[Note: Read up to Chapter - 30 on P patron at: p-atreon.com/Knockturn_Alley]
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Looked like a proper drama was about to unfold.
Aris sighed inwardly.
After a short pause, he lifted his head again, his eyes now filled with confusion and quiet helplessness.
"I don't really know…"
"I can't remember anything from before. It's all a blur. I've been on my own for as long as I can remember. I was just… drifting about. Then, a day ago, I collapsed from hunger—and when I woke up, I was here."
Xeno listened closely, his brow knitting into a frown.
"You're still just a boy. How've you managed to survive out there all on your own?"
There was a hint of disbelief in his tone, clearly not fully buying the story.
"Daddy, he is a child!"
Luna's voice cut in, soft but firm. She glanced at her Daddy with a hint of reproach, clearly unimpressed by his sceptical tone.
"Sorry," Xeno said, his voice softening slightly.
"I'm not trying to be harsh. I just thought if I knew a bit more about you, I could help get you back home sooner."
"It's alright. I'm used to it," Aris replied calmly, eyes steady as he looked at Xeno.
His voice was quiet, but carried weight.
"While I was wandering, I met folk with far worse attitudes than yours."
"I've slept under bridges, rummaged through bins for food, even fought off stray dogs for scraps."
"There were nights I thought I wouldn't make it—cold, alone, certain I'd never see the sunrise again."
He paused for a moment, then added sincerely:
"You saved me. And I'm grateful—properly grateful."
With that, Aris stood up and gave a respectful bow to both Xeno and little Luna.
Then, without another word, he turned and headed for the door.
He wasn't just spinning some sob story—the things he'd described were real memories, pulled straight from the backstory the system had implanted in him. So in a way, he wasn't acting at all.
That said, those experiences didn't technically belong to him—not really.
"Wait, where are you going?"
Before Xeno could respond, Luna rushed forward and gently grabbed Aris by the arm, her tone tinged with worry.
"I just think… maybe I shouldn't stay here any longer," he said quietly.
The confusion on his face melted away, replaced by a childlike stubbornness.
"Daddy!" Luna frowned, clearly not happy with how things were unfolding.
Xeno opened his mouth to speak, but in the end, he just let out a sigh.
"Maybe you should stay the night," he said at last.
He clearly hadn't expected Aris's "story" to be so grim, and for a moment, the older wizard looked uncomfortable—like he didn't quite know how to process it. His eyes softened, and his voice lost that edge from earlier.
"Sorry... I just wanted to be sure, that's all."
Even so, the concern didn't fully leave his face.
Xeno knew one thing for certain—if the Hogwarts Book of Admittance and the Quill of Acceptance had acknowledged Aris and assigned him the surname Shafiq, then it couldn't be wrong.
Judging by the way things were shaping up, there was a strong chance Aris was the last remaining bloodline of the Shafiq family—which meant he was, by all rights, the final heir to one of the oldest and most respected pure-blood families in the wizarding world.
Everyone in the wizarding world knew what it meant to be the heir of an ancient magical family—especially one of the Sacred Twenty-Eight. Being the last of the Shafiq line wasn't just about blood. It meant wealth, power, and influence.
Aris stood to inherit the entire fortune of the Shafiq family.
And that wasn't a small thing.
The Sacred Twenty-Eight had once been the pillars of wizarding society. Each of them had enjoyed glory days, but the Shafiqs? Their reach had extended across the entire wizarding world. Some even reckoned they had assets in the Muggle world—proper money, not just Galleons.
Right now though, Aris was just a kid—barely eleven.
With so many old pure-blood families fading into obscurity, it was only natural that a few dodgy sorts might get ideas. Greedy ones. And if someone did decide to make a move on that inheritance...
Well, keeping the boy around could end up dragging the Lovegood family into something nasty.
"Daddy, Aris shouldn't have to suffer anymore. Let's take him in!"
Luna, being a child, didn't think as far ahead as her dad. She just saw a boy with a rough past and wanted to help. That was it.
Girls were usually a bit more in touch with emotions—and Luna already had a soft spot for Aris.
Right now, she was looking at him with real sadness in her silver eyes.
Xeno didn't reply straight away. He just stood there, thinking.
"Daddy~"
Luna's voice was soft but firm, her gaze unwavering.
She didn't throw a tantrum like most children her age might have. And that's exactly why Xeno gave in—he always did when she was like this.
He let out a long sigh, then muttered helplessly:
"Alright... I suppose you can start by replying to Hogwarts."
He rubbed his forehead, already half-regretting the decision.
"It's not like you can't move out once you're at school and find your own place."
Hearing that, Aris felt certain.
He'd expected this outcome, sure—but still, it was a proper weight off his shoulders.
At the very least, he now had a place to stay, even if it was only temporary.
"Cheers," he said, bowing once more—sincerely this time—to both Xeno and little Luna.
Having just landed in this world, being given shelter meant a lot more than he could put into words. He was genuinely grateful.
About half an hour later, an owl soared off into the sky—Aris's reply to Hogwarts clutched tightly in its talons.
With that sorted, Aris finally had a moment to take in his new surroundings.
The house was a tall, oddly-shaped cylindrical building with three floors and an attic. There were two rooms per floor. Luna's room was directly opposite his on the second floor, Xeno's was down on the first, and the third floor and attic were crammed full of odds and ends.
The place was absolutely stuffed with back issues of The Quibbler and all sorts of quirky knick-knacks you'd never find in a normal household.
Most of them were Luna's—like butterbeer corks, spectrespecs, and demon-proof glasses. She had a real knack for collecting the weird and wonderful, and took pride in it.
Outside, a soft breeze swept across the wide stretch of green that surrounded the house, making the grass ripple like waves.
The Lovegood home sat atop a gently sloping hill. The leaning, cylindrical house stood out sharply against the sea of green grass—like a lone tower adrift in an emerald ocean. Mysterious. Quiet.
As the last light of the sunset faded, Aris and little Luna sat side by side on the steps just outside the door, gazing into the distance in peaceful silence.
Climbing vines clung to the house's outer walls, and dotted among them were tiny dangling ornaments—like miniature Christmas presents. It looked a bit out of place, but Aris found it oddly charming. Quirky, even.
"Luna," he said softly, the breeze brushing against his face, "have you ever thought about the nature of magic?"
As he spoke, he instinctively raised a hand—and suddenly, blades of grass all around them lifted into the air, twirling and fluttering like tiny dancers in the wind.
It was beautiful.
And so very magical.
His old habits as a top student kicked in—any time something fascinated him, he'd start digging deeper, always chasing the why behind the wonder.
But before Luna could reply, a familiar chime echoed in his mind.
[Ding! Task system activated.]
[As the saying goes: "When three walk together, one can be your teacher." As a top student, you must always remain curious!]
[Daily Task: Ask three questions and receive answers. Progress: 0/3]
[Reward: Academic points.]
[Note: Questions must be about things the host doesn't already know.]
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[Note: Read up to Chapter - 30 on P patron at: p-atreon.com/Knockturn_Alley]