Hogwarts Legacy: The Dark Veins In Time

In One's Cups

Y/N POV

We arrived at Blackpool North Station in less than two hours after the Red-Devil Phantom's failed attempt to take over the Hogwarts Express. Some sort of word must have been sent forward as we arrived to a platform full of what had to have been every Ministry officer in the area eager to take our two captives into official custody. They gave us strict instructions to de-board, leaving all belongings behind so they could be searched alongside every nook and cranny of the train for any possible threats that could remain. I had come to overhear one of the officers say that the only way they could have gained access to the train after it had started it's journey was for someone to break the protective charm placed over it from the inside and allowed them in.

Leander Prewett and Andrew Larson.. what were they possibly thinking doing such a dangerous thing and endangering everyone like that?

The more I thought about it the more nauseated I felt going through all the possible ways that nightmare could have ended - from the idea that they would have simply held all of us hostage for some King's ransom to the aching thought of the Killing Curse striking Garreth, having him fall dead into my arms. Just as I witnessed the life rapidly drain from Solomon Sallow's face I pictured the same with Garreth, with his sparkling green eyes going dark and vacant, his constant smile to never be seen again.

The sound of his voice missing from the echos of Hogwarts' halls, no more spinning hugs in the air or failed potion experiments exploding during class..

Sebastian had requested we keep the secret of the two traitors between us - to confront them by our own means instead of turning them in to the Ministry. We no longer had the signature Red-Devil mask in our possession as evidence anyway, but we had the personal advantage in Leander knowing that Sebastian knew.

"They have a reason, Y/N - I know it. They need our brand of help, the kind that only us and Price and Sharp can give them without damning them to Azkaban." He had said to me just moments before we left the train when I had all intentions of turning them in to the first officer I saw on the platform after what nearly happened to Garreth. His demeanor had definitely softened a bit back to normal compared to earlier when we met in the luggage car and even though I was still struggling to lock back up the memory of the catacomb I agreed to his madness of giving our 'friends' the chance to explain themselves.

Meanwhile the story of what happened on the train spread rapidly, slightly changing as it bounced from compartment to compartment, mouth to ear. From what began as Sebastian and I stumbling on the Red-Devils and dispatching them quietly now turned into a gallant tale of Sebastian and Garreth rescuing Leander and Andrew from certain death at the hands of the Red-Devils before battling at least a dozen of them throughout the passenger cars to reach the head of the engine where they were nearly killed in a grand final battle for control over the train.

As we exited onto the platform Sebastian and Garreth were met with a sea of gratitude from the Ministry officers and the entire student body - especially the female half that were now swarming the two of them sat on a bench, asking ridiculous questions pertaining to what it felt like to be heroes. More so fawning over Sebastian who was injured before, but now the presence of his sling made him seem even more courageous in his actions. I wondered how he felt since Roland had taken to torturing his injury further and I swore I heard some sort of snapping sound - but Sebastian was his usual self, hiding his pain as much as he could in the face of others and I'm sure the extra attention was helping.

Ominis stood beside me and Poppy with our arms entwined alongside Samantha, Imelda and Nerida. Nellie had left us almost immediately once the crowd of adoration began for the two heroes of the evening to join in on the swooning and as time ticked by it was becoming more obvious that Imelda and Nerida were waiting for an excuse to join them.