The Weasley brothers, especially the twins, were utterly fascinated by the video games. While Ron and Percy struggled with the controllers, Fred and George sidled up to Scarlet, whispering, “Our dearest sister, the honourable Lady of the Red House!”

Scarlet, amused by Ron’s difficulty handling the game, turned to the twins and whispered back, “Yes?”

“This ‘video game’...” Fred began, unusually serious for him, “Do you know anything more about it?”

“Like how it’s made? Where can we buy one?” George added, equally intense.

Scarlet’s eyes widened, “You’re thinking of making one?”

The twins nodded eagerly.

“It’s simple - easy fun,” Fred said.

“You can play alone, or invite others to join,” George added.

“And we could even have competitions!” Fred finished, their excitement bubbling.

Scarlet immediately thought of the complexities of the video game industry in her previous life...but she quickly shook her head. “You can’t just buy one. There are Ministry of Magic laws about Muggle artefacts like this. And!” She silenced the twins, who were ready to protest, with a finger. “You don’t have electricity in your house, so even if you could buy it, you wouldn’t be able to use it. Plus, the logic behind how these games work is completely different from magic. I don’t think dissecting it and trying to make a magical version based on it would go as smoothly as you’re thinking.”

The twins looked frustrated at her response.

Scarlet paused, thinking for a moment, “However...you could take inspiration from video games and start from scratch. Start with the most basic ideas, maybe incorporating ancient runes would work.”

With just that small suggestion, the twins’ minds lit up with excitement, eyes sparkling brighter and brighter as they began to see the possibilities.

Scarlet patted their shoulders. “Do some research, estimate the possibilities, make a plan. And if you need any funding, send me a proposal. I’ll gladly invest if you’re creating something interesting!”

The twins dramatically wiped the imaginary tears from the corners of their eyes with a small pink handkerchief they pulled from who-knows-where. Taking Scarlet’s hand, they each planted a kiss on it.

“Oh, dearest sister!”

“Oh, Milady!”

“You shall be our honoured guest for life!” Fred declared.

“And received all our inventions free when we open the world’s best magical joke shop after we graduate!” George finished with a flourish.

Scarlet blinked in surprise. “So that’s why you two keep saving money - great ambition!”

The twins winked in unison.

“Keep it quiet,” Fred said.

“Mum’s been going on about us getting ‘proper jobs’,” George added.

“And ‘stop messing around with those ridiculous inventions, with those nonsense’.” they chorused together.

Scarlet grinned at their comical expression. “Don’t worry, your secret’s safe with me.”

Meiko quietly entered the room and exited just as silently after exchanging a quick signal with Scarlet, who responded with a nod. She waved at the twins. “Keep your brothers entertained, I’ll be right back. Got to meet a guest.”

“Sure thing!”

“Have fun!”

Though I doubt it’ll be anything fun, Scarlet mused as she headed to the study, where she was set to meet Mr. Lupin - the unfortunate werewolf.

Though the study belonged to Scarlet as the owner of the house, Kyle used it more frequently since their move to the Red House. Surrounded by books of every sort, everyone relevant to the discussion had gathered around the coffee table, and Scarlet’s arrival completed the circle.

Kyle introduced her to a polite, tired-looking gentleman. He appeared pale, with faint scars marking his face and arms. His handshake was firm, and there was nothing about his appearance that immediately suggested he was a werewolf. However, in Scarlet’s eyes, his soul told a different story.

“Thank you for everything,” Lupin said, casting a regretful glance around. “However, I can’t keep expecting others to put themselves at risk for my sake. Living a quiet life away from society seems to be the most reasonable option.”

“What if there’s a Muggle wildlife expedition team wandering through the wild, observing animals and documenting nature?” Scarlet rested her chin on her palm as she studied the man before her. He seemed oddly familiar, though she couldn’t place where she had seen him before. “There are always determined researchers willing to venture deep into the wilderness for the sake of conservation or discovery. You’d likely run into them eventually. They might even manage to record your werewolf form.”

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Lupin reply with a faint smile, “Ah, if only werewolves fit into conservation effort as easily as rare birds or elusive mammals.”

Kyle rubbed his chin thoughtfully. “I wouldn’t mind lending you our basement to contain your werewolf form. In fact, how about I hire you as our home tutor? Scarlet could use someone to consult when she has school-related questions. Right, Scarlet?”

Scarlet nodded at the question directed to her, “Yes, I do need advice sometimes, and having you as a tutor might be a perfect solution. A different perspective would be really helpful.”

“I...really couldn’t. You’re all far too generous as it is,” Lupin replied softly, clearly uncomfortable with the thought. “I’ve already been helped far more than I deserve.”

He had been receiving care ever since Hawk introduced him to Kyle’s family. Not only did the lady of the house assist him with ancient magic – clearly a family secret - the young master had even gone so far as to contact a magical school in Japan to find ways to help him. He felt deeply indebted, unsure how he could ever repay them.

“Well, you’re Hawk’s friend, and Hawk is my friend, so that makes us friends too. No need to worry about it.” Kyle said, trying to downplay Lupin’s regrets. “It’s still within my capability. I’ll definitely let you know if it becomes too difficult. In fact, I believe our lady of the house has come up with some practical solutions.”

