Ten Years Later (Alice): "Mm, mm, I'll take good care of Ian and Sophia."
"Got it. I'll take good care of myself too."
"Mm, okay, got it. I love you too. Goodbye!"
At that moment, in the Anderson family's study, a brown-haired little girl sat by the desk, talking to her family through a Two-Way Mirror.
After ending the call, Alice carefully placed the Two-Way Mirror back into the hidden compartment beside the mirror cabinet, then turned to look at the young couple smiling at her from the wall.
A knock from the doorway interrupted her thoughts.
The next moment, the study door was pushed open. Two little heads cautiously poked through the gap and met Alice's gaze. Just as they were about to speak, a plump short-haired cat squeezed in beneath them.
"You don't look very happy. Aren't Dad and Mum coming back to take you to Hogwarts?" the younger girl couldn't help asking.
"They don't plan to come back anymore."
Alice bent down and picked up Fat Cat Jack. Walking over to her younger brother and sister, she crouched and patted their little heads.
"They're not coming back?" Ian looked a little disappointed.
"Ian, while you're staying in Avalon, get along well with everyone. Don't be naughty, and... take good care of your sister. I'll write to you every week and tell you about all the interesting things at Hogwarts."
Alice looked at her half-brother, whose face bore some resemblance to the young man in the wedding photo, and hooked her little finger with his.
"We made a promise."
"I will!"
Ian puffed out his chest like a man.
Sophia hugged the neck of Fat Cat Jack, whom Alice had handed her, and promised seriously, "I'll keep an eye on Ian. If he acts up, I'll write to