King's Cross Station, London, September 1st, 2017
Platform 9¾ was controlled chaos.
Magical families said their goodbyes. Trunks collided against trolleys. Owls hooted from their cages. And the Hogwarts Express waited like a red-and-black beast, hissing steam that smelled of magic and old coal.
Solus Gray stood beside his mother, watching.
Helen's eyes were red.
She hadn't cried yet—but Solus knew she would the moment he stepped onto the train.
'Mothers always cry,' he thought. 'In every era'.
But this time was different.
This time, he wanted to cry too.
"Do you have everything?". Helen asked for the third time, her voice trembling slightly. "Your wand? Your books? Your robes?".
"Yes, Mom. Everything's in the trunk."
"And your coat? Scotland's cold, Solus. Even in September".
"I've got it".
Helen nodded.
Then she hugged him.
Hard.
Solus closed his eyes and hugged her back.
'I don't want to go.'.
The truth hit him like a punch.
Lucius had left wives and sons behind without looking back.
Corvus had sent his students away as he died defending Hogwarts.
But Solus...
Solus was an eleven-year-old boy who loved his mother.
And he was afraid of losing her.
"You're going to be amazing," Helen whispered into his hair. "You'll make friends. You'll learn wonderful things. And you'll write me every week, right?"
"Every week," Solus promised.
Helen stepped back, wiping her eyes.
"Your father wanted to be here. You know that, right? But the project in Bosto-".
"I know, Mom".
Mark had called the night before from the States. His voice had sounded tired.
[I'm sorry, Solus. I tried to get a flight, but-]
[It's okay, Dad. I understand]
A long pause.
[Solus, listen. I know this is... scary. A new world. New people. But you're the smartest kid I know. And no matter what happens... you can always count on me. Right?]
[Right, Dad]
But as Solus hung up the phone, a shadow had crossed his mind.
An intuition.
Something Lucius had learned during the Roman campaigns: when someone swears they'll always be there, the universe tends to test that promise.
And it doesn't always end well.
'Something's going to happen', Solus thought, looking at his mother. 'I don't know what. But something's going to change'.
Helen brushed his cheek with her hand.
"I love you, Solus. More than anything in this world".
"I love you too, Mom".
A whistle blew from the train.
"It's time". Helen said with a trembling smile.
Solus grabbed his trunk and his (empty) cage, he hadn't bought an owl.
He climbed the steps onto the train.
Turned back.
Helen was crying now.
But she was smiling.
Solus raised his hand.
She did the same.
And the train began to move.
The Hogwarts Express was bigger than it looked from the outside.
Narrow corridors. Compartments on either side. Older students chatting loudly. First-years searching nervously for empty seats.
Solus walked down the aisle, dragging his trunk.
'I need a quiet compartment. Away from the noise'.
He passed several full ones, older siblings claiming space, groups of friends laughing.
Finally, near the end of the train, he found one.
The door was slightly open.
Inside sat a single boy.
Messy black hair. Bright green eyes behind round glasses. Thin. Nervous. Staring out the window as if he wanted to escape through it.
Solus recognized those eyes.
'Potter eyes'.
"Is this seat taken?" Solus asked.
The boy jumped.
"What? Oh-no. I mean... no. You can sit".
Solus entered and closed the door behind him. He lifted his trunk onto the rack with more ease than an eleven-year-old should have had.
'Years of military training don't fade away.'.
He sat across from the boy.
"Solus Gray". he said, extending his hand.
The boy hesitated, then shook it.
"Albus. Albus Potter".
There it was.
Solus had heard the name, of course. It was impossible not to know who Harry Potter was, the Boy Who Lived. The one who defeated the Dark Lord.
"First year". Solus said. Not a question.
"Yeah. You too?"
"Yah".
Awkward silence.
Albus turned back to the window. His fingers fidgeted with the edge of his robe.
"Nervous?" Solus asked.
"Is it that obvious?".
"A little".
Albus gave a short laugh.
"My brother James says if I don't end up in Gryffindor, the family will disown me". He tried to sound like it was a joke, but his voice trembled. "He's kidding, of course. I think".
Solus tilted his head.
"What House do you want?".
"I don't know." Albus shrugged. "Everyone in my family's been Gryffindor. My parents. My Uncle Ron. My grandparents. Even my brother. But I...".
He stopped.
"But you what?" Solus pressed.
Albus met his gaze.
"I'm not brave like them. I'm not... anything like them".
