King's Cross buzzed with Muggles, owls in cages, cats, and magical trunks clattering behind distracted parents. In the middle of it all stood Itachi Uchiha—tall for eleven, composed, and slightly out of place with his dark cloak and piercing gaze. "Platform Nine and Three-Quarters," Lily said, adjusting his scarf. "Walk straight at the pillar—don't slow down."He nodded, gripping the handle of his trolley with one hand, his wand carefully tucked into his robe. He stepped through the barrier in a single, smooth motion. Then came Harry, running full speed toward James and Lily, waving a wooden toy wand. "Mum! Mum! I made sparks—almost real ones!"James laughed, catching him midair. "That's my boy!"Itachi turned just in time to see Harry wiggle out of their father's arms and nearly topple someone's cart full of owl treats. His mother only sighed with fond exasperation. "That one's going to give me grey hairs by the time he's eight."Itachi allowed the faintest smile. "He's... energetic."Lily squeezed his shoulder. "We're proud of you. Go on, find a good seat. We'll write, all right?"Itachi nodded and turned toward the train. The scarlet Hogwarts Express loomed ahead, steam curling into the air. Students bustled everywhere—laughing, dragging trunks, shouting over cages of meowing cats and hooting owls. Itachi boarded calmly, slipping into a nearly empty compartment near the back. He sat by the window, eyes scanning the world outside. A rare, welcome quiet settled around him. Finally, a moment of peace. No training drills. No explosions of accidental magic. No, Harry is climbing onto the roof with a kitchen broom. Just silence. He closed his eyes. The door burst open."Oi! This one's not taken, is it?"A girl stumbled in, nearly tripping over her trunk. Her hair flashed from black to electric purple as she righted herself. Itachi blinked. So much for peace. The girl looked about twelve, with a wicked grin and a scar on her chin that looked freshly earned. She tossed herself into the seat across from him, eyes scanning him like a challenge."You look like the type who reads books for fun," she said."I read when necessary," he replied flatly. She smirked. "Figures. I'm Tonks. Second year. Don't call me Nymphadora unless you fancy getting hexed."Itachi."She raised an eyebrow. "Cool name. Mysterious. You aiming for Slytherin?"I'm not aiming for anything."Broody and philosophical. Love it."She leaned forward, lowering her voice conspiratorially. "Wanna join me on a mission?"He raised an eyebrow. "What kind of mission?"We're liberating chocolate frogs from the trolley lady and convincing some second years that a wild niffler is loose in the loo."Silence.Then: "Why?"Because it's tradition. Every year, I find the quietest-looking first-year and recruit them into a bit of good-spirited chaos. It's character building."He sighed, but there was a flicker of amusement in his eyes. "I was hoping for a break from chaos."Tonks stood and opened the door. "That's adorable. Let's go."
Twenty minutes later, Itachi found himself in the corridor, wand discreetly hidden as he redirected a frog's jump into someone's cauldron bag. Tonks, now with bright pink curls, cackled as a shrieking second-year ran from a toilet making squelching niffler noises (courtesy of her spellwork)."Bet you didn't think this was your first day at Hogwarts," she said between laughs. Itachi leaned against the wall, arms crossed. He watched the ridiculous scene unfold—and for a moment, he remembered Harry's wild laughter, his reckless joy, the way he'd tried to jump off the garden wall pretending he could fly. Tonks caught him staring, her grin softening just slightly."You've got that look."What look?"The one people wear when someone reminds them of someone else."He didn't answer. But as the train rolled toward Hogwarts, he thought—maybe chaos wasn't always a bad thing. Sometimes, it came with pink hair and a crooked smile. The journey to Hogwarts passed in a blur of laughter, mischief, and the occasional near-miss with fifth-year prefects patrolling the train. Itachi found himself enjoying the chaos, a stark contrast to the stoic demeanor he usually presented to the world. Tonks was a whirlwind of energy and color, each moment with her a new adventure.
As the train slowed to a stop, Itachi felt a twinge of disappointment that their journey was coming to an end. But the excitement of finally arriving at Hogwarts quickly replaced his melancholy. He followed Tonks off the train and onto the platform, where they were greeted by a sea of students and the imposing figure of the castle itself.
"First year, huh?" Tonks said, elbowing him gently. "Wait till you see the feast. It's magical, literally."