Homecoming from Hogwarts

"You don't know Grindelwald, he's the greatest wizard who ever lived!"

Jasna frowned and glared at Old Enma angrily.
"He did many amazing things, and he almost fulfilled his promise, if that Muggle-loving Dumbledore hadn't stopped him!"

"The Führer also promised to make the Germanic people the greatest nation."

Old Enma actually let out a hoarse laugh,

"But he really only did one thing - kill."

Jasna opened her mouth to refute, but swallowed the words back when they reached her lips.

Firstly, after all, old Emma was a Muggle, and Gellert Grindelwald's goal was to enslave Muggles. Since old Emma saved her life, she was willing to give him some respect.

Secondly, she is no longer as committed to this goal as before.

Figuring this out was a very brutal mental journey.

She had to admit that for the past decade or so, what she had been fighting for was her father's dream, not her own wish.

She was like a machine without emotions, but she became helpless when the person controlling her no longer input instructions.

Her father taught her magic and how to survive in the darkness, but he did not teach her how to find her own purpose in life.

Jasna lost the desire to speak and roasted the venison in silence, while old Enma went to deal with a whole reindeer skin that had been peeled off for him.

There is no time in this isolated village.

After the first two days, Jasna was too lazy to count the time. By the time she had roasted the venison and old Enma's favorite potatoes, the outside of the house was completely drenched in darkness and it was pitch dark.

After enjoying dinner, old Enma didn't rest for long and continued to tan the deerskin.

Looking at the old man who was concentrating in front of the fireplace, Jasna felt a little admiration in her heart.

During the few days here, she saw every move of old Enma.

Apart from eating and resting, old Enma never stops working and always finds something to do.

Perhaps this is the secret of why he has lived alone for half a century without being driven crazy by loneliness.

After thinking about it, Jasna also started to process the remaining venison.

She continued using the cutting spell.

Without a wand, it became very difficult to cast this little spell.

However, this kind of difficulty is a rare pleasure for her now.

He lost his impatience and devoted himself to the task. Through repeated attempts, his wandless casting of the Cutting Spell gradually became smoother and more natural.

call!
Maybe only a few dozen minutes had passed, or maybe several hours had passed.

When a complete reindeer skeleton appeared in front of her, Jasna breathed a sigh of relief, her heart filled with indescribable joy.

This joy was like the inner satisfaction she felt many years ago when she mastered her first spell after hard study and was praised by her father.

Her magic power was greatly consumed and her body was exhausted, but her spirit was still strong.

"I can help you cut wood--"

Jasna didn't notice the hint of boasting in her tone when she said this to old Enma.

In order to prove her ability, she raised her hand and swept through the air. A hazy air blade passed by, and the shaking square table suddenly lost a corner, and the broken end was neat!

"Tomorrow -"

Old Enma glanced at the corner of the table and said calmly,

"It's time for bed."

The smugness that had risen on the corners of Jiasina's mouth was suppressed. Perhaps because he had been a soldier in the past, old Enma's living habits had always been very regular.

The oil lamp hanging on the beam was extinguished, and the blazing fire in the fireplace provided warmth and light to the quiet cottage, fighting against the severe coldness of the whole world.

Today was the most tiring day for Jasna in the past few days here. Although she was still very excited before going to bed, after she lay down, her soft breathing could be heard in the room after a while.

Old Enma, who was leaning against the fireplace and covered with a mattress, slowly opened her eyes.

He silently looked at Jasna, whose fair face was dancing with golden flames. After a long time, the turbidity in his eyes seemed to dissipate a little, and the curve of his lips became gentle.

Maybe another week has passed, maybe half a month has passed.

As the days went by, Jasna gradually got used to the life here.

Jasna never thought that a simple cutting spell could bring her so much fun.

She no longer had nothing to do.

Although her leg injury prevented her from going into the woods with Old Enma to pick up fallen tree trunks, she could stay in the shed and help split the trunks.

In addition, her cutting spell can also cut through frozen ice.

The fish, lacking oxygen due to the ice, would always jump out of the gap she cut, fall onto the ice and be quickly frozen.

So, she can catch a lot of fish every day.

In the evenings she and old Enma would smoke the fish over the fire in the fireplace, and they would also smoke the reindeer meat.

In addition, old Enma is trying to modify his sled these days to increase the bearing capacity of the cargo hold and legs.

So, Jasna also used the cutting spell to help old Enma do some fine carpentry work.

Gradually, she was able to experience the unspeakable joy from this simple life.

Of course, the worries in her heart did not completely disappear.

She began to like looking up at the sky.

It’s not that there is anything worth appreciating in the gloomy sky with sparse snowflakes floating in it.

But she was worried that suddenly, several Aurors would fly over from the sky searching for the fugitive.

Looking at old Enma who was sewing the finally dried reindeer skin onto the overly large mattress, Jasna suddenly felt sad.

If the Aurors did catch her, whether in the village or not, they would grill her about her experiences over the past few days.

They would have used the Cruciatus Curse and Veritaserum on her.

It’s not that she was afraid of these torturous methods, but if she told them, the Aurors would definitely send people to erase the memories of all the villagers who had contact with her.

Old Enma would forget herself, and she would be alone in the cold prison reminiscing about this time that brought her true peace of mind.

"Have you ever thought of living somewhere else, old Enma?"

After a long silence, Jasna suddenly asked,
"I mean, move across the river and live with other people, or... move to some other city in the country of Berlin?"

"No."

Old Enma said with her head down.

"why?"

There was a hint of urgency in Jasna's tone.

Old Enma put down the mattress, slowly turned her head to look at Jasna, and smiled calmly.

"I need to atone for the killings I have committed." (End of this chapter)