1. Thanks a lot to SnowBear17 for helping me beta this story.

2. Any error here is mine and not from my reviewer. If you spot anything or have a doubt about the grammar used or plot just PM me, I'm always swift to answer.

3. I know I hit you with a sobfest last time, this one is a tad lighter and - more importantly - We're getting to Hogwarts... We're getting to Hogwarts...

4. I have a twitter account that where you can ask things. Account is TimeTravelFFics. I lurk around some discord servers as well.

5. Thanks for the reviews so far, I appreciate all of them, signed and guest reviews as well.


After the madness that was sending themselves over twenty years into the past, and the staggering outcome that followed; it was a stark change to have Friday be pretty dull in comparison. With Rose's birthday and all the shopping over and done with, there was little left to do aside from packing their school supplies and waiting for the next day's big trip to Hogwarts.

Hugo wished he could be there already.

A bit over a week ago, he wouldn't have dreamed of leaving his mother and house for all the gold in Gringotts. That was before though. Before Rose had stormed into his room with a mental plan that he just couldn't say no to.

Plenty can change in one week.

It was surreal to imagine his parents merrily hanging out at Hogwarts at the moment, but Hugo wouldn't have to do it for much longer. Soon, he would be walking those old stone corridors and putting fresh parchment to good use. He'd be taking classes as any other student, probably even attending a few Quidditch matches along with the rest of the Gryffindors.

And it was all going to be brilliant.

Despite the differences he was likely to notice, Hogwarts had always made Hugo feel welcomed, and some trip back in time wasn't about to change that. Granted, it wasn't going to be exactly the same; he wasn't about to find one of his cousins sprawled over an armchair in the Gryffindor common room, or his old mate Elvin sitting at the desk next to him — as he had reliably done since first year. Nevertheless, Hugo was positive he would get used to the strange setting in a breeze, and that it would feel just as natural as the old Burrow did now.

His grandparents' house had felt like home since the day they had arrived. It hadn't been without a few twists and hurdles along the way — the journey through the countryside had been a knackering endeavour, and Uncle Bill's welcome was hands-down hostile — however, in the end their family had backed them up and made them feel safe. There was no reason why Hogwarts wouldn't play out in a similar fashion.

It'll go even better.

As he went through his day, Hugo kept a tight eye on the time, fantasising about that first meeting with his parents. He knew he had to keep his distance and the Wallace disguise, but he still harboured a hope of being close enough to listen to his father's voice again. The conversation they had at the end of the summer was the last time Hugo had heard him joke. His father had spoken more openly than usual then, and yet Hugo considered it a glaring missed opportunity. He had spent most of it whimpering and nodding mutely like a little kid when he could have used the chance to ask the things that truly mattered, the questions that only came to him after he couldn't ask them anymore.

Hugo knew he was supposed to feel lucky for the time they did have, grateful even. After all, plenty of people didn't get to enjoy as much time with their parents as Hugo did — Teddy certainly didn't. And yet, Hugo didn't feel lucky. Not when there was an air of inconclusiveness to it, and a nagging sense of having wasted time that he just couldn't shake off.

I won't waste this chance. Not this time around.

Seeing his father again was an incredible opportunity, and the only reason strong enough to make Hugo leave his mother behind. He couldn't say he didn't feel guilty about it, for as much as this was supposed to help his mother as well, it was still true that they had left her alone in her time of need.

Hugo felt terrible about it. His mother had always said he had an almost magical way of brushing her worries and neverending plans away from her mind — her little breath of fresh air, she would call him. However, they had abandoned her when she had needed him the most; the faint sobbing coming from her bedroom was noticeable even as Rose spun the Time-Turner.

I'm sorry, Mum. I'll fix it, I promise.

Hugo was no Time Theory expert, he didn't know shite about timelines or how they translated into their situation. But he wouldn't be at ease until he could see his mother smiling again. There had to be a solution, there always was.

Rose hadn't said much about the matter. She probably didn't know rubbish about time-travelling either, though she could just be avoiding the subject. Hugo could understand if she was afraid. It wasn't easy to imagine their mother's timeline still out there and her finding out that they too had left her.

Hugo made an effort to push that thought to the back of his mind. There was no point in tormenting himself before knowing if they could return to their time. And if they did manage to do so, their mother might not even notice their absence.

With some luck, we'll return to a brighter future.

