Lights in the Mist
Dred was, as always, on his small island. But unlike the absolute emptiness that had once defined it, the place now looked a bit different. There were a few makeshift tables and chairs, even a colorful inflatable that the children had brought over time each time they came to visit.
It was amusing to see them arrive carrying things, organizing what looked like a small base of operations on his island. Dred watched the process with a mix of resignation and amusement. At least they had brought him some comforts; after so many years, he didn't feel quite as lonely anymore.
After a flash of light, Dred sat reading one of the books the children had left for him. Though, to be honest, their literary choices weren't exactly the best. Most were schoolbooks or children's tales.
The schoolbooks, of course, came from Percy, who seemed to be hiding them there just so he wouldn't have to study, knowing that neither his mother nor his aunt would come looking for them. The storybooks, on the other hand, came from Harry, who insisted that Dred would get bored if he didn't have something to read at night.
Even so, between Percy's history books and Harry's collections of legends, Dred had managed to form quite a complete idea of how the world outside of the magical one worked. He had learned about wars, kings, and heroes, blending the real with the mythological as if it were a kind of cultural alloy.
As he calmly read through an old compilation of Arthurian legends Harry had brought him a few days ago, he suddenly felt a pair of gazes fixed on him. Slowly lowering the book, he found himself facing two pairs of eyes staring at him with triumphant smiles and a hint of arrogance.
Both boys raised their hands to show him two envelopes.
"Our Hogwarts letters arrived!" Percy announced proudly as soon as Dred's attention was on them.
"Mmm…" was all the man replied, lifting the book again to cover his face.
"Hey, don't ignore us!" Percy complained, annoyed, tapping the edge of the book to lower it again.
Dred let out a sigh.
"You've both known you'd go to Hogwarts since you were six. Why are you so excited now? It's just a school where they'll lock you up with a bunch of other magical brats and keep you under close watch. You won't be able to cause trouble like you usually do; and you'll be separated from your mother and your aunt."
Harry and Percy's faces turned pale instantly. Dred realized that maybe he shouldn't have said that to two very devoted mama's boys.
Harry grabbed his head, eyes wide open, clearly thinking of something important.
"He's right, Percy. We forgot, but Hogwarts is a boarding school," he said with the seriousness of someone whose world was collapsing.
"Ah… uh… we're fine," muttered Percy, though he was stammering so much and his face was so tense that it was obvious he thought the opposite. "We can stay away from Mom for a couple of days," he added, though those words seemed to hurt.
"School lasts for months," said Harry, frowning.
"…"
Both turned around and sprinted straight toward the fireplace, while Dred watched them go with a forced smile. He even scratched his head with a guilty look, imagining the chaos he had just unleashed upon the boys' mother.
...
"We don't want to go to Hogwarts," declared Harry and Percy with complete seriousness the moment they stepped out of the fireplace.
On the other side, Sally—who had been about to leave for work—and Mor, who was reading a book with Dred-like calm, looked at them with confused faces.
Even Euphemia and Fleamont, from the nearby portrait, stared at the boys with wide eyes.
"What happened? Yesterday you were so eager to go," said Sally, approaching them with a serious expression. She knew how excited they had been for years, ever since they'd seen the great castle and heard stories about all the children who would be there, imagining the friends they'd make.
"We're not that eager anymore. We can go to a non-magical school. Aunt Mor is a good teacher anyway," Percy replied with equal seriousness.
Sally turned to Mor, seeking an explanation for the sudden change.
Mor studied them for a few seconds, narrowing her eyes thoughtfully.
"They just realized they'll have to live away from their mother for several months, didn't they?"
Both boys flinched slightly and looked down without saying a word.
Sally smiled gently, her tone warm and patient.
"How about you come with me to work today?" she offered, not wanting to pressure them. She wouldn't force them to go to Hogwarts if they didn't want to, though deep down she knew it would be good for them. At Hogwarts, there would be more children like them—real friends to share with. There were still a few days left before they had to decide, and Sally wanted the choice to come from their hearts, not from fear of separation, even if part of her secretly liked that reason.
"Really?" they both asked excitedly. They had never gone to the Veil before. Sally had always told them it was dangerous, or perhaps she just wanted to keep them away from certain… special matters. But over time, working with the Knights, everyone there had proven to be completely trustworthy.
Thanks to those same Knights' sponsorship, Sally now worked as a magical researcher. Her task was to analyze and adapt enchanted objects so the group's members—who were all Muggles—could use them safely. Mark had also joined her team, and together they'd achieved major advances that greatly improved the group's magical technology.
The only problem was that some wizards who had previously worked with the Knights saw it as pure sacrilege. Their pride as wizards wouldn't let them accept that Muggles could use enchanted tools, so they ended up quitting. Well… it was only three of them, but their absence was noticeable.
Of the few wizards who stayed, all were overloaded with work. The Knights lacked magical manpower, and even with generous pay, most wizards preferred to look down on them rather than share their knowledge with non-magical people. Luckily, the Knights didn't care; Sally's work quality and fair prices were all that mattered.
Mor had told her more than once that she could keep creating whatever she wanted since her magic was different. It wasn't the usual kind of wizard magic, but rather Mist-based—something far older and far more flexible.
Thanks to the potions and artifacts Sally had developed, the Knights could move more easily, heal faster, and even detect places protected by Muggle-repelling charms.
