Chapter 75 - Countryside

It has been almost an entire week since Thomas came back from Hogwarts for his summer holiday and he couldn't be happier about that. Being home was calming, to say the least after what he had been through his whole year.

Thomas spent his days engaging in leisurely conversations with his parents, sharing stories from his first year at Hogwarts and listening to his father, and reading what his mother had done while he was in school. There were no looming deadlines, no dark lords to fight, just a simple family life, one that Thomas would always choose over the dangerous life of an Auror.

However, one day, as Thomas was enjoying a quiet afternoon reading in the garden, his parents approached him with an unexpected call. It was his grandparents on the line, their voices filled with warmth and affection. They expressed how much they missed him and how they longed to spend some quality time together. It had been over half a year since he last saw them, and he would lie if he would say that he hadn't missed them, so like a good grandson, he eagerly accepted their invitation, telling them that tomorrow his dad would bring him to their house.

The following day, Thomas eagerly prepared for the visit to his grandparents' house. He joined his father, Jonathan, in the car as they embarked on the drive to their destination. He might not show it, but Thomas was excited to see his grandparents, and not only that but even Touji to train with him once again since he would stay at least a week or two at his grandparent's house. Besides he was dying to hear about Irina from her father and mother, who from what his last letter to them told him, came back to England once Sister Griselda deemed Irina "mature" enough to train without her mother holding her hand. He could only imagine the torture his friend was going through at the Vatican to become an exorcist.

When they arrived at the quaint house, Jonathan parked the car, and Thomas could hardly contain his enthusiasm. He stepped out of the vehicle, Mars slithering alongside his arm and together they made their way to the front door.

Upon entering, Thomas was met with the warm embrace of his grandmother, Hannah. Her eyes sparkled with joy as she pulled her dear grandson into a tight hug. Thomas couldn't help but feel a twinge of embarrassment as his cheeks were playfully pinched, but the sight of his father and grandfather, Paul, smiling affectionately quickly erased any discomfort.

"Ah, my little Tommy," Hannah exclaimed. "You've grown so much since we last saw you. We've missed you dearly."

Thomas grinned, appreciating his grandmother's endearing nickname for him. He returned her hug, feeling a sense of comfort wash over him. It was as if he had stepped into a world where time stood still, and the love of family was the only thing around him.

After an hour of catching up, Jonathan excused himself, explaining that he had to head back home for his night shift. Thomas understood and bid his father farewell, promising to share the details of his visit later. As Jonathan drove off, Thomas turned his attention to his grandfather, Paul, who was eagerly awaiting the opportunity to witness Thomas's broomstick skills. Well, this would be the first time Paul would ever see his grandson or anyone as a matter of fact fly using a broomstick and he was quite excited to witness it.

Once Jonathan left, Thomas led his grandfather, to the spacious backyard of his grandparents' house. The sun was shining brightly, casting a warm glow over the well-kept lawn.

Reaching the open expanse, Thomas retrieved his broomstick and held it firmly in his hands. He could sense his grandfather's excitement growing, his eyes filled with curiosity and admiration. Thomas took a deep breath, feeling the familiar thrill that coursed through his veins whenever he soared through the air.

"Grandpa, I'm going to show you how I fly on a broomstick."

Paul nodded eagerly, his smile widening. "I can't wait, Tom. I've read so much about your Quidditch adventures at Hogwarts. And to tell you the truth, I'm kind of jealous of you."

Smiling at his grandfather's response, Thomas swung his leg over the broomstick and positioned himself, ready to take flight. He adjusted his grip, feeling the smooth wood against his palms, before he kicked the ground. Almost as soon as he kicked the ground, the broomstick responded to his command, propelling him into the air. The wind rushed past his face, tousling his hair as he soared higher, as Thomas executed loops, dives, and spins, to Paul's awe who kept his eyes fixed on his grandson's every movement. He marveled at the agility and skill displayed by Thomas, the way he effortlessly navigated through the open sky. At that moment, Paul understood why his grandson was called the youngest seeker for his team.

A few minutes later, Thomas glided back down to the ground, before landing just a meter away from his grandpa, who just stood there, speechless and filled with pride.

"Thomas, that was absolutely incredible," Paul finally managed to say after a few seconds of just staring at his grandson. "I never imagined how extraordinary it would be to witness you flying on a broomstick. A pity I can be there when you are playing for your house next year."

Thomas beamed when he heard his grandfather's words. And like a lovely grandson, he reached over and gave Paul a warm hug.

"Thank you, Grandpa. Your support means the world to me. I wish you could be there too, but sadly the rules of the Wizardly Community are quite harsh against people with no magical powers. But don't worry, I promise you that I and my friends will somehow make a camera or a phone work anywhere near a magical place one way or another."

Paul looked back at his grandson with his eyes wide open, as he didn't expect to hear this from Thomas. If his grandson and his friends do really manage to achieve such a thing, he could finally see with his own two eyes how his boy plays this interesting game. Even though he didn't say anything, Thomas could see that his grandpa was putting his trust in him to make that a reality.

After that little flying show, Thomas and Paul went inside where Hannah was already waiting for them quite angrily Paul took her sweetheart outside and didn't let him eat since she was sure he was starving.

Just as Thomas and Paul entered the house, they were met with the sight of Hannah waiting for them, her arms crossed and a stern expression on her face. Her concern for Thomas's well-being was evident, and she wasted no time in scolding Paul for taking her grandson outside without ensuring he had eaten before doing god knows what.

"Paul, how could you let my baby go hungry?" Hannah exclaimed in annoyance ready to beat the bejesus out of her husband. "He needs to keep up his strength, especially after all that flying!"

