Chapter 129: Capturing Two Little Lolis

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The joyous holiday came to an end on the second day of the Diagon Alley trip. Just like last year, the Dursleys took Harry to King's Cross Station, where they watched him disappear between platforms nine and ten.

The scarlet steam engine whistled as Harry arrived just in time. His near-miss was partly because Aunt Petunia had packed him an excessive amount of food and, by sheer misfortune, they had encountered a protest on the streets of London.

After being held up for over half an hour, an increasingly irate Harry finally got out of the car, ripped off his shirt, revealing his intimidating muscles, and grabbed the leader of the protest, tossing him several meters away. The crowd of protesters quickly cleared a path, allowing traffic to resume.

Violence may not always be the best solution, but sometimes it is the most effective, as Harry proved that day.

"Such a shame about the shirt. Aunt Petunia bought it for me just yesterday," he muttered.

Carrying a dragon-skin backpack, Harry wandered through the moving train, looking for an empty compartment. Arriving late had its disadvantages, but he wasn't too disheveled, having left his trunk behind.

He strolled down the corridor, but every compartment he passed was full. Just as he considered turning back to squeeze in with Neville, Ron, or Justin, he spotted a compartment with only two occupants.

Harry paused, hesitating slightly. Inside were two girls he didn't recognize—they looked like first-years. They were, to be honest, adorably small.

One girl had bright red hair, a sprinkling of freckles, and cheeks still touched with a hint of baby fat—a budding beauty. Across from her sat a girl with light, platinum-blonde hair. She was engrossed in a magazine, with an unusual earring dangling from her ear—a miniature carrot the size of a thumb, adding a touch of quirky charm.

Harry wasn't shy; his skin might not be as thick as a castle wall, but he could handle himself. He could plaster one layer of "skin" on top of the other, shameless if he had to be. Though he wasn't one to flaunt his chaotic, mischievous nature, he was mindful not to scare these new, innocent first-years. After all, he was aware of his intimidating presence, and scaring children wasn't on his agenda.

But Harry's build cast a shadow in the corridor, momentarily blocking the light. Two curious gazes turned toward him, meeting his through the glass. To his surprise, neither girl looked frightened. Instead, the red-haired girl shot up, eyes sparkling at him, but her gaze lasted only a second before she flushed, shrinking back like a startled rabbit. She hugged her knees, her face hidden, her flustered reaction almost visible in a puff of imaginary steam.

Amused by the scene, Harry grinned, knocking gently before opening the compartment door.

"I got on the train a bit late—mind if I sit here?"

It was like the big, bad wolf politely greeting Little Red Riding Hood, except this wolf wore a brand-new jacket and offered a courteous smile.

"Sure!" said the girl with the carrot earring, her gaze filled with curiosity rather than shyness. Her clear silver eyes, reminiscent of two full moons, seemed to see straight through him.

"You can sit here, big guy," she said, sliding over to sit beside the red-haired girl and making room for Harry.

"Big guy, huh?"

The playful nickname made Harry chuckle. This girl was definitely interesting—more so than many he'd met.

"Yep! You're huge! I've never seen anyone like you before," she replied with a grin.

When she set down the magazine, Harry realized she'd been reading it upside down. This peculiar habit only added to her sense of mystery.

Yes, "peculiar" wasn't the right word. In Harry's view, she was truly "remarkable"—from the way she spoke to everything about her presence.

"Wouldn't 'strong' be a better description?"

Closing the compartment door, Harry took his seat, setting down his backpack and lifting out Hedwig's cage.

After being cooped up for so long, Hedwig gave her wings a good stretch before deftly nudging open the cage door with her beak, hopping proudly onto Harry's lap.

"Hoot~"

With a haughty tilt of her head, she accepted a crispy mouse snack offered to her.

"Harry Potter. Nice to meet you both. I'm guessing you're first-years? Welcome to Hogwarts."

"Did you punch the Dark Lord when you beat him the first time?" the carrot-eared girl asked without missing a beat.

"Well, I'd like to someday," Harry chuckled. "But back then, I held back a bit. If I knocked him out with one punch, the fun would have been over too quickly."

"Oh, that must've been exciting," she replied, clearly intrigued. "But, you know, most wizards can't handle the Dark Lord. You'll have to be careful."

"No worries. We crossed paths once last year, but I was a bit weak then. Once I master apparition and anti-apparition charms, I'll be able to close the gap instantly—and give him a solid punch in the head."

"So, the Dark Lord's a troll?" the redhead asked, eyes wide with revelation. "That's incredible! I thought he was supposed to be a pureblood. Loads of pureblood wizards followed him back then."

"No, no, Voldemort is a half-blood. His father was a Muggle."

"So... his mother was a troll? I've heard of half-blood creatures in Africa—could his mother have been an African witch?"

"She was actually a descendent of Slytherin, from the Gaunt family."

"The troll bit?"

"That's because of dark magic. It messed with his head. But next time I see him, he might look a bit different—like, maybe missing a nose."

"Oh." The little redhead gave a disappointed sigh. "I was hoping to see what a troll actually looked like."

"By the way, I'm Luna. Luna Lovegood."

She offered Harry a small hand, her face lighting up with a clear, warm smile, clearly delighted by the conversation.

Meanwhile, the red-haired girl who had been hugging her knees, blushing deeply, now had her mouth open in shock.

'What on earth did I just hear?!'

'Oh, Merlin, please let this be a dream!'

"Ginny, Ginny."

Luna nudged her. "Didn't you tell me Harry Potter was your favorite? And here he is, right in front of you."

"I-I… That's not… I didn't…!" Ginny stammered, her face turning crimson as she lunged to cover Luna's mouth. She wanted nothing more than to sink into the ground at that moment. It felt as if her whole future was flashing before her eyes in shades of pure embarrassment.

Harry's voice, however, pulled her back to reality.

"Ah, so you're Fred and George's sister? Nice to meet you, Ginny. Your brothers have told me about you—they didn't mention you'd be even cuter than they said."

"Here, a little something for you both."

During his time on the island, Harry had gathered plenty of materials and brewed various potions. Some items that couldn't be used for potions he fashioned into trinkets. One of his most unique finds had been a group of fire crabs that resembled giant tortoises. After a barbecue feast, he kept the shells, decorating them with sparkling gems.

He handed over two bracelets—one with a red ruby and one with a moonstone, which just happened to match the girls' hair colors.

"Take these as gifts from an 'older brother' to his little sisters. No need to be shy."

(End of Chapter)