arry never imagined that he'd ever travel London needing the protection of something other than his own wand and yet, here he was—standing outside of Grimmauld, waiting for a 'Sturgis Podmore' to arrive otherwise his guard to Kings Cross would be one person short.
"A guard?" he looked at Hermione, bewildered, "We have to go to King's Cross with a guard?"
"You and Cedric, have to go to King's Cross with a guard," Hermione corrected him.
"Why?" said Harry irritably. "I thought Voldemort was supposed to be lying low, or are you telling me he's going to jump out from behind a dustbin to try and do us in?"
"If you think you're embarrassed, think about how I feel," said Cedric. He had burrowed his nose in the neck of his sweater, and Harry thought his expression mildly resembled that of a disgruntled turtle.
Hermione leaned against the fence, "We can't really go against it, it's for both of your well-beings,"
"Yeah well… if we keep waiting around like this, we'll be late!" Ron muttered under his breath. Harry, too, couldn't help the surge of impatience inside him. Time was ticking and the train was not likely to wait as long as they have been, thus far.
Suddenly someone called to them, "Plan's changed!"
"Oh, finally!" murmured Mrs Weasley, as she released an audible breath. The rest whipped around to see an old woman waving them on the corner of the street.
She had tightly curled gray hair and wore a purple hat shaped like a porkpie.
"Wotcher, Harry," Tonks said, winking. "Better hurry up, hadn't we, Molly?" she added, checking her watch.
"I know, I know," moaned Mrs. Weasley, "But Mad-Eye wanted to wait for Sturgis… If only Arthur could have got us cars from the Ministry again… but Fudge wouldn't let him borrow so much as an empty ink bottle these days… How Muggles can stand traveling without magic!"
"Well, let's get on with it then!" Tonks laughed. She turned to Cedric, Ginny and the twins, "You lot stay here—we'll take these three first and you'll follow with Remus after a bit—"
"Is that really necessary—?" Fred asked, just as Mrs Weasley planted a kiss on his forehead— "Mum!"
Mrs Weasley kissed George and Ginny too, while Tonk's wrinkly face morphed into her own, winking at Fred before it turned back to an old woman's;
"Can't go against Madeye, he's got the better sense for these things, y'know. Besides, we'll see each other soon enough!" she said, already walking ahead. Yanked along by Ron's arms, Harry and Hermione rushed forward, hurriedly following after her.
"What happened to Sturgis?" asked Mrs Weasley, as she tried to catch up.
"Dunno. I bet he's just late though,"
"It's still a bit worrying that we don't have another guard—"
They had hardly turned the corner before hearing a "Hey!" ring out from behind, and suddenly a big, black dog appeared at their sides, trotting forward with its tongue lolling out.
"Snuffles?" asked Harry, from the corner of his mouth.
The dog barked happily, and nuzzled into his side.
Giggling from the front, Tonks turn to Mrs Weasley, "A dog would be fine spare, right Molly?"
"Oh honestly…" she said despairingly, "well, let it be on own head then!"
And so they made their way with Sirius, spending twenty minutes on foot before finally, they caught sight of King's Cross tucked behind long rows of buildings, peeking above the sprawled courtyard and commuters rushing to catch buses and make the clock.
Despite their previous rush, Harry stopped, almost as if the realization that he would once again catch the Hogwarts Express just registered inside his head. In all his years at Hogwarts, he could not recall a time where his heart didn't leap at the sound of trains rumbling, clickety clack, across the rail-line, and they walked closer and closer to the station, making out the clock steeple towering in the sky, the slopes of wide arches and the streams of people whose heads bobbed up and down against the station's worn brickways; he could feel his heart racing in every individual beat. By now, each of them had made the trip often enough that they could slip through the cracks of the crowds heading in opposite directions, while also spotting others that would make the same journey as well; their trolleys filled with assorted suitcases, skewered boxes and cages or terrariums that held animals—of which, at a closer look would seem slightly out of place, if only any Muggle thought to stop and consider.
