Back to Hogwarts: Crowds and a Captive
….
N/A: It's time to begin the next arc.
...
At last, the day had arrived for everyone to return to Hogwarts.
The day before, everything had already been packed and prepared, so all that was left was to head to King's Cross with their families to take the train. As always, the station platforms were filled with families gathered to say goodbye to their children.
Even Sirius and Lupin were among them, creating such a large and eye-catching group that they drew the attention of nearly everyone around. It wasn't surprising—after all, this crowd of "celebrities" from the British wizarding world exuded both elegance and charisma.
On the men's side stood several figures, each with a distinct presence.
Edward Greengrass, cold and arrogant, carried a gaze sharp enough to freeze. He dressed with the refinement of a high-ranking executive, blending wizarding sophistication with upper-class Muggle fashion.
Beside him walked the ever-unpredictable Sirius Black, his dangerous and untamed aura making him impossible to ignore.
Remus Lupin followed, his expression gentle and slightly melancholic—the kind of calm, scholarly air that made him seem perpetually thoughtful.
A little farther back stood the eccentric Xenophilius Lovegood, cheerful as always, his carefree energy and constant smile bringing warmth to the scene as he chatted animatedly with Wendell Granger—the quietest of them, whose serene gaze radiated kindness and calm.
On the women's side, the sight was even more dazzling.
Each of them seemed to compete in beauty and grace.
Selene Greengrass moved with her characteristic mixture of nobility and ease, her posture impeccable yet softened by that playful glint in her eyes as she observed everything around her.
At her side walked Wanda Maximoff—the Scarlet Witch, or the Red Witch, as some called her—whose beauty rivaled her fearsome reputation. It was said that even Dumbledore regarded her with a certain respect… or perhaps fear. Yet here she was, smiling kindly, surrounded by the other mothers in casual conversation.
Susan Granger added her lively, talkative energy to the group, always lifting everyone's spirits, while Pandora Lovegood floated along in her usual dreamy state, smiling absently. Narcissa Malfoy walked beside her, calm and poised, her elegance forming a striking contrast with Pandora's whimsy.
A little behind them, almost hidden by the others, was Alice Longbottom, her sweet, nervous demeanor making her look like a frightened little squirrel in need of protection.
Behind the adults came their children.
Harry Potter walked with his usual calm smile—the kind that looked friendly but always carried a subtle distance. He had grown noticeably; his features were sharper now, more defined. His perpetually messy hair somehow suited him, though at certain angles it reflected a faint reddish tint that shifted back to deep black when seen closely—something many found curious.
Next to him was Draco Malfoy, his expression as proud and aloof as ever, acknowledging only his friends. If Harry's invisible wall was difficult to sense, Draco's was obvious at first glance. His perfectly styled blond hair and sharp features embodied the elegance of both the Black and Malfoy bloodlines.
Walking alongside them was Neville Longbottom, who, while not as striking in appearance as his peers, had become surprisingly popular after the recent golem competition. His nerves seemed far calmer now, replaced with a quiet confidence and approachable warmth that made him easy to befriend.
A little farther behind, the girls walked together, chatting animatedly.
Daphne Greengrass laughed brightly as she told a funny story, her slightly wavy blonde hair cascading like a golden waterfall. At her side, Hermione Granger listened with that familiar mix of pride and mock reproach that was so very her. Though her bushy hair was still somewhat untamed, she was growing into a rather lovely young lady—with that unmistakable charm of a "childhood friend" who always complained, yet never left.
At the very end of the line came two younger girls, equally adorable. Two blondes with matching hair color, almost like sisters: Astoria Greengrass and Luna Lovegood. Both seemed to exist in their own world, radiating that strange and charming eccentricity that made them unforgettable.
At the moment, they had "kidnapped" a red-haired girl who was struggling to escape, though clearly losing the battle, while the other two dragged her along laughing as if it were part of some game.
…
Harry walked along, chatting with his friends about the plan he had left behind for Sirius—a killer puppet made from a golem, programmed to chase him during their entire stay at Hogwarts, as payback for one of his godfather's pranks.
As they talked, he noticed that many students were watching them from a distance. Some even stepped aside to let them pass, as if they were witnessing a fashion parade, their eyes filled with admiration and excitement.
"Mmm… maybe we should've stopped our parents from coming," Harry muttered, realizing that while plenty of eyes were on them, even more—especially from the adults—were fixed on their famous parents and uncles.
"Hahaha, you should get used to it," said Daphne with a grin, waving her hand dramatically. "When I go shopping with Mum, it happens all the time."
"After all, they're even more famous now, with all the projects our families have been working on… and the ones about to start," commented Hermione, glancing at a few younger kids who stared at her as if they'd just spotted a golden ticket.
"Just ignore them. They're not worth the attention," said Draco coolly, not even bothering to look around. Day by day, he was becoming more like his mother, though everyone knew he was doing it on purpose. Deep down, he was still the same Draco—just more composed whenever a crowd was involved.
Neville, who had grown much more confident since the golem battle, suddenly felt the weight of all those eyes again. But before his nerves could take over, Daphne playfully smacked him on the back, grinning.
"Hey, you're in the same boat, so suffer with us," she teased, and Neville realized—too late—that encouragement hadn't been her intention at all.
As they continued walking through the bustling station, two very familiar voices called out to them from behind.
"Wow, dazzling—absolutely dazzling! Maybe we should ask for their autographs, then sell or auction them. What do you think, Fred?" said George, appearing beside them with a mischievous grin.
"Autographs? Nah, better to steal some of their stuff. The girls and boys will go crazy," replied Fred, nodding with mock seriousness while wearing his trademark mischievous grin.
The others turned to look at them all at once.
