Chapter 6. The Spring InterludeoOoOo

  During the following few months, life resumed its peaceful course.

  As pnned, a goblin protection team had arrived to secure the house. Under Séléné and Umbra’s attentive gazes, watching every movement from the balcony, the goblins busied themselves with surprising efficiency. Their small stature didn’t stop them from handling the heavy rune stones with disconcerting ease, each stone being carefully pced according to a complex pattern.

  Curious, Séléné called out to the team leader, a goblin with eyes that sparkled with intelligence. Pleased by the young girl’s interest, he took the time to expin how the protection system worked. He described the role of each rune, the way they interacted with one another, and the overall effect they produced on the house.

  “Each rune stone,” he expined patiently, “is imbued with a specific intention. Some runes are meant to repel negative energy, others to reinforce the structure of the house, and still others to create an invisible barrier against natural elements.”

  He emphasized that the protection wasn’t absolute. A determined wizard, one with great magical power, could potentially break through the house’s defenses. However, for the average ill-intentioned individual, the house would be nearly impenetrable.

  “Anyone who tries to enter this house with bad intentions,” the goblin decred, “will come up against an invisible force. They might suddenly be overcome with remorse, feel physically unwell, or even fall victim to terrifying hallucinations.”

  In addition to this psychological protection, the runes also offered physical protection. They reinforced the structure of the house, making it more resistant to fires, storms, and other natural disasters.

  Séléné listened intently, impressed by the system’s complexity and effectiveness. Now, she understood why goblins were so renowned for their protective magic.

  Once satisfied with the exterior, the curse breakers moved inside to continue their work. With practiced efficiency, they swiftly connected the cottage's chimney to the floo services, then enchanted the living room mirror, linking it to Hogwarts’ network.

  Miyu, a flicker of unease in her eyes, voiced her concerns. "How secure are the floo and the mirror connections exactly? We wouldn't want just anyone barging in unannounced."

  Sensing her apprehension, the curse breaker in charge offered a reassuring expnation. "The floo network is quite secure. No one can initiate a floo call to this cottage unless they have the specific address. And even with the address, they won't be able to enter without the password, which we'll establish together ter.”

  He then gnced toward the mirror.

  “As for the mirror, it's a bit more complicated. It's connected to a series of mirrors in every common room in Hogwarts, so hypothetically, any student could call you by your name. Of course, they wouldn't connect unless you accept. We are trying to miniaturize the process to make it more personal, but so far, every smaller prototype only works under stronger wards and in magically rich environments, defeating the purpose of offering the service to mundane families.”

  His expnation seemed to alleviate Miyu's worries. The team continued their work, and, once confident that the cottage's magical connections were both functional and secure, they tackled the st part of the visit, establishing a safe space where Séléné could practice magic.

  The celr, previously unused by the family, turned out to be absolutely perfect for this purpose. Located underground and without windows, it offered ideal protection from prying eyes. In addition, its stone walls were perfect for engraving runes that limited the amount of avaible magic, allowing Séléné to practice harmless spells without triggering Ministry surveilnce, except in the case of an accident that exceeded the authorized threshold.

  That evening, after the team had left, the family unanimously decided to wait until spring before returning to Diagon Alley. Séléné already had all the necessary books, and they didn’t want her upcoming departure for the magical world to affect the remainder of her current schooling.

  oOoOo

  And so, winter quietly settled in, cloaking the ndscape in a soft, white mantle. The days grew shorter, the cold deepened, but inside the family home, a warm and studious atmosphere prevailed. In her spare time, Séléné immersed herself in her reading, having created a true cocoon in her bedroom. The gentle purring of Umbra, curled on her p, accompanied her as she explored the magical world. The softly glowing globe, casting its shifting hues across the room, transformed the space into something out of a fairy tale, where dreams and reality quietly intertwined.

