With Kappak dead and the troublesome black dragon Onyxia successfully captured, Lewis's life gradually returned to peace.
His summer vacation settled back into a comfortable routine.
As usual, he spent most of his days in the tower with Ciri, enjoying their private little world together.
Hermione, who had gone on holiday in France, occasionally sent letters describing her travels and sharing everything she had seen.
Their neighbor Luna also dropped by from time to time.
Meanwhile, Lewis frequently traveled through the Floo Network to visit Jaina, sometimes staying at her house for several days.
The South American expedition had significantly strengthened the bonds between all of them.
As for Onyxia, she had purchased a manor near Jaina's residence and was now fully committed to building her image as a respected aristocratic widow.
Days passed.
Before they knew it, summer vacation was drawing to a close.
September arrived.
It was time to return to Hogwarts.
Lewis packed his luggage early and headed for King's Cross Station with Ciri.
"Hi, Ciri! Lewis!"
The first person to spot them was Penelope Clearwater.
The Ravenclaw prefect strode over cheerfully, her long curly hair bouncing behind her.
"Long time no see, Penelope!"
"Hello, Senior."
"I saw you in the newspapers again," Penelope said with amusement.
"It feels like everywhere you go, some kind of adventure follows."
"This one wasn't our fault," Lewis immediately protested.
"The Ministry practically dragged us there."
"Though I admit it turned out to be quite an experience."
While Penelope and Ciri chatted about their South American adventures, an excited voice suddenly interrupted them.
"Penelope!"
Percy Weasley had arrived.
He practically strutted toward them.
His chest was puffed out proudly, displaying the shiny badge pinned to his robes.
He looked exactly like a peacock showing off its feathers.
Even Ciri couldn't suppress a laugh.
Penelope shot the two of them a warning glance before turning back to Percy.
"When exactly did I give you permission to call me Penelope?"
She looked down at his badge.
"Head Boy?"
Percy's smile immediately widened.
Then he deliberately straightened up even further, almost as if he were showing off to Lewis.
Lewis rolled his eyes.
"You're competing with the wrong person."
He glanced at Ciri helplessly.
The truth was that Ciri's popularity among girls had become increasingly absurd.
Beautiful.
Confident.
Cool-headed.
A swordswoman.
If someone put her on the internet, she would instantly become the textbook definition of a "girl-crush."
She was basically a natural magnet for female attention.
Seeing Lewis's expression, Ciri covered her mouth and laughed.
Fortunately, Percy soon embarrassed himself without anyone's help.
"Congratulations, Percy," Penelope said casually.
"Though I have one of those too."
She pulled out her own badge.
Head Girl.
Percy's triumphant expression froze.
Seeing him deflate, Penelope smiled sweetly.
"So it's really not that impressive."
The train whistle blew at exactly the right moment.
The Hogwarts Express was preparing to depart.
Percy hurriedly grabbed his luggage.
Then, trying to recover some dignity, he reached for Penelope's trunk as well.
He intended to carry it aboard before Lewis or Ciri could offer.
The moment he lifted it—
His face changed.
The trunk barely moved.
"What in Merlin's name is inside this thing?"
Percy rubbed his aching arm.
"Why is it so heavy?"
Ciri blinked.
"Heavy?"
With one hand, she casually picked up the same trunk and carried it aboard alongside Lewis and Penelope.
Percy stood frozen on the platform.
His face turned bright red.
"Am I… weaker than a girl?"
he muttered.
Lewis couldn't help smiling.
Ciri really was considerate.
Only moments earlier she'd been laughing at him.
Now she'd effortlessly avenged him.
After all, comparing strength with someone who had charged a black dragon head-on with a sword was simply unfair.
Once Percy had been dealt with, Penelope relaxed considerably.
Unfortunately, her mood didn't stay good for long.
"I'm sorry, Ciri."
She sighed.
"I can't sit with you this year."
"I have to report to the prefects' compartment and patrol the train."
For the first time, becoming Head Girl felt less like an honor and more like a burden.
"It's fine," Lewis said.
"We already found people to sit with."
He gestured toward several familiar faces peeking around a corner.
Harry.
Ron.
Hermione.
Penelope followed his gaze and immediately understood.
