End of Term

June 25th is the last day of this semester.

After packing their luggage, the students went to the Great Hall to attend the farewell banquet.

As in the original story, Harry Potter was not present at the dinner party. He was probably somewhere who caught up with the Nearly Headless Nick and asked Sirius Black about the possibility of him becoming Ghost.

The good news is that Dumbledore back.

Dumbledore had fully recovered. He sat in the faculty seat, talking quietly with Professor McGonagall and Hagrid, showing no outward signs of his past injuries. However, his expression was unusually serious, devoid of his usual signature smile and ease. Clearly, the Grindelwald incident and the devastating losses suffered by the Order of the Phoenix had instilled in him a profound sense of unease about the future for the first time.

At the Slytherin table, Sazerus and Cherry Moon were nowhere to be seen, while the long-absent Blaise Zabini returned in high spirits, beaming with joy, and talked at length about his romantic adventures in Castelobruxo.

Throughout the entire banquet, Skylar remained absent-minded, barely uttering a single word. His gaze was unfocused, as if his soul had drifted to a distant place, leaving his body merely an empty shell.

Apart from Daphne occasionally casting concerned glances, the others simply assumed that Skylar was worried about the current turmoil in the Britain wizarding world and did not pay much attention or react.

The next day, when the Hogwarts Express started moving, the compartment swayed briefly.

Skylar's fingers unconsciously tightened, his fingertips pressing against the glass, then quickly released, as if it were just an insignificant movement.

The scenery outside the window began to recede, the green grassy slopes and scattered tree shadows fragmented by the sunlight. He looked at it intently, yet it seemed as if he hadn't absorbed anything at all.

The sounds from inside the private room came out intermittently.

Draco and Pansy were discussing their holiday plans in hushed tones, deliberately lighthearted; Daphne occasionally responded, while Astoria leaned against her, quietly yawning. Cho Chang and Morrie sat on the other side, chatting about lighthearted topics after the exams, with Susan Bones occasionally chiming in, her laughter somewhat restrained.

Everything is normal.

It's so normal it leaves you feeling empty.

Skylar did not participate in any of the conversation. He simply sat there, back straight, composed, as if nothing had changed.

Only he knew that the hollow feeling hadn't dissipated.

"Skylar," Draco suddenly spoke, "Aren't you coming home with me this year?"

There was a brief moment of silence in the private room.

Pansy's gaze immediately sharpened, Daphne stopped turning the pages, Astoria looked up, and even Cho Chang subconsciously turned her face.

Skylar did not answer immediately.

He gazed at the trees and villages flashing past the window, as if confirming a decision he had already made. After a moment, he gave a faint reply, "Hmm."

The answer was light, but it left no room for maneuver.

Skylar did not offer any further explanation.

He simply turned his gaze from the window to Draco, his tone remaining calm to the point of being almost agitated. "Draco, the future of the House of Malfoy is in your hands. Take good care of Mom and Dad for me."

This didn't sound like a spur-of-the-moment remark; it seemed more like a pre-prepared explanation.

Draco opened his mouth, but ultimately said nothing, only nodding vigorously. Although Skylar's personality had been unconventional since childhood, Draco felt extremely reluctant at the thought of his brother, whom he had grown up with, leaving the family to pursue his own future.

But he also knew that once Skylar made a decision, it was something he could never change.

The burdens that Skylar carried were beyond his comprehension. All he could do as her older brother was to offer her boundless spiritual support.

The private room fell silent again.

The rumble of the train filled the silence, its rhythm steady and continuous.

Skylar turned back to look out the window.

His profile was reflected in the glass—his expression as calm, clear-headed, and impeccable as ever. But only he knew that deep within his chest, something was being held firmly in place, not allowed to spill even a drop.

Yesterday's two farewells had already drained his already dwindling emotions; and Draco's seemingly casual question just now felt like a final reminder—

For him, this train journey was not just about leaving school, but also a complete farewell.

He slowly closed his eyes, and when he opened them again, his gaze was sharp and clear once more. The hesitation and lingering feelings that belonged to a young boy were gathered up and folded away by his own hands, pressed into the deepest corner of his heart.

A storm has brewed in the wizarding world, with powerful enemies lurking everywhere and dangers looming at every turn. As the leader of the Sleeping Dragon Society, he has neither the right nor the time to continue indulging in personal emotional gains and losses.

When Skylar turned around from the window and examined the familiar faces before him, a warm aura emanated from him. Skylar's face regained its usual confidence and composure. It was a wonderful change in temperament that made everyone around him suddenly feel very at ease.

On the surface, he had composed himself and prepared for the next stage of his life, as if all partings were merely a necessary price to pay.