One thing that Hugo noticed in his idle hours was that his sister was coping much better with the maddening wait. A first for sure. Rose had spent most of the day chatting lively with Grandma or helping around the house with a perky attitude. She rambled about school subjects, and from time to time, she would even go upstairs to double-check that she hadn't forgotten anything when she had last repacked. Hugo could tell she was still a tad on edge about what they'd have to face at Hogwarts, but she wasn't nearly as rattled or upset as she had been before her birthday. Somehow, his sister was channelling all of that energy into forging a painstaking plan for their trip.

Honestly, Rose was perhaps a tad too keen about preparations, and finding out that Hugo had yet to finish his packing set her back on her heels that afternoon. Needless to say, she hauled him upstairs with the intention of not letting him out of her sight until he had finished.

"Again, what do you need these ones for?" Rose asked suspiciously once at the top-floor room, handing Hugo his brand new pair of Sticky Trainers.

After tossing the trainers carelessly into the second-hand trunk he had been given, the boy shrugged. "Dunno, but better to be prepared, wouldn't you say?"

Rose stared into the trunk, visibly struggling to keep her scowl at bay. "Prepared for what? What could you possibly face at Hogwarts that would require the use of Sticky Trainers?"

Hugo ignored her words, instead putting a set of Extendable Ears on top of the trainers.

"Mum wouldn't fancy knowing that you've been messing around, you know. Leave that folly to James," Rose reminded him, only to sober quickly at her own comments.

Rose and James had a bumpy relationship back in their time, marked by loud disagreements and occasional name-calling. However, that didn't mean she didn't miss him. For all she complained about their cousin, Hugo knew that James had defended Rose against anyone who dared speak ill of her at Hogwarts. And she would deny it, but she cared about him a great deal as well.

It went without saying that Hugo missed James too. He missed all of them, really. Great as Rose's birthday had been, it just hadn't been the same without all the noise and energy that came with their cousins. Freddie hadn't been there to sing his hilarious — yet unasked-for — renditions of Peeves' songs, and Molly's unmatched talent to organise party activities was certainly missed. There wasn't even a Quidditch match to commemorate Rose's coming of age, which felt plainly wrong to Hugo.

Not wanting to ruin his sister's good mood, Hugo steered them back to a lighter topic. "I won't do anything like that, I only want to check these out. They're the first versions of many of their products. Dad and Uncle George don't even sell some of these anymore!" the boy said in a rush, then dropped his smile as soon as he realised that he had mentioned their father.

Brilliant dodging of sad topics, Hugo. Jumped from the frying pan into the fire there.

However, while Rose appeared thoughtful, she didn't take it as badly as Hugo had feared. He knew it was because of their father's watch, which she was thumbing gingerly — a new and sometimes unconscious habit of hers.

Hugo could tell the watch had something to do with the big fight Rose and Dad had at the end of the summer, but he wasn't about to dive into that. If his sister hadn't shared the specifics of it with him, it must have been for a reason. And ultimately, Rose was more at peace with whatever had happened now, and that was all that counted.

Not like Hugo felt much at peace himself.

The twins' proposal still lingered in the back of his mind, disrupting his tranquillity whenever he thought about his parents. The boy knew he was only torturing himself, since he and his sister had agreed not to mess with time any more. He couldn't help it, though, as he took pleasure in imagining things taking a different turn by their own accord.

"Do you think they'll find out?" Hugo asked at one point, craving an answer that could prove detrimental to their plans.

Rose was caught off guard for a second. The way she pursed her lips and turned her eyebrows sympathetically told Hugo that he wasn't going to like her words. "No," she whispered in a determined voice, "not if we're careful."

"Not even if—"

Hope was such a pesky little thing…

Rose put a hand on his shoulder. "You shouldn't be thinking about that." Her eyes bore into him, her mouth set in a hard line as though trying to convey how important it was that he listen to her. "I know it'll be hard, seeing them and staying away. We agreed to it though, and it's for the best. Professor Dumbledore will do his part with the deluminator, and we don't need to do anything else but wait."

"Wait? For how long?"

"You know how long."

Two years. That was the worst case scenario, wasn't it? The plan in case Dumbledore couldn't figure out their mother's Time-Turner and they had to stay in this timeline. Two years of simply following their parents with discreet glances wherever they went, or hearing about them from someone else.

"Of course. Sorry, you're right," Hugo answered, deflated.

