6th May 1994
Hogsmeade
Hermione and I walked side by side through the streets of Hogsmeade, our fingers intertwined. Spring was in full swing, wrapping the village in sunlight and soft winds. The air smelled of wildflowers and fresh pastries drifting from the Three Broomsticks. Every so often, our eyes met, and that unplanned, unstoppable smile returned — the kind you can't fake and don't need to.
For once, everything felt right. Like the world had decided to pause just for us.
"So," Hermione said at last, her voice lilting with amusement, "are you finally ready to tell me where you went?"
Instead of answering, I pulled out a large, framed photograph from my storage ring. I held it out wordlessly, enjoying the slight crease of curiosity forming between her brows.
She took the moving picture and looked at it.
The image felt alive — moonlight spilling across an elegant stone chamber, carved pillars gleaming like starlight. There I stood, grinning and giving her a cheeky wink from the steps of Rivendell's council chamber. Flanking me were the familiar figures of Gandalf, Thorin, Radagast, Saruman, Elrond, and Lady Galadriel — all smiling for the camera as if we'd just finished a group project instead of a war council.
Hermione's gaze swept to the bottom of the frame, where each of them had signed their name in graceful Elvish script, except Thorin, who had signed his name in Khuzdul. Her mouth fell open.
"No!" she gasped, staring at me in disbelief.
"Yes," I replied, grinning.
She looked again, as if willing the photo to change. "No," she said, quieter this time.
"Yes," I repeated, trying not to laugh.
Her voice went almost whisper-soft. "You went to Middle-Earth? As in Tolkien's Middle-Earth? It's real? The Shire, Rivendell, Mordor — all of it?"
"All of it," I said, smiling at her wide-eyed wonder.
Hermione gaped, half outraged, half enthralled. "Why on earth didn't you tell me? You know how much I love those books! If I'd known, I would have—"
"—worried endlessly," I finished gently. "Hermione, I joined Thorin's company. I fought against Smaug and orc armies. If I'd told you that was where I was going, you would've been terrified for months. I didn't want to put you through that."
"You fought Smaug?" she repeated, eyes going huge as she immediately began checking me over like a Healer on caffeine. "Are you alright? Were you hurt?"
I couldn't help laughing as I caught her hands and held them still. "I'm fine, Hermione. Promise. It's not like I fought him alone. I had the dwarves with me — and Gandalf, and Saruman."
Her jaw dropped again. "You fought beside Gandalf the Grey?" she breathed. "That's… that's incredible. I wish I'd been there." Her tone softened, wistful. "I would've loved to see Rivendell and Lothlórien."
"I know," I said quietly. "And I promise — once we finish Hogwarts, I'll take you there. Properly this time."
Her face lit up like a sunrise. "Good," she said simply, and her fingers squeezed mine.
We walked on through the village, the cobblestones warm underfoot, passing Zonko's and the Three Broomsticks. I glanced around at the quiet streets, noticing how few students were actually about.
"Weird," I said. "It's such a beautiful day. I thought there'd be more people around."
"Oh, there are," Hermione said, her lips curving into a knowing smile. "They're just over there."
She pointed down the lane, and my eyes followed.
There it was — a two-storey building that stood out starkly from the rustic charm of Hogsmeade. The sign above the door blinked with enchanted lights, proudly proclaiming:
THE HOWLING ARCADE
Beside the glowing letters were two animated figures — a wolf and a dog under a full moon. The dog barked happily at it, tail wagging; the wolf sighed and shook its head in weary exasperation.
I couldn't help but laugh. "They actually kept the name," I said.
The sight tugged at something warm inside me. The place had come a long way since I'd helped Sirius and Remus set it up. Judging by the crowd visible through the glass windows — students cheering, lights flickering, laughter spilling out into the street — business was clearly booming.
I turned to Hermione, who was watching me with that fond, teasing expression she does far too well.
"Shall we?" I asked.
She nodded.
And with a grin, I pushed open the door to the Howling Arcade.
The moment we stepped inside, the Howling Arcade swallowed us in a storm of color and sound.
Pulses of light danced rhythmically across rows of glowing machines, each chiming and jingling in cheerful chaos beneath the steady hum of enchanted air-conditioning charms. The place was alive — a symphony of neon, laughter, and the faint fizz of butterbeer and Coca-Cola. Even the most introverted witch or wizard would have felt like a rockstar on caffeine.
Knuts clinked into coin slots like metallic raindrops. Somewhere to the left, the familiar waka-waka-waka of Pac-Man echoed through the din, followed by the triumphant chime of a pinball jackpot. From another corner came a cry of "Hadouken!" as two students dueled fiercely in Street Fighter II.
