The Tenth Weasley - CH - 65

The Hogwarts Express pulled into Platform 9 ¾, steam billowing out as the train came to a halt. The platform was bustling with parents eagerly waiting to see their children, some waving excitedly, others craning their necks to spot familiar faces through the windows. There was a lively, festive atmosphere despite the shadow of fear that had hung over Hogwarts in recent months. After all, Christmas was a time to be with family, to escape from the dangers of the castle, and the students were more than happy to embrace that sense of freedom.

Harry watched from his seat as students poured out of the compartments, rushing to meet their families. Laughter and chatter filled the platform as children were engulfed in hugs and parents peppered them with questions. Harry took his time, gathering his things. He wasn’t particularly looking forward to what awaited him outside the train.

Blaise clapped him on the shoulder. “Take care, Harry. Survive the Potters. You know where to find us if you need to vent when you get back.”

Daphne gave him an encouraging smile. “Just remember, you’ve faced worse. A few days with the Potters should be nothing.”

Harry managed a weak smile. “Yeah. Wish me luck.”

He stepped off the train, dragging his trunk behind him, and looked around. His eyes fell on a familiar group standing near the edge of the platform. Unlike other families who mingled and moved about, the Potters remained relatively isolated, almost as if an invisible barrier kept the other parents at a respectful distance. They stood tall and regal, their presence marked by an air of importance. James and Lily were nodding politely to those who greeted them but didn’t engage in small talk.

Sirius Black stood next to them, looking rather amused at the whole scene, while Rose was already wrapped in Lily’s embrace, talking animatedly about her first term. Harry hesitated. He couldn’t help but notice how odd it was that Sirius was always around the Potters. It wasn’t like he didn’t know why—Sirius was James’ best friend—but it was still strange to see him acting almost like part of the family.

Harry took a deep breath and walked over, trying not to feel too awkward. Lily spotted him first, her face lighting up with a warm smile.

“There you are, Harry!” she said cheerfully, stepping forward. To his surprise, she pulled him into a quick, tight hug. “How was the journey?”

Harry stiffened for a moment, unsure how to respond. “It was... fine.”

James grinned at him. “Good to see you, Harry. Ready to spend the holidays with us?”

“Yeah,” Harry replied, forcing a smile.

Sirius gave him a nod and a grin. “You’ve grown taller, kid. Must be all that Slytherin food.”

Harry managed a chuckle. “Maybe.”

James waved his wand casually, and Harry’s trunk rose off the ground to hover next to Rose’s. “No need to drag that around,” he said with a wink. “Let’s get going before the crowd gets thicker.”

They made their way toward the large fireplace reserved for wizard use. All around them, families were stepping into the fireplaces, calling out their destinations, and vanishing in green flames. As they walked, Harry couldn’t help but notice the sideways glances they were receiving. It wasn’t surprising—after all, James Potter was a hero of the last war, and everyone knew his son, Charlie, as the Boy Who Lived.

Lily caught his gaze and offered him a reassuring smile. “Don’t mind them, Harry. They’re just... curious.”

Harry didn’t respond, just kept his eyes on the fireplace ahead.

James approached the massive fireplace and gestured for Rose to go first. “Potter Manor,” Rose said clearly, stepping into the green flames and vanishing from sight.

Lily went next, then Sirius, leaving Harry and James behind. James glanced at him. “You’ll like it at the manor. It’s... well, a bit overwhelming at first, but you’ll settle in. Ready?”

Harry nodded. “Yeah.”

James gave him a pat on the shoulder. “Good lad. Go on, then.”

Stepping into the fireplace, Harry took a deep breath and spoke, “Potter Manor.” The familiar whoosh of the Floo Network enveloped him, and he tumbled out into an expansive, tastefully decorated parlor room. Rose was already looking around with excitement, while Lily was brushing soot off her robes. Sirius leaned against a wall, smirking as James arrived a second later.

Lily looked at Harry, her face soft with concern. “Are you alright, dear?”

Harry nodded quickly. “Yeah. Just not used to traveling by Floo often.”

Sirius laughed. “Trust me, kid. No one ever really gets used to it.”

The room was grand, far more luxurious than the cozy bedroom in Weasley Manor. High ceilings, rich wooden furniture, and tapestries depicting various wizarding accomplishments adorned the walls. It was clear that the Potters were well-off, and trying too hard to accommodate him, it only added to Harry’s sense of discomfort.

Lily led them out of the parlor and into the wide corridor. “We’ve prepared a room for you, Harry. It’s just down the hall from Rose’s. I hope you’ll be comfortable.”

James chuckled. “Yeah, and don’t worry about rules. Just make yourself at home.”

Sirius gave a mischievous grin. “You’ll be fine, kid. If you ever need a break from James’ snoring, just give me a shout.”

Harry couldn’t help but relax a bit at Sirius’ lightheartedness. Maybe this wouldn’t be as terrible as he imagined. Maybe, just maybe, he could get through the holidays without feeling like he was constantly on edge.

As they walked through the manor, Harry couldn’t shake the feeling of being an outsider. The Potters were clearly trying to make him feel welcome, but there was a tension in the air that he couldn’t quite place. He wasn’t sure if it was just his own nerves or something else entirely.

As Lily showed him to his room, Rose bounced in, her eyes bright. “Harry! You’ll love it here. Mum made sure your room has the best view of the garden.”

Lily smiled. “We wanted you to feel at home.”

Harry forced a grateful smile. “Thanks... Mrs. Potter.”

Lily’s face softened. “Call me Lily, dear.”

Once they left him alone to settle in, Harry sat on the edge of the bed, looking out the window at the snow-covered garden. He couldn’t help but wonder how this holiday would go. Would they keep acting like everything was fine? Or would the awkwardness build until it was too much?

