13 Dear, Mother.

{Authors Note: Yes I know about the recent chapter leaks in JJK, and yes I'm salty. I hate all of you.}

{Thank you for reading once again guys! Writing Fever! Super! Sexy! Style!}

BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP!

My reason for choosing to be in Gryffindor was pretty straightforward.

I'm not living in the main character's shadow or running away from important events. I would rather die again than spend the majority of my life that I was grateful for to avoid "Canon" and not even bother to make my own story or carve my own path.

Harry was the cool friend now. Sue me. In this universe, Harry might give me some valuable headstarts on wandless magic, and Hermione seems a bit stronger than her movie counterpart, able to cast a Patronus charm flawlessly.

Admittedly, not under pressure, but still impressive. She was a remarkable duelist as well and coupled with the knowledge of wandless magic, it would be a terrible choice to involve myself with those pitiful excuses of Wizard and Witches in Slytherin. Who can possibly be in there that would benefit me? Snako Malfoy? Nobody but arrogant blood purists and noble children. Also, the hat hated Slytherin, and I have an idea to make it human.

Call me sentimental, but I could care less. I hated prisons, and I hated people who were your creators simply treating you like trash. I wanted to free it someday.

Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw I did not quarrel with, but it just strikes me as mostly "out of the way". No. I can't stand for that. I came here to get strong, and it just so happens to be through allies I know that I can count on.

I'll do cunning in my own way. I don't need a label to do that.

Pretending to be a boy scout and getting more positive attention was better than getting a bad rap as Slytherin anyway.

Sigh, I could see The young platinum-haired idiot plotting my downfall a mile away.

The trio collectively beamed at me, the joy in their gazes palpable from the new inclusion to their house. The Gryffindor table was roaring the loudest, hitting a crescendo as 3rd to 7th-year witches taunted and made fun of the Slytherins. The even younger ones just screamed, not knowing the rivalry entirely but nonetheless delighted for their house's new member.

The older kids chanted "We got Ranji! We got Ranji!" making obnoxiously silly faces like they were two-year-olds.

It made me laugh as I was immediately bathed in light, Gryffindor attire now covering me, the room growing louder as a result. I smiled a toothy grin, and In a typical gojo fashion, I started posing with my robes, making Dumbledore grin and Snape frown at me in disgust. It made Harry belly laugh as Ron chortled with him. Hermione couldn't resist, as she started into a fit of giggles. Me? I was just enjoying the moment. Clap for me more! I'm that guy!

"Yumi, Your ego is showing.'

'ACK!'

I went to sit at the Gryffindor table next to Ron, as Harry and Him pushed me cheerfully, Hermione punching me softly as other students did the same. I smiled till Dumbledore naturally let the students get their bearings, before speaking again.

"Congratulations Mr.Concordia." He winked at me, "One last announcement before you can make yourselves at home again at Hogwarts! As rumors have suggested, The Ministry of Magic has requested that Hogwarts be host to the Dementors of Azkaban." The old wizard leaned back in seriousness, his eyes ever so lightly losing their famous twinkle.

"Until prisoner Sirius Black is captured, they will continue to be of service until their purpose is completed." Dumbledore paused, taking off his glasses. "The dementors will be stationed at every entrance to the grounds. As I'm sure they will not disturb our day-to-day activities, A word of caution."

"Dementors are vicious creatures, as they do not discern from who they're meant to hunt, and who gets in their way. They bring every darkness, every horrible moment you've lived, right before they devour the souls you hold dear."

"But you know, happiness can be found in the darkest of places." It was then a candle blew out next to the Warlock, his hand reaching for it. "But only when one remembers," The candlelit aflame. "To turn on the light".

"That is all for today, and Mr.Concordia, I do hope you find our company as delightful as the walls that permit it so. Once again, welcome to Hogwarts."

As students streamed out of the Great Hall, Harry and the trio accompanied me, and it seemed like a never-ending barrage of questions from the houses, mostly Gryffindor. They asked about my parentage, specifically if I was truly the son of Aesira. I tried my best to answer each query, though it was clear that Ron was growing increasingly irritated by the incessant questioning. Even Harry, usually composed, was getting surprisingly annoyed. Hermione was exhausted, the dementor attack from earlier dampening her senses.

