Lupin hurriedly got out of the car, bag in hand, and stared wide-eyed at a sea of red hair.
"Arthur?"
Arthur looked at Lupin as if he could hardly believe his eyes. After a moment's hesitation, he said, "Lupin?"
He looked the man in front of him up and down.
His slicked-back hair was so perfectly styled that not a strand was out of place. His face was fair, his scars healed, and his mustache neatly trimmed. He wore a perfectly tailored three-piece suit beneath a fine-looking trench coat, and held a cane topped with a golden lion's head.
A faint scent of cologne lingered around him.
Of course, his appearance wasn't the biggest change. The biggest change was the man himself.
He looked so strong, energetic, and radiant!
If they hadn't been at King's Cross Station, but somewhere else, Arthur could hardly have believed this was Lupin.
In his memory, Lupin had been almost the very picture of gloom, scruffiness, and world-weariness. But now—well, this might sound strange even to Arthur himself, but Lupin looked more like Lucius than Lucius did.
"Mo... Molly, do you see that? Lupin?" Arthur looked as if he were saying, "Honey, come look at God!"
Lupin burst out laughing and pulled Arthur into a tight hug.
"It's so good to see you!"
They let go, and Arthur stared wide-eyed at Lupin, looking him up and down as if he couldn't believe his eyes.
"It's been twelve years. I've been worried about you this whole time." Tears welled in Arthur's eyes. He thumped Lupin hard on the shoulder. "You just left like that and never got in touch!"
As he spoke, he pulled Lupin into another tight hug.
Lupin smiled, his expression complicated, but didn't explain.
"Have you all been well?"
Molly held Ron in