The morning of James' departure to Hogwarts was crisp, the early autumn air carrying a slight chill as the sun barely peeked over the horizon. The London streets were beginning to stir with activity, but inside the car, the atmosphere was subdued.
Arthur drove silently, his hands steady on the wheel, while Levi sat with his arms crossed, staring out the window, and Erwin sat upright, lost in thought. James, meanwhile, sat in the back, absently tapping his fingers against his knee, his mind far from the present moment.
As they pulled into King's Cross Station, Arthur turned off the engine and looked back at James.
Arthur: "Well, lad, here we are. Another year in the lion's den."
James smirked slightly. "More like a den of snakes and fools."
Levi scoffed. "And yet you still choose to go back. Must be fun."
James shrugged. "More like necessary."
They stepped out of the car, and James grabbed his trunk, adjusting his grip on the handle. The station was already bustling with travelers, but none paid much attention to the four of them as they made their way toward the barrier between platforms nine and ten.
Erwin, who had spent the entire summer absorbing every bit of information about the magical world that James had shared, stared at the barrier with sharp, calculating eyes.
Erwin: "So… you just walk through it?"
James nodded. "Pretty much. It's enchanted to let only magical folk through. Don't overthink it."
Levi, arms still crossed, eyed the seemingly solid brick wall. "You expect me to believe that?"
Arthur: "Believe it or not, Levi, it's real. We've seen it with our own eyes."
Levi exhaled sharply. "Tch. I still can't believe there's magic."
Erwin, always the pragmatist, tilted his head slightly. "We could deny it… but it's in front of us, Levi. Ignoring reality just makes us blind."
Arthur chuckled. "You two are handling this better than I expected."
Levi scowled. "I'm not handling anything. I'm just accepting the insanity at this point."
James smirked but said nothing. He had expected them to be more resistant, but Levi and Erwin had ultimately processed the truth in their own way.
Arthur sighed and clapped James on the shoulder. "Well, lad, time for you to go."
James nodded, gripping his trunk. "Yeah… see you all at Christmas."
There was a brief pause before Erwin spoke again, his voice quieter this time. "James… try not to carry everything alone this year."
James hesitated for a fraction of a second but then scoffed lightly. "No promises."
With that, he turned and walked toward the barrier, vanishing through the bricks without another word.
Levi and Erwin stood still for a moment, staring at where James had disappeared. Then, with a small shake of his head, Levi turned back toward Arthur.
Levi: "He's changed."
Arthur exhaled through his nose. "Yes. He has."
They made their way back to the car in silence, but the air was heavy with unspoken thoughts. The drive back to the orphanage was quiet, each of them lost in their own reflections. It was Erwin who finally broke the silence.
Erwin: "Is the magical world the reason James has become more… withdrawn, Sir?"
Arthur kept his eyes on the road. "No. That's not the cause."
Erwin frowned. "Then what is? This summer, he's been brooding at the same level as Levi."
Levi shot Erwin a glare. "Oi. I don't brood."
Erwin: "You absolutely do."
Levi huffed but didn't argue further. He knew Erwin was right. And in truth, he had noticed the same thing—James had been different. More calculating, more silent, as if every interaction was an equation he was solving.
Levi: "He's been… analyzing everything. Like he's assessing everything worth and value. Like he's preparing for something."
Arthur's grip on the steering wheel tightened slightly. "Most I can say is that something from his past has resurfaced."
Erwin: "Then maybe we can help him."
Arthur shook his head. "No, boys. This is out of our hands."
Erwin and Levi exchanged a glance. That wasn't the answer they wanted.
Arthur sighed, sensing their dissatisfaction. After a moment, he spoke again, his tone steady but firm.
Arthur: "Listen, you both remember the butterfly evolution, yes?"
Both: "Yes."
Arthur: "James is in his shell right now—struggling internally, trying to break free. If we try to help him, we'll make him weak."
Levi frowned. "That's nonsense. People need help—"
Arthur: "Not with this. I don't know what it is, but James is waiting for something—a catalyst to break free from his shell. And that catalyst isn't going to be us. It'll be some event. Something that will force him to act. We can't help him through it. He has to face it alone. Remember struggling is the nature of strengthening ."
There was a heavy silence in the car.
Erwin: "So we can't do anything?"
Arthur: "We can only pray for James."
No one spoke after that.