As we made our way through the castle, we encountered the Grand Staircase. This magnificent, ever-shifting staircase seemed to have a life of its own, continuously winding and connecting to other flights. It was as if the castle itself possessed a subtle consciousness. Most students effortlessly levitated themselves a few steps ahead to avoid the physical climb, showcasing their skill with the Levitation Charm, as it seems that the magicals here could have certain spells affect themselves.

A tedious few minutes later we were now standing in front of a large painting, in which pictured a rather overweight lady delicately dressed in a Greek toga, her impression of what was supposed to be Opera maddening to the ears.

Yes, it was as terrible as the movie had it be. Yes, I couldn't take it and almost dismantled the painting off its walls. Harry only laughed at me, patting my shoulder in mock sympathy. A part of me thinks that he was purposefully pondering the riddle that was asked longer, and I was never good with riddles. Which made the whole situation that much more infuriating. I wanted to tear this damn painting apart.

"I can start a war or end one, I can give you the strength of heroes or leave you powerless, I might be snared with a glance, but no force can compel me to stay; What am I?"

The Lady asks, her tone somber.

Harry responded, and the lady smiled, giving a formal bow. The stone door slowly opened with a heavy thud, sand seeping from its beige ceiling.

Entering the room, it was soaked in the iconic colors of the Gryffindor house: rich reds and warm golds. Medium-sized bookcases adorned with volumes of magical tomes and old wooden lounge chairs were thoughtfully placed around. The centerpiece of the room was an opulent rug, its design an enigmatic fusion of two majestic creatures—an amalgamation resembling both a Jaguar and a Lion. The creature's fur sported a lustrous coat of light brown, and a long, luxuriously fluffy tail extended gracefully behind it. Positioned before this unique rug, a grand fireplace emanated a perpetual, enchanted flame, casting a cozy and timeless glow throughout the room.

Rather a nice place to study, but it doesn't beat the room of requirement obviously. Hermione chose her time to speak up, as we stopped to acknowledge her before we ventured more to the male quarters. "I'll sleep in for tonight guys, so don't go venturing off again. Harry." Her eyes narrowing, The raven-haired boy lifted his hands in surrender. "Who would dream of that? You must've got the wrong kid Hermione." He smirked, The girl rolling her eyes. Her demeanor conveyed that she was almost begging. Poor Hermione.

"Everything aside, sleep. There's a killer on the loose. We don't know how strong he is, so if he.. somehow ends up breaching Hogwarts we can be prepared." She affirmed, my look of confusion giving way to a question. "The castle, it's unprotected?" I asked, bewildered. but then I noticed an unreadable expression cross her face for less than a second.

Hermione thought she spoke too much for a second there, and it took lots of willpower not to start grinning ear to ear like a lunatic then and there. I decided to do what she did on the train, crossing my arms and giving her a somewhat irritated look. "What, you can't tell me? We're getting a bit hypocritical aren't we..." I drawled, tilting my head to the side. It was almost comical, but she knew I was serious from my tone. Harry only stared at Hermione, unsure of what to say next as Ron did the same.

Wonderful friend moment indeed. But they are just kids at the moment. Powerful and intelligent kids, but still kids.

Hermione sighed as she rubbed her face, her eyebags prominent. She squirmed a little, rubbing her neck quietly.

"I'll... explain in the morning okay? I think it's better if we show you. Just make sure you're not followed and don't tell anyone." She demanded. I nodded in understanding, smiling at her. Hermione rolled her eyes as she grumbled in retaliation, walking off after saying goodnight to the three of us, Ron chuckling at her slip-up.

I turned to the two boys, a stupid look on my face.

"I'm a ladykiller I know, I know. I'm just getting started, fellas" I claimed. Ron and Harry snorted. "You better not let her hear you say that mate. You're right though. We can't just ask and receive but not... You know give back. Gatekeeping information is a curse isn't it?" Ron looked at Harry, and the black-haired boy nodded in agreement as he responded.

"Sorry. We just had a rough time our first couple of years here. It's hard to trust anyone nowadays." He admitted.

I don't care to be honest. It's human nature.

If I had an overpowered wizard going off and killing my parents when I was a baby only to try and finish the job later over some stupid prophecy, I would be fucked off from making new relationships too.

But I couldn't exactly say that now could I?

"It's alright Harry. I don't know much about the magical world but I know it's dangerous. I mean, you got that scar to prove it right? Don't beat yourself up. I get it." I said. He nodded with a soft smile. "Thank you".

Ah, secrets. Can't live with them or without them.

