42. Wild Mountain troll!

The Hogwarts Express pulled into King's Cross Station with a hiss of steam, the familiar bustle of Muggle and wizarding families filling the air. Students poured out of the train, greeting waiting parents, saying their goodbyes, and dragging their luggage toward the barrier that separated Platform 9¾ from the mundane world beyond.

Ryan, Yue, and Rachel stepped onto the platform together, their eyes scanning the crowd. Harry and Hermione followed closely behind, while Ron lagged slightly, already spotting his family near the barrier.

"Well," Hermione said, adjusting the strap of her bag, "this is it. Another year done."

Ryan smirked. "Feels like it flew by, doesn't it?"

"For some of us," she muttered, though her expression softened. "Don't forget to write."

"We won't," Rachel assured her with a knowing smirk. "But I have a feeling you'll be the one writing first."

Hermione huffed, her cheeks reddening slightly, but she didn't deny it. She gave Yue a quick hug, hesitated for a fraction of a second, then did the same to Rachel before turning to Ryan.

She fidgeted, just slightly. "Take care of yourself."

Ryan smiled. "You too."

Then, without another word, Hermione hurried off toward her parents, glancing back once before disappearing into the crowd. Yue nudged Ryan's arm, a teasing glint in her red eyes.

"Cute," she murmured.

Ryan just shook his head. "Let's focus on getting out of here first."

As they made their way toward the barrier, Harry suddenly froze. His green eyes widened, locked onto a man standing just beyond the magical entrance to Platform 9¾.

Sirius Black.

His once-gaunt face had filled out, his dark hair was still wild but well-kept, and his robes were fine, hinting at his recovered status. Ever since Peter Pettigrew had been captured, clearing his name, he had been able to reclaim his rightful place in the wizarding world. There was still a sharpness in his eyes—a wariness—but also relief as he locked eyes with Harry.

Ryan, Yue, and Rachel immediately noticed the tension in Harry's stance. Ryan subtly positioned himself at Harry's side, his eyes flicking to Sirius with quiet calculation.

But Harry, to their surprise, relaxed. His grip on his trunk eased, and a small, genuine smile crept onto his face.

Sirius smiled back. A tired, relieved smile.

"Hello, Harry," he said.

Harry nodded, his voice steady. "Hey, Sirius."

Ryan arched an eyebrow. "So, no dramatic revelations or secret guardian surprises? I feel like I've missed something."

Sirius chuckled. "We've been exchanging letters for months now," he explained. "Ever since my name was cleared, I figured it was time to be part of his life properly."

Rachel crossed her arms. "And what's this I hear about another pen pal?"

Harry smirked slightly. "You mean Remus? Yeah, he's been writing too. I haven't met him yet, but… he seems nice."

Sirius's smile softened. "He is. You'll like him. He was always the responsible one among us."

Ryan grinned. "So you're saying he was the designated adult in your friend group?"

Sirius let out a bark of laughter. "Exactly. Though we gave him plenty of reasons to go prematurely gray."

Yue hummed. "Sounds like he has stories worth hearing."

Sirius smirked. "Oh, definitely. I'll make sure he tells you a few when you finally meet."

Before the conversation could continue, Sirius's expression darkened slightly. "But for now, I think we have other matters to deal with."

The group followed his gaze—and Ryan immediately grinned.

Vernon Dursley stood at the barrier, his face already turning an impressive shade of purple. His mustache bristled as his beady eyes landed on Harry, but then they darted to Sirius, narrowing with deep suspicion. Next to him, Petunia looked as if she'd rather be anywhere else, and Dudley was attempting to hide behind her, though his massive frame made that quite impossible.

Ryan let out a dramatic gasp, throwing an arm in front of Yue and Rachel. "My God! A wild mountain troll here in King's Cross! Step back, ladies, I'll handle this!"

Yue smirked, playing along. "Oh dear, Ryan, do be careful. This one looks particularly foul."

Rachel pinched her nose. "Ugh, he smells worse than the one you fought earlier this year."

Harry snorted, barely containing his laughter, while Sirius openly laughed.

Vernon, on the other hand, turned an even deeper shade of purple. "You—YOU—" he sputtered, but his rage faltered when Sirius stepped forward, expression calm but voice sharp.

"Relax," Sirius said smoothly. "I'm just here to see my godson off." He leaned in slightly, his smile never reaching his eyes. "And to remind you that I'll be keeping an eye on things."

Vernon stiffened, glancing at Harry as if hoping he would refute this. Harry just crossed his arms, smirking slightly.

Sirius continued, voice still light but carrying a dangerous edge. "See, Harry's got options now. He doesn't have to stay in that house of yours if he doesn't want to. And if I hear even a whisper of mistreatment…" He let the sentence hang.

Vernon gulped. Petunia grabbed Dudley's arm, already looking ready to flee.

"Well," Ryan said cheerfully, "this has been fun, but we should let them get home before the troll keels over from stress."

Yue nodded sagely. "Pity. He looks like he's only got a few minutes left in him."

Rachel just patted Harry's back. "Try not to let the stink cling to you."

Harry grinned. "I'll do my best."

Sirius gave Harry one last pat on the shoulder before stepping back. "I'll write. And if you need anything—anything at all—you know how to reach me."

Harry nodded. "Thanks, Sirius."

With one last smirk at Vernon, Sirius turned and walked off, disappearing into the crowd.

Ryan, Yue, and Rachel watched Harry as he turned toward the Dursleys, squared his shoulders, and followed them toward the Muggle world.

As they exited the station, Yue leaned against Ryan. "So… next year should be even more interesting."

Ryan smirked. "Oh, absolutely."

"Let's go home already, I'm tired of being around people." Rachel mutters not liking crowds.