"Right," I replied slowly, feeling foolish for not considering that myself. "Thanks, Hermione."
"Of course," she said with a smile. "I just figured you'd need it to blend in better."
I nodded, thinking it through carefully. I couldn't use the Sitri magic circles on my hands either. They were tattooed in invisible ink-although they glowed bright blue when I used them-and using them openly would definitely draw unwanted attention. Clan magic circles had been perfected over centuries, maybe even thousands of years, and using them made devil magic incredibly powerful and precise. But it would also be a clear sign that I wasn't human.
At least to people who knew about devils. Maybe Dumbledore didn't know, but then again he was a teacher and I imagine he didn't really get out that much.
On the other hand, I could still cast spells just fine using my imagination. It wouldn't be as strong, and it'd take more energy, but at least it wouldn't draw attention. Combined with the fake wand Hermione had gotten me, I felt confident I could blend into the wizarding world without causing any suspicion.
Hermione gave me an encouraging nod, clearly pleased with her idea. "You ready?"
"As ready as I'll ever be," I said with a nervous laugh, tucking the wand into my pocket.
'...What a shithole,' I thought immediately as Hermione and I stood in front of the house she'd teleported us to. This was supposedly where the Weasley family lived-the same family Dumbledore wanted me to meet. I looked sideways at Hermione, wondering if she was seeing the same thing I was. Her eyes were wide open, staring at the house with a shocked expression.
The house looked like someone had just taken a bunch of sticks and shoved them together with magic to form a house shape. Sure, it was big enough, but it didn't seem very sturdy or comfortable. Some parts looked like they might fall over any second. There were windows at odd angles, and bits of wood sticking out randomly.
"I kind of expected an entire magical family to live somewhere nicer," I said, scratching the back of my head awkwardly.
Hermione turned her surprised gaze to me and offered a wry smile. "Honestly, so did I," she admitted. "But I've heard a lot of rumors at Hogwarts. The Weasleys are supposed to be incredibly poor."
I tilted my head, genuinely confused. "How can they be poor? They have magic. Can't they just, I don't know, turn invisible and rob a Muggle bank or something?"
Hermione smacked my arm playfully, but her cheeks were flushed with amusement. "Harry! That would be totally wrong!"
I laughed, feeling the tension ease a little. "Yeah, but they could still do it, right?"
She rolled her eyes, still smiling. "Technically, yes. But wizards have rules against that sort of thing."
"Right," I nodded thoughtfully. "But seriously, how do wizard families even end up poorer than Muggles? It doesn't make sense."
Hermione tapped her chin thoughtfully. "I've always wondered about that too. With all the magical resources they have, you'd think every wizarding family would at least be comfortable."
Before we could continue, the front door of the house suddenly swung open, and we both jumped slightly in surprise.
There was a very beautiful young woman standing in front of us, with long, vibrant orange hair cascading down her shoulders and pale, smooth skin dotted with adorable freckles across her heart-shaped face. Her eyes were a bright, sparkling blue that widened dramatically as she stared at me. She had a curvy figure, accentuated by the simple summer dress she wore, which hugged her body in just the right places, making it hard not to stare.
Her mouth fell open into an 'O' shape, her eyes darting rapidly back and forth between me and Hermione before finally settling on my face. "Holy shite, you're Harry Potter," she blurted out, her cheeks instantly turning a deep, embarrassed pink.
I chuckled softly, amused by her reaction, deciding not to immediately correct her mistake about my last name. "Hi, I'm Harry," I said with a friendly smile.
Hermione, standing next to me, gave the girl a warm smile. "Hello, Ginny," she greeted gently.
Ginny glanced briefly at Hermione, visibly nervous and slightly flustered. "Mom said you were supposed to be coming over today before the World Cup, but honestly, I thought she was just having us on," she admitted sheepishly. Then her gaze snapped back to Hermione with an intense curiosity, her voice dropping to an eager whisper. "Are the tabloids true? Are you actually Harry Potter's secret mistress?"
Hermione's face immediately flushed bright red, and she sputtered, clearly mortified by the question. "Absolutely not!" she protested, shaking her head vehemently.
Seeing Hermione's embarrassment, I couldn't resist teasing her just a bit. I slid my arm smoothly around her shoulders, pulling her close against my side, causing her to shiver slightly in surprise. "Come on, love," I said playfully, leaning in close enough that my voice was just loud enough for Ginny to hear clearly. "We can't hide what we are."
