Chapter 101

Alex, Hope, and Harry walked alongside the Longbottoms through the busy station, weaving through the crowds toward the platform. The noise of trains and travelers filled the air, but Harry hardly noticed. He was too busy talking to Neville, excitement brightening his usual cautious tone.

Alexander leaned in slightly, lowering his voice.

"Neville, Harry… Hope and I will follow you under an invisibility charm."

Frank and Alice exchanged a glance. They didn't quite understand the reasoning, but there was a weight to Alexander's tone. This wasn't a casual suggestion.

Frank nodded, trusting his instinct more than his confusion.

He turned to Neville. "You know where the platform is. Lead Harry there."

Neville gave a determined nod. "Got it, Dad."

One by one, Alexander, Hope, Frank, and Alice cast the invisibility charms. In a blink, they vanished from sight, blending seamlessly into the hum of the station.

Ahead, Harry walked beside Neville, chatting animatedly about the train, Hogwarts, and what House they might be sorted into.

Then—

A loud, flustered voice broke through the noise.

"Now, what's the platform again? Nine and three-quarters! Yes, of course! Hurry along now!"

They turned to see Molly Weasley bustling through the crowd with her children in tow, making absolutely no effort to lower her voice. People stared. Some outright gawked.

Frank and Alice, hidden beneath their charms, exchanged horrified looks.

Frank's brow twitched. "Is she insane? She's practically shouting about it in front of Muggles."

Alice looked equally stunned. "She's going to break the entire Statute of Secrecy like this."

But in that moment, realization dawned. Of course.

This wasn't just carelessness. It was a setup.

Frank muttered under his breath, more to himself than to Alice.

"It has to be Dumbledore. He must have told Molly to keep an eye on Harry… publicly, if necessary."

Alice nodded, understanding now why Alexander had insisted they follow invisibly.

Surveillance. Just like Alexander suspected.

Even Harry couldn't shake the feeling that something was off. Molly Weasley's loud performance at the station felt too obvious, too staged to be anything but deliberate.

Leaning in, Neville whispered under his breath.

"My dad told me… out of all the pureblood families, the Weasleys and the Prewetts were always the most fanatical about Dumbledore. If she's here, it's not by chance. Dumbledore probably sent her to keep an eye on you."

Neville glanced toward the red-haired boy trailing after her. "I remember seeing her son at one of my aunt's parties. He's about our age."

Harry gave a small, knowing nod.

"Her son must be her way to get close to me."

Neville nodded back.

"Exactly."

They didn't need to say it aloud: this wasn't about helping Harry. This was about watching him.

Harry glanced over his shoulder, making sure no one was paying them any special attention.

"Let's use an invisibility charm and slip past them," he said quietly.

Neville grinned. "Now you're thinking like a Slytherin."

With a quick flick of his wand, Neville vanished from sight. Harry followed a moment later, disappearing beneath his own charm.

Together, silent and unseen, they moved through the station — leaving Molly Weasley to loudly shepherd her children through the barrier, none the wiser.

Molly Weasley's voice cut through the noise of the platform, loud and cheerful.

"Come on. Platform Nine and Three-Quarters, this way! All right, Percy, you first."

A tall boy with neat red hair stepped forward, barely acknowledging the bustling crowd around them. Without hesitation, he walked straight toward a solid brick wall—and vanished clean through it.

Hidden under his invisibility charm, Harry watched with wide eyes.

Alexander and Hope had explained how the platform worked, but seeing it happen with his own eyes was something else entirely.

"Fred, you next," Molly called.

"He's not Fred, I am!" George chimed in.

"Honestly, woman, you call yourself our mother," Fred said with mock offense.

Molly huffed. "Oh, I'm sorry, George."

"I'm only joking. I am Fred." With a grin, Fred dashed through the wall, disappearing like his brother. George followed a beat later.

Harry couldn't help noticing then—Molly and even Ron were glancing around, searching for someone.

Molly's cheerful expression flickered into something more annoyed.

"Where is he?" she muttered under her breath.

"Dumbledore told me Hagrid would arrive at the station about now," she added, frowning.

"Mom… maybe he already came through ahead of us?" Ron suggested, uncertain.

Molly sighed."Probably."

Ginny, standing nearby and watching her brothers vanish through a wall, tilted her head. "Mom, what are you both talking about?"

Molly forced a smile. "Nothing, dear."

Then, lowering her voice again so only Ron could hear:"Go find the boy on the train. Make sure you befriend him."

Ron perked up at that. The Boy Who Lived… friends with him? He couldn't help picturing himself in the common room, surrounded by people asking what Harry Potter was like. Maybe a little jealous attention wouldn't hurt.

He nodded, already looking forward to it.

Under the invisibility charm, Neville leaned in to whisper to Harry.

"Looks like Mum and Dad were right. This is Dumbledore's doing."

Harry nodded, eyes narrowing as he watched Ron disappear through the barrier.

One thought settled clearly in his mind:I'm going to stay away from that boy.

Hidden under their invisibility charms, Alexander, Hope, Frank, and Alice Longbottom watched everything unfold from a distance.

Frank's expression darkened.

"So he is behind this… just like we thought."

Alice frowned, her eyes still fixed on the Weasleys.

"Couldn't we change Harry's school? Have him and Neville go somewhere safer? Maybe… Ilvermorny with you two?"

There was a beat of silence. They all knew the answer before Alexander even spoke.

"Not possible," Alexander said flatly. "Dumbledore's obsessed with the prophecy. He's not going to let Harry out of his grasp. Not now, not ever. He wants control over everything in that boy's life."

Hope crossed her arms, gaze sharp as she watched Ron disappear after his brothers.

"And let's not forget Fudge," she said. "His approval ratings are a disaster. He's desperate for anything that can make him look good. They won't allow it. To them, 'The Boy Who Lived' is property of Britain Magical Community. A symbol they own."

Alice sighed, frustrated but not surprised.

"So we just stand by and watch Dumbledore treat him like a pawn?"

Alexander's jaw tightened.

"No," he said quietly. "We just make sure he doesn't get away with it."