Eamon Potter was a regular wizard from ordinary stock.
Both his parents had been Muggle-born, so they’d been stuck with the dangerous jobs.
Their hard work had earned him a shot at Hogwarts, though.
He’d graduated near the top of his class, but without family connections he never made it into wizard university.
Instead he went through three brutal years at the Auror training base.
James Potter had spotted him right after graduation and brought him into the Potter family as a bodyguard.
Eamon had worked his ass off to prove himself.
James had eventually given him the Potter name—no blood relation, just earned.
As long as he never betrayed the family, he got every perk that came with it: unrestricted travel between continents, free access to every new city district, and clean water and food anywhere in those zones without paying a cent.
Not many wizard families could offer that kind of life.
Eamon would never turn on them.
Leaving the Potters would strip him of everything.
Even other powerful families couldn’t match the pay or the respect.
He leaned against the flying car, chewing tobacco candy, letting the sharp burn roll through his mouth and nose before he blew out a clean puff of smoke.
He was getting older.
Time to think about starting a family.
It would only help his standing with the Potters.
His eyes drifted to Petunia Evans sitting inside the car.
A twinge of regret hit him.
She’d actually be a solid match—Mrs.
Potter’s sister, good-looking too.
If he asked, the lady would probably say yes.
Too bad she was a Muggle.
His new Potter name would protect their kids’ right to apply to magic school, but the odds of acceptance would still be crap.
And he had to factor in the real chance their children might not even be wizards at all.
Eamon’s gaze wandered to the wizards streaming into the Rose Pavilion—flashy types heading in to pick out “toys” for their kids.
Not every wizard family was as decent as James Potter.
The Pavilion was supposed to give talented young witches a real shot at a better life, but most of the time these girls ended up as temporary playthings with an expiration date.
Grabbing the chance to use it as a stepping stone was already lucky.
Becoming the proper wife of a big, powerful family like Lily Evans had?
That was a goddamn miracle.
His drifting eyes suddenly locked on two wizards.
One tall, one short.
Both dressed in the season’s hottest formal wizard wear.
At first glance they looked like any father bringing his son to pick out a companion.
But Eamon spotted the red flags immediately.
They looked alike—real father and son, probably.
The kid kept his head down, nervous.
The father’s face was tight and cold, but his eyes kept flicking away, shifty as hell.
Then there was the father’s outfit.
It was supposed to be one of those fancy “Blooming Season” suits from Windgrace Wizard Fashion—elegant on the outside, explosive color underneath.
Those things had to be put on by someone else following exact steps or the pleats looked like a goddamn train wreck.
It was the go-to mid-to-high-end formal look.
The Potter family didn’t own anything that flashy.
Even Eamon only wore custom pieces for events.
But he’d been trained—he knew every common suit on the market.
The “adult wizard” in front of him had clearly screwed his suit up badly.
It looked like absolute shit.
Maybe it didn’t mean anything.
Could be the family servant had an emergency and no one else was around to help dress him.
Not every household could afford a full staff.
Still, Eamon’s guard went up.
Mrs.
Potter and the young master were both inside the Pavilion right now.
He wasn’t taking chances.
He should probably alert the nearby Aurors.
The Potter name would make them move fast.
Eamon slipped back into the car and hit the Swift Shadow Curse button on the dash.
The Swift Shadow Curse—full name “Enforcer’s Swift Shadow”—was an Auror emergency comms spell.
It had been locked into certain vehicles and devices so only authorized people could trigger it.
The spell activated.
A female Auror in uniform appeared as a shimmering projection in front of him.
“New London City Auror Enforcement Center.
Happy to assist.
Our scan shows you’re not in immediate danger.
State your request.” “Commercial South District, Rose Pavilion.
Suspicious individuals spotted.
I can’t confirm their identities, but my employers are inside.
I need to guarantee their safety.” “Potter family alert system—understood.
We’ll protect your employers by any means necessary.
Contacting the nearest Aurors now.
Do not move.
Our people will be there shortly…” The Auror was still talking when Eamon shot upright in his seat.
A delivery truck had blocked his view for a second.
When it rolled past, the suspicious father and son were gone.
“They vanished,” Eamon said fast.
“Didn’t use the main entrance.
I think they’re up to something.
Get here now.” If they were really here to pick a companion, the main door was the only way in or out.
The Pavilion sat at the edge of the commercial district with nothing else nearby.
Nobody just wandered past this spot.
Those two were trouble.
Lately there’d been too many Muggle anti-wizard groups stirring shit up.
Eamon needed to know exactly who they were.
“Wait, sir—we just got an internal alarm from the Rose Pavilion.
Multiple intruders—sir?
Sir?” Eamon didn’t hear the rest.
He’d already killed the connection and was moving.
He threw open the back door and looked at Petunia Evans.
“Ms.
Evans, stay in the car.
If any Aurors show up, tell them to get inside the Pavilion and protect Mrs.
Potter and the young master immediately.” Petunia’s eyes went wide, but she didn’t ask questions.
She trusted Eamon.
She just nodded.
Eamon grabbed his magic ring from the car, hesitated, then took two potion vials too.
He slammed the door and took off running in the direction the pair had disappeared.