AN: Hello everyone! I'm back for the second update this week.
I'll be honest, I'm not really proud of this chapter.
I just couldn't figure out how to properly do this chapter. I stared at the blank document for days, thinking about how to write it.
But I had to do this chapter as this will be an important part that will build the solid foundation of Noah to stand in the magical society.
So even though this is not my proudest work, it is still somehow able to represent what I need it to do.
That's all for me, hope this chapter won't be that bad for everyone.
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Non-Administrated World #97, Star Rail Universe…
"CRUCIO!!!!!!"
"WAAAH…..!!!"
"GUUUHHHH….!!!!"
"GAAAAAA.....!!!!"
"NO...UHHHH!!!!!"
The screams that followed were raw, ugly, and desperate.
The Death Eaters collapsed against the cold stone floor, their bodies twisting as the torture curse tore through them. The others kneeling behind Voldemort, lucky enough not to be chosen, didn't dare move. Some lowered their heads further. Others clenched, shaking hands against their robes, trying not to look, trying not to breathe too loudly, trying not to become the next example.
The place where they were wasn't large, but it felt endless in the wrong way. Dark walls. Old stone. Narrow windows covered by heavy curtains. Enchanted lamps burned along the sides, but their light was weak, as if even light feared to spread too far in this place.
At the far end of the room, Lord Voldemort stood with his wand extended.
His expression was empty and cold. Even his eyes showed nothing… which made it worse.
He watched his writhing followers for a few seconds longer before lowering his wand. The curse ended at once, and the Death Eaters fell to the floor, gasping as if they had been dragged up from deep water.
But no one helped them, no one ever dared to.
Voldemort's red eyes passed over the kneeling figures one by one.
"I sent you to Diagon Alley," he said softly. "To remind them what fear feels like."
His voice was not loud. It didn't need to be. Every word sank deeper than shouting ever could.
"You had one task. Show them their streets are not safe. Show them their shops, their lives, their precious little daylight… all belong to me the moment I choose to reach for them."
Voldemort took one step forward, and the kneeling Death Eaters trembled.
"And yet…" His fingers tightened around his wand. "Instead of spreading fear, you returned carrying it."
A man near the back flinched.
Voldemort noticed the man. His eyes went straight to him.
"You."
The Death Eater stiffened.
"M-my Lord…"
"Tell me what you saw."
The man swallowed hard. His voice trembled, but terror forced the words out.
"...T-they were not ordinary wizards, my Lord."
Voldemort tilted his head.
"Not ordinary?"
The Death Eater pressed his forehead closer to the floor. "No, my Lord. One of them… the boy with black hair… he stopped every curse in the air without using a wand or incantation."
Another Death Eater hurriedly added, "He turned them against our forces, my Lord. Killing Curses, blasting spells, cutting curses… that boy transfigured every spell into butterflies made of light."
"Butterflies?" Voldemort's eyes narrowed.
The word left his mouth cold enough to make several of them shudder.
The first Death Eater quickly lowered his head further. "Yes, my Lord."
"And the other?" Voldemort asked.
The injured man on the floor let out a small groan, but no one looked at him.
"A gray-haired boy," another answered. "He carried a strange club. A bat, perhaps. But the power around it was not magic. He broke the formation with just a single attack."
His voice thinned.
"He shattered the ground."
"And our men," another whispered before realizing he had spoken.
Voldemort's attention turned to him.
The man tensed and did not dare continue. For a moment, every Death Eater in the room held their breath.
"Continue."
The man's shoulders shook. "There was also a girl, my Lord. Pink hair. She froze the others. Those who tried to flee by Portkey or Apparition… couldn't move. She turned them into statues."
A strange stillness settled over Voldemort's face. The kneeling Death Eaters mistook it for anger. But it was not, it was a thought. A very dangerous thought
"And these… children," Voldemort said, the word filled with contempt. "They defeated our forces?"
No one answered. The silence answered the question itself.
Voldemort's smile vanished.
"Pathetic."
The word hit them harder than any curse.
—------
The next morning, Diagon Alley was missing its usual liveliness. The crowd had thinned since the crew's first visit, and the weight of yesterday's attack could be seen everywhere.
Some shops had opened, but many remained closed. Signs still swung above the street. Owls still hooted from their cages. Parchment still fluttered in shop windows, and the smell of fresh bread mixed strangely with potion ingredients in the air.
But the laughter had faded, and conversations were like whispers now.
People still walked through the alley, but their steps were quicker. Their eyes kept moving toward corners, rooftops, and alley entrances. The crater from yesterday's attack had already been repaired, yet the fear it left behind still clung to the street like smoke.
