42

Twentieth of December, Morning, Neighborhood of Hogwarts, Hogsmeade.

 White flakes fell from the sky. This flow was so great that it seemed that you could stretch out your hand and not notice it. Whiteness covered my eyes. Everywhere you looked, there were snowflakes. They danced their own dance, known only to them. Each snowflake made one journey - from heaven to earth, the same as all others of its own kind. Having achieved it, they will receive a new, no less important goal. But an obstacle arose on the way of several of them - my warm palm, which they landed on. Once on it, their path stops. They failed to fulfill the purpose for which they were born, and no one will remember them as if they never existed. But there was not a single identical snowflake, each of them was special, individual, but alas. Their journey came to an end; they were never able to achieve their goal.

 It's the same with all people. Everyone is driven by their own specific goal, which is known only to themselves. Most of them are unable to achieve it. Someone leaves the race of their own free will, someone is intimidated, and they are forced to leave this road, and there are those who will forever remain on this path, never reaching the end.

 In contrast, there are those who achieve their goals. True, there are far fewer of them than the first ones. Some want to stop there, others want to be disappointed in their goals and ideals, but there are those who, having achieved one goal, immediately go to another. Perhaps to a more global one, or maybe not, but they do not stand still, but move forward.

 I wonder what kind of snowflake I am? The one that will be stopped or will I achieve my goal, or maybe even stay on this path forever? Still, we, people, and not only people, are not so different from these snowflakes. Yes, their term is much shorter than ours, but our term, compared to our world, is also not long.

 Shaking my head, throwing off the snow that had managed to accumulate on the top of my head, I drove away my philosophical thoughts.

 "Yes, if my mother were here, she would give me the first day for not wearing a hat," I grinned at my thought and headed into the train carriage.

 Yes, this morning we, that is, Hog's students, who did not want to stay in the castle for the holidays, are leaving for home. Within about an hour, the children took their seats in the carriages, although this happened so rapidly that I had no choice but to wait until they were seated. Somehow I don't want to participate in the crush, there's still enough room for me.

 I don't understand them, there are the same number of carriages as on the first of September, but on the contrary there are three times fewer children. Although I keep muttering and muttering, it's not cold for me outside in the snow, but it shouldn't be so pleasant for them. It's not May outside, after all.

 Having climbed into the carriage, dragging my things with Leviossa, I went in search of a free seat, although it would be better to say a compartment. I don't want to share a coupon with someone. Anything is better for one. After three minutes of wandering, one and a half carriages and looking into every compartment, luck smiled at me. The compartment was empty, no traces of people were found. This means this compartment will be my place of stay, all the way to London.

 Closing the door behind him and casting a spell on it, he settled comfortably into the compartment. Lapota, two hours on the road and I'm in London. By the way, an interesting fact: on the first of September it takes at least six hours to get to Hog, and a little more than two hours during the holidays. Why is this? Let the children get acquainted or find friends? Or something else? Unclear. Strange wizards, what else can I say.

 Sitting comfortably, I pulled out my metal training balls from my bag with a wave of my hand. Yes, in this form they are of little use, but if combined with meditation and training in mentalism, then this will serve as an extra brick in building the foundation of my power as a magician.

 A moment and all the balls took off. Some of them immediately rushed with incredible speed in different directions, making intricate turns, others, on the contrary, hung in one place, only spinning around their axis. The third began to change color, shape and even seemed to partially disappear. This is how I practice minor spells on these balls, getting my hands on, so to speak, magical manipulations. Yes, all of these spells are not strong, but each of them has a strictly measured amount of mana for its creation, others have an incredibly thin structure, which makes them very difficult to cast without a wand. In a word - a great workout for pumping up your brain and control.

 Oh yes, the balls that hang in one place are controlled using pure Psi. I'm still not very good at managing it, but I'm trying.

 So an hour passed on my way home. Control training is very important, it is one of the most important, if not the most important, aspect of a magician, by default. This is how I would have spent the whole way to London, if not for one thing, but.

 This obsessive knocking on the door has not stopped for ten minutes. Who is itching for at the moment? I'm already starting to regret that I didn't cast a spell of silence. Eh.

 Instantly, all the balls flew into the open neck of my bag. A surge of Mana and no one will say that they trained here for an hour in the art of magic, as well as in Psi control. Yes, perhaps these warnings are unnecessary, after all, the traces are insignificant, and who would need them on the train? But still, you never know.

 Getting up from my favorite place, as much as I didn't want to, I removed the spell and opened the door. And who could be behind her? However, looking at the fluffy hair, all questions immediately disappear.