  To Gabriel and Miyu’s surprise, the first books their daughter chose to open weren’t about Charms or Transfiguration, but about the history of the magical world. Unable to truly expin her choice, Séléné simply shrugged and said she was curious to know how an entire society had managed to remain hidden. In truth, her motivation ran far deeper. The differences she had noticed between the magical world described in books and the one Okuni had told her about stirred her curiosity. She hoped history might offer clues as to why they diverged, and she wasn’t disappointed. As she read, she stumbled upon a striking inconsistency: in this world, Voldemort had never existed.

  To Okuni, Voldemort had been a terrifying threat, looming over the magical world since the 1970s, a dark wizard so feared that no one dared speak his name, referring to him only as “You-Know-Who.” But in the history books she was currently reading, there was no trace of him. Since the end of the Second World War and the defeat of a certain Grindelwald, the magical world had entered a period of peace and prosperity, undisturbed by any dark wizard of great power. For Séléné, this discovery was the first concrete sign that something was wrong, that the threads of fate had been woven differently than Okuni foretold.

  When she ter met her in her dreams to share her discovery, Séléné was surprised to find that Umbra, ever mischievous, had somehow managed to follow her into the dreamlike theatre and was now exploring the space under Okuni’s amused, if slightly puzzled, gaze.

  The two witches spoke until morning, and her ancestor acknowledged that in her vision, Voldemort had been either directly responsible for or deeply connected to most of the events she had set out to prevent. His absence rendered all of her information meaningless. Though she tried not to show it, Okuni was deeply unsettled by the realization that she had cursed herself solely to pass down knowledge that now held no value.

  Not quite sure how to act in front of a slightly sulking ancestor, Séléné picked up Umbra, letting her nuzzle against her chest, both tails waving contentedly, and then, she allowed the dream to fade.

  When she woke the next morning, in the still-dim room, she made a quiet decision. If she couldn’t rely on foreknowledge, then she would rely on knowledge instead, and began to study even harder.

  oOoOo

  When spring began to show itself across the English countryside, chasing away the snow and bringing the rain, Miyu and Séléné prepared for their visit to Okuni’s vault at Gringotts. Gabriel had originally been meant to accompany them, but a shipping issue at the port required his presence.

  As Séléné finished putting on her coat and Miyu grumbled in vividly colorful Japanese about the absurdity of putting on dirty shoes right next to a firepce, Umbra sulked. The maneko seemed convinced that wherever Séléné went, she was meant to go too, and being denied a trip to Diagon Alley had clearly offended her sensibilities.

  Once both women were ready, they stepped into the hearth, Miyu holding tightly to her daughter’s shoulders, clearly uneasy with the decidedly unfamiliar situation. Séléné, for her part, felt more at ease, and was even slightly amused by the sight of Umbra’s turned back, her two tails swiping the floor furiously. Ignoring her opinionated pet, she proceeded to follow the goblins’ instructions. She grabbed a pinch of Floo Powder and, with clear enunciation, threw it into the firepce while saying, “The Leaky Cauldron.”

  The effect was immediate, and thoroughly disorienting. A whirlwind of green fmes erupted from the hearth, blinding them both. They felt a powerful force seize them, spinning them around at dizzying speed. The world around them blurred, and one firepce after another fshed past in a dizzying kaleidoscope, each one different from the st. Then, just as suddenly as it had begun, the motion stopped.

  The fmes vanished. The two women, still dazed and unsteady, found themselves standing inside a new firepce, rger and darker than the one they had left behind. They had arrived, safe and sound, but definitely shaken, in the heart of the old pub.

  “Daijōbu, Kā-san?” (Are you alright, mum?) Séléné asked, gncing at her mother’s pale face.

  “Hai, Ushio-chan, …but I think I’ll need to sit down for a moment. That was… something else,” Miyu replied, her legs still a little unsteady.

  Following the advice of Tom, the bartender who had come to greet them, mother and daughter brushed the bits of ash from their shoulders, then made their way through the dimly lit room to an empty table. They each ordered something unfamiliar from the menu, doing their best to choose drinks that sounded retively harmless. Still a bit dizzy from the experience, they sat together in companionable silence while Tom set about preparing their order.

