The World We Never Saw
The return trip on the Hogwarts Express was fairly quiet, to be honest. At least if one ignored the number of Gryffindor students who kept coming into the compartment where Harry and Percy were with the others, just to apologize for how they had treated them during most of the year. Most of them did so with obvious embarrassment; perhaps it was their way of easing a bit of the guilt they felt for losing the House Cup, all because of Percy and Harry’s decision to refuse the points, since they did not truly feel like part of Gryffindor.
Of course, Harry and Percy accepted the apologies without much trouble. More because they wanted to put the whole matter behind them once and for all, than for any other reason.
When the last apology of the trip finally passed, they now had some time to talk in peace. Neville had fallen asleep after spending a nearly sleepless night, nervous about the idea of going back home, so the others tried not to make too much noise. Grover, on the other hand, had disappeared just before boarding the train and had told them very seriously to go straight home as soon as they reached the station, that he would catch up with them shortly.
So the four who remained awake talked as time slowly passed.
“It’s really stupid. Why are we forbidden from using magic outside Hogwarts? We’re supposed to be wizards,” Percy said with a clearly annoyed expression, shaking a small note they had all been given before boarding the Express.
“Well… I think it’s mostly for students who live in places full of Muggles,” Ron replied. “My brothers, Fred and George, use magic all the time at home. Percy always tries to stop them, but there never seems to be any problem.”
Hearing that, Percy’s annoyance seemed to grow, and even Hermione frowned, visibly uncomfortable.
“That can’t be right. That means students who live in magical places have better opportunities to practice,” she said, growing more irritated by the second. “How is it that they can practice and I can’t? That makes no sense at all. Isn’t the law supposed to be the same for everyone?” Then she turned toward Harry. “Don’t you think so?” she added, clearly looking for support in what she saw as an injustice.
Harry looked at her for a moment while bringing a hand up to his cheek, scratching it lightly.
“Well… actually, I don’t think it would affect us,” he said quietly.
“Huh? Why?” Percy asked, confused.
Harry glanced at him from the corner of his eye.
“Idiot. Do you remember what Aunt Mor said when she checked our wands?” he said, rolling his eyes slightly.
“That the person who made them is a complete idiot and that unicorn horn fiber is better for my wand?” Percy replied, still confused.
“Not that. The Trace,” Harry clarified. “She said she put something in place so our wands couldn’t be bound to the Trace.” He paused briefly. “The Trace is what that letter is warning about. It’s something wands are given once you leave Hogwarts, until you turn seventeen,” he explained, already knowing Percy would ask.
“Oh… I see,” Percy said, immediately relaxing. “So that means we can use magic outside Hogwarts after all. In that case, there’s no problem. I have nothing to complain about,” he added as he settled comfortably into his seat.
“There is a problem!” Hermione exclaimed, raising her voice. “It’s fine that you can use magic, even Ron, but I…” she said, lowering her tone at the end, clearly upset.
The three boys did not really know what to say.
“Well, it’s not like I was planning on practicing all the time or anything,” Ron commented, though it did not help much.
Hermione looked genuinely depressed now.
Harry and Percy exchanged a glance, unsure of what to do.
“Mm… well, what if I ask Aunt Mor if she can do something to help you?” Harry suggested in a gentle tone.
Hermione lifted her head, and for a brief moment it almost seemed like her eyes sparkled.
“Are you sure?” she asked, visibly excited.
“Yeah, I suppose. Give me your phone number and address. I’ll let you know if she agrees or not, or I’ll send you a letter with Hedwig,” Harry replied.
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Hermione immediately returned to being her bright, cheerful self.
Meanwhile, Percy, seeing that everything had been settled, felt it would be best to simply relax until they reached the station. He turned to look out the window, but only needed a single moment to open his eyes wide, his expression filled with complete surprise, accompanied by a slight nervous tremor and a hint of fear.
Harry, who had been taking out his magical tome to study a bit, noticed it right away.
“What’s wrong, Perc…?” he began, but froze as he looked in the same direction as his brother.
It was a green hill. It was not the first time they had seen it during the ride on the Express. But this time, something was different. That massive grassy hill now had two enormous eyes open, staring directly at the train as it moved forward. And it was not simply looking at the train; they could feel that thing’s gaze fixed directly on the two of them.
Both swallowed hard, a faint sense of panic spreading through their bodies.
Ron was the first to notice them. He looked toward where they were staring, confused, but did not see anything strange.
