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╰┈➤ ❝ [𝑇𝐻𝐼𝑅𝑇𝑌-𝐹𝐼𝑉𝐸] ❞ೄྀ࿐ ˊˎ-
⁺⤾·˚.⃗. [ʜᴏᴍᴇᴡᴀʀᴅ ʙᴏᴜɴᴅ] 𑁍ࠜೄ ˊˎ
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Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry
— Scottish Highlands
( June, 1995. )

𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐏𝐋𝐀𝐓𝐅𝐎𝐑𝐌 𝐀𝐓 𝐇𝐎𝐆𝐒𝐌𝐄𝐀𝐃 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍 was unusually subdued. Normally, the air was filled with excited chatter and laughter as students prepared to head home for the summer, but now it was heavy with the weight of recent events. The Hogwarts Express stood waiting, its bright red paint gleaming under the overcast sky, but even the train's usual cheerful whistle seemed quieter.

Fred and George stood near the train's entrance, helping a group of first years hoist their trunks into the luggage compartment. They worked in silence, their usual teasing and playful banter absent. George gave a small smile to a nervous-looking first-year who was struggling with their owl cage, murmuring a quiet reassurance before turning back to the task at hand. Fred was unusually focused, his jaw tight as he heaved a particularly heavy trunk into place.

Cassie, standing nearby with Olympia, Seraphina, and Judeth, watched the twins with a frown. "I've never seen them so... quiet," she said softly, brushing a strand of hair out of her face. "It's eerie."

"They're just like the rest of us," Judeth murmured, her voice low and hoarse from days of crying. "No one's really been the same since..."

She trailed off, but everyone knew what she meant.

Since Cedric.

Since that night.

Olympia stood motionless, her arms wrapped tightly around herself. Her gaze was distant, her mind replaying the haunting events over and over again. She'd barely slept since the tournament's end, and the dark circles under her eyes betrayed her exhaustion.

George glanced over at her briefly, his expression softening, but he didn't say anything. He turned back to the luggage, his hands moving with quiet efficiency.

"Come on, you lot, let's get on the train," Lee called from a few feet away, his voice steady but lacking its usual energy. "The sooner we're moving, the sooner we can... put this place behind us for a while."

Olympia flinched slightly at his words but nodded, her movements robotic as she followed the others toward the train. Cassie hesitated, watching her friend with concern, before jogging to catch up.

Fred turned to George as the last of the trunks were loaded, his usual smirk replaced with a grim line. "You alright?" he asked quietly, his voice low enough that only his twin could hear.

George didn't answer immediately, his eyes following Olympia as she climbed onto the train. "Not really," he admitted after a moment, his voice heavy. "You?"

Fred shook his head, sighing. "Nope. Don't think I will be for a while."

The two exchanged a glance, an unspoken understanding passing between them. Fred clapped George on the shoulder, and they both turned to board the train.

Inside, the atmosphere was just as subdued. Students sat in small groups, talking in hushed tones or staring out the windows in silence. Olympia and her friends found a compartment near the back, the quiet settling over them like a blanket as they took their seats. Cassie curled up next to the window, her knees tucked to her chest, while Judeth rested her head against Atlas's shoulder, her eyes closed but her face still tight with emotion. George sat next to Olympia, his hand brushing hers as he tried to offer some comfort.

As the train began to pull away from the station, Olympia finally broke the silence. "It doesn't feel real," she whispered, her voice barely audible. "Like any minute, Cedric's going to walk through the door and tell us this was all some terrible joke."

George looked at her, his heart breaking at the pain in her eyes. He reached for her hand, threading his fingers through hers. "I know," he said softly. "I keep thinking the same thing."

Fred, sitting across from them, leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "We'll get through it," he said, his voice uncharacteristically serious. "All of us. Somehow."

The steady rhythm of the train wheels filled the silence, the quiet hum of the Hogwarts Express carrying them further away from the castle and the memories of the past few days. The group sat in their compartment, heads bowed, each lost in their thoughts. It wasn't until Olympia's voice broke the silence that they all raised their heads.

"Do you think it's true?" she asked suddenly, her voice shaky and uncertain.

Cassie, who had been staring out the window, turned to her, frowning. "What's true?" she asked softly.

Olympia took a deep, uneven breath, her hands twisting in her lap. "That... you-know-who is back. And that he killed Cedric..."

Her voice cracked on the last word, and the weight of it hit everyone in the compartment like a blow. The air grew heavier, the reality of her question sinking in.

George's hand tightened around hers, his jaw clenching. "Dumbledore said it, didn't he?" he said, his voice quiet but firm. "And Harry... Harry wouldn't lie about something like this."

Fred leaned back against the seat, his arms crossed as he let out a slow breath. "Yeah," he said grimly. "I think it's true. And I think we'd all be stupid to ignore it."