The décor bore the unmistakable fingerprints of Sirius and Remus. Neon signs shaped like crescent moons and paw prints glowed along the walls, while animated posters of classic Muggle games leapt to life — Mario vaulting over Goombas in a loop, Sonic tapping his foot impatiently, and a pixelated wizard firing glowing bolts at a cartoon dragon.
On the second-floor balcony, Sirius leaned over the railing with a butterbeer in hand and a grin far too pleased with itself.
"Oi! No Confundus Charms on the pinball again! We see everything!" he bellowed down, earning laughter from a group of Gryffindor fifth years. Fred and George looked suspiciously innocent as the anti-tampering wards shimmered faintly, like the room itself was smirking.
Down below, Remus was crouched beside a racing simulator that had decided to simulate too much. Each time a player hit top speed, the machine conjured a genuine gust of wind that sent jackets flapping and hair flying.
"Sirius," Remus yelled, wand tapping at a flickering rune, "you promised no enchantments that simulate G-forces."
"I said I'd limit them," Sirius called back brightly, as though that made everything perfectly reasonable.
At the far end of the room, two Ravenclaws and two Slytherins were locked in a tense bowling match. The enchanted lanes gleamed, resetting themselves with a smooth flicker of spell circuits. Cheers erupted as a Ravenclaw girl scored a strike, her friends waving prize tickets like battle banners.
Nearby, a claw machine whirred and clicked as a determined pair of Hufflepuffs tried to fish out a plush dragon, while two older students argued animatedly over the "correct" strategy for Fishbowl Frenzy.
The vending area had become a lounge zone — beanbags charmed to stay perpetually warm, occupied by clusters of students sipping butterbeer, cans of Coca-Cola or glowing slushies with the faint fizz of bioluminescent carbonation. (A Sirius idea, no doubt — likely banned by the Department of Magical Health.)
On one of the game machines, Harry and Neville were locked in a fierce Street Fighter II match. Harry was mashing buttons like a man possessed, while Neville, surprisingly calm and focused, executed a perfect combo that ended in a knockout.
"Merlin's beard—how'd you do that?" Harry groaned, tossing Neville a handful of prize tickets.
Neville shrugged modestly, grinning. "It's all in the wrist, pal."
Dean, Seamus, and Ron cheered like it was the Quidditch World Cup.
"Go on, Neville! Finish him!" Ron yelled, nearly upending a Coke can in his enthusiasm. Sirius looked on from above, smiling like a proud older brother who'd just witnessed chaos done right.
Across the room, a chorus of laughter rang out from an air hockey table where Daphne and Tracey were locked in a lightning-fast duel. The enchanted puck glowed bright green, darting like a Snitch between their paddles.
"Winner gets a week's worth of Chocolate Frogs," Tracey declared.
"Loser cleans my cauldron after Potions," Daphne countered smoothly, her blonde hair catching the flashing arcade light.
Moments later, Daphne scored the final point with a victorious smirk. Tracey groaned and collapsed theatrically across the table.
"This place should be illegal," she sighed. "I've never had this much fun without scheming."
"Give it time," Daphne replied, eyes twinkling. "It's still early."
Nearby, a small group of Slytherin girls crowded around the Spin-the-Wheel game, shrieking in delight as one of them won a plush Niffler the size of a kneazle. Even Pansy Parkinson cracked a reluctant smile when the wheel chimed a loud "Jackpot!" and showered them in prize tickets like confetti.
But the loudest cheers came from the Dance Magic Revolution stage near the back. There, four younger witches — Ginny, Luna, Astoria, and Rachel — were an unstoppable hurricane of rhythm, glitter, and giggles.
Normally, second-years wouldn't be allowed in Hogsmeade yet, but being Benjamin Carter's younger sister came with certain... "administrative privileges."
Ginny and Rachel danced in perfect sync, stomping to a remix of Witchy Woman as neon arrows blazed beneath their feet. Luna moved in what could only be described as interpretive chaos, twirling with dreamlike abandon. Astoria was filming everything with a charmed camera, laughing so hard she could barely hold it steady.
When the song ended, the scoreboard flashed in blazing letters:
TEAM POWERPUFF GIRLS – NEW HIGH SCORE!
The girls erupted into a victory dance that somehow managed to outshine the original routine.
I couldn't stop smiling. Around us, students from every house mingled freely — Gryffindors laughing with Slytherins, Ravenclaws trading tokens with Hufflepuffs, everyone united by the simple, wonderful goal of beating the high score.
For once, Hogwarts' divisions didn't matter.
Not bloodlines, not house colors, not exams or rivalries.
Only joy, friendship, and the next round.
As Hermione and I stepped deeper into the arcade, I felt eyes turn toward us. The laughter and clatter of machines didn't stop, but whispers rippled through the crowd like fire through dry parchment.
"Is that—?"
"It is! Benjamin Carter!"
"Didn't he go off searching for Atlantis or something?"