  After a few minutes, their drinks arrived, a ‘Fizzle Fizz’ for Miyu, a sparkling concoction whose rainbow hues shifted randomly with each passing second, and a ‘Nimbus Nine Soda' for Séléné, which gave off a thin wisp of smoke tinted faintly violet… not exactly the most reassuring detail.

  Driven by growing curiosity and a hint of apprehension, the two of them raised their gsses to their lips at the same time. Miyu, the first to react, let out a small cry of surprise. The taste was indescribable, a blend of exotic fruits, wildflowers, and a touch of spice that tickled her pate in the most delightful way. Séléné, for her part, said nothing, simply savoring each sip with an expression of pure delight on her face.

  Without exchanging a word, they downed the rest of their drinks in one go, eager to discover what effects these mysterious concoctions might have.

  For a few moments, nothing happened.

  Then, slowly, the first signs began to appear.

  Miyu felt a gentle warmth spread through her body. Her senses sharpened, and a fresh surge of energy coursed through her limbs. When she finally spoke, her voice sounded melodic, almost musical, each word ringing out like a crystalline note.

  Séléné, meanwhile, felt a sudden lightness, as though gravity itself had let go of her. She rose gently into the air, purple bubbles escaping from her ears and drifting around her like enchanted fireflies. A look of wonder lit up her face, and her eyes sparkled with joy.

  “That’s… something else,” said Miyu, switching back to English, her voice still sounding slightly musical.

  Séléné could only nod. She was floating around, and had just discovered that the purple bubbles were also coming from her mouth if she tried to speak. Luckily, it didn't st long and not even a minute ter, she was back on the ground and the bubbles weren't as numerous.

  Their little break had been surprisingly enjoyable. The drinks’ clearly magical effects did a fine job of distracting them from the discomfort of their arrival. But they still had a visit to the bank ahead of them, and agreed they’d lingered in the pub long enough.

  In quiet agreement, they rose from the table. Miyu went to pay for their drinks at the bar, while Séléné, proudly holding the wand she had brought just for the occasion, stepped into the back courtyard to open the passage. It was time for mother and daughter to continue their journey toward Gringotts.

  oOoOo

  “Maybe the Floo wasn’t so bad after all,” Séléné grumbled, clinging to Miyu for dear life as the cart hurtled forward.

  It took only a few minutes on those death-defying Gringotts contraptions to change their minds about travelling by firepce. At least the Floo was quick, and didn’t make you feel like you were about to die at every sharp turn.

  Their guide, Gloomfang, didn’t quite live up to his name. He seemed thoroughly ecstatic at each of the frightened yelps echoing behind him. More than once, Séléné could have sworn she saw him smile just before pulling a lever, and each time, the cart jolted forward with a suspicious burst of speed.

  Luckily for them, all good things had to come to an end, and the cart eventually rolled to a stop beside a stone ptform. Without waiting to be asked, Miyu and Séléné climbed out, still clinging tightly to each other.

  Following Gloomfang, they approached a massive circur metal door, fnked by torches whose light was far too steady to be natural. At the center of the door, the number ‘839’ was carved in a stylized script, accompanied by two engraved figures: a crane perched atop the back of a Kirin. Both creatures faced forward, calmly watching the approaching group.

  “Key, please,” asked Gloomfang, who had yet to lose his grin.

  While frowning at him and with a faint tremble in her hand, Miyu handed the key to their guide, who wasted no time inserting it into the lock and turning it three times in quick succession. A series of metallic clicks echoed from within the door, like gears catching and setting others in motion.

  Under Séléné’s spellbound gaze, the engraved animals on the door, apparently disturbed by the noise, began to stir. The crane took off without hesitation, circling the carved number in slow, concentric arcs, while the Kirin stretched like a cat, then began to roam the surface of the door with graceful, deliberate steps.

  Very slowly, as if savoring a suspense known only to itself, the door began to move, letting out the faintest creak.

