visit
"Why do you do it?" asked Moody in a grave voice, his magical eye locked intensely on Wanda, as if trying to read her very soul.
She didn't answer immediately. Calmly, she turned her gaze toward the children laughing and playing in the corner"Harry, Hermione, and Daphne"completely unaware of the weight of the conversation unfolding just steps away. Only then did she speak.
"Because every mother wants her children to grow up in a safe place." Her voice was gentle, yet each word carried latent power"like a calm river capable of moving mountains. "I don't hunt down every dark wizard in the world. Just the ones who dare act when my son is nearby. If it were up to me, there wouldn't be a single dark wizard left breathing in Knockturn Alley."
Her words weren't a threat. They were a chilling truth, spoken with unsettling serenity.
Moody studied her carefully. Yes… it made sense. With the immense magical power this woman radiated without effort, reducing that alley to ashes would be as easy as snapping her fingers"or summoning Fiendfyre.
"Let's go," he finally said, turning to Shacklebolt before pivoting on his heel and walking out of the bookstore, his cane striking the ground with force.
But once outside, Shacklebolt stopped him with urgency.
"Sir… what about the vigilante? Aren't we going to arrest her?"
Moody turned to him with a severe expression.
"Let me ask you something. If Dumbledore suddenly turned evil… how many Aurors would it take to bring him down?"
Shacklebolt fell silent, frozen. The mere idea shook him. He thought.
"If we wanted to avoid casualties, we'd need every Auror available. But if we ignored the risk… maybe ten could do it… though it'd be risky."
Moody let out a dry laugh.
"Only ten? You haven't seen many wizarding wars, boy. For Dumbledore… we'd need at least fifty. And with luck, half of them would survive." He leaned slightly toward him. "Now imagine ten wizards like Dumbledore. Would you want to provoke that?"
Shacklebolt swallowed hard. He didn't reply.
"It's best not to wake the dragon if it's sleeping," Moody said sternly. "Especially if that dragon is cleansing the scum from this world. The only reason the Ministry wants her caught is because pure-bloods are afraid their turn is coming. They're terrified of losing their impunity."
He paused, his tone darkening further.
"But listen closely, Kingsley. If she ever raises her hand against an innocent… I'll be the first to lead her arrest. Even if it costs me my life."
"Yes, sir," Shacklebolt replied, finally grasping the weight of his words.
And together, they walked off beneath the cold light of dawn.
…
A few days later, Wanda noticed that no one else came to bother her. It seemed the Auror who had shown up had no further plans against her. Not that she minded much"if things got messy, she'd just move. Maybe to the U.S. For someone like her, those problems were no more than buzzing flies: annoying, but ultimately meaningless.
Today, however, was a curious day. Daphne had arrived accompanied by a little girl who clung tightly to her dress and refused to let go unless she could come along too. It was her younger sister, Astoria Greengrass, a girl of barely four who insisted on joining the group.
And so, the three children became four. And the shadows that protected the Greengrass sisters became five"likely due to some ongoing conflict between wizarding families. Security had increased. Even so, in the bookstore and around Wanda, no child was in danger.
"Where's your dragon?" asked Astoria with childlike curiosity, her sweet voice making certain words sound especially adorable.
"He's at home," Harry answered calmly.
"Don't be silly, Astoria. Dragons are just fairy tales…" Daphne began, rolling her eyes"until she paused and narrowed her gaze at Harry. "Wait… do you actually have a dragon?"
"Yes," Harry said with a proud smile. "But not a real one that flies and breathes fire. Mum made him for me. His name is Red. He's like our pet."
"That's right!" Hermione chimed in excitedly. "Aunt Wanda used super powerful magic to make him just like a real one. He's as big as us and so pretty!"
"Really? I want to see him!" said Astoria, her eyes sparkling with excitement.
"Why didn't you say so earlier?! I want to meet him too! Dad won't let us visit the dragon reserve!" added Daphne, just as thrilled as her sister.
A few feet away, Wanda watched the scene while organizing books. Seeing Harry surrounded by three excited girls, she chuckled quietly to herself.
"Maybe he is a little playboy," she murmured, amused, before letting out a soft laugh and returning to her task.
"Well… I don't mind," Harry said with a shrug. "But my house is in the Muggle world. I don't know if your parents would let you come."
Harry had spent enough time in Diagon Alley to notice that many wizards avoided the Muggle world"or didn't understand it at all. The Greengrasses were a pure-blood family, very traditional, so he doubted they'd be thrilled about the idea.
"It doesn't matter! We want to go anyway!" Daphne answered without hesitation.
"Yes, yes!" Astoria added, nodding rapidly.
"Just in case, it'd be best to ask your parents first. And we also have to ask Aunt Wanda," Hermione said wisely.
"Mmm… well…" Astoria murmured, a little less confident.
"Then let's ask them right now! Laki!" Daphne called.
A house-elf appeared among them with a small pop.
"Take us to Mum and Dad," Daphne said, taking Astoria's hand.
