“Am I a bad father?” James muttered, hugging his little girl to his chest.

Sirius held the shoulder of his friend, his head hung low.

“You are not a bad father, James. We must prepare her for the inevitable, and this is the best way.” Dumbledore consoled him before hardening his eyes.

“The Dark Lord will mark her as his equal, but she will have power the Dark Lord knows not... and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives.” Dumbledore echoed the prophecy, reminding James what was at stake.

A cold wind swept through the headmaster’s office, filling the room with the sound of fluttering papers.

“Rose isn’t meant for a normal life the minute Voldemort marked her. Don’t do the world a disservice by thinking otherwise.”

……………………

Leon sat in the great hall, ready for the end-of-the-year feast.

The whole great hall was abuzz with murmurs, the students were looking forward to not leaving their beds in the chilly mornings and not studying anything for a while- they were excited for their vacations.

The candles gave off yellow light as a Giant Badger prowled in the banners hung on every wall of the great hall like it was trying to break out and join the celebrations.

The Hufflepuff table was enveloped in a celebratory mood as they were the ones who were going to end Slytherin’s seven-year streak.

“You know, the great hall is in our colors because of me,” With an exaggerated smirk on his face, he nudged Susan, only for her to snort.

“Someone is full of himself,” Tonks chided him, taking a seat in front of him.

“Stop it, Leon. You can’t claim that we won only because of you. People who can’t see you will think you are being serious.” Susan joined in.

“He does deserve more credit than others. It is only because of him that we picked up the slack instead of letting Professor Snape's antics keep us down. If he didn’t start the snowball, we would have ignored the house cup like the last couple of years.” He supported him, giving Leon a thumbs up.

“You are going to give the firstie a big head, Cedric.” Tonks tried to get the older student in a headlock, only for him to dodge with practiced ease.

‘Damn! I really feel bad for these guys!’ He thought watching his friends celebrate.

He knew their house wasn’t going to win. The fact that Rose and Weasley were in the hospital wing coupled with the Quirrel’s absence at the professor’s table pointed to only one conclusion - Dumbledore would manipulate the house system to benefit his old house.

And just as he predicted, the whole Hufflepuff table became silent as Dumbles started showering the Gryffindors with points.

“Finally! 10 points to Neville Longbottom for dueling against three of his best friends and losing by just a hair. Not everyone has the courage to stand up against one’s close friends when they get caught breaking rules-”

The Gryffindor table erupted in cheers, drowning Dumbledore's voice. “- and missing the feast due to it.”

The whole great hall was staring at the Gryffindors as they celebrated, some Slytherins openly glared while Hufflepuffs looked on with complicated expressions as Ravenclaw just clapped along, confused.

“Bloody Hell!.. Bloody Hell! Please tell me that the old goat just didn’t do that,” Tonks mumbled in shock, her hair imitating a kaleidoscope of colors.

The silence near their table was resounding.

“He must have his reasons.” Even Cedric's smile looked strained as he consoled the distraught 7th year.

The Hufflepuffs were displeased, Hannah even looked like she was on the verge of tears.

“We will get the house cup next year, Hannah.” The shy girl hugged him, holding back a sob.

‘If it is up to me, Ginny won’t be getting the diary. But something is telling me that it’s not going to be that simple,’ Leon thought about his next year watching a big black dog enter the great hall and tackle Rose.

The feast ended with Gryffindors hauling Neville on their shoulders to their common room.

The ride back to Hufflepuffs' common room was a little quiet.

“Professor, how can you let Headmaster award so many points at the last minute?” A seventh year asked, he just like many of his friends was hoping to graduate from Hogwarts with a bang.

“They deserved the points, Mr Hafod. Now, we lost the cup this time because of circumstances outside of our hands, but are we the type to give up after once? Or will we get back up and try harder?”

Still sullen, the students didn’t respond, making Professor Sprout call out a boy.

“Mr Miles.”

“Yes, professor!” The Hufflepuff Quidditch captain shuffled forward- his attire was perfect, without even a wrinkle or cloth askew- and answered.

“Will we win the Quidditch Cup next year?” She asked.

“…maybe.” He lowered his head, touching his perfectly combed hair.

“How about I and some alumni pitch in to buy some new brooms for our team? Will you win then?” She asked with a smile.

With an excited smile, the captain squared his shoulders.

“Yes, Professor. We will win!”

“Did I hear it right? You are saying we are going to the Quidditch Cup next season.”

“Yes, professor!”

“Why do you think so, Mr Miles? Didn’t we lose the last couple of years while we had the same brooms as the other teams?”

“That doesn’t matter, we have a great team, and with that, the greatest amount of chance to win, ever. We will try harder and win next season.” He answered like it was a gone conclusion.

“Then, we can also win the House Cup next year, can’t we? Except the seventh year, we will have the same Hufflepuffs as this year.”

Loud murmurs were the answers from the Hufflepuffs.

“I asked, can’t we?”

“Yes, professor!” Cedric answered.