  Séléné, for her part, was already imagining what might lie within the vault. She knew her father had transferred a modest amount of money, just enough for a bit of summer shopping, and that the goblins had merged this new vault with the one that had once belonged to Okuni, some three hundred years earlier.

  Could there be a hidden treasure? Ancient grimoires long forgotten, filled with secrets lost to the world? Perhaps even enchanted jewels or a legendary weapon?

  “Are you pnning to keep staring at the door all day?”

  Startled by her mother’s voice, Séléné blinked. Lost in her imagination, she hadn’t even noticed that the door had already opened.

  A little sheepish, but far too eager to uncover the fabulous treasure Okuni might have left behind, she stepped quickly across the threshold, entirely missing the sly grin curling at the edge of Gloomfang’s mouth.

  The chamber was massive, or at least, from the height of her eleven years, it felt that way. Probably the size of a basketball court. Here and there, small piles of coins y scattered across the floor, and in the center sat a red wooden trunk, decorated with distinctly Japanese motifs.

  A little underwhelmed, she shot a questioning look at their guide, just now noticing his smirk.

  “What did you expect?” Gloomfang said. “She was a stage actress, not a princess. Even in her time, she wasn’t exactly wealthy.”

  Beside her, Miyu suddenly found a great deal of interest in the ceiling and began to whistle a little tune, far too innocently. But out of the corner of her eye, Séléné could spot the unmistakable curve of a smirk on her mother’s lips.

  “Traitor,” Séléné muttered, doing her best to pretend she wasn’t disappointed by the sudden return to reality.

  As she took a closer look at the trunk, she noticed that the painted symbols on its smooth surfaces strongly resembled Okuni’s kimono, deep blue waves, with cranes flying overhead. Recognizing the usual suspect, she half-expected to see a Kirin as well, or at least some kind of movement in the decoration. But no, the trunk was decidedly non-magical, and no mythical creature appeared.

  She began opening the various compartments. In one drawer, she found a makeup kit long since expired; in another, several beautifully crafted kabuki costumes, clearly of excellent quality, though far too rge for her. Even a wig was tucked inside, its craftsmanship exquisite.

  Finally, in a much ftter drawer near the top, she discovered a fan, an absolutely stunning piece. Once opened, it revealed four cquered panels, each bearing part of Okuni’s name. Together, they spelled out: 出雲阿国 (Izumo no Okuni).

  Strangely, she felt the fan respond to her touch, as though it were… pleased to be held again. Peering more closely, she realized the wood, which had first appeared smooth, was actually etched with tiny engravings, delicate runes she couldn’t decipher.

  “That’s the only truly valuable object in the vault,” Gloomfang said, his tone noticeably more serious now as he stood near the door. “Of course, the costumes have historical worth, but the fan… it’s enchanted. The problem is, the runes are carved in a very old Japanese dialect, and we don’t actually know what it does.”

  “Is it dangerous?” Miyu asked quickly, eyeing the object in her daughter’s hands with visible suspicion.

  “No,” Gloomfang replied, tapping the edge of the vault door with his cws. “Whenever we transfer a vault, we run a full set of safety protocols to avoid unpleasant surprises. We can’t control what people store in their vaults, of course, but once the contents are in our custody, we don’t take any risks.”

  “None of our detection spells reacted to the fan’s presence. On top of that, it appears to be something your ancestor carried with her constantly. That suggests the effect is likely beneficial, or at least non-threatening.”

  He paused, considering. “We could bring in a specialist to decipher the runes, but it would be a very expensive procedure. Another option would be to have your daughter take it with her to Hogwarts. Dumbledore is known to be quite the expert in nguages, he may have a way to identify it.”

  “I’ll do that,” Séléné said quickly, before her mother could respond. “I think it’s important… I feel it’s important.”

  She looked down at the fan in her hands. “I’ll keep it in the celr for now, and only take it with me when I go to Hogwarts.”

