At a certain somewhat secluded location within the bustling King's Cross Station, two figures suddenly appeared out of thin air.
Harry's feet landed solidly on the ground with a soft thump, his knees bending automatically to absorb the impact of sudden arrival. The transition from non-existence to existence, from Adrian's shop to the station, sent a brief disorientation through his system that made the world tilt slightly.
He stumbled forward with the momentum, his balance was not quite right, and bumped into Adrian standing beside him.
"Not bad at all, Harry," Adrian said approvingly, looking around their arrival point with interest and assessment. "You didn't splinch me or yourself this time."
The surroundings they'd arrived into looked particularly unpleasant—it was a public restroom that clearly hadn't been properly cleaned or maintained in what must have been ages.
"Where exactly are we?" Adrian asked, though his nose had already wrinkled with disgust at the smell.
This was definitely not the arrival point he would have chosen if given advance notice.
Harry slowly exhaled a long breath he he'd been holding, at having successfully completed the Apparition without incident.
"The toilet on the south side of King's Cross Station," He explained, his voice still a bit shaky from the stress of the journey. "Hardly anyone ever comes to this particular one because it's out of the way and in terrible condition. Most people avoid it and use the facilities on the other side of the station. My aunt once left me here for several hours,".
"I'm sure she at least didn't abandon you in the women's restroom at that age," Adrian commented dryly.
The two of them quickly emerged from the grimy women's restroom. Harry looked somewhat embarrassed and frustrated as they stepped out into the cleaner, brighter main corridor of the station.
His Apparition technique had been slightly off target—he'd been visualizing the men's toilet clearly, but had apparently arrived about fifteen feet to the left of his intended arrival point.
Still, arriving in the wrong bathroom was infinitely preferable to splinching, so he supposed he should count it as a victory. At least all his pieces were in the right places.
A few minutes later, after steering through the bustling crowd of travelers, commuters, and families saying their goodbyes, they finally passed through the magical barrier concealed within the solid brick archway between platforms nine and ten.
The sensation of passing through was familiar to Harry now after years of experience, and then—
They stepped onto the hidden Platform Nine and Three-Quarters, and the whole magical world opened up before them.
Harry stood still for a moment on the platform, just taking it all in, and breathed a deep, genuine sigh of relief that seemed to release tension he'd been carrying in his shoulders and chest all morning.
The noisy hundreds of voices calling out farewells and greetings filled the air around them. Children shouting excitedly to friends they hadn't seen all summer. Parents issuing last-minute instructions and warnings. Younger siblings crying because they couldn't go yet.
The hooting and screeching of dozens of owls in their cages created a constant background chorus.
The thick, coal-scented steam from the scarlet locomotive rose across the platform in lazy clouds, carrying with it the promise of journey and adventure and the comforting routine of another school year.
All of it signaled that he was about to return to Hogwarts.
This crowded, noisy, slightly chaotic place made Harry feel genuinely at ease in a way that Privet Drive never had and never would.
Harry's eyes scanned the crowded platform, searching through the sea of faces for familiar ones. When he finally spotted Ron and Hermione leaning casually against the brick wall near the middle of the platform, waving at him enthusiastically with broad grins on their faces, relief and happiness flooded through him.
He immediately hurried over toward his best friends, walking between families and luggage trolleys.
"What are you two talking about?" Harry asked breathlessly once he reached them, slightly out of breath from his quick walk and the lingering nervousness from the Apparition.
"Who knows what we're actually talking about anymore," Ron said with an enormous yawn that made his jaw crack. He stretched his arms above his head, looking sleepy and rumpled, as if he'd woken up only minutes before arriving at the station.
His hair stuck up at odd angles and there were pillow creases still visible on his cheek.
"Just the usual start-of-term gossip and speculation. Things like who the new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor will be this year. Or discussing who got chosen as the new fifth-year prefects for each house."
"Malfoy became Slytherin's new prefect," Hermione interjected. Her nose wrinkled as if she'd smelled something unpleasant, "Oh, and speaking of Malfoy, he apparently stayed at Hogwarts over the entire summer holidays rather than going home to Malfoy Manor. I heard about it from Professor Flitwick when I stopped by Diagon Alley last week to get my new books."
"Stayed at Hogwarts?" Ron's mouth dropped open in surprise. "What was the git doing there all summer? The entire break? That's mental! The castle's practically empty during summer—just the teachers and ghosts and house-elves. He must have been bored out of his mind with no one to torment or show off to."
