They say that ti flies when you're having fun.
For Kane, studying at Hogwarts was genuinely a blast—mostly because getting lost in his books was the only thing that made him forget there was a Dark Lord lurking in the shadows, watching him and Harry like a hawk.
In the blink of an eye, the term was over. Christmas break had arrived.
Actually, it wasn't that sad. In fact, Kane was practically vibrating with excitent. His "grave-digging career" was about to see the light of day again. The Shadow Manipulator was finally within reach!
Well, hopefully. He just hoped the cetery Dumbledore ntioned had enough "content" to work with.
Harry was busy packing his trunk. He didn't have much to take; if it weren't for the fact that he'd practically dragged Kane along to apologize to the Dursleys, he wouldn't have bothered going back at all.
Poor Harry. Upon hearing that Kane planned to leave school for the holidays, he naturally assud his friend was coming along to make ands with his relatives.
He had no idea Kane's true itinerary involved moonlight and a shovel. In fact, Kane had already prepared three shovels, just in case the first two snapped under the pressure of a busy night.
Kane's plan was simple: dig through the graveyard, grab the necessary materials, and use the Portkey Dumbledore gave him to bolt back to Hogwarts.
He'd probably have to take Harry with him—unless Harry was a total masochist who actually enjoyed the Dursleys' company.
Hogsade Station
"I can't believe I'm the only one staying at Hogwarts," Ron grumbled, looking thoroughly depressed as he saw off Kane, Harry, and Hermione. With the three of them gone, he'd be eating his Christmas pudding in solitude.
"Co off it, Ron. You'll never be short of friends," Kane said, rolling his eyes. He knew Ron—the boy was a social butterfly. The only people in Gryffindor more extroverted than him were the other Weasleys.
"Besides, you have your brothers! Keep an eye on the place for us, and we'll bring you back so presents," Hermione said with a bright smile before hopping onto the train. Months at Hogwarts had clearly made her a little hosick.
"Later, mate." Harry didn't say much; he gave Ron a quick hug, patted his back, and followed Kane inside.
On the journey back, Harry chattered away about everything under the sun, conspicuously avoiding the topic of the "apology" to the Dursleys.
He seed to be trying to keep Kane's spirits up. Hermione, anwhile, looked out the window with sparkling eyes—even the "Celestial Dragon" sitting across from her looked a bit more tolerable today.
Evening, King's Cross Station, London
Kane stepped off the train and took a deep breath. The freezing air was so sharp it popped a capillary in his nose, giving him a faint, familiar scent of blood.
"Refreshing." Kane adjusted his Beefalo Hat and looked back at Harry, who was jogging to catch up.
As they stepped through the barrier and back into the Muggle world, Harry noticed Kane's pensive expression and patted his shoulder. "Let's go. We have to face it eventually."
Harry essentially coaxed and prodded Kane out of the station toward the car where Uncle Vernon was waiting. Aunt Petunia was in the passenger seat; Dudley was likely at ho, gorging on ice cream in front of the telly.
Harry climbed into the back seat, sliding over to make room. Uncle Vernon took one look at Kane standing outside the car and his face purpled.
"There aren't many spare rooms," Vernon snapped. "The two of you will share the empty room on the second floor. Bunk beds! That's all you're getting!"
Harry was secretly thrilled. Even Vernon's bloated, angry face in the rearview mirror looked almost cute at that mont.
But Kane didn't get in. He leaned against the driver's side window instead.
"Mr. Dursley, Mrs. Dursley," Kane began calmly. "I'm very grateful that you took in for a month. To show my appreciation, I've prepared a small gift."
He reached out a pale, clean hand. He flipped it back and forth, then gave it a sudden, sharp flick. Two fingers erged from his sleeve, pinching a crystal-clear, stunningly beautiful Purple Gem.
"This stone cost a hundred and fifty gold coins. Consider it your Christmas present... If you don't believe , feel free to have it appraised."
The only thought in Vernon and Petunia's minds at that mont was: Beautiful. Their second thought was that this brat they'd picked up off the street was surprisingly decent—far better than Harry, at any rate.
If the gem was as valuable as he claid, they might actually consider improving his living conditions.
"Wait, what?" Harry's confused voice broke the spell.
The Dursleys snapped back to reality. They checked the gem to ensure it wasn't so magical trick, then looked out the window.
Kane was already twenty yards away, walking in the opposite direction.
The three people in the car shared a mont of total bewildernt. Vernon reflexively put the car in gear and crawled along the curb after him.
"Boy! Get in the car!"
Kane looked back and shook his head. "I only ca out here to give you the gift. I'm not going back."
Harry panicked. He couldn't let his best friend go back to sleeping under a bridge!
But before Harry could speak, Kane cut him off. "Harry, I never said I was going back with you. Erm... good luck. If your holiday gets too miserable, co find in Little Hangleton."
Kane stepped up onto the sidewalk, looking for an alleyway where he could summon the Knight Bus and head for the graveyard.
Harry tried to open the car door, but Vernon slamd on the accelerator.
"If he doesn't want to co, he can stay out there forever! You want to sleep under a bridge with him?" Vernon roared.
"It'd be better than this car!" Harry's temper flared. He kicked the door open and literally rolled out of the moving vehicle.
Kane, who was just about to raise his wand in a dark alley, heard the sound of ragged breathing behind him. He turned around.
"Seriously, mate? Why are you following ?" Kane asked, dumbfounded.
"To see what your plan is for the break, obviously," Harry panted, leaning on his knees.
"......Actually, my real problem is... that one hundred and fifty Galleons was most of my savings. I only have enough money for one person to ride the Knight Bus," Kane admitted awkwardly.
Harry reflexively felt his pockets. "It's fine, I... I left all my Galleons at Hogwarts!"
"......"
"Heh!"
"Heh!"
It was proof that when life becos truly absurd, the only rational response is to laugh.
The Next Day...
Kane and Harry climbed off a Muggle bus, their backs aching. They didn't have Galleons, but they had plenty of British Pounds.
They had arrived in Little Hangleton, a quiet, desolate village. Harry started looking around for a bed-and-breakfast or a small inn. Kane, however, pulled a shovel from his pocket and locked his sights on the abandoned church in the center of the village.
Harry, mid-search for a hotel, saw Kane shouldering the shovel and marching toward the graveyard. It took exactly one second for him to realize what was happening.
"Kane?"
"Kane!"
"Stop! Grave robbing is a cri!"
Cr-rack!
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