The Return to Hogwarts
"So? What happened?" asked Daphne the moment she stepped out of the fireplace, brushing off her robes with impatient flicks.
At the same time, Hermione entered through the back patio door, as if she'd run around the house just to arrive faster.
Both girls looked at Harry with the same expression: nosy urgency.
Harry blinked, as calm as ever.
"Let's wait for Draco. I don't want to tell the story twice."
"Tsk. Doesn't that boy know how to be an efficient gossip? I'll go get him myself," Daphne muttered, already stepping toward the fireplace again.
But just then, the green flames whooshed back to life—
—and Draco stepped out, casually brushing an invisible speck from his shoulder.
The three of them stared at him instantly, as if he'd just shown up late to a Ministry briefing.
"What?" he asked, completely confused by the attention.
"Nothing, nothing. They're just eager to hear the story," Harry said with a small smile.
"In that case, go ahead and tell it," said Daphne, crossing her arms with a curious gleam in her eyes.
Harry dropped onto one of the armchairs, resting his elbow on the backrest.
"Well, quick version: the Longbottoms—Alice and Frank—are alive. And Alice turns out to be my godmother. She used to be good friends with my mum. After the Death Eaters attacked them, they were in a really bad state. But Mum helped them recover."
"And Neville?" Hermione asked quickly.
"He was there. He's their son. After things calmed down, we left them alone so they could have a proper family moment after so many years."
"Wow… Wanda being Wanda, doing the impossible again," murmured Daphne with something close to admiration.
Hermione nodded, quiet and serious.
"Well… I don't know if I should say this," Draco started in a lower voice, "but I heard who the Death Eaters were who attacked them."
That got everyone's attention immediately.
"It was my aunt. Bellatrix Lestrange. Her husband, Rodolphus, and his brother, Rabastan. Also Barty Crouch Jr.—son of Bartemius Crouch Sr., who was Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement at the time. Word is, after arresting his own son, he lost all respect… though he nearly became Minister once."
"Wow… drama," Daphne said without missing a beat.
"What happened to them?" Hermione asked.
"Azkaban," Draco replied, perfectly neutral.
"According to Sirius, I doubt they're enjoying it much," Harry added in a calm voice.
"They deserve it," Hermione said firmly—but then quickly turned to Draco. "Sorry… your aunt…"
"I don't care," he said flatly. "It's not like I ever knew her. And if she was so loyal to You-Know-Who, I doubt she'd be thrilled that her nephew is friends with what they call blood traitors, a half-blood, and a Muggle-born."
"And don't forget, dear Dracuitus," Daphne said, draping an arm over his shoulder with exaggerated drama, "you're a blood traitor now too."
Draco huffed and swatted her hand away—not really offended, just annoyed by the performance. Being part of the dark side… wasn't a badge of honor anymore. It was full of snakes waiting to stab each other in the back. Even allies were just enemies with a time delay.
At least now his mother lived more peacefully, focusing on the family company. And with the backing of the Black and Greengrass families, the neutrals were protected. No one dared touch them—at least not openly.
Draco frowned slightly and glanced around.
"By the way… where's Red?"
Harry looked around as well, finally realizing what felt off. The house was way too quiet. No bookshelves falling. No fire exploding out of the bathroom. No claws stomping across the ceiling.
"Maybe he went out to play with Fawkes again," Harry said, like he was commenting on the weather.
"Fawkes? Dumbledore's phoenix?" Hermione asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Yeah. They met at Hogwarts and… I don't know how, but they seem to get along. Sometimes I catch Red following him everywhere, while Fawkes just flies at top speed trying to shake him off."
"What kind of game involves a phoenix fleeing from a baby dragon like it's training for the Magical Olympics?" Hermione muttered, baffled.
Harry just shrugged with a smile.
"Fawkes comes around, circles above him for a while, provokes him a bit, dodges everything, sings… and then leaves. At least it keeps Red too busy to destroy Ravenclaw's common room."
Right then, there was a soft thud at the garden door. Red came trotting in with his chest puffed out like a champion. In his mouth, a glowing golden feather shimmered like some sacred prize.