We made our way to the male quarters, and I was greeted with fluffy-looking beds that resembled clouds. They hovered in gentle stillness in the air, as small third years nimbly jumped from the ground to the air, the spacious room stretching almost 50 feet up.

I noticed the washrooms were located through a small door towards the ceiling, and I saw them utilize the 1st year spell of "Winguardium Leviosa" once again. Some magicals even used the ascension spell, jumping from their beds to the wall, and finally to the floor as they organized their belongings. I theorized that they might have made the room like this to exercise a little more practice in their students. A pretty subtle design choice, but it gets the job done nicely.

Speaking of belongings...

I caught sight of a familiar black luggage, hovering on a silky mattress towards the canopy.

I don't know any levitation spells right now... Limitless? Nah, not in front of everyone. Harry and Ron are the only ones that should know right now.

Harry saw my clueless expression, as I stared up towards my belongings as if it was millions of miles away. "Let me teach you," He said. The air around him flowed at a blissful pace as Ron floated towards a bed that belonged to him, standing as he looked at us below. His arms crossed.

I brought out my wand as Harry then walked me through how the spell works. He immediately shook his head. "You won't need a wand for this. Don't bring out that thing again until you get to class" He snickered. "When it comes to magic, it all comes down to intent. Hermione might be able to explain it better than I can, but magic responds to our deepest wishes. When it comes to any type of spell, you have to mean it." He stated, doing a quick demonstration. "Winguardium Leviosa." He whispered, starting to hover slowly off the ground. "Now you try it." He directed.

Intent? I wondered. Maybe it's something akin to when I gathered my cursed energy for the first time. It was like I had to spark an emotion with a force of will. Cursed energy operates on emotion and calculations, while Magic exists on rationality and insight I think. So I'd have to subtract emotion from the equation. Clear my mind and think on my will... I closed my eyes and said the incantation.

"Winguardium Leviosa," I said, feeling a sensation come over me I couldn't quite describe. I started to feel like I was being lifted, a peculiar weightlessness came over me, my hair floating with me, and then-

I suddenly stopped. The weightlessness disappeared as my hair now was under the effects of normal gravity once again.

Harry broke into immediate laughter, his hand covering his face as he threw himself back. "You failed! Hahahaha!"

'This bastard!' I scowled at him. "You arrogant loser!"

Ron covered his mouth, trying to keep himself from laughing as he watched us.

The black-haired boy quickly tried to regain his senses, snickering all the while. "I guess that was my fault, sorry." He said sheepishly. "I told you Hermione could probably help you more, but Winguardium Leviosa is a spell that you need to feel." He enunciated, "The emotion of feeling free. Maybe this will help. Imagine you're in space. How empty it feels, the stars shining brightly as you float in its endless expanse. That's what professors explained it like, but it could be anything." He expressed, floating higher. "Find your calm," he said, making whatever was struggling inside of me click.

calm

I briefly remembered what my mother said in Aunt Avi's Office.

It's okay Yumi, find your calm.

I cleared my mind again, as I willed to think about my intention with the spell, my senses flaring up in anticipation. I made my intention crystal, imagining my mother, and how she made me feel for the very first time I saw her.

Find my calm.

"Winguardium Leviosa!" I shouted.

There was an immediate difference from the first attempt. The feeling of weightlessness completely overtook me at a much faster pace. My hair barely floated now, as I could sense I was in full control, not just a passenger of my magic. This time, I was fully in charge.

I then looked on in wonder as my feet slowly but surely touched off the ground, Harry and Ron clapping in applause. The other children in the quarters clapped as well, cheering me on as I floated further toward the duo.

When I made it, the raven-haired boy looked at me in interest. "What did you think of?" He asked.

I smiled at him in response, looking from where I floated from in silent victory.

"I thought of my mother," I told him.

Harry looked away for a moment as he then smiled as well.

"I did too"

The sheer number of items my mother packed was a complete antithesis to the amount of things I actually needed. Tome after tome of writings that she wrote herself were all here, as I quickly skimmed through pages in interest.

'How to enhance magical core: Yumi's Guide!'

'How to obtain Mage sight: For Dummies'

That made me snort, but was also made my cheeks a shade darker at the clause on the front page

'This is a secret technique, Don't go teaching it to every girl you meet! I want grandbabies but at least let me meet her first!'

Really Mom?

No doubt they would be of major help in my progress. While Six Eyes is incredibly versatile when it comes to ocular prowess, it only aids me with the manipulation and overall supposition of cursed energy. I still needed to work on it.

