Hogwarts Raven (Harry Potter)

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Big bones, boiled into soup.

Not only did it make plants grow like crazy, but feeding it to livestock had equally miraculous effects. Over the past few months, Ian had even raised a rooster over a meter long.

He packed the giant rooster into his trunk, planning to let his beloved basilisk get a taste of the wider world.

"You're not coming to Hogwarts with us?"

On the day before term started, Ian was surprised to see Lupin hadn't packed anything.

"I'll be staying here long-term." The down-and-out werewolf's answer caught Ian off guard.

"Was this Dumbledore's idea?" Ian made a slightly puzzled guess.

However, Lupin shook his head and denied it.

"It was my own decision after a lot of thought. I think I really do need to pause for a bit. And… truthfully, I'm a little worried about the kids here."

Lupin looked at Ian with a rather peculiar expression.

"I've been watching. Every few days you come up with new ways to feed the children potions that you've refined yourself."

Clearly, he had been quietly observing Ian for a while.

"They are just gust growth potions," Ian replied, feigning helpless innocence.

But Lupin let out a cold chuckle. Of course, this wasn't a matter of acting skill. Even if Ian had Oscar-worthy talent, Lupin still wouldn't believe him.

This outstanding Hogwarts graduate trusted his own eyes more.

"I sensed a faint magical aura in three of the children. Are you really going to tell me that's a coincidence?" Lupin's look said do you think I'm that stupid?

"Of course it's not a coincidence," Ian didn't even try to deny it.

He simply offered a "reasonable" explanation in a serious tone: "Three, five, maybe even more in the future, it all has a perfectly good explanation. Haven't you heard? Our Orphanage is built on auspicious land, blessed by the spirits!"

Ian's devout expression radiated a sincere belief in feng shui and mysticism. His tone hit just the right balance, so much so that Lupin couldn't even find a good counterargument.

"Why are you so full of bizarre nonsense…" Lupin rolled his eyes in exasperation. Just as he was about to say more, they heard the footsteps of Miss Helena outside the door.

"You'd better talk to Dumbledore properly about that potion of yours." The sharp-eared werewolf gave a serious reminder instead of pressing the issue.

"No problem." This time, Ian didn't pretend to be clueless.

"Here are the new clothes I've prepared for you."

Miss Helena entered with a small pouch in hand. She was like any mother sending her child off on a journey, nagging, yes, but also deeply warmhearted.

"Don't get into fights with your classmates at school. Be sure to respect your teachers and professors, even if they're not the most pleasant people. When it gets cold, put on more clothes. I packed a few sweaters for you, they're at the bottom of your trunk.

They say this year's winter might be even colder than last year's."

She walked Ian all the way to the orphanage gate.

Miss Helena continued to give Ian her motherly reminders. A group of children, reluctant to part with Ian, gathered around her. Ian hugged and said goodbye to nearly every one of them.

"See you next year."

As the children cried sadly, Ian boarded the vehicle with his suitcase.

"Don't worry, Miss Helena. I'll deliver him safely to the boarding teachers at the school," said Lupin, who could apparently drive a car, something Ian hadn't known before.

As the familiar streets gradually receded from view, Ian slowly pulled himself out of the melancholic mood and looked over at Lupin, who was nervously gripping the steering wheel, eyes darting like he wished he had sixty of them.

"Do you really have a driver's license?" He was starting to suspect Lupin was driving recklessly.

"We once thought about building a flying car, so a friend and I both got our Muggle licenses… It's just that I haven't touched one of these Muggle contraptions in a long time."

Lupin clumsily tried to change gears and accidentally shifted into reverse. The moving car suddenly made a terrifying clunk-clunk-clunk noise.

He immediately stopped and restarted the engine.

"I'm guessing a Confundus Charm played no small part in getting that license, huh?" Ian nearly wanted to yank Lupin out of the seat and drive himself. If not for the need to fool his caretakers, he'd have taken the Knight Bus for sure.

"What are you talking about? Who would use a Confundus Charm for something like that?" Lupin's reply sounded suspiciously guilty. He fiddled with the controls a bit longer before finally getting the car back on the road.

After nearly a dozen near-crashes, over twenty emergency brakes, and more than thirty instinctive sharp turns, the miraculously still-alive young wizard was finally delivered to King's Cross Station in one piece.

One of the most ancient train stations in Europe, and still the largest in London, it looked rather aged and had hardly any signs of modern technology.

"Did you pack… anything heavy?"

Lupin noticed that when Ian got out of the car, the entire vehicle seemed to sag in relief and gave a little wobble. He looked, surprised, at Ian, who had already pulled two suitcases from the trunk. Even when Ian lifted the cases, the old car hadn't shaken that much.

"Just some scrap metal... They're too heavy. My weight-reduction charm is working at its limit," Ian explained sheepishly, though it didn't do much to dispel Lupin's growing curiosity.

However, before Lupin could press further, Ian was already dragging his two suitcases toward the train station entrance. The werewolf had no choice but to swallow his questions and restart the car.

Of course, with no more prying young wizard watching him, Lupin quietly cast a spell on the old car. Without even turning the engine back on, the vehicle surged forward with the illusion of mechanical operation.

Faster than a sports car.

"Security check over here!"

Perhaps due to a recent, world-shocking terrorist attack, even the train station had increased security measures for passengers.

Ian wasn't concerned at all.

The entire station had already been enchanted by the Ministry of Magic with a massive Confundus Charm. Muggles would automatically ignore anything magical, including the baggage check staff.

However,

A little mishap still occurred.

"Hmm?"

During the security weigh-in, the staff noticed a bizarre weight discrepancy, who knew why that was even a thing. Maybe it was just cheap to implement, and the government loved performative bureaucracy.

"Kid, you weigh 160 kilos!?"

The staff member looked incredulously at the skinny Ian.

The exclamation made Ian feel extremely awkward.

"If I said I have really dense bones… would you believe me?"

Ian tried to offer an excuse for his abnormal weight. He had fully prepared to be questioned further, but to his surprise, the staffer just blinked, then nodded in realization.

"Ohhh, dense bones, that makes sense now."

The guard's sudden understanding didn't even seem faked, nor did it feel like the result of a Confundus Charm.

"Alright, little guy, off you go."

He waved Ian through without any further questions.

The little wizard, who kept looking back every few steps, strongly suspected that the security officer was just pretending to understand what he didn't.

"Too bad I don't have any proof!"

Ian made his way through the sparsely crowded station and approached Platform 9. However, he didn't head in immediately. Instead, he waited near the entrance.

If he weren't escorting a child, he would've already been practicing Apparition by now.

(To Be Continued…)