41. Year end.

The final days of the school year passed in a blur. Exams had come and gone, and with them, the usual frantic studying that left most students exhausted. However, for Ryan, Yue, Rachel, and Hermione, their efforts had paid off—once the results were posted, they were officially ranked at the top of their year.

"Of course," Rachel muttered as she glanced over the board, her smirk widening. "Was there ever any doubt?"

Hermione, standing beside her, beamed with pride but still cast a curious glance at Ryan. "You really don't study much," she remarked, not for the first time.

Ryan grinned lazily. "Some people are just naturally gifted."

She huffed. "You say that, but I think you put in more effort than you let on."

Ryan didn't confirm or deny it, simply letting the statement hang in the air with an amused look. Hermione turned away quickly, hiding the slight warmth in her cheeks. Yue and Rachel exchanged knowing glances but said nothing.

With their academic success secured, the mood in the castle shifted toward excitement. The Great Hall buzzed with chatter about summer plans, and trunks were packed in anticipation of the train ride home.

At breakfast on the last day, Ryan leaned back in his seat, sipping his tea as he watched the chaos unfold. Yue sat beside him, nibbling on a pastry, while Rachel lazily flipped through a book she had taken from the library as if she wasn't planning to return it.

"So," Ryan said, turning to Harry, who had joined them at the Ravenclaw table, away from the usual Gryffindor crowd. "You're going back to your Muggle relatives for the summer?"

Harry sighed, poking at his food. "Yeah, not much of a choice there."

Ryan smirked. "You know, if you ever need to escape, there's something called the Knight Bus."

Harry looked up, curious. "The what?"

"It's a magical bus for stranded witches and wizards. Summon it with your wand, and it'll take you wherever you need to go—no questions asked," Ryan explained. "Not exactly the most comfortable ride, but useful if you're stuck somewhere you don't want to be."

Harry seemed to consider this, a thoughtful look crossing his face. "That... actually sounds really useful."

Ryan shrugged. "Just keep it in mind."

Hermione, who had been listening intently, glanced between them with mild concern. "You're not planning anything reckless, are you?"

Ryan smirked. "Me? Never."

She narrowed her eyes at him but said nothing more.

As breakfast wound down, students began filing out of the Great Hall, making their way toward the carriages that would take them to the train. Hermione lingered a moment longer, shifting on her feet before finally speaking.

"I'll write to you," she said, looking at Ryan. "To all of you," she added quickly, glancing at Yue and Rachel.

Yue nodded with a small smile. "We'll look forward to it."

Rachel, ever the observer, noticed how Hermione's eyes lingered on Ryan just a second too long before she turned away. Ryan, of course, caught it too but chose not to comment, simply watching her go with an unreadable expression.

As they made their way to the Hogwarts Express, Yue leaned in slightly, her voice soft and teasing. "She likes you."

Ryan exhaled through his nose. "I know."

Rachel rolled her eyes. "Of course you do."

Neither Yue nor Rachel sounded particularly worried, more amused than anything. Ryan, for his part, simply smirked as he stepped onto the train, already thinking ahead to what the summer might bring.