"Hugo…"

"No, it's okay. I'm fine. Forget I said anything," he managed to say over the lump in his throat, and stood up without meeting her eyes. He flung his last sweater into the trunk and dashed to the door before she could protest. "You know what? I'm done packing, let's go downstairs. I think I heard Grandma calling for dinner."

He left quickly, not waiting for Rose or giving her a chance to respond

Hugo's grandfather and uncles were back for dinner, and it was a brighter affair because of it. Good advice was given, and warm words of farewell were spoken. However, whenever Hugo caught the worried looks his sister threw at him, discomfort crept in.

Merlin, I wished she could just let me be. If only for a while.

Rose felt compelled to look after Hugo, and he loved her for that, but sometimes he really didn't need her going all big-sister over him. He was fourteen already, and it wasn't her fault if he got hurt. Besides, it wasn't like he was going to break at the first sign of hardship.

For as long as he could remember, Hugo had always looked up to his sister — which was not difficult given how many admirable traits she possessed. Not everyone could be as driven as Rose, nor as persistent. There was a clarity of mind to her that Hugo certainly lacked. That being said, though, maybe she wasn't always right. Maybe sometimes it was fine to just want something, even if it wasn't the right thing to want or if there wasn't much chance of it becoming true. Could she understand that? That sometimes it felt good to just dwell in wishful thinking? To imagine, just for a second, that rules didn't apply and to let yourself daydream about your heart's desires?

She must have similar dreams, even if she would consider it a mistake to entertain them for very long.

All things considered, Hugo was well aware of the plan and wouldn't defy it only because it wasn't what he wanted. He wasn't naive either; he knew there was a chance for Hogwarts to not be what he had wished for. Still, that didn't mean he couldn't look forward to seeing his parents again, or fantasise of a better outcome. It was his choice to stay positive, and he wasn't about to give up on hope.

No, not yet.

o0o0o

The following morning, a fog took over the countryside by the Burrow. It was heavy, though not nearly as much as the anticipation on everyone's faces.

After their early breakfast, Hugo and Rose joined their family in the living room, where they all awaited Professor McGonagall's arrival. The soon-to-be Hogwarts students were already dressed in their new sets of clothes, something which made Hugo feel a little guilty. The expenses of their shopping trip weren't anything their grandparents had budgeted for, but they couldn't be helped. After all, Dad and Aunt Ginny weren't daft; they'd notice if new kids suddenly showed up wearing an enlarged version of their old jumpers.

As Aunt Fleur shared some final pointers on appearance charms with Rose, Uncle Bill patted Hugo on the back and joked about them not embarking on any more time-changing mishaps while at Hogwarts. Hugo nodded hesitantly, averting his gaze from the twins. Even though the twins were busy helping them out with their trunks, they still tried to persuade them into writing about any mischief they carried out. Grandma had made a small fuss about it before engulfing both of her grandchildren in the warmest of hugs.

"Now don't you worry about a thing. It'll all turn out for the better, you'll see," the woman promised, brushing a still-red strand of hair away from Rose's forehead before she pinched their cheeks endearingly. "We'll write to you as often as possible."

"Be sure to write back," Grandpa added, laying a hand on his wife's shoulder. "If there's anything you need help with, don't hesitate to reach out."

Rose wiped a tear from her eyes as she nodded enthusiastically. She turned to smile at Hugo, her face etched with a stern determination. Then, the fireplace burst into green flames.

The greetings Professor McGonagall exchanged with the Weasleys were short. And — after transfiguring Hugo and Rose into their Wallace personas — she led them to the fireplace where they Flooed to Hogwarts castle at last.

Once the flames dispelled from Hugo's vision, he found himself in a room which was clearly not the headmistress' office that McGonagall used in the future, but the one belonging to the Head of Transfiguration. The old witch offered them seats as she calmly made her way to her desk.

"As you should be aware, the appearance charms I have placed on you are crucial for your portrayal of the Wallace siblings. You'll practice them every afternoon at six o'clock in this very office until you have mastered them," Professor McGonagall reiterated.

"Of course, professor," Rose answered promptly, barely looking like herself now that her hair was black and flat.

"Given that officially you've been homeschooled up to this point, levelling you up for classes should provide a suitable explanation for these meetings."

