"So Grandma keeps on watching over me," Nero said with a small smile, the warmth of the realization settling in his chest.
"That she does," Rowena confirmed, her voice carrying both pride and sorrow. Her eyes softened as she gazed at him, as if seeing Melina within him. "And not just through memories. Her presence lingers in ways you have yet to fully grasp."
Nero swallowed, his fingers brushing against his robes absentmindedly.
Melina Ravenclaw, his grandmother, had given her life for him. And now, even in death, she had left behind something far greater than a memory, a piece of her very essence woven into his being.
Rowena studied him for a moment before continuing. "Nero, we of House Ravenclaw are naturally more attuned to the Laws of Space. It is part of our blood, our very nature. But few are blessed with an even greater gift."
She paused, then said with quiet reverence, "Those who awaken their Raven Eyes."
The words sent a faint shiver down Nero's spine.
"The Raven Eyes!" he echoed.
Rowena gave him an approving nod. "A rare trait, appearing only in the most gifted of our lineage. Beyond what you have already experienced, it grants those who master its full potential an unparalleled perception of the very fabric of space, an insight that allows for manipulation beyond ordinary means. I possessed them. And you too, carry that same potential."
A battle system based on Spatial Laws…
The thought sent a thrill through Nero, his mind already racing with possibilities. What if he could learn to bend space at will? Warp distances? Turn space itself into a weapon? Imbue space laws into barriers?
The sheer scope of the idea was terrifyingly powerful.
But before he could dwell on it further, Rowena's expression darkened.
"Now that you understand the significance of Principles, and of Melina's sacrifice, let me return to the other critical matter I mentioned. One that we investigated with Godric, Salazar, and Helga."
Nero straightened.
Rowena's eyes sharpened. "Your memory awakening was definitely not a natural event," she said. "It was not caused by something, but by someone."
Nero's breath hitched.
Someone.
His heartbeat quickened.
"You mean…" he hesitated. "Someone chose to awaken me?"
Rowena nodded. "Yes. And not just that. Someone with immense power manipulated the Laws of Time and Space to ensure that even we could not investigate what happened before your memories returned."
The revelation slammed into him.
Rowena's expression grew grave. "Whoever did this operates on a level close to our own. That is no small feat, Nero. This person has deliberately erased any trace of their involvement, not just from history, but from reality itself."
A chill ran down Nero's spine.
This wasn't just some powerful wizard meddling in memory charms. This was something far beyond that.
Someone had rewritten history itself.
What did he do to attract such an individual's attention?
"But…" Rowena's eyes gleamed, sharp and calculating. "They underestimated us."
A flicker of satisfaction crossed her face.
"We still managed to glean a clue."
She raised a hand, and the air around them shimmered.
A memory projection sprang to life, revealing a darkened space, lit only by flickering wandlight.
Nero's heart froze as he saw them.
Bellatrix Lestrange.
Her wild mane of black curls, her crazed, gleeful smile, the twisted delight in her eyes, he knew that face all too well.
And beside her, Barty Crouch Jr, Rodolphus and Rabastan Lestrange, Death Eaters.
Bellatrix cackled, tossing her head back.
"Fuck this, that Grandma almost got us."
Grandma, Melina.
Nero's jaw tightened. His hands curled into fists.
Bellatrix twirled her wand between her fingers, her voice dripping with amusement.
"Even though this wasn't the right house, I wish I could've had more fun with that little cutie."
Nero's stomach turned.
She was talking about him.
Rabastan scowled. "Calm down, Bellatrix. You know what we were sent to do."
"But why did we end up here?" Rodolphus snapped, his tone full of suspicion. "We were supposed to take care of the Longbottoms, those pathetic members of Dumbledore's little army."
His scowl deepened.
"What I don't understand is how the hell we Apparated into this house instead. Someone or something redirected us, but who or what?"
Bellatrix sneered. "Who cares about that? The solution is simple: kill anything that moves and move on. If anyone tries to stop us, we'll send them screaming to the afterlife."
The projection faded.
Silence stretched between them.
Nero remained still, his mind racing.
Rowena watched him carefully.
"What do you make of this?" she finally asked.
He inhaled deeply, forcing his thoughts into order.
"They were targeting the Longbottoms, not us," Nero said slowly. "Which means… they weren't supposed to be there."
Rowena gave a slight nod. "Go on."
"Someone manipulated their Apparition coordinates, making them appear at our vacation house instead," Nero continued. "Based on your previous explanation, the logical conclusion is that someone used Spatial Law to mislead them, or some other Principle I don't yet understand."
His hands curled into fists.
"And after that… whoever it was went one step further. They didn't just redirect them. They also erased everything that could point towards their involvement."
He turned to Rowena, eyes sharp.
"Why?" he asked. "Why would someone do this?"
Rowena remained silent for a moment, as if weighing her words.
Then, with a small smile, she said,
"That, Nero, is exactly what we need to find out."
The air grew heavy between them.
Someone, a being of immense power, had been pulling strings behind the scenes.
Had they been guiding him?
Using him?
Or were they merely watching, waiting for him to reach a predetermined point?
Whatever the truth, one thing was certain.
Nero was not alone in this.
Someone had chosen to alter his fate.
And if they could do that…
What else were they capable of?
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