There was something brutally honest in those words.
Solus leaned back.
"Bravery isn't all that matters". he said. "My mom's a Muggle. And she's the bravest person I know. She doesn't need to be a Gryffindor to be that".
Albus blinked.
"Your mom's a Muggle?"
"Both of my parents. I'm the first wizard in my family".
"Oh." Albus looked surprised. "That's... actually kind of awesome. I mean, discovering everything from scratch. Must be exciting."
"It is". Solus smiled faintly. "Though also confusing. I don't know anything about Houses, Quidditch teams, or who's famous in the wizarding world".
"Nothing?"
"Nothing".
Albus relaxed a bit.
"Well, I can help with that. I've been reading Hogwarts: A History all summer. My friend Scorpius says I'm a nerd".
"Scorpius Malfoy". Solus said. He'd seen the name on the first-year list that came with his acceptance letter.
"You know him?".
"No. But I read his name".
"He's my best friend". Albus said, smiling for the first time. "He's on the train too. I'll probably see him after the ceremony".
The compartment door slid open suddenly.
A girl stepped in.
Curly red hair. Freckles. Brown eyes that swept the compartment with curiosity, and something Solus recognized instantly: arrogance.
"Albus". the girl said. "I've been looking for you. Mom wants us to ride together. We're family, after all".
Albus sank slightly into his seat.
"Hi, Rose".
'Rose Weasley'.
Solus identified her instantly from the description Albus had given earlier. Cousin of Albus. Daughter of Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley.
Rose looked at Solus.
And frowned.
"Who are you?"
"Solus Gray".
"Gray". she repeated, tasting the name like poison. "Don't know that family. What House are you from?".
"None".
Her eyebrow arched.
"None? So you're... half-blood?".
"Muggle-born". Solus corrected flatly.
Her expression shifted.
She turned to Albus.
"Why are you talking to him?" she asked disdainfully. "Can't you see his clothes? He's clearly a nobody. Doesn't even have a wizarding surname".
Something cold settled in Solus's chest.
'Ah. One of those'.
He'd known people like Rose in every lifetime. Roman patricians who sneered at plebeians. Pure-blood wizards who spat on anyone from a 'lesser' line.
Arrogance was universal.
And Solus hated it.
"Rose". Albus said softly. "Don't-".
"What?" she cut him off, crossing her arms. "I'm just telling the truth. Mom always says we should be honest".
Solus leaned forward.
"You're right". he said calmly. "I am a nobody. No magical surname. Muggle parents".
Rose smirked smugly.
"Then you should-".
"But you". Solus interrupted, his voice sharpening like a blade, "Also fail every standard you just set".
Rose blinked.
"What?".
"You said my clothes give me away. But yours are secondhand. I can see the stitch marks where the hem was adjusted". He pointed at her robe. "Your family isn't poor, but they're not rich either. So you're in no position to judge".
Rose's mouth fell open.
Solus didn't stop.
"You said I lack a magical surname. But yours, Weasley, was considered a joke among pure-bloods twenty years ago. 'Blood traitors,' they called you. So you don't have the purity you apparently value".
Her face flushed crimson.
"And finally". Solus continued, his voice calm but merciless, "You said honesty is a virtue. But honesty without empathy isn't virtue. It's cruelty".
The compartment fell silent.
Albus stared at Solus, wide-eyed.
Rose trembled with anger.
"If my presence bothers you that much". Solus said, gesturing at the door, "You can leave".
Rose opened her mouth. Closed it. Opened it again.
Then exploded.
"Typical of a Mudblood!".
She hurled the word like a weapon and stormed out, slamming the door behind her.
The silence that followed was heavy.
Solus sighed.
'Mudblood. What a charming term'.
Lucius had heard similar insults in Latin.
Corvus had fought against that very same mentality in his time.
And now, a thousand years later, it still existed.
Some poisons never die.
"Wow". Albus whispered.
Solus looked at him.
"Sorry. I didn't mean-".
"No". Albus shook his head. "Don't apologize. She... she was being awful".
"She's your cousin".
"Yeah. But that doesn't make what she said right". Albus frowned. "My parents always taught me that where you come from doesn't matter. My mom worked with Mud, uh, Muggle-borns, during the war. She hated that word".
"Your cousin doesn't seem to have learned the lesson".
"No". Albus looked embarrassed. "I'm sorry".
"Not your fault".
Silence.
Then Albus asked,
"Was her robe really secondhand?".