Professor McGonagall linked her hands together before letting them rest upon her desk. She peered intently at them once more before proceeding. "I've already stated my position on your actions, so there is no need to repeat myself in that regard. Circumstances aside, you must know that I care about your parents and that I'm glad to have met you," she said, pausing only briefly. "It is my hope that your time here will be productive. The nature of your presence doesn't mean you'll get a pass from me, as I'll expect you to deliver on your schoolwork as any other student under my supervision. Please do keep in mind that my door is always open for any doubt that may arise, be it academic or… well, more specifically relevant to your unique position."

"Thank you. We appreciate it greatly. I promise we won't let you down," Rose assured.

"Very well. If you don't have any more questions, here are your timetables. Welcome to Hogwarts," the professor announced, passing them each a sheet with their subjects listed. "A prefect shall come to guide you to the Gryffindor Tower any moment now."

Hugo had been ogling his timetable, where he was surprised to find he had Defence Against the Dark Arts on Monday, taught by none other than Severus Snape — Al's namesake. He was curious as to what that would be like, but decided to go over it in greater detail later on.

"Ehm, professor? We already know the way to the Gryffindor Tower."

The pointed look the old witch threw Hugo over her square glasses felt like a warning. "No, Mr Wallace. You do not know the way to the Gryffindor Tower."

Oh, blimey. Right.

In the short time they waited for their guide, Hugo couldn't stop thinking his parents were somewhere on the other side of that door. For a brief time, he even imagined that they'd be the ones who'd escort them back to the Gryffindor Tower — they were prefects after all. A stupid idea for sure, as McGonagall wouldn't allow that, which was proven as such when a boy named Fergusson came to fetch them.

Dutifully, Hugo and Rose followed their guide through the Transfiguration courtyard and towards the moving staircases, faking surprise at every turn. The corridors in their path and their ancient stone walls felt just as they were supposed to, though things weren't exactly the same. Hugo couldn't pinpoint the specific changes, though he was sure his sister would have made a mental list of all the statues and portraits that were different to their time. More important than any alterations to the castle though, was the fact that none of the faces they encountered along the way were a familiar one.

It took Hugo only a few minutes to realise that the task ahead of them was going to be far more difficult than he had initially anticipated. The boy twitched and turned at every echoing footstep in the hallways, his heartbeat quickening as he wondered if this was the moment he would finally get to see his parents again.

It was bonkers. Hugo had thought he was prepared for this, but all he wanted to do now was to ditch the Fergusson bloke and rush through the castle looking for them. For the first time since he heard Dumbleddore's plan, Hugo feared he might not be strong enough to stick to it after all.

No, I can't bugger this timeline any more. It would only make a bloody mess of the future, and put Rose in trouble at that… I can do this. I just need to stay away from them. Keep temptation to the dead minimum.

Next to him, Rose was having a calm conversation with their guide, pretending to be new to the castle. Fergusson was curious about their homeschooled education and warned them that subjects in Hogwarts were quite demanding. The black-haired stranger that was now Rose answered courteously, though it was evident her heart wasn't into it.

Sooner than expected, they found themselves facing the Fat Lady's portrait.

"Dentes Leonis," Fergusson called before the portrait door swung open. "That's the password now, you better remember it."

Acting as if they didn't know the common room was a challenge in itself. Faking oblivious expressions while they stared at the familiar crimson tapestries felt like a terrible betrayal. Despite the place being practically unchanged from the last time Hugo had seen it, the cherished memories it brought back made him feel conflicted just the same. The fireplace gave the common room its usual air of cosiness and warmth, but as welcoming as that was, it was also a glaring reminder that Hugo's cousins weren't there.

We traded them all for this chance, didn't we?

Hugo's parents weren't there either. That was the first thing the boy had noticed when they entered the room. He had hoped to catch a glimpse of them from afar at least, but they were nowhere to be found in the common room. Nonetheless, not everyone there was a complete stranger, as it didn't take Hugo long to be gobsmacked by the presence of a young Neville Longbottom. The younger version of Uncle Neville was alone near a window on the south side of the Gryffindor Tower, silently reading a book. His face was fuller and his shoulders less broad, but Hugo was sure as hell that it was him.

When Rose took note of the blond boy, her eyes widened, surely panicking over the possibility of disrupting time. Fergusson had been going over the ins and outs of being a Gryffindor when Rose cut him off to ask about their dorms — a pointless endeavour considering Uncle Neville hadn't even looked up from his book, much less noticed them.

After a promise to find each other later, Hugo saw his sister follow a girl up to the opposite set of stairs from him. She looked mildly unsettled, probably just realising that she might have dodged Uncle Neville only to head straight towards their mother's dorms.

