(11) Playing With Peter Pettigrew

"Give her a name, Harry," Ian said as he took the little green snake out of the glass case and placed it in Harry's palm.

Harry looked at the small snake flicking its tongue in front of him and smiled. "Let's call her Seraphina."

"Seraphina..." Ian repeated the name, then smiled at Harry. "That's a great name, Harry."

Harry smiled and gently stroked Seraphina's head.

The little snake seemed to like the name as well, nudging Harry's palm lightly with her head.

"Harry, have you thought about which house you'd like to be in?" Hermione, seated beside Ian, suddenly asked.

The little girl had live with Ian and was not the same bushy bimbo from the canon after all.

"Um.." Harry scratched his head. "Ron said Professor Dumbledore was in Gryffindor, and Gryffindor is the best house, so..."

"But all four houses are essentially the same," Hermione said earnestly.

Harry shrank his neck slightly, feeling that this "future sister-in-law" seemed like a rather serious girl.

"Gryffindor is definitely the best," Ron interjected with a huff. "In fact, as long as it's not Slytherin, any house is fine."

"Why? What's with Slytherni?" Harry asked curiously.

Ron glanced around, then lowered his voice. "Because You-Know-Who was in Slytherin, and all the bad wizards came from Slytherin."

Hearing the words "You-Know-Who," Harry instinctively clenched his fists.

Ian noticed Harry's small gesture and reached out to hold his hand. "Harry."

Harry looked into Ian's green eyes, so similar to his own, and felt the unease in his heart gradually dissipate.

Ron glanced at the two brothers, who were clearly sharing a heartfelt moment, and silently swallowed the words he had intended to say.

He was about to mention that Slytherin's most iconic symbol was a snake—a green snake, at that.

But looking at the atmosphere between Ian and Harry now…

Yeah, he decided to keep quiet.

"Um, have you guys tried any spells at home?" Ron quickly changed the subject, trying to ease the heavy mood. "I've tried a few, but…"

Before Ron could finish, Hermione chimed in. "Ian and I tried a few simple spells, and they all worked. What about you?"

Harry shook his head.

He hadn't touched his books at all recently, so how could he have tried any spells?

"Ha! Fred taught me a spell once," Ron said confidently, grabbing Scabbers, the rat that had been nibbling on his lap. "This is my rat, Scabbers. The spell can turn him yellow."

"Really?" Hermione asked curiously. "Can you show us?"

"Just a moment," Ron said, placing Scabbers on the table. He aimed his wand at the rat and chanted, "Sunshine, daisies, butter mellow, turn this stupid fat rat yellow!"

He waved his wand, but nothing happened.

"Eh?"

Scabbers remained gray, looking up at Ron with a blank expression, as if completely unaware of what was going on.

Ron scratched his head awkwardly. "Uh, maybe it's my wand that's the problem, or maybe the spell is just—"

Ian silently stared at the ugly rat. He didn't find rats pleasing and wasn't interested in them either. But this was a different case.

After all, that rat wasn't a real animal. It was an Animagus—none other than the despicable old man, Peter Pettigrew, the one indirectly responsible for his parents' deaths.

If he messed with him a bit now, it wouldn't hurt, right? Consider it a little interest collected on behalf of Lily and James.

Ian thought maliciously.

Taking out his wand, he pointed it at the rat and cast a simple Levitation Charm.

"Wingardium Leviosa."

Scabbers—or rather, Peter Pettigrew—suddenly floated into the air, flailing his limbs wildly in a ridiculous manner.

"Wow! Cool!" Ron exclaimed, his eyes wide as he stared at the floating rat. "Ian, you already mastered the Levitation Charm?"

Hermione and Harry, on the other hand, looked at Ian with pride written all over their faces, as if they were the ones being praised.

"It's nothing, just a simple Levitation Charm," Ian said humbly, though the smile on his face betrayed the satisfaction he felt inside.

Hermione also pulled out her wand, pointing it at Harry with a serious and focused expression. "I've learned a small spell too."

Harry swallowed nervously, freezing in place. "Wh-what spell?"

"Reparo," Hermione murmured, her wand emitting a soft glow that enveloped Harry's glasses.

The crack in Harry's glasses slowly mended itself under Hermione's spell.

"Oh! My goodness!" Harry exclaimed, taking off his glasses and examining them carefully. "They're fixed! Thank you, Hermione!"

Hermione blushed slightly and smiled. "It's nothing, really. This spell is very simple."

After the little spell-casting demonstration, the four of them continued chatting for a while.

It wasn't until the train was about to reach its destination that Hermione finally managed to "reclaim her boyfriend" from Harry's grasp.

"We're almost there. We should change into our robes," Hermione said, standing up and pulling Ian to his feet. She smiled at Harry and Ron. "See you in a bit, Harry, Ron."

"See you later, Ian, Hermione," Harry and Ron said, also getting up to change into their robes after the two had left.

Hermione pulled Ian back to their original compartment, and Ian quickly noticed that the young witch seemed a little unhappy.

"What's wrong, Hermione?"

Ian asked, reaching out to pinch her cheek gently. "Did I say something wrong?"

Hermione pursed her lips before suddenly throwing herself into Ian's arms. "Ian, will you leave one day? Will you go live with Harry at your aunt's house? I don't want you to leave, Ian."

Ian froze for a moment, then chuckled softly, hugging Hermione back. "I won't, Hermione. I'll never leave you, and I'll never go live at my aunt's house."

"I promise," Ian said, lowering his head to kiss Hermione's forehead. "Ian Potter will never leave Hermione Granger."

"Really?" Hermione lifted her head from Ian's chest, her tear-filled eyes looking up at him. "Do you really promise?"

"I promise," Ian said firmly, his words calming the little witch's tears.

After changing into their robes, the two of them walked out of the compartment hand in hand.

When the train arrived at the station, Ian and his group followed the crowd off the train. It wasn't long before they saw an enormous figure standing not far away.

He was exceptionally tall—at least twice the height of a normal person and five times as wide. He wore a gigantic moleskin coat, and his hair and beard were so tangled that they obscured most of his face.

His hands were the size of dustbin lids, and his feet, clad in leather boots, resembled small dolphins.

"First-year students! Over here!"

Harry's eyes lit up at the sight of Hagrid and, grabbing Ian's hand, rushed forward, leaving Hermione and Ron behind.

"Hagrid!"

Hermione gritted her teeth as she glared at Harry's back, her eyes metaphorically stabbing holes into him.

That annoying Savior! Always stealing Ian away! Did being an older brother make him so special?

Ron watched from the side and couldn't help shuddering.

Oh my god, Hermione's eyes are..

Too scary...!!!