But it was rare that a Muggle would—and if they did, they probably weren't a Muggle—as they kept their heads down, focused on whatever itinerary they had planned for the day and quick, in emptying the platform enough that for a brief moment; Tonks could lead the group straight through brick column, fearless in the path, and stepping right onto platform nine and three-quarters.
Out of habit, Harry inhaled the familiar smell and felt his spirits soar… he was really going back… He knew that it was still Kings Station but it felt like an entirely different world; one where the day-to-day suit-wearing Muggles were replaced by wizards who swept the floor with long flowing robes; shaded deep yet vibrant, conjuring minor illusions with the tips of their fingers as they spoke; carrying things like broomsticks, books or wands holstered and strapped to their hips.
Harry could see jeans held up by belts, hoodies and coats huddling beside pillars, but somehow, it felt something different on this other side; especially when everyone had hooked mini-cauldrons on their forearms or sucked on candies that made their eyes flash different colours.
No matter how many times he would enter the wizarding world, Harry could never get used to that first hit of such ordinary wonders.
He also couldn't help but notice that his stares were being returned back; wherever his eyes trailed, more eyes followed.
It seemed that this world was more aware of him than usual.
While Harry avoided the glances thrown his away, Mrs Weasley tapped her foot against the pavement, glancing at her watch.
"I hope the others make it in time," she said anxiously, staring behind her at the wrought-iron arch spanning the platform, through which new arrivals would come.
"I'm sure they're fine, Mrs Weasley," said Hermione.
"Yeah it was only ten minutes," Ron assured as well, but Mrs Weasley's right foot continued to fidget all the same.
"Even with his leg, Alastor wouldn't take this long! It might've been better if we left an hour earlier…"
"Mum—"
"Hey Fred, George! Nice seeing you!" someone called out from behind. They turned to see the twins, Lupin, Ginny, Mr Weasley and Cedric making their way toward them, and walking alongside a smiling but slightly baffled tall boy with dreadlocks.
"What are you doing here, professor?" the boy gasped, "Are you coming back to school!"
"No, no, Mr Jordan. I was simply escorting these four to the station; London can be quite the maze, you see,"
As they came closer, Harry squinted as Lee Jordan's figure dipped in beside the twins, "Are you friends with Diggory now?" he asked, though not so quietly as he had hoped.
"Jealous?" Fred and George retorted, just as loudly. Red, Lee grabbed both their heads and pushed them down. Cedric gave an awkward smile before making a beeline to Harry's side.
"You all came together?" Harry asked, as Cedric passed behind him.
"Foot traffic was bad. We ended up at the same crossing," he replied, "All good on your end?"
"Yeah," Harry said, "a walk can't do much to me, can it?"
"You never know, Potter," grunted a voice from behind. Harry and Cedric jumped as with a porter's cap pulled low over his mismatched eyes, Moody came limping through, pushing a cart full of their trunks, "It pays to stay vigilant."
"R-right, sorry…"
As they took their own suitcases, tending to individual pets and double-checking their belongings, Moody's glass eye spun around while his real one looked at Lupin.
"No trouble?" he growled.
"Nothing," said Lupin. Though, he gave a dissatisfied look down at Sirius, who had meekly padded to his feet upon arrival.
"I'll still be reporting Sturgis to Dumbledore," said Moody. "That's the second time he's not turned up in a week. Getting as unreliable as Mundungus."
"Indeed. There's nothing good about disobeying orders," Lupin said, very pointedly staring at the black dog beside him. Sirius whined and began to nuzzle into his knee. Though Lupin's expression stayed blank, Harry noticed something—certainly fond—creased at the corners of his eyes.
More and more people streamed around them; the noise of chatter, crying, goodbyes and constant swivel of heads in his direction—all of it filtered into Harry's head in one gigantic stream of sound. It only dulled down when Lupin stepped forward and clapped his hands.
