King of Lightning [HP FANFIC]

"A Death Eater has an informant in the Order of the Phoenix? Who is it?" Dumbledore, after hearing Snape's words, finally confirmed some of his suspicions and continued questioning him calmly.

"I don't know, it could be anyone. They can't be allowed to remain so exposed. The Dark Lord will always find an opportunity. Maybe next time, or the time after, he will succeed. I know he won't give up." Snape's voice trembled, but he still confessed everything he knew to Dumbledore.

Then, as if coming to a sudden decision, Snape seemed to tip the balance in his heart irrevocably. He pleaded, his tone desperate:

"Hide her, hide them! I beg you!"

"So, what are you willing to offer in return, Snape?" Dumbledore looked at him with serene eyes and spoke softly.

Having made his choice, Snape's face shifted from inner turmoil to a slightly dazed expression, and he answered quietly: "Anything!"

Seeing that Snape had finally made up his mind, Dumbledore felt a weight lift from his chest. He nodded and said in a calm voice:

"Remember your words today. I will find a way to protect Lily's family. If you notice any unusual movements on Tom's side, remember to notify me. You know how to reach me."

Snape, now as if drained of all strength, nodded mechanically and then murmured: "The Anduin you just mentioned—is he the one who saved that scoundrel Sirius Black the other day?"

Dumbledore nodded. "That's right, and he was also sorted into Slytherin. However, his determination is far stronger than yours".

"A Slytherin? Well, perhaps my initial choice was a mistake. Help me give this to him, consider it a token of my gratitude." With those words, Snape pulled a small vial of potion from his robes and handed it to Dumbledore.

"It seems you're not entirely lost after all. Perhaps one day you'll be able to thank him face to face." Dumbledore, noticing the shift in Snape's stance, allowed a faint smile as he accepted the crystal bottle.

Meanwhile, Anduin —the subject of their conversation— was sound asleep.

The next day, James took Anduin to retrieve his belongings from Sirius Black's house. Thanks to the Undetectable Extension Charm, Anduin could now carry all his possessions with him. James was astonished by the changes in Black's house. He knew perfectly well that the place had been a complete mess, and now, seeing it neat and spotless, he could hardly believe his eyes.

"So, you helped clean up Black's place? That's really impressive." James kept revising his opinion of Anduin.

Anduin, however, didn't see it as anything remarkable. Later, he and James went to St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries to visit Sirius Black. That man wasn't one to sit still and wasn't willing to stay in bed quietly. If James and Anduin hadn't visited him, he probably wouldn't have stayed in the ward at all.

Seeing that Sirius still had enough energy to joke and move around, James and Anduin felt relieved. After saying their goodbyes, they returned to the Potters' residence before lunch.

"Anduin, while you're staying here, if you need any help, just let us know. After all, you've done so much for us." During lunch, Lily smiled warmly at Anduin, who was playing with little Harry. James nodded in agreement.

Hearing her words, Anduin felt slightly embarrassed and replied with a smile: "I'm already very grateful for all the care you've given me. There's no need to be so formal."

Seeing Anduin's humility, Lily's affection for him grew. After thinking for a moment, she said:

"By the way, weren't you very interested in the charms and protective magic I mentioned? I can teach you as much as possible during this time. You're also welcome to explore the Potter family library freely. I'm sure you'll find what you're looking for there."

At her offer, Anduin's face lit up with joy and he replied eagerly: "Really? That's wonderful! Professor Flitwick always told me you were his most brilliant student. I have so many questions I want to ask you."

Seeing Anduin so eager to learn, Lily couldn't help recalling her own days as a student—Muggle-born, diligent, and with an insatiable thirst for knowledge. Anduin's qualities reminded her so much of her younger self. And as she gazed at his black hair and dark eyes, along with his Slytherin background, she couldn't help thinking of another old friend. Lily was momentarily lost in her memories.

At that moment, Harry's untimely cry interrupted her thoughts. She looked down at her son, and a wave of tender affection once again filled her eyes.

After lunch, once they had put Harry down for a nap, Lily led Anduin back to the underground safe house where they had previously fought. The place was now cleaned up, most of the debris removed, and the empty room had become a perfect practice space.

Standing in the room, Lily said: "I've seen your Levitation Charm and Banishing Charm before, and you used them very skillfully. You must have spent a lot of time practicing. If you'd like to continue improving your spells, you can do so here. I can also be your sparring partner. And of course, you can ask me any questions, I'll help however I can."

Hearing this, Anduin didn't hesitate. After reflecting on his recent spellwork, he said: "I've noticed lately that some charms are hard to master, like the Shield Charm. Sometimes the spell fails, or the shield's strength isn't enough, it's not even as effective as the Barrier Charm I learned earlier. What's going on?"

"What? You've already started practicing the Shield Charm? That's not a spell a wizard your age can usually manage. Even many Aurors newly recruited to the Ministry of Magic can't perform it reliably." Hearing Anduin raise such a challenging question right at the start, Lily couldn't help but regard him in a new light. She knew her own magical accomplishments were not insignificant, but she herself hadn't mastered the Shield Charm until her fifth year. Many students never managed to cast it even once before graduating.

"So, is the problem the difficulty of the spell? But I don't think its incantation is complicated." Anduin asked, puzzled. In fact, it wasn't just the Shield Charm, the Undetectable Extension Charm, the Patronus Charm, and the Disillusionment Charm also gave him trouble at times. Yet he was certain his pronunciation of the incantations was flawless.

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