Chapter 92: Fractures and Resolve

Aberforth's house was quiet.

Not silent. The murmur of drunken patrons drifted up from below, floorboards creaked now and then, and an old enchanted clock ticked steadily on the wall.

But Nero had tuned it all out.

Two days had passed since Dumbledore had left to analyze the truth of Jonathan's attack, and his claim of Void Principle used by Nero. 

Two long days in which Nero had locked himself away, leaving the world outside to carry on without him.

He barely left his room, only stepping out when Witty forced him to eat. 

Even then, the food often remained untouched.

For the first time since regaining his past-life memories, Nero felt exhausted.

Not physically. His body was fine, his magic still thrummed strong within him, but mentally, he felt stretched thin, fraying at the edges.

No matter how much he thought about it, his father remained an enigma. 

There were gaps in the story, pieces missing from the puzzle. 

He knew Jonathan had power, but there was something more, something he wasn't seeing.

And Cassandra…

His mother had been at the heart of it all. 

And yet, even now, she was a stranger to him. A phantom.

A tear slid down his cheek.

So, he sat by the window, staring at the streets of Hogsmeade. 

Watching. Thinking.

And his friends had obviously noticed his distress. 

Initially, they chose to give him space, hoping it would help. 

However, after two days, as their worry deepened, they grew increasingly anxious.

The first to act was Ember.

Patience had never been her strong suit. 

If Nero wouldn't snap out of it on his own, then she'd force him to.

His door slammed open with a BANG!.

Nero didn't even flinch.

Ember stood in the doorway, arms crossed, looking as if she were one second away from dragging him outside by the collar.

"This is getting ridiculous," she snapped. "Two days, Nero. Two days. Do you think brooding is going to solve anything?"

He didn't answer.

That only made her angrier.

"Fine," she muttered. Then, without warning, she pulled out a dagger and hurled it at him.

Nero's body moved before his mind caught up. 

His hand shot up, catching the blade mid-air just before it reached his face.

Ember smirked.

"There he is."

Nero blinked, the tension in his shoulders loosening just slightly.

"Good," Ember said, stepping into the room. "Because if you keep moping, I swear to Merlin I'll start throwing fireballs instead."

Later that evening, Lilith came to his room.

Unlike Ember, she didn't barge in with loud declarations. 

She simply walked in, took a seat by the fireplace, and conjured a serpent made of silver fire, letting it coil lazily in the air.

For a while, neither of them spoke.

Then, in a voice softer than usual, she said, "You're not alone in this, you know."

Nero gave a small nod, but said nothing.

Lilith sighed. "I get it. You want answers. You want to make sense of everything. But shutting us out isn't going to help."

A long pause.

Then, finally, Nero exhaled. "…I know."

Lilith gave a small smile. "Good. Because we're here for you," she said. 

Then, in a softer, more timid voice, she added, "I am here for you."

The next morning, Alaric decided to take matters into his own hands.

"Nero," he announced, stepping into the room. "You and I are playing Wizard's Chess."

Nero raised an eyebrow. "What?"

"You heard me," Alaric said, dragging a chair over. "And no excuses. I know you're terrible at it, which means I get to absolutely destroy you."

Despite himself, Nero let out a short chuckle. It wasn't much, but it was something.

"I thought our record was 99 to 0? In my favor."

Alaric smirked. "Ah, selective memory, I see. Let's make it 99 to 1 then, I'm feeling generous today."

That afternoon, Aberforth entered the room, carrying a glass of warm butterbeer.

He didn't say anything at first. Just set the glass down in front of Nero and muttered, "Drink."

Before Nero could react, Witty hopped onto the table and whacked his hand with a spoon.

"Master Nero is being stupid," Witty declared.

Nero stared. "Excuse me?"

"Master Nero is strong. Master Nero is smart. But Master Nero is acting like a sad little boy."

"…Are you insulting me or trying to help?"

"Both."

Aberforth snorted.

For the first time in two days, Nero smiled.

A real smile.

That night, as he lay in bed, Nero stared at the ceiling, his thoughts clearer than they had been in days.

Jonathan. Cassandra. The past.

He had spent two days circling those names, those memories, chasing answers in silence.

But now, clarity was beginning to take shape.

He would surpass his father.

He would uncover the truth behind Cassandra.

He would piece together the broken story they left behind.

No more silence. No more waiting.

His hands clenched into fists.

No more running.

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The next morning, as Nero sat at the inn's table, Dumbledore entered the room.

His blue eyes, so often laced with quiet amusement, were clouded with something else now.

"You look better than when I last saw you," Dumbledore said gently. "But I'm afraid… it's time for you to leave Hogwarts."

The words cut through the quiet like a blade.

Nero's eyes narrowed.

"…What?"

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Hey everyone! I'm back from my business trip.

To make up for the delay, I'll be posting 2 chapters today and I will try to post 3 more chapers tomorrow! Which will conclude Nero's 2nd year.

Thanks for your patience!

50 chapters ahead on Patreon (Suiijin): Chapter 142: The First Hunt