The Greengrass family, now with a potential path forward, had organised their resources and departed, which unexpectedly gave Aiden a rare period of uninterrupted leisure.
Aiden, finding himself with free time, delved into the study of new charms and advanced alchemical theories. His days settled into a rhythm of peaceful stability and focused research.
This calm, however, was broken in the second week of July by the arrival of a letter.
The sky on that particular day was a canvas of grey and gloomy hues. The clouds hung heavy and thick, pressing down with an oppressive weight, accompanied by a strengthening wind. Against this somber backdrop, a sleek black owl battled the gusts, flying determinedly towards the Prewett Old Residence, a letter clutched in its talons.
Aiden received the letter and opened it, reading its contents carefully.
Dear Aiden,
I hope this letter finds you well. Recently, I've been accompanying my father to our family's original ancestral hometown.
It's a bit strange, but lately, I seem to often see an ancient church in my dreams, and I have this persistent feeling like good luck is just around the corner. Something significant is about to happen, I can feel it.
My father is a bit worried about me being alone here, especially since I'm unfamiliar with the place. So, he kindly agreed to let me invite you to visit.
I've written letters to all three of you – Edmund, Ethan, and yourself. It seems Edmund and Ethan are both quite busy with their own family affairs this summer. I don't know if you might be free to come and visit?
If you plan to come, please send a reply. Oh, right, the address is a quaint, two-story building with a distinctive spire, located in Kingsport, Devon, New England.
Your friend,
Oliver
Coincidentally, Aiden's recent development of combining his innate abilities with formal magic had hit a frustrating bottleneck. He needed a change of scenery, a new stimulus.
After receiving Oliver's invitation, Aiden felt a familiar eagerness to move, a restlessness stirring within him. He decided a trip out for a walk, or rather a flight, was exactly what he needed.
So, Aiden penned a reply, readily agreeing to Oliver's invitation. He also sent a quick message to his Aunt Molly, informing her that he was going to visit a classmate for a while and would be away from The Burrow.
With his affairs in order, Aiden walked out into the open space behind the Prewett residence. He took off his outer coat, a familiar shimmer enveloping him as he cast the Disillusionment Charm upon himself.
Then, he spread his magnificent wings.
With a powerful downbeat, he launched himself into the air, flying towards the distant, guiding light of the star Aldebaran.
Ever since Aiden had fully mastered the ability to fly, he had developed a strong preference for using his own wings. Perhaps it was the dragon's unique senses at play, that primal connection to the open sky, but Aiden found he genuinely disliked conventional modes of transportation. They felt… constricting.
Finally, after a journey that felt both exhilarating and intrinsically natural, Aiden arrived at the ancient town nestled by the sea. Kingsport, shrouded in the fading light and persistent rain of dusk, appeared before him, a tapestry of shadowed angles and glistening rooftops.
In the wind and rain-lashed town of Kingsport, the old, creaking weather vanes, the sharp spires piercing the gloomy sky, the dark roof beams, the numerous chimneys emitting faint trails of smoke, the weathered docks, the arched bridges, the weeping willows, and the sprawling, ancient cemeteries were all in stark, melancholic view.
The town's streets were steep, narrow, and winding, forming an endless, confusing maze that could make one dizzy just by looking at it. Dominating this labyrinth, a church that seemed to have never been eroded by the relentless march of time stood sentinel on a small hill in the center of the maze.
The ancient Miskatonic River, its waters dark and swift, passed through Kingsport, winding its way to send its rushing currents into the vast, grey expanse of the Atlantic Ocean.
Aiden flapped his wings, soaring over the shadowy cemetery, his keen eyes searching for the small building Oliver had described in his letter.
Finding his target, Aiden expertly folded his wings and landed silently in front of the small, two-story building.
The structure basically maintained its ancient, almost dilapidated state. The second floor of the house was noticeably covered with creeping weeds, which grew all the way down to the street level, seeming to connect and intertwine with similar weeds growing out of the second floor of the building directly opposite.
Aiden stood before the worn gate of the small building and knocked firmly on the door.
"Who is it?" Oliver's familiar voice called from inside the house.
"It's me, Aiden," Aiden identified himself, his voice carrying clearly despite the rain.
The door of the small building creaked open, and Oliver poked his head out. Upon seeing Aiden, a wide, genuinely happy smile spread across his face.
"Welcome, Aiden!" Oliver exclaimed, pulling Aiden enthusiastically into the room.
Inside, Aiden found himself in a low-ceilinged room lit by the flickering, warm glow of candlelight. Heavy, dark rafters were exposed on the ceiling, and the room contained only a few pieces of dark, impressively solid 17th-century furniture.
A welcoming fire was burning brightly in the large stone fireplace, and its warmth dispelled the chill brought in by the persistent rain.
A well-dressed man with a lean face and slightly sunken eye sockets sat by the fireplace. He looked up as Aiden entered, a polite smile touching his lips.
"Aiden, let me introduce you," Oliver said happily, clearly pleased his classmate could visit. "This is my father, Clint Graves. Dad, this is my classmate from Hogwarts, Aiden Prewett."
"Hello, Mr. Graves," Aiden greeted, offering a slight bow. "I am honored to be invited by Oliver to visit your home."
