Harry didn't enjoy the attention, especially when everyone who knew his name wanted a look at the scar on his forehead. It made him feel like an animal at the zoo.
But he didn't have the nerve to refuse. Besides, letting people see it might help him get along with them more quickly.
So when he noticed Ron staring at his forehead, eyes flickering with curiosity, Harry simply brushed his hair aside to let him look.
"Merlin's socks..." Ron couldn't help exclaiming, eyes still fixed on the scar, making Harry flush with embarrassment.
Vaughn smacked him on the head with his wand.
"Ow! What was that for?" Ron yelped, clutching his head.
"Because you're being rude."
"I... I was just curious..." Ron mumbled and turned toward the window in embarrassment.
Harry sat down beside him awkwardly, his gaze darting around without a place to land—until it settled on the wand in Vaughn's hand.
After being helped twice by the Weasley family today, Harry had already developed a good impression of them. The nervousness in his chest finally started to ease. He stared at the wand for a moment, then couldn't help but ask:
"Um, Vaughn... Can I call you Vaughn?"
Vaughn, who was combing Hexby's fur, nodded. "Of course, Harry."
"What you used just now, that spell...?"
"The Levitation Charm," Vaughn explained. "A basic spell. It makes objects float. It's in our first-year textbooks."
"That's amazing..." Harry's green eyes lit up, then dimmed slightly. "I tried for a whole month and still couldn't learn a single thing."
Vaughn didn't seem fazed. "I've been practicing spells at home since I was eight. You grew up in the Muggle world, Harry. Don't compare yourself to me. Lots of first-years from Muggle families are the same."
What Vaughn didn't mention was that he had mastered the Levitation Charm after reciting it just twice. There was no point in showing off in front of kids.
Harry felt a bit better. With the prospect of a new school looming, he'd been anxious about falling behind. Just then, he realized he'd ignored Ron. Hoping to draw him in and get closer, Harry shifted the topic:
"Ron, you must know a ton of spells, right?"
Ron: "..."
Harry watched as Ron's face turned red and he hesitated, unable to answer. Vaughn chuckled from the opposite seat. That's when Harry realized—he'd just put his foot in his mouth.
What an awkward moment! Thankfully, the compartment door slid open again, and a cheerful woman with dimples smiled at them.
"Anything off the trolley, dears?" She was pushing a cart overflowing with treats.
Harry sprang to his feet. He'd never made friends before and didn't know how to connect with kids his age, but buying snacks for them seemed like a good place to start.
And this time, he actually had money!
When he returned, his arms were piled with sweets. As he emptied them onto the seat, Ron's attention was immediately caught.
"Come on, help me out—I can't finish all of this alone."
Ron hesitated. "Mum packed sandwiches..."
But Vaughn had already grabbed a pumpkin pie and unwrapped it with a grin. He wasn't the type to act shy—he could always return the favor later.
Seeing Vaughn eat, Ron finally reached for a piece too, eating with growing enthusiasm. Harry was thrilled. In eleven years, he'd never shared anything with anyone. He'd had nothing to share, and no one to share it with.
This... this felt wonderful!
Harry and Ron chatted excitedly as they snacked, talking about Chocolate Frog cards and Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans. Vaughn chimed in occasionally, but mostly he just smiled, letting his thoughts wander.
In his last life, he'd often wondered—given how Harry had grown up, what kind of person would he have become without Ron or Hermione?
The answer was easy to guess: He would've either been spoiled by fame and turned into a hollow, self-centered celebrity...Or he would have followed in Voldemort's footsteps.
But those were just hypotheticals. Reality was: Harry had boarded this train to Hogwarts. And at this pivotal moment in his life, he had met two friends who would become family, filling the empty spaces in his heart with love.
Dumbledore always said that love was the greatest power.
But in Vaughn's eyes...Fate was even more awe-inspiring.
He longed to grasp it with his own hands.
Fingers absently stroking his wand, Vaughn turned to the window. The train had just left the last stretch of neat farmland behind. Now, the land outside grew wild—mountains in shadow, scattered forests, and winding rivers snaked across the earth.
Time passed. Then the door of the compartment slid open again, and a round-faced boy appeared, eyes red with tears.
"Excuse me... have you seen a toad? His name's Trevor, and I lost him."
Harry and Ron shook their heads, confused.
"I'll help you look!" Vaughn stood up. "Come on, Hexby—let's find him."
Hexby jumped off the table and padded after him.
The round-faced boy sniffled in gratitude. "Thank you, thank you. I'm Neville. Neville Longbottom."
"No problem. Just call me Vaughn." Of course, Vaughn wasn't actually feeling that charitable—he just wanted an excuse to walk around.
And leave Ron and Harry alone to bond.
As Vaughn and Neville disappeared, Harry sighed. "Ron, your brother is amazing."
Ron made a face like a wrinkled frown. "He is not! He's scared me half to death since we were kids. Fred and George are just as bad!"
Harry didn't seem bothered. "Still, he's your brother. That's just teasing. Look how nice he was to me—and that Neville guy. Before today, I thought all older boys were like Dudley."
Earlier, Harry had told Ron all about Dudley—the oversized bully Harry likened to a demon.
Compared to that, Ron had to admit, Vaughn seemed practically angelic. He couldn't help bragging a little.
"...Okay, maybe he's not that bad. Actually, he's good at everything—he could brew potions when he was eight. Everyone knows who he is. He's a genius."
"And he makes the most money in our family. See this wand? He bought it for me."
Harry glanced at Ron, who held his wand like a treasure, and felt a deep pang of envy. No one had ever given him a gift like that.
Meanwhile, Vaughn—unaware his brother was singing his praises—had quickly found Trevor with Hexby's help, then sent the tearful, grateful Neville on his way.
Just as he was about to turn back, someone called out to him.
"Vaughn... Weasley?" He turned to see Hermione Granger not far off, her bushy hair a mess and her eyes shining as she stared at him.