"This is Charing Cross Road in London.
For the first time, we're not using the Floo Network or Apparition.
Instead, I'm showing you how to find Diagon Alley from the Muggle world."
Hagrid led Kane out of a small alley and pointed toward a particularly shabby and conspicuous pub not far away.
"That's the Leaky Cauldron, the gateway to London's magical world. The entrance to Diagon Alley is right there."
Hagrid walked into the Leaky Cauldron with Kane in tow.
He'd arranged to meet the Weasley family here in advance, but perhaps Hagrid had taken a bit too long getting ready.
In any case, it looked like the Weasleys had been waiting for a while.
"Ah, look at the Weasleys! Always reminds me of the sun, those lot, can't miss 'em with that red hair, eh?"
Hagrid said this while waving hello to a family sitting neatly at the bar.
Kane also looked toward that red-headed family, a truly prosperous bunch, if it weren't for one genetic mutation with black hair...
Hm? Black hair?
Kane felt something was off and took another look. "Harry? What are you doing here?"
Unlike Kane's slow realization, Harry had noticed him the instant he walked into the Leaky Cauldron.
The only reason he hadn't immediately pounced was that he was acting like a proper hunter, waiting for his prey to walk into striking range.
And now was the time.
Harry roared and lunged at Kane.
"I'm here to buy Hogwarts supplies for new students. What are you doing?!" Kane said in shock, using his shadows to block Harry while shouting.
"Let me go, I'm going to knock your teeth out!" Harry said, waving his arms and legs wildly.
"Come on, you know perfectly well you can't beat me."
As Kane spoke, he watched Harry's struggling intensify. After a moment of silence, he used more shadow tendrils to tie Harry up tightly.
Fortunately, the Leaky Cauldron wasn't crowded in the morning. Most people there were sleeping off last night's drinks, aside from the gathered family and the bartender, Tom.
Otherwise, with Kane's display of shadows, someone would've called the Aurors.
Of course, just because the Weasley family didn't call the Aurors didn't mean they weren't surprised.
"Mum, is that Dark Magic? That's brilliant, I want to learn it!"
The smallest boy in the red-headed group, Ron, watched Kane tie up the wizarding world's savior in no time flat and said, quite shaken.
Fortunately, Ron's three older brothers plus his mum were all strict about this sort of thing.
In an instant, four fists landed on Ron's head simultaneously.
"Learn what?!"
Hagrid also heard the Weasley family's whispered conversation.
To prevent Kane's reputation from being damaged, he quickly explained in a low voice, "It's an inborn Dark Magic ability, not something learned. Kane doesn't want it to be this way either. Dumbledore verified it."
A quadruple explanation successfully salvaged Kane's nearly ruined reputation.
Of course, there was still Harry to deal with. Kane's shadow slowly formed into a slender but powerful claw. He'd already untied Harry but was still using the shadow to hold him up high by the scruff of his neck.
"Put me down," Harry said through gritted teeth.
"You have to promise that after I put you down, you won't go crazy."
Harry took a deep breath. "Fine, I promise."
Kane slowly let the shadow lower Harry. Who knew he'd go back on his word?
The first thing he did after regaining his freedom was lunge at Kane again.
Fortunately, Kane had trained in The Constant. Two quick punches knocked Harry to the ground, leaving him to wail there by himself.
"I'll have... lemonade," Kane said, sitting down in the seat Harry had just occupied and addressing the bartender, Tom.
"Oh, alright. Harry... are you two friends?" Tom asked hesitantly after pouring Kane a glass of lemonade.
"Is it hard to tell? Or are we not getting along harmoniously enough?" Kane said, taking a sip of lemonade.
"Um... not harmoniously enough," Ron said, finally going to help Harry up and looking at his two black eyes.
"You two actually look kind of like brothers now, both with black eyes," Ron said, unable to stop laughing.
"Oh, thanks for the compliment," Kane asked Tom for two more glasses of lemonade. "Put it on Hogwarts's tab."
Hearing this, Hagrid quickly pulled some Galleons and Sickles from his bag and handed them to Kane.
"Well then, thank you very much, Hagrid."
Kane unceremoniously stuffed the money into his own pocket.
Meanwhile, Hagrid finished chatting with Mr. and Mrs. Weasley and came over, giving Harry and Ron each a friendly pat on the head.
"Right then. Looks like all three of you first-years are with me."
Ron practically lit up.
Going shopping with the savior Harry Potter and a new student whose magic looked unbelievably cool had to be far more exciting than being watched by his parents.
Harry, on the other hand, felt torn. He wanted the warmth of the Weasley family. He wanted Kane's friendship, too. When he couldn't have both, he let go of the warmth of a family and chose friendship instead.
After all, he'd genuinely spent a month with Kane, while the Weasleys... it had been forty-five minutes since they'd met.
Plus, he really wanted to ask Kane how he'd been during his time running away from home, which garbage bins he usually scrounged from for food, and how Hogwarts had found him and rescued him from his misery.
Wow, those kinds of questions would be way too harsh for Kane, wouldn't they? Maybe he shouldn't ask.
Wouldn't that be like rubbing salt in the wound? It definitely wouldn't be comfortable, whatever the case.
Kane watched Harry's face change expressions repeatedly, wondering what nonsense he was thinking about now.
Should he tell Harry about himself enjoying the good life at Hogwarts while Harry suffered at the Dursleys'?
But before he could finish thinking, he heard a pair of red-headed twins start acting cute in unison.
"Why do we have to send little Ronnie and little Harry away?"
"We could totally bring this young gentleman into our big family, too."
"I think the one who should really be kicked out is Hagrid."
Hagrid irritably gave both George and Fred a knock on the head.
Mrs. Weasley also pointed at their foreheads, somewhat annoyed. "If it weren't for you two, I'd be more than happy to bring Harry and Kane along."
"I get it."
"Sure enough, other people's children are always better."
Hearing the twins constantly getting on her nerves, Mrs. Weasley instinctively felt her hands itching.
But with Hagrid standing right there, she awkwardly pulled Mr. Weasley and the three children along.
"We'll be going first. We're leaving Harry and Ron in your care, Hagrid."
"My pleasure. Well then, let's go too. Following the Weasleys?" Hagrid said, looking at the three of them.
"Um, honestly, I wouldn't recommend that," Ron suddenly raised his hand.
"Why?"
"Because the reason they left in such a hurry was probably to find somewhere with no people to beat the kids. If we go now, we'll interrupt my two brothers' fun."
Ron even added a wicked little laugh at this point, as if afraid people wouldn't know he was up to no good.
"Alright, then we'll wait a bit longer."
During this precious bit of free time, Harry asked Kane the question he'd been wanting to ask for ages.
"Why did you run away from home?"