Magic could fix broken walls, shattered windows, and fallen signs, but it could not erase what people had seen.
So when the crew appeared near the entrance of Gringotts, the whispers began almost immediately. Noah noticed, so did everyone else.
March 7th leaned a little closer to Caelus, keeping her voice low. "…Okay, either Magical Britain has a terrifying rumor network, or we became famous overnight."
Caelus glanced around at the witches and wizards, pretending not to stare. "…Probably both."
"Wonderful," Noah muttered, already looking tired. "Exactly what I wanted. Public attention before breakfast."
"You already had breakfast," Sirin said from his side, her arm hooked around his.
"That doesn't make this better," Noah replied dryly.
Hayate, walking on Noah's other side with Reinforce sitting on her shoulder, gave him a sympathetic smile. "At least no one is screaming?"
"Give it time," Dan Heng said from behind them.
March slowly turned toward him. "…Why would you say that?"
Dan Heng looked ahead. "Because someone usually does."
Welt let out a small sigh, though amusement faintly touched his eyes. "Please don't tempt causality this early in the morning."
Himeko, as usual, walked with calm elegance, completely unbothered by the attention gathering around them. If anything, she looked like a guest arriving for a formal appointment rather than someone who had been indirectly accused by the universe of being Noah's great-grandmother… well, her alternate at least.
Noah still hadn't recovered from that.
Near the steps of Gringotts, the Greengrasses appeared to have arrived not long before them.
Damien Greengrass stood with his usual composed posture, dressed in formal robes that were elegant without being excessive. Elizabeth stood beside him, firm but warm. Cyrus lingered near them, trying very hard to look dignified, though relief softened his face the moment Pandora waved toward Noah and the others.
Pandora herself brightened when she saw them.
"Sir Noah," she greeted, then gave a small curtsy toward the rest. "Everyone. Good morning."
"Morning," March replied, lifting a hand cheerfully before lowering it halfway. "Uh… formal good morning?"
Pandora blinked once, then laughed softly. "Just a good morning is fine."
Cyrus stared at March for a second, then glanced toward Caelus. "…Is she always like this?"
Caelus nodded without hesitation. "Yes."
March shot him a look. "Hey."
"They asked."
Damien stepped forward before the small exchange could grow out of control. His eyes passed briefly over Noah, then the rest of the crew.
"I hope your morning has been peaceful so far."
Noah looked around at the people whispering from a distance.
"…Define peaceful."
Elizabeth's lips curved faintly, but her eyes carried understanding. "News from yesterday spread quickly."
"That fast?" Hayate asked.
"In Magical Britain?" Damien replied with a dry look. "Faster than owls, slower than paranoia."
Welt glanced at him. "That is a very specific measurement."
"Well, it is the truth," Elizabeth said gently.
Noah turned his attention toward the white marble building before them.
Gringotts stood at the end of the street, as imposing as it had been the day before. Morning light touched the polished steps, while the bronze doors reflected the figures gathered outside. Goblins moved in and out with quick, efficient motions, their sharp eyes catching everything while pretending to notice nothing.
"…Let's go and finish this meeting," Noah muttered.
The moment Noah stepped inside the bank, several goblins, employees, and customers glanced his way.
Not openly. Not rudely. Just enough for him to feel it. Their attention didn't feel like simple curiosity. It felt like a calculation.
Caelus noticed it too. "They're staring."
"More like assessing," Dan Heng corrected.
Noah exhaled through his nose. "Let's go before someone starts calling me something dramatic again."
Pandora gave him an apologetic smile.
Unfortunately for Noah, the universe had terrible timing. The moment they entered the great hall, the atmosphere seemed to tighten.
Rows of goblins sat behind tall desks, quills scratching over ledgers while coins clicked under swift, practiced fingers. Witches and wizards stood in neat lines, speaking in low voices. Chandeliers hung above them, casting golden light over marble floors and polished counters.
Then, one by one, eyes turned.
Goblins looked up from their documents. A few witches stopped mid-sentence. One wizard near the corner whispered something to his companion, only for both of them to quickly look away when Sirin turned toward them.
March stiffened slightly. "Yep. Definitely famous overnight."
Caelus leaned closer to Noah. "Congratulations."
"For what?"
"Your debut."
"I hate this."
Sirin tightened her hold on Noah's arm, glaring faintly across the hall. "If they keep staring, I can make them stop."
"No," Noah and Himeko said at the same time.
Sirin pouted at their quick response. "I didn't even say how."
"That's why we answered early," Himeko replied.
Reinforce leaned closer to Hayate's ear and whispered, "Sirin-chan's solution probably involves property damage."
