wasn't blushing.

     "He was really worried about you. More than you can imagine. But I guess that's just the beauty of it..." said Dumbledore with a happy sigh. "For, love is and always has been, the greatest magic of all."

***

There were many things I wanted to do when the Healers said I could finally leave St. Mungo's.

     I wanted to leave with Fred and go to the Burrow to see Sirius, I wanted to visit the twins' joke shop, and I most of all I wanted to buy my first wand and learn all the spells that I've been dying to perform.

     But due to Dumbledore's orders, I returned straightly back to Hogwarts with the Knight Bus, accompanied by Lupin.

     "Now remember," said Lupin, smiling at me as we got out of the Bus and stood before Hogwarts' gates. "Dumbledore has insisted that you don't try to do magic just yet."

     "Yeah, he's told me in several letters already," I said bitterly. "But why?"

     "Because he fears that you might experience the same pain you'd went through at the Ministry if you try it too soon," Lupin reasoned. "Your magic is new. It's been concealed for years now. It might be too dangerous just yet. So he wants you to wait for some while now."

     "Then why send me back to Hogwarts if he didn't want me to do magic until next year?"

      "Because Hogwarts is safer than anywhere else at the moment. And we still don't know whether the Ministry has a trace on you or not, now that you are technically an underage witch."

      Again that word. Being a witch. It still managed to make my heart flutter whenever I heard it.

     Sighing, I stopped by the gates and looked up at the castle, knowing that I was home, and this time for real.

     "Lexi?" Lupin called me out and I turned around at him again.

     "Yes?"

     "What you did — Dumbledore told me Sirius wasn't supposed to — but you —" And with that he suddenly pulled me into a short hug and soon let go, smiling warmly down at me. "Thank you."

     "I couldn't bear anything else happening, either."

     "Well," he smiled, pulling away. "it was a very noble thing you did, going there when you knew what dangers awaited you. Even though you had no magic back then. I'm sure Sirius would've risked his life for you too, if it were the other way around."

***

The rest of the school year went rather uneventful, except for the terror that had been set through the atmosphere after it had been confirmed that Voldemort had returned.

     I had the urge to go to the Room of Requirements on a daily basis, to try my magic. But somehow each time that I caught Dumbledore's eyes at meal times, I would think against it.

     Harry had been acting friendlier around me ever since I had returned, as if we were old friends. And I was glad that he did.

     But I soon came to remember about the mirror that Sirius had given him, cursing myself for forgetting about it.

     But then again, if Harry had used that mirror and figured out that Sirius was safe, he wouldn't have gone to the Ministry, the Prophecy wouldn't have been destroyed, those Death Eaters would have still been roaming the streets freely and the Ministry would've still believed that Voldemort was dead.

      And not to mention, I would have never gotten my magic.

     Although I still had to make sure the mirror landed in Aberforth's hands, just like it was supposed to. But I still had time for that.

      I found myself enjoying the final feast at Hogwarts as I sat with Lee, joking around about the fact that Umbitch was finally gone.

     The next day as we made our way towards the train, I hugged Lee goodbye and promised that I would see him soon and made my way over a compartment with, Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny.

     After the train finally stopped and we passed the barrier and exited platform 9 3/4, we came upon Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, Moody, Tonks, and Lupin, standing there and waiting for us.

     But as everyone went to greet them, my attention was caught by Fred and George, who were wearing expensive looking clothes and standing nearby.

     Smiling like a fool, I ran forward and hugged George first, and then pecked Fred on the cheek, bringing him into a long-lasting embrace.

     "We also have a surprise for you," said Tonks with a knowing grin on her lips and I pulled away from Fred, looking at her curiously.

     "What?" Ron asked.

     With that, they all moved aside, and there, a few feet over, we saw Sirius, looking around the station cheerfully in his human form.

     "Sirius!" Harry cried out, getting his attention and then ran forward, brining him into a hug.

     I smiled, watching them as I felt my eyes tear up in happiness.

     "Aww," George started mockingly. "Is Professor Snappy gonna cry?"

      "Oh, shut up," I scoffed. "My eyes are just... sweating."

     After Sirius had greeted everyone else, his glance at last fell on me and I gave him a half smile, promising myself that I wouldn't cry.

But when he came toward me and pulled me into a hug, I couldn't help but let a single tear fall down my cheek.

And so I smiled into it as he whispered in my ear, "Thank you."