44. Alley Restock.

The next morning, Ryan and the girls set out for Diagon Alley, stepping through the Leaky Cauldron's entrance and into the bustling magical street. The summer sun shone brightly, illuminating the colorful shop signs and the lively crowd of witches and wizards going about their business.

Their first stop was Slughorn's Fine Ingredients, a lesser-known potions shop that had better-quality supplies than the more tourist-friendly Apothecary. Ryan had used up a fair amount of his potion ingredients over the school year, mostly for practice and experimentation, so he needed to restock. Yue, ever-curious, browsed through the rare herbs, while Rachel picked up a few extra vials of ink and parchment for note-taking. Serenity, as always, remained close to Ryan, scanning the surroundings with quiet diligence.

Once they had what they needed, they moved on to Flourish and Blotts. The shop was relatively quiet in the morning, making it easy to find books on Animagus transformation. After a bit of searching, Yue pulled out a promising title: The Art of Self-Transfiguration: A Guide to Becoming an Animagus. Ryan grabbed a few more books on magical shapeshifting, just to be thorough.

With their shopping done, they decided to enjoy a relaxed lunch at Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor. The quaint shop was the perfect place to sit down and cool off with a sweet treat. They found a cozy table outside, ordering a mix of sundaes and shakes.

Yue sat beside Ryan, spooning a scoop of strawberry ice cream into her mouth with a pleased hum. "Ice cream in the summer is truly one of life's simple joys."

Rachel, stirring her chocolate shake, nodded. "Agreed. This is nice—just a normal day out."

Serenity, nibbling at her vanilla sundae, gave Ryan a look. "You seem lost in thought."

Ryan smirked, stretching his arms. "Just enjoying the moment. Days like this remind me that life doesn't always have to be chaotic."

Yue leaned into his side, resting her head on his shoulder. "Then let's make sure we have more days like this."

As Ryan, Yue, Rachel, and Serenity sat outside Florean Fortescue's, enjoying their desserts, the lively hum of Diagon Alley surrounded them. The afternoon sun cast a warm glow over the cobbled street when suddenly, a familiar voice called out.

"Ryan?"

Turning toward the sound, Ryan spotted Harry stepping out from the Leaky Cauldron, adjusting his glasses as he looked around.

Ryan grinned, setting his spoon down. "Harry! Fancy seeing you here."

Harry jogged over, looking slightly disoriented but in good spirits. "Yeah, first time taking the Knight Bus. That was an experience."

Rachel snickered. "Didn't puke, did you?"

Harry rolled his eyes. "No, but I don't think my stomach has settled yet." His gaze shifted to Serenity, who sat elegantly in her dark sundress, and he blinked. "Wait a minute… is this—?"

Ryan smirked, gesturing to her. "Harry, meet Serenity—my third girlfriend." His voice was warm, and he reached over to take Serenity's hand, giving it a small squeeze. "She tends to keep a low profile, but she's been with us for a while."

Serenity gave a soft smile, her violet eyes meeting Harry's. "It's nice to finally meet you properly, Harry Potter. Ryan has told me about you."

Harry blinked. "Right. Nice to meet you too. I was starting to think you were just a myth."

Serenity's lips curled slightly in amusement. "I'm good at staying unnoticed."

Harry chuckled. "Clearly. But if you're with these two, you must be just as incredible as them."

Rachel smirked over her ice-cold drink. "Oh, she is."

Yue nodded, adding, "We're all different, but we fit together."

Serenity tilted her head slightly, her gaze flickering between Ryan and the girls before settling back on Harry. "Ryan has a way of bringing people together."

Harry shook his head with a grin. "Right. At this rate, I half expect you to have a whole squad by next year, Ryan."

Ryan laughed. "I wouldn't go that far. But, hey, good company makes all the difference."

With that, the conversation eased into a more casual rhythm, the group enjoying their desserts while the lively atmosphere of Diagon Alley buzzed around them.

As they finished their light lunch at Fortescue's, Ryan leaned back in his chair, stretching slightly. "You know, Harry, why don't you come over to our place for a bit? You haven't seen it yet."

Harry chuckled, shaking his head. "Funny you mention that. I was actually planning to visit today—I just stopped by here first to pick up some snacks for Hedwig." He held up a small bag from the Magical Menagerie. "Figured she deserved a treat."

Yue gave a small smile. "Then it works out perfectly."

Serenity, dressed in a dark sundress that subtly accentuated her curves, observed Harry with an amused look. "You've been to the Leaky Cauldron, but never beyond, have you?"

Harry scratched the back of his head. "Yeah, I guess I never had a reason to. But since I'll be visiting more often now, it's about time I see where you guys actually live."

Ryan smirked. "Well, prepare to be amazed. Our place is way better than the Leaky Cauldron."

Rachel rolled her eyes. "That's not a high bar."

With their shopping trip wrapped up, they made their way toward the Leaky Cauldron, ready to head back home with their unexpected guest in tow.

As they stepped through the magical barrier behind the Leaky Cauldron and onto the streets of Muggle London, Ryan led the group toward his townhouse. Harry followed closely, his curiosity growing. He had expected Ryan's place to be decent, but nothing could have prepared him for what he saw when they arrived.

The townhouse was charming yet fortified with a subtle air of magic, clearly well-kept and far beyond what he imagined for a first-year student. As they stepped inside, Harry took a moment to glance around. The interior was well-furnished, clean, and—most notably—void of any adult supervision. His eyebrows shot up.

"So… you really live here alone?" Harry asked, turning to Ryan. His gaze shifted between Yue, Rachel, and Serenity before realization dawned on him. "Wait. You live here alone… with them?"

Ryan grinned, clearly entertained by Harry's reaction. "Yup. Just me and my lovely girlfriends."

Harry blinked. "Three of them. You live alone with three girls."

Yue tilted her head slightly, a small smirk playing on her lips. "Is that surprising?"

Rachel folded her arms. "Honestly, I'd be more shocked if anyone could keep up with him."

Serenity simply smiled, standing close to Ryan as if it were the most natural thing in the world. "It's nice, isn't it?"

Harry looked between them, trying to process everything. "I don't know if I should be impressed or worried for your sanity."

Ryan chuckled, slinging an arm over Harry's shoulders. "Nah, don't worry. I've got everything under control. Mostly."

Harry shook his head with a laugh. "This is insane."

Ryan just smirked. "Welcome to my life."

With that, the group moved inside, ready to settle in and show Harry around.