43. Back home.

As Ryan stepped through the front door of his London townhouse, he was immediately hit with a stale, musty scent. The place had been sealed with magic while they were away, but that didn't stop dust from settling—or the lingering remnants of food in the fridge from turning into something truly vile.

Rachel wrinkled her nose. "Please tell me that's not what I think it is."

Yue frowned slightly and waved a hand, sending a soft gust of wind through the house. The dust swirled but did little to mask the more pressing issue.

Ryan sighed. "Yeah… I definitely forgot to clean out the fridge before we left."

Rachel cautiously opened the door to the kitchen, took one look inside, and slammed it shut again. "Nope. That's a crime scene."

Shaking his head, Ryan reached into the Gate of Babylon, and with a shimmer of golden light, Serenity stepped out. Her violet eyes scanned the space, then landed on him expectantly.

"You called, Master?"

Ryan smirked. "I figured you'd want some fresh air. Also, congratulations—you've been promoted to cleaning duty."

Serenity blinked, then took a slow look around. "...You left the house like this?"

Rachel crossed her arms. "Apparently, he thought time would freeze in here just because we weren't home."

Serenity's expression remained unreadable, but the slight sigh she let out spoke volumes. Without another word, she vanished into the kitchen.

Fortunately, underage magic wasn't a concern here. The house was covered in powerful magical protections, meaning the Ministry couldn't detect spells cast inside. That made cleaning much easier. Yue used wind magic to clear the dust, while Rachel levitated furniture to clean underneath. Serenity moved silently through the space, her efficiency almost unsettling, as if assassins were also trained in deep cleaning.

Ryan, much to his dismay, had been left with fridge duty.

"Oh, sweet Merlin," he muttered, pulling out a container that had once contained something edible. "What… was this?"

Rachel peeked over his shoulder and grimaced. "I think it started evolving."

Ryan sighed and flicked his wand, vanishing the worst of the mess. "Well, lesson learned. Next time, we make sure everything's cleaned out before leaving."

Once the house was spotless and no longer smelled like something had died in it, the four of them finally collapsed onto the couch.

Yue leaned against Ryan's shoulder, looking satisfied. "So, what's the plan for the summer?"

Ryan exhaled. "Two things: First, fixing the Vanishing Cabinets. If I can get them working, they'll be incredibly useful. Second…" He looked between the girls, smirking. "We're going to try becoming Animagi."

Rachel perked up. "Now that sounds fun."

Serenity tilted her head. "You intend for all of us to undergo the transformation?"

Ryan nodded. "That's the goal. But first, we need to get some books on the subject. It's not exactly an easy process, and I'd rather do it properly."

Rachel smirked. "So you're finally admitting preparation is important?"

Ryan chuckled. "I always knew it was. I just enjoy taking my time."

Yue poked his cheek lightly. "Then we'll make sure you don't get lazy about it."

Serenity nodded. "If it is important, I will assist in any way necessary."

Ryan sighed dramatically. "Ah, the burden of being too competent."

Rachel grinned. "You love it, and you know it."

