Chapter 14: Ready to Depart
"Don't worry about a thing," said Gomez, puffing leisurely on his cigar. He took a long, satisfied drag before passing it to Pugsley, who accepted it with the ease of a seasoned smoker. The boy exhaled a perfect ring of smoke.
Russell barely reacted. At this point, nothing the Addams family did could surprise him anymore — not when Wednesday drank poison the way most people drank tea.
Sometimes, he wondered if the entire family possessed some strange mutation — their vitality was certainly leagues above that of a normal wizard.
---
"My dear boy," Gomez continued proudly, "my car's enchantments put the Knight Bus to shame."
With a sharp snap of his fingers, Lurch appeared and effortlessly hoisted Russell's luggage into the trunk.
Caught between politeness and survival instinct, Russell could only sigh and climb in.
To his surprise, the car's interior was enormous — far larger than it had any right to be.
Undetectable Extension Charm, Russell guessed. If a certain Weasley ever saw this thing, he'd lose his mind trying to reverse-engineer it.
---
"Hold on tight!" Gomez shouted gleefully — and floored the accelerator.
The car roared like a dragon, launching forward with such force that Russell was nearly slammed against the seat. Buildings blurred past in streaks of color, the world outside twisting and melting together like wet paint.
After several minutes of terrifying speed — or perhaps hours; time had no meaning inside this mechanical fever dream — Gomez slammed on the brakes.
Russell lurched forward, barely catching himself.
"We're here!" Gomez announced cheerfully, as if they hadn't just broken several laws of physics.
---
The Addamses exited the car together, heading toward the station.
"It's been ages since I've been here," Gomez said nostalgically, gazing at the bustling platforms.
Morticia simply smiled, graceful and quiet as ever.
Though their appearance was eccentric, it wasn't too outrageous — more "gothic chic" than "escaped cultists" — so the station guards only gave them a few curious looks before turning away.
Perhaps it was the day itself that helped. Hogwarts' first-years were everywhere, and the crowd was a strange mosaic of wizarding eccentricity:
One man wore three belts over his suit, cinched so tightly around his waist he looked like a tied roast. Another, clearly confused about Muggle fashion, had on a full abaya and face veil — despite very obviously being male.
And then there was that man — the undisputed king of bad taste — sporting a sharp business jacket on top, swim trunks on the bottom, and white socks with open sandals.
Russell stared in silent horror.
He even overheard the man earnestly explaining to his exasperated wife, "You see, darling, it's fusion fashion — combining three Muggle trends into one cutting-edge look!"
"Quite the bold statement, don't you think?" Pugsley said, eyes sparkling with inspiration.
"If you ever dress like that," Wednesday murmured, resting a pale hand on his shoulder, "I'll fill you with so many bullet holes you'll look like a flute."
Russell pretended not to hear them.
---
Gomez, ever the gentleman, gestured toward the barrier between Platforms Nine and Ten.
"Through there, my boy — that wall is your gateway to the Hogwarts Express."
"Darling," said Morticia softly, "it's Russell's first time. We should accompany him."
"My love," Gomez replied dramatically, "you always say what I'm thinking."
Russell remained expressionless. He'd grown used to their constant affection, though he swore they could turn any moment into a romantic scene.
---
They passed through the barrier — and the world burst into color.
Before them stood the Hogwarts Express, a magnificent scarlet steam engine billowing clouds of white smoke. The platform was alive with motion: cats weaving between trunks, students waving goodbye, and owls screeching indignantly from their cages.
A brass sign gleamed on the locomotive:
Hogwarts Express — 10:00 AM.
"Time to board, Russell," Morticia reminded him gently.
Russell turned to them with a smile. "Thank you… for everything. Really."
He hugged them one by one — Gomez, Morticia, and even Pugsley — feeling, for the first time in a long while, a warmth that reminded him of home.
When he turned to Wednesday, she was already standing close, arms crossed.
"Write to me," she said simply, before stepping forward and hugging him — something she almost never did.
As they parted, she discreetly slipped something into his coat pocket.
"If anyone annoys you," she whispered, voice low and calm, "make sure they drink this."
By the time Russell blinked, she had already stepped back — her expression perfectly neutral, as though nothing had happened.
He swallowed.
Whatever that vial contained, he had absolutely no doubt it was lethal.
And somehow… that thought was oddly comforting.
Pugsley took a step forward, clearly wanting to hug Russell one last time — but before he could even raise his arms, Wednesday reached out and yanked him back by the collar.
The raw predatory authority in her gesture was enough to make him freeze on the spot.
Bloodline suppression, Addams-style. Terrifying indeed.
---
Not far away, a boisterous voice echoed through the crowd.
"Mum, why'd you pack so many sandwiches? There's no way we can eat all this!"
A red-haired boy with a face full of freckles was loudly protesting as he tried to cram an enormous lunch basket into his trunk.
"Fred, close your mouth for once," scolded a plump, motherly woman with the same fiery hair. "You can share them with your classmates. And as older brothers, I expect you and George to set an example for the younger ones!"
"Mum, I'm George, not Fred," the boy argued indignantly.
"Well, George," she corrected with a sigh, "while you're at Hogwarts, I can't control you — but for now, please try to behave like an older brother. Stop joking around and don't corrupt Ron."
"Oh, heavens, did you hear that?" cried the other twin beside him, eyes wide with mock shock. "She thinks Ron can get worse!"
Clearly, they were twins — identical in face, tone, and troublemaking spirit.
"Shut it, Fred!" barked a smaller boy standing next to their mother. He had the same mop of red hair, freckles, and a pair of bright blue eyes that gleamed like cut sapphires.
"Ronald Weasley," his mother snapped, "watch your language!"
She gave him a sharp pat on the back — or more accurately, a smack — so forceful that Ron stumbled forward with a yelp, nearly falling flat before she caught him by the scruff of the neck.
The twins burst into laughter, clutching their sides, until a single glare from Mrs. Weasley silenced them instantly.
"Yes, Mum, we'll behave," said Fred — or George — in a tone that fooled absolutely no one.
They exchanged a mischievous look, lifted their trunks, and started toward the train — only to stop dead in their tracks.
"Whoa," George whispered, eyes wide. "Check out their outfits."
Mrs. Weasley turned, puzzled. "What are you talking ab—"
Then she saw them.
Her expression froze.
Walking across the platform, impossible to miss, were the Addams family — Gomez in his perfectly tailored pinstripe suit, Morticia gliding beside him like living moonlight, Wednesday and Pugsley trailing behind with expressions that could freeze hellfire.
Even Thing, perched casually on Lurch's shoulder, waved to Russell with a disembodied thumb up.
"They're here?" Mrs. Weasley murmured, shock flashing in her eyes.
"Mum," Fred said eagerly, "who are they?"
"Yeah, come on, tell us!" George added, elbowing his brother aside.
Ron tried to edge closer too, but the twins quickly boxed him out, leaving him flailing in indignation.
Mrs. Weasley caught herself just in time — nearly saying something she shouldn't. Her lips pressed into a tight line.
"They're… no one you need to concern yourselves with," she said firmly. "Now get on the train. Both of you."
The twins exchanged grins and mock-bowed. "As you command, dearest Mother."
They walked a few steps before one of them turned back dramatically.
"By the way," said the twin with a theatrical sigh, "I'm actually Fred. I can't believe you still can't tell us apart. You wound me, Mum — truly."
Mrs. Weasley groaned and shooed them away, but Russell couldn't help smiling faintly as he watched the familiar red-headed chaos unfold.
He didn't know it yet, but his path — and the Weasleys' — would soon intertwine in ways even magic couldn't predict.