Thomas couldn't help but smile at his grandmother's protective nature. She loved him way too much for his grandpa's own good and that was clear from how she reacted when Paul took him outside instead of first letting him eat his wife's breakfast. So to save his grandpa from a fate worse than death, Thomas walked over to her and wrapped his arms around her, offering a reassuring hug.

"Don't worry, Grandma. I'm fine, and Grandpa was just excited to see me fly. Besides, I had a snack before we left, so I'm not starving."

Hannah's stern expression softened as she returned the hug before she planted a gentle kiss on his forehead.

"Oh, my dear boy," Hannah whispered, "You know I worry about you. Just promise me you'll take care of yourself."

Thomas nodded with a sincere expression on his face. "I promise, Grandma. I'll always take care of myself and make sure I stay nourished and healthy. After all, I'm still growing."

Hannah smiled, her worry dissipating as she looked at her beloved grandson. She ruffled his hair affectionately, a small chuckle escaping her lips.

"You're growing up so fast, Thomas," she said in a voice that tinged with a hint of nostalgia. "But you'll always be my little Tommy."

After the warm hug and affectionate exchange, Thomas and his grandparents made their way to the kitchen, where a delicious late breakfast awaited them. The aroma of freshly brewed coffee and warm pastries filled the air, creating a cozy and inviting atmosphere, especially for Thomas who got used to sneaking with his friends into the school's kitchen where they were always treated as kings by elves. They settled around the table, sharing stories and laughter as they indulged in the delectable spread Hannah had prepared.

As they ate their breakfast, Thomas mentioned his plan to go and visit Uncle Touji and Aunt Myra. He had missed his friend dearly, and he wanted to hear what was she doing since, sadly, he couldn't contact her directly due to how strict the Vatican was with the "special" exorcists.

His grandmother raised an eyebrow and smirked playfully at Thomas. "Oh, Tommy, going to say hi to Uncle Touji and Aunt Myra, are you?" she teased, a glimmer of amusement in her eyes.

Thomas felt a blush creeping up his cheeks, realizing that his grandma had seen right through him. He stammered slightly, trying to find the right words. "Well, yes, Grandma, I do miss Irina too. But it's not just about her, I promise! I genuinely want to catch up with her parents as well."

Hannah chuckled, patting Thomas's hand affectionately. "Of course, my dear. I was just teasing you. It's perfectly natural to miss your friends. Just be sure to give our love to the Shidous when you see them."

Thomas smiled sheepishly, grateful for his grandmother's understanding. "I will, Grandma. I'll make sure to pass on your greetings."

With the teasing moment behind them, Thomas excused himself from the table and made his way outside, bidding his grandparents a temporary goodbye.

When he reached the Shidou residence, Thomas took a deep breath, raising his hand to knock on the door. Before he could do so, the door swung open, revealing a smiling Touji, who greeted him warmly.

"Well, well, look who's here! Thomas, it's been too long. Come on in!"

Thomas stepped inside, welcomed by the familiar warmth of the Shidou household. And just as he and Touji were about to go to the living room, Myra emerged from it and her eyes lit up when she saw Thomas.

"Thomas, dear, it's lovely to see you!" Myra exclaimed, pulling him into a motherly embrace. "How have you been? We've missed you around here."

"I've missed you too, Aunt Myra," Thomas replied, returning her hug. "And I've been doing well. Hogwarts was amazing, and I can't wait to tell you all about it. But first, how's Irina? Is she adjusting well to her training?"

Uncle Touji chuckled, wearing a proud expression on his face. "Oh, she's more than adjusting, Thomas. Irina is thriving in her training at the Vatican. She and her partner are becoming the best exorcists of their age. I reckon she could have given you a run for your money if you didn't break through the next rank. Congratulations by the way."

Thomas was taken aback by Uncle Touji's words. How did he know about his increase to the next rank at Hogwarts? He hadn't expected his magical endeavors to be so easily known to the Shidous, especially his recent achievement.

"Wait, how did you know about that? I mean, about me being a Middle-Class wizard."

Aunt Myra smiled knowingly, enjoying the look on his face. "Oh, Thomas, my dear, for someone who's been in the service of the Church for as long as Touji and I have, it's not that difficult to sense when someone with magical abilities is nearby. Besides, you're the only wizard in this town, and well, it wasn't all that hard to put two and two together."

Thomas blinked in surprise since he forgot about this. Touji and Myra had been field exorcists in the past, but he had never thought that they would detect him so soon. Well, at least now he won't have to explain anything to them about how he becomes stronger.

Chuckling, Uncle Touji chimed in, adding to the explanation. "You see, Thomas, we've encountered various supernatural beings throughout our lives, and over time, we've developed a sense, a sort of intuition, for detecting those with supernatural abilities. Besides, while I the brawls of our team, Myra was the one who hunted down stray devils and fallen angels."

"Well, I guess I shouldn't be surprised."

"Since you've made progress at Hogwarts, how about we test your new strength against me? It's been a while since we sparred together, hasn't it?"

Thomas's eyes widened with excitement at the prospect of testing his newfound abilities against Touji. He had missed the thrill of a good sparring match, especially since he hadn't had many opportunities to engage in any kind of sword combat at Hogwarts, apart from that encounter with the devil woman's summons that still haunted his memory.

A grin spread across Thomas's face as he nodded eagerly. "Absolutely, Uncle Touji! I'd love to have a spar with you. I've been itching for a real challenge, and I couldn't have asked for a better opponent."

Yet, Thomas couldn't help but wonder about the devil woman he had encountered during his first year at Hogwarts. He had never discovered her true identity, and after the incident with Quirrell, he wondered what had become of her. But for now, his focus shifted back to the present. It was a rare opportunity for Thomas to showcase his progress and to learn from the seasoned expertise of Touji since, he was without a doubt a still better fighter than Thomas.

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