Crimson Tempest
Harry had already boarded the train, but when he looked out the window, he once again saw his mother acting strangely. He frowned slightly, worried, unsure how to help her. It was as if Wanda was searching for something… something even she didn't understand. At times she looked afraid, other times sad—and the worst part was that she didn't even seem to realize it herself.
Harry feared the same thing might happen again, like that time she told him about the town trapped by her own magic. His mother was truly powerful, and there wasn't a potion, elixir, or spell that could truly calm her down.
Maybe he should force her to take a vacation with him once the school year ended. They could use that strange portal Pandora had given her, to disappear somewhere—anywhere—for a while. Perhaps then she could relax a little. The stress of taking care of him, combined with the Wizengamot and the Potter family affairs, was surely taking a toll on her.
"Ah…" Harry sighed as he followed his friends into one of the compartments. Within seconds, the cabin filled up with them inside. Astoria and Luna, however, had gone off on their own again in search of their "hostage," planning to sit with the second-years to meet new classmates.
"What's wrong?" asked Hermione, noticing her friend's thoughtful expression.
"Nothing," replied Harry, shifting his attention away, trying not to dwell on it. As much as he wanted to help, he was still too young—both magically and mentally—to know how.
A few light knocks came from the compartment door before it slowly slid open.
Standing there were the two boys Harry had met a week earlier. When their eyes met, both lit up immediately.
"Ah, sorry. We were looking for an empty compartment to sit in," said one of them with a hint of guilt, glancing briefly at the others. "Oh, it's you. Thanks for your help last time," he added quickly, addressing Harry.
The boy behind him nodded in silent gratitude.
"It's fine, really. Don't worry about it," said Harry with a soft smile. Both boys reminded him of himself when he first arrived at Hogwarts—excited to discover a whole new world of magic. Still, that strange feeling he had when he saw them didn't fade; in fact, it was stronger than before.
"Who are they?" asked Daphne curiously, eyeing the newcomers.
"Oh, right, we never introduced ourselves. I'm Frank, and this is my brother Jeff. We're… uh, what do you call it? Muggle-borns, maybe? Actually, we don't know who our parents are. But we're twins—though we don't look alike, they found us on the same day," explained Frank with total ease.
The others fell silent, surprised by how casually he spoke about being an orphan, though neither of the boys seemed to mind.
"Nice to meet you," said Jeff calmly. Between the two, he seemed the quieter, more thoughtful one—someone who weighed every word and every move. Yet, there was a hint of uncertainty in his gaze, especially when speaking with strangers.
Frank, on the other hand, was far more expressive and friendly. The faint rebellious spark in his eyes easily revealed his personality.
The group greeted them politely; after all, they seemed to know Harry.
"Well, we'll keep looking. Nice meeting you," said Frank with a grin before leaving with his brother.
"That was strange," commented Hermione, thoughtful.
The others nodded, except Neville, who didn't quite see the issue.
"Why?" he asked, puzzled.
"To keep us from being disturbed, Harry cast a charm on the door that makes everyone who approaches think the compartment's full before they even touch it. But those two still got through," Draco explained seriously.
"It wasn't them. It was him," said Harry quietly, his expression focused as he thought about Jeff. From the very first moment they'd met, he had felt something within the boy—something strangely similar to himself. He sensed it in Frank too, but in Jeff, it was much stronger.
Every time he tried to feel what it was, something blocked him, as if it were hiding on purpose. That only made him more curious, though deep down he knew it could be a trap—or something deliberately calling to him. So he chose to ignore it.
He had far more important things to worry about than a boy who merely gave him a strange feeling.
…
The train moved steadily along the tracks, the rhythmic sound of rain tapping softly against the windows as the students chatted in peace. Everything was calm—until something unexpected caught everyone's attention.
As the sun sank behind the clouds, a newspaper began circulating through the train cars, spreading murmurs of surprise and fear among the students. Naturally, Daphne's curiosity got the better of her. Determined to find out what was happening, she left to get her hands on a copy as quickly as possible.
Meanwhile, the others barely paid attention, too busy eating the sweets they'd bought from the trolley witch and talking about the new golem battle competitions planned for the year.
"Hey, big news!" Daphne shouted as she burst back into the compartment, sprinting like a velociraptor in full chase. She clutched a newspaper in her hands, breathing hard.
Before anyone could ask, she swept the candies off the center table and spread the paper open with excitement. Everyone leaned forward to read the headline and look at the front-page photo.
Little by little, everyone's gaze turned toward Harry, who sat with a serious expression, brow furrowed, eyes fixed on the text. For an instant, a faint red glow swept through his hair, and his pupils shimmered with the same hue.