Hugo followed Fergusson up through the boys' staircase, pretending he didn't know where the fourth years' quarters were.

"Oh, great, there's someone still here," Fergusson said when they opened the door, noticing the three boys inside. He raised his voice to get their attention. "Listen here, this is Hugo Wallace, your new classmate. I don't think I need to tell you that Professor McGonagall is expecting you to make him feel welcome."

After a few startled nods, Fergusson deemed his task done and took off.

Hugo hesitated by the entrance, unsure of what to say. He'd befriended his old mate Elvin on the very first day after his sorting, so standing there as the other boys in the room eyed him curiously was a new experience to him. And a rather uncomfortable one at that.

The first to approach was a brown-haired boy who had been standing over his trunk. "Hi, I'm Andrew Kirke, and these are Todd Mitchell and Royston Fenwick."

The other boys stood up from their beds and stepped forward. Todd was a dark-skinned boy with a pointed face to him and a lanky appearance, whereas Royston — who had been levitating a ball while lying on his bed when Hugo arrived — was larger and square-faced in comparison.

"Call me Roy," he said as a greeting.

"My name is Hugo We—Wallace."

Brilliant. The last thing I need is to do such a lousy job that I'm discovered on my first day.

Hugo's quick correction wasn't that much of a deal though, as it appeared to be noticed only by Todd, and he seemed to forget about it in a second.

"Caught as much from Fergusson. So, homeschooled or a transfer?" Todd asked.

"Homeschooled."

"Neat, you'll love it here! I reckon it gets complicated at times, but classes are fine, really. Shedloads to do and plenty of wicked stuff going on," Andrew reassured him. "We didn't know what the deal was when that new bed popped out of nowhere last week. Guess we do now."

"Welcome," Roy added, almost as an afterthought.

"Thanks."

Hugo took a closer look at the four-poster bed in question. It appeared to be identical to the one he had in the future, and his trunk was already beside it. The bed was placed on the other side of the dorm room, which didn't make that much of a difference all things considered.

The conversation that followed was bumpy and awkward, yet friendly enough. Once introductions were out of the way, his new housemates bombarded him with a baffling series of questions regarding homeschooling. If Hugo hadn't prepared his answers beforehand, he probably would've failed the mark spectacularly. In the end though, he managed to be rather convincing in his role.

Todd soon reminded them that it was lunchtime, and they all went downstairs.

Hugo was jittery all the way to the Great Hall. By the time they left the common room, the talk had shifted to Quidditch and Roy's retelling of the time he had opened a hole in the courtyard's ground by accident. Hugo went along looking somewhat interested, casting attentive glances around all the while. Sadly, there was no sign of his parents at any point along their path, or even of Rose.

His parents weren't the only ones Hugo could bump into, though. Uncle Harry and Aunt Ginny were also in the castle, and it would be best if he kept his distance from them as well. There was less danger in running into some of his old classmates' families, who Hugo would only know by their surnames. Mrs Cooper — Elvin's mother — was an exception, though Hugo had no idea if she had already left Hogwarts or even in which house she had been in.

As long as I don't get too close to any of them, I should be fine.

His next challenge came rather quickly, and it was much more riskier than good old Uncle Neville. As far as Hugo could tell, his parents weren't at the Gryffindor table for lunch yet, but he identified an unmistakable mane of bright red hair instead. The girl was facing away from him, so Hugo wasn't entirely sure if it was Aunt Ginny or not. Regardless, he didn't try to figure it out. He dragged his new friends to the farthest set of empty chairs away from the girl, then let himself fall into one with a thud and a heavy groan.

"You alright there?" asked Todd suspiciously.

"Positive. I'm brilliant. A tad peckish because I had breakfast so early today, but that's why we're here, aren't we? For food. I love food. It's like my own personal rennervate," he answered nervously, earning an unconvinced look from the dark-skinned boy.

Thankfully, Todd shrugged and let it go.

By the time the food arrived on his plate, Hugo had located Rose. She was a few seats away, next to a group of chattering girls, though she didn't appear to be participating in their conversation. Now and then, Hugo's sister would meet his eyes and smile weakly; occasionally, she would glance warily at Aunt Ginny as well.

Hugo could now tell that the ginger girl he had seen earlier was truly his Aunt Ginny. Not only because he could see her face from his seat, but also because he could even hear her voice at times. His aunt was sitting next to a dark skinned boy, cheerfully talking with people Hugo didn't recognize. She was very short, he noticed.