  Miyu watched her daughter for a few long seconds. It was clear she knew there’d be no convincing her otherwise, and with the goblin’s reassurances still fresh in her mind, she concluded there was little risk as long as the object was handled with care.

  Satisfied with the outcome of their visit, mother and daughter stepped out of the vault to begin the return journey, only to freeze in perfect unison at the sight of the cart.

  They had both clearly realized, at the exact same moment, that the trip back still y ahead, followed by the floo ride home.

  oOoOo

  Shortly after their visit to the bank, Séléné returned to her dreamscape and asked Okuni about the fan, where it had come from, and what made it special. The older witch had been somewhat surprised by the question, unaware that her old fan had survived the centuries in such good condition.

  She then shared a rather remarkable story. A community of Japanese Vees had been pgued by a series of embarrassing thefts in their onsen. During the night, someone had been sneaking into the baths, stealing towels, and knocking over various potions and products. The only unfamiliar presence in the area was a Yuki-Onna passing through, and given the typical disdain her kind showed for the heat, she was immediately suspected of trying to sabotage the spring. The trouble was, Yuki-Onna aren’t known for their conversational skills, and this one was no exception. She remained silent and guarded.

  At a standstill, the Vees called upon Okuni, who was already well known for mediating magical disputes between witches. Rather than accuse the suspect without evidence, she chose to perform a ritual dance of protection around the baths. That night, the spell took effect, and the true culprit was revealed: a macaque, lost far from its group, caught red-handed with a few undergarments still in its grasp.

  To thank her, the Vees enchanted her fan, weaving their runes and personal magic into it, so that whenever she danced, the audience would be drawn in more deeply, and her rituals made all the more effective. The Yuki-Onna, for her part, had nothing to offer, but she promised that one day, she would repay her debt.

  Séléné felt reassured to know that the fan’s enchantment wasn’t designed to strip others of their free will, but simply to draw their attention, temporarily, in order to enhance the power of Kabuki dances. After all, the effectiveness of those rituals depended greatly on the focus of the audience.

  Still, even with the object deemed safe, she followed her ancestor’s advice and opted to leave it in the celr for the time being. Partly to ease her parents’ concerns, and partly to ask Headmaster Dumbledore to identify it ter. According to Okuni’s accounts, he was a well-meaning man, but also deeply maniputive and far too fond of keeping secrets. The identification of the fan might help test his honesty, and once again, the reliability of the information they’d been given.

  oOoOo

  Spring was finally drawing to a close, and the weather had grown a little more forgiving. Séléné, with Umbra at her side, was once again able to resume her exploration of the surrounding countryside, an activity that had been rgely put on hold these past few months. Fortunately, even while cooped up in the cottage, she’d had no trouble keeping herself busy between the books she was eager to read, her conversations with Okuni, games with Umbra, and of course, spending time with her parents.

  Umbra had apparently decided that while she did want to go out and walk with her mistress, walking itself was far too undignified an activity. She was now perched atop the girl’s shoulder, surveying the surroundings with evident interest.

  “I know the ground’s damp, but don’t you think you’re overdoing it a little?”

  “Meow?”

  “That’s what I thought.” The sigh Séléné let out was, of course, entirely theatrical and they both knew it. But the game was far too entertaining to end it there.

  Taking advantage of this mid-March weekend, Séléné had set out to investigate something long overdue: the strange tower she had spotted six months earlier, during a walk with Miyu. She’d meant to return sooner, but school had started, and then winter had made long walks a little too treacherous for someone her age.

  Now, at st, the weather was mild enough for an off-the-path excursion, without forgetting, of course, the raincoat, the waterproof boots… and the smug cat.

  “I swear, if I slip and fall, it’ll be your fault.”

  “Meow!”

  Séléné chuckled, well aware that she’d never actually bme Umbra for anything that went wrong. She pressed on, eyes scanning the woods for any sign of the tower. At st, through a gap between two towering trees, she spotted it in the distance.

  Her heart skipped a beat.

