[Note: Read up to Chapter - 72 on P patron at: p-atreon.com/Knockturn_Alley]
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"Young master, when do you reckon you'll be heading back to the Shafiq manor? Once you're ready, I'll summon all the members of the Barton family to greet you properly!"
After giving Aris a bit of time to process everything, Henry spoke again, his tone still full of respect.
"The old manor?" Aris looked a bit puzzled.
"Well of course!" Henry chuckled. "You didn't think the Shafiq family didn't have a proper estate, did you? We've kept it in top nick all these years. All the facilities are intact and waiting for your return."
A proud smile spread across Henry's face, as if he could already picture Aris stepping through the doors of the ancestral home, greeted by a crowd of loyal retainers beaming with joy.
"There's no rush," Aris replied, brows knitting together slightly. "I'll need to think it over."
He glanced at Xeno, then at Luna.
He'd only just settled in with the Lovegoods, and things had been going smoothly. He enjoyed their company — it felt homely, peaceful.
The thought of leaving that behind to live alone in a massive house he'd never been to, surrounded by strangers calling him 'Master' — it wasn't exactly appealing.
More importantly, Aris hadn't even started learning proper magic yet.
Heading back to the Shafiq manor now, with no means to protect himself if things went sideways? That'd be asking for trouble.
Henry might be loyal, sure — but what about the others?
What if someone among the Barton family had other ideas, seeing him not as a rightful heir, but just a vulnerable boy with a fortune waiting to be claimed?
Nah — better to wait.
He'd stay with the Lovegoods a while longer. Once he had a firm grasp of his magic and could defend himself, he could reconsider the whole manor situation.
And with the talents he'd already discovered, he reckoned that day wasn't far off.
He believed in himself — completely.
"Have you got any worries, young Master?" Henry asked, clearly surprised.
He'd assumed Aris would be eager to return to the Shafiq family proper and take up everything that came with the name. But judging by Aris's reply, that wasn't quite the case.
Seeing Henry's confusion, Aris paused for a moment before speaking again.
"Maybe now's just not the right time."
"You said it yourself — plenty of people are still eyeing up the Shafiq fortune. If I go back now, without the means to protect it or myself, I won't be helping the situation. If anything, I might just stir up even more trouble."
"So, I need to be ready first."
His words were tactful, but the meaning was clear. A child suddenly appearing and inheriting a fortune of that size — it was bound to attract envy.
There were definitely people and families out there who wouldn't take kindly to the Shafiq legacy returning, especially not in the hands of an eleven-year-old.
Henry furrowed his brows, deep in thought.
It was obvious the man had considered similar problems himself, and he now understood where Aris was coming from.
"In that case, it's your call, young Master," Henry said at last. "When you're ready to come home, I'll make sure everything is in place — and I'll do everything in my power to protect you, no matter what comes our way."
"Even if it's the top pure-blood families having a go, I won't let them lay a single finger on you!"
Aris nodded slowly, genuinely moved by the man's loyalty.
"Thanks, Henry. For everything you've done — all these years."
Aris's kind words brought a fresh glimmer of red to Henry's eyes.
It was clear that life hadn't been easy for him and his family in recent years.
Understandably so. As the caretakers of the Shafiq estate, trying to manage a fortune that many would kill for — all while the family's true heirs had vanished — must've been a nightmare.
They'd almost certainly faced pressure, bribes, and even threats from individuals or powerful families trying to get their hands on the Shafiq wealth.
That was exactly why Aris was cautious. He needed to understand everything before stepping forward. This wasn't a battle to rush into unprepared.
"Alright, I think that's enough for today. I'll be in touch soon," Aris said, rising to his feet. "I've still got to sort out a few things before school starts — especially... I need to get my wand."
Even though Aris had the rare talent for wandless casting, a wand would still be crucial while he learned to control and direct his magic.
Besides, he had a real curiosity about wand craftsmanship, and if possible, he wanted to one day craft a wand perfectly suited to him.
"Young Master, I can arrange all of that for you!" Henry offered eagerly.
"No need," Aris replied firmly. "It's my first time in Diagon Alley — I'd rather have a proper look around myself."
No way was he giving up the classic first-year shopping trip — not even for the sake of convenience. This was part of the experience, and not even loyal servants were going to take that away from him.
"Very well, young master — entirely your choice," Henry said with a respectful nod. Then, as if remembering something, he added,
"Although, I believe we've had a fair bit of business with Ollivander's in the past. The Shafiq family vault includes quite a few rare wand materials. If you like, we could have a custom wand made — perfectly tailored to you."
"That's an option!" Aris's eyes lit up.
Anyone who's ever played a game knows how brilliant it is to have a custom-made wand. Who wouldn't want something powerful and stylish that fits them perfectly?
There was no way Aris was turning that down.
"In that case, I'll get things moving straight away!" Henry beamed.
It was clear that being able to serve Aris genuinely brought him joy.
"I'll head to Ollivander's first then," Aris said, already making his way downstairs. "I'll let you know what materials I'll need later!"
Just as he reached the door, he suddenly stopped.
"Oh, and make sure to pack up all the books in Flourish and Blotts and have them delivered to me later!"
"All of them??" Henry blinked, caught off guard.
"Yes — the lot!" Aris nodded with certainty.
They were essential for racking up points through his system. Plus, having all those books would help him prepare for anything down the line.
"As you wish, young master!" Henry nodded respectfully.
"Alright then — let's go!" Aris waved for Xeno and the others to follow.
"Wait a moment, young Master!" Henry suddenly called out, a flicker of hesitation on his face. After a moment's pause, he added,
"You can ignore these two," he gestured at Xeno and Luna, "They already know your identity and are close to you..."
"But this young lady — you're not particularly familiar with her, are you?"
His gaze landed on Hermione Granger.
"If you don't want your identity getting out too soon, would you like me to cast a Forgetfulness Charm on her?"
"What?!" Hermione recoiled slightly, looking startled.
Even though she had just learned about magic, she could still figure out what the so-called 'Forgetfulness
Even if it wasn't harmful, she had no intention of having her memory tampered with.
Aris blinked, rubbed his temple, and let out a quiet sigh.
'If I had known that I was going to be faced with such a revelation, I wouldn't have wanted her here to begin with…' But that's a moot point since she was already here and had learned everything.
Under Hermione's bewildered stare, he finally replied with a helpless smile,
"That won't be necessary, Henry."
"But Master — it's only for your safety!" Henry protested earnestly.
Aris turned to Hermione, raising an eyebrow with a smirk.
"Miss Granger, I take it you'd rather not have your memory wiped?"
Hermione gave a sharp nod.
"Too right, I wouldn't!"
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[Note: Read up to Chapter - 72 on P patron at: p-atreon.com/Knockturn_Alley]