"Well everyone, this is it! Look after yourselves," he said. He walked to each of them, shaking hands and smiling before at last, he reached Harry with a much grimmer face.
"Be safe, yes?" Lupin said. He reached toward him, outstretching his arm, but then pulled away at the last second. Without thinking, Harry sprang forward and wrapped his arms around him—
"Thanks for picking me up, at the Dursleys," he said.
"-'re welcome…" Lupin mumbled and Harry felt him hug back. Sirius's animagus form running tight circles around them, his tail weaving in between their legs.
"Take care of that dumb dog, as well,"
Lupin snorted, "Which one?"
"Erm… both,"
"Ha!" he let Harry go, and with a kind smile and solemn eyes he said, "Tread carefully, Mr Potter,"
Harry nodded and reached down for Sirius, desperate to squeeze as much of him as he could without looking weird. In return Sirius seemed to want to lick his face as much as he could, as well.
"Keep your head down and your eyes peeled," said Moody, still surveying their surroundings from above. "And don't forget, all of you—careful what you put in writing. If in doubt, don't put it in a letter at all."
"It's been great meeting all of you," said Tonks, hugging Hermione and Ginny. "We'll see you soon, I expect."
A warning whistle sounded; the students still on the platform started hurrying onto the train.
"Quick, quick!" said Mrs. Weasley distractedly, hugging them at random and catching Harry twice. "Write—Be good!—If you've forgotten anything we'll send it on… Onto the train, now, hurry…!"
For one brief moment, the great black dog reared onto its hind legs and placed its front paws on Harry's shoulders, but Mrs. Weasley shoved Harry away toward the train door hissing, "For heaven's sake act more like a dog, Sirius!"
"See you!" Harry called out of the open window as the train began to move, while Ron, Hermione, and Ginny waved beside him. The figures of Tonks, Lupin, Moody, and Mr. and Mrs. Weasley shrank rapidly but the black dog was bounding alongside the window, wagging its tail; blurred people on the platform were laughing to see it chasing the train, and then they turned the corner, and Sirius was gone.
A flurry of colors passed through the window before Harry could really understand what was happening, a change in the worn reds and cityscape greys fusing into the beginning of viridescence browning upon moorlands; autumn expanding beyond just the palette of falling leaves.
As he watched outside the window, catching his breath for a second, Harry felt something swallow him up inside. Brief and small, but sharp in the way it struck him swiftly.
"I miss them already," he said sadly. Gently, Hermione touched his shoulder and they watched as an expanse of nature rolled by, clouds overcast ahead.
"It's alright mate," Ron said, sincerely.
"You'll see them soon," Cedric added.
"Yeah," Harry gripped onto the handle of his suitcase. "Well… shall we go and find a compartment, then?"
As he turned back to his friends, he watched as Hermione and Ron both exchanged looks.
"Er," said Ron.
"We're—well—Ron and I are supposed to go into the prefect carriage," Hermione said awkwardly. Ron wasn't looking at Harry; he seemed to have become intensely interested in the fingernails on his left hand.
"Oh," said Harry. "Right. Sorry, I forgot."
"I don't think we'll have to stay there all journey," said Hermione quickly. She glanced at Cedric as well. "Our letters said we just have an orientation and go get instructions from the Head Boy and Girl."
"We'll see you later then?" Cedric asked.
"Yeah, definitely," said Ron, casting a shifty, anxious look at Harry. "It's a pain having to go down there, I'd rather—but we have to—I mean, I'm not enjoying it, I'm not Percy," he finished defiantly.
"It's okay," said Harry and he grinned. But as Hermione and Ron dragged their trunks, Crookshanks, and a caged Pigwidgeon off toward the engine end of the train, Harry felt an odd sense of loss. He had never traveled on the Hogwarts Express without Ron.
"Come on," Ginny said, "if we get a move on we'll be able to save them places."
"I agree," Cedric said, "It'll be fun, yeah?"