Hayate smiled awkwardly. "Probably? That is almost certain, my dear Rein."
Before the situation could go any further, the doors at the far side of the hall opened, and Ragnok stepped out. The goblin director looked just as severe as before, dressed in finely tailored robes lined with gold. His eyes moved across the group, pausing briefly on Noah, then March, then Caelus.
His expression did not change, but the look in his eyes grew sharper.
"Heir Peverell," Ragnok greeted, his voice carrying through the hall without needing to rise. "Your entrance into Magical Britain has been… difficult to ignore."
Noah closed his eyes for a brief second.
Caelus whispered, "Dramatic title. Call it."
March elbowed him lightly.
Noah opened his eyes and gave Ragnok a tired look. "That was not intentional."
A small smirk formed on Ragnok's face. "Intent rarely matters to history. Only consequence."
"That sounds exactly like something a bank director would say," Caelus muttered.
Ragnok's eyes turned to him. "And yet, it remains true."
Caelus blinked. "…Fair enough."
Damien stepped forward. "Director Ragnok."
"Lord Greengrass." Ragnok inclined his head. "Lady Greengrass. Young Greengrass. Miss Greengrass."
The Greengrasses returned the greeting with polite nods.
Ragnok then gestured toward the corridor behind him. "The Potters have not yet arrived, but they are expected shortly. Until then, we have prepared a private room."
"Thank you," Himeko said smoothly.
Ragnok looked at her for a moment longer than courtesy required before giving the smallest nod. "You are welcome."
As they followed him through the hall, the whispers began again behind them. Noah ignored them, or at least, he tried to.
Then March leaned closer with a mischievous smile.
"So we're really doing this."
"No."
"…I haven't even said anything yet."
"You were about to."
March puffed her cheeks. "You don't know that."
"I know you well enough, Granny."
Caelus nodded with complete seriousness. "She probably already has the family photo positions ready."
"I do not!"
Sirin glanced at her. "You do."
March opened her mouth, paused, then looked away. "…Maybe."
Noah sighed so deeply that even Ragnok glanced back. The goblin's eyes narrowed, and for a second, Noah wasn't sure if that was amusement or judgment.
"Family matters are often complicated," Ragnok said.
Noah looked at him flatly. "Please don't encourage her."
Ragnok's mouth curved. "I would never."
No one believed him.
They arrived at a set of heavy doors enchanted with old runes and goblin script. Two goblin guards stood on either side, armed and watching the group with sharp eyes. The moment Ragnok approached, they stepped aside.
The private room was wide and richly furnished, though in the Gringotts way rather than the noble one. Dark wood long table at the center, polished marble floors, silver inkpots, and sealed documents are arranged neatly on the table.
At the far end of the room sat an empty chair, larger than the rest. Noah looked at it and then at Ragnok.
"…That's not for me, right?"
Ragnok did not answer immediately, and Noah's expression fell.
"Director."
"It is a chair," Ragnok said.
"A very suspicious chair."
"It is appropriate for the recognized Heir Peverell."
Noah rubbed his face, and March's eyes twinkled.
"I won't."
"But—"
"I won't."
"…But it has heir energy."
"Granny March."
Caelus crossed his arms and nodded as if he had uncovered some sacred truth. "You should sit at it. It's tradition."
"...How do you even know that?"
"I don't need to. It just feels true."
Before the discussion could continue, Himeko gently placed a hand on Noah's shoulder.
"For now, sit wherever you're comfortable."
Noah looked at her with genuine gratitude.
"Thank you."
Ragnok watched the exchange in silence, then gestured toward the table. "Take your seats. There is much to discuss once the Potters arrive."
The group settled in, though March kept glancing between Noah and the large chair with barely restrained disappointment. Noah pretended not to notice.
A few minutes passed.
Then the sound of multiple footsteps approached from outside the closed doors.
Pandora straightened slightly.
Damien's face settled into what could only be called a noble's mask.
Ragnok turned toward the entrance.
The doors opened, and the Potter family finally arrived.
—----
The first to enter was an older man with neatly combed silver-streaked hair and a dignified presence that made everyone in the room gather around him. His robes were finely made, but unlike many nobles Noah had seen before, there was no desperate need to show off wealth or status. He carried himself like someone who knew his family name mattered, but had no interest in swinging it around like a weapon.
Beside him walked a younger man with the same sharp eyes, though his expression held a little more warmth. His posture was formal without being stiff, and the way his eyes moved around the room told Noah that this man preferred to observe first and speak second.
Then came the third.
A messy-haired teenage boy in casual summer robes stepped in behind them, clearly trying to look proper and clearly failing, because his eyes had already landed on Noah.