Something told him next year would be even more interesting. Well unless he had anything to say about it.

~~~~

The Hogwarts Express rumbled to life, steam billowing from the engine as the train began its journey back to London. The corridors were filled with students laughing, chatting, and enjoying the last moments before summer break. In one of the compartments near the back, Ryan sat comfortably between Yue and Rachel, opposite Harry, Hermione, and Ron.

Ron had come along mostly because Harry had invited him, though he still seemed a little wary of Ryan's group, especially Yue. His unease wasn't exactly misplaced—Yue had a habit of giving people sharp, assessing looks, as if she could read them too easily.

"So, what are your summer plans?" Harry asked, leaning back in his seat.

Ryan shrugged. "Nothing too interesting. Probably a bit of reading, some training… maybe visit Diagon Alley a few times."

Yue rested her head on Ryan's shoulder, her golden hair brushing against his arm. "And spending time with me, of course," she said, her voice smooth, almost purring.

Ryan smirked. "Obviously."

Hermione, sitting across from them, shifted uncomfortably, her lips pressing together. She turned her attention to Rachel, who, while more subdued than Yue, always had a knowing smirk when she observed things.

"Are you both staying with Ryan?" Hermione asked, trying to keep her voice neutral.

Rachel nodded. "Yep. We're all staying together for the summer."

Yue tilted her head slightly, glancing at Hermione with a teasing glint in her eyes. "You sound disappointed. Were you hoping to visit him alone?"

Hermione stiffened. "W-what? No! I just—I mean, I thought you might be traveling or something."

Ryan chuckled, reaching into his pocket and pulling out a piece of parchment. He scribbled something down before handing it to Harry.

"That's my address," he said. "If you want to get away from your relatives for a bit, you're welcome to drop by. The Knight Bus will get you there."

Harry took it with a grateful nod. "Thanks, Ryan. I might just take you up on that."

Ron, who had been stuffing his face with a chocolate frog, perked up. "Wait, does that mean I can visit too?"

Ryan smirked. "Sure, why not? Just don't bring any gnomes from your garden."

Ron laughed. "No promises."

Hermione watched the exchange quietly, clutching her book a little too tightly. She wanted to say something—maybe ask if she could visit too—but Yue, as if sensing her hesitation, leaned even closer into Ryan.

"It'll be a fun summer," Yue murmured, tracing a finger along Ryan's arm. "Won't it?"

Ryan glanced at her, amused. "You're enjoying this, aren't you?"

Yue smiled, her red eyes glinting. "Absolutely."

Hermione looked down at her lap, her heart sinking slightly. She knew Yue was just being playful, but it still made something in her chest tighten. She had always prided herself on not being the kind of girl who got jealous over silly things—but for some reason, seeing Yue so effortlessly close to Ryan made it hard to ignore the feeling.

Rachel, watching the scene with mild amusement, leaned over and whispered to Hermione, "You should just visit anyway. I'm sure he wouldn't mind."

Hermione blinked, startled. "I—what?"

Rachel smirked but said nothing more, letting the words linger.

The conversation shifted to lighter topics—Quidditch, summer plans, and theories about what next year at Hogwarts would bring. But for Hermione, one thought stuck in her mind: maybe she would visit Ryan this summer. And maybe, just maybe, Yue wouldn't always be the one sitting so close to him.

As the train ride continued, the group settled into a comfortable rhythm of conversation. Ron was busy munching on Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans, occasionally making disgusted faces when he got an unfortunate flavor. Meanwhile, Harry glanced at the parchment Ryan had given him, looking thoughtful.

"So, when I visit, am I going to meet your third girlfriend too?" Harry asked, smirking slightly.

Hermione, who had just taken a sip of pumpkin juice, nearly choked. She coughed, her eyes wide as she turned sharply to Ryan. "His what?!"

Ryan, completely unfazed, just chuckled. "My third girlfriend."

Hermione gaped at him. "You—you have three?!"

Yue, looking far too amused, nodded. "Of course. Serenity's just a little more… elusive than we are."

Rachel grinned. "You could say she prefers the shadows."

Hermione opened her mouth, then closed it again, looking thoroughly baffled. She turned to Harry, expecting him to be just as surprised, but he simply shrugged.

"Honestly, at this point, I'm not even shocked," Harry admitted.

Ron, however, stared at Ryan like he had just sprouted another head. "Three?! Bloody hell, mate, how do you even—?"

Ryan smirked. "Talent."

Hermione groaned, rubbing her temples. "This is ridiculous…"

Rachel leaned closer, whispering just loud enough for Hermione to hear. "You're jealous."

Hermione's cheeks flushed. "I am not!"

Yue giggled, resting her chin on Ryan's shoulder. "Don't worry, Hermione. There's always room for one more."

Hermione let out a frustrated noise and buried her face in her book, determined to ignore the amused glances from Rachel and Yue.

Ryan just chuckled. "This is going to be a fun summer."