Hermione nodded seriously and speculated with a analytical tone, "Most likely it's because of his father's situation. You know, because Lucius Malfoy is a Death Eater and known Voldemort supporter..."
She lowered her voice on the name, mindful of the crowded platform.
"With things being so chaotic outside right now and the Ministry supposedly investigating former Death Eaters and their families, though who knows how thorough that investigation actually is—Lucius Malfoy is probably in hiding somewhere himself, laying low.
He likely didn't have time or didn't think it was safe enough to bring Draco home to the Manor. It was safer to leave him at Hogwarts under Dumbledore's protection, ironically enough."
Harry nodded slowly, considering this.
He was certain Hermione had been reading the Daily Prophet thoroughly all summer—at the very start of the holidays the newspaper had been absolutely full of such disturbing news about Death Eater sightings and attacks and Ministry investigations, only settling down and calming somewhat in recent weeks as the initial panic faded.
Hermione's speculation made sense and tracked with what Harry knew.
Ron also nodded in agreement with her reasoning and added with disdain, his voice was dripping with contempt, "For Malfoy to actually become prefect despite being a complete prat who breaks rules constantly, I'd bet anything his father donated another massive sum of money to the school."
The three friends continued their conversation as they boarded the train together.
Meanwhile, back on the platform as the final minutes ticked down before departure, Adrian struck up a conversation with Mr. Lovegood, who was also seeing his child off to school for another year.
Xenophilius Lovegood stood out vividly even in the wide-ranging crowd of the wizarding platform which was saying something, considering the variety of robes, pointed hats, and unusual accessories on show.
Mr. Lovegood still wore his peculiar and eye-catching attire that seemed to shift between various fashion disasters depending on his mood or the day of the week.
Today's outfit featured a tall, strange hat perched on his head that looked like it might be either an oversized tea cozy, or possibly a lion's mane, or perhaps some sort of abstract art piece—it was genuinely difficult to determine its original purpose or inspiration.
The hat was yellow color with orange tufts sticking out at odd angles.
Around his neck hung an intricate necklace made of strange, angular symbols.
At least his actual clothes were within the general realm of what humans could reasonably be expected to accept and tolerate in public, even if they stretched the boundaries of good taste significantly. Adrian had seen worse at various wizarding gatherings.
"Adrian," Lovegood greeted him with a solemn nod of recognition. "It's been quite a while since we last spoke face to face."
"Actually, we just saw each other last month, Xenophilius," Adrian responded with amusement.
He had visited the Lovegood house then and spent an afternoon wandering around with Luna.
He then looked at Luna and smiled. "How was your summer, Luna?"
Luna replied airily, "Very boring, because Dad wouldn't let me go out."
"But it's not very safe outside right now, you understand," Mr. Lovegood immediately jumped in to explain.
"Ever since the Daily Prophet started running those continuous reports about... well... terrible rumors, I thought it would be much safer to keep Luna close to home where I could watch over her."
Adrian nodded lightly in approval and understanding. "A very wise and sensible decision, Xenophilius."
As the editor and publisher of The Quibbler magazine, Lovegood surely had some legitimate sources of information scattered among his more outlandish contacts. He probably knew more about the current situation than his airy demeanor showed.
At that moment, the Hogwarts Express let out its final, loud whistle.
WHOOOOOO!
Parents began hurrying their lingering children toward the train doors with urgency.
"The train's leaving!" Mr. Lovegood said with urgency, though his gaze became intensely serious as he looked directly at Adrian.
"Before you go, I have an important favor to ask of you, Adrian."
"What is it?" Adrian asked, somewhat puzzled by the sudden shift in Lovegood's demeanor and tone.
Mr. Lovegood reached out and gently placed his hand on Luna's shoulder.
"Please take care of Luna for me,"
Luna tilted her head.
"Oh, of course, Mr. Lovegood," Adrian said immediately, his initial bemused smile fading.
He met Lovegood's eyes directly and spoke with sincerity.
"It's my duty as a professor to protect all my students."
This solemn answer seemed to put Mr. Lovegood completely at ease.
"Excellent! Wonderful! Well then, have a pleasant and safe term at school!" He said with cheer, his voice bouncing back to its usual vague enthusiasm. "Learn many things! Avoid the Nargles in the mistletoe!"