Of course, nothing she created could be considered a weapon. Sally never wanted to deal with that kind of magic, and the Knights didn't need it anyway. What she provided was more than enough. For example, once, a dragon escaped from a magical farm and attacked the city—it was captured even before the wizards arrived. Without the Knights' intervention, the wizards probably would've just erased the witnesses' memories and called it "an accident," without taking any real responsibility.
The owner of the farm, on the other hand, was arrested without being able to get away.
Now the Knights had full authority to capture any culprit from the magical world who caused damage in the normal one. In the past, they might have ignored such incidents to avoid conflicts between the two worlds, but that line had been crossed long ago.
They respected the wizards' secrecy and their desire to remain hidden, but they would not tolerate their magic causing chaos or suffering among non-magical people. Unlike wizards, they couldn't simply erase memories with a flick of a wand.
Harry and Percy followed their mother, who parked the car in the workers' area. Then they accompanied her toward what looked like an old castle used for guided tours. However, Sally led them through a hidden door, where a worker greeted her respectfully before pressing a small button. At that moment, a large stone at the corner of the wall turned translucent.
It was an upgrade designed by Sally herself. They entered through the opening and descended a concealed staircase as the stone regained its solid form, sealing the passage behind them.
At the bottom, they found themselves in a wide hallway full of soldiers moving back and forth. Everyone greeted Sally upon seeing her, and some offered friendly smiles to the children.
"So these are the two hatchlings," commented one of the soldiers, approaching with a grin. Sally recognized him immediately; he was part of the team she usually worked with.
"Yes, these are Harry and Percy," she replied proudly. She was such a proud mother that everyone in the Veil already knew who her sons were. Even Gema, their teacher, often shared funny stories about them.
"Hello," both boys said in unison, bowing their heads politely.
"Hey there, kids. Did you come to keep your mom company at work?" asked the soldier kindly.
"Yes," they both replied enthusiastically, their eyes immediately drawn to a large glass wall revealing, on the other side, a collection of magical objects glowing with lights of many colors. Each was encased in its own glass box, protected and labeled with symbols the boys couldn't understand.
"You're in luck today. The superior brought something new; maybe he'll let you into the Veil Chamber to take a closer look," said the soldier with a smile.
"Awesome!" said Percy, while Harry seemed distracted, staring intently at a point in the back of the room, as if something were calling to him.
"Harry?" Percy asked, noticing his expression.
Harry blinked and turned to his brother.
"What is it?"
"That's what I was going to ask you. You were staring like you'd seen a ghost."
"I think I heard something calling me… it sounded like Parseltongue," Harry murmured quietly, just as Sally finished her conversation with the soldier and he took his leave.
"So, do you want to see where I work?" she asked her sons with a smile.
"Yes!" they both answered instantly, following her eagerly.
Harry, however, paused for a moment. He turned his head toward the glass wall, trying to identify the source of that voice he thought he'd heard. But none of the objects seemed to make a sound, though many shimmered with strange energy. Finally, he let the sensation go and caught up with his mother.
...
Sally's workplace was a vast room full of magical tables, each with its own purpose. On one rested dismantled lamps and tools that looked like they belonged to a watchmaker's workshop, only these were engraved with fine runic inscriptions. On another table, a large cauldron bubbled with potion, surrounded by shelves filled with ingredients of every kind.
In one corner stood a massive shelf containing huge jars with objects floating in viscous liquid: eyes that seemed to move, fragments of skin, and small red pustules.
Harry and Percy grimaced in disgust at the sight.
Sally noticed their expressions and chuckled softly.
"Your Aunt Mor usually brings those to me. She helps collect materials for my research. She's a big help—especially now that we don't have other wizards who can go gather these things."
"There aren't any more wizards?" asked Harry curiously.
"No, it's just Mark and me working here. He's in charge of the potion area, so don't touch anything. He's trying to create something a little dangerous," Sally explained as she pulled out her wand and pointed it at the ceiling. A magical curtain descended and hardened, covering the potion section completely.
Normally, that barrier served to isolate Mark's work, but it could also be used to keep curious people out… or to hide delicate research. Still, Mark trusted Sally, and the two often shared discoveries and discussed improvements that benefited both their projects.
"Why did the other wizards quit?" Harry pressed.
Sally sighed.
"They didn't like working here," she replied, avoiding the details. "Come on, I want to show you something I've been working on."
She led them to a table covered with old lanterns, each framed in black metal and decorated with crystals that glimmered with tiny points of light.
"Do you remember the lantern Mr. Einajrd gave us?" she asked with an excited smile.
"The one that ended up as an expensive decoration?" Percy said right away.
Sally laughed.
"Well, yes, but I thought it could be more useful."
She opened one of the lanterns, lit the inner flame with a small lighter, and closed the little door. Then she lifted it up. The light that emanated from it was warm and soft, different from ordinary bulbs; it seemed to wrap around them with a serene glow.
"Now…" Sally said with a mischievous look at her sons. "Percy, did you eat the snacks I'd saved for later?"
Percy's eyes widened, his body tensing slightly.
"What? Of course not!" he replied hastily.
His body began to glow faintly red.
"Eh?" he murmured, looking down at his hands.
"It's a lie-detecting lantern," Sally explained with an amused smile. "The red color appears when someone lies. So yes… you did eat the snacks."
"I did not!" Percy insisted, but he glowed red again.
He immediately pointed at his brother. "Harry did too!"
His body changed to a blue hue.
"What? I didn't!" said Harry, but his skin also turned red instantly.
Sally looked at them with a mix of amusement and affection.
"Two little liars shining with their own light," she said, laughing softly as both boys exchanged guilty looks, fully aware that they'd been completely caught.