"What?" Andrew asked, following Hugo's eyes. "Oh, that's Ginny Weasley. Quite a stunner, isn't she? Do you know her? Actually, it doesn't matter. I heard she's going out with this Dean lad, so don't get your hopes up."

Hugo almost choked on his food at that, and ended up coughing a couple of times. As soon as he was able to talk, he turned to Andrew, shaking his head. "No, it's not that! I just thought that I saw her somewhere before, but I didn't," he said hurriedly in a high pitched tone.

Andrew gave him a sidelong glance before continuing with his meal.

After that, lunch went on as a quiet and drawn-out affair. Hugo was in a state of perpetual expectation, not much different from the cloudy yet rainless sky on the Great Hall's ceiling. He hung on to his pork loin sandwich for as long as he could, keeping a close watch on the main doors. As much as he tried though, he couldn't just will his parents to appear there.

Eventually, Hugo's housemates finished their lunch, and Rose offered him a sympathetic look as he dropped his shoulders and made to follow them.

Hugo had all but given up hope of seeing his parents then, when it happened. Halfway to the exit, he saw them come through the main doors, and time appeared to slow down. Dad and Mum were subtly bickering about something as Uncle Harry led them inside the Great Hall. All of a sudden, not much else existed, and Hugo had to fight back the urge to rush over, to hug them and never let go.

They were smaller and younger of course, but there was no denying that it was them. Uncle Harry appeared scrawnier, but the number of looks he drew from puppy-eyed girls was astonishing. Hugo's eyes were set on his mother though, who had never looked so much like Rose as she did now. She wasn't precisely smiling, but the absence of tears from her face brought a daft grin to Hugo's face. His father was there as well, as an almost surreal figure that was taken out of some dream. He was spirited and cheerful, even lively; as if nothing bad could ever happen to him.

This was it, Hugo realised. Every second since Rose had dashed into his room with a mad idea and that irresistible Time-Turner had led him to this moment. And, for a while, Hugo was unconcerned about all the problems that they had caused by travelling back. For a while, it was all worth it.

Then, they approached.

Hugo panicked. He knew they were looking for seats at the table and wouldn't find anything strange about him with his Wallace appearance, however, he was still irrationally scared of being so close to them. There was no way to avoid them though, so he took a big breath and nervously put on the best smile he could muster.

Before he knew it, the three of them brushed past Hugo without giving him so much as a second thought. As if he was no one to them. His mother's face had been just two or three feet away, and yet she didn't even spare a look at Hugo as she went on arguing about some book that Uncle Harry supposedly owned. Before he knew it, they were gone, and their voices were drowned in the commotion of the Gryffindor table.

And it bloody hurt. A lot more than he'd thought it would.

Hugo knew that this was supposed to happen, that they wouldn't recognize him even if he wasn't disguised. It was a good thing, and what they had planned on. However, against all common sense, he felt a void grow inside of him.

Was this really it? Was this all they would ever get?

"Hey, Wallace? What's the problem?" Roy called.

His new friends, confused by him stopping in the middle of the Great Hall, were now staring at him strangely.

"No, everything's alright," he managed, in a cracked voice.

Hugo turned back longingly to the table, where his parents had already taken a seat. Rose, who was seated very close to them, had sprung to her feet with her eyes wide in disbelief.

"You know who Harry Potter is, don't you?" Andrew asked, noticing where Hugo's eyes were.

"Er... Yeah," the boy mumbled before adding twitchily, "not personally, mind you, but who doesn't know about him?"

"Do you want to? He's in our same house. I've barely talked to him, but I made friends in the Quidditch team who can—"

"No!" Hugo almost yelled. When he saw the surprise on the other boy's face, he quickly corrected himself. "I mean, I wouldn't know what to say."

The three boys nodded in understanding.

"You sure you're okay, mate?" asked Todd.

Hugo sighed, turning back to the table. Rose's gaze had shifted to him, a familiar concern written all over her face. She would want to talk to him, to remind Hugo of something he already knew.

Promptly, he turned back to the boys. "Sure. Let's go. There's nothing to do here anyway."

And so, after a final glance over his shoulder, Hugo followed them out of the Great Hall. No longer sure if coming to Hogwarts had been the right choice after all.

Blasted choices. They always had a way of coming back to bite you in the arse.


Next Chapter: Finite (Hugo's POV)