Muggle | 𝐹𝑟𝑒𝑑 𝑊𝑒𝑎𝑠𝑙𝑒𝑦

Chapter 108

"There, see?" I said again and pointed at the house freely, knowing that nobody could see us due to Dumbledore's invisibility charm.

"The house in ruins?" Dumbledore raised a brow at me, following my gaze.

"Ruins?" I repeated, frowning. "There's no ruins. It's our house. And I think if we get closer we'll be able to look inside. Dad never used to shut the drapes. He wanted to have a view to outside at all time."

"I don't think I'll be able to see anything, no matter how close I get to that house," said Dumbledore, smiling at me knowingly.

"But — why?"

"Because I believe the house is protected by a charm," he replied amusingly. "A similar one is casted around Hogwarts, so the Muggles would only see ruins as they look upon it. But for your house, I believe it is meant to keep wizards and witches away; except for you and your father, of course."

"Oh..." I mused, trying to look inside from where I stood.

"One of the clever means of protection that your father seems to have used," he went on, sounding impressed. "I must say... I had underestimated Mr. Black's magical abilities. He seems to be quite an extraordinary wizard. Although, I was alway aware of his talent in potion making. Which, from what I've heard, he's passed on to you."

I felt myself smile at those words. But then I said, "Sir, why did you want to come here?"

     "To make sure that your father was really a wizard," he replied. "This charm around the house and the fact that you can see it yet I don't is proof enough for me."

    I nodded at him and then I looked back at the house. It was beautifully lit from the inside and I could make out Dad's piano and Mum's art collection in the distance.

Automatically, my feet started carrying me toward one of the windows and I looked inside, without the worry of being seen as I was invisible.

The moment I did so, I stopped in my tracks as I spotted my parents inside, arguing over something in the living room. I was probably already asleep up in my bed.

Maybe I was too young to remember things vividly, but I faintly remembered how those days Dad was trying to convince my mother to move away.

My attention was then grabbed again when I saw Mum shaking her head at him as Dad went on talking, looking like he was trying hard to reason something.

I had my mother's wavy brown hair, but hers was longer than mine, coming down to her waist. But unlike mine, her eyes too were a chocolatey color.

I took mine after Dad. I turned my head to look at him, and realized that at this time, his hair was short unlike the last time I had seen him.

Two days before my friend and I had gone to King's Cross station, Dad had gone on a business trip. Which now had me thinking wether he was away to create the portal.

For a moment, as I watched his ever so familiar face, I forgot that he was Regulus Black.

     All I could see at that moment was those times when he and Mum tried to teach me how to ride a bike, or when he used to barbecue each Saturday for lunch in the backyard, like it was a traditional.

But then I wondered if my mother ever knew about him being a wizard, or about Hogwarts or Voldemort.

Although my thoughts faded away when I suddenly saw my mum bury her face in her hands, looking extremely anxious.

A pained expression fell upon Dad's face and he went forward, wrapping his arms around her and bringing her into a comforting hug.

Feeling my eyes fill up with tears, I abruptly moved away from the window, wiping the teardrops away with my hands.

"I'm sorry." I sniffed, trying to regain myself as I walked back toward Dumbledore.

"Why are you apologizing?" he asked softly.

"Because I'm being pathetic." I sighed, shaking my head. "I didn't cry in kindergarten as much as I have been in these two years."

"Crying is not a sign of weakness, Lexi," said Dumbledore. "If anything, it shows that you are a human with a heart and emotions, just like the rest of us."

"It's just that — I-I miss them s-so much," I said between sobs. "The l-longest I've ever b-been away from them was a w-week, when they had gone on a v-vacation and left me with my mum's parents. But even then I m-missed them. And now it's been two whole years."

"It's not out of ordinary that you feel this way."

"I j-just wish I could talk to them again," I said feebly, rubbing my eyes as if it could get me to stop crying. "I had forgotten how much I l-loved them. I miss listening to Dad play the piano. I miss watching Mum cook, even though from afar; she never let me near the oven, knowing I would screw up the dinner."

I laughed lightly at the memory and Dumbledore kept smiling, looking down at me.

"I wish I had spent more time with them rather than shutting myself up in my room all the time," I muttered, looking back at the house again. "And I just wish I could be with them again."

My gaze fell down on the ground, bellow my feet, biting the inside of my cheek hard.

"I really miss them both," I whispered again, this time mostly to myself.

"I'm afraid, you must wait a bit longer," Dumbledore said sadly. "But in the meantime, I have something in mind that can cheer you up for the moment."

I looked up at those words. "What?"

Dumbledore smiled down at me once again. "I'm going to take you somewhere. But it mustn't take more than an hour. We wouldn't want Mr. Filch to find you out of bed after the curfew."

"But — where?"

He chuckled, raising up his arm. "If you will, Lexi."

I threw one last look at our home before holding onto Dumbledore's arm once again and with that, we Disapparated out of there.

When I opened my eyes, my head was spinning again, but it surely went better than the first time, even though I still felt slightly sick.

"Now remember, Lexi," said Dumbledore, looking up at the distance amusingly, "I can only give you an hour."

Confused at his words, I turned around and looked up, my lips slightly falling apart in shock when I finally saw where he had taken me.

My heart fluttered as I looked up the shop before me with a sign overhead which said,

Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes