There was a large amount of tension for the next month. Harry avoided the Dursleys as they did him. Just as Hedwig did, Ehno tended to come and go as he wished. After a while, Rio became his usual self. But Harry spent his time absorbing the information in his books.
All of it seemed distantly familiar, most of it he'd already read many times. He didn't really have anything to do but wait. Harry had to see where things would lead at Hogwarts. Until then, he had to be bored out of his mind.
The Dursleys didn't like him leaving anymore; maybe they feared he would be caught doing something 'strange'. Harry ended up just staying in his room. During the first week, he'd managed to clean it up nicely. It still wasn't spotless, but Harry honestly didn't want it to be.
It was his now, though, as much as anything in this house could be. It would never be his like Hogwarts, but it was like a small haven away from the rest of this house. All Dudley's broken things had been put in a corner; Harry's things had been strewn about.
Harry knew he'd eventually have to hide it all under the floorboard again, but at least for now, this place looked as homey as it could. If Harry was honest, the weeks flew by faster than he expected. The next thing he knew, it was only a day till September the first.
He'd have to ask his uncle to drive him still. There was no way Harry was getting anywhere anytime soon without the man. Harry waited till after his uncle had eaten, it was best the man was happiest when Harry asked.
"Uncle Vernon?" Harry grabbed the man's attention quickly, though Vernon didn't even spare Harry a glance.
"I need a way to get to Kings Cross. Could you give me a lift?" Vernon grunted, kind of equivalent to a shrug for him. Harry was pleased that he once again managed to get Vernon to drive him there. He spent the rest of that day packing; he didn't want to leave one thing behind.
-
Harry then realized something. Even though he had prepared for Rio to come along as he had gotten the cage, he didn't think about how he would put it back to standard size. He knew the spell for it, but he didn't know if the ministry would catch him. Would he even be able to fit the cage in his trunk?
He was staring at the small glass object while he thought, and Rio seemed mildly disturbed by that.
"What are you doing, Harry?" Harry blinked and looked from where he was on the floor to Rio, who was curled up on the bed. Harry supposed he might have looked a bit odd.
"Trying to figure out how I'm going to get this thing to normal size." Rio blinked at Harry, his eyes drooping lazily. Harry guessed it was almost twelve at night; Harry just couldn't sleep.
"Maybe spell it?" Harry gave Rio an annoyed look. He knew the snake was tired but seriously?
"Of course! Why didn't I think of that?" Harry pursed his lips and rolled his eyes, focusing back on the problem in his hands.
"Well why didn't you think of that before that woman turned it small?" Harry just huffed; he already knew he hadn't thought ahead. Rio shook his head at Harry, looking as amused as a snake could.
"You've got to think ahead, Harry..." Harry glared at the snake, fairly miffed at the reptile. He knew Rio was just teasing, but Harry was really trying to get it to average size. When he heard the faint snores, he sighed; Harry just didn't know.
Maybe he should just go to bed; this staying up trying to figure it out wasn't helping. It came to Harry right before he was going to go to bed. Sure, he hadn't ever tried complex wandless spells before, but this wasn't a complicated spell.
He squinted at the cage, debating if he should try. What could go so wrong? Harry sat cross-legged, Rio's cage right in front of him. He cleared his mind, focusing on only the thought of it getting larger. Then he tugged on the strand of magic that ran through his being, using it to change the cage to what he wanted.
And it worked! The cage was back to normal size; it would fit in his trunk. Harry grinned widely, taking the cell and moving it to his desk. Harry placed the cage right beside where Ehno would typically be. Harry was suddenly hit with exhaustion. He decided then it would be a good idea to sleep.
Harry woke up at six o'clock the following day, feeling like absolute garbage. He groaned as he got out of bed; he definitely should have gone to sleep earlier. But it was worth it, he'd figured out the cage after all.
"Rio? Wake up." The snake groggily opened his eyes, looking over to Harry, who was sitting up in the bed.
"But, why?" Whined Rio, clearly not wanting to wake up. Harry sighed and pushed the thin covers off himself, moving over to his trunk.
"Hogwarts? Remember?" Rio scowled at Harry's back but obliged when Harry returned to offer his arm to Rio. He curled around it, maybe a bit tighter than necessary. Harry made his way to the cage, opening the top to let Rio go inside.
It was not a proper snake cage but one that was meant to be carried around. Harry didn't really intend to keep Rio in a cage. He curled inside unhappily, clearly not enjoying the containment. Harry did sort of feel bad for Rio, but the scene was comical. Harry held in his laugh.