"Welcome to Kingsport, Mr. Prewett," Clint Graves responded kindly, his voice calm and measured. "Since you are Oliver's classmate and friend, please treat this place as your own home."
After the initial introductions, Oliver excitedly pulled Aiden up the narrow staircase to the second floor.
Although there was a considerable amount of grass and weeds growing on the outside walls of the second floor, the inside of the house was surprisingly clean and well-kept.
"Aiden, you can stay in this room," Oliver announced, gesturing to a tidy, if simply furnished, bedroom. "My father and I cleaned it up especially for you. It could have been solved with a simple Scouring Charm, of course, but my father insisted on cleaning it by hand."
Oliver then turned his head and looked at Aiden, a question mark practically popping out above his head.
"Aiden, where is your luggage?"
Aiden smiled, a hint of mystery in his eyes. "You'll see in a moment."
He stretched out his hand, and a silver ball of light emerged from his palm. The ball of light slowly expanded, shimmering, and then solidified into a familiar, ornate box.
Opening the box, a miniature spiral staircase was revealed inside. Through the limited view from the opening, one could glimpse a surprisingly spacious interior filled with many of Aiden's daily necessities.
"Here, you see," Aiden boasted playfully. "It's all in there."
"That is so cool!" Oliver said, his eyes wide with envy. "I want one too!"
"Okay, I'll get you one sorted out later," Aiden waved his hand dismissively, though with a friendly grin. "You provide the materials yourself, of course, and I won't even charge you a processing fee, as a friend."
So, with Oliver's enthusiastic, if somewhat clumsy, help, Aiden quickly decorated the room to his liking, making it feel a bit more like home.
At noon, Aiden and Oliver's family had lunch together in the small, dimly lit dining room. Although there were only three of them present, Aiden noticed that four seats were set at the table, complete with four sets of tableware.
The atmosphere in the restaurant during the meal was thick and strangely heavy, a palpable sense of unspoken things hanging in the air. Aiden finished his lunch in this peculiar, somewhat unsettling atmosphere.
After the meal, Oliver took Aiden on a tour of his ancestral home. As they walked through the creaking, ancient hallways, Aiden couldn't help but finally ask the question that had been on his mind.
"Oliver, excuse my bluntness, but… where is your mother?"
Oliver's previously cheerful eyes dimmed noticeably after hearing the question.
"My mother… she passed away not long after I was born," he said softly. "My father loved her very much. He still does."
"I'm sorry, Oliver," Aiden said, genuinely unsure of what else to say in the face of such quiet grief.
At this time, the persistent rain outside finally began to taper off, the gloom lifting slightly. Oliver, perhaps eager to change the subject and lift the mood, decided to take Aiden out for a walk around the town.
The two of them walked on the impossibly ancient, net-like cobbled roads of Kingsport, where many of the town's residents were now moving about, their earlier activities presumably curtailed by the storm.
The faces of these residents often appeared somewhat aged beyond their years, and their skin possessed a rough, weathered texture, likely due to years of relentless exposure to the harsh sea breeze. They looked as if they were rocks, intricately carved by time and tide.
When they walked on the road, their steps were oddly calm and disturbingly rhythmic, almost as regular and unvarying as the incoming and outgoing tide. They shuttled through the narrow, winding streets, many carrying fishing nets or baskets laden with fresh, glistening seafood. Their movements appeared somewhat stiff and unnaturally slow.
"Oliver," Aiden asked, a frown creasing his brow as he observed the townsfolk. "Don't you feel that the way the residents here walk is… strange?"
"Strange? What's wrong with it? There's nothing wrong," Oliver said, looking genuinely surprised by Aiden's observation.
"The residents here are actually quite friendly," Oliver continued. "When my father and I first arrived here, they brought us gifts of fresh sea fish."
"But I always feel that their movements are a little… off," Aiden persisted, unable to shake his unease.
"Hey, you are indeed a proper wizard from the sheltered wizarding world, aren't you?" Oliver chuckled, looking as if Aiden were making a great fuss over nothing. "The residents here have lived by the sea for generations. The climate here is notoriously humid and often quite hot, and they consume a lot of seafood. Naturally, they are prone to common ailments like arthritis and gout. It affects their gait."
Oliver gave Aiden a reassuring look. "But we don't need to worry too much about that. We are only here for a short visit, and your wizarding treatment methods are incredibly clever, I'm sure."
He then leaned in, a mischievous glint returning to his eyes. "Also, there will be a big celebration here in Kingsport in a few days. It is said that a rather significant political figure will come to visit and participate in the celebration at that time." Oliver raised his eyebrows suggestively at Aiden.
"Oh?" Aiden's interest was piqued. "A political figure, you say? Who is it?" He felt a spark of novelty at this mundane, Muggle-world intrigue.
"Shh," Oliver whispered dramatically, looking around as if sharing a great secret. "I'll tell you quietly. My father is actually an employee of the current British government. In this year's general election, as you might know, the Conservative Party defeated the Labour Party, and the Labour Party leader subsequently resigned."
Oliver, clearly relishing his role as a purveyor of gossip, continued, "Now, this former leader is running around, preparing to use the last vestiges of his political career to try and recover some of the losses for the Labour Party, rally support, that sort of thing."
Oliver finished popularizing the political situation for Aiden with a distinctly gossipy look on his face.
***********
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