For a moment, James Potter simply stared.
Then his eyes widened.
"Wait…"
Noah felt a terrible premonition rise in his chest as James pointed at him.
"You're the bloke from Fortescue's!"
The room went silent.
Noah slowly closed his eyes.
"…Please don't introduce me like that."
Caelus immediately lowered his head, shoulders shaking with silent laughter. March slapped a hand over her mouth, but the way her eyes twinkled made it obvious she was already filing that title somewhere dangerous in her mind.
Sirin's eyes narrowed toward James. "Bloke?"
Hayate gently touched her arm. "Sirin-chan, not now."
The older Potter glanced at James with a look that was neither angry nor surprised, which somehow made it clear this was far from the first time such a thing had happened.
"James," he called him out.
James straightened at once, though not without giving Noah one last curious look. "Right. Sorry, Grandfather."
The older man then turned his attention back to the room. His eyes moved over the Greengrasses with familiarity, paused briefly on Ragnok with practiced respect, then finally settled on Noah.
The weight behind that look was different from Ragnok's calculation or Damien's caution.
It felt like he was trying to see past Noah's name and title, searching for the person beneath them.
"Lord Charlus Potter," Ragnok introduced. "Current head of House Potter."
Charlus gave a polite nod. "Greetings, Director Ragnok. Everyone."
Ragnok then gestured toward the younger man beside him. "Fleamont Potter, the next Head of House Potter."
Fleamont inclined his head toward the room. "It is a pleasure to meet everyone."
"And James Potter, Heir of House Potter," Ragnok added.
James raised a hand slightly. "Hello."
March's eyes immediately moved from James to Noah, then back to James. Her expression slowly brightened.
Noah saw it.
"No."
"I didn't say anything."
"You were thinking about it."
March placed a hand on her chest, offended. "How could you accuse me like that?"
Caelus leaned closer to Noah and whispered, "She was absolutely thinking it."
"I know."
Charlus watched the exchange for a moment. To Noah's surprise, the corner of the old man's lips curved faintly.
"So," Charlus said, his voice clear enough to carry across the room. "You are Noah Alden."
Noah stood properly and offered his hand. "Yes. It is an honor to meet you, Lord Potter."
"The honor may be mine," Charlus replied, taking his hand.
Noah blinked for a brief second. The words were polite, but there was something behind them. Not suspicion. Not hostility. Something he can't name.
Charlus' eyes remained sharp, but not cold.
"After all," he continued, "it is not every day one meets a man whom Gringotts recognizes as the heir of the Peverell line."
Fleamont's eyes returned to Noah with renewed interest. James, on the other hand, blinked.
"Peverell?" he repeated, looking at Noah again. "Wait, like the Peverells?"
March leaned toward Caelus and whispered, "Family reunion officially confirmed."
Noah heard her, and his cheek twitched.
"Granny March."
"What? I didn't say it out loud."
"Not silent enough."
Ragnok tapped his cane lightly against the floor, and the room quieted again.
"Now that all relevant parties have arrived," the goblin director said, "we may begin."
Charlus took the seat across from Noah. Fleamont sat beside him, while James reluctantly followed, though his eyes kept drifting back to Noah with open curiosity.
Damien and Elizabeth sat on the Greengrass side, with Pandora beside Cyrus. Himeko chose a seat near Noah, while Welt and Dan Heng positioned themselves close enough to observe everything. Sirin and Hayate remained beside him as naturally as breathing.
March and Caelus settled nearby with expressions that claimed they were trying very hard not to make things worse.
Of course, Noah did not trust those expressions at all.
Ragnok remained standing at the head of the table. With a small gesture, one of the goblin attendants stepped forward and placed a sealed parchment case before him. It was old, made of dark leather with silver clasps, and marked with goblin script alongside a symbol Noah recognized from the lineage test.
The Peverell crest.
The moment Noah saw it, something quiet moved through the Force. Not danger. Recognition.
Ragnok rested one hand over the case.
"This meeting has three purposes," he said. "First, to formally confirm Noah Alden's status before the Potter family. Second, to clarify the relationship between the Potter line and the Peverell inheritance. And third…"
His eyes lifted toward Noah.
"As requested by the Potter family, to determine what kind of heir has returned."
The room fell silent.
Noah stared at the sealed case for a moment before letting out the smallest sigh.
"…No pressure, then."
Caelus immediately murmured, "Family reunion with paperwork."
March nodded solemnly. "The most dangerous kind."
Noah's tired expression returned.
Charlus chuckled softly.
And with that small sound, the tension eased just enough for the meeting to truly begin.
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