Chapter 253 - A New Year! (Pun intended.)

{1st September 1992}

{Rigel's POV}

Green flame swallowed me and then spat me back out again. I wasn't exactly new to this form of travel anymore, as my weekly incursions to the Diagonalley through the floo network had made me far more accustomed to the slight drag and change in momentum after leaving the floo. However, my brain was busy with something else.

I walked out of the Floo fireplace at King's Cross, boots skidding slightly against the polished stone of the platform as I caught myself on an instinct rather than relying on balance. The air was thick with steam, chatter, and joy as everyone said their farewells all around the platform, and for a brief moment, I just stood there, letting the noise and motion wash over me while my brain recalibrated to the change in space. The trip to India had been a blessing and a curse in that regard.

'Sure, now I have knowledge of high-level magic, stuff that no one had access to, but it made traveling through wizarding means a lot more difficult. Though I recon that apparating around might be the only way in which I would be comfortable in the future.'

Behind me, flames flared again, and I turned sideways to keep an eye out. Sirius emerged a heartbeat later, already mid-motion, coat swaying as if he'd never stopped moving since he walked in, and the dizzying spin never happened. He gave me a grin as he reached with his hand, and Harry followed right after him, looking a little less coordinated, and Sirius's hand snapped out on reflex, catching his godson by the arm before Harry could faceplant onto the platform.

"Careful there," Sirius said jokingly, but his grip was firm, steadying him. "Wouldn't want you starting the year with a broken nose."

Harry snorted, regaining his footing. "I'm fine," he muttered, though he didn't pull away immediately as he regained his bearings and adjusted his glasses. Like me, he wasn't a fan of wizarding travel, though I don't know the reasoning behind his uncoordinated display, he had pretty good reflexes and athletics otherwise.

I glanced around the platform, eyes already searching for a familiar lot of red hair, but found none. "Where are the Weasleys?" I asked, adjusting my coat as we all moved slightly as someone with a trunk rattled past us.

Harry shrugged, rolling one shoulder. "Ron said they'd always cut it pretty close to the end. Something about the house being a mess because of the twins every year, and Percy Needing to triple-check everything before leaving the house." He paused, then added dryly, "So… probably five minutes before departure."

"That sounds chaotic," I said, lips quirking. I looked at the clock and saw there was still time for that scenario. Steam hissed as the Hogwarts Express loomed beside us, black and scarlet and impossibly familiar. Students were already clustering near the doors, trunks clattering, voices overlapping as friends reunited after a summer apart.

My mana sense pinged with a familiar one, hiding behind a pillar out of view. Understanding her not wanting to face me after that incident two nights ago, I said, "I'll grab us a compartment," and already stepped away. "You two can wrangle the chaos when they arrive."

Harry nodded without hesitation, eagerly searching for his other friend who was suspiciously missing. "Yeah—thanks. All of us won't fit into a compartment, but I'm pretty sure Percy and the twins won't travel with us."

I turned back briefly, pulling Sirius into a quick, one-armed hug before he could protest. "Take it easy this year," I murmured, giving him a good-natured pat on the shoulder. "No duels in dark alleys, no antagonizing the Ministry, minimal emotional damage."

Sirius scoffed. "You wound me," he said theatrically, though his grin was genuine. "Try not to break reality while you're at school." His expression, hinting at me to take it easy with my experiments, I might have broken a few things around the house with my space explorations during the summer.

"No promises." I grinned. With that, I turned and walked away. As soon as I boarded the train, the familiar creak of the steps aroused a sense of nostalgia. Has it been a year already?

The corridors were already alive with motion, students squeezing past one another, laughter echoing off polished wood as doors slid open and shut, and everyone was running around, dragging their trunks around. I walked and weaved through the gaps, scanning compartments until I found an empty one near the center of the train. Supposedly, if there was a centre of the train. From what I could tell, the train would never really run out of compartments if you were really searching for an empty one.

'Kind of like the room of Requirements. I wonder who made the train, surely it isn't that old, this kind of steam engine wouldn't have been available during the time of the founders.'

I thought my musings were cut short as the same mana signature persisted in their approach, just a few steps behind me. I didn't need to turn around to know who it was. The mana signature was unmistakable—bright, sharp, and entirely too smug.