"Understood, miss," replied Laki. And after taking their hands, she snapped her fingers. They vanished in an instant.
The shadows guarding the shop moved swiftly. Since apparition was blocked inside the bookstore, they exited into the alley and vanished together.
"Looks like a tough job," Wanda muttered, letting out a sigh as she watched the escorts disappear.
Harry and Hermione came over to her.
"Mum, is it okay if Daphne and Astoria come over to play later?" Harry asked.
"Of course, but I hope your room and the playroom are clean… or they might be in for a disappointment," Wanda said with a teasing smile.
Harry's face froze in mock horror.
"Great! Then… I'll go home and… change clothes!" he said quickly, before dashing toward the fireplace.
Hermione watched him go without moving.
"Aren't you going with him?" Wanda asked.
"No. If I go, he'll make me help him clean. It's better if I stay and read," Hermione replied with a ready smile, making Wanda laugh.
"Good decision," Wanda said with a nod.
"Aunt Wanda…" Hermione said suddenly, turning toward her.
"Yes?"
"I know you're teaching Harry magic. I was wondering if… could you teach me too?" she asked, her voice soft and a little fearful of being rejected.
"I wouldn't mind teaching you," Wanda answered kindly, though her tone grew a little more serious. "But the magic I'm teaching Harry is something you can't learn… because Harry has a different kind of magic."
"So I can't?" Hermione asked, lowering her gaze with a bit of sadness.
"I can teach you all the magic in the world… except that. Because it's one only Harry and I can use, since we're mother and son," Wanda explained patiently.
Hermione raised her eyes, focusing on the important part.
"So I can learn all the other magic? Really?"
"Only if your mom lets you," Wanda replied with a smile.
"Then I'll go ask her right now!" Hermione shouted, running off toward the fireplace.
Wanda watched her leave, smiling.
Later that day, just as Wanda was closing the bookstore and the last book floated gently back to its place on the shelf, the doorbell rang once more.
At the threshold, standing with natural grace and a serene smile, was Selene Greengrass, accompanied by her two daughters " Daphne and little Astoria " whose eyes shone with excitement.
"Hello," Selene greeted kindly. "Sorry for showing up so suddenly, but the girls insisted they wanted to visit your house."
Wanda raised an eyebrow with mild amusement.
"Harry asked me that too. I don't mind, if you don't."
"It's fine if I join," Selene replied, stepping inside. "We don't usually go to the Muggle world… and as a mother, you know, I worry about everything."
"Of course," Wanda said, and with a gentle wave of her hand, her work uniform dissolved like dust of light, transforming into comfortable, modern clothes.
Selene watched the change with a hint of admiration.
"Should we change too, to go to the Muggle world?"
Wanda looked at them, especially at their traditionally cut dresses which, though elegant, would scream "we're witches" in any Muggle neighborhood.
"It's not necessary if you're only going to use the Floo Network. But if you want to go for a walk around the neighborhood…" she paused. "Well, you'd stand out a lot. Let me help you."
She extended her hand naturally. An aura of bright energy, like threads of liquid light, danced in the air and enveloped the three of them. In seconds, their dresses were replaced with modern, elegant clothes perfectly suited to their styles. Daphne now wore jeans and a light jacket. Astoria had a skirt with enchanted patterns that subtly changed color. And Selene wore a white silk blouse with silver details, perfectly matched with fitted pants and soft boots.
But the most amazing thing wasn't the change of clothes.
Selene, with her keen senses, blinked in disbelief.
All her protective enchantments " spells she had placed herself on her daughters' and her own clothes " were still there… intact. Not a single one had been deactivated. Wanda hadn't just changed the appearance of the garments. She had woven her magic around the existing defenses without breaking them, like a weaver who doesn't cut the threads but intertwines them with a new, even stronger design.
"How…?" Selene murmured, completely surprised.
Wanda smiled calmly, reading her expression perfectly.
"Don't worry. The enchantments are still there. I just gave them a different form."
Selene looked at her with narrowed eyes, as if seeing an ancient and powerful creature disguised as a human.
"Impressive…" she finally said, unable to hide her admiration.
Before she could say more, Astoria tugged on her modernized dress.
"Let's go now! I want to see Red!"
"Yes, let's go!" Daphne said, equally impatient.
Wanda turned toward the fireplace and with a snap, the flame turned emerald green.
"So, ready to see the dragon's house?"
The girls squealed with excitement, and Selene let out a soft laugh. One by one, they took handfuls of Floo powder, and speaking the destination clearly, they disappeared into the magical flames.
Finally, Wanda stepped forward, closing the shop with a gesture before entering the fireplace and saying firmly:
"Maximoff and Potter home."
A green flare surrounded her, and the group reappeared in the spacious and bright living room of their Muggle home, where a soft roar echoed from the back of the hallway… accompanied by the dull thud of something very large moving.
"Is that sound…?" Selene asked, stopping.
"Red," Wanda answered with an enigmatic smile. "Looks like he knows there's a visitor."
And then, from the back of the house, something approached with heavy, steady footsteps…