Because deep down, both Levi and Erwin knew Arthur was right.
=======
The Hogwarts Express rumbled along the tracks, the rhythmic clatter of wheels against steel filling the air. The scarlet train was alive with chatter and laughter as students reunited with friends, swapping stories of their summer adventures. James, however, was quieter than usual, his thoughts preoccupied with what lay ahead.
After settling his trunk into an empty compartment where Neville and Seamus were sitting, he stretched his arms and decided to make his way toward another familiar set of faces. He figured he should at least say hello before the train ride lulled into its usual monotony.
As he walked through the narrow corridor, weaving past younger students scrambling to find seats, he eventually spotted Ron, Harry, and Hermione sitting in their compartment. The door was slightly ajar, and as he approached, he could hear Ron's voice carrying over the train's usual hum.
Ron: "I swear, mate, if Sirius makes me run one more drill before the season even starts, I'll hex him myself."
Harry chuckled. "You'll thank him when you join the team, though."
Hermione: "Quidditch is all well and good, but honestly, I don't know how you two have time to think about it when there are so many things to study this year."
James smirked as he leaned against the doorframe. "You haven't even arrived at school yet, Granger, and you're already thinking about assignments?"
Hermione glanced up, her face lighting up slightly. "James! I was wondering when you'd show up."
Ron grinned. "Blimey, mate, you survived the summer, then?"
James shrugged as he stepped inside. "Barely. Though I did spend some time questioning my life choices."
Harry smirked. "That bad?"
James: "You try spending an entire summer with my friend sahsa and tell me if you feel any different."
Ron let out a dramatic groan. "Don't remind me! Sirius practically ran us into the ground. Early morning runs, endurance drills… I thought summer was supposed to be relaxing."
Harry nodded, though he didn't seem as put off by it as Ron. "Yeah, Sirius made sure we got some real practice in. He said if we wanted to take Quidditch seriously, we needed to be in top form."
James raised an eyebrow. "And did you improve?"
Harry: "I like to think so. I'll be even quicker on the broom this year."
Ron: "And I will try to join team ."
James smirked. "That remains to be seen."
Ron scowled. "Oi! Show some faith in your fellow Gryffindor, will you?"
James chuckled before shifting his gaze to Hermione, who was watching the conversation with an air of patience, as though she had been waiting for the right moment to interject.
James: "Alright, Granger, what's this I hear about a new potion you want to try?"
Hermione perked up immediately. "Oh! It's something I came across while reading Advanced Potion-Making over the summer. It's a concentration-enhancing draught. If brewed correctly, it can sharpen focus and memory for hours."
James raised an eyebrow. "Sounds useful."
Hermione: "Exactly! Though the brewing process is delicate. I'm not sure if I'll be able to get my hands on some of the rarer ingredients, but I am planning on asking Professor Snape about it."
Ron pulled a face. "Snape? Good luck with that. He'll probably just sneer at you and take points off for existing."
Harry snorted. "Yeah, unless you magically become a Slytherin overnight, I don't see him being much help."
Hermione huffed. "Well, it's worth trying. Knowledge should be available to everyone, not just Slytherins."
James smirked. "You should get that put on a plaque, Granger."
Hermione rolled her eyes but smiled nonetheless.
James checked the time and decided he should probably head back. He had only meant to stop by for a quick chat, but conversations had a way of dragging on.
James: "Alright, I'll leave you lot to it. See you when we get there."
Ron: "Yeah, yeah, don't get into too much trouble before term even starts, mate."
James smirked. "No promises."
He left the compartment, weaving back through the train's narrow hallway, before slipping into his own compartment with Neville and Seamus. The two were engaged in some light conversation, but James wasn't really listening. Instead, he sat back against the seat, resting his elbow on the windowsill as his mind began to drift.
For a long time, he simply watched the rolling countryside blur past, his thoughts growing heavier with each passing moment.
This year would be different.
This year should have been the year of the escaped convict—the year of Peter Pettigrew's betrayal and Sirius Black's pursuit of vengeance. The year of chaos.
But there was no Peter Pettigrew.
There was no escape from Azkaban. No looming shadow of a man seeking justice.
James had removed that part of the story from the world's timeline.
And now, he had no idea what was going to happen.
Would this year be normal?
The thought made his fingers tighten slightly.
No. It couldn't be normal.
Because James knew better than anyone that life never played out the way you expected.