“You think so?” Scarlet asked with a teasing smile.

“Of course! I have complete confidence in my dearest daughter,” Kyle replied, winking. “She’s capable of making the impossible possible.”

“I’m flattered,” Scarlet chuckled. She then turned to Lupin, “Yes, I do have a plan for you right after I meet you in person, but it will take time, and I’m not certain if it will work. It won’t cause you any harm, though.”

Lupin’s voice dropped to a hushed murmur, “I...I don’t know what to say. If this could truly make a difference, I would be forever grateful.” His expression softened, his gratitude sincere but guarded, revealing a flicker of hope he hadn’t dared to entertain in years.

Hawk, however, looked intrigued, “What kind of plan you got in mind? You said the guy’s been messed with genetically, so he ain’t exactly human anymore, right?”

“Yes, his body is no longer fully human, but his soul is,” Scarlet explained. Her words sounded bizarre to everyone present, and they focused intently on her. “His human soul is now mismatched with his body, which is why he loses consciousness after transforming into a werewolf. It’s like asking a bus driver to pilot a plane.”

“So first, he needs to strengthen his soul, through meditation. If he can remain conscious after transforming, he may be able to control his body and avoid causing harm. Problem solved,” Scarlet continued. “However, strengthening a soul takes time - possibly years. In the meantime, I’ll design something to restrict his movement. As you’ve mentioned, we can’t rely on drugs every time he transforms, and tying him with the magic circle in our basement isn’t practical either. He deserves the freedom to go wherever he wants, not to be confined to our house.”

“Strengthening my soul...it sounds...ambitious. But I’ve lived with this condition long enough to know it won’t go down without a fight,” he said, a trace of his old scepticism showing through. Lupin continued quietly, his gave dropping in a humble acknowledgment of their efforts, “Thank you...all of you. I will do whatever I can...Milady.”

“...not you too!” Scarlet muttered under her breath, but she knew this wasn’t the best time to ask Lupin to stop teasingly calling her “milady” with a brief smile. He was happy, and that was what mattered now. Ignoring it, she continued, “Werewolves are creatures of the night, linked to the moon. To counter that, I’ll need something with a day attribute – sun-related - to craft the item...specifically, a cuff. I’ll make a simple version first, before working on a sturdier one.”

William raised an eyebrow. “A creature with sun attributes...what kind of creature would that be?”

Meiko answered, her tone firm. “A rooster.”

The room went silent, surprised by the answer – everyone except Scarlet, who nodded.

“Yes, a rooster. Its crow breaks the dawn, pushing away the night to welcome the day, inviting the sun. Next, I’ll need sand from the hottest dessert, collected precisely at noon.”

“The Sahara dessert?” Hawk replied without hesitation. “I’ve got contacts there. I’ll handle that.”

“A furnace, where I can forge the item,” Scarlet continued.

“I know a smith nearby; I can borrow it,” William added.

“And I’ll need some offerings for my Queen.” Scarlet looked around, shaking her head. “I’ll take care of that part myself. Meiko, you know what’s needed next, don’t you?”

Meiko nodded, “A creature with sun attributes...but not a rooster – something magical, for the studier craft. I’ll contact Jutsushi Academy to see if they’ve raised such a beast.”

Scarlet thought for a moment, then added, “Try contacting Mahoutokoro as well.”

Meiko’s face briefly twisted in disgust. “Yes, Milady. We’ll see if those weirdos have anything useful.”

Hawk, William and Kyle, unfamiliar with the wizarding world, looked puzzled. Lupin, however, who knew about the Japanese wizarding school, was curious. “Why? Do they have a bad reputation? I always thought Mahoutokoro was a prestigious school.”

Meiko remained silent, so Scarlet stepped in to explain. “Customs and traditions stuff. You see, the Japanese have their own way of interpreting magic, and they’ve been doing so since ancient times. In essence, magic is just a way to manipulate supernatural energy, and ‘Magic’ is the term we use. But in Japan, the way they manipulate supernatural energy is called ‘Jutsu’, and the best practitioners of this are known as Onmyoji. They’re the Jutsushi equivalent of that Aurors are to British wizards. The greatest Onmyoji in history was Abe no Seimei, much like Merlin in our legends. So imagine a group of people in Japan who don’t practice Jutsu, but instead use magic. How do you think that would be perceived?”

Lupin’s brow unfurrowed. “Weird.”

“Exactly.” Scarlet said, scratching her chin. “That’s how the Jutsushi see the wizards of Mahoutokoro - a bunch of oddballs who choose to use magic in a land full of folklore and shrines, where gods and spirits are worshipped for their mystical power. Meiko graduated from Jutsushi Academy, which was founded during the time of Abe no Seimei, way before Mahoutokoro came into being.”

Lupin nodded as the pieces clicked into place.

“We’ll start with the rooster in our barn,” Scarlet continued, “until I can get hold of the magical creatures Meiko finds through her network.” Scarlet gave Lupin a reassuring smile. “Once we’ve gathered all the materials, I’ll forge something for you. Don’t worry.”

Lupin nodded, though words alone couldn’t express his gratitude. He silently vowed to repay their kindness with his actions, dedicating himself to showing his thanks for the rest of his life.