Lucas Cutter: Hogwarts Mystery; Year 3

Year 3; Chapter 1: Help! My Mandrake's a Werewolf!

(Author's note: the title Is a reference to one of the Gravity Falls Credit scenes)

The summer sun beat down on my neck as I lounged in the backyard, flipping through the pages of the "Fright of the scarecrow" Batman comic. Music buzzed from my trusty Walkman, the familiar chords a comforting backdrop to the chirping of crickets and the distant rumble of a lawnmower.

Unlike the action-packed stories unfolding on the comic panels, my summer had been blissfully uneventful. Just me, my mum, my comics, and the daily letters I got from my friends.

But all that was about to change. September first loomed, a date that meant more than just the end of lazy summer days. It meant Hogwarts, third year, Hogsmeade, and a whole new stack of textbooks to conquer. Care of Magical Creatures, Professor Kettleburn's domain, promised exciting (and possibly dangerous) encounters with fantastic beasts. And Muggle Studies, a choice that raised a few eyebrows at home, sparked a different kind of intrigue. After all, how could understanding the non-magical world ever be a bad thing?

On August 13, Diagon Alley awaited, a whirlwind of shops and scents that always managed to stir a pot of magic within me. Flourish and Blotts, my first stop, was already bustling with students eager to replenish their libraries. As I pushed through the heavy oak doors, a familiar scene unfolded - towering shelves overflowing with books, the smell of parchment and ink thick in the air.

And then I saw them. Penny, her sunny smile brighter than ever, practically vibrating with excitement. Rowan, his usual bookish demeanor momentarily replaced by a look of surprise as our eyes met. "Hey, guys!" I boomed, my voice echoing slightly in the cavernous bookstore.

Penny's smile widened as she launched herself towards me, her embrace warm and genuine. "Lucas!" she exclaimed, the sound laced with relief and joy.

Rowan chuckled, offering a friendly fist bump. "Hey, bud. Haven't seen you since your birthday. Good rest of your summer?"
I grinned, the warmth of their welcome spreading through me. "Uneventful, mostly," I admitted, "But uneventful in a good way. You guys?"

"Same. such a shame we couldn't spend more time together since your birthday." Penny apologized.

"That's alright, Penny; though my mum has said that you two are welcome to come anytime."
"I know, it's just my dad's a bit...overprotective of me ever since..." Penny trailed off.

"Since when, Penny?" I asked, concerned.

"It's nothing." Penny quickly said, brushing the topic off.

(Yes I am including THAT Penny side quest, gonna be its own chapter, I honestly hate that Jam City got rid of it.)

"Alright." I said, though still a bit concerned. "Anyways, you two getting your books for the new school year?" I asked.

"Yep. I've already got My books for arithmancy And care of Magical Creatures." Rowan chuckled.

"Darn, I'm taking muggle studies in addition to care of Magical Creatures." I sighed.

"Hey don't feel too bad Lucas. I'm taking the same thing." Penny smiled.

"Wait, aren't you both Half-bloods?" Rowan asked, curiously.

"We are, but the class sounds Really interesting and kind of fun." Penny smiled, pulling out two Muggle Studies textbooks from the shelf.

"I hear Professor Allen is a very exciting teacher, at least from what Bill told me. Who knows, maybe I can show off my Walkman to her." I chuckled.

"That would be fun." Penny smiled as she placed one of the textbooks into my cauldron. "Plus I love the music selection you have there."