"I thought he went looking for the Book of the Dead!"
"I heard he was negotiating peace treaties with dragons!"
I couldn't help grinning sideways at Hermione. "Good to know my legend grows even in my absence."
She gave me a dry look, but her eyes were smiling. The whispers soon turned to cheers as two familiar voices cut through the crowd.
"Ben!"
Neville got to me first, wrapping me in a hug that nearly cracked a rib. "Where in Merlin's name have you been?"
Before I could answer, Harry swooped in, joining the embrace. "Eight months? Seriously, Ben? You couldn't have written a letter or something?"
"Would that I could, mate," I said, offering my best guilty grin. "Unfortunately, I was a bit out of range. Different dimensions and all that, you know."
They groaned simultaneously. "Of course you were."
"How are you guys doing?" I asked, clapping each of them on the shoulder. "Everything good?"
"If by 'good' you mean boring, then yeah," Neville said, smirking. "Hogwarts wasn't half as much fun without you."
Harry crossed his arms. "Tell me you're not leaving on another trip anytime soon."
"Don't worry," I said with a chuckle. "No interdimensional escapades on the horizon."
"I don't know whether to feel relieved or terrified about that," came a voice from behind us.
I turned to see Daphne standing there with her usual composed smirk, Tracey beside her, both looking amused.
"Daphne," I said, nodding as I offered my hand.
"Benjamin," she greeted, shaking it with practiced grace. "Good to see you're back."
"Good to be back," I said warmly, turning to Tracey. "Hey, Tracey."
"Hey, Ben." She smiled. "How was your trip?"
"Pretty great," I said. "Made some new friends. I'll tell you guys about it later."
Before I could elaborate, an excited voice called out from across the arcade.
"Ben!"
I barely had time to brace myself before Rachel slammed into me like a tiny, affectionate Bludger.
"You're back!" she said, grinning up at me.
I laughed, hugging her tightly. "Hey, Rach." Pulling back, I added, "You got taller."
"Of course! I ate my veggies—just like you told me to."
That earned her a laugh. "When did you get back?" she asked.
"Just a couple of hours ago," I said.
"Did you let Mum and Dad know?"
"Yep. Dropped by the house before coming here."
"Good," she said, folding her arms in mock severity. "Mum was so worried about you when I went home for Christmas and Easter. Disappearing for months like that wasn't very nice, you know."
"I know," I admitted, feeling properly chastised. "But I promise, it won't happen again."
Rachel studied me for a moment before smiling. "Okay," she said, and hugged me again.
I chuckled, shaking my head as I hugged her back.
"Hello, Ben," came Luna's dreamy voice.
Turning, I saw Luna, Ginny, and Astoria approaching, all smiles.
"Hello, Luna," I said, returning the smile. "You girls have a good year?"
They nodded enthusiastically.
"It's even better now that Snape's gone," Astoria said, grinning. "Professor Slughorn's the new Head of Slytherin."
Before I could respond, a familiar voice rang from above.
"Did someone say Snape?"
I looked up to see Sirius leaning over the indoor balcony, butterbeer in hand and mischief in his grin.
"Well, look who it is!" he called. "The prodigal prodigy returns! Oi, Moony! Better dust off that 'Welcome Back, Do Not Break the Laws of Magic Again' sign!"
Remus appeared beside him, shaking his head though he was smiling. "I told you not to make that sign, Sirius."
"I had the glitter out already!" Sirius protested as he descended the stairs.
I laughed and clasped hands with both of them. "Sirius, Remus — love what you've done with the place."
Sirius waved me off. "Oh please, you're the one who arranged all this. We just gave the old place a paint job and kept it running."
"Still," I said, glancing around at the packed arcade, "you did a great job. Everyone seems like they are having fun."
Sirius grinned, gesturing to the chaos. "That's the whole point, isn't it?"
Before I could reply, Luna — who had been standing quietly nearby — tilted her head thoughtfully and asked, "So, are you and Hermione a couple now?"
Hermione froze beside me. "What?" she stammered, blushing furiously.
"I noticed you two were holding hands when you walked in," Luna said serenely.
Harry, Neville, and even Sirius leaned in with identical mischievous grins. "Well?" they chorused.
Hermione's cheeks went pinker. "Oh, um — that's—"
I smiled, taking her hand gently in mine. She met my eyes, and her expression softened.
Looking back at Luna, I said, "Yes, Luna. Hermione and I are together now."
That set off a round of whistles from Harry, Neville, and Sirius. The girls giggled, Daphne smirked, and Tracey grinned knowingly.
"About time," Daphne said. "We were wondering when you two would finally start going out."
"You knew?" I asked, half-laughing.
"Of course," she said. "Anyone who's spent more than ten minutes around you two could tell."
"Well," I said with a grin, "I guess it's true what they say — the closer you are, the less you see."