"You'd better not try it. Our things have anti-theft enchantments," warned Harry in a calm but firm tone. "Unless, of course, you'd like to end up turning into something… really ugly."
"Tsk. Ah, what a shame," sighed the twins in perfect unison, their exaggerated dramatics making it seem as though they were genuinely heartbroken about missing out on some mischief.
"Well, we only came to rescue our little sister, who was kidnapped without warning," said Fred, glancing behind him where Astoria and Luna were holding Ginny by the arms as she tried unsuccessfully to break free. Fred smirked. "Though she seems to be having fun… so we'll just tell Mum we couldn't afford the ransom."
Ginny shot them a look full of both disappointment and fury, her eyes silently begging for help.
And help arrived… in the form of two sharp smacks to the back of the twins' heads.
Behind them stood a young man with neatly combed red hair and a serious demeanor. He had the unmistakable Weasley look, though his manners were entirely different. It was Percy Weasley.
"Stop wasting Mum's time. She needs to say a proper goodbye to Ginny," he said in a stern, no-nonsense tone. Then his gaze turned toward Harry and the others, carrying an air of authority… one that nearly faltered when he met Harry's calm stare and Draco's cold one. Still, Percy quickly cleared his throat, straightened his tie, and regained his composure.
"Ahem… apologies for the interruption. My mother requires the presence of our younger sister. By the way, it's a pleasure to meet you all. I'm Percy Weasley, Head Prefect of Gryffindor House. I've heard quite a lot about you—particularly your… wisdom," he said with an overly rehearsed, almost noble air.
Harry raised an eyebrow, trying not to smile.
The adults, who had been walking a bit ahead, stopped when they realized the students had fallen behind and turned to look.
Percy, noticing their attention, grew even more formal. He approached each of them, offering handshakes to the men and polite nods to the women—clearly well-versed in etiquette, though perhaps a little too stiff about it.
"Pleasure to meet you. I'm the Head Prefect of Gryffindor House at Hogwarts—Percy Weasley," he repeated proudly.
Of course, George and Fred couldn't resist mocking him, shaking each other's hands in exaggerated imitation. Every single time Percy introduced himself, it was the same routine.
"Oh really? That's interesting," said Sirius with an amused grin, glancing at Remus. "Look, this guy's a prefect too—just like you."
Remus smiled faintly. "Seems like you'll have your hands full this year. It's your last one, isn't it?"
"Yes, sir. I hope to fulfill my duties properly and not disappoint my predecessors," Percy replied quickly, as if Remus's approval carried great weight—or maybe he was just imagining it.
"Then work hard. Gryffindors can be quite the chaotic bunch," said Sirius with a sly smile.
Percy suppressed a chuckle, gave a short nod, and straightened up.
"Let's go," he ordered his brothers with authority before marching off toward where their parents stood.
Naturally, George and Fred began mimicking his rigid walk behind him, laughing the entire way.
Astoria and Luna, looking disappointed, finally released their "redheaded hostage," who sighed in relief upon regaining her freedom.
"That boy's going to be eaten alive by the lions, isn't he?" murmured Sirius, amused.
"Mmm… as long as he doesn't go overboard, he might survive," said Remus with a light smile, though he didn't sound entirely convinced.
Edward Greengrass, who had been quietly observing, shook his head slightly before looking away.
"Well, you bunch of lunatics and troublemakers, this is where we part ways," said Sirius casually to the group of students.
"Godfather, we told you not to call us that," complained Harry, clearly exasperated.
"Why not? I think it suits you," replied Sirius, unfazed.
Harry ignored him and walked toward his mother, who greeted him with a smile both proud and tender.
She hugged him tightly. After all, they'd be apart for quite some time… though both knew that, with Wanda being Wanda, they'd probably see each other much sooner than anyone expected.
"Behave yourself, and don't overwork. You know you don't need to exhaust yourself studying," Wanda said softly, before adding under her breath, "Though if you keep this up, you'll just make everyone else depressed trying to catch up."
"Maybe thanks to me, overall grades will rise," Harry replied with a confident smile.
Wanda chuckled, both amused and proud.
"Take care. And if something happens, remember that I'll always be here to help you. This first term, your Aunt Selene will be at Hogwarts as a supervising tutor, so if anything comes up, go to her."
Harry adjusted his cloak and nodded.
"Don't worry. It's not us who'll be trapped with them—it's them who'll be trapped with us," he said calmly.
One by one, the others also said their goodbyes before heading to the train.
Their families waved proudly as the children walked down the platform.
Once Harry and the others had boarded the Hogwarts Express, the adults lingered, waiting for the train's whistle to sound. That was when Wanda frowned slightly, her gaze scanning through the crowd of boarding students. Her expression grew serious.
"What's wrong?" asked Susan, noticing her unease.
It wasn't the first time that week Wanda had seemed distracted, as if searching for something—or someone—she couldn't find.
"Hmm… nothing," Wanda said after a pause, lowering her eyes.
Still, she kept watching for a few more seconds, that lingering sense of something out of place refusing to fade. Finally, she sighed in quiet disappointment.
The other women exchanged worried looks.
Susan, Selene, Narcissa, Pandora, and Alice traded subtle gestures, as if silently debating what they could do to help her. But deep down, they all knew there wasn't much they could offer. Wanda was far more powerful than all of them combined, and if she truly wanted something… she could simply make it appear before her.
"Hmm… how about I take you to a spa?" suggested Selene with a gentle smile. "Unlike the kids, who'll spend the whole day on the train, I can get to Hogsmeade in an instant and then to Hogwarts. You could use a bit of relaxation."
The others immediately agreed with enthusiasm.
Wanda, recognizing their concern, smiled serenely.
"Sure," she replied calmly.
And though her expression seemed at ease, her eyes still searched the horizon—quietly, persistently—looking for something… or someone… she still hadn't found.