The Return of the Red Menace
Harry stepped out of his compartment to get some fresh air. He walked toward one of the train doors and stopped there, watching the sky darken through the fogged glass. The murmurs of the passengers faded behind him until only the rhythmic clatter of the wheels and the faint whistle of the wind seeping through the cracks could be heard.
Although his friends had wanted to go with him for support, they knew very well that in moments like this, Harry preferred to be alone. They understood; that was why they didn't insist.
A few people passing through the corridor greeted him politely, but after seeing his serious expression, they thought better of approaching. After all, the trial of Sirius Black had been front-page news in the wizarding world. It was an event everyone remembered, not only for its magnitude but also because it was directly linked to "the boy who lived."
Everyone knew the story: Harry Potter's parents had been murdered because of a traitor. For years, people believed his godfather, Sirius Black, had been the one responsible. The same man who had now been proven innocent. The true culprit had turned out to be another of his father's friends—a wizard thought long dead, who had been hiding all that time as an Animagus in the form of a rat. It was the kind of tale that fascinated gossipers: betrayal, vengeance, deception. No one wanted to miss out on the details.
Harry, however, stared silently at the horizon, lost in thought. The purple-tinged sky mirrored his mood perfectly. Then he felt a familiar presence behind him. He didn't need to turn around to know who it was.
"You know, when you were little and something upset you, you'd make that same face," said the unmistakable voice of his mother—soft, warm, and filled with nostalgia. "Your eyebrows would furrow, your lips would press together, and you'd cross your arms, waiting quietly at my side for a hug."
Harry blushed instantly, embarrassed by the memory. The last thing he wanted right now was to turn around and look at her.
"I also remember that time you argued with Hermione for the first time. You called her a busybody and then felt so bad you almost cried…" Wanda continued with a teasing lilt in her tone, but Harry interrupted quickly.
"Mum, please," he muttered, flustered as he finally turned to face her.
Wanda smiled tenderly at the sight of him. She seemed content—she had confirmed that her son wasn't as troubled as he pretended to be.
Harry sighed wearily. "Mum, let it go," he said, his tone carrying an unusual maturity for his age.
Wanda looked at him silently, waiting for him to continue.
"If he's hiding, then let him hide. Let him live like what he is—a rat. He doesn't deserve our attention." His voice was calm, yet there was an adult coldness in his words. Then his expression hardened.
"But if he dares to appear before us… let me handle it. Tell my godfather not to worry. I'll send him back to Azkaban myself. There's no good ending for him. He'll either keep running from those who were once his allies—or he'll be caught. If he's smart, he'll know there's no way out."
Wanda studied him for a moment before nodding slightly. Then she pulled him into a tight embrace, as if trying to squeeze out all the pain he still carried.
"Don't worry, sweetheart. If things get out of hand, just call me. I'll destroy every dark witch and wizard in this world if I have to, until only the good ones remain," she said with serene tenderness in her voice—though her words carried a dangerous edge that only Harry could truly understand.
Of course, he knew she meant it.
"There's no need," he replied calmly. "Nothing stays completely good forever. Even if you destroy evil, something worse will eventually take its place. At least this one… we can control."
Wanda's eyes softened with pride, shimmering with emotion. "You know I'm proud of you. Always."
Harry gave a small, proud smile. "Of course."
She laughed softly, and before fading away, she gave him a gentle tap on the nose.
Harry stared for a moment at the spot where his mother had vanished. He inhaled deeply, exhaled slowly—as if realigning his emotions—and finally turned back toward the compartment where his friends were waiting. When he entered, a calm smile rested on his face.
…
The rest of the trip passed amid laughter and cheerful chatter. They were almost there, and everyone spoke eagerly about what they would do this new year at Hogwarts.
When the train finally came to a stop, the students began to disembark, buzzing with excitement.
As soon as they stepped onto the platform, they heard Hagrid's unmistakable voice calling for the first years, just like on that very first day they all remembered with nostalgia. But now, they were no longer part of that group. They joined the path with the older students, who were chatting enthusiastically about their vacations and the things they had experienced in other magical schools.
To Daphne's dismay, their stories were nowhere near as dangerous or epic as theirs. There were no apocalyptic gods, no demonic rituals, no forbidden spells threatening the world—only mischievous escapades and harmless detentions.
Her face said it all: "We've been deceived."
Her friends burst out laughing at her look of disappointment. They all knew the truth—magical schools weren't usually that dangerous. It was just their luck to always end up in the wrong place… at precisely the wrong time.