Then, something strange happened. The rain outside the train suddenly stopped. For two full seconds, everything was silent—until the droplets began to fall again, harder than before, accompanied by crimson flashes of lightning that echoed across the sky. It was as if the weather itself responded to Harry's emotions.
"Harry?" asked Draco cautiously, watching him as if trying to pull him back to reality.
Harry lifted his gaze; his eyes returned to normal, and the thunder outside faded away. He exhaled slowly.
"So he escaped… And to think he avoided the dementor's kiss by throwing a few Death Eaters under the bus. Yet they still let him go. Truly disappointing," he muttered with dry sarcasm, clearly aimed at the Ministry of Magic.
The others looked back at the photograph. There was Peter Pettigrew—the very day he had been captured and the truth of his betrayal revealed. His panicked face stared out of the picture, holding a prisoner's sign in trembling hands. Even in a still image, he kept that unmistakable rat-like air.
…
Meanwhile, the same newspaper had spread across the country. One copy reached the Greengrass residence, where the adults were holding a strategic meeting about their next plans.
"Sir, urgent news," announced Laki, appearing beside Edward and handing him a copy.
Edward, who had been reviewing documents about business alliances and the upcoming plans for their children, lowered his gaze with a somber expression.
On the sofa, Sirius lounged lazily, eating fruit without contributing anything remotely useful. Wanda, Narcissa, and Selene watched him with a mix of irritation and disdain. Losing her patience, Selene walked over and smacked him on the head.
"What's your problem, witch? You looking for a fight?" growled Sirius, turning toward her, clearly annoyed.
"You're in my house. Put your feet down, or I'll tell Wanda to turn you into a dog again," Selene replied coolly.
Sirius scowled but obeyed, lowering his boots onto the floor with a loud thud. "I'm doing it out of respect," he muttered sarcastically, glancing sideways at Selene and then at Wanda—knowing full well that if he pushed her too far, she wouldn't hesitate to teach him a magical lesson.
After all, even his cousin Narcissa was watching him with a look that said she'd gladly help.
Across the room, Susan quietly sipped her tea, a touch of sadness in her eyes. She hated having to part with her daughter again. More than once, she had considered asking Wanda to turn her into a witch so she could accompany her to Hogwarts—but she knew that would be dangerous. If people ever found out that Wanda possessed the power to alter someone's magical essence, it could trigger a political catastrophe. No one could know that a muggle had been transformed, not even out of maternal love.
Pandora and Xenophilius had left earlier, and Alice had gone to visit her husband, buried under endless piles of work.
"Hey, Black," said Edward suddenly, his tone firm.
Sirius assumed he was about to be scolded for his usual behavior and mentally prepared for it. But instead of words, a newspaper floated through the air and landed on his lap.
He raised an eyebrow, puzzled, and began to read. Within seconds, his expression darkened. Rage overtook him; his teeth lengthened like fangs, and the magic in the room began to spiral out of control. Objects around them shook and floated violently.
Wanda raised a hand, and everything returned smoothly to its place. Her gaze hardened as she looked toward the paper in Sirius's hands.
"That bastard… he escaped. Why didn't they kill him when they had the chance? I warned them!" shouted Sirius furiously, hurling the newspaper to the floor and storming toward the door.
"Where are you going?" asked Narcissa, watching her cousin's face twist with fury.
"To find Peter. And finish what I should've finished years ago," Sirius said sharply, about to leave—until Wanda raised her hand, stopping him.
"Let me go. I'm not in the mood to play with you right now," he growled, turning toward her, still burning with anger.
Wanda stared at him silently, her expression unwavering. Though Sirius was impulsive and often joked around, he rarely raised his voice to a woman. The only exception was Selene, with whom he'd shared a long-standing, teasing rivalry.
"Calm down. You don't even know where to start looking," said Susan softly, trying to soothe him.
Sirius struggled against Wanda's hold, attempting to free himself.
"I don't have time for your childishness," Wanda said firmly. "I'm going to check on my son. But before I do, let me ask you something—do you really think Harry would be grateful to see one of his friends killing another, making a decision that directly concerns his life without even asking him?"
The room fell silent.
"You're supposed to be rebuilding yourself—to become someone my son can trust. If you can't even respect his will, do you really think you'll ever earn that trust?" Wanda added sternly before releasing him.
Then she vanished in a burst of crimson particles that shimmered briefly before fading from the air.
Sirius watched her go, his face still tense with fury. Finally, he turned, walked back to the sofa, and dropped onto it with a heavy sigh, crossing his arms.
"I'll wait to hear what Harry thinks before doing anything," he muttered, though the scowl on his face remained.
Still, the mere fact that he stayed put was enough to earn the quiet approval of everyone in the room. For the first time, Sirius Black seemed to be growing up.