Gojo has owned them since birth and has lived with them in his eye sockets for almost 30 years.

Me? I've had it for two days. Two. days. I should consider myself lucky I was able to see this far in truth.

So I needed to "Jumpstart" them in a way, and with my mother's journal on how to unlock mage sight, I could push these eyes further. Kill two birds with one stone.

While I can no doubt differentiate between different types of energy and speculate on the strength of a specific spell or charm, it only gives me very vague information in hindsight. I was only able to tell how strong or powerful Hermione's Patronus was, not determine when exactly it would fully manifest, Clues that could lead me on how to cast it, calculations regarding how much magic was accumulated, etc. This helps me theorize that the six eyes have a small, actually minuscule trace of magic within them, although it's not complete.

Magic is completely different. It's on a grander scale than anything I could've imagined. It's incredible to tell you the truth, the six eyes. I can see if I wish with my eyes closed and I can read facial expressions within an infinitesimal of a second. That's how I was able to pick up on Hermione being dodgy so quickly. But it's only Jujutsu and perception-based for the time being.

I made a plan to enter the Room Of Requirement as soon as possible.

'Hm? What's this?'

I noticed a peculiar small, but thick journal grace my fingertips as I pulled it from my case.

One word was simply read on the cover.

'Kundalik'

'This was a diary!' my eyes widened.

My mother wrote in it during her time in Hogwarts? It was exceptionally layered with notes about her Magical discoveries while also touching on her inner thoughts, emotions, and whatnot. I would be busy reading this after I unlock mage sight that's for sure. What especially drove me was her notes about a tall and very muscular man, an individual whom she met with piercing blue eyes, an angular face, and dark, honey-brown skin. His hair was a mess of coils and twists, as they stretched long to his shoulders. This man... I knew who he was.

My father.

'I didn't know what I was thinking. Running away to South Africa in a fit of rage. Maybe it was the only place where I could feel at peace, the voices of my ancestors calling out to me. It was the only thing that could aid me in seeing clarity. It was an emotional respite, a break from my own mind.'

'Why was I crying so much?'

'Why couldn't I stop thinking about it?'

'It was like something out of a soap opera, or those books that I read as a little girl, a man who found himself there by sheer chance. A warrior of a neighboring tribe.'

'"Ungabe usakhala, wena mfazi wobuhle usekuphatheleni usizi?"

'The man asked me, his eyes were so blue, so vast like a sea. They were bluer than mine.'

'He went closer, stopping just in front of me as he looked down at my state.'

'I looked up as he caressed my cheek, this feeling foreign to me.'

'I said back to him, "Umama wami, upopa wami abasekho. Umhlaba wami uhlakazekile."'

'The man only smiled at me, wiping the tears from my face.'

'"Bese uzenzela owakho umhlaba, ngoba kunethemba elihlala kuwo."'

'As our connection deepened, I found myself irresistibly drawn to him—an extraordinary man with coiled and twisted hair, and a physique sculpted with undeniable strength.'

'The magic of our bond transcended mere physicality. It became profound. Emotionally exceeding.

In his presence, I felt an indescribable magnetic pull, a connection that was far deeper. It was his intelligence, his mind captivating me in every aspect. Conversation endeared me to this man on a profound level.'

'The attraction I felt wasn't solely rooted in his muscular physique, although I was drawn to it with such...vigor. It was this confidence, this strength in emotional vulnerability. It made me feel safe. I cherish these moments with him.'

"She definitely didn't mean to pack this," I whispered.

'This physical attraction I felt was undoubtedly a part of this connection. He's so enchanting. His eyes, his lips. His body was like a maze of huskiness. It was as if we were two bunnies, from winter to spring, as he took me-'

"Whatcha readin'?" Ron asked, reading over my shoulder.

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH"

"Alright! Dammit Yumi, My ears!" He complained, floating away as the hall erupted in a fit of laughter. Harry facepalmed, once again at a lost toward the red-head. "That's what you get for being nosy~" The boy teased. I shook my head, my mental exhaustion finally showing itself. 'I got too deep into it. My grandparents are dead? that's a bummer. I wish I could've met them.' I thought.

Finally turning into bed as I floated up to the washroom to change myself, I maneuvered my egg into a nightstand drawer as it floated in constant orbit around me. It should be safe.

I bid Ron and Harry goodnight, as it concluded my first night at Hogwarts.

I then realized, through the beginning of my slumber, the answer to the riddle.

It was love.