Cassie looked pale, her lips pressed tightly together as she glanced between them. "But... it's so much to take in," she whispered. "I mean, we've heard about him our whole lives, but... he's been gone for so long. It's hard to wrap my head around the idea that he's back. And that Cedric—" Her voice broke, and she shook her head, unable to finish.

Judeth, still leaning against Atlas, spoke up for the first time, her voice hoarse. "I don't want it to be true. But if it is... then everything's going to change, isn't it?"

Atlas nodded grimly, his arm tightening around her. "Yeah," he said. "Everything."

Olympia looked down at her lap, her tears spilling over as she spoke. "I can't stop thinking about Cedric. About what it must've been like for him, facing... him. He didn't deserve this. None of this feels fair."

George shifted closer, his free arm wrapping around her shoulders. "None of it is fair," he said softly. "And it's not going to make sense. But what we can do is remember him. Remember who he was, and make sure people don't forget what he stood for."

Fred nodded, his expression uncharacteristically solemn. "Dumbledore's right. The bonds we've made, the friendships—we're going to need them more than ever. Because if you-know-who really is back, then this is only the beginning."

The compartment fell silent again, the weight of Fred's words settling over them. Olympia wiped at her eyes, leaning into George's comforting hold. The truth was terrifying, but in that moment, surrounded by her friends, she felt a flicker of strength.

"We'll stick together," George said firmly, his voice steady as he looked around the compartment. "No matter what happens."

One by one, they nodded, a quiet understanding passing between them. The train continued its journey, carrying them away from Hogwarts and toward an uncertain future, but for now, they found solace in the fact that they weren't facing it alone.

The rest of the train ride passed in mostly heavy silence. The soft rumble of the train's wheels and the occasional murmur from other compartments were the only sounds, as everyone retreated into their own thoughts. Olympia leaned against George, her head resting on his shoulder while his arm remained securely around her. Cassie sat curled up in her corner by the window, staring out at the countryside rushing past, while Atlas occasionally squeezed Judeth's hand as she dozed off against him.

When the train finally slowed to a stop at King's Cross Station, the familiar hustle and bustle of Platform 9¾ seemed muted. The usual chaos of families greeting their children with excitement and chatter was replaced by somber embraces and quiet conversations.

Olympia stepped off the train with George, Fred, and Cassie at her side. Atlas followed closely with Judeth, their group moving toward the barrier with their trunks and pets in tow. The weight of the past few days still hung heavily over them, and no one felt much like talking.

As they stepped through the barrier, the sight of their parents waiting for them was almost overwhelming. Arthur and Molly Weasley stood together, scanning the crowd with worried expressions, while Olympia, Cassie, and Atlas's parents—Mr. and Mrs. Harrington—stood nearby, their faces tight with concern.

The second Molly spotted her children, her face crumpled with relief, and she hurried toward them, pulling Fred and George into a tight embrace. "Oh, my babies," she whispered, her voice trembling as she held them close. "You're home." She then turned her attention to her youngest children, Ron and Ginny and pulled them into her arms. Ginny instantly broke down into a tearful sob.

Harry Potter stood off to the side for a moment, unsure. Though Arthur quickly pulled him into a loving embrace. Harry broke down instantly.

Fred and George, who rarely showed vulnerability, wrapped their arms around their mother without hesitation, their faces buried in her shoulders. Arthur joined them, placing a reassuring hand on each of their backs as he quietly murmured something only they could hear.

Nearby, Mrs. Harrington's eyes filled with tears as she spotted her children. "Cassie! Atlas! Olympia!" she called, her voice breaking. She opened her arms, and Cassie ran to her, sobbing as she buried her face in her mother's shoulder. Atlas followed, his usual stoic demeanor faltering as he wrapped his arms around his father.

Olympia stood frozen for a moment, the sight of her family and the weight of everything that had happened finally crashing over her. She took a shaky step forward, and when her mother turned to her, she burst into tears, her knees almost giving out.

"Momma," Olympia sobbed, rushing into her mother's arms. Mrs. Harrington caught her, pulling her close as tears streamed down her own face.

"It's okay, baby," her mother whispered, stroking her hair gently. "I've got you. I've got you."

Mr. Harrington joined them, placing a hand on Olympia's back as he held Cassie and Atlas close with his other arm. "You're home now," he said softly, his voice thick with emotion. "You're safe."

Fred buried his face against his mother's shoulder, his eyes squeezed shut, while George stood stiffly, his jaw clenched as he tried to hold it together. But when Arthur placed a firm hand on his shoulder, George's resolve faltered, and he let out a shaky breath, leaning into his father's steady presence.

The platform was filled with similar scenes—quiet, tearful reunions as families embraced their children. For a long moment, Olympia clung to her mother, her tears soaking into her shoulder as she let herself cry freely.

And as the weight of grief and uncertainty pressed down on them all, one thing became painfully clear: the world they had known was gone, and the fight for what remained was only beginning.