“I can’t hear you and I didn’t know Cedric is the only student in my house. I am asking again, are we going to win two cups next year?”

“Yes, professor!” This time their response shook the potted plants in the corridor.

“Good, now, it’s time for us to look forward to our homes and holidays, not lounge around like wet Crups.” With that the house head disappeared with seventh years trailing her, leaving the upbeat Hufflepuffs behind.

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The students entered their common room excitedly talking about the best brooms that suit the house.

“Meh! Professor Sprout is out of practice with motivation, we were happy with our third position in house rankings for the last couple of years. Our next year’s goal is pretty huge… too huge if you ask me.” Tonks muttered, falling on an armchair.

The metamorphmagus, who didn’t follow the House head like the other seventh years, wiggled in the armchair and got comfortable.

“I bet Dumbledore will pull something like this again and we will be fools just like this year,” she drawled staring at the roof. “Maybe we should see how quickly Dumbledore can draw his wand, he is getting on his years. He may have gone senile.”

“Tonks!” Susan kicked the older girl’s feet, looking aghast.

“I am kidding, I am kidding. Please take your Crup back Leon, she is hurting me.” Tonks mock pleaded, winking.

Susan growled like a Crup much to the amusement of Hannah.

“You aren’t going to be much of an Auror, are you, Tonks? You can’t even take care of a Crup.” The sullen older girl took the bait.

“You brat, it looks like I have to teach you to respect your betters before I leave Hogwarts.” She threateningly waved her wand.

“So, you are saying the one who likes her hair pink and loves to add a pig’s snout to her face is my better. Please~” He taunted her, not backing down, causing Hannah and Susan to burst into a fit of giggles as Tonk's hair changed from her default pink.

“How about this then? Will you respect me now?” Tonks asked, smiling menacingly. Her irises turned cat-like as she showed off a mouth full of serrated teeth that gleamed with sharpness.

“Aww! Who is a good kitty cat?” he said in his best baby voice and stood up, tall.

The Hufflepuff looked down at her. “Your name is going to be Nymphodora, little kitty,” he burst into laughter before sprinting away.

A spell hit him in the back, turning his hair pink, but as Leon anticipated her reaction, he ran off into his room, not giving her a chance to hit him with more spells.

It was time he resumed his practice, anyway. He cheered up his friend and he didn’t particularly care about the type of brooms the house was going to get- he knew he was going to get dragged into that conservation by the older students. By taunting Nymphodora, he hit three birds with one stone.

………………………………..

“Damn! I didn’t think this through,” Leon mumbled, Tonks was standing in front of their cabin in the Hogwarts Express. He had used her name, which she seriously hated because he knew the lazy seventh-year wouldn’t be getting up to chase him, but he didn’t think about the future.

“Now, now, Tonks, let’s not use our wands. As they say, only people who can’t use words, use their wands,” he tried to calm her down as she palmed her wand.

“How about a chocolate frog as a truce offering?” Leon held out a squirming chocolate frog, seeing her not back down.

“Fine!” She took the frog and sat beside Hannah.

“That was mine,” Hannah mumbled, making Susan share her chocolate frog.

The seven-hour train ride made every teen bored which resulted in every Hufflepuff visiting their Cabin to bid goodbye to the seventh year.

Leon too did the same by going door to door in search of Hufflepuff's seventh years with Susan and Hannah.

After running up and down the train, they returned to their cabin.

“Let’s play spell cards!” Tonks took out a pack, making Susan and Hannah giggle while glancing at him.

After a couple of rounds, the girls were looking at him in shock. Gone was the amateur who couldn’t decide which card to pair the common pest with, Leon absolutely destroyed the witches.

“How?” Tonks muttered rubbing her forehead.

“Talent, I guess.” He grinned at the seventh year, making her pack up the card, grumbling about an unfair life.

Sadly, for the girls, Leon aka Levi did play various types of card games in his previous life.

He wasn’t an expert as he played for leisure, but he did pick one or two card tricks from reels and real life.

Cheating was very easy against the newbs who didn’t know anything about social media and how easy it was to fool the brain.

After some chatting and grumbling, one by one everyone fell asleep. A seven-hour journey was just too much.

‘I bet this train ride has something to do with the trace on our wands, otherwise, it doesn’t make sense to travel for so long when a floo in Hogsmeade is faster and cheaper,’ he thought watching the countryside.

The trolley lady knocked on their cabin again in the evening, making the girls buy some snacks, this time Leon too bought two chocolate frogs and gave one to Hannah.

“Tonks?” Leon spoke as they entered London.

“Yeah.”

“What’s stopping you from Apparate or even floo from the Hogsmead? You are an adult and are leaving Hogwarts, after all.”

“Well! Seventh years aren’t required to take the train ride, but we all took the train to spend some more time with our friends.”

“So, you are saying, only a couple of first years are your friends,” Leon teased her, ignoring the fact that she was only with them for one-sixth of the journey.

“You little!”

………………………..