 "You refused," she said to my face, this is the guardian of the rules. Moreover, in such a tone, as if I had handed over the whole world, and now I must, in revenge, forgive him from the greatest catastrophe.

 Brrrrr. I shuddered. I imagined it as if some kind of obsession flashed before my eyes. Fu-fu, I don't need that. For this purpose, Potter is with his friends, and I went out for a walk. I'll go back soon.

 "Hello to you too, Miss Granger," I responded politely to her rudeness. Maybe this at least somehow hints at her behavior, after all, she is not my friend, not a relative and, Merlin forbid, not a girl. - And why did you come to such a bad person like me? And they found it all over the train," I grinned slightly. - Let me clarify what exactly I refused you? "I don't remember anything like that," I pretended to be thoughtful, although I am perfectly aware of why she is here.

 "Stop talking, Wilson," she said, apparently she's not in a good mood at all, since small crafts infuriate her so much. A little more and right before your eyes it will mutate into a poisonous creature and begin to spit poison. "You understand everything, perhaps even more than you need." But this is not a reason to refuse! — she said it so emotionally, she even stamped her foot. A direct insult to the whole world.

 "Eh," I sighed tiredly. And he stepped aside, freeing the passage. "Come in once you've come, there's no point in standing in the aisle." We'll talk in the compartment.

 Having said this, I sat down in my seat, thereby setting an example. Hermione stood in the aisle for about twenty seconds, as if preparing for something, and then, shaking her mane of hair, she entered the compartment, closing the door behind her. While she was sitting down, I quietly cast a locking charm, as well as an anti-wiretapping charm. There is no need for anyone to listen to our conversations.

 - Well? — I started after a couple of minutes. Soon she will burn a hole in me with her fiery gaze. And it doesn't matter that she can't do that. At this rate he will soon learn.

 - What is "and"? — she answered, looking up. Apparently she was so far away in her thoughts.

 - Eh, how tired I am. - Why did you come? What do you need? What exactly did you refuse? - I answered. - Now it is clear?

 "R-r, don't make me angry," Granger growled threateningly, as she thought.

 - But the fact that? Bite me and I'll die from the poison? Are you going to scream? Will you complain to the professors? - He grinned.

 "Oh, shut up," she somehow backed down abruptly.

 "Okay, okay," the smile became even wider. True, the eyes are still as cold as always. - Well? - I repeated.

 "How annoying you are," she whispered under her breath. "You refused to help Neville, although he is your friend," the finger pointed at me accusingly.

 - Where did you get that from? - I clarified.

 "You didn't come to the library yesterday, although he trusted you with our secret," she said confidently.

 - I understand you, now tell me. Why on earth should I have come to your aid? — my voice seemed to convey an otherworldly coldness. Look, even Hermione shivered somehow.

 "But Neville is your friend, you have to help him," Granger said angrily.

 "Yes," I nodded my head. - He is my friend…

 - You see, I'm right.

 "But this doesn't apply to him, because you needed help, not him," I finished, not paying attention to Hermione's statement.

 - But…

 "No, but," I said firmly. "I gave Neville all the help I could, and he understood me, but I don't care about you." I already conveyed my words to you along with Neville. Didn't he tell you? — raised an eyebrow questioningly in Snape style.

 "Don't you understand," she started shouting. — Snape wants to steal the philosopher's stone. He almost killed Harry - a little more and her scream will turn into ultrasound, and her ears are already starting to ache. - Listen, finally.

 "Now shut up and listen to me," with a wave of my wand I cast a spell of silence on her. - First, Snape could not have attempted to kill Potter; he entered into a contract with the director. At least one such attempt and Director Dumbledore finds out about it, he will have to put pressure on the Director, maybe at least this way she will listen. After all, his image is firmly in her head. - Second - the philosopher's stone? Are you seriously? Who in their right mind would give away the thing that gives, for a moment, Immortality? Come to think of it, you're not a stupid girl, Granger.

 Having lifted the spell, I stared out the window. While I contemplated the passing landscape, Hermione was thinking hard. Thoughts were racing through her head at such a speed that it seemed just a little longer and she would explode. Her hand kept squeezing her wand, so I didn't move mine far away. Yes, small spells have a bad effect on me because of the magical aura, but you never know how much it can do on emotions. You'll figure out what happens. And the consequences will have to be dealt with.

 "I saw with my own eyes how Snape whispered a spell during the match, while not taking his eyes off the broom. "I read what is necessary for wandless magic," she said slightly crumpled, but in the end confidently.

