Platform Nine and Three-Quarters was as crowded as ever at the start of the school year, with white steam from the Hogwarts Express escaping in thick clouds that mingled with laughter, voices, and hurried goodbyes. Aurelian moved calmly through the crowd, his luggage floating behind him with a slight wave of his hand, a subtle magic that didn't attract too much attention but undoubtedly saved him effort.
Amidst the hubbub, he spotted a group of unmistakable redheads. The Weasleys, gathered as always in a whirlwind of voices and gestures, were saying goodbye to several of their children at once. Fred and George saw him first, with a mischievous smile, and greeted him with an exaggerated gesture.
"Aurelian!" Fred shouted, stepping away from the commotion to shake his hand. "Just in time for another year of mischief... and to see us sweep the Quidditch field with those Noxums of yours."
George nodded with a half-smile.
"Although this time we have a new addition to the family..." he said, nodding toward a tall, somewhat thin boy who was looking around shyly.
Aurelian turned his gaze toward him. The young man had red hair like his brothers, but his face showed a hint of nervousness and curiosity.
"You remember Ron," said Fred, almost putting on a show. "This will be his first year, already a hero in the making... according to him."
Ron smiled awkwardly as he adjusted the strap on his trunk.
"Fred exaggerates," he muttered, though his gaze rested on Aurelian with a mixture of respect and caution. "They tell me about you."
Aurelian tilted his head, evaluating him for a moment before responding.
"I hope what they've told you is true."
Fred and George burst out laughing, Ron just shrugged. At that moment, Molly Weasley approached with a warm smile, greeting Aurelian with a kind gesture.
"It's good to see you again, dear. Cedric told me you had a very busy vacation." Her eyes sparkled with a hint of pride, as if she were talking about her own nephew. "And congratulations on that tournament in France. Everyone at home is very happy for you."
"Thank you, Mrs. Weasley," Aurelian replied with a slight nod.
As they spoke, the train whistle sounded, reminding everyone that it was time to board. Amidst pushing, hugging, and Molly's last words, the group began to move toward the locomotive. Aurelian settled down next to the twins, glancing quickly at the crowd, wondering how different this year would be with the arrival of those not-so-new faces.
"This year is off to a strong start, Gaunt," Fred commented, setting his backpack on the seat.
"You'll see," George added, stretching his legs out boldly.
Aurelian was about to reply when the compartment door burst open. Hestia and Flora entered, impeccably dressed in their robes, their dark hair falling over their shoulders and a sharp look in their eyes.
"Why didn't you wait for us before getting on?" asked Hestia, her voice laden with reproach.
"I thought you'd prefer to avoid the crowd on the platform," Aurelian replied calmly. "Besides, I knew you'd find me quickly."
Flora closed the door behind them, her eyes shifting from Aurelian to the Weasley twins. It was a brief glance, but cold enough to convey the message: you are not welcome here.
Fred and George, accustomed to reading the room, exchanged glances.
George shrugged. "Now that I think about it... Lee Jordan told us he had a new pet." He got up rather hurriedly.
"Yes, and we wouldn't want to keep a little animal waiting," added Fred, with a diplomatic smile as he opened the door.
Aurelian merely raised an eyebrow as he watched them leave. When the door closed again, the twins settled down beside him.
"That's better," said Flora, clasping her hands in her lap.
"We don't need unnecessary company," added Hestia, with a dangerous glint in her eye.
Aurelian let out a sigh, aware that arguing with them about these issues was a lost battle.
He leaned back slightly in his seat as the train began to move with a gentle rattle. The twins, seated on either side of him, seemed perfectly synchronized: same postures, same way of approaching him.
"You know," Hestia began, turning her head slightly, "everyone on the platform was talking about nothing else."
"Harry Potter this, Harry Potter that..." Flora added in a tone that bordered on annoyance. "As if he were a traveling show."
Aurelian raised an eyebrow, remembering their brief encounter in Diagon Alley.
"I guess it's not that strange. The story they tell about him is practically a legend," he said with a laugh.
"Legend or not," Hestia interjected, crossing her arms, "we think it's ridiculous that everyone is acting as if he's the only important student this year."
"Exactly," Flora agreed, with a soft but meaningful smile. "Some people should remember that there are other wizards who are much more... worthy of attention."
Aurelian understood the subtext and smiled slightly.
"More worthy... like who?"
The twins exchanged a quick glance, then hugged him.
"You already know the answer," Flora whispered.
"And you don't need to hear it again to believe it," Hestia added, with a possessive look.
The rattling of the train and the distant murmur of other students created a curious contrast with the calm of the compartment. Aurelian, accustomed to this type of conversation with them, let out only a slight chuckle before turning his gaze to the landscape that was beginning to flash by outside the window.
With his gaze still lost in the landscape, he broke the silence.
"And you... what do you expect from this year at Hogwarts?"
Hestia and Flora did not hesitate to move even closer to him.
"That it will be a peaceful year," Hestia began, "at least for us," she said with a smile that did not attempt to hide the threat.
"Everything will be fine," Flora added, "as long as no one tries to bother us."
