Page 17 of Dark Rebel's Fortune

"Harry Potter!" Laleh nearly yelled, then immediately looked embarrassed by her outburst.

"Definitely Harry Potter." Donya seconded hersister's choice, putting a supportive arm around Laleh.

Jasmine smiled. "The Wizarding World it is. This way."

As they made their way through the park, Fenella was constantly distracted by the sights—enormous, detailed re-creations of movie sets and iconic locations, improbably cheerful employees, and masses of people who seemed thrilled to be spending exorbitant amounts of money on overpriced concessions and souvenirs.

It was ridiculous. It was garish. But if she was being honest with herself, which she rarely was, she had to admit that it was fun.

"Here we are," Jasmine announced as they rounded a corner, and the Wizarding World of Harry Potter came into view.

Fenella stopped in her tracks, momentarily speechless. Before them stood what appeared to be an entire village plucked straight from the films—crooked buildings with snow-capped roofs, cobblestone streets, and at its center, the imposing silhouette of Hogwarts Castle perched atop a rocky crag.

The scale was nothing like the movie, which was understandable, but it was still breathtaking.

"Bloody hell," she muttered. "Now I'm really impressed."

The girls' reactions were even more dramatic. Laleh gasped, her hands flying to her mouth. Donya let out a squeal of delight that she quickly tried toconvert into a more dignified sound. Azadeh's eyes widened to an almost comical degree, and even Arezoo abandoned her pretense of sophistication and grinned.

"It's exactly like in the books and the movies!" Laleh whispered with reverence in her voice.

Every shopfront, every sign, every costume worn by park employees was meticulously designed to create the illusion that they had stepped into the fictional world of the Harry Potter series. Fenella had watched a few of the movies years ago in a rundown cinema in Budapest, but she had never read the books. Still, even she could appreciate the craftsmanship involved.

"I'm a Ravenclaw," Arezoo said decisively as they paused before a store window displaying school uniforms. "Intelligence and wisdom are the most important qualities."

"You're totally a Slytherin," Donya countered. "Ambitious and cunning."

Arezoo looked momentarily offended before conceding with a shrug. "There are some Slytherin qualities I can admit to."

"I'm definitely Hufflepuff," Azadeh said. "Loyalty and patience."

"What about you, Laleh?" Jasmine asked the youngest.

Laleh hesitated, chewing her lower lip in thought. "I think... Gryffindor. Not because I'm brave now, but because I will be one day."

The simple honesty of the statement caught Fenella off guard, a lump forming in her throat. These girls had endured horrors that would break many adults, yet here they were, braving a trip into a fantasy world.

"Let's go in," Jasmine suggested. "We should all get properly outfitted."

Inside the shop, Jasmine began selecting items—skirts, shirts, and ties in the colors of the various houses. The girls reverently held on to each piece, parading in front of the mirror and debating which combinations looked best.

Within minutes, Jasmine had amassed a sizable pile of merchandise on the counter, and Fenella's eyebrows rose higher with each item added to the growing stack.

"Who's paying for all this?" she asked in an undertone as Jasmine pulled out a credit card.

"Kian gave me a clan card a while ago and never asked me to return it." Jasmine looked the card over sheepishly. "I'm still using it, and I hope that's okay. I haven't had time to talk to him about money yet and how much I'm allowed to spend."

"That's one hell of a sweet arrangement," Fenella murmured, watching as the cashier rang up a total that made her wince. Living on her own for decades had made her acutely conscious of money—where it came from and how quickly it could disappear. "Must be nice to have all your expenses covered like that."

"You'll get a card too." Jasmine signed the receipt. "All clan members receive an allowance, and housing is provided free of charge."

"I'm not a clan member," Fenella pointed out.

Jasmine laughed, gathering up the shopping bags. "Not yet, but soon. You'll find a nice guy to settle down with. Maybe Din, maybe someone else."

The mention of Din sent an unexpected thrill through Fenella, which she firmly ignored. "Let's not get ahead of ourselves."

But the idea wasn't entirely unappealing. After fifty years of wandering the world like a nomad, never staying anywhere long enough to form real connections, always looking over her shoulder for danger—the thought of having stability, security, and people who had her back was more tempting than she cared to admit.

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