The Hogwarts Express's whistle sounded like a magical trumpet.
When the whistle blows, many parents will line up at Platform Nine and Three-Quarters to pick up their children.
Molly squeezed through the crowd, craning her neck. "Arthur Weasley, have you seen them?"
"Don't worry, darling," Arthur Weasley somewhat helplessly, "The train hasn't stopped yet."
The white steam dissipated in the mist, disappearing without a trace when the cold wind blew.
One by one, the little wizards emerged from the train.
Molly struggled through the crowd, trying to find George and Fred.
This is because the two of them are like a copy-paste; putting two people together creates a much larger target than having just one, and they are also much easier to find.
After seeing George and Fred, Molly used them as a reference point and looked around them.
I spotted Silan immediately.
At that moment, all was silent; the crowd seemed to have vanished.
Molly felt as if she had been transported back decades.
She was the same age as Ginny back then.
It was also a sunny and chilly Christmas holiday, and she was waiting on the platform for her brother to come home for the holidays.
But in the blink of an eye, everything has changed.
With his two older brothers killed before dawn, the glory of the Prewett family was almost extinguished.
Arthur Weasley squeezed next to Molly, pulling her out of those painful memories.
"Look, I found them! The one next to George must be Silan."
Molly looked at Silan, her heart tightening again.
How should I greet them later?
She was incredibly conflicted; her hug seemed too enthusiastic and might frighten Silan.
But a handshake seems too distant; wouldn't it make the child feel I'm being too cold?
Her jumbled thoughts were like the tentacles of Devil's Snare, binding Molly's heart tightly.
She looked at Arthur Weasley for help.
Arthur Weasley gave her a reassuring look, squeezed through the crowd, and walked up to George and Fred.
"Kids, you did a good job." Arthur Weasley praised George and Fred, then turned to Silan, "You must be Silan."
Arthur Weasley stepped forward and gave Silan a hug, then patted him on the shoulder.
I hope I didn't scare you.
"I am Arthur Weasley Weasley." Arthur Weasley shook his hand again. "You can call me Arthur Weasley, or you can call me Uncle if you prefer, it's up to you."
"Hello, Uncle Arthur Weasley." Silan smiled politely and shook hands with him.
Hearing him call him uncle, Arthur Weasley smiled and whispered in his ear, "Your Aunt Molly has been waiting for you for a long time. She must want to hug you. Please don't mind."
He gave Silan a hug just now to set the stage for Molly.
Once someone takes the lead, it's less likely to feel awkward doing this.
They walked forward with the flow of people.
Silan was finally able to see her aunt again.
Molly suppressed the urge to run, and as she walked quickly to Silan, she suddenly stopped, opened her mouth, but didn't know what to say.
Silan spoke first, "Aunt."
Just now, Molly was still thinking about how to explain her identity to the child.
Although after investigating the matter, he arranged for George and Fred to inform Silan about it.
But ultimately, it wasn't very formal.
She had just been worried about what would happen if the child refused to acknowledge her as his aunt.
But now Silan has dispelled her doubts.
Tears welled in Molly's eyes as she bent down and hugged Silan tightly, nuzzling his hair with her chin, her voice choked with emotion, "My child, my good child, you've suffered so much."
"It's not hard, my cousin is very good to me."
"Oh, George and Fred, you are both such good children of your mother today."
Molly hugged George and Fred as well.
"Mom, does that mean we weren't good children before?"
"If Hogwarts doesn't send me letters every few days telling me about the good things you've done at school, then you're good kids."
After letting them go, Molly rolled her eyes.
Ever since George and Fred enrolled, she has been receiving letters from Hogwarts.
The content was always the same, all about their pranks.
George and Fred knew what they had done, so they obediently shut their mouths.
"Alright, kids," Arthur Weasley said, pressing his hands on George and Fred's heads. "Let's go home."
"Please wait a moment, I'll go see Miss Granger off first."
Silan led Hermione through the crowd to find the Mr. and Mrs. Granger.
Watching Silan's retreating figure, Molly wore a look of both satisfaction and pride. Turning to George and Fred, she said, "Look at Silan, what a wonderful child he is, kind and polite."
George and Fred, mimicking their mother's tone, echoed Molly's words, shaking their heads as they said, "Look, what a good child Silan is, kind and polite."
The old guard at the station stood guard by the wall, constantly blowing his whistle. To avoid attracting the attention of Muggle, he only allowed two or three people to leave the platform at a time.
"Don't push, take your time."
Silan and Hermione lined up and moved slowly forward.
When they stepped off the platform, the two found that the Mr. and Mrs. Granger were already waiting for Hermione.
"I almost thought you two were still in elementary school," Granger said, unable to resist teasing them as they walked side by side.
He used to wait at the school gate to pick them up after school.
Seeing the two of them together again now evokes a sense of nostalgia.
Granger looked at her daughter with a half-smile, her gaze meaningful.
Hermione raised her hand to cover her slightly flushed cheeks and walked over with a forced smile.
"Mr. Prewett," Granger invited, "Would you like to come to our house for dinner on Christmas Eve if it's convenient? Hermione was talking about it before school even started..."
"Dad!"
Hermione blushed and stomped her foot, interrupting him.
Granger shut his mouth, looking somewhat innocent.
"Then I'll have to bother you."
Silan had already agreed to Hermione, so naturally she wouldn't refuse now.
"Ahem, get in the car." Granger coughed twice, changing the subject, "I'll give you a ride home."
Silan shook her head. "Granger, but I need to stay at my aunt's for a few days and will be back before Christmas Eve."
"Aunt?"
The Mr. and Mrs. Granger exchanged a surprised glance; they had always assumed Silan was an orphan with no relatives or friends.
However, they quickly broke into smiles.
This is a good thing. A kind and polite child like Silan deserves a happy and fulfilling family life.
"Alright, see you later."
The Granger family said goodbye to Silan and left.
"Beep beep!"
A vintage-looking car slowly pulled up in front of Silan.
After rolling down the car window, Arthur Weasley waved to Silan.
"Get in the car, child."
Although the car looks unremarkable on the outside, like a dilapidated old car that has changed hands many times, after Arthur Weasley's modification, the interior is a completely different world.
The interior of the vehicle was enchanted with Undetectable Extension Charm, so even with six people and several large suitcases inside, it didn't feel crowded at all.
"Beep beep!" Arthur Weasley honked the horn twice cheerfully, his tone light and playful.
"Hold on tight, everyone, we're going home!"