Time passed day by day, and soon, Kai Adler had been living in the quiet London suburb for half a month.
It was another early morning. Dressed smartly, he stepped out with his suitcase—enchanted with an Undetectable Extension Charm—containing all his belongings.
Just as he locked the door behind him, the door next to his opened as well. Hermione emerged with her parents, all packed and ready.
Kai walked over naturally and took Hermione's suitcase from her hands.
"Shall we?"
"Let's go."
Today was the day the Hogwarts Express would depart.
At the bustling King's Cross Station, Kai paused in front of a bare brick wall, raising a skeptical brow.
"So… we're supposed to run into this wall?"
He pressed his hand against it, feeling only cold, solid stone.
"Relax," Hermione said, tugging him back. "You think I'd lie about this?"
She sounded so confident it was almost smug.
"That's how I got in last year. Works like a charm."
"If you say so."
It wasn't that Kai didn't believe her—it was just that this method struck him as absurd. Wasn't the Wizarding World supposed to be secretive? So why have the entrance hidden in the middle of a busy Muggle train station?
He glanced around and noticed a few robed figures lingering nearby, clearly ready to intervene if a Muggle got too close. A quick Memory Charm, and the breach would be forgotten.
Still… wouldn't it make more sense to just build the platform somewhere discreet? The Ministry of Magic had the budget to assign Aurors here every year, but not to invest in more sensible infrastructure?
First, child traffickers operating freely within Muggle circles—targeting magical children—and now this outdated entrance system. The Ministry was rapidly losing credibility in Kai's eyes.
Especially the Minister. Clearly incompetent.
His Hogwarts journey began with Hermione grabbing his arm and pulling him straight into a wall. He wore the expression of a man resigned to nonsense.
They boarded the train without issue. Mrs. Granger reached for Kai's hand as he stepped up.
"Take care of Hermione at school, won't you?"
"Mum!" Hermione huffed. "He's younger than me, and it's his first year. If anything, I should be looking after him!"
Kai and Mrs. Granger exchanged a smile. He nodded calmly.
"I'll make sure she's alright."
"Well then, I can rest easy leaving her with you."
She patted his hand fondly, already taking a liking to the polite young man.
Kai felt his chest settle with a faint sense of comfort.
"Mum~!" Hermione whined in protest.
"Alright, alright," Mrs. Granger chuckled. "I'll stop."
As the train pulled out of the station, Hermione waved frantically at her parents. Kai, holding her steady to keep her from tipping over, said nothing. He stood quietly, content to observe.
Then Hermione turned to him, seemingly struck by a thought. She reached out and gently took his hand.
"You can think of my parents as yours too, if you want."
Kai blinked, taken aback by her sudden earnestness.
She was looking at him with clear, honest eyes. No hidden motive, just warmth and care.
In truth, he had been alone for a long time. Ever since waking in this strange world, the only companion he'd had for five years was the old man who'd raised him in seclusion. No friends, no family.
Back on the platform, he'd noticed how the other young witches and wizards were surrounded by loved ones. The Weasleys especially—a chaotic, affectionate crowd full of warmth.
Hermione's smile reached him in a way few things had.
To think of her parents as his…
He looked at her hand in his, then into her eyes again.
She didn't understand the weight of what she was offering. Not fully.
But still—he smiled softly.
"Alright."
Their eyes met. For a moment, the train seemed to quiet around them.
They soon found an empty compartment and settled in. But before long, the door burst open.
Fiery red hair gave the girl away.
It was Ginny Weasley—whom they had met briefly in Diagon Alley. She looked flustered but managed a polite greeting.
"Hermione! Have you seen Harry or my brother?"
Hermione blinked. "No. Why?"
Ginny's eyes were wide with worry. "I've searched the whole train. I can't find them. Did they miss the train?!"
Hermione paled slightly, while Kai stayed composed.
"You all came together, didn't you? Harry was staying at your house."
Ginny nodded quickly. "We were running late this morning. They were behind us when we crossed through the platform, but once we boarded, we realized they were missing!"
Kai resisted the urge to sigh. The chaos of large families…
Hermione took Ginny's hand and pulled her into a seat. "Calm down. If they missed the train, your mum will realize and get them to school somehow."
Kai took out a compact tea set from his suitcase and began preparing tea.
"At worst, they'll arrive late," he said mildly. "I doubt Professor Dumbledore would expel the Boy Who Lived over a missed train."
"Expelled?!"
Ginny's eyes filled with fresh panic.
Kai blinked innocently, while Hermione shot him a glare.
"Don't listen to him. He's being dramatic. They'll be fine. Your mum's resourceful—she'll figure something out."
Kai returned shortly with two cups of tea. He handed them over with a dignified smile.
"Try this. I added a little milk—it helps with nerves."
Hermione didn't even glance at him, just took the cup and sipped without hesitation. Ginny accepted hers with a quiet thank-you.
"This is delicious."
Kai gave her a small nod. "It's a blend I brought from Germany. Calms the nerves."
Hermione, still glaring sideways at him, muttered, "He's average at most things, but his tea is decent."
Kai's expression didn't change. "Indeed."
Hermione rolled her eyes. Again.
Ginny, watching the two, couldn't help but smile.
"You two really get along."
Kai looked at Hermione. "Do we?"
Hermione smirked and tilted her chin proudly. "Sort of."
As the train rumbled forward, Hermione chatted to Ginny nonstop, trying to ease her nerves. Kai read in silence, occasionally glancing up at the pair before sipping his tea, calm and composed.
Then, something shifted. His brow twitched.
He closed his book and leaned toward the window, narrowing his eyes.
Hermione noticed. "What is it?"
"Hmm? Oh. Just thought the sunlight was a bit strong."
He tugged the curtain closed casually.
Hermione shrugged and returned to talking with Ginny.
She didn't notice the mischievous glint in Kai's eyes—or the subtle movement of his fingers beneath his book.
A small, spiraling rune drawn into the air vanished with a flick.
Far above the Hogwarts Express, a flying blue car spun out of control.
Inside, Harry Potter clung to the edge of the door, legs flailing in open air.
"Harry!!!" Ron screamed from inside the car.
Just as Harry's grip began to slip, an invisible force shoved him back into the car. The door slammed shut, and the entire vehicle lurched like a rocket, shooting straight toward the horizon.
Inside, Harry and Ron bounced wildly, shouting as the car barreled off toward Hogwarts.
Back on the train, Kai calmly withdrew his hand, picked up his tea, and resumed reading.
Good deeds didn't always need to be seen.