Change of Identity

As summer came to Hogwarts, the students packed up their belongings and prepared to make the journey home to their families. The castle that had been bustling with life for the past school year now sat empty and quiet, as if awaiting the return of the students in the fall.

For some students, the prospect of leaving Hogwarts was a welcome one, as they looked forward to spending time with their families and friends back home. For others, it was a bittersweet goodbye, as they would miss the magic and excitement of the castle.

Charles watched as Emma, gathered her belongings and prepared to leave Hogwarts. As she turned to him with a sad expression on her face, Charles knew what was coming next. "Do you have to go to Norway?" she asked him, her voice tinged with worry.

Charles sighed, knowing that he couldn't keep the truth from her. "It's a request from father," he replied, trying to keep his tone neutral.

Emma's face fell even further, and Charles felt a pang of guilt. He knew that his sudden departure would be difficult for her, especially since they were supposed to go back home together.

"I don't want you to go," Emma said softly, her voice barely above a whisper.

Charles put a comforting arm around her shoulder, feeling a surge of protectiveness towards his little sister. "I know it's hard, Emma, but I have to go," he said. "It's important."

Emma nodded, wiping away a stray tear. "I know," she said. "Just promise me you won't get hurt like last time. Promise me you will be safe."

Charles smiled "I promise,"

----

Selene, Lily, Mikkel, and I stood outside the Madsen family estate, taking in the grandeur of the sprawling mansion before us. We had traveled all the way to Norway to meet with Mikkel's family to further establish our plan of changing Lily's identity.

As we entered the mansion, we were immediately struck by the grand entrance hall, with a sweeping staircase leading up to the upper floors. The walls were adorned with priceless works of art, and the floors were made of gleaming marble.

As Selene and Lily settled into their designated rooms, a butler-like house elf appeared before us, bowing low.

"Master Mikkel, Master Lucas has been expecting you and your guests. Please follow me to the main hall," the house elf said, his voice deferential and respectful.

Mikkel nodded, and we followed the house elf through a maze of corridors and grand chambers.

As we arrived at the main hall, we were greeted by Mikkel's father, Lucas Madsen. He was an imposing figure, with a commanding presence and an air of authority that left no doubt as to his power and influence.

"Welcome boy, and guests," Lucas Madsen said, his voice deep and resonant. "I trust you have all settled in comfortably." Lucas looked at Selene as he spoke.

"We are honored to be here, Mr. Madsen," Selene replied, her voice steady and measured. "Thank you for your hospitality."

Lucas nodded, and I could see a faint smile on his lips. "You are most welcome, my dear," he said to Selene. "You saved my boy's life."

Selene nodded solemnly.

"Boy, I wanted to let you know that your mother will be arriving in a week. She had some business to attend to in Uruguay, you know how important her studies are to her," Lucas informed Mikkel.

Mikkel nodded, looking disappointed. "Understood."

Lucas then turned to me. "Welcome, Charles, my boy," he said warmly, his eyes twinkling. "It's a pleasure to have you here with us. Your father speaks very highly of you."

I looked a bit confused but managed to thank him respectfully with a slight bow of my head. "Thank you, Mr. Madsen."

Lucas chuckled softly at my polite gesture before clapping his hands together. "Now, enough with the formalities," he declared with a warm smile. "Breakfast is ready, and I don't know about you, but I'm famished."

With that, he led the way to a grand dining room, where a long table was set with an array of delicious-looking foods. There were platters of fresh fruit, steaming bowls of porridge, crispy bacon, scrambled eggs, and toast.

As we settled into our seats, I savored the delicious food and the warm, convivial atmosphere around us. The mood was light, and we all seemed to be enjoying the moment. However, the mood was suddenly disrupted when Lucas cleared his throat and fixed his steely gaze on Selene.

"I believe it's time we address the elephant in the room," he said, his tone taking on a darker edge. "Selene, I think it's time you revealed your family name to your companions here."

I saw Selene's face paled, and her hand trembled as she reached for her cup of tea. "Mr. Madsen, please," she whispered, her voice barely audible.

But Lucas was not deterred. "It's time they knew the truth, Selene. The truth about your family's dark past and the secrets they've been hiding for generations."

The rest of us sat in stunned silence, our eyes fixed on Selene, waiting for her response. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, she took a deep breath and spoke.

"My family name is Gaunt," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

The name sent a shiver down my spine, as I had heard tales of the Gaunt family's involvement in the Dark Arts. I exchanged a worried look with Mikkel, who seemed equally shaken.

Lucas leaned back in his chair, a solemn look on his face. "And she is actually a distant relative of Voldemort," Lucas added with a dark glint in his eye, causing everyone at the table to gasp in shock.

"Now that we've cleared the air, let's enjoy the rest of our meal," he said, grabbing a piece of toast and taking a large bite.

But the revelation about Selene's family name lingered over us like a dark cloud, casting a shadow over our once carefree breakfast.

After breakfast, Lucas turned to Lily with a stern expression. "Now, my dear, it's time for you to introduce yourself properly. We can't have you hiding in the shadows forever, can we?"

