Harry didn't enjoy being the center of attention—especially when it meant people staring at the lightning-shaped scar on his forehead. It made him feel like he was some kind of animal on display behind glass. But he didn't know how to say no. And maybe, if it helped him make friends, it wouldn't be so bad.
So, when he noticed Ron stealing glances at his forehead, he sighed quietly and pushed his fringe aside.
"Merlin's socks..." Ron muttered in awe, leaning forward slightly, eyes glued to the scar as though it might suddenly light up.
Harry shifted uncomfortably. His face flushed a little under the attention.
Then, with a flick and a thwack, Ron yelped and clutched his head. "Ow! What was that for?!"
Peter lowered his wand calmly. "Because you're staring like a ghoul."
"I... I was just curious..." Ron muttered, rubbing his head and turning to sulk by the window.
Harry gave a small smile, then lowered his eyes, unsure of what to do next. He didn't want to offend Ron, but he also didn't want to keep being treated like some rare magical creature.
His eyes drifted to Peter, who was now gently brushing the fur of the massive cat on the seat beside him. The cat, with striking amber eyes and a calm air, seemed to be enjoying the attention.
After being helped by the Weasley family twice now—once by their mother, and again by Peter—Harry was starting to feel something unfamiliar but comforting: safety.
Maybe it was alright to talk. Maybe these people wouldn't laugh at him.
He hesitated, then glanced at the wand in Peter's hand. It looked elegant and powerful, just like how he imagined a real wizard's wand would be.
"Uh... Peter... Can I call you that?" Harry asked quietly, as if unsure whether he was allowed.
Peter didn't even look up as he gently combed through the cat's thick fur.
"Of course, Harry."
"Peter, that thing you just used was...?"
"The Levitation Charm. It's a very basic spell. It can make objects float. It's in our first-year textbook."
"That's amazing..." Harry blinked his wide green eyes, then looked a little downcast. "I practiced for a whole month and couldn't get anything to work."
Peter didn't seem fazed. "I've been practicing spells at home since I was eight. You grew up in the Muggle world, Harry. It's not really fair to compare. Most Muggle-born wizards are like you at the start."
What he didn't say was that he had managed to cast the Levitation Charm after reciting it only twice.
There was no point showing off in front of a kid who had never held a wand before.
Harry looked up, visibly comforted. He had been nervous about entering a new world, afraid he wouldn't be able to keep up with the others.
Still thinking about it, he suddenly realized he hadn't included Ron in the conversation. Feeling guilty, he turned and tried to draw him in, hoping to make another friend.
"Ron, you probably already know tons of spells, right?"
Ron froze.
Harry watched as Ron's ears went red and he started mumbling without forming any proper words. He looked like he wanted to vanish on the spot.
Peter couldn't help laughing.
Harry realized he'd made things worse. His stomach dropped. That had been a really dumb thing to say.
Luckily, the awkward moment was saved when the door to their compartment slid open again.
A cheerful woman with dimples poked her head in, smiling warmly.
"Anything off the trolley, dears?"
She was pushing a cart stacked with all kinds of sweets and snacks.
Harry jumped up at once. He had never made real friends before and didn't know how to act around people his own age, but to him, sharing snacks seemed like a good idea.
Fortunately, he had money now.
When he came back, his arms were piled high with sweets, and it instantly caught Ron's attention. Harry dumped the treats onto the seat with a grin and offered them generously.
"Come on, I bought loads. There's no way I can eat all of this by myself."
Ron hesitated for a second. "Mum packed sandwiches..."
But Peter had already grabbed a pumpkin pasty, unwrapped it, and taken a bite without hesitation. He wasn't shy about this kind of thing. If it really bothered Ron, he could pay him back later.
Seeing Peter dig in, Ron couldn't hold back either. He reached out, picked a pasty, and bit into it like he hadn't eaten in days.
Harry was thrilled. In the last eleven years, he had never shared anything with anyone. He had nothing to share, and no one to share it with.
This was the first time he had friends. It felt wonderful.
Soon, he and Ron were talking animatedly about Chocolate Frog cards and Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans, laughing and comparing the flavors. Peter only chimed in every now and then, mostly smiling while watching the two of them talk.
He sat quietly for the most part, lost in thought.
In his past life, he had often wondered—if Harry had grown up in such a miserable environment without meeting Ron or Hermione, what would have happened to him?
The answer wasn't hard to guess.
Without good friends to anchor him, Harry would either soak up the crowd's admiration and become a useless, arrogant figure clinging to his fame.
Or he would spiral into darkness and end up walking the same path as Voldemort.
But that was only if. The truth was, it was on this train to Hogwarts that Harry met two lifelong friends. That moment became a turning point in his life. These friendships poured warmth and color into his once dry, exhausted heart.
Dumbledore always said that love was the greatest power.
But in Peter's eyes, it wasn't love.
It was destiny.
Destiny was the most awe-inspiring force in the world.
And he wanted to seize it in his own hands.
Peter gently ran his fingers along his wand, then turned to look out the window. The train had passed the last patch of neatly plowed farmland. Outside, the landscape began to change. The soft golden fields gave way to desolate stretches of wild grass. Farther in the distance rose dark green mountains, scattered woods, and winding rivers tracing through the land like veins.
No one knew how much time had passed when the door to their compartment opened again for the third time. A round-faced boy stood in the doorway, nearly in tears.
"Excuse me, have you seen a toad? His name is Laffy, and I lost him..."
Harry and Ron both blinked and shook their heads.
"I'll help you find him," Peter offered, standing up. "Come on, Fruit Tea, smell his scent."
Fruit Tea leapt from the table and landed on the floor with a soft thud, tail swaying as she trotted ahead.
"Th-thank you," the boy said, sniffling gratefully. "I'm Neville. Neville Longbottom."
"No problem. Just call me Peter."
Of course, Peter wasn't really that enthusiastic. He just wanted an excuse to stretch his legs and walk around. And, more importantly, give Ron and Harry a bit of space to bond on their own.
Watching Peter leave with Neville and the cat, Harry sighed.
"Your brother is really something, Ron."
Ron scrunched his face like he'd just bitten into a lemon. "You don't know him. He's not always like that. I don't know how many times he's scared the life out of me. And Fred and George aren't much better!"
Harry didn't seem bothered. "He might mess around with you because you're his brother. But look at how kind he was to me and that boy just now. Before today, I always thought all brothers were like Dudley."
They had talked about Dudley earlier, and Harry had painted him as practically a demon. Compared to that, Ron actually started to think Peter might be an angel after all.
"...Well, to be honest, Peter's not all bad," Ron admitted, not wanting to lose face. "Besides the pranks, he's good at everything. He could brew potions when he was eight. Everyone in the family brags about him. He's kind of famous, actually. A real genius."
"And he's the one who earns the most money at home too. Look at this wand. He bought it for me."
Harry looked at the wand in Ron's hands. It wasn't anything fancy, but the way Ron held it, like it was the most valuable thing in the world, made something twist in Harry's chest.
No one had ever given him a gift like that.
Meanwhile, Peter, completely unaware that Ron was singing his praises, had just located the missing toad. Fruit Tea had cornered it near a trash bin, and Neville was crying tears of joy as he took the creature back.
Peter turned to head back to his compartment when he heard someone call out behind him.
"Peter... Weasley?"
He turned.
Standing just a short distance away was a girl with bushy hair and bright eyes, staring at him like she'd just found a new book to read.
Hermione Granger had arrived.
Let me know when you're ready for the