With a mischievous grin, I placed a quick, playful kiss on Hermione's flushed cheek, causing her blush to deepen further. I turned my gaze back to Ginny and winked, enjoying her shocked reaction.
"Uh oh," I muttered, noticing Ginny's eyes starting to roll back into her head. She began making faint, odd noises-something like "ah wah wah wah"-and suddenly started to sway dangerously backward. Reacting quickly, I released Hermione and lunged forward, wrapping my arms around Ginny just before she hit the ground.
I lowered her gently, supporting her head carefully with one hand while my other hand softly touched her warm cheek. "Hey, are you alright?" I asked gently, leaning closer to check on her.
Ginny blinked rapidly, clearly trying to regain her senses. Her eyes slowly focused on mine, widening once again as awareness returned to her expression. Her entire face turned scarlet, a deep blush that spread rapidly across her cheeks and neck.
"This is the kind of thing I've always dreamed of," she mumbled faintly, almost to herself, her voice trembling with embarrassment and awe. "Harry Potter is actually holding me in his arms."
Hearing that, I couldn't help but chuckle quietly. Yeah, it was pretty clear, this girl was definitely a fangirl. Carefully, I helped her to stand again, still supporting her gently with my hands on her waist.
"Easy now," I said warmly, keeping my grip supportive until she found her footing again.
She swayed slightly, holding tightly onto my shoulders for balance. Her hands trembled a little, and her eyes stayed locked on mine. "I'm so sorry," she stammered, obviously embarrassed. "I didn't mean to just...you know, faint."
Hermione sighed beside me, giving me a sideways glare even as she tried to hide a small smile. "Honestly, Harry," she scolded lightly, shaking her head. "Did you really have to tease her like that?"
I chuckled again, letting go of Ginny carefully once she was steady. "Sorry," I said, not entirely sincerely. "I couldn't resist. It was too perfect."
Ginny giggled nervously, tucking a strand of her vivid orange hair behind her ear. "I guess I deserved that," she admitted shyly, glancing up at me through her eyelashes. "I really am a big fan."
"So I noticed," I replied gently, smiling reassuringly to put her at ease. "It's really nice to meet you, Ginny."
Ginny smiled back at me brightly, her blush still vividly visible on her pale cheeks. "It's amazing to meet you too, Harry!"
Two twin redhead boys suddenly walked out from inside the house, their mischievous expressions immediately catching my attention. They were tall and lean, with identical freckles scattered across their pale faces, and bright green eyes gleaming with mischief. They had the same shade of vivid orange hair as Ginny, messy and slightly unruly, adding to their playful, carefree appearance.
The moment they spotted us, grins spread across their faces. One of the twins elbowed his brother and pointed straight at Ginny, who was still standing awkwardly close to me, her cheeks flushed bright red.
"Well, would you look at that, George," one of them teased loudly. "Ginny finally got her wish. She's practically swooning in Harry Potter's arms."
"I know, Fred," the other chimed in with exaggerated shock. "Our little sister, all grown up and already throwing herself at her childhood hero."
Ginny scowled fiercely at her brothers, stepping back quickly from me, her face somehow becoming even redder. "Shut up, you two idiots," she snapped, her voice shaking slightly with embarrassment.
Hermione sighed beside me, clearly familiar with their antics. Turning toward me, she spoke up calmly. "Harry, these are Fred and George. They're going to be sixth years this year in Gryffindor. And yes, they're absolute menaces at school. Always playing pranks and causing trouble."
Fred and George smirked at Hermione, exchanging quick glances with each other before turning their mischievous grins toward her.
"Wow, Hermione," Fred teased playfully. "That's high praise coming from Gryffindor's secret Ravenclaw nerd girl."
"Yeah," George agreed, nodding seriously. "Honestly, we take that as a huge compliment."
I couldn't help but frown slightly at their teasing. Ravenclaw was the Hogwarts house for studious, smart students-so yes, nerds.
...Something that definitely described Hermione, judging by her enthusiastic letters filled with excitement about learning and studying.
But I still didn't like hearing anyone tease my friend. It rubbed me the wrong way, even if they weren't being entirely mean-spirited.
Fred and George immediately noticed my frown, quickly exchanging uneasy looks before turning back toward me, their expressions shifting to apologetic. "Sorry, mate," Fred said quickly, raising his hands defensively. "We didn't mean anything by it. Just messing around."