With the house in order and their summer goals set, things were finally settling down. But with how their lives tended to go, peace never lasted long.

~~~

The next morning, Ryan stretched lazily, enjoying the comfort of waking up in his own bed. Hogwarts was great, but there was something nice about being home—no early morning classes, no nosy prefects, and most importantly, no weird staircases trying to send you in the wrong direction. After getting ready, he headed downstairs, where Yue, Rachel, and Serenity were already waiting.

Rachel looked up from her tea. "Finally awake?"

Ryan rolled his eyes. "It's summer. I'm allowed to sleep in."

Serenity, as always, was straight to the point. "What is the plan for today?"

Yue set down her book and stretched. "We need groceries. And new clothes. I believe we've all grown."

Ryan looked down at himself. His robes and casual clothes still fit, but they were definitely snugger than before. Yue wasn't wrong—after a year at Hogwarts (and plenty of training), they had all grown quite a bit.

Rachel groaned. "Ugh, shopping."

Ryan smirked. "Oh, come on, Raven. You afraid of a little retail therapy?"

She gave him a deadpan look. "If by 'therapy,' you mean hours of trying on clothes while being judged by society's impossible beauty standards, then yes, I am afraid."

Yue chuckled. "You look fine, Rachel."

Serenity tilted her head. "Then we are agreed. We go into London today."

Ryan clapped his hands together. "Alright then, let's get moving."

Navigating through the bustling streets of London was a refreshing change from the structured life at Hogwarts. The energy, the smell of fresh food from street vendors, and the sheer number of people made the city feel alive in a way the castle never did. Their first stop was a grocery store.

"I'm just saying," Ryan started, tossing a pack of crisps into the basket, "we should stock up on snacks. Hogwarts feasts are great, but sometimes you just want something to munch on at night."

Rachel arched a brow. "You mean when you're too lazy to walk down to the kitchens?"

Ryan grinned. "Exactly."

Serenity, ever the efficient one, had already filled a basket with various essentials. Yue followed behind, picking out things she personally enjoyed, mainly teas and sweets. By the time they reached the checkout, Rachel looked at their overflowing cart and sighed. "We live in a magically expanded townhouse, not a palace."

Ryan paid without a second thought. "Better too much than not enough."

With their food needs sorted, they moved on to clothing stores. The first store they entered was a stylish but reasonably priced boutique. A helpful attendant greeted them immediately.

"Welcome! Are you shopping for casual wear or something more formal today?"

Ryan shrugged. "Bit of both. We need to refresh our wardrobes."

The attendant nodded and led them toward the racks. Yue and Serenity quickly split off, while Rachel reluctantly followed Ryan. As Ryan picked through some jackets, he noticed Yue holding up an elegant dress. "That one suits you," he commented.

Yue smiled. "I thought so too."

Serenity, who had also picked a few outfits, turned to Ryan. "And what about you?"

Ryan sighed. "I don't know. I usually just wear whatever."

Rachel, despite her earlier complaints, smirked. "Oh no, you don't. You're not getting away with that. We're making sure you dress properly."

And so began a grueling hour of trying on different outfits, most of which Ryan found entirely unnecessary. By the end of it, they all had several new outfits, including some more stylish casual wear and a few nicer formal pieces for special occasions. As they left the store, Ryan groaned. "I feel like I just fought a war."

Yue smirked. "You survived. Be proud."

Serenity simply nodded. "You did well, Master."

Rachel snorted. "He was whining the whole time."

With shopping bags in hand and their errands complete, they decided to stop for lunch before heading home, content with the day's success.

As they moved through the clothing store, Yue and Serenity exchanged a knowing glance before slipping away toward the lingerie section. Rachel hesitated for a moment before sighing and following them.

Ryan, oblivious at first, continued browsing through jackets until he noticed their absence. His curiosity piqued, he wandered over to where they had disappeared, only to find Yue holding up a delicate black lace set with a smirk.

Serenity was inspecting a deep purple thong, her expression neutral but her eyes flickering toward Ryan as if gauging his reaction. "Would this be to your liking, Master?"

Ryan coughed into his hand, looking around to make sure no one was eavesdropping. "I, uh—well, I wouldn't complain."

Rachel, holding a dark red set, looked mildly exasperated. "I can't believe I'm doing this," she muttered, before glancing at Ryan. "But since we all know who we belong to, we might as well make sure we look good for you."

Yue leaned in close, whispering so only he could hear. "Consider it a reward for all your hard work."

Ryan exhaled sharply, shaking his head with a smirk. "You three are going to be the death of me."

Serenity, ever serious, simply nodded. "I will make sure that does not happen."

Yue chuckled, and Rachel rolled her eyes before all three handed their selections to the cashier. Ryan paid without hesitation, though he knew this would only lead to more teasing in the future. As they left the store, Yue gave him a sly look.

"Looking forward to tonight?"

Ryan groaned. "You're really trying to kill me."

Rachel smirked. "Don't act like you're not enjoying this."

With their shopping complete, they headed off for a well-earned lunch, the girls clearly satisfied with their new purchases—and the effect they had on Ryan.