Adrian nodded once more in acknowledgment, then turned briskly and boarded the train. Luna followed close behind him, her steps light and bouncing, apparently unconcerned about the serious conversation that had just occurred.
Once aboard the Hogwarts Express, Adrian immediately began heading for the staff carriage in the middle section.
Along the way, navigating the swaying corridor and passing numerous compartments full of chattering students, he encountered Remus and Nymphadora Tonks, who were both patrolling the carriages and conducting security checks.
Tonks's hair had turned a not-very-bright shade of pink, and she was saying something to Remus, looking relaxed and cheerful.
Remus walking beside her quickly noticed Adrian approaching down the corridor.
"Adrian," He greeted with a brief nod, then quickly got straight to the point without wasting time on pleasantries.
"We're doing routine security checks of all the carriages, making sure everything and everyone is as it should be. Tonks and I are checking the front carriages, working our way backward.
Could you start from the rear of the train and work forward, make sure nothing that shouldn't be aboard has somehow gotten past the platform security?"
"Meet us afterward in the middle staff carriage when you're finished," Tonks added with a cheerful grin. "Oh, and if you happen to run into the trolley witch on your inspection—could you possibly get me some treats? Preferably Chocolate Frogs or Drooble's Best Blowing Gum?"
She looked hopeful and slightly pleading, like a child asking for candy.
Remus looked at Tonks somewhat helplessly but didn't stop her. Instead, he simply added to Adrian in a more serious tone,
"Stay safe and stay alert during your sweep. We don't expect trouble, but we didn't expect a lot of things that have happened recently. If you notice anything suspicious, alert us immediately. Don't try to handle it alone."
"Got it," Adrian replied briefly, noncommittal about Tonks's playful request, then turned and headed toward the rear of the train.
Afterward, Adrian proceeded at a leisurely pace along the corridor.
After passing just a few compartments, he encountered the trolley witch backing out of a carriage with her cart.
Her face was beaming with satisfaction—she'd obviously just made a substantial sale.
Adrian stepped forward quickly and called out to her before she could move on to the next compartment. "Excuse me—could I purchase something, please?"
She turned toward him.
"One box of Chocolate Frogs, one pack of Drooble's Best Blowing Gum," Adrian requested, already pulling out a gold Galleon from his pocket. As he spoke and handed over the coin, his gaze naturally and casually fell on the still-open compartment door behind the trolley witch.
Inside the compartment sat four children with young, fresh faces—clearly first-years.
Three of them were excitedly, messily unwrapping the Chocolate Frogs and Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans they'd clearly just purchased from the trolley witch moments ago. Their cheeks were already bulging with candy they'd stuffed into their mouths.
They were chattering enthusiastically to each other, probably comparing Chocolate Frog cards or daring each other to try the more dangerous Bertie Bott's flavors.
But the fourth child in the compartment seemed oddly out of place among his energetic companions.
He sat quietly by the window, not participating at all in his companions' excited commotion.
Adrian accepted his purchases from the trolley witch but he didn't immediately leave or continue his inspection as planned.
Instead, he remained standing in the corridor, looking at the quiet, black-haired boy by the window and asked calmly, "What's your name, young man?"
The boy turned his head, and after seeing Adrian, he was slightly startled. Somewhat confused, he asked, "John Selwyn, sir. Is something wrong?"
Only then, with the boy facing him and the light from the corridor revealing his face properly, did Adrian get a clear view of the child's appearance.
John Selwyn had neat black hair that fell just above his ears. His eyes were a deep, dark black, almost ink-like in their darkness, without any trace of lighter color around the pupils.
His facial features were somewhat like that of Harry's though this boy wasn't wearing glasses.
A perfectly normal boy.
Having received a clear, definite answer and seeing nothing overtly concerning about the child despite his initial instinct, Adrian's expression softened.
He smiled slightly at the boy in a reassuring manner, not wanting to frighten him unnecessarily.
"No, nothing's wrong at all," He said gently. "Just doing routine security checks. Welcome to Hogwarts, Mr. Selwyn. I'm sure you'll do well there."
He nodded once more to the compartment in general, then continued down the corridor toward the rear of the train.
But as he walked away, Adrian couldn't help but feel that this child had something distinctive in common with himself.
It was a special sense of composure.
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