The laughter that followed was warm and genuine.
Since everyone wanted to hear about my latest adventure, we made our way upstairs to the second floor, where Sirius and Remus had their living quarters. Below us, the arcade buzzed with renewed gossip — the newest headline spreading like wildfire: Benjamin Carter and Hermione Granger — Official!
"Think they'll stop talking about us by tomorrow?" Hermione whispered as we climbed the stairs.
"Not a chance," I murmured back. "We've just become Hogwarts Gossip Headline Number One."
She sighed, though a small smile tugged at her lips. "Well," she said, "at least it's nice to have you back."
I lifted our joined hands and pressed a light kiss to hers. "There's no place I'd rather be."
---
Evening
The Arcane Club
I was sitting in an armchair beside one of the open windows of the study section, a glass of butterbeer in one hand and my other hand absentmindedly nuzzling Teddy, who was lying quietly on the carpet. His tail thumped lazily every now and then, content just to be near me.
Outside, the full moon bloomed high above the castle — silver, vast, and still. Yesterday evening, I'd been looking at a crescent moon hanging above Erebor's cold winter sky. And now here I was, back in Hogwarts, back in Scotland, where spring was slowly giving way to summer.
It felt surreal — as though I had slipped through dreams instead of worlds. I wondered if that's how all world travelers felt sometimes — the quiet dissonance of standing in one reality while your heart was still echoing in another.
"Hey."
A voice broke me from my musings. I looked toward the doorway — Hermione was standing there.
"Hey," I replied, smiling.
"You're missing dinner," she said, stepping into the room.
"I am?" I blinked and checked my watch. Sure enough, she was right.
"Sorry," I said, setting the Butterbeer aside. "Lost track of time."
She came over and sat in the armchair across from me. Teddy perked up, barked happily in greeting, then flopped his head back onto the carpet with a soft huff.
"It's okay," she said gently. "Missing your new friends?"
I smiled faintly. "At this time, we'd be sitting around the campfire," I said. "Telling stories, talking about our lives… about what we'd do with our share of the treasure — even though none of us ended up taking any of it." I chuckled softly, then sighed. "Wonder what they're doing now."
"I'm sure they're fine," Hermione said quietly. "Thanks to you."
I smiled at her — a small, tired smile.
Then she said with a teasing grin, "Although I don't know how to feel about you bringing missile launchers to Middle-Earth."
That made me laugh. "You think I wanted to? Bringing modern weapons to Middle-Earth goes completely against the genre! Trust me, I would've loved to give them some proper dragon-slaying swords and warhammers instead. But the dwarves couldn't have used them safely."
"Why not?"
"Because in order to wield godly weapons, you need a godly physique," I explained. "Otherwise, the energy running through the artifact would fry you from the inside out."
Hermione winced. "That's… gruesome."
"That it is," I said with a nod.
I looked out the window again, and my expression slowly darkened.
"What is it?" Hermione asked.
"It's the air," I said. "It feels too heavy."
"What?" she asked, confused.
"Well, not the air exactly," I corrected. "It's the magic in it. It's too thin. Too restrained."
"Really?" she asked, leaning forward with curiosity.
I smiled wryly. "You wouldn't be able to feel it — you've lived here your whole life. It feels natural to you. But once you've been out there — to other worlds where magic thrives — you start to notice how quiet it is here. It's like the difference between an open sky and a locked room." I looked back out at the night. "It's suffocating sometimes."
"Is it really that bad?" she asked, her voice soft with concern.
"It is," I said grimly. "More than five and a half billion people in this world, and not even a million of them believe in magic anymore. Real magic." I sighed, resting my elbows on my knees. "Belief is the key to everything, Hermione. In Middle-Earth, everyone knows about the elves, the wizards, the power that shapes their world. Magic isn't hidden — it's a part of life."
I smiled faintly. "You can't imagine how light I felt there. Like every breath carried wonder. And the Shire…" I chuckled softly. "You can feel goodness in the air there. I was this close to staying a few more months — just reading, wandering through the woods, maybe doing a little gardening now and then."
"So why didn't you?" she asked quietly.
"Because of you," I said, smiling. "Because of Rachel. Because of Mum and Dad. Because of our friends. Staying longer would've been selfish. And as tempting as it was, I couldn't trade that kind of peace for the people who make my life worth living."
Her smile warmed, and she stood, stepping closer. "Well," she said softly, "I'm glad you came back."
She offered me her hand. I took it and rose to my feet. She leaned in and kissed me — a soft, quiet thing that felt more real than any world I'd ever been to.
When we pulled apart, she whispered, "I missed you."
"I missed you more," I said with a grin.
Hermione rolled her eyes but smiled anyway. Taking my hand, she tugged me gently toward the door. Teddy barked happily and followed close behind us, nails clicking against the floor.