Chapter 66: "With Brothers Like These"
Welcome to the new members. Swamtox at the basic level and Foe Dozer at the advanced level.
This makes me feel a bit bad, as I still haven't configured the levels properly. After all, I didn't expect so many people to subscribe.
I had planned to reach at least 120 chapters in the novel before starting to configure the levels, as I really have no idea how to arrange it so that everyone is satisfied.
Maybe I should create a Discord for the members where we can even share images. They can give me ideas of what they'd like to see in the story.
"With Brothers Like These"
After meeting Wanda, Stephen and his family went to Flamel Island.
Perenelle asked for permission for the kids to have a week off since she wanted them to adjust to Wanda and accompany her. After all, she had lost her grandmother, who had raised her.
Obviously, no one denied the request since Perenelle would have ignored them anyway.
A few days after Wanda settled into the house, for some reason, she grew very fond of Harry and Perenelle. So now there were two "ducklings" following Mother Goose.
—Mommy's kids —Stephen said, watching Wanda and Harry trailing behind Perenelle as she tended the garden.
By the way, the garden had been destroyed in one of Wanda's fights with Stephen.
—Jealous? —Wanda said, hugging Perenelle and looking at Stephen with superiority.
—Do you want to fight, carrot? —Stephen said angrily, tossing the watering can aside.
—Enough! You still haven't fixed the mess you made —Perenelle said, annoyed.
Stephen swallowed his anger as he watched Wanda stick out her tongue at him.
—Childish —Stephen muttered as he picked up a ball and started singing. Perenelle had forbidden them from using magic to repair everything.
Stephen was still a bit resentful because he wanted to play video games but had to stay on the island to accompany the girl who had killed him in his past life.
By the way, Stephen explained this, just as Wanda did, to the Flamel family, who, apparently, pitied Wanda even more.
Wanda was surprised that Stephen had told them everything since she had never told her grandmother.
Stephen's response was simple:
—My life is easier if I don't have to keep making up excuses about where I got the nonexistent technology and magic. And, most importantly, it's hard to fool two of the greatest wizards of all time.
Wanda accepted that explanation.
After a day of sweating under the sun, tending to her grandmother's plants, they finally finished.
—Alright, you can rest for the rest of the day. Tomorrow, you have to go back to school. Go clean yourselves up —Perenelle said, smiling as she looked at her large family.
Because of the Elixir of Life, the Flamels had been unable to have children, something Perenelle had always longed for. Now, as if by a blessing, she had three grandchildren.
Wanda had easily accepted being adopted by the Flamels since it was her grandmother's wish, and besides, she could annoy Stephen by being his legal sister.
—Alright, Harry, let's go play with the hippogriffs first —Wanda said.
Harry got excited and nodded since he liked those animals that Stephen had rescued months ago. They refused to leave the island, so they had become residents.
—Sure, I wonder if we can ride them again —Harry said, walking alongside Wanda.
Stephen watched the duo leave and spoke:
—Where are you going, Harry? You said you'd help me test the new game the company made.
Harry remembered and was about to speak, but Wanda interrupted him.
—Shut up, nerd. Harry is coming with me to play with the animals —Wanda quickly said.
—Harry made a promise between men, and as a man, he must keep it —Stephen replied angrily.
—A man? Ha. Tell me that when you bring a girlfriend home to Grandma. Poor thing, I'm starting to think you like men —Wanda said mockingly, leaving Stephen stunned for a second.
—What did you say, family-issue witch? —Stephen said, furious, getting ready to attack.
—You should take better care of your hair... baldy —Wanda said, teasing him about when Stephen joined Kamar-Taj and shaved his head, thinking that's what monks did, only to realize it wasn't necessary.
That was the very insult that had started the previous fight that destroyed Perenelle's garden.
—You damn brat! —Stephen yelled, launching at her with harmless spells like making her bald or enlarging her teeth.
—We're siblings, so you're a brat too —Wanda replied, levitating and starting to throw mud balls using levitation spells.
Meanwhile, Harry watched everything and lamented:
—We're going to have to fix everything again —he said, going to retrieve the tools they had just put away.
Obviously, Perenelle heard the commotion and sent Misty to drag them, chained, before her.
—Sigh... You two give me headaches. Fix everything before dawn... without magic. And Harry, come have tea with your grandma —Perenelle said, looking at the siblings who were still kicking at each other since their feet were the only things they could move in the chains.
—Enough! —she said, smacking both of them on the head.
—Ouch.
—Ow.
They complained exaggeratedly, though it obviously didn't hurt that much.
—Fix this. Come on, Harry —Perenelle said as Harry dropped the tools on the ground and followed his grandmother with a smile.
—I got away —he said, following her.
—Traitor! —Wanda shouted, defeated.
—Watch your back, glasses! —Stephen yelled angrily.
Harry felt chills but ignored them. He had been living with Stephen for years, and either way, he wouldn't be spared.
Since becoming his legal brother, Stephen had let go of all inhibitions—something that made Harry happy because he treated him like real family, but also annoyed him a bit since he became the target of his "big brother" pranks.
With Wanda's arrival, Harry felt conflicted: he had gained another older sister, but he quickly grew attached to her because she treated him well. According to her, she had always wanted a little brother.
