Chapter Text
Morning came too quickly.
The apartment felt different with trunks packed.
Quieter.
Every object still in place, yet somehow already missing him.
Harry stood by the mirror in Bill’s room while Bill Weasley adjusted the collar of his shirt with the grave focus of a cursebreaker handling unstable runes.
“Hold still.”
“I am holding still.”
“You’re fidgeting emotionally.”
“That isn’t a thing.”
“It is now.”
Harry huffed.
He looked… older.
Or perhaps simply more cared for.
His black dragonhide jacket fit neatly over a white button-up embroidered with tiny orange and gold flowers along the cuffs and collar. Dark grey trousers sat properly at his waist, held by an orangish-brown belt. The dragonhide boots were polished enough to reflect light.
His hair was longer now, curls tamed rather than wild.
His glasses no longer slid down his nose every three minutes.
His rings gleamed.
Bill stepped back.
Looked him over.
Then nodded once.
“There you are.”
Harry swallowed unexpectedly.
“…There who is?”
Bill’s expression softened.
“The boy you were meant to be.”
That nearly undid him on the spot.
From the kitchen came a crash.
Then Charlie Weasley shouting.
“Five second rule!”
Bill closed his eyes.
“No peace here.”
Breakfast
No one ate much.
Charlie tried to.
Failed.
Kali was coiled around the back of Harry’s chair, scales catching rainbow light from the window.
She watched Bill move around the kitchen with open interest.
"Nest mother makes circles of bread sadly" she observed.
Harry snorted into his tea.
“What?”
Bill asked suspiciously.
“She says you’re making toast sadly.”
Charlie laughed into his hands.
Bill pointed a knife at the snake.
“I regret being given translation.”
Kali looked unbothered.
"He is dramatic."
Harry translated that too.
“I’m revoking your privileges,” Bill informed both of them.
When the knock finally came, Harry’s stomach dropped.
Not yet.
Too soon.
But Bill had already gone to open the door.
Augusta Longbottom stood outside in travelling robes the colour of dark plum, spine straight as a spear.
Beside her, Neville Longbottom gave Harry a nervous little wave.
“Ready?” Neville asked.
No.
“Yes,” Harry said.
Augusta’s gaze swept the apartment once.
Not rude.
Merely observant.
She missed very little.
“Well. We have time enough if we leave now.”
Bill nodded politely.
Charlie smiled too brightly.
“Give us a moment?”
Harry asked quietly.
Augusta inclined her head and turned away at once.
Neville followed, pretending very hard not to notice anything emotional occurring.
The door closed.
Silence.
Then Charlie moved first.
He crossed the room in two strides and dragged Harry into a fierce hug that lifted him half off the floor.
“You owl me once a week or I’m breaking into Hogwarts.”
“Charlie—”
“I mean it.”
Harry laughed wetly into his shoulder.
Charlie set him down only to shove a pouch into his jacket pocket.
“Emergency galleons.”
“I can’t take—”
“You absolutely can.”
Then Charlie cupped the back of his neck and pressed a rough affectionate kiss to Harry’s forehead.
“A dheartháir beag,” he said softly. 'Be safe, cause chaos."
Harry’s throat closed.
Then Bill was there.
No rush.
No drama.
Just steady and warm and certain.
He straightened Harry’s jacket though it didn’t need it.
Adjusted one cuff.
Smoothed a curl from his forehead.
“What if…” Harry started, then stopped.
Bill waited.
“What if it’s different when I come back?”
Bill didn’t pretend not to understand.
He touched the gold bracelet on his own wrist.
Harry’s father’s bracelet.
Then lifted Harry’s chin lightly.
“Then I’ll still be here.”
Harry blinked hard.
“You don’t lose home because you leave it for a while.”
That was it.
That was the thing.
Harry made a broken sound.
Bill drew him in and held him close.
One hand at the back of his head.
The other between his shoulders.
“You come back in October,” Bill murmured. “And every holiday after.”
Then a soft kiss to Harry’s forehead.
“You hear me, a stór?”
Harry nodded against him.
“Good.”
‐‐‐
The Car
Neville and Augusta had the tact not to mention Harry’s red eyes.
For which he would be grateful forever.
They rode in a dark Ministry-approved town car that smelled faintly of polish and lavender.
Augusta read correspondence opposite them.
Neville sat beside Harry.
Kali remained hidden inside Harry’s satchel for exactly four minutes.
Then emerged anyway.
Neville lit up instantly.
“Is that her?”
Harry grinned.
“Kali, meet Neville.”
The snake lifted her sleek head, tongue tasting the air.
Then slid across Harry’s lap toward Neville with startling confidence.
Neville froze.
“Hello.”
"Warm sweet one," Kali said approvingly. "Smells of root-soil and sticky sugar substance"
Harry laughed.
“She says you smell like root-soil and toffee”
Neville looked delighted.
“That’s the nicest thing anyone’s said to me all week.”
Kali coiled loosely around Neville’s wrist.
"Good friend," she continued. "Steady heart. Would bite enemies."
Harry translated.
Neville turned pink.
“I wouldn’t—well. Maybe a little.”
Augusta lowered her letter just enough to inspect the serpent.
“Remarkably discerning creature.”
Kali flicked her tongue toward Augusta.
"Sharp old nest guardian."
Harry coughed into his fist.
“What was that?” Neville whispered.
“Complimentary,” Harry lied.
Neville scratched gently under Kali’s jaw.
She leaned into it at once.
Harry stared.
“She likes you.”
Neville beamed.
“I like her too.”
"You may keep this one." Kali declared.
Harry laughed all the way to King’s Cross.
---
Platform Nine and Three-Quarters
Steam.
Owls.
Shouting families.
The clang of trunks.
The smell of soot and sweets and September.
Harry stepped through the barrier at Neville’s side.
And the world changed again.
There they were.
Molly, already fussing over luggage.
Arthur, adjusting his glasses.
Ginny, beside them.
Remus looking tired but alert.
A large black dog at his feet—Sirius as Padfoot.
And the twins.
Who looked at Harry with expressions of such dramatic shock that they deserved awards.
Fred gasped.
“George.”
“No.”
George whispered back.
“It cannot be.”
“Our ickle Harrikins.”
“Returned from the dead.”
Harry nearly smiled.
Then Ron and Hermione turned.
Ron went pale.
Hermione looked like she’d forgotten how breathing worked.
They broke from the group at once.
Walking fast.
Hermione reached him first.
“Harry—”
Ron right behind her.
“Where have you been?”
Harry met their eyes.
“Hello.”