 - Yes of course. That's what he was trying to kill," the sarcasm poured out of me. — Couldn't the thought come into your, let's say, "limited" heads that Snape was trying to save Poster? No? - Looking at her face, I continued. "For some reason I thought so."

 - But...

 - Merlin, but, but, but. "Yes, as much as possible," I begged. - Let me guess. Did you suspect the professor because he is the head of Slythern? Slytherin himself? Strict towards Gryffindor? Dungeon horror, right? — Having received a small nod in response, he continued. "You see, everything turned out to be much simpler."

 "But he threatened Professor Quirel." He was wounded by Fluffy, and besides, when I set his robe on fire, the broom calmed down.

 - What did you do? - I asked again.

 "I set my robe on fire," she said quietly, blushing.

"Well, you're fearless, just right for the house of Lviv," I said nothing about the lack of brains and sense of self-preservation. "You couldn't think that the professor, on the contrary, was protecting the stone, and the dog just went crazy?" Threatened the professor? Why do you think so? And about the mantle it's quite simple," he continued. "It's quite possible that when you set fire to the robe, it distracted the culprit," I finished my explanation.

 We fell silent. Hermione somehow drooped and stared at her feet. I stared out the window again.

 "My advice to you," I began again. - You don't need this. The director has everything under control. He wouldn't leave a stone, if it was a stone, unattended. I hope you will understand me and will not get into a fever.

 I fell silent again, while continuing to look out the window. About five minutes later, Gerimona left the compartment without saying goodbye. Well, okay, I hope at least something stuck in her head.

 I didn't have the mood or time for further training. We were already driving through the London suburbs at fairly high speed. Perhaps we should change clothes.

 After about fifteen minutes, the train began to slow down. After another three minutes, he stopped completely. Children poured out of the carriages en masse. Someone was met on the platform and they immediately apparated home. Some were walking to the Muggle part through the column, while others were saying goodbye to their friends. I grabbed my things and headed to the exit from the magic part.

 Having left the Muggle part of the station, I headed towards its exit. My father should be waiting for me in the parking lot, and my mother should be with him. However, I had to walk for a long time, right at the door that led to the exit, I noticed my father and mother.

 Father, as always, was neat and strictly dressed, but mother looked like a flower, just as beautiful. The truth is in the fur coat, but this did not diminish her beauty at all.

 They stood and looked out for me, but had not noticed me yet. Approaching them from behind, I made a slightly rude voice and said:

 - Mister, miss. Have you lost something?

 Turning towards my voice, my father froze, encountering my smile. Mom was more emotional. Not even a second passed before I was caught in her tight embrace.

 - Oh, Calder. "I'm so glad to see you," she cried a little when she said this. Hugging her back, I said:

 - And I'm your mother. And I.

 Finally moving away from his stupor, my father came up to us and hugged us the same way, only this time it was the two of us.

 - Welcome back, son.

 After standing like that for several minutes, I finally said:

 - Maybe finally let me go, no? Otherwise people are watching, and crush me so soon.

 Heeding my words, they let me go and the whole family went to the car. Fifteen minutes later we were driving in the car, talking about nothing. Important topics will wait for our arrival home

 Two hours later we were home. Mom went to the kitchen to heat up dinner. Dad drove the car into the garage; he didn't need to go to work. He took a couple of days off.

 I went into my room. Nothing has changed here, everything is the same as before. It is obvious that my mother cleaned here often. In half an hour I changed clothes, laid out my things and went downstairs.

 When I went down, I saw a picture that was so dear to my heart: my mother and father were sitting at the table in the dining room, passing the time by talking while waiting for me. Out of habit, having looked around the room with magical vision, I froze in place.

 Noticing something, the father asked excitedly:

 - Did something happen, son?

 Finally getting over the shock, I asked my parents:

 - And why didn't you tell me that mom was pregnant?

 Having fallen silent, they looked at each other and immediately hesitated.

 "We wanted to make a surprise," my mother said barely audibly, and my father nodded in confirmation.

 "Congratulations, you did it," I replied.

 - Are not you angry? - Mom asked, raising her head.

 - For what? — I didn't understand their question.

 "Because we hid the fact of your mother's pregnancy from you," the father answered.

 - Why did it happen? - I asked. - No, I'm happy for you.

 Hearing the answer, and also seeing my smile, they somehow perked up. The atmosphere is at once more joyful and happy.

 This is how the day passed in the Wilson Family House. It seems like I left recently, but it feels like I've been gone for several years. You need to appreciate moments like this with your family.