Without realizing it, Harry no longer felt restricted like he did with the Dursleys and showed his true Gryffindor nature even outside of school. This was partly thanks to Stephen's pranks, as he wanted Harry to stand up for himself and fight back like a real brother.
That's why, upon hearing the shouting behind him, he turned around and smirked mockingly, further aggravating the other two.
—Third bastard! I mean, second... Aaah! —Stephen shouted furiously upon seeing Harry's smile.
—Hahaha, you admitted to being a bastard! —Wanda teased, looking at Stephen.
After a crazy week on Flamel Island, Stephen and Harry finally had to return to Hogwarts, something that made them quite happy.
—Finally, I can get away from that damn tomato —Stephen said cheerfully as he saw Hogwarts' doors.
—The Dementors are still here —Harry said, looking at the sky with annoyance.
—Scared, Potter? Ah, wait, now it's Flamel-Potter —Stephen mocked.
Harry had requested to keep his last name, and Perenelle agreed on the condition that he also carried the Flamel name, something necessary to be the legal heir.
Wanda, on the other hand, only carried the Flamel surname since her grandmother had been a witch expelled from her family for refusing to hand over her method of extending life. She changed her former surname, Maximoff, without much attachment, as she felt she could leave that life behind.
Stephen and Harry arrived at the castle, left their belongings in their rooms, and headed to the Great Hall just in time for dinner.
—Is it okay for us to be late? —Harry asked, feeling uneasy.
—Don't worry. We said we'd be back in a week, but we never specified the time —Stephen replied with a reassuring smile.
When they reached the Gryffindor table, everyone welcomed them happily.
—Hey, guys, what's got you so excited? —Stephen asked upon seeing the enthusiastic twins.
Meanwhile, Harry sat with his friends, who had missed him.
—We don't know. Dumbledore said he had big news. Maybe it's a competition between schools using the magic booths —the twins speculated.
—Then we made it just in time —Stephen said, but suddenly he had a bad feeling.
—Ahem, if I could have your attention, I have an announcement to make. Normally, this isn't done two weeks into the school year, but under special circumstances, we will be welcoming a new student —Dumbledore said, gesturing toward the door before returning to his seat.
Even if it was just one student, they would follow the usual tradition. McGonagall stood up.
—Shit —Stephen muttered without turning around to see who was entering. His bad feeling had already become a reality—he knew exactly who it was without even looking.
—Wow, she's pretty.
—Yeah, but she looks familiar —the twins said as they clapped excitedly.
Meanwhile, Harry was stunned when he turned around and saw who was entering.
—Do you know her, Harry? She's really pretty —Ron asked, blushing a little.
—She looks familiar —Hermione said, glancing between Stephen and the new student with curiosity.
The new student was no longer wearing the Ilvermorny uniform but instead a plain black robe with no house colors. From beneath her hat, golden blonde hair cascaded over her shoulders, and her smile gave her an almost ethereal beauty, making many wonder if she was a Veela as they found themselves captivated by her presence. Her bright blue eyes seemed to pierce through everything, like magical eyes that drew people in, making it impossible to look away.
If she were a master of Legilimency, they'd all be doomed.
By the way, Stephen could have the same effect, but he suppressed his aura with an accessory his grandmother had given him after he was nearly kidnapped by dark wizards as a child.
Meanwhile, the new student stood in front of Professor McGonagall, who held a scroll in her hand before reading her name.
—Wanda Flamel —McGonagall read, slightly surprised, as only the headmaster had known about this.
At the same time, all the students were shocked and turned toward Stephen, who maintained a blank expression as he stared at his newly discovered twin sister.
—No wonder she seemed familiar.
—She's literally the boss with long hair —the twins joked cheerfully, excited that there were now two more twins at Hogwarts besides themselves.
Meanwhile, Ron made a weird face as he realized that the girl he had found attractive looked exactly like Stephen.
—They do look alike, but she seems more… radiant —Hermione said, struggling to find the right words to describe the difference.
What set them apart was basically the ethereal aura Wanda possessed, which drew everyone in.
Stephen, however, was not happy with that comment.
—More radiant? —he said angrily, glaring at Hermione.
She immediately regretted saying it.
—Obviously, I'm the cooler one, but I have to suppress it for the sake of common folk —he declared, as everyone gave him amused looks.
This only angered him further, so he ripped off one of the brooches on his shirt, unleashing his full brilliance.
The effect immediately drew everyone's attention in the Great Hall, revealing the same aura and presence as Wanda, making it undeniable that they were truly siblings.
Stephen looked at everyone with superiority before feeling a bit of regret.
—My teenage brain is making me feel like an idiot —he muttered as he put the brooch back on, disappointing many of the girls.
—Childish —Wanda said with a smile as the Sorting Hat was placed on her head. During Stephen's little show, the Hat had already been making its decision.
—Gryffindor! —the Hat declared, bringing joy to the Gryffindor students. Wanda smiled and thanked the Hat, as she had specifically asked to be placed there.
—Hmm? —Wanda stepped down from the stool, then suddenly stopped and stared in a certain direction for a few seconds before a dark smile crept onto her lips.
Both men and women around her instantly fell for her.
Meanwhile, Stephen scowled. He had a feeling this girl was planning something against him...
....
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