The months following the Second Task dissolved into a strange and deceptive monotony that permeated the entire castle. Meanwhile, the outside world seemed to hold its breath. Spring finally arrived at Hogwarts, melting the snow and covering the grounds in bright green.
For Aurelian, this relative calm was not an excuse to relax, but an opportunity. The Flamels' warnings about Kazimir Volyov and Gellert Grindelwald continued to echo in his mind. He needed more power, and he needed it fast.
He immersed himself completely in his personal training, meditation, control, and above all, in perfecting the Arcane Patterns, a revolutionary area of magic that he had been developing and refining for the past two years.
One afternoon in May, in one of the abandoned classrooms that Hogwarts had in abundance, Aurelian had claimed one as his personal workshop.
Hestia and Flora sat at wooden desks, intently observing an intricate runic-style diagram drawn on a blackboard with chalk that glowed when used. Standing before them, wielding a pointer with an authority he had never shown in the castle corridors, was Argus Filch.
"The mistake I think most wand-wielding wizards make is that they try to force magic through the pattern, rather than letting the pattern guide the magic," explained Filch, his voice raspy but filled with unusual passion. "The anchor lines here and here," he pointed to two points on the diagram, "must be accurate to the millimeter. If the angle is altered, the arcane circuit collapses and will not produce the expected result."
Flora took notes quickly on her parchment, while Hestia nodded, fascinated by the mechanics.
"This is brilliant," Hestia murmured, looking up. "It's like weaving reality, rather than just casting a spell with a wand. It's more... intuitive."
"Mr. Filch is a great teacher when he wants to be," Flora commented with a crooked smile, looking at the caretaker. "You should teach the first years instead of chasing them around the hallways. At least they'd be busy."
Argus Filch blushed slightly beneath his sallow, wrinkled skin. He coughed a little, looking away shyly, but even so, he couldn't hide the gleam of pride and deep satisfaction in his eyes. All his life he had been treated like an outcast, a useless Squib. Now, he was teaching a new branch of magic to two of Slytherin's most talented witches. Maybe he should take those words about teaching seriously.
Leaning against the doorframe, Aurelian watched the scene with a big smile. Seeing Filch find a new purpose and enjoy it in the process gave him immense satisfaction. Over time, he had come to truly appreciate the old dreamer, even when he found him prowling around the castle at night, he would just smile at him and tell him to be careful. Loyalty for loyalty, Aurelian took care of his own.
In fact, the wheels were already in motion. That very morning, Aurelian had sent a thick folder with all the notes to Kravix at Gringotts. He was doing the legal and bureaucratic paperwork to officially patent and register the Arcane Patterns theory with the Ministry, the confederation, and the International Wizards' Guild. In the documents, Aurelian had made sure that the creators were explicitly listed as Argus Filch and, to a lesser extent, Lord Aurelian Gaunt. When that became public, the old janitor's status in the wizarding world would change forever. He was already looking forward to that day.
While the Arcane Patterns took shape, the rest of the world grappled with its old ghosts.
During those months, news about Gellert Grindelwald became a circus of speculation. One day, The Daily Prophet reported that Grindelwald had been spotted in the Carpathians, and the next, it claimed he was recruiting vampires somewhere in the Middle East. No one, not even Dumbledore or the Flamels, seemed to know what the Archmage was really up to or whether he had managed to contact Kazimir Volyov.
That absolute silence and lack of direct attacks only served to put all the magical governments into an even greater state of paranoia. The British Ministry of Magic doubled its Auror patrols, and security measures at Hogwarts became suffocating, with Moody patrolling every corner, his magical eye spinning frantically.
But despite the global fear, time did not stand still.
June arrived, with warm weather and scorching sun, which only meant that the culmination of the Triwizard Tournament was near.
There was exactly one week left until the Third Task.
That night, Aurelian sat alone at his desk in the dungeons, lit only by candlelight. In front of him was a detailed map of the maze that was growing on the Quidditch field.
His father's plan was simple: the Triwizard Cup would be a Portkey that would take the first person to touch it directly to the cemetery in Little Hangleton, but as always, there is a big difference between theory and practice.
His biggest problem was the human factor. Specifically, the Potter factor.
"The boy is a lucky loser," Aurelian muttered, twirling a pen between his long, pale fingers. "I need to find a way to get into the test," he murmured. "If Potter chickens out, gets lost, or is defeated by a simple Acromantula before reaching the center... the whole resurrection ritual will go to waste, and my plans with him..."
Aurelian leaned back in his chair, his eyes lost in the shadows on the ceiling. If he wanted to ensure that the Dark Lord regained his body and Gauntcorp's plans went ahead, he couldn't leave Harry Potter's fate to luck or Potter's own incompetence. He would have to intervene, this time in an even more direct way.
Aurelian's quill paused over the parchment. He had mapped out all the possible routes through the maze, calculated the timing of the monsters Hagrid had brought up, and anticipated the movements of the teachers outside.
But it wasn't enough.
If he left the outcome to chance, Potter could die before touching the cup. To ensure his plans and the success of the ritual, Aurelian made a drastic decision: he had to be inside the maze. And the only way to do that without raising alarms and triggering the tournament's protections was to replace one of the participants.