She wrinkled her nose.
"Fine then."
"I'll see you at school."
With a dramatic flip of her curls, she departed.
Lewis watched her go and secretly felt relieved.
One fewer rival competing for his girlfriend's attention.
The compartment they found only had four seats available.
Unfortunately, there were five of them.
Someone would have to squeeze.
Under normal circumstances, Ron might have sat on Harry's lap.
But after last year's incident…
Neither of them wanted that.
Ever since Harry had accidentally cast a protective charm on Ron, rumors had spread throughout Hogwarts suggesting their friendship was "something more."
And because this was Britain, everyone immediately assumed the worst.
The resulting embarrassment had scarred both boys.
Therefore, Lewis generously volunteered himself.
After all, he was a warm-hearted person.
Naturally.
So he squeezed onto one seat with both Hermione and Ciri.
One boy.
Two girls.
All pressed together on a bench designed for two people.
Hermione's face instantly turned crimson.
Desperate to distract herself, she grabbed the first topic she could find.
"Look over there!"
She pointed toward a nearby compartment.
Inside sat a lone adult wizard.
His robes were old and covered in patches.
His brown hair was already turning gray despite the fact that he wasn't particularly old.
He looked exhausted.
Like someone who hadn't slept properly in years.
"Who's that?" Hermione asked.
"Good question," Ron whispered.
"Remus Lupin."
"Remus Lupin."
Lewis and Hermione answered simultaneously.
Ron nearly fell off his seat.
"How do you both know that?"
"Did you use Divination?"
"Have you already started studying next year's classes?"
"That's incredible!"
"It really isn't," Harry interrupted thoughtfully.
"I think it's deduction."
"When we were younger, Lewis recommended a series called Sherlock Holmes."
"The detective solves mysteries by observing tiny details."
Harry adjusted his glasses.
"I bet that's what happened here."
Ron looked impressed.
Lewis looked embarrassed.
"Actually…"
"It's much simpler than that."
He pointed upward.
Everyone followed his finger.
A battered suitcase sat on the luggage rack.
Written across one corner were the words:
REMUS J. LUPIN
The compartment fell silent.
After several awkward seconds, Ron coughed.
"Right."
Then he desperately changed subjects.
"I wonder what he's doing here."
Hermione immediately answered.
"He's our new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor."
Ron stared.
"That was written on his suitcase too?"
"No."
Hermione looked exasperated.
"The Hogwarts Express only carries students and staff."
"And Defense Against the Dark Arts is the only vacant teaching position."
Ron shrank into his seat.
To save face, he immediately tried again.
"Do you think he knows about the curse?"
"What curse?" Harry asked.
"The Defense professor curse!"
Ron lowered his voice dramatically.
"Everyone knows You-Know-Who cursed the position."
"Nobody keeps the job for more than one year."
Ciri glanced toward Lupin's worn robes.
"Judging by his appearance, he probably needs the job badly."
Her tone carried genuine sympathy.
She remembered her own difficult days after arriving in this world.
Harry nodded.
"Honestly, after the last two professors, I'm starting to think the curse might be real."
The train continued northward.
Rain battered the windows.
The sky darkened.
Eventually the compartment lights flickered on.
Everyone settled into their own activities.
Lewis reclined comfortably with his head resting across the girls' laps.
Ciri polished her sword.
Hermione opened a textbook.
Harry and Ron played wizard chess.
Outside, the weather worsened.
Rain became a storm.
The windows turned gray.
Then darker.
And darker.
The train began slowing down.
Students poked their heads into the corridor, wondering what was happening.
Suddenly—
The entire train jolted violently.
Several pieces of luggage crashed from the overhead racks.
Then every light went out.
Instantly.
Complete darkness swallowed the train.
At that exact moment, Lewis was trying to enjoy an ice-cold raspberry drink.
The sudden stop nearly splashed it all over him.
"What the hell?"
he complained loudly.
"We were just eating hotpot and singing songs."
"And suddenly we've been ambushed by bandits?"
Unfortunately—
The things stopping the Hogwarts Express weren't bandits.
They were something far worse.
Dementors.
If you want to read 60 chapters ahead of the public release, head over to: Patreon.com/RedString