"This is Charing Cross Road, London. For your first ti, we won't use a fireplace or Apparition. I'll lead you from the Muggle world so you can find your own way to Diagon Alley."
Hagrid led Kane out of a small alley, pointing toward a very dilapidated and strangely out-of-place pub nearby.
"That there is the Leaky Cauldron. It's the gateway to the magical world in all of London. The entrance to Diagon Alley is right inside." Hagrid guided Kane into the pub.
He had pre-arranged to et the Weasleys here, but perhaps because Hagrid had spent a bit too much ti tidying himself up earlier, the Weasley family seed to have been waiting for a while.
"I've always liked their red hair. Seeing them at Hogwarts is like looking at the sun," Hagrid remarked.
He waved toward a large family sitting in a neat row at the bar. Kane looked over at the sea of red hair—a truly flourishing family—except for one black-haired boy who looked like a genetic anomaly in the group...
Wait. Black hair?
Kane felt sothing was off. He looked again. "Harry? What are you doing here?"
Unlike the slow-to-react Kane, Harry had noticed him the second he stepped through the door. The only reason he hadn't lunged imdiately was that he was acting like a seasoned hunter, waiting for the prey to enter his strike zone.
And now, the ti was right.
Harry gave a mighty roar and lunged at Kane.
"I'm here to buy my school supplies! What are you doing!" Surprised, Kane used his shadows to block Harry's path, shouting even as he reacted.
"Let go of ! I'm gonna knock your teeth out!" Harry yelled, arms and legs flailing in the air.
"Give it a rest. You know you can't beat ," Kane said. Seeing Harry's struggle growing more intense, Kane sighed and summoned even more shadow tentacles to bind Harry up like a cocoon.
Fortunately, the Leaky Cauldron was quiet this morning. Most people were either nursing hangovers from the night before or were part of the Weasley clan and the bartender, Tom. Otherwise, Kane's display of shadow magic would have had an Auror called on him instantly.
Of course, just because the Weasleys didn't call the Aurors didn't an they weren't stunned.
"Mum, is that Dark Magic? It's so cool! I want to learn that!" Ron, the youngest red-headed boy, exclaid. He was wide-eyed, watching Kane effortlessly restrain the Savior of the Wizarding World.
Luckily, Ron's three older brothers and his mother were strict on this subject. In an instant, four fists simultaneously bonked Ron on the head.
"Learn what?! You're not learning that!"
Hagrid heard the Weasleys whispering. To prevent Kane's reputation from being ruined before school even started, he leaned in and explained in a low voice, "It's an innate Dark Magic. He didn't learn it, and he doesn't exactly want it. Dumbledore verified it himself."
That four-part explanation successfully salvaged Kane's nearly-shattered public image.
anwhile, Kane's shadow transford into a long, powerful claw. He had loosened the bindings on Harry but was now holding him up by the scruff of his neck, dangling him high in the air.
"Put down," Harry said through gritted teeth.
"Only if you swear not to go crazy the mont I let go."
Harry took a deep breath. "Fine. I promise."
Kane slowly let the shadows lower Harry to the floor. Naturally, Harry had no sense of "martial honor." The mont his feet touched the ground, he lunged again.
But Kane had been forged in the fires of the Constant. Bang-bang. Two quick punches sent Harry to the floor, where he stayed, groaning.
"I'll have a... lemonade," Kane said, sitting in the seat Harry had just vacated. He looked at Tom the bartender.
"Oh, er, right. Harry... are you two friends?" Tom asked hesitantly as he poured the drink.
"Is it hard to tell? Or are we not being harmonious enough?" Kane asked, taking a sip of the lemonade.
"Er... not enough," Ron said, eventually going over to help Harry up. He looked at Harry's two fresh, bruised eyes.
"You two actually look like brothers now. You've both got dark circles under your eyes," Ron chuckled, unable to help himself.
"Thanks for the complint." Kane ordered two more lemonades from Tom. "Put it on the Hogwarts tab."
Hagrid, hearing this, quickly dug into his pouch and handed Kane a few Gold Galleons and Silver Sickles.
"Thanks, Hagrid." Kane pocketed the money without a hint of sha. anwhile, Hagrid finished his conversation with Mr. and Mrs. Weasley and walked over, ruffling Harry and Ron's hair.
"Alright, all three new students are with now."
Ron was ecstatic. Buying school supplies with Harry Potter and a kid with "cool-as-hell" magic was bound to be better than being supervised by his parents.
Harry, however, was conflicted. He wanted the familial warmth of the Weasleys, but he also valued his friendship with Kane. If I can't have both, I'll take the friend, he thought. After all, he'd lived through a month of chaos with Kane, whereas he'd known the Weasleys for about forty-five minutes.
He desperately wanted to ask how Kane had survived his ti on the run. Which dumpsters did he have to scavenge from for food? How did Hogwarts find him and rescue him from his misery?
Wait, those questions might be too cruel, Harry thought. I shouldn't reopen his wounds. It definitely wasn't comfortable for him.
Kane watched Harry's face go through a dozen different emotions, wondering what nonsense was going through the boy's head. Should I tell him I've been living in luxury at Hogwarts while he was stuck with the Dursleys?
Before he could decide, he heard the red-headed twins—George and Fred, according to their mother—start wheedling in unison.
"Why do we have to send little Ronnie and little Harry off?" "We could easily pull this young gentleman into our big family too." "Personally, I think the one we should really kick out is Hagrid."
Hagrid, looking annoyed, gave George and Fred each a light flick on the forehead.
Mrs. Weasley sighed, poking them both. "If it weren't for you two, I'd be more than happy to take Harry and Kane along."
"We get it." "Other people's kids are always better."
Mrs. Weasley felt her temper rising thanks to the twins' antics. Realizing Hagrid was still there, she awkwardly gathered her remaining children. "We'll head out first, Hagrid. I'm leaving Harry and Ron in your hands."
"My honor, Molly. Alright, let's go, boys. Shall we follow the Weasleys?" Hagrid asked, looking at the trio.
"I wouldn't recomnd it," Ron said, suddenly raising his hand.
"Why not?"
"Because they're rushing off to find a private spot to give my brothers a good hiding. We'd just be interrupting their... enjoynt," Ron said with a mischievous grin.
"Fair point. We'll wait a bit then."
In that precious mont of downti, Harry finally asked the question he'd been holding in for ages.
"Why did you run away?"
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