  She stared at the strange structure, waiting, expecting a rush of energy, a chill, something dramatic. But nothing happened. She felt perfectly normal. Even Umbra, still perched smugly on her shoulder, seemed completely indifferent.

  ‘I guess it really only affects normal people’, she thought, adjusting her pace as she began to approach the oversized chess piece, doing her best to stay quiet, and unseen.

  As the distance between her and the structure shrank, new details began to emerge. The tower was, apparently, a house. A strange house, certainly, but a house nonetheless. There were curtains in the windows, a chimney with a faint curl of smoke, and even what looked like a well-tended garden beside it. From where she stood, though, she couldn’t identify a single one of the pnts. Of course, she was far from an expert in botany, so that didn’t necessarily mean anything.

  “Hello, I don’t think I’ve ever seen you around here before.”

  The sudden voice caught her completely off guard. Séléné let out a startled yelp and spun around in arm.Umbra, for her part, did not appreciate the abrupt movement. A few sharp swipes of her paw against Séléné’s shoulder made her opinion perfectly clear.

  “Oh my god, you scared me to death,” Séléné said, pressing a hand over her racing heart as she looked at the person who had just spoken.

  In front of her stood a strange girl, about her age, with waist-length wavy light blonde hair and rge, luminous silvery-grey eyes, eyes that seemed to take in the world with endless curiosity, as if they were meant to notice everything, even the things that didn’t want to be seen.

  “Sorry. I didn’t mean to startle you. I was just wondering what you were doing out here.”

  “I live in Ottery St Mary,” Séléné replied, seeing no reason to hide the truth. “I spotted the tower during a walk a while ago, and I was curious. I wanted to get a closer look. I hope I’m not intruding?”

  “Of course not. The Blibbering Humdingers seem to like you, so you're more than welcome! But wait, aren’t you at Hogwarts? Or do you start next year?”

  “I do start next year, yes… but, um, isn’t that the kind of secret we’re not supposed to talk about with strangers?”

  The girl tilted her head and stared at her intently, unblinking, as if inviting her to reflect on her own silliness. “You can see the house. The wards didn’t repel you. And you have a maneko with you…”

  “Right,” Séléné muttered. “When you put it like that, it does sound a bit obvious.” She tried to maintain her dignity and cleared her throat to steer the conversation back on track.

  “My name is Séléné Ushio Denge. And this,” she added, stroking the feline curled on her shoulder, “is Umbra. She’s a maneko, as you guessed.”

  “Hello, Séléné. Hello, Umbra. I’m Luna Ceridwen Lovegood. And that,” she said, pointing to the tower behind Séléné, “is the Rookery. I’d invite you in, but Mummy and Daddy are out at The Quibbler, and I'm not allowed to invite people in when I'm alone.”

  Séléné had no idea what the Quibbler was, but figured she’d learn soon enough.

  “Well, it’s lovely to meet you, Luna,” she said warmly. “Are you starting at Hogwarts next year too?”

  “Yes. With Ginny, she lives a bit farther down the ne. I’d hoped that now all her brothers are off at school, we’d get to spend more time together, but her cousin Thalia visits a lot, and she prefers calling me Loony, just like Ronald does. So… I usually stay here. At least there aren’t any wrackspurts around.”

  Séléné could tell that, behind the cheerful smile, Luna didn’t actually like the nickname. She was just trying to act like it didn’t bother her. After all her years of being teased in Japan, Séléné understood that need to keep a brave face better than most.

  “Hey! I know!” Séléné said, brightening. “What if I came over whenever I’m not in school? You could teach me about the magical world, like what the Quibbler is, or Wrackspurts, and I could tell you about the non-magical one. I’ll just have to ask my parents for permission… and maybe we could even use the Floo?”

  The way Luna’s eyes lit up was all the answer she needed.

  In Japan, Séléné’s hair had made her an outcast, and in Engnd, she’d kept her distance, knowing her life was about to change. But now, for the first time in what felt like forever, she finally had the chance to be close to someone.

  She’d apparently just made her first real friend.