Aurelian smiled with a hint of irony.
"I imagine that last part is a warning to the whole school."
Both leaned toward him, wanting to close the distance even more.
"It's not a warning," Hestia murmured, speaking from his shoulder. "It's a promise."
"And promises... we always keep them," Flora finished, in a low voice.
The moment was interrupted by a soft knock on the compartment door. All three gazes immediately turned to the door, where a girl with tousled brown hair appeared in the doorway, wearing her new robe and looking worried.
"Excuse me... have you seen a toad?" she asked quickly and somewhat nervously.
Aurelian looked at her calmly, recognizing her instantly. He was about to answer no when he noticed her eyes widening slightly more than usual.
"Oh... I know you," she said suddenly, pointing at him with a slight gesture. "I saw you in The Prophet. You won an international dueling tournament, right?"
Hestia and Flora tensed instantly. Their gazes hardened, the change in the atmosphere so noticeable that even the little girl took a small step back.
"And you are...?" Aurelian asked, keeping his voice friendly.
"Hermione Granger," she replied with a somewhat shy smile, still looking at him curiously.
The tension increased when Flora stepped forward, subtly interposing herself between Hermione and Aurelian.
"You want an answer, we haven't seen your toad," she said in a sharp tone that brooked no reply.
Hestia, for her part, tilted her head with a sweet smile, but her eyes said otherwise.
"It would be nice if you didn't interrupt private conversations. Especially our private conversations."
Hermione frowned, somewhat confused by the sudden hostility, but decided not to press the issue.
"Well... thanks anyway," she said before leaving.
Silence returned to the compartment, although the air was heavy. Aurelian, amused inside, decided not to comment and let the twins resume their position next to him, as if the intrusion had not occurred.
The heat in the compartment was doing its job. Aurelian had settled down, looking for a position to sleep in, feeling his eyelids growing heavier and heavier. Next to him, Hestia and Flora had already settled in, hugging him as if the outside world did not exist.
There was not much noise beyond the hum of the engine and the clatter of the wheels against the tracks. It was... comfortable. Enough for Aurelian to begin to drift toward that middle ground between wakefulness and sleep.
Until the compartment door burst open.
"So you're Aurelian Gaunt," said an arrogant voice.
Aurelian slowly opened one eye, annoyed at being interrupted halfway through his rest. The figure of a blond boy with a sharp face and an immaculate robe stood in the doorway. It was Draco Malfoy.
Hestia snorted, while Flora glared at him, making it clear how unwelcome his presence was.
"I was looking for you," Draco continued, as if he hadn't noticed the tension. "I've been told that..."
"Is everyone planning to interrupt me today?" Aurelian muttered under his breath, irritated.
Draco paused for a moment, confused by the tone in his voice.
"I just... thought it would be useful for us to get to know each other. People like us... should be on the same side."
"People like us?" Aurelian repeated, with a hint of mockery. "I didn't know you were so interested in making 'friends' so quickly."
Hestia sat up a little, still with one arm around Aurelian.
"I don't know if you're deaf or just clumsy, but you're interrupting us," she said in a dangerously soft voice.
Flora didn't bother to hide her annoyance.
"Close the door and be on your way, Malfoy. Unless you want us to get really upset."
Draco tried to maintain his composure, but the tension in the air and the way Aurelian was looking at him made him back down.
"Hmph... as you wish," he replied in a haughty tone that didn't quite mask his discomfort. With a quick movement, he closed the door.
Silence returned. Aurelian let out a sigh and lay back down, closing his eyes.
"If the next person who comes in here doesn't bring food or a good reason for interrupting... I'm going to throw them out the window," he said in a tone serious enough to make the twins giggle softly as they snuggled back up against him.
The train finally stopped, the bustle of students filling the carriages. Aurelian rose calmly, adjusting his robe while Hestia and Flora did the same, still tired from the journey, as always. The fresh air of Hogsmeade hit his face as soon as he stepped off the train.
Torches illuminated the area with a warm glow, and the familiar figure of the carriages waited near the road leading to the castle.
Before heading toward them, Aurelian paused. His eyes drifted toward the edge of the dock, where Hagrid, as imposing as ever, was organizing a group of first-year students. There was Potter, with that air of curiosity and bewilderment so typical of someone stepping into the magical world for the first time. Next to him were Ron Weasley and a girl with very tousled brown hair.
"First years, this way. Come on, follow me," Hagrid's voice boomed as he pointed to the boats bobbing gently on the water of the black lake.
Aurelian watched in silence. That image meant a lot to him, unfolding before his eyes like a scene torn from one of his memories. He didn't smile, but there was a sparkle in his eyes. The story was beginning... and he was already deeply rooted in it.
With a slight sigh, he turned and walked toward the carriages. Hestia and Flora said nothing, but they exchanged a glance, knowing that, for some reason, that moment had completely captured Aurelian's attention.
The clatter of wheels would soon envelop him, carrying the Slytherin back to the castle. Meanwhile, on the shores of the lake, the boats were departing, guiding a new generation to Hogwarts.
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