The holiday in Tahiti was over, and so was Hogwarts' summer break.
Plenty of young wizards wore gloomy faces as they prepared for school to start. Only a few couldn't wait to get back to Hogwarts, Hermione among them.
"Just thinking about our new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher makes me happy. Of course, I'm not saying Lockhart is perfect. I just mean Quirrell was too dangerous, and he didn't teach us much. Lockhart is different. He's a truly accomplished wizard..." Neville sat beside Hermione, listening to her chatter, his face growing glummer by the minute.
Even he could tell she admired Lockhart far too much.
Sylvia craned her neck toward the window. She had chosen a compartment with a clear view of the platform entrance, and every time a wizard came through, she checked to see if it was Will.
It was already ten forty. The train was about to leave, but they still hadn't seen him.
A few minutes later, several redheads came through the barrier. They were the Weasley children.
Sylvia was disappointed again.
"There are only ten minutes left. What on earth is Will doing?"
"Damn, I made it. I really need to learn Apparition soon." Will emerged from a restroom at King's Cross Station.
Hobert was to blame for this. They had returned to his estate in Devon the day before, and he had persuaded Will to stay the night. After all, a friend of his could get Will to the station in moments.
Will had figured that made sense. Getting back to London from Devon would take at least three hours even by train. He could spend that time doing something better. So he stayed the night at Hobert's estate.
But Hobert had gotten his friend dead drunk the previous evening, and