No Place Like Home

"I recommend we keep them together. Do you mind taking care of the girl as well?" One clerk asked.

"Who is she? Does she have a name?" Arthur asked.

"We haven't been able to find where she came from, but she says that she's always been called Seven."

"Our house is big enough, so it shouldn't be a problem."

***

'What a good dream,' Corrin thought to himself. As he expected, he was back in his cell. There were no letters, and the Aurors were nowhere to be found.

The disgusting smell was pervasive, yet Corrin had long gotten used to it. Today, for some reason, his mind wandered to cookies. He could almost smell those warm gooey chunks of heaven, trying hard to remember that divine taste.

Counting the drops of water, he waited. Waiting for someone to open his door. Waiting for his dream to come true. Wanting his life back. Soon he began to feel a pull, something tugging him away from his body. It got more and more intense, with Corrin bracing himself and shutting his eyes. When they opened again, he saw a familiar yet unknown ceiling.

Looking around, the room was dim, yet a smell of something savory hung around the air. He could feel something next to him, something soft.

"Mreow?" Femi has just woken up after feeling something move behind her. After yawning, she turned around to see those hazel eyes she could never forget. In fact, she had just been dreaming about them.

Jumping up and nuzzling against Corrin's face, she could feel his hesitant touch slowly brushing her back.

"Femi, do you still remember me? It's been a long time since I last dreamt of you," Corrin said wistfully. He enjoying feeling the silky softness as he patted her.

After sitting up and making up for some lost time with Femi, he carefully got out of bed and shakily walked to the door with her following close behind. As soon as he opened the door, he was greeted by a mass of pillows, blankets, and heads poking out.

Thunk.

"Ow, who just hit me with a door? Ya hit me so hard I'm seeing Corrin again- Wait a moment, Corrin?" Kate immediately jumped up and wrapped Corrin in a hug. She soon started crying.

"My precious baby, I'm so sorry!" She managed to say in between sobs.

As soon as he felt his mother's embrace, Corrin melted too. The feeling he'd long forgotten about came rushing forward, as he began to sob as well. "Mum, I missed you so much."

All of this noise had woken up the others sleeping on the floor, as they were rubbing their eyes the image of the one they lost so long ago was in front of them.

First, they joined the hug. Second, they joined the crying.

***

For the first time in a long time, Corrin saw his reflection in a clean mirror. The puddle in his cell has been too murky to see a good picture from, so this appearance was new to him.

His platinum hair was overgrown and had dulled a little bit, with little gray streaks ran throughout it. His eyes lacked the luster they used to, and his cheeks were a bit sunken. Most of this could be fixed by a couple of good meals. Yet some would be longer lasting, and it seemed like only time would heal the scars both inside and out.

He finished washing his hands and dried them on a towel. Walking out of the bathroom, he wandered around for a bit, trying to remember where the dining room was. Soon enough, he was found wandering by Femi, and she led him to it.

When he entered the dining room, his eyes fell upon someone he hadn't noticed in the mass of bodies called a group hug. Lorraine had sent everyone away to give Corrin time to reaclimate earlier, so he wasn't able to see anything until Kate and Arthur finally let go of him.

In front of him was a girl who looked like an angel. Her long blond hair fell in the most perfect way, her striking blue eyes shining like gemstones. Her face was roundish with defined features, her lips bright and full.

"Sister," Corrin called out.

Hearing that, Evelyne almost burst into tears once again, yet held herself together long enough to say "Brother."

Their hug lasted for a long time, yet not even close to making up for the lost time.

After further inspection, another girl was sitting next to Evelyne. Her thin figure seemed to hide her presence, and her translucent skin added to the effect.

"You were there too. What's your name?" Corrin asked.

"Seven. You are Thirteen" She traced in the air with her little fingers.

"Yep, that's m-"

"No! Your name is Corrin," Evelyne interrupted.

"Corrin, Corrin, Corrin. My name is Corrin," Corrin muttered to himself.

All the adults had shame in their eyes and pain in their hearts.

Arthur was plagued by the fact that each day he'd been digging up false leads and dead ends, his son and other children like him were suffering a horrendous struggle. The years that they had been there, what had really been going on all that time?

He had already begun piecing the puzzle together. The weird runes engraved on and under Corrin's skin, his absurd power, the particular beliefs of the cultist group in question. They were making super weapons out of children, but the question was why? There was obviously something big swimming in the undercurrents, yet the Ministry was still in the dark. Rather, the Auror office was.

Eli still felt really guilty, but seeing Corrin again had lifted the tiniest burden off. Corrin would carry these scars for the rest of his life, all because of one day, one hour, one minute of negligence.

"Alright, now that everyone's here it's chow time, we got a packed itinerary today let's move it," Granny Lorraine said in a cranky voice.

Corrin looked confused while Lorraine comforted him and said that she didn't mean him, he should just rest after eating.

After finishing breakfast, everyone reluctantly left to do their duties after giving Corrin a hug, meanwhile, Corrin was tired, so he caught Femi and went back to bed.

Femi did not mind being treated like a stuffed animal.