Hermione was next. She also looked in that direction without noticing anything at first. However, she kept her gaze fixed on the same spot for a few seconds longer, narrowing her eyes as if she needed to focus. Then she saw them. At that exact moment, the enormous eyes closed again, as if the thing had gone back to sleep peacefully.
“Ahhh!” Hermione screamed in fright, startling Neville awake as he jolted upright, completely disoriented. Ron, on the other hand, just stared at her with a look of total confusion at her reaction.
“What’s wrong with you?” Ron asked.
Meanwhile, Harry and Percy kept staring at the same spot, breathing rapidly. They had been badly shaken as well.
“W-wh… what was that?” Hermione asked, her voice filled with fear.
Harry shook his head quickly, clearly not knowing what to say. Percy did the same, though his movement was a bit slower.
“What thing?” Ron kept asking, already scared just from the atmosphere alone, looking around in every direction for answers that never came. Neville joined him, just as confused and in the same state.
After that strange sight, the three of them could not help glancing out the train window from time to time, a faint sense of fear lingering in their chests. That was when they realized something unsettling. At a certain distance, they began to notice things they had not seen before, as if they were now more aware of their existence.
For instance, among the trees, they could make out an enormous shadow that seemed almost as large as an elephant, covered in dark fur that moved as though it were part of the shadows themselves.
Further ahead, in a completely open stretch of land, they saw something just as shocking as the gaze of the previous hill. A gigantic, horrifying creature stood in the middle of the field. It seemed to have multiple arms and several heads fused into a single body. With its hundred arms, it grabbed what looked like hellhounds, appearing in great numbers, and hurled them so far away that they simply vanished into the sky.
Golden chains were wrapped around its ankles, as if the creature were some kind of prisoner. At one point, it turned slightly, and the many eyes of its many heads seemed to look directly in their direction.
Harry reacted on instinct. Before Hermione could focus enough to see it clearly, he covered her eyes with his hand, knowing that if she saw that thing, she would be truly terrified.
It was not a sight meant for normal people. Even for them, simply looking at it felt like it froze their bodies in place.
However, unlike the previous gaze, which had only conveyed pure panic, what they felt now was different. Weariness, betrayal, and a deep exhaustion were reflected in those eyes. Then the creature turned away again and continued throwing the hounds until none were left. Finally, it sat there, as if it were simply waiting.
“What’s happening?” Hermione asked while Harry was still covering her eyes.
Ron and Neville remained just as confused.
“Just a moment. You wouldn’t want to see this,” Harry said softly. Both he and Percy wore serious expressions, still affected by those gazes.
“That looked like a prisoner,” Percy said after a few seconds, clearly noticing the chains. “It was fighting those dogs.”
“Yeah,” Harry replied seriously. “Do you remember what Aunt Mor said? She’s not the only one doing the cleaning,” he added.
“Then he’s one of the ones involved in the cleanup,” Percy said.
“Maybe,” Harry answered as he finally removed his hand from Hermione’s eyes. She immediately searched for whatever Harry had stopped her from seeing, but the train had taken a curve, and there was nothing left in sight.
Fortunately, after those visions, they did not seem to encounter any more monsters along the way. The four of them let out a sigh of relief and remained silent, processing what they had just witnessed, until the train finally came to a stop at the station.
When they stepped off at Platform 9?, they could see their families waiting for them.
“Remember to come spend the holidays at my place,” Ron said with a smile. “You’re all invited. We can play Quidditch, and my mum makes a really delicious meat pie.”
“That does sound tempting,” Harry replied with a smile. “But for now we can’t decide anything, since we might be traveling to the United States.”
“The United States?” Ron asked.
“Visiting relatives,” Percy added with a smile that only Hermione and Harry understood.
“Oh,” Ron said, nodding before heading off to join his family.
Hermione said goodbye to both of them, as did Neville, and then they left as well.
Harry and Percy then looked toward where their mother was waiting for them, wearing a deeply loving smile upon seeing them. Right beside her stood Morgana, arms crossed, as if she were bothered by being surrounded by so many people, yet clearly tolerating it. Behind them stood many familiar faces. Adrien, Dorien, Luther, Arthur, Gema, Mark, and even the old Vincent. Not to mention the various knights positioned discreetly in different spots, hidden among the crowd, who offered them subtle smiles when their eyes met.
Harry and Percy looked at all of them and could not help but feel happy. To them, they were all a big family.
“Looks like we’ll be normal kids again during the holidays,” Percy said in a clearly sarcastic tone.
“And we’re still going to a summer camp. Completely normal kids,” Harry added, following the sarcasm, as they both walked toward their mother.