I stopped just outside the compartment door and glanced over my shoulder. Evelyn froze mid-step, her expression caught somewhere between surprise and poorly concealed anticipation.

My eyes narrowed. "Later," I said quietly, the word carrying more weight than the volume suggested.

Her lips parted, an exaggerated pout forming instantly, shoulders shifting in a way that was clearly intentional as her cleavage swayed, the enticing view only increasing when my eyes dipped down, and her breasts ballooned out slightly. "Come on, just five minut—"

I turned away.

Behind me, I felt her mana deflate, both emotionally and—unfortunately—physically. I could tell from the way her mana moved as I stepped into the compartment and slid the door shut with finality.

Inside, I flicked my wrist, my wand sliding neatly into my palm as my other hand reached into my coat. I withdrew my shrunken trunk, placed it on the luggage rack, and, with one precise swipes, restored it to full size, the wood settling into place with a solid thump.

I exhaled, sinking back into the seat and letting my head rest briefly against the window.

Outside, the platform buzzed with life. Friends collided into hugs, parents dispensed last-minute advice, and even some couples leaned in close, promising letters and visits and things that would inevitably be delayed by homework and distance. It was nostalgic in a way that ached faintly, the kind of normalcy that only felt precious once you'd nearly lost it.

The summer had been… uneven.

India had cast a long shadow over its early days, and neither Sirius nor Harry had felt particularly inclined to wander and explore magical London afterward. I hadn't pushed. There would be other summers, hopefully. For my part, I'd split my time between Diagon Alley. At this occasional Muggle hotel, anonymity came cheap, locked in tryst with Narcissa, Rita, Evelyn, and Pansy, and long, quiet stretches devoted to experimenting with space magic when no one was watching, and Sirius on several counts of his being too curious.

I had deliberately avoided practicing the healing magic that I had gained. Some lessons didn't need repetition, and I wasn't too keen on hurting myself for any practice.

The train whistle cut sharply through my thoughts, steam billowing as the engine gave a low, anticipatory rumble. I straightened, briefly wondering—absurdly—what it would look like if Harry and the Weasleys somehow didn't make it aboard. There was no way there would be a car flying stunt this year, right? Dobby should not be involved since the Diary was already gone, and Harry was already inside the platform anyway.

The thought barely finished forming when the compartment door slid open.

Hermione stumbled in first, dragging her trunk behind her with more determination than leverage. She looked up—and immediately looked away when our eyes met, cheeks coloring faintly.

I didn't comment. Instead, I flicked my wand, levitation charm flowing smoothly as her trunk lifted the rest of the way onto the rack.

"Thanks," she said quietly, not quite meeting my gaze as she slid into the seat opposite me.

Before the door could close, Ginny appeared, practically hopping into the compartment, her smile bright and unguarded as she dropped into the seat beside me. Fred and George followed long enough to hoist her trunk up with practiced ease. Ron and Harry arrived soon after, and Fred and George watched with amused glances as he struggled to lift his trunk up before they finally helped him.

"There you go, Princess," Fred said cheerfully.

I smirked. "Careful," I added. "You'll spoil her. Harry says she's been pampered all summer."

Ginny huffed, crossing her arms and turning her head away in mock offense as Fred and George left with a wave of their hands, and Ron settled beside Ginny while Harry sat next to Hermione. "I was kidnapped," she muttered. "I think I earned it."

Hermione's mana flickered—sharp, tight, unmistakably anxious over the events of the summer, and I detected a hint of jealousy. I glanced at her, catching her eyes for a brief moment, before she deliberately looked out the window instead.

Interesting.

"We were all kidnapped princesses," I retorted, and before Ginny could reply—the door slid open again.

A small blonde girl stood there, pale hair loose around her shoulders, eyes wide and unfocused in a way that made it feel as though she was looking through me rather than at me. She blinked twice, head tilting slightly.

"You have a lot of Dabberblimps floating around you," she said serenely.

The compartment went very quiet.

I stared at her for a long moment before replying, slowly and carefully, "I… suppose that explains a few things."

Ginny looked between us, baffled. "What's a Dabberblimp?"

The girl smiled dreamily. "Oh, they're invisible most of the time."

Of course they were.

The train lurched into motion, and the second year began.

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AN: Hey, worst new year ever. Hope you guys had a great few days.