He dismissed Fleur immediately; replicating the magical signature and aura of a Veela would be unnecessarily complicated. Cedric Diggory was also out of the question; his friend was too close to everyone, talked to too many people at Hogwarts, and any change, however subtle, in his behavior would be easily detected by Cho Chang or anyone else.
He was left with only one viable option.
"Viktor Krum," Aurelian murmured in the dim light of his room, a cold smile curving his lips. "He's reserved, taciturn, hardly interacts with anyone outside of Karkaroff and his peers. He's the perfect candidate."
The next morning, the Great Hall was buzzing with anticipation for the end of the tournament and the school year. Aurelian finished his black coffee, and when Hestia and Flora finished their breakfasts, he stood up.
"Girls, come with me. We need to talk," Aurelian said quietly, in a tone that brooked no argument.
The twins raised their eyebrows, clearly confused by the sudden seriousness, and got up in perfect sync and followed him out of the dining hall.
Aurelian led them up the moving stairs to the seventh floor. When they reached the tapestry of Barnabas the Barmy, he walked three times in front of the wall, and the entrance to the Room of Requirement appeared before them.
Upon entering, the room had taken on the form of an extremely peaceful and welcoming refuge. The walls were lined with dark wood, a fire crackled in a stone fireplace, and in the center were two large sofas facing a low mahogany table, overflowing with trays of fresh fruit, pastries, and some juice.
Aurelian closed the door and sat down on one of the sofas. Hestia and Flora took their seats on the sofa opposite him.
Aurelian clasped his hands together on his knees and looked at them with absolute seriousness, his dark eyes devoid of their usual irony.
"What's wrong, my love?" asked Hestia, offering him a sweet smile. "What's the reason for your sudden seriousness?"
"The exams are almost over, so that can't be it," added Flora, tilting her head.
Aurelian sighed and unclasped his hands, leaning forward.
"I brought you here because I don't want what happened in the Second Task to happen again," he began, his voice soft but firm. "I know how bad you felt and how worried you were when I didn't tell you I would be part of the event at the lake. You are my fiancées, my companions. I won't leave you in the dark again. That's why I'm going to let you know my plans... to be exact, what I'm going to do in the Third Task.
The girls' smiles vanished instantly. Their postures straightened, transforming them from lovesick teenagers into lethal Witches, awaiting the words of their soul mate.
"I need to be in the Third Trial no matter what," Aurelian said bluntly.
Flora frowned slightly.
"Why take that risk?" Flora asked. "What is it about that trial that makes you so determined to enter?"
"The truth about why I want to enter is complicated," Aurelian replied, attentive to their reactions. "I am helping my father recover his body, and this trial is the catalyst."
Hestia and Flora's eyes widened. They looked at each other for a second, taking in the magnitude of the revelation. The Dark Lord was really coming back.
"How would your participation in a stupid maze help that... mission?" Hestia asked, her mind trying unsuccessfully to connect the dots.
Aurelian let out a long sigh.
"My father needs Potter's blood for the resurrection ritual he wants to perform," he explained, lowering his voice slightly. "The plan is to use the Triwizard Cup as a Portkey that will take him directly to the place where my father awaits him. If I'm inside the maze, I'll personally make sure Potter gets to that cup, no matter what it takes."
The twins' minds raced.
"If you can't enter as yourself," Hestia began.
"Then you'll replace one of the other participants using a Polyjuice Potion," Flora finished, her eyes shining with understanding.
Aurelian nodded, giving them a proud half-smile for their sharp intelligence.
"Krum, to be exact. He's the most practical. No one will notice if the Bulgarian acts a little more aggressive or quiet than usual." Aurelian leaned back on the sofa. "I just wanted to tell you this so you wouldn't worry when you don't see me in the stands on the day of the test. You don't have to get involved in this plan. It's dangerous, and I want you to be safe."
Upon hearing this, Hestia and Flora's reactions were instantaneous. They both puffed out their cheeks.
"We won't leave you alone!" they said at exactly the same time, their voices overlapping in a cute chorus. "We will always be by your side."
Aurelian blinked and couldn't help but let a laugh escape his lips.
"You look so cute when you puff out your cheeks like that," Aurelian said, looking at them affectionately.
A deep red blush spread across both girls' cheeks, making them look even more adorable.
"Don't try to change the subject!" Hestia scolded him, although her blush gave her away.
"We're not cute, we're lethal!" Flora protested, crossing her arms.
They looked at each other, their indignation quickly melting under Aurelian's warm gaze. They both let out a deep sigh, got up from their sofa, and walked over to his. They sat down on either side of him and hugged him with almost suffocating force, burying their faces in his neck and shoulders.
"Just be careful," whispered Hestia against his skin. "We know you're strong, the strongest of all, but we don't know what's out there in the maze, and Dumbledore will be watching. You must take care of yourself."
"We couldn't bear to lose you... you mean everything to us," added Flora, tightening her grip around Aurelian's waist.
Aurelian closed his eyes and returned their embrace, wrapping his arms around them and beginning to stroke their backs with slow, gentle movements.
"I promise you," Aurelian murmured, "Everything will be all right. Potter will go to his appointment with destiny, my father will return, and we will carry on with our plans. No one will stop me."
The gentle touch of his hands on their backs and the firmness of his words achieved their goal. Hestia and Flora gradually calmed down, but instead of letting go, they hugged him even tighter, anchoring themselves to him, ready to face the darkness that would unfold in the coming days.
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