September 1st.
The family arrived at King's Cross Station at half past ten. Sean pushed his trolley to the third pillar between Platforms 9 and 10, where several Ministry of Magic officials stood, keeping an eye out to prevent Muggles from noticing anything strange and to make sure young witches and wizards could board the train smoothly.
Since there was still time, Sean lingered in front of the barrier, chatting with his dad and mum. Even though there would be a holiday at Christmas and he could come home, there were still months to go, and the feeling of parting was real.
The three of them stood together, talking about little things, until Sean spotted a red-haired family arriving at Platform Nine and Three-Quarters and disappearing into the barrier one after another. Then, a thin, short boy with messy black hair, glasses, and striking green eyes followed them through. Sean knew time was running out.
"It's almost time; I'm going in," he said, tidying the things on his cart.
Yad checked his watch, knowing it was time to say goodbye. Compared to Martha, he didn't seem especially sad. He smiled and said, "Be careful on the way, and listen to the professors."
"Remember, write to us often," Martha added, her eyes already red.
Sean hugged them both. "I will. And you two should take this chance to spend more time together. Honestly, I'm hoping for a little brother or sister!"
Before his parents could react, Sean grinned, pushed his trolley forward, and vanished through the barrier. As he passed through, he thought he could just hear their laughter and mock-scolding. He smiled to himself, took in the sight of the gleaming Hogwarts Express, and, spotting an empty carriage, quickly boarded and stowed his trunk.
He settled by the window and, with nothing better to do, pulled out "A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration." He'd read this and the other textbooks so many times that much of it was memorised, but without a teacher's guidance, he'd only managed to practise the most basic spells at home. Transfiguration, in particular, had never come easily, so he'd been poring over the book even more lately.
Maybe it was his aura, or maybe it was just because his carriage was at the very end, but until the train started moving, nobody else came in looking for a seat.
Sean was perfectly content with the peace and quiet. After all, he wasn't really an eleven-year-old; his mental age was much older. He liked quiet, and while having friends to chat with would be nice, he could just as easily spend seven years on his own. Honestly, his ideal was to avoid getting tangled up in the whole business between the Chosen One and the noseless monster. Best case? Get sorted into Ravenclaw or Hufflepuff and spend his school years as a background character.
The train gradually picked up speed, the scenery outside the window coming alive. As the middle-aged witch with the snack trolley trundled down the corridor, the younger students grew more animated, laughter and chatter filling the air.
Now and then, groups of three or five kids ran past his compartment. Some peered in, maybe thinking to introduce themselves, but when they saw Sean reading, they quickly backed off. For most kids that age, a book was a terrifying thing.
"So you're here!"
A voice, sharp and angry, rang out at the compartment door.
Sean looked up to see Millicent standing in the doorway. He raised an eyebrow. "Looks like you were searching for me. What's up, need something?"
"Give me back my pure white pocket watch!" Millicent snapped. "If you do, I'll forget what happened before. Otherwise, I'll make you pay! You really think a Squib's brat can become a member of the Bulstrode family?"
The words were harsh, but Sean didn't care. He could tell that Millicent's demand wasn't prompted by anyone else—it was just childish possessiveness over something he thought should be his. The pocket watch itself was a fine magical item, but its true value was in the meaning behind it, and that meaning was, frankly, a little malicious.
The Bulstrode family, one of the Sacred Twenty-Eight, had a long history and plenty of connections. Maybe they weren't as rich as the Malfoys, but they certainly weren't short on magical artefacts. There was no way the pure white pocket watch was the only magical heirloom they could pass down.
No, the real reason Gavin, the family patriarch, had given Sean the pocket watch under the guise of an apology was because it had originally been meant for Millicent. Eight parts of Gavin's intention were to use Sean as motivation for Millicent, and two parts were to smooth things over with Sean and his parents. That was how old wizarding families operated—nothing new under the sun.
But even knowing all that, Sean had no intention of handing it over. The pocket watch was useful, and once he set his sights on something, he wasn't about to let it go.
"I can't give it to you," Sean said, not looking up from his book. "Grandfather gave it to me, and you know that."
Millicent's eyes narrowed. Pure-bloods were raised with power and confidence, and he was no exception. He looked at Sean, who had already gone back to reading, and decided he could easily intimidate this Squib's son and take the pocket watch by force. As long as he didn't actually hurt Sean, it would be a minor incident at most.
With that thought, Millicent whipped out his wand and aimed it at Sean.
But before he could cast a spell, he realised with horror that Sean already had his wand out, the tip glowing.
"Petrificus Totalus!"
A pale grey light shot from Sean's wand, hitting Millicent and freezing him in place. He toppled over like a statue, hitting the floor with a thud.
The commotion drew the attention of other students, and soon a few older kids hurried in. They quickly lifted the Petrification Curse.
The moment Millicent was released, he leapt up, wand raised, ready to retaliate. "You damned Squib's son, I'll show you—!"
But before he could finish, one of the older students grabbed his arm, stopping him. Millicent was just about to protest when he spotted a familiar face. Instantly, he swallowed his words and stood off to the side, looking sheepish.
When the newcomer reached him, Millicent shrank back and mumbled, "Oh, Oliver… Big Brother, what are you doing here?"
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