King's Cross station buzzed with the hustle and bustle of people, cats meowing, and parents saying goodbye with tears or tense smiles. Platform 9¾ appeared and disappeared before Muggle eyes like an impossible mirage.
Aurelian walked steadily forward, accompanied by the invisible presence of Stinky, who walked a few steps behind him under a concealment spell. The elf, as always, made sure everything was in order before letting him go. When they were close enough to the enchanted platform, Stinky stopped, gave him a discreet bow, and disappeared into the shadows with a soft pop.
Aurelian was dressed in simple clothes. His black robe was wrinkle-free, the Gaunt crest discreetly embroidered on the chest. His face did not reflect the excitement that other children his age would show upon returning to Hogwarts.
As soon as he crossed the threshold of the platform, he saw them.
Hestia and Flora Carrow.
The twins turned as if they had sensed his arrival. Both wore dark, elegant robes adorned with small silver brooches that sparkled in the sunlight. Their hair was neatly styled, almost as if they had prepared themselves just for him.
"Aurelian!" they exclaimed in unison, running toward him without caring that the curious eyes of other students were turned toward them.
They didn't give him time to react. Hestia hugged him on his right side, while Flora hugged him on his left, as if the time without seeing him had been an unbearable sentence.
"We missed you..." whispered Flora, without moving an inch.
"Too much..." added Hestia in a soft tone.
Aurelian just raised his head and said with a smile:
"I'm here now. I told you we'd see each other sooner than you think."
The Carrows finally separated. They surrounded him as if he were a priceless treasure, their eyes scanning anyone who passed by. When Cedric Diggory and the Weasley twins appeared in the crowd, their posture softened, but their eyes remained alert.
"Aurelian!" Fred shouted, raising his hand.
"Merlin, how you've grown!" George joked, patting him on the shoulder.
Cedric smiled warmly at the sight of them together, walked straight up to Aurelian, and gave him a heartfelt handshake.
"I thought you'd be here earlier. Did you have trouble with your luggage?"
"None at all," replied Aurelian. "I just took my time."
"As always," muttered Cedric with a knowing smile.
The doors of the Hogwarts Express opened with a hiss. Chaos briefly ensued as dozens of students rushed to secure their compartments. But Aurelian looked at the train calmly.
"Shall we share a compartment?" asked George.
"Of course," replied Aurelian, then turned his gaze to the Carrows. "You're coming, right?"
"Always," they said at the same time.
They boarded the train without rushing. When they found an empty compartment near the end of the train, Aurelian sat by the window as usual. Flora settled in on his left and Hestia on his right.
Cedric took the seat opposite him, while Fred and George slumped down, already planning some prank for the first day.
"Ready for a new year?" Cedric asked.
Aurelian nodded. He looked out the window as the platform began to slowly move away.
"This year... will be interesting," he finally said, in a low voice.
The twins looked at him intently. Cedric frowned slightly, amused by his words. Fred and George exchanged curious glances, already accustomed to the answers Aurelian sometimes gave.
The Hogwarts Express slowed down among the dark woods that preceded the castle. The sound of steam, metallic squeaks, and the creaking of wheels on the rails mingled with the students' growing anxiety for a new year.
Aurelian gently closed a notebook. He had spent most of the trip reviewing his notes. He looked up just as the train began to slow down. His companions in the compartment began to stretch their arms and get ready to get off.
The Hogsmeade platform was bathed in the dim light of dusk. A damp, cold air descended from the nearby mountains. The prefects began to organize the first-years, while the older students headed familiarly toward the carriages waiting at the edge of the forest.
Aurelian stopped.
He saw them. No... they weren't horses.
They were bony creatures with black skin stretched tight like parchment, membranous wings tucked at their sides, and white eyes that did not see but seemed to pierce the soul. Thestrals. Their mere presence broke the veil of the ordinary. Some students passed by them without noticing anything.
"What's going on?" asked Cedric, already with one foot in the carriage stirrup.
Aurelian did not answer immediately. He took a step forward. One of the creatures turned its head slightly toward him.
"The death of the Wanderer," he thought.
The Gaunt cottage. The black ring. The look on the man's face as he collapsed on the floor, writhing, life slipping from his eyes with an unfinished plea.
He could see the thestrals.
"Aurelian... are you okay?" Flora asked quietly, now at his side, noticing his silence.
"I can see them," he said without looking at her. "They're beautiful, in a way."
Hestia tilted her head.
"See what?" she said softly.
Aurelian turned around. He saw in their eyes that they didn't understand. The creatures were invisible to them. To Cedric. To Fred and George. Only he could see them clearly.
One of them took a step closer. It made no sound, but its breath was visible in the evening mist. Aurelian raised a hand and the creature bowed its head slightly, as if accepting his greeting.
Its skin was cold to the touch. Not unpleasant. Cold as stone.
"What are you touching?" George asked, puzzled.
"Something not everyone can see," he replied calmly.
He climbed into the carriage with the others, without explaining anything. The twins followed him without asking any more questions. Cedric closed the door. The vehicle started moving on its own, as far as most could see. But Aurelian knew what was pulling them.