Solus nodded.
"The Madam Malkin's tag is covered with a glamour charm. But you can see it if you know where to look".
"How do you know that?".
"Observation". Solus shrugged. "When you don't know the wizarding world, you learn to pay attention".
Albus grinned.
"You're weird, Solus Gray".
"I know".
The door slid open again.
This time it was the trolley witch.
"Anything off the trolley, dears?" she asked kindly.
Albus looked down at his hands.
"I... didn't bring money".
Solus raised an eyebrow.
"Harry Potter didn't give you money for the train?".
Albus blushed.
"He did. But... I gave it to my brother James. He said he needed it for a bet with his friends".
'Of course he did.'.
Solus pulled a handful of Galleons from his pocket, money from Vault 7, a fraction of the fortune he'd inherited.
"Two of everything". he told the witch.
"Everything?" She smiled wider. "That's quite a lot, dear".
"It's a long trip".
Soon the compartment was piled with Chocolate Frogs, Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans, licorice wands, and pumpkin pasties.
Solus paid.
When the trolley rolled away, Albus stared at the mountain of sweets.
"Did you just buy-?".
"Yes. And we're sharing". Solus pushed half toward him. "Eat. You didn't have breakfast, did you?"
"How did you-?".
"Observation".
Albus took a Chocolate Frog slowly.
"Thanks".
"You're welcome".
They ate in silence for a while.
Then Albus asked,
"Why are you so... different?"
"Different how?"
"I don't know. The way you talk. The way you look at things. It's like..." Albus searched for the word.
"It's like you're older than you look".
Solus went still.
'Old eyes'.
Because Albus was right.
He'd seen empires fall. Friends die. A hundreds years of history slip through his fingers like sand.
But he couldn't say that.
So instead, he asked,
"Do you want to know where I come from?".
Albus nodded.
"I grew up in Surrey. My parents are Muggles. My mom's a teacher. My dad's a computer engineer." Solus looked out the window. "I didn't know I was a wizard until my letter came. I thought the weird things that happened around me were... accidents".
"What kind of things?"
"I levitated my coffee mug when I was five. Healed a bird's broken wing when I was seven. Once made it rain inside my room when I was angry".
Albus laughed.
"I turned my cousin's hair blue when he annoyed me. My dad nearly had a heart attack".
Solus smiled.
It was easy to talk to Albus.
He didn't ask awkward questions. He didn't judge.
He just... listened.
'He could be a good friend', Solus thought. 'If I let him'.
"What about you?" Solus asked. "What's it like growing up in a famous family?".
Albus's smile faded.
"Complicated".
"Why?".
"Because everyone expects you to be like them. Brave. Heroic. Perfect". Albus stared at his hands. "But I'm none of those things. I'm just... Albus".
"Albus is enough".
"For you, maybe. But for my family..." Albus shook his head. "I don't know. Sometimes I feel like I was born into the wrong family".
Solus understood that feeling more than Albus could ever know.
"Then make your own identity". Solus said. "Don't be Harry Potter Jr. Be Albus Potter".Albus looked at him.
"How?".
"Find what matters to you. Not to your family. You". Solus leaned forward. "And then fight for it". Albus smiled.
"You're weird, Solus Gray".
"Yeah. You've said that".
The rest of the trip passed quickly.
They talked about everything and nothing.
Albus told him about Hogwarts, about the Houses, about Quidditch (which Solus found fascinating but unnecessarily dangerous).
Solus told him about the Muggle world, technology, movies, video games.
And for the first time since regaining his memories at nine, Solus felt...
Normal.
Like a child.
Not a Pontifex. Not a founder.
Just Solus.
'Maybe this won't be so bad', he thought. 'Maybe I can have this. Friends. A normal life'.
But deep in his mind, the shadow lingered.
'Something's going to change'.
'And when it does, none of this will remain'.
The train arrived at Hogsmeade as the sun was setting.
"First years! This way!"
A booming voice echoed over the crowd.Solus and Albus stepped off the train together, and saw a man the size of a mountain holding a lantern.
They followed the crowd of first-years down to the boats waiting by the lake.
And as Solus sat in one beside Albus and two other nervous children, he looked ahead.
There, rising over the black water like something out of a dream, stood Hogwarts.
Towers. Glowing windows. Magic thrumming in every stone.
'Home'. The word surfaced unbidden.
Corvus had died here.
And now Solus had returned.
To finish what he began.