This took place on a day shortly after Christmas.
Nolan sat in a reclining chair on the third-floor balcony of Sistine Manor, a brown owl fluttering its wings beside him. In his hand was a parchment letter, the elegant handwriting belonging to an Eastern girl.
A soft rustling sound came from the canopy bed behind him. Moments later, a silver-haired girl wrapped in a blanket peeked out, her bare shoulders exposed as she leaned over his back. "What's that, Nolan?"
"It's a letter from Cho. She's inviting us to Diagon Alley," Nolan replied after a brief pause. "It seems she's made a promise to her sister—to take her on a tour of the wizarding shopping district."
In Cho Chang's family, only her father was a wizard. Her mother was a Muggle, and as the primary breadwinner, her father rarely had time to take his daughters shopping. Bai Chang, who had always longed for the magical world, had never been to Diagon Alley before.
This time, in an attempt to reconcile with her sister, Cho had decided to take her there.
"They still haven't made up?" Eve furrowed her brows. "Isn't her sister being a little too unreasonable?"
She couldn't help but recall her own first year at Hogwarts and the upheavals in her family. Compared to what Miss Stock had been through two years ago, Bai Chang's struggle seemed insignificant—it was merely the fact that she couldn't become a witch. Was that really something worth resenting?
"We're not Bai Chang. We can't fully understand her perspective," Nolan said calmly. "Besides, she's just a child. She has the right to throw a tantrum."
"Hey!"
"And so do you, of course."
"That's not what I meant!"
Outside, the snow-covered Randall Gorge echoed with their playful voices, which soon softened into intimate whispers.
…
"Good afternoon, Stephanie."
As Nolan and Eve descended the stairs, they unexpectedly ran into the necromancer, a rare occurrence. Thinking back, they realized they hadn't seen her for quite some time. Had she been staying in the basement with Penelope all this time?
"Afternoon? But it's night… oh, right, I forgot. It's always nighttime in Randall Gorge." Stephanie glanced at the clock. "Three in the afternoon, technically. Good afternoon, Nolan, Eve."
She and Eve had only met once before and weren't very familiar, but Eve had a remarkable ability to accept all of Nolan's strange family members. Stephanie, in turn, was happy to befriend the little witch.
Eve blinked. "Where have you been all this time?"
"Oh, I've been spending time with our dear Miss Clearwater! She's simply fascinating!" Stephanie's eyes sparkled with enthusiasm as she rattled on. "Her reactions are truly interesting. I've been conducting some studies, exploring new aspects of the soul's endurance. She's a rare talent, truly one of a kind! If only I could preserve her unique essence in a way that truly lasts…"
Nolan raised an eyebrow in warning. "Stephanie, she's my senior at Hogwarts."
"So stingy." The necromancer sighed dramatically. "If you ever forbid me from studying Miss Clearwater, whatever shall I do with myself?" Her expression was full of melodramatic sorrow.
Wait… had Penelope Clearwater really become such an essential part of Stephanie's research? How had things escalated to this point?
Nolan hesitated, unsure of how to respond, but Eve was more concerned with something else. "Wait… who exactly are we talking about? That name sounds so familiar. Clearwater… I think I've heard it at Hogwarts, specifically in Ravenclaw…"
"Oh, of course you have. We even shared a train ride with her this Christmas."
"It's Penelope!" Eve gasped, her eyes widening in shock. "I can't believe you two roped her into this! What if Hogwarts or Dumbledore finds out?"
"He already knows," Nolan murmured as if recounting an ordinary occurrence. "When he sent me that Christmas card along with a pair of woolen socks, he also included a note. It said he hoped we'd treat Miss Clearwater well… and that he looked forward to seeing her again after the holidays."
"…" Eve opened her mouth but found herself at a loss for words.
Stephanie, on the other hand, continued her passionate discussion about her so-called studies.
"I don't need to hear how fascinating her reactions are," Nolan interrupted, rubbing his temple. "Listen, Stephanie, I don't mind you spending time with her, but don't take things too far. As I said, she's my senior. I don't want anything that happens here to strain my relationship with Hogwarts. Even though I have little respect for Dumbledore, I admire her Head of House, Professor Flitwick. Penelope shouldn't be caught in the middle of that."
"Fine, fine," Stephanie pouted, as if she were being terribly wronged.
After that, Nolan and Eve decided to visit Penelope and see how she was doing.
Though Nolan had warned Stephanie not to take things too far, it seemed like she had already left a lasting impression on the poor girl.
"Oh, Merlin's beard!" Eve covered her face. "What have you guys done to her?"
"I'm not entirely sure why Stephanie is so interested in her," Nolan admitted, studying the girl before him. "But she looks… oddly content, doesn't she?"
Penelope, seemingly dazed, blinked up at them. As soon as she registered Nolan's presence, she instinctively moved closer, as if seeking approval.
"This…" Nolan hesitated for a moment, visibly torn.
Eve groaned. "Nolan!"
"Alright, alright, Eve. But you must admit, this was meant as a gift from Stephanie. It wouldn't be polite to reject her generosity, would it?"
"I'm beginning to question whether our love is as pure as I once believed…" Eve sighed, shaking her head in amusement.
A mix of emotions churned within her. Watching these dark creatures play their games with her senior, she should have felt horrified. But oddly enough, she wasn't disturbed at all. In fact, just like Nolan, she found herself a little… intrigued.
Was this who she truly was deep down? Had becoming a vampire's fiancée always been her inevitable fate?
"Penelope, hey, are you still with us?" Nolan gently tapped the girl's cheek, receiving only a soft murmur in response.
"She's not talking?" Eve asked, concerned.
"She should be able to," Nolan mused. "Stephanie may enjoy her games, but she's not that skilled… not yet. Maybe she's used some kind of magic. Necromancers are quite talented when it comes to manipulating others."
He tapped his wand lightly against Penelope's forehead, watching for a reaction.
His wand was slightly pointed, so it should have been at least a little uncomfortable—but instead, Penelope simply shivered, her expression one of… pleasure.
Nolan and Eve exchanged glances.
"…Maybe we should talk to Stephanie about boundaries," Eve muttered.