But as they walked through the corridor, passing and peering into the glass-paneled doors of compartments; it took far longer than usual to find an empty room. Many of them were already too full for another three passengers, let alone a potential five. And Harry could not help noticing that a lot of people stared back at them with great interest. At these moments, Cedric would also stiffen beside him, as several people nudged their neighbors and pointed him out too.
What on earth was happening? Did they have something on their noses, had Fred and George stuck the wizard equivalent of a piece of paper that said "Kick me!" on his back? Was it—oh shit.
Harry suddenly remembered that the Daily Prophet had been telling its readers all summer what a lying show-off he was, and that Cedric was of the same ilk.
He didn't make much of it in Kings Cross. The gazes that were given back.
He had felt heads turn, and perhaps one or two cold stares not entirely just by the eyes of other students weighing against him; but it wasn't like this. People giggled behind their hands, and others hid behind their copies of their Daily Prophet's when they spotted his face in the blur of the compartment window; it was clear that whatever mountainous amount of attention he'd already received has grown and soured over the summer. Harry thought that perhaps it was a good thing, that the train's solid doors barred his ears from what they were saying, if looking only made him wonder bleakly whether the people now staring and whispering believed the stories.
Suddenly, he felt someone push him forward, and he walked past the carriage that had just burst into loud laughter while staring at him.
"Don't think about it," said a voice, just above his ear. He turned to see Cedric frowning down at him.
"It doesn't bother you?" he asked, because his irritation was certainly spiking up.
"'Course it bothers me, but there's nothing productive about going in there and asking what their problem is, right?"
Harry sighed, "Right."
"Then let's just keep moving," Cedric said, pressing against Harry's shoulders. They made their way toward Ginny, who was already far down the corridor. As a few more snickers and some gasps followed them down the hallway, Harry felt his ears grow red, but Cedric rushed him, quite rapidly, along.
As they made their way through the train, in the very last carriage they met Neville Longbottom, Harry's fellow fifth-year Gryffindor, his round face shining with the effort of pulling his trunk along and maintaining a one-handed grip on his struggling toad, Trevor.
"Hi, Harry," he panted. "Hi, Ginny… Everywhere's full… I can't find a seat anywhere… "
"What are you talking about?" said Ginny, who had squeezed past Neville to peer into the compartment behind him. "There's room in this one, there's only Loony Lovegood in here—"
Neville mumbled something about not wanting to disturb anyone.
"Don't be silly," said Ginny, laughing, "She's all right—" and she slid the door open and pulled her trunk inside it and they followed her inside.
"Hi, Luna," said Ginny. "Is it okay if we take these seats?"
The girl beside the window looked up. She had straggly, waist-length, dirty blonde hair, very pale eyebrows, and protuberant eyes that gave her a permanently surprised look. Harry knew at once why Neville had chosen to pass this compartment by. The girl gave off an aura of distinct dottiness. Perhaps it was the fact that she had stuck her wand behind her left ear for safekeeping, or that she had chosen to wear a necklace of butterbeer caps, or that she was reading a magazine upside down.
As they entered, she eyed them carefully, her necklace jingling before she finally nodded.
"Thanks," said Ginny, smiling at her.
Promptly, and without much hesitation after having walked endlessly through the train, they stored their trunks and cages in the luggage rack and settled into their seats. The girl called Luna watched them over her upside-down magazine, which was called The Quibbler. She did not seem to need to blink as much as normal humans. She stared and stared at Harry, who had taken the seat opposite her and now wished he had not.
A certain silence settled in the carriage. It carried the same air of awkwardness that clouded social situations where people are left behind with friends-of-friends, who are more like strangers that they would often smile at. The fact that Luna was still staring Harry, made it considerably worse. He shifted uncomfortably in his seat, wanting nothing more than to be either out of this room or be where Ron and Hermione were. Ginny gave a polite cough and turned to Luna.
"How you are you? Did you have a good summer?" she asked, attempting to break the ice.