When he reached Harry, he proudly spat the feather onto the floor and then flopped onto his back, legs splayed out like a warrior who had just saved the world.
"Is… is that a phoenix feather?" Hermione murmured, still stunned.
"Oh, well done, Red. This could be useful for enchantments… or fetch a nice price," Harry said with complete nonchalance.
Daphne, Draco, and Hermione exchanged looks—
—and collectively decided not to ask questions.
Just then, Wanda stepped into the hallway, one eyebrow raised and gaze sharp.
"Did he sneak off again to play with the phoenix?"
Harry nodded.
Wanda sighed deeply. "One day I'm going to bind him with containment magic."
Harry chuckled under his breath. "Good luck with that."
Red, sprawled out snoring on the floor, had a goofy little smile on his snout.
But deep in his mind, one single phrase echoed with heroic conviction:
"…No one can stop me…"
And so… chaos kept on sleeping.
…
"Is everything ready?" asked Susan, arms crossed by the living room door as she watched the kids gathered at the entrance, backpacks enchanted and expressions somewhere between excitement and impatience.
They had all come to Wanda's house to pick up Harry. It was the day they returned to Hogwarts.
Since the Hogwarts Express was used only at the start and end of the school year, students had to return from holiday breaks like Christmas or Easter using the Floo Network, or—if they were lucky enough—via house-elves.
Floo travel dropped them off at Hogsmeade, where one of the professors would be waiting to escort them back to the castle. But if they used elves, they could be taken directly to Hogwarts' front gates—a convenience reserved for only a few families… or, in this case, kids with highly competent magical allies.
That's why Gris, Liz, Dobby, and Laki were lined up along the wall like a tiny magical honor guard, ready for duty. One elf per child, for safety reasons. Though all four kids kept trying to convince Liz or Gris to take them all together.
The Ministry, of course, would never approve of that. So they pretended to follow protocol… while the elves exchanged knowing glances behind their backs.
"Don't worry, Aunt Susan! Hermione reminded us about the list so many times we had everything packed since last night," said Daphne with a mischievous grin.
"You should've had it ready before that," Hermione muttered, though she gave a small nod. At least it was done.
"Thank you for taking Hermione, Liz," said Susan politely, addressing the Potter family's house-elf.
Normally, Gris and Liz spent most of their time at the Potter Manor. They only came to this house when summoned… or when they sensed incoming chaos—which, lately, happened pretty often.
"Do not worry," replied Liz, placing a small hand on her chest and adopting a solemn look. "Liz will escort the young master's friend with honor. Nothing shall go wrong!"
Hermione blinked once… then gave a small, grateful smile.
"It's best if you start heading back," said Wanda, approaching with a calm smile—though she always had that sense about her, like she was quietly observing everything. Her eyes landed on Harry. "By the way… why are you wearing glasses? You don't need them."
"He's been wearing them since the school year started. Says they make him more noticeable," Daphne chimed in before Harry could answer, smirking playfully.
"I never said that!" Harry turned to her. "They're enchanted lenses. They help me see hidden runes. I like knowing what everything around me is made of."
"Sure, sure…" Draco mumbled, pretending to believe him while adjusting his robe for the fifth time.
Wanda looked at her son for a few more seconds, then smiled.
"Time to go," Hermione announced, checking a small pocket watch etched with magical runes. Punctuality was her personal guiding star.
"Alright, have fun," said Susan, waving them off.
"And don't get into trouble," added Wanda, her tone perfectly balanced between maternal warning and affectionate trust.
The four kids—Harry, Hermione, Draco, and Daphne—nodded, each took their elf's hand… and vanished in a soft magical pop, leaving behind a faint breeze and the unmistakable promise of mischief.
Susan remained staring at the empty space where they'd stood, still smiling.
"They're going to cause a lot of trouble, aren't they?"
Wanda didn't answer right away. Her eyes shifted toward the garden door, left slightly ajar.
Through the narrow opening, she caught sight of movement.
A red tail.
Racing full speed toward the woods.
With a soft sigh, Wanda murmured,
"They're not the ones I'm worried about."
She made no move to stop it.
After all, what would a new term at Hogwarts be…
…without a chaos dragon sneaking off on his next secret mission?