What no one knew was that his reluctance and loss had not disappeared, but were buried deep in his heart, never to be seen by anyone.

"Don't worry," Skylar said calmly, as if responding to Draco's concerns.

But his gaze didn't fall on anyone in the private compartment; instead, it traveled past the car window, chasing the rapidly receding scenery. His gaze was so distant that it didn't seem like he was looking ahead, but rather like he was speaking to someone who was no longer by his side.

"I will survive," he said softly, almost drowned out by the sound of wheels hitting the rails.

After a brief pause, he added the last sentence, his voice so low that only he could hear it, "To be the final victor."

When the train finally came to a stop, billowing smoke, all the students entered King's Cross Station in an orderly fashion. At the ticket inspector's signal, one student after another pushed their trolleys and crossed without hesitation the seemingly solid brick wall between platforms nine and ten, their figures disappearing in the ripples of magic.

The platform quickly became lively, yet there was a restraint unique to the aftermath of war—laughter remained, but was no longer unrestrained; hugs continued, but with a touch more force.

Skylar stopped at the edge of the crowd and said goodbye to Lucius and Narcissa.

Narcissa squeezed his hand tightly, her lips moving slightly, but she ultimately said nothing. Lucius's expression remained cold and stern. He merely gave Skylar a deep look, as if confirming some unchangeable fact, before nodding briefly.

"Let's go," he said in a low voice, his tone leaving no room for argument.

As one of the most prominent names on Voldemort's revenge list, they couldn't stay here for long. Lucius almost forcefully led Narcissa and Draco away, quickly disappearing into the crowd on the other side of the platform without looking back.

Not far away, Arthur and Molly Weasley turned around in surprise from their conversation with the Granger parents. Molly practically ran over, opened her arms, and pulled Fred, George, Ron Weasley, and Ginny into her embrace, holding them tightly and urgently, as if afraid that if she let go, they would be taken away by something cruel again.

Arthur stood to the side, a tired but satisfied smile on his face, and patted the children on the shoulder.

They were still worried about the bills and still had to live frugally, but at this moment, the almost stubborn resilience of the Weasley family was on full display—as long as the family could still stand here and confirm that each other was safe and sound, everything else seemed less important.

On the other side, Hermione was being held in her parents' arms in turns. The Granger parents' expressions were full of pride and tenderness, but Hermione's response was restrained and quiet. She politely returned the hug, but quickly let go, her gaze unconsciously drifting towards the distance of the platform.

She herself was one of the witnesses to the Battle of the Department of Mysteries, and she knew that the impending war was an inevitable fact. She seemed to already be mentally preparing for the next possible separation.

On the other side, after Astoria rushed forward and hugged a middle-aged man in a sharp suit, Mr. Greengrass politely smiled and nodded to Skylar; Daphne, Astoria, Morrie, and Luna all followed, pulling their luggage. They would all be moving to the Greengrass Manor this summer.

The person who came to pick up Cho Chang was none other than Skylar's acquaintance—Old Mr. Zhang He. It turned out that Zhang He had already heard about the impending storm in the Great Britain wizarding world, so he traveled a long way from the East to visit his relatives. He hoped to use his cultivation to protect his grandniece's family.

Skylar smiled and nodded to the senior who had given him a lot of guidance.

It seems that with this titan of the Eastern wizarding world personally overseeing things, Skylar can finally rest assured about Cho Chang's safety during the summer vacation.

Finally, there's Susan. Susan lives with her aunt. Amelia herself is extremely strong in combat, at the level where she could go toe-to-toe with Voldemort. In addition, Skylar arranged for her to have four elite Auror- level pirate guards, so their safety shouldn't be a problem.

As time gradually carried away the crowds, the sounds of footsteps, laughter, and the lingering echoes of train whistles faded away in the station, as if the entire platform was slowly returning to tranquility.

Skylar then looked away.

He had already begun to calmly outline his upcoming itinerary in his mind—where to stay, people to contact, and matters that needed to be dealt with as soon as possible—everything was in perfect order, without the slightest gap of emotion.

However, just as he was about to take a step, his steps involuntarily stopped.

At the other end of the platform, six beautiful figures appeared out of nowhere.

Sarf, Katarin, Savannah, Latifa, Gadelle, Natalie —six young women stood side by side, each with a distinct style, yet all Gnome dressed. The light and shadow falling upon them resembled deliberately arranged stage lighting. Their gazes simultaneously fell upon Skylar, their smiles bright and open, filled with undisguised enthusiasm and anticipation, as if they were welcoming a very important person.

In that instant, a warm sensation rose from his abdomen. Skylar didn't speak, but simply stood there, a slow smile playing on his lips.

The emptiness in my heart seemed to be filled by another force.

Skylar smiled.