"Yes," said Luna dreamily, without taking her eyes off Harry. "Yes, it was quite enjoyable, you know."
Ginny seemed to wait for her to go on before suddenly, she folded her magazine onto her lap and leaned forward—
"You're Harry Potter," she said, eyes brimming in the light of the window.
"I know I am," said Harry. He could almost hear Hermione scold "Manners!" at the back of his head, but Luna didn't seem to acknowledge his curtness. She simply turned away and nodded at Cedric.
"And you're much more handsome than what people say," she said, in that same airy voice.
Unexpectedly, Cedric burst into laughter, Ginny and Neville fighting down wide smiles too. Luna seemed pleased as Cedric extended his other hand forward,
"I'm—"
"Oh, I know you, Cedric Diggory," she said, barely grasping his hand, "I just thought the room felt a bit thick without introductions,"
Neville chuckled. Luna turned her pale eyes upon him instead, "Oh, but I don't know who you are."
"I'm nobody," said Neville hurriedly.
"No you're not," said Ginny sharply. "Neville Longbottom — Luna Lovegood. Luna's in my year, but in Ravenclaw."
"Wit beyond measure is man's greatest treasure," said Luna in a singsong voice. She raised her upside-down magazine high enough to hide her face and fell silent. Harry and Neville looked at each other with their eyebrows raised while Ginny suppressed a giggle.
The train rattled onward, speeding them out into open country. It was an odd, unsettled sort of day; one moment the carriage was full of sunlight and the next they passed beneath ominously, gray clouds.
Harry, wedged between Neville and Cedric, settled into his seat; passing bits of pancakes along, and piping up in the carriages on-and-off bout of conversation. They talked about things like their summer (Harry, Ginny and Cedric scrambling to cover up being cooped up in a twisted fun-house for weeks) and avoided topics about recent news, the Triwizard Tournament or any of what happened last year. Harry appreciated that Neville treated him and Cedric like normal, and that sometimes Luna would lower her magazine and join in, detracting the conversation; mellow and easy to make Neville and Ginny laugh. Other times it was just quiet—Luna back to her reading, Ginny and Neville looking out their windows, and then Harry well-sunk into his seat, listening as Cedric hummed while reading a book.
"You're studying?" he asked in mild bewilderment, "Before we even get to school?"
"It's not for school, Si-.. Snuffles gave it to me," Cedric explained, showing him the cover.
"A Gentleman's Encyclopedic Guide to-... Snuffles gave you that?"
"I was surprised too," he laughed and flipped the page to show Harry an illustration of a wizard conjuring a shield against a troll, "I think it's pretty cool… Don't you agree, Neville?"
Harry looked back to see that Neville had turned back from the window, staring in wonder at Cedric's book,
"That's wicked," he breathed.
"Oh! You had your birthday in June, right?" Ginny perked up, turning away from the window as well, "I didn't get you a present at all! Shall I get you something like that?"
"No, no! It's alright," Neville shook his head, and eyed Cedric shyly, "but that… that looks like a great book, er—"
"Did your grandmother get you something? Another Remembrall?" said Harry, remembering the marblelike device Neville's grandmother had sent him in an effort to improve his abysmal memory.
"No," said Neville, "I could do with one, though, I lost the old one ages ago… But I did get… um— "
He cast another set of furtive glances at Cedric, almost like he wasn't sure about something.
"It's alright," Ginny said, "He doesn't bite!"
"I promise," Cedric grinned.
Sheepish, Neville dug the hand that was not keeping a firm grip on Trevor into his schoolbag and after a little bit of rummaging pulled out what appeared to be a small gray cactus in a pot, except that it was covered with what looked like boils rather than spines.
"Mimbulus mimbletonia," he said proudly, hesitance replaced by excitement. Harry stared at the thing. It was pulsating slightly, giving it the rather sinister look of some diseased internal organ.