Taking a deep breath, he decided to just take it one day at a time. After all, it was Christmas. Maybe, just maybe, things wouldn’t be so bad.

Harry sat cross-legged on the bed, carefully unpacking his belongings. His trunk was open, and he was sorting through the books he’d brought along for the holidays. Some were from the library, a few from Knockturn Alley, and one or two that he’d been meaning to reread. He placed them neatly on the bedside table, feeling a bit more at ease when he had something familiar around him.

As he picked up "Advanced Warding Techniques," a familiar, cheerful voice piped up from the doorway.

“What are you doing?” Rose asked, already halfway into his room without waiting for an invitation.

Harry looked up, slightly startled. “Just... unpacking.”

Rose glanced at the stack of books on the nightstand and scrunched up her nose. “You’re not seriously planning to read during the holidays, are you?”

Harry raised an eyebrow. “I thought I’d catch up on some things. I’ve got a few projects I wanted to work on.”

Rose sighed dramatically and flopped onto the bed next to him. “You’re hopeless. It’s Christmas, Harry! You’re supposed to have fun, not read boring old books.”

He smirked. “Studying isn’t boring, Rose. Besides, I kind of like it. It’s... calming.”

She shot him a look of pure disbelief. “Calming? You’re weird. You know that, right?”

Harry just shrugged. He was used to people not understanding his need to study, to always be prepared. Hogwarts was unpredictable, especially this year, and he needed to stay sharp. Rose didn’t understand that, and he didn’t expect her to.

“Come on,” she nudged his shoulder. “At least take a break. We could go exploring the garden. Mum says there’s snowdrops blooming even though it’s freezing. Or we could go see the owls. Or—or, we could play Gobstones!”

Harry considered it. Maybe he should do something else for a while. “Alright,” he agreed, “but only after dinner. Deal?”

Rose grinned. “Deal! I’ll make sure Mum doesn’t let you sit in your room like a recluse.”

Before Harry could respond, Rose bounced out of the room, clearly satisfied with her victory. Harry shook his head, smiling faintly. Maybe it wouldn’t hurt to take a break.

Dinner that evening was as awkward as Harry expected. The Potters had gone out of their way to make the dining room look festive. There were garlands hanging from the ceiling, enchanted snowflakes drifting around the room, and a beautifully set table with glittering golden plates.

Harry sat between Rose and Sirius, trying not to feel out of place. James was at the head of the table, with Lily to his right. The meal started with a hearty pumpkin soup, and the conversation flowed naturally at first, with Rose eagerly recounting her first term at Hogwarts.

“So then, Ginny and I tried to get to the top of the Astronomy Tower without being seen, but Peeves caught us! He threw ink everywhere,” Rose laughed, and Lily shook her head with a fond smile.

“That poltergeist has been causing trouble for generations,” Sirius remarked, grinning. “Once, we convinced him to glue Snape’s shoes to the floor during potions. Nearly got expelled for it.”

James laughed, clearly remembering the event. “Snape was stuck for half an hour, shouting at us. It was brilliant.”

Harry tried not to flinch at the mention of Snape. Sirius seemed to notice his discomfort and quickly changed the topic. “So, Rose, how’s your first year going? Any subjects you particularly like?”

Rose perked up. “I love Charms! Professor Flitwick is amazing, and he makes everything so exciting. I’m not as good at Potions, though. Professor Snape is... well... he’s a bit scary.”

James snorted. “Bit of an understatement. He’s a greasy git.”

Lily shot him a warning look. “James.”

“Sorry, love. Just... you know how he is,” James muttered.

Sirius chuckled. “Some things never change. Slytherins being unpleasant is one of them.”

Harry stiffened, trying not to react. He wasn’t sure if they realized what they were saying, or if they’d simply forgotten that he was sitting right there.

Lily cleared her throat. “Rose, what about Transfiguration?”

“Oh, it’s great! I can already turn a matchstick into a needle!” Rose exclaimed proudly.

“That’s my girl,” James said, beaming.

Harry pushed his food around his plate, trying to ignore the odd, hollow feeling in his chest. It was as if, despite being right there, he was invisible. An outsider in a family that was supposed to be his.

Lily must have noticed his silence because she gently asked, “How about you, Harry? How’s your term been?”

Harry hesitated. “It’s been... alright.”

Sirius raised an eyebrow. “Just alright? With all the Chamber of Secrets business going on, it must be tense.”

James sighed, looking concerned. “Yeah, we heard about that. Nasty business. You keeping safe?”

Harry just nodded. He didn’t want to get into it. The last thing he needed was for them to start asking questions he couldn’t answer.

Sirius spoke up, trying to lighten the mood. “Hey, you’ll be fine. You’re a tough one. Besides, no one’s as slippery as a Slytherin.”

James laughed. “Yeah, they always manage to wriggle out of trouble.”

Lily shot him another glare. “James!”

James looked genuinely confused for a moment before realization dawned on him. “Oh—er—sorry, Harry. Didn’t mean anything by it.”

“It’s fine,” Harry muttered, though his appetite had mostly vanished.

The rest of the meal went on with Rose excitedly recounting more of her Hogwarts adventures, completely oblivious to the tension between her brother and parents. When dessert was finally served, Harry excused himself as politely as he could and retreated to his room.

Back in his sanctuary, he finally let out the breath he’d been holding. Maybe staying here for Christmas wasn’t the best idea after all. He looked at the stack of books on his bedside table and picked one up, trying to focus on the familiar comfort of studying.

But his mind kept wandering to the dinner, the way they spoke about Slytherin as if it was a joke or a curse. It wasn’t that he expected them to understand, but he had hoped, just a little, that maybe they would see him as more than just a Slytherin.