Leon walked out of platform 9¾ with only a bag on him, he left his books and enchantment aids in Hogwarts with the permission of his house head, only taking some books for summer work and his personal project.

‘I can’t wait,’ he cracked a grin, imagining the results of his personal project. It was going to take a long time, but it would be worth it.

“Leon!”

He recognized Susan’s voice and turned around ‘Didn’t we just say goodbye?’

Susan and a young woman dressed in a tailored suit walked towards him, parting people around them like Moses parted the Red Sea.

‘A charm?’

“This is my aunt, Amelia Bones. And Aunty, this is Leon Astraeus.” Susans introduced them.

“Yes, the one who used a mind spell on you.”

If how young her aunt looked didn’t take him back, that sentence sure did.

The Hufflepuff rubbed his head, suppressing his urge to give out excuses.

“Aunty!” Susan glared at her, making the older woman huff.

“Remember, targeting a fellow Witch with a mind spell is a punishable offense unless you are a mind healer and are in the hospital,” she ignored the renewed glare her niece was sending her.

“I didn’t know that Miss Bones, but I will remember it.” He nodded his head, sending Susan a wink, telling her to calm down, which was ignored.

Leon had looked into laws regarding minors on the first day in Hogwarts. Only the Headmaster could decide on punishment for Hogwarts students unless the crime was casting Unforgivable or murder.

After all, Hogwarts was older than the Ministry of Magic and parents trusted Hogwarts headmasters more than they did the ministers.

Susan knew that he caught her aunt in a half-truth, but she decided to not bring that up. “I am sorry, Leon. She isn’t like this, normally.” She glared at her aunt again. “And as I said, he was helping me, Aunty.”

“Hmph!” Her aunt’s expression softened just a little. “Just remember the significance of the mind and the spells that tamper with it. I know you are a good guy, my niece, couldn’t stop talking about how good you are-” “Aunty!”

“- but don’t default to those spells, Mr Leon.” Amelia Bones said, once again ignoring her niece. “Those spells are considered as one’s invasion of privacy in the highest order.”

He nodded, agreeing with her.

“And don’t forget your summer assignments!” With that, the aunt and niece apparated without a sound.

‘I guess she had a muggle-repelling charm on,’ he thought, noting that no one was taken back by their disappearing act.

The Hufflepuff looked around to see Tonks and Hannah waving their hands as they departed with their family.

Tonks was with a young woman dressed in elegant robes and jewelry while Hannah followed a young man in an outdated suit.

‘I think that woman is Tonk's mother, a Black.’

‘Why is everyone so young? Does magic slow down aging or the parents were using some magical products?... Amelia Bones doesn’t look like the one that uses de aging potion. I guess slow aging could be a side effect of having a lifespan of hundreds of years.’ Leon walked out of the station, his thoughts aimless, and took a bus.

‘I wonder if I can ask the scroll to remove my wand’s trace again like it did when it made me rob a museum.’ The thought of a magic-less summer was getting real as he neared his orphanage. ‘I think the scroll will agree, no sense in wasting months without learning new spells.’

He got down from the bus and walked towards his home, his head still in the clouds.

“Watch where you are going, brat.” A man with red eyes and black dried lips exited the orphanage, making Leon swerve to the side.

‘Who is he? And where are the children?’

Snapping back to the present, he quickly noticed the absence of cries and shouts that used to split his head.

The compound was empty. An evening generally has kids out in the compound, with the children playing as the teens lounged around.

Hearing a muffled sob made him sprint.

Barrelling past the main entrance, he was the head Matron consoling the young nun who had dropped him off at the King Cross station.

Leon stood at the door, taking in the scene.

“Don’t worry. Next time he comes we will say that you went out,” the Matron patted the back of the crying young woman.

“But what if he hurts you or the children?”

The matron noticing him, didn’t reply.

“Ah! Leon, home for the summer, huh? How about you freshen up and tell us how your school was?”

“What’s happening, matron?” Leon stared at the young caretaker who was trying very hard to hold back her tears as she wiped her face.

“Nothing that concerns you, it’s just some adult troubles. Now, chop, chop! Maybe you can help us in the kitchen as we talk about your school.”

The Matron quickly took the young nun into her office and closed the doors.

“A new gang is harassing everyone in the name of protection money, the guy you just saw has his eye on Miss Morres.” A young voice explained. “He is getting bolder day by day. He tried to force her into a room today but left because his friend called him.” A teen explained through gritted teeth, staring at the orphanage’s entrance.

Leon turned back and ran, hoping to catch that guy.

“Hey! There is a reason why I told you this. Don’t do-”

……………………….

Word count: 2.9K

A/N-1: Reviews and comments are encouraged. Let the author know how you find his fic.

A/N-2: I heard gangs thrived in the ’90s. Now, I don’t know enough about gangs or nineties of the Britain to draw parallels, so bear with me in the next couple of chapters.

There will be a summary of the next chapter at the top as it contains elements of sexual assault. I didn’t go into details, but I will do it, just in case.

The holiday chapters are only a couple. So, we will jump right into the second year after this.