"It's really, really rare," said Neville, beaming. "I don't know if there's one in the greenhouse at Hogwarts, even. I can't wait to show it to Professor Sprout. My great-uncle Algie got it for me in Assyria. I'm going to see if I can breed from it."
Harry knew that Neville's favorite subject was Herbology, but for the life of him he could not see what he would want with this stunted little plant.
"Does it—er—do anything?" he asked.
"Loads of stuff!" said Neville proudly. "It's got an amazing defensive mechanism—hold Trevor for me…"
He dumped the toad into Harry's lap and took a quill from his schoolbag. Luna Lovegood's popping eyes appeared over the top of her upside-down magazine again, watching.
Neville held the Mimbulus mimbletonia up to his eyes, his tongue between his teeth, chose his spot, and gave the plant a sharp prod with the tip of his quill. Liquid squirted from every boil on the plant, thick, stinking, dark green jets of it; they hit the ceiling, the windows, and spattered Luna Lovegood's magazine.
Cedric managed to cast a shield just in time while Ginny, who had flung her arms up in front of her face, merely looked as though she was wearing a slimy green hat. Harry, however—whose hands had been busy preventing the escape of Trevor—received a face full. It smelled like rancid manure. Neville, whose face and torso were also drenched, shook his head to get the worst out of his eyes.
"S-sorry," he gasped. "I haven't tried that before… Didn't realize it would be quite so… Don't worry, though, Stinksap's not poisonous," he added nervously, as Harry spat a mouthful onto the floor. The train clacked on the rails for a few more seconds before Cedric howled with laughter—louder before—rudely interrupting the carriage's stunned silence.
"Not… poisonous!" he gasped, small tears began to form in his eyes, "Great afterthought!"
Despite herself, Ginny also began to giggle helplessly, while Neville's worried face broke with a sigh of relief. Harry, struggling to see through the semi-opaque green essence that covered his glasses, began to blindly reach over to Cedric and clumsily smear the Stinksap onto his clothes.
"Wait no, no!" cried Cedric. He was still struck by laughter, "C'mon, I managed to avoid it!"
"And that's annoying," Harry retorted, though he couldn't help but smile all the same. As Cedric squirmed in his seat, Harry heard a familiar clack! as at that precise moment the door of their compartment slid open.
"Hi, Harry, I just—oh!" someone faltered.
Harry wiped the lenses of his glasses with his Trevor-free hand. A very pretty girl with long, shiny black hair was standing in the doorway: Cho Chang, the Seeker of the Ravenclaw Quidditch team.
"Oh... hi," Harry said, blankly. Cho didn't seem fazed by the sight of their faces dripping in green goo. Instead her eyes were wide, and locked onto Cedric; whose laughter melted just as quickly, and another silence came to rest in their carriage.
"Hello, Cho." Cedric wiped at his eyes, but otherwise looked like porcelain.
He gave a perfect smile.
"H-Hullo, Cedric."
Looking between them, Harry suddenly realized that Cedric never got around to telling him what he promised, on the morning of his trial.
Something pressed uncomfortably against his stomach.
Everyone stayed motionless for a few seconds before Cho finally, took a step back into the corridor.
"Um…" said Cho. "Well… just thought I'd say hello… 'bye then," she closed the door again, rather pink in the face, and departed. For a while Cedric didn't break from that position, sitting completely still, head and eyes unmoving from the door. Harry didn't know what to do either. He had long given up on rubbing the Stinksap off his face.
The silence broke only when Neville groaned beside him, hiding his meek face behind the plant, "I'm so sorry—"
"Never mind," said Ginny bracingly. "Look, we can get rid of all this easily."
She pulled out her wand, "Scourgify!"
The Stinksap vanished.
"Sorry," said Neville again, in a small voice.
"Don't worry," Cedric said, turning to them at last. He looked pleased. "That plant—Mimbulus mimbletonia?—put on a great show! I think it's better than any book!"
Neville flushed, and beamed once again, while Harry; tried not to think about how long Cedric spent or how straight his back was, looking at Cho.