He sealed the letter, set it aside to send the m, and opened Lily’s letter . Her handwriting was and calming, and the tone of her letter made him smile.

  "Dear Alex, I’m sorry for replying te! Harry’s just over a month old now, and I’m still learning how to be a mother. It’s been overwhelming, but wonderful, too.

  As for you being sorted into Slytherin, don’t worry too much about it. The S Hat always has its reasons, and Slytherin House isn’t as bad as people make it out to be. Sure, some wizards have gone down the wrong path after graduating, but that doesn’t mean they all do.

  One of my friends from school was in Slytherin, and they’re fighting against the Death Eaters just like the rest of us.

  You’re strong, Alex. You’ve been through so much, and I believe you’ll get through whatever es your way at Hogwarts. Stay true to yourself and don’t lose sight of what’s right.

  By the rofessor Flitwick wrote to me saying you’ve been io join the Charms Club—gratutions! I didn’t get that iil third year. If you’re ied, I left some notes on proteagi the club. I hid them behind the podium otom shelf, tucked inside a book called Defeheory of Magic by Wilbert Slinka. It might e in handy.

  Sirius mentioned inviting you over after Christmas. We’d love to have you, and I’m sure Harry would enjoy meeting you, too.

  Take care of yourself, Your friend, Lily Potter."

  Alex felt a warmth in his chest after reading Lily’s letter. Despite everything she had going on, she still took the time to ence him. She didn’t owe him anything, yet her kindness was unreserved.

  He immediately grabbed another sheet of part to write his reply:

  "Lily, thank you for your kind words. I’ll definitely e visit after Christmas—I’m looking forward to meeting Harry. I’ll make sure to check out those proteagiotes you left in the Charms Club, too.

  I really appreciate your support. Please take care of yourself and Harry. Even at home, stay safe.

  Sincerely, Alex."

  With both letters written, Alex set them aside to send in the m.

  The day, after sending the letters, Alex had no iion of getting involved in the Slytherin-Gryffindor drama. Instead, he decided to visit Hagrid. Siarting at Hogwarts, he hadn’t had a ce to catch up with him, even though they had shared dragon liver together at the Leaky Cauldron before term started.

  After csses, Alex gathered a few jars of seasoning from his room as a gift and made his way toward Hagrid’s hut.

  He remembered Hagrid mentioning that his hut wasn’t too close to the castle, so Alex headed dowh that led away from the school. After passing the owl shack, he followed the trail toward the edge of the forest. Along the way, he saw a few students chatting and pying, but as he neared Hagrid’s hut, the crowds thinned out.

  Finally, Alex spotted the small, rough-looking hut in the distahe sight of vegetables and fruits growing around it made him smile. 'Typical Hagrid.'

  "Maybe I should transpnt the green onions I pnted," Alex mused as he walked. "They never get enough sunlight where they are, and they’re looking more and more wilted these days." Seeing Hagrid’s vegetable garden brought a sense of relief to Alex, and his pace quied as he made his way to the hut.

  "Hagrid! Hagrid! Are you in?" Alex called out, standing outside the small wooden house.

  The door creaked open, and Hagrid, t as usual, ducked his head to step outside. A wide smile spread across his face when he saw Alex.

  "Alex! Haven't seen you in a bit. e in, e in!" Hagrid weled him warmly, opening the door wider to let Alex inside.

  As Alex entered, he got a full view of Hagrid’s hut. It was a cozy, one-room with all the essentials: ham, sausages, and pheasants hung from the ceiling, and a r firepce lit up the room. In front of the fire sat a huge wooden table surrounded by wooden chairs. A rge bed occupied one er, piled with a patchwork quilt. On the walls hung various tools—hammers, axes, and a rge crossbow. Most noticeably, a pink umbrel rested he sofa.

  "Hagrid, your pce may be small, but it’s well-stocked!" Alex said with a grin, feeling at ease in the warm, rustic space. The sight of the vegetable garden just outside the hut added to his good mood.

  Hagrid chuckled, scratg his head. "Aye, not much t about, but it does the job. So, what brings you here today?"

  "I’ve been meaning to visit for a while, but I’ve beeing used to Hogwarts. Today, I had some free time and thought I’d e see you." Alex smiled a a rge bundle of seasonings oable, climbing up onto one of the oversized chairs. "I brought these for you, figured you might enjoy adding them to your meals."

  "Ah, you shouldn’t have! Thank you, Alex!" Hagrid beamed, clearly touched. He then took a closer look at Alex and noticed the green and silver of Slytherin on his uniform.

  "Blimey, Alex, you're in Slytherin? I didn’t notice at first!"

  "Yeah, tell me about it," Alex ughed, shaking his head. "I was just as surprised as you when the S Hat made its choice."

  Hagrid looked genuinely puzzled. "But you told me you were Muggle-born, right? Not many Muggle-born wizards end up in Slytherin."

  "Exactly," Alex said, leaning in a bit and l his voice as if sharing a secret. "I’ve been thinking the S Hat might’ve pulled a fast one on me. When I put it on, it said I could fit into almost any house, but after a bit of bad-forth, it shoved me into Slytherin. I’m pretty sure the hat has a grudge against me or something."

  Hagrid ughed heartily, p Alex a cup of water. "The S Hat, holding grudges? Never heard of it doing anything like that before. But did you maybe annoy it somehow?"

  Alex rolled his eyes pyfully. "If I could’ve taken it apart, I would’ve."

  Hagrid’s expression softened a bit, and his tourned more serious. "Have the pure-bloods in Slytherin been giving you any trouble? You know how they be. Plenty of dark wizards ah Eaters came from that house. You’ve got to watch yourself."

  Alex could tell that Hagrid was genuinely ed, whether it was about him staying safe or not falling into dark magic.