George nodded rapidly in agreement. "Yeah, seriously. We're just surprised and excited to have a legend like Harry Potter standing in our house."
Fred suddenly grinned again, his eyes sparkling mischievously as he gave me an exaggerated once-over. "Honestly, though, George, look at him. He's so handsome, he's going to steal our girlfriend!"
George dramatically clutched his chest, faking distress. "Exactly! First Hermione, now Ginny-this guy just keeps snatching everyone's girlfriends. There's no stopping the boy-whos-too-damn-handsome!"
I couldn't hold back a smirk at their antics, feeling the tension easing from the room. Despite their initial teasing, it was clear they meant well and were just having fun.
Ginny, however, clearly didn't share my amusement. Her face was still bright red, her eyes narrowing angrily at her brothers as she crossed her arms tightly across her chest. "You two are impossible," she muttered irritably. "Can't you act normal just once? Especially when we're trying to make a good impression! Now he thinks we're weird!"
Fred and George shared another quick glance, their smirks softening slightly as they looked back at their sister. "Aw, come on, Ginny," Fred said soothingly. "You know we love you."
"Yeah," George added sincerely. "We only tease because we care."
Ginny rolled her eyes dramatically but couldn't hide the slight smile tugging at the corner of her mouth. "Fine," she relented grudgingly. "Just try not to embarrass me too much today."
"No promises!" Fred and George declared in unison, grinning broadly as they turned their attention back to Hermione and me.
"Anyway," Fred continued cheerfully. "Come inside! Mum's been cooking all day, and she's going to be thrilled you're here."
Hermione and I followed Fred, George, and Ginny deeper into the Weasley's house.
Once inside, I immediately noticed how different it looked compared to the outside. The inside was surprisingly warm and cozy. Everything looked neatly arranged and inviting. The walls were covered in family photos that moved, showing smiling faces waving or laughing, clearly happy. The furniture looked worn but comfortable, giving the whole place a relaxed and lived-in feeling.
I felt slightly guilty. I had definitely been quick to judge this place as a complete dump when we'd first arrived, but now it felt like a real home. It felt warmer and friendlier than the large but cold house I'd lived in with the Dursleys growing up. I couldn't help but compare the difference. That place had always felt stiff and sterile, like no one truly belonged there. But this place felt different. It felt real.
As we moved further inside, a woman stepped out of what looked to be the kitchen. She was probably in her mid-thirties from appearance, attractive with soft features and vibrant red hair pulled into a messy bun. She was slightly plump but in a pleasant way, the curves of her body comfortably filling out the simple yet flattering dress she wore. Her cheeks were flushed from cooking, and her eyes lit up with excitement when she saw us entering.
"Oh, you're finally here!" she exclaimed joyfully, wiping her hands on a cloth and rushing over to greet us. "I'm Molly Weasley, it's so wonderful to meet you both!"
I smiled politely, extending my hand to shake hers, but Molly ignored it and instead enveloped me in a warm hug. Making me really feel those nice plump curves as I was squished against her suddenly.
She stepped back slightly, her hands gripping my shoulders as she looked up at me. "You have no idea how happy we were when Dumbledore contacted us and told us you were alive after all these years!" she gushed emotionally. Her voice was slightly shaky with genuine excitement and happiness. "Your parents were very dear friends of ours. They were wonderful people." Her eyes softened as she spoke, her voice dropping slightly. "Especially James Potter. He was such a brave, honorable man. You remind me so much of him already!"
I shifted uneasily, glancing sideways at Hermione, who was watching me carefully, clearly understanding my discomfort.
"Er, yeah," I said quietly, not knowing exactly how to respond without sounding rude or blunt.
Ginny noticed my hesitation, immediately sensing something was off. Her eyebrows knitted together with concern as she looked up at me curiously. "Harry, is something wrong? Did Mum say something weird?"
Fred and George stopped their joking around, turning their attention fully towards me as well, their smiles slipping into confused expressions.
I scratched awkwardly at my cheek, suddenly feeling uncomfortable under everyone's intense stares. "Um, well," I began slowly. "Actually, James Potter wasn't my father..."
A stunned silence immediately filled the room. Molly's eyes widened dramatically, shock clearly visible on her face. "Oh, my goodness!" she gasped, one hand flying to her mouth.
