The Chronicles of Blood and Fire (HP Fanfic)

Snow blanketed the countryside in a soft, silvery hush. Caelum sat on the rug by the fireplace, Susan curled beside him, half-asleep after pestering him with Hogwarts questions for hours. Amelia watched them from the sofa, a warm cup of tea in hand. The house felt alive this winter—peaceful, grounded, and full of the kind of warmth Caelum had rarely known in his early years.

It was Christmas morning.

The tree in the corner was modest but tastefully decorated, with enchanted golden lights gently flickering among small carved wooden ornaments. Beneath it, a modest stack of gifts waited patiently.

Susan, with sleepy excitement, was the first to unwrap hers—books from Amelia, a miniature enchanted unicorn from Caelum, and a cozy scarf in red and cream from Bridget. She hugged them all in turn, saving a tight squeeze for Caelum.

Amelia's gifts were, as always, practical—a new set of gloves enchanted for harsh weather, a finely bound journal, and a thick leather-bound volume of magical theory from Caelum.

When it was his turn, Caelum found Amelia had gotten him something simple but personal: a tailored winter cloak, dark and heavy, lined with soft wool. It fit him perfectly and bore a small embroidered sigil of a phoenix. Susan, ever proud of her crafting skills, gave him a hand-painted bookmark with a glittering bat in the corner and the word "BIG BROTHER" carefully inked in crooked letters. Bridget's gift came in the form of a tin of his favorite strawberry tarts—she claimed she'd hoarded some from Hogwarts kitchen.

He smiled. Genuinely.

Later that evening, the Bones family shared a small celebratory dinner. The table was full of food, soft laughter, and clinking cutlery. Caelum felt strangely full—not just from the food, but from the rare sense of belonging.

…

New Year's Eve

The Bones family celebrated the new year in quiet fashion. Fireworks sparkled outside their window, sent by wizards in the nearby village. Caelum, dressed in his new cloak, stepped out into the cold for some air and looked up at the sky. His mind wandered to Hogwarts, to Silas Avery, to Vesper's revelation.

Something old—buried—was stirring.

When Amelia found him there minutes before midnight, she simply draped a second scarf over his shoulders and stood beside him.

When the fireworks burst and the new year rolled in, Caelum closed his eyes.

This year, I will uncover the truth.

…

The next morning, over a quiet breakfast, Caelum sat across from Amelia. The fireplace crackled nearby, the air still holding the scent of cinnamon and snow.

"Aunt Amelia," he began, his tone measured. She looked up, already sensing something important was coming.

"I want to visit Adrian Rosier."

She didn't speak right away. Her expression shifted—guarded, pensive. "Why?"

"I need to know what he saw in me," Caelum answered truthfully. "Why he was willing to risk everything just to keep me contained. There's more to it than the vampire thing. I can feel it."

Amelia put her cup down slowly. "You understand what you're asking, don't you?"

He nodded.

She looked at him carefully, her eyes softening. "You've grown… but even so, Azkaban is no place for anyone, least of all a child."

"I'm not a child," he said quietly.

"No," she agreed with a sigh. "You're not."

There was a long pause.

"I'll think about it," Amelia said finally. "But if I say no, it's final. Understood?"

Caelum met her gaze. "Understood."