Hagrid spotted them from a distance and raised his hand enthusiastically, grinning from ear to ear at the sight of them after so long. However, before Harry could lift his own hand to greet the half-giant, a red blur streaked through the air at full speed and rammed into him with such force that it knocked him to the ground.
An instant later, he began to feel warm, wet licks all over his face.
"Red, wait! Stop!" Harry shouted between laughter and protests, trying to push away the small dragon that was furiously licking him. But the drake was far too excited to listen.
After all, it had been nearly a full year—and a little more—since he had last seen his beloved master. Red had been away on his secret mission, and not even for Christmas or Harry's birthday had he returned, which had worried the boy more than he admitted.
According to Wanda, Red had refused to come back until he had fully completed his task. He claimed that a dragon who failed didn't deserve to return with his head held high. Harry had made a strange face when his mother explained that to him, unsure whether Red was incredibly brave… or just a bit foolish.
From the nearby forest, other familiar figures emerged. First came the massive three-headed dog—Cerberus, better known as Fluffy. And behind him, the unicorn that had once been small but now walked with almost regal grace. Its mane had grown long and radiant, and its horn gleamed with an intimidating sharpness.
"Oh, looks like the team is still together," Daphne said with a smile as she approached Destructor—the unicorn with the most magnificent and contradictory name imaginable. She extended her hand and gently stroked its silky fur.
Destructor lowered his head, pleased, allowing Hermione to pet him as well.
Moments later, Astoria and Luna, who had been coming down from the other end of the train, noticed the scene and ran over eagerly to join in. Soon, laughter and soft giggles mixed with the unicorn's low, contented neighs as it basked in the attention.
Several nearby students, mostly girls, looked tempted to approach but hesitated. Even a few boys tried their luck, only to be stopped by Destructor's proud, disdainful gaze that made them step back at once. Daphne and the others gave the same haughty look, creating a combined assault devastating enough to crush the confidence of the poor souls who had dared to get close.
Meanwhile, Draco watched the gigantic Fluffy with mild curiosity. One pair of the dog's eyes stared back at him intently, while the other two seemed friendlier. In one of its mouths, the beast held a large pumpkin, which it dropped in front of Draco as if expecting him to throw it like a ball.
Draco raised his hand calmly, and the middle head lowered to let him pet it. A moment later, the enormous creature flopped onto its back, all three heads wriggling with delight, demanding more scratches.
Gaining confidence, Draco began to scratch the beast's necks while the other students looked on in awe and disbelief. Not far away, Harry was still pinned under a storm of affectionate licks, wrestling with Red, who refused to let him go.
"These little fellows sure caused some chaos last year," Hagrid said with a booming laugh as he approached. "Still, they behaved rather well. Sometimes they'd join me for patrols in the forest—of course, only if I brought food."
He gave Fluffy a friendly pat and reached out to do the same with Red. The first accepted happily, wagging its tails; the second, however, looked at Hagrid with a proud, almost condescending expression, as if granting him permission to touch him.
Harry noticed it immediately. In fact, he got the impression that Red had been the one allowing Hagrid to accompany him on those forest patrols.
The boy smiled, relieved to see his chaotic companion again. He also noticed Red seemed slightly larger now; his horns had grown, his body looked sturdier, and sharp spines lined his tail.
"Eh, you got a bit stronger, didn't you?" Harry said with a proud grin.
Red puffed out his chest and straightened proudly, as if confirming that he had trained hard just for this moment. He sat upright before Harry, dignified and alert, awaiting an order.
In the distance, the first-year students began to gather near Hagrid, who had called for them a few minutes earlier. Yet, upon seeing the dragon, the unicorn, and the three-headed dog up close, most hesitated. Many hid behind the half-giant, peeking out nervously but fascinated.
Suddenly, Red turned his head curiously. He looked past Hagrid, directly at two boys standing together in the crowd. His expression shifted—something about them seemed familiar. He looked at his master, then back at the boys, then at Harry again.
The repeated glances drew laughter from those nearby. Even Harry felt intrigued, following his dragon's gaze.
But before he could say anything, Red simply tilted his head… and without warning, leapt forward again in a blur of red scales, tackling Harry to the ground once more and pinning him there.
"Red!" Harry protested between laughter, utterly resigned, as the small dragon perched triumphantly on top of him, flapping his wings with pride as if reclaiming his rightful territory.