The Journey Home

The Hogwarts Express let out a long whistle as it pulled away from Hogsmeade Station, beginning its journey back to London. The rolling hills of Scotland blurred past the windows, the bright green of early summer replacing the frostbitten landscape they had seen at the start of the year. Inside the compartment, the four of them sat together—Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Daphne—all quiet, lost in their own thoughts.

For the first time in months, there was no looming danger, no life-threatening mystery to unravel. The castle was behind them now, and with it, the chaos of the past school year. And yet, none of them truly felt at ease.

Ron was the first to break the silence. "Well," he said, stretching his legs out and leaning back against the seat, "that was a bloody mental year, wasn't it?"

Hermione scoffed, though there was a slight smile tugging at her lips. "That's putting it mildly."

"I mean, I was expecting some excitement, sure," Ron continued, warming up to his usual dramatics. "You know, maybe sneaking into the kitchens, pulling some pranks—normal first-year stuff. Not playing wizard's chess with my life on the line, or helping stop a Dark Lord from coming back." He shook his head in mock disappointment. "Bit much, really."

Harry chuckled under his breath. "You're acting like you didn't enjoy being a hero."

Ron grinned. "Yeah, alright, maybe a little."

Daphne sat with one leg crossed over the other, arms folded, watching the exchange with an amused glint in her eyes. "You'd make a terrible hero, Weasley," she teased. "Heroes are supposed to be graceful, and you can't even get through a meal without knocking something over."

Ron gaped at her. "I have you know, I am very graceful."

Daphne arched an eyebrow. "Do I need to remind you about that broom ride in the key room?"

"Okay, well, sometimes graceful," he amended.

"Sometimes?" Hermione snorted. "You tripped on the staircase just yesterday."

Ron waved a dismissive hand. "That step was loose."

Harry shook his head, a small smile playing on his lips. The easy banter between them helped ease the tension in his chest, even if it was only for a moment. But beneath the laughter, the weight of everything they had been through still lingered.

As the conversation drifted, the topic naturally shifted to what they would all be doing over the summer.

"So," Ron said, glancing at Hermione, "what's the plan for Little Miss Genius? Spending the summer in the library?"

Hermione rolled her eyes but smiled. "Actually, my parents are taking me to Switzerland for a few weeks. We're going hiking in the Alps."

Ron looked horrified. "That sounds like work."

"Oh, it'll be wonderful," Hermione said, excitement creeping into her voice. "The fresh air, the breathtaking views… And besides, I'll still have plenty of time for reading."

Ron groaned. "Of course you will."

She huffed. "Well, someone has to keep researching. There's still so much we don't understand about the magic we encountered this year."

Daphne tilted her head. "And you think you'll find answers in the Alps?"

Hermione gave her a knowing look. "You never know what useful books a foreign wizarding shop might have."

Daphne chuckled. "Of course."

Ron turned to Daphne next. "What about you, Ice Queen? Plotting world domination?"

Daphne smirked. "Not this summer. I expect I'll spend most of my time reading and avoiding my parents as much as possible. And Astoria will not stop talking my ear off. She starts at Hogwarts next year, so she's been interrogating me nonstop about every little detail of life at school."

Ron grinned. "Oh, that sounds fun."

Daphne shot him a flat look. "You say that now, but you've never been trapped in a room with an overly excited eleven-year-old girl demanding you summarize an entire school year."

Ron snorted. "Oh I get it, my sister Ginny has been pestering me all school year."

Harry listened to them talk about their summers, his mood dimming slightly. He hadn't said anything yet, but he knew his summer would be nothing like theirs. No traveling, no family eager to see him, no long afternoons reading or practicing magic. Just the Dursleys.

Sensing his silence, Daphne turned to him. "What about you, Harry?"

Harry shrugged, keeping his expression neutral. "Back to the Dursleys'."

The mood in the compartment shifted slightly.

Ron frowned. "That's rubbish. You should just come stay at my place."

Harry gave him a grateful smile. "Wish I could."