Harry placed the cage in his trunk, promising Rio he wouldn't leave him in there for long. Harry was ready to go and right on time as Vernon called for him loudly. Harry used his right hand to carry the trunk and his left to carry Ehno.
Argus had come back sometime in the night. Harry stumbled downstairs; his things were quite heavy. Vernon was scowling at him on the doormat. His face morphed into a hideous frown. It deepened as Harry came down the stairs.
"I've been waiting for you forever! Come on, we haven't all day." Harry followed his uncle out the door as the man opened it. Both Petunia and Dudley must have still been asleep, enjoying the last days of summer vacation. Harry, though, couldn't wait to get back to school.
-
Vernon had been silent the whole ride; Harry had just looked out the window. When they arrived, he snarked about the fact there were no nine and three-quarters. Harry hadn't said a word to that, there was no nine and three-quarters for muggles, so Vernon wasn't wrong exactly.
"Have a good term!" Sneered Harry's uncle as he drove off, Harry swore he heard the man laughing. Harry had plenty of time to board the train, the clock showing he still had a good forty-five minutes. Harry thought he should get comfortable, though.
Harry started for the barrier between the two platforms, not running because he didn't want to draw attention to himself. He walked through it and was simply there, a slight shifting of reality and poof, platform nine and three-quarters.
It was busy with many witches and wizards preparing to let their kids off. Harry ignored all of them, just going for the dazzling red express that just came in. He climbed onto it; the train was pretty much empty. Harry walked all the way to the back, finding the perfect compartment for himself.
He put Ehno on the seat across and put his trunk next to the owl, opening it to pick up the cage. Rio was somehow asleep; Harry marveled once again at the snake's ability to do that.
"Wake up, Rio." Rio opened one of his eyes, spotted Harry, then closed it again. Harry was more than a little peeved at that. He put Rio back into the trunk, but Rio seemed to realize what Harry did immediately.
"Wait, no! Let me out!" Harry picked back the container back up and squinted at the snake. Rio now definitely looked awake.
"Give me one good reason..." Harry smirked at Rio.
"Well, for one, I'm your friend! That's really all the reason you need..." Harry gave Rio a hard stare, judging him. Before he broke a grin and put the cage down on his side of the compartment to let Rio out. Harry opened the top and offered his arm. Rio once again clung on a bit harder than necessary.
"Just know, Rio, I'll have to put you back in before we arrive. I rather not carry you around my leg during the sorting and stuff." Rio flicked his tongue in annoyance, but Harry knew he understood. Harry moved the cage back into his trunk and then moved his chest to sit beside him.
He knew Rio would prefer his own space, so he arranged it so, putting Rio down where his trunk was. Ehno didn't seem to mind the snake's presence, fast asleep inside his pen. Harry sat down and looked out the window, entertaining himself while watching people go about their lives.
Harry must have drifted off because he was looking at a girl who stood right in front of him when he next woke up. He recognized her, the girl from the shop. Her honey-blond curls were up in a bun now, and her expression wasn't as pleasant, but it was her.
"Why have you taken up about three whole other seats?" Her lips were pursed unhappily, and her arms were crossed. Harry groggily blinked at her; he wasn't fully awake yet.
"Maybe I want to be alone." She raised her eyebrows, her expression never changing.
"Too bad! I don't want to be alone. Can you move one of your pets?" She had uncrossed her arms and now was grinning. Harry was not amused. He observed her; she had seemed strangely crucial in the shop. He'd only forgotten about her because of all that had happened but now was an exciting opportunity.
He'd rather be alone, but it would do him no harm to let this girl join him. He really was only planning to sleep anyway. He moved over to Rio and picked the snake up; he looked around wildly.
"What the hell? Put me down, Harry!" He ignored Rio and sat down on his seat again with Rio in his lap. The girl moved over Ehno to where Rio had been and sat across from him.
"Your snake doesn't seem happy..." She commented, pointing to the still hissing Rio who wiggled frantically in Harry's grip. Harry shrugged; he only hoped Rio would calm down after a while. There was an awkward silence for a beat before Rio finally calmed down.
Slumping down like a moody teenager and drifting off again. Harry leaned back in his seat and rested his eyes; the girl was new. He didn't think anybody would want to interact with him, but maybe he was wrong. Perhaps she could be an ally? Or perhaps even a friend.
Sorry guys, should have finished this sooner...Hope you enjoyed anyway and like that its another longer chapter! Soon, we'll be at Hogwarts.
-Lemon Nugget