I saw the trepidation on Lily's face as she looked at me and Mikkel before turning back to Lucas. "I'm Lily Wellspring," she said, trying to keep the nervousness out of her voice. "My family is thought to be extinct, but I am the last descendant."

'I have no idea what the power of that family name holds, but people have killed to find her before,' I thought in silence.

Lucas's reaction to Lily's revelation surprised me. He stood up and paced back and forth in the dining room, muttering to himself and shaking his head. "This is not good," he said finally, his voice filled with concern.

"What's wrong?" I asked, sensing Lucas's distress.

Lucas turned to Lily with a piercing gaze, as if trying to read her thoughts. "As a descendant of the Wellspring family," he said, his voice low and intense, "you have been born with a deep understanding of healing magic, I presume. The knowledge passed down through your family bloodline is powerful, Ms. Wellspring. The knowledge you have can cure even the most stubborn and dangerous magical afflictions. In the right circumstances, it is said it can even bring back the dead."

I watched as Lucas leaned forward, his eyes still fixed on Lily. "You have a great responsibility, Ms. Wellspring," he said. "Your family's knowledge and abilities must be passed on to the next generation. You cannot let this power go to waste."

Lily nodded, her expression serious as she absorbed the weight of what Lucas had just said.

'Okay, this is beyond what I thought,' I thought to myself, feeling perplexed. 'But now I know why so many families want her so badly. With the ability to bring back the dead, Voldemort could be resurrected at full strength.'

Suddenly, Lucas broke the tense atmosphere by clearing his throat and asking, "So, Ms. Wellspring, would you like to marry Mikkel?"

Lily's eyes widened in shock at the unexpected question, and she stammered, "W-what? I, um, I don't know..."

Mikkel's face turned bright red, and he looked down at his plate, suddenly very interested in his leftover food. "That damned old man always finds ways to embarrass me," he muttered under his breath.

Lucas let out a light chuckle. "I was only teasing you, Ms. Wellspring," he said before turning to me and Mikkel. "Now, we three need to have a talk. Ms. Gaunt and Ms. Wellspring, you may stay inside or enjoy the gardens for a while."

----

[General POV]

After ten minutes, Charles and Mikkel returned to the lounge area to find Selene and Lily sitting there. Lucas entered the room a while later and addressed Selene. "May I have a moment of your time, Ms. Gaunt?"

"Of course," Selene replied.

They walked to Lucas's office room where he began speaking. "I have discussed with Charles' father about the plan to change your identity and have decided that it is fitting to make it happen," Lucas said, a slight smile on his face. However, the smile quickly faded, and his expression turned dark. "The importance of this matter is paramount, which is why I am holding myself back from lashing out at you, Selene. But the next time you make my son take such a vow, I will hang you by your thumbs."

Selene looked taken aback, her eyes widening in shock. "What...what do you mean?" she stammered.

Lucas's voice was low and dangerous as he replied, "Don't play dumb with me. Did you really think I wouldn't find out about the Unbreakable Vow? You have no idea what kind of danger you put my son in." the towering, bearded man said, his voice heavy with warning.

----

Mikkel was the first to speak. "How about you become a Muggle-born witch, Lily? And was late to join Hogwarts because of family issues?"

Lily raised an eyebrow. "I don't think that's very believable, Mikkel. I'm pretty sure everyone would be able to tell my magical skills isn't at the beginner level."

Charles chimed in. "Well, you could always go for the classic 'long lost relative' angle. Maybe you're the secret great-granddaughter of a famous witch or wizard?"

Lily considered this. "Hmm, that's not a bad idea. Do you have anyone in mind, Charles?"

Charles shrugged. "Not really. But we can always come up with something among one of our families."

As they continued to brainstorm, the conversation turned to more lighthearted topics. Mikkel regaled them with stories of his misadventures in the Forbidden Forest, while Charles and Lily exchanged witty banter.

"Maybe you should be a Weasley," Charles suggested with a grin.

"And have to deal with all those siblings? No thanks," Lily replied, rolling her eyes.

"At least you'll never be bored," Charles countered.

"Or have any privacy," Lily retorted.

Suddenly, the door to Lucas's office opened, and Selene emerged. She looked a bit shaken, but otherwise unharmed.

"Everything okay?" Mikkel asked, concerned.

Selene nodded. "Yes, everything's fine. Mr. Madsen just had to...remind me of a few things."

Everyone sat down with their tea at hand. Lucas cleared his throat before speaking, his voice carrying an air of finality.

"As for the identity change, I have already decided. Ms. Wellspring will be a Madsen retainer, accompanying Mikkel for his safety due to the recent activities in Hogwarts," he declared.

Lily looked at Charles and Mikkel, her expression hesitant. "I don't know if that's a good idea. What if people start asking questions?" she asked.

Lucas raised an eyebrow at her. "That is not your concern, Ms. Wellspring. We will make sure that your new identity is convincing enough. And besides, being born from a housemaid, it is not uncommon for a Madsen retainer to have a humble background."

The group continued their discussion, planning out the details of the identity change and what it would entail. Lucas was insistent on making sure that everything was done properly, and the others trusted him to handle it.