"Or perhaps," I said, my voice steady as I continued, "you're some sort of double spy for Dumbledore and Voldemort… but mostly for Dumbledore?"
For a brief moment, the room fell silent before Severus Snape let out a quiet, almost amused chuckle. He turned slightly, rearranging a few items on his desk, though it was clear his mind was elsewhere. "As expected… from my favourite student."
What followed wasn't something I had anticipated. It wasn't a lesson, nor a warning. It felt more like… a weight being set down after a long time. Over the past two years, our conversations had changed something between us. He had asked me questions before, about conflict, about power, about people and knowing them, and I had answered in the simplest way I knew. Not idealistic, not naïve. Just real.
"If something stands in your way, bothers the flow of your life-" I had told him once, "-You don't waste time hating it. Either you stand up to it or you grow beyond it… or you break the system that supports it."
He remembered that, and now, he spoke.
About his past. About being isolated and humiliated. About choosing power when nothing else remained. About joining Voldemort not out of belief, but out of desperation. His voice stayed controlled, but the weight of it all lingered in the air. Then came Lily, and for a moment, even he paused.
"When she died," he said quietly, "everything lost meaning."
He spoke of going to Albus Dumbledore, of the choices he made after, and of the life he had been living since caught between two sides, belonging to neither. He still was indebted to Dumbledore and had all meaning just for him, but still.
"Why tell me all this?" I asked after a while.
He turned fully toward me. "Because there is a certain maturity in a thirteen year old who handles the affairs of the Peverell House."
I nodded slightly. "Fair point."
But his next words stayed with me more.
"You are one of the only people who looks at me as a human being," he said. "Not as a tool."
The conversation softened after that, and by the time it ended, it was already late. As I reached the door, I paused.
"Professor Snape?"
"Yes?"
"You're a good man."
There was a faint pause before I stepped out, catching the smallest hint of a smile before the door closed behind me.
The corridors were quiet as I made my way back, my thoughts still lingering on everything that had been said. Halfway through, my board lit up softly with a single message.
Thank you, Taylen.
I let out a small breath, a faint smile forming. Maybe… I really was doing something right here.
When I reached the dorm, Kathey was still awake, buried in her books. I stood there for a second, hands on my hips, then glanced at my watch before looking back at her.
"Go sleep. Now."
She froze, clearly caught off guard. "I—just five more—"
"No."
She didn't argue further, quickly gathering her things and hurrying off. I shook my head lightly. "Ugh… women."
Most of the Winter Break had been spent at Hogwarts, which explained how much we managed to get done, but we did have to leave for a few days in between for something important, which was our Animagus registration.
The four of us left together. Victor stayed with me at the Peverell estate, while Kathey and Elara went to the Lovegood house. Before anything else, we showed Arcturus Peverell our Animagus forms. He observed quietly as we transformed, his expression unreadable until we returned to normal.
"Impressive," he said simply, before adding that he could arrange things so our registration wouldn't expose our identities publicly. There were ways, he implied, to remain within the system… yet unseen.
At the Ministry, we got quite shocked looks from the people there due to being so young. But the process was long and strict, filled with verifications and checks, but we completed it without issue. What stood out, though, was what we learned, there were more registered Animagi than publicly known. Some identities were sealed, hidden even within official records. We became part of that silent list. Thanks to Miss Amelia Bones, she helped Dad talk it out.
The days that followed were… lighter. We spent time between my house and Kathey's. Victor and Elara couldn't see the Thestrals, but that didn't stop them from enjoying the flights alongside the herd, laughing freely in a way we rarely allowed ourselves to. I showed them more of the forest too, hidden paths, creatures, places untouched, farmed by me.
The Lovegood house had a different kind of warmth to it. Quiet, comforting, almost like it wrapped around you. Even Elara admitted softly that it felt like home.
Christmas, though, was something else entirely.
We all gathered at my house, including Elara's parents , yes, this time not just the four of us, but our families as well. The hall felt fuller than ever, voices overlapping, warmth replacing the usual silence of responsibility. For once, there were no plans, no strategies, no training. Just laughter, conversations, and a sense of belonging that felt… rare. Even Arcturus seemed more at ease, watching everything unfold with quiet approval.
I went to him as he was secluded by the window "Dad, why didn't you get married?"
He looked at me "War kid. War makes everything tough." I just hope I prevent another one, as I grabbed his arm and dragged him along to play the family games.
But even in that calm, I didn't lose sight of things.
I checked in on the W.I.N.T.E.R.S Consortium and the Peverell businesses and what I saw confirmed my and Kathey's predictions.
The foundation we had built was no longer fragile. It was solid.
S.P.I.R.E. had begun producing properly trained hit wizards. Not reckless fighters, but disciplined individuals who understood precision, control, and efficiency. Protection services had quietly expanded, handling sensitive tasks that required both strength and secrecy. At the same time, intelligence operations had deepened. A few agents had already begun infiltrating suspected Death Eater circles, not acting yet, but embedding themselves carefully, gathering information and building positions from within.
On the financial side, Elizabeth ensured everything remained stable and untraceable, every movement calculated. Even the Magitex and Lovegood Inventions were being amazingly managed , our branches were everywhere, and I'm damn sure, the next time we are at Diagon Alley, we are gonna catch quite a crowd.
Morlous' Verdant operations had secured a steady flow of resources, supporting research, development, and expansion without drawing attention. It all worked together.
Clean on the surface.
Unstoppable underneath.
By the time I stepped back from it all, one thing was clear. The base of the consortium wasn't just set. It was perfectly set.
And by the time my third year would come to an end, what we had built wouldn't just exist quietly anymore, it would already be everywhere, woven into the wizarding world before anyone even realized it.
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