Paris – The House That Shouldn't Exist
Paris was cold that evening, the kind of cold that crept into your bones.
Lucien stood before an ordinary-looking iron gate tucked between two old buildings.
Ordinary—
except it very clearly wasn't.
Runes were layered on top of runes.
Alchemy circles folded into themselves.
Spatial distortion hummed softly, like the gate itself was breathing.
Lucien tilted his head.
"…Wow. This is rude."
He rolled up his sleeves.
What followed was not brute force, not flashy magic—
but patient, surgical dismantling.
He traced a line in the air, paused, erased a sigil, waited three seconds, replaced it with a simplified formula, then gently tapped the gate.
The enchantment sighed.
The gate unlocked.
From somewhere inside the house—
"Hmm?"
"Oh?"
"…Nicolas, someone solved it."
Lucien felt it then.
A gaze.
Sharp. Curious. Ancient.
He smiled faintly.
Yep. They were watching.
Lucien rang the bell.
Perenelle Flamel Decides His Fate Instantly
The door opened.
An elderly woman stood there—white hair neatly tied, eyes sharp as polished crystal.
She looked down at Lucien.
Lucien looked up.
There was exactly half a second of silence.
Then—
"Oh my goodness."
Squish.
Both of Lucien's cheeks were suddenly being pulled.
"So cute!"
"You're smaller than I imagined!"
"Those eyes—Nicolas, look at his eyes!"
Lucien blinked.
"…Madam—"
Hug.
Full, warm, grandmotherly hug.
Perenelle Flamel had decided.
This was her child now.
Lucien, who had faced death gods, ancient curses, and Voldemort himself, was completely unprepared.
From behind her, a man chuckled.
"Well," Nicolas Flamel said mildly, "that answers my question."
Lucien finally escaped, cheeks slightly red.
He straightened his coat and bowed politely.
"Lucien Aurelius Peverell Lionhardt.
Thank you for inviting me."
Nicolas smiled warmly.
"Welcome, Lucien. I'm Nicolas.
And this menace is my wife, Perenelle."
"I can hear you," Perenelle replied cheerfully, still holding Lucien's hand.
Inside the Lion's Den (That Is Actually a Cozy Living Room)
The living room was… cozy.
Bookshelves filled with alchemy tomes.
Old artifacts resting casually on side tables like decorations.
A fireplace that radiated warmth far beyond normal fire.
Nicolas barely sat down before starting.
"So—your alchemical structure theory on layered resonance—"
Perenelle immediately grabbed his ear.
"No."
"But—"
"No."
"But the boy—"
"Has been traveling. He's hungry. And he's twelve."
Lucien tried not to laugh.
Perenelle turned to him, eyes sharp but kind.
"How is Hogwarts?"
"Are they feeding you properly?"
"Do you sleep enough?"
"Who's teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts this year?"
Lucien hesitated.
"…Professor Quirrell."
Perenelle paused.
"…I see."
Nicolas coughed. "We'll… discuss that later."
Hogwarts Stories, According to Lucien
Over tea, Lucien relaxed.
He told them everything—lighthearted, honest, amused.
"How one of my classmates reads books upside down," Lucien said calmly.
Perenelle froze.
"…On purpose?"
"No."
Nicolas nearly spilled his tea laughing.
"And apparently there's a cooking book in the Hogwarts library," Lucien continued.
"He found it by accident and thought it was new knowledge."
"…Why is that book even there?" Perenelle asked.
"No one knows," Lucien replied seriously.
"That's the mystery."
More laughter.
Lucien talked about Quidditch chaos, professors pretending not to see nonsense, students inventing legends overnight, and how Hogwarts somehow survived itself every year.
Nicolas leaned back, eyes gleaming.
"To think someone like you is still there… Hogwarts truly hasn't lost its touch."
Perenelle smiled softly at Lucien.
"You're carrying a lot for someone your age."
Lucien smiled back, gentle and calm.
"I'm not alone."
That answer alone made Perenelle's heart melt completely.
She stood up.
"Good. Then you're staying for dinner."
Lucien blinked.
"Oh—I—"
"No arguments," she said firmly.
"You solved our gate. You're family now."
Nicolas laughed.
"It's decided."
Lucien sighed—
but it was a fond, warm sigh.
"…Alright."
Somewhere very far away, Hogwarts would soon feel the consequences of Perenelle Flamel gaining a new favorite child.