The conflict between the Ministry of Magic and the Death Eaters is bound to escalate now, Alan thought, folding the newspaper.
But for now, none of that concerns me. Without guaranteed strength, I would merely be at their mercy.
He set the paper aside, preparing to resume his Charms research, but he had one more task to complete: replying to Lily and Sirius. He had received their letters several days ago, but his obsessive practice of new spells had left him little time for correspondence.
He first opened the letter from Sirius.
"Hahahaha, Alan, my boy, you actually got sorted into Slytherin! You're in for it now! If I remember correctly, you're a Muggle-born, aren't you? Those pure-blood rotten eggs in Slytherin will eat you alive! When I was at Hogwarts, I never stopped pranking those Slytherin jerks. You'd better be careful; don't get knocked out by some unknown hex while walking the corridors and wake up naked in front of the girls' bathroom.
If you want my advice, I can only tell you to toughen up quickly. Slytherins are all bullies who prey on the weak. If you scare them enough, no one will dare to mess with you. The professors can't keep an eye on you all the time. Flitwick is a bookworm who only cares about research. Slughorn is a nice enough old man but he basically ignores his own house's drama, and McGonagall is terrifyingly strict. You can go to her if you're in real trouble, but be prepared for a detention just for breathing the wrong way.
I have good news: I'm now the godfather of Lily and James's child! You wouldn't believe how cute Harry is. Lily and I discussed it and want to invite you to visit us after Christmas. I can teach you a few tricks then, what do you say?
Poor Alan, I'm going to be busy lately. Many Death Eaters are targeting Muggles these days. You stay safe.
Your faithful friend, Sirius Black."
Alan finished the letter and let out a small sigh. He didn't expect much else from Sirius; the man was a reckless brute who seemed to prefer charging forward to thinking, and he even had the nerve to mock Alan's predicament.
Ignoring the more colorful parts of Sirius's message, Alan took out a sheet of parchment. He wrote a brief reply, complaining about the lack of friendly faces in Slytherin and accepting the invitation for the Christmas holidays. He ended by asking what Sirius might want as a gift.
After sealing the letter, he opened the envelope from Lily. Her tone was far more grounded and reliable.
"Dear Alan,
Sorry for replying so late. Harry is just over a month old, and as a new mother, I'm afraid of messing things up from the start.
As for you being sorted into Slytherin, my view is that there's no need to worry excessively. The Sorting Hat must have had its reasons. Slytherin isn't as dark as people say; every house has kind and righteous people. While it's true that some wizards go astray after graduation, we can't assume that represents everyone. One of my own school friends was in Slytherin, and we've even encountered wizards from other houses among the Death Eaters we face now.
Alan, you and I are similar; we are both Muggle-born. But you are also different from me. Having lived on your own since childhood, you are stronger than I am. I believe you can overcome these difficulties. I only hope you hold firm to your beliefs.
I also recently received a letter from Professor Flitwick. He told me you were invited to join the Charms Club. That's wonderful! I wasn't invited until my third year. I spent a very fulfilling time there, and it was in that club that I studied special protective magic. I actually left a lot of my research materials in the club room. I hid them on the bookshelf behind the podium, in a book on the very bottom shelf. It's titled Theories of Magical Defense by Wilbert Slinkhard. If you're interested, you can look for it.
When Harry turned one month old, James and I invited Sirius to be his godfather. He seemed overjoyed. We're planning a small party after Christmas, and Sirius suggested we invite you. If you can come, James and I would be very happy.
Best wishes, your faithful friend, Lily Potter."
Alan was deeply moved. He had no formal ties to Lily, yet she extended her kindness to him without reservation. He immediately drafted a reply, expressing his gratitude and pleasure at the invitation. He sincerely wished the Potters and Harry well and, recalling the volatility of the outside world, added a reminder for her to remain vigilant, even within the safety of her home.
The next day, after sending the letters via the morning owls, Alan put the brewing house conflicts out of his mind. He didn't go looking for Charles; he had already given his warning.
Instead, he decided to visit Hagrid. They had shared dragon liver at the Leaky Cauldron before the term started, and Alan hadn't yet paid him a visit. After his classes, Alan packed a few tins of seasoning from his trunk and walked toward the groundskeeper's hut.
The walk was a long one. After crossing the covered bridge near the Clock Tower and passing the circular stone pillars, Alan followed the path away from the Owlery. The further he walked, the quieter the grounds became, until finally, a simple wooden hut came into view. It was surrounded by a patch of thriving vegetables and oversized pumpkins, looking sturdy and peaceful against the backdrop of the Forbidden Forest.