During the journey, as the carriage made its way along the road to the castle, Aurelian remained silent. The vision of the thestrals lingered in his mind. As a reminder, he had already crossed an invisible line. He had already witnessed death. One that he himself had caused.
The world of the living and the world of the dead were not so different. They were separated by only a glance.
When Hogwarts Castle appeared in the distance, he knew that his second year would be the beginning of something deeper.
The Great Hall glowed with its usual majesty, floating candles creating an artificial sky, suspended above the long tables where students chatted and laughed.
The stone walls seemed to pulsate with magic, and the Hogwarts crest shone brightly above the teachers' table.
The new students, trembling, were led to the front by Professor McGonagall, her young, elegant figure and steady gaze commanding respect. The selection with the Sorting Hat had begun. Names, new faces, applause in each house. Aurelian watched them without emotion, mentally noting those he remembered from his past life.
Next to him, Hestia and Flora whispered to each other, glancing at him out of the corner of their eyes, as if waiting for his approval of each new student selected for Slytherin.
Cedric, from the Hufflepuff table, smiled at him from a distance, and the twins made an exaggerated gesture from the Gryffindor table that Aurelian did not return.
Finally, when the last student was assigned and the applause died down, all eyes turned to the center of the main table.
Albus Dumbledore.
His eyes rose and effortlessly dominated the entire hall. The magic around him was palpable, like a gravitational field of its own.
When he spoke, he did so without raising his voice too much, yet every word echoed off the enchanted walls.
"Welcome... once again, to Hogwarts."
The silence was absolute.
"To the older students, I am glad to see you return. To the new ones... know that you have crossed a threshold more important than you can imagine. This castle is a refuge, yes, but also a mirror. Here you will see your fears, your talents, your decisions reflected."
Aurelian listened attentively. Dumbledore's voice had a particular air about it, as if each word had a hidden weight, a double meaning.
"The magical world," he continued, "is not static. It is changing, and you... will be the ones to change it, whether you want to or not. The knowledge you acquire here can protect, heal... or destroy."
A slight murmur ran through the room.
"Within these walls, you will learn more than spells. You will learn limits and, with luck... to surpass yourselves."
Dumbledore's gaze swept across the tables. It lingered for a barely perceptible second on Aurelian. A spark, almost imperceptible, crossed the air.
Then he continued:
"This year, some changes will take place. There will be a review of the approach to teaching Ancient Runes. We have begun to register unusual signs at the boundaries of the Forbidden Forest, so security will be reinforced."
Some students grew restless. Others looked at each other in confusion.
"But tonight... you should only think about one thing: dinner."
With a subtle wave of his wand, the plates filled with food. Beef stew, pumpkin pie, juices, warm bread, enchanted puddings that levitated before falling onto empty plates.
The Great Hall erupted in cheers.
Dumbledore remained standing, watching the students with an indecipherable expression.
The twins began to serve themselves calmly, even closer to him than the previous year. Flora offered him a glass of pumpkin juice without saying a word. Hestia placed a little cake on his plate as if it were the most normal thing in the world.
He took what they offered him without saying anything, already beginning to wonder: What were those "unusual signs" near the Forbidden Forest? An accident? A test?
As the students enjoyed their dinner and the sound of cutlery and conversation mingled in the enchanted air of the Great Hall, Dumbledore raised his hand again. Silence fell almost immediately.
"Before you indulge yourselves completely in dessert," he said with a slight smile, "I would like to make one last announcement."
The candles flickered slightly, as if paying attention.
"Some of you may have noticed that our dear Professor Lucan Rowle is not with us tonight."
Some students murmured, but Aurelian already knew this would happen.
"Professor Rowle has been called away on personal business that prevents him from continuing in his position at Hogwarts this year. We will not go into details," he added, downplaying the matter.
Dumbledore paused, gauging the reactions.
"In his place, we are pleased to welcome someone whose experience in real combat and defensive magic is beyond question. A former Auror from the Ministry of Magic, retired years ago after an extensive and decorated career. A witch who has faced the worst of dark magic... and come out standing."
Everyone's eyes turned to the end of the teachers' table, where a middle-aged woman slowly rose to her feet.
Dark hair, somewhat short, with gray strands at the temples; her bearing was straight, firm. Her face had a discreet scar on her left cheek, and her eyes were a pale gray that did not blink easily. She wore an unadorned robe, but with a subtle embroidered insignia of the Auror Office on the collar.
"Ladies and gentlemen," announced Dumbledore, "Professor Calista Blake."
She nodded briefly, without saying a word.
Aurelian watched her closely. There was something about her posture that spoke of discipline, but also of wounds. She was the kind of person who didn't read Defense books: she had lived them.
"Interesting..." he thought. "A former combatant. She won't teach like Rowle. But she's certainly better than the future teachers."
Fred muttered something to George. Cedric tensed slightly. The Carrow twins, on the other hand, kept their eyes fixed on Aurelian, not caring in the least what was happening around them.
Dumbledore resumed speaking:
"Professor Blake will share with you not only theory, but real cases, unusual spells, and experiences that... could save your lives."
A warning disguised as praise.
"Now," he added, "enjoy your dessert."
The plates were refilled with cakes, mountains of cream, enchanted fruits, and pastries that exploded with sparkles.