"Come home, come home~"
Qin Yu hummed the only lines he could remember from a cheerful tune as he strolled out of Gryffindor Tower, heading down toward the lakeside dock.
"Qin, what song is that? It sounds nice," Elvis puffed, dragging his heavy trunk as he hurried to catch up.
Qin Yu, by contrast, looked perfectly at ease—his suitcase barely weighed a thing.
The reason was simple: Professor Swinton had given him that enchanted bag. Thanks to the Extension Charm, most of his belongings were stashed inside with room to spare!
Just that morning, an owl had tapped on his dormitory window, dropped off a parcel, and vanished into the sky. Inside was none other than Professor Swinton's miraculous bag—a masterpiece of magical craftsmanship, far superior to any ordinary extension charm.
Qin Yu had been over the moon. With friends like Swinton, you never had to worry about your needs going unmet.
"Next time, just ask directly!" read the single line on the attached note.
…
"It's just a song about the joy of going home for the holidays," Qin Yu replied offhandedly, then turned the question around. "So, Elvis, what are your plans for summer?"
Elvis scratched his head, a little embarrassed. "Not much, really. I'll probably spend most of it reviewing our first-year books—especially Potions…"
Qin Yu knew all too well: Elvis had nearly failed his Potions exam. When he'd seen his grades, his eyes had gone red.
It wasn't surprising. Elvis was timid and introverted, and he was instinctively terrified of Snape. He spent most Potions classes worrying about making a mistake and getting scolded by Professor Snape—hardly the best mindset for learning.
"You really don't need to be afraid of Professor Snape. He may seem cold, and his tongue is sharp, but he's not actually out to get you," Qin Yu reassured him.
"I—I know. Once, when my cauldron cracked, he even got me a new one… But I still get nervous around him. I'm just scared I'll mess up again…" Elvis stammered.
"Maybe you just need more time to get used to him. Once you do, it'll get easier. Study hard this summer—and if you have any questions, just send me an owl," Qin Yu offered, knowing this was something Elvis would have to work through himself.
"Really?" Elvis's eyes sparkled.
"Of course! We're friends—writing to each other is what friends do," Qin Yu grinned.
"I'll definitely write!" Elvis nodded enthusiastically.
Then he asked, "What about you, Qin? Any plans for the holidays?"
"Me?" Qin Yu paused, then cleared his throat, feigning modesty. "Actually, I haven't made any plans myself—someone else has already arranged everything for me."
"Arranged for you? I wish someone would do that for me. I'm usually home alone all summer," Elvis said, a little envious.
Qin Yu gave his shoulder a sympathetic pat. Not everyone had a little sister waiting at home, after all.
"On the boats! On the boats! There's a crowd heading home this year—don't miss the train!" Hagrid bellowed from the dock, waving his massive arms.
At his call, students picked up the pace, scrambling onto the little boats that would ferry them across the lake.
After Qin Yu and Elvis boarded, Qin Yu turned back for one last look at the receding silhouette of Hogwarts castle. In his heart, he whispered a silent goodbye, already longing for the golden autumn when he'd return.
…
At precisely nine o'clock, the Hogwarts Express steamed out of the station, packed with students bound for home.
Unlike the Christmas holidays, Qin Yu's compartment this time was bursting at the seams.
Elvis was there first, looking content as could be—he'd stuck to Qin Yu like a shadow and easily snagged a seat.
Next came George and Fred, the Weasley twins, who tumbled in and claimed two more spots in a whirlwind of laughter.
Bork, Jimmy, and Wilson tried to squeeze in too, but seven people in one compartment was just too cramped. They ended up in the next car over, but kept popping by to hang out—so much so, it was as if they'd never left.
Even Cedric stopped in for a chat, but seeing how crowded it was, he left with a helpless shrug.
"I heard Charlie's off to Romania to study dragons after graduation?" Qin Yu asked the twins.
"Yeah, it's the only thing he loves as much as Quidditch," George replied with a shrug.
"Though I think he'd rather play for a professional team—but that's a tough dream," Fred sighed.
The topic left everyone a little quiet.
Just then, the train rattled through a picturesque Muggle village. Out the window, a flock of plump sheep grazed on green grass, and for a while, everyone simply watched in silence.
…
As the train neared its destination, students shed their wizarding robes and slipped into summer clothes—shorts and T-shirts for the boys, pretty dresses for many of the girls, though some, like Monnie Wanda, preferred the comfort of boyish attire.
At last, the train pulled into Platform 9¾ at King's Cross Station.
Students disembarked in small groups, slipping through the magical barrier in twos and threes—best not to attract any Muggle attention.
"Bye, Qin!"
"See you at school, Qin!"
"Can't wait to see what you'll do next year, Qin!"
Passing students called out their farewells. George and Fred looked on, green with envy at Qin Yu's popularity, and swore they'd spend the whole summer practicing Quidditch so they could wow everyone come September.
Soon, Qin Yu and his friends reached the exit to the Muggle world, where families were waiting to collect their young witches and wizards.
George and Fred spotted their mother, Molly Weasley, along with Ron and Ginny, waving from the crowd.
"See you, Qin!" George called, waving.
"I'll miss you, Qin!" Fred pulled him into a quick hug.
"Goodbye! I'll miss you both too!" Qin Yu replied, waving to the twins.
He gave a friendly wave to Mrs. Weasley in the distance, then, after seeing off the brothers, shrugged and started pulling his suitcase forward.
Just then, a voice as clear as a lark rang out:
"Qin!"
——Dimensional Wall——
Caught a cold and had a headache all day, but I'm finally feeling better.
Another chapter coming soon.
~~~❃❃~~~~~~~~❃❃~~~
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