Hermione pressed her lips together. "If… if you ever need anything, you know you can write to us, right?"

Daphne's gaze lingered on him for a moment before she said, "Summer will fly by if you write me."

Harry blinked, surprised by the statement. "Yeah… I'd like that."

Her lips quirked slightly. "Good."

As the train rumbled on, Hermione sat up straighter, suddenly remembering something important. "Speaking of letters," she said, fixing them all with a determined look, "I expect letters from all of you."

Ron groaned. "More homework?"

"Not homework, Ron," she said, exasperated. "Friendship."

Harry smirked. "I'll try."

Daphne smirked at Hermione. "I'll write you every time I get a letter, Granger."

Hermione huffed but smiled, satisfied. "Good."

Daphne turned back to Harry. "And you," she said, softer this time, "write me."

Harry met her eyes, something warm stirring in his chest. "I will."

The train slowed as it approached King's Cross, the familiar sight of the city coming into view. Their time at Hogwarts had come to an end, and with it, the first chapter of their journey together.

Daphne watched as Harry gathered his things, feeling an odd pang of reluctance. They had only known each other for a year, but in that time, he had become important to her in ways she hadn't anticipated.

The train gave a final shudder as it began slowing down, the familiar sight of King's Cross Station coming into view. Their first year at Hogwarts was coming to an end, and soon, they would all go their separate ways—at least for the summer.

Daphne stood near the door of the compartment, her arms crossed as she watched Harry gather his things. He was slower than usual, clearly not eager to return to the Dursleys.

She took a step closer. "Harry, you will write to me won't you?"

Harry glanced up, a small smirk playing on his lips. "Of course Daph, I'll write you every day."

She raised an eyebrow. "And if you don't write to me, I'll come find you and hex you. Fair warning."

Harry chuckled, shaking his head. "Alright, alright. I'll write you as soon as I get to the Dursleys."

"Good," she said, satisfied.

Then, as if remembering something, Daphne reached into her bag and pulled out a neatly wrapped package. "Here," she said, handing it to him.

Harry took it, looking at her in confusion. "What's this?"

"Just something to keep you occupied over the summer."

He unwrapped it carefully, revealing a book on advanced defense spells. His eyes widened slightly as he traced the gold-embossed title with his fingers. Defensive Magic: A Guide to Surviving the Impossible.

"You got this for me?" he asked, looking up at her.

Daphne shrugged, feigning nonchalance. "You've got a habit of throwing yourself into danger, Harry. Figured you should at least be better prepared next time."

Harry felt something warm spread in his chest. "Thanks, Daph. Really."

Before he could say anything else, Daphne leaned in and pressed a quick, fleeting kiss to his cheek.

Harry froze.

By the time he processed what had happened, she was already stepping away, smirking. "Don't forget your promises… because I won't. " she said over her shoulder before disappearing out the door.

Harry stood there for a moment, blinking in surprise. Then, slowly, a grin spread across his face.

Ron, who had been watching the whole exchange, snorted. "Mate."

Harry turned to find Ron staring at him with a mixture of amusement and disbelief. Hermione, on the other hand, just smiled knowingly.

"What?" Harry said, still slightly dazed.

Ron just shook his head. "Nothing. Just—good luck, I guess."

Harry rolled his eyes, but as he glanced down at the book in his hands, his grin didn't fade.

Maybe this summer won't be so bad after all.

Author note

Well thats the end of first year! I have learned alot while writing these chapters and i have been taking notes from the comments that help improve my writings. I cant say enough how much I appreciate all the comments and overall excitement around this story. With that being said there is going to be a small break from updating maybe a couple of weeks, as i have hit a small patch of writers block! I have the next 6 chapters in a rough draft and a word count well over 20k. Its safe to say that chapters from here on out will be much longer and help the story develop and progress. I felt like at times with these earlier chapters I put myself in a small corner to work in, currently finding a way out of that and keeping in line with what ive already written has been a challenge but i think i have almost gotten it! Anyway next update will be coming out before the end of the month!

As always thank you and looking forward to writting for you all. :)