After leaving the wand shop, Albert made his way toward the back wall from which he had first entered Diagon Alley. It was about sixty meters away now, and just as he was about to take a step, he noticed a family of six emerging from the brick wall.
The mother scolded loudly, "I told you, Ron, if you spend all our money on useless things again, I'll leave you in the forest with the spiders!"
Ron shuddered. "Okay, okay, Mum! Anything but the spiders!"
Ginny giggled mockingly at Ron's expense, clearly entertained by their mother's threat.
"Mum!" Ron whined. "Tell Ginny to stop laughing at me!"
"If you don't want her to laugh," the mother said sternly, "then do what I tell you."
"Fine," Ron muttered under his breath, annoyed by both Ginny and his mother.
But just as the family was about to move on through the marketplace, a woman's voice pierced the air.
"Please! Someone help! Catch the thief! He stole my purse—it has all my money!"
The thief dashed through the crowd, cackling. "Hahaha! Seventeen Galleons! Enough to live for two months, hahaha!"
Arthur Weasley, the head of the family and father to Ron, Ginny, Fred, and George, turned quickly to chase after the thief. But what he saw instead was a young boy, about Ron's age, with jet-black hair, standing with his wand raised.
Arthur couldn't hear what the boy said, but he saw magic erupt powerfully from the boy's wand. The thief was immediately surrounded by a shimmering magical field and froze in place before collapsing to the ground.
The boy rushed over, snatched the purse from the thief's hand, and said sternly, "You got lucky this time. The Aurors aren't here, but next time? You won't be so lucky. Now get out of here!"
He lifted the spell, allowing the thief to scramble away.
The woman caught up, breathless and relieved. "Thank you, dear boy. Truly, thank you from the bottom of my heart. Please, wait! Let me give you something."
She reached into her purse and handed him a golden Galleon.
"This is a token of my gratitude for recovering my money. Please, take it."
Albert smiled politely. "Ma'am, I didn't help you for a reward. But thank you—this is kind of you."
She nodded, understanding, and placed the coin back in her purse before hurrying off to find her daughter.
Albert turned to head back to the wall when he felt a hand rest on his shoulder. He turned and saw a tall man with orange hair standing behind him—Arthur Weasley—with his entire family only a few feet away.
"Well then," Arthur began, "My name is Arthur Weasley, Head of the Department for the Control of Magical Catastrophes and Unnatural Phenomena."
"I'm Albert Black," the boy replied calmly, "first-year student at Hogwarts."
Arthur's eyes widened. "Black? As in that Black? I thought that family was wiped out eleven years ago—only Sirius Black survived, and he's in Azkaban!"
Albert nodded. "It's a long story. I can't explain everything right now. But one day, you'll know the truth."
Arthur raised an eyebrow, then chuckled. "Alright, I won't press. But thank you for helping that woman. I must say, I'm impressed—your magic, your control... it's quite advanced for someone who hasn't even started school. Where did you learn that?"
Albert sighed internally. Merlin's beard, is he interrogating me? What a chatterbox.
"I learned at home," Albert replied. "From my father's wand. That's all."
Arthur opened his mouth to say more, but was promptly interrupted by his wife.
"Arthur! Let's go. We're already late for shopping!"
With a sheepish smile, Arthur waved goodbye and followed his family, leaving Albert alone.
Albert finally reached the back wall. He raised his wand and tapped the bricks three times. The wall shimmered, revealing the hidden passage back to the Leaky Cauldron. He stepped through and entered the pub just as he had before.
Once inside, Albert focused on the thought of the Black family home and vanished in an instant, Apparating directly there.
"Kreacher," he called.
The old house-elf appeared with a bow. "Welcome back, young master. How was your shopping trip? Wonderful, I hope?"
"It was. Now, could you please prepare some dinner? I'm starving."
"Right away, sir."
Three hours later, Albert was full and satisfied. He climbed the stairs to get some rest.
Days passed. Albert spent the time studying the spells and books he'd purchased in Diagon Alley. Most of the spells were simple—ones he'd already mastered. They came to him easily now, so he focused his attention on the more theoretical knowledge: the history of the magical world, British wizarding society, and the curriculum he'd soon encounter at Hogwarts—especially Herbology and Potions. He knew Snape would be teaching the latter, and he wanted to be prepared.
Then came the day of departure.
"Kreacher," Albert said, "I'm leaving the house in your care. I'll return during the summer holidays. Alright?"
"As you wish, Master."
With his belongings stacked neatly on a large trolley, Albert vanished from sight.
He reappeared at King's Cross Station, bustling with ordinary Muggles who knew nothing of the magical train hidden nearby. To reach Platform 9¾, he needed to run at the wall between Platforms 9 and 10 with a firm grip on his trolley.
Taking five steps back, Albert sprinted forward—and in an instant, he was through.
On the other side, magical families were gathered, hugging and waving as their children boarded the Hogwarts Express.
Albert checked the time—just in time. He approached the train, showed his ticket to the conductor, and boarded.
He searched for an empty compartment, hoping for a quiet place to read. The fifth compartment had only one boy inside: Ron Weasley, munching on a chicken leg.
"Ummphh, ish you—gulp—the one who helped Dad the other day?" Ron said with his mouth full.
"Is anyone else sitting here?" Albert asked.
Ron tried to speak again through a mouthful of food.
"Swallow first," Albert said with a slight grin. "Then talk."
After swallowing, Ron replied, "Harry was here, but he went to the trolley to get a sandwich."
Albert nodded. "Alright."
"My dad told me your name—Albert, right?"
"Yes. And he told me yours—Ron."
Ron smiled. "You were amazing, by the way, with that thief. I hope I can learn magic like that one day. That's why I came to Hogwarts—to learn how. How'd you do it? Where'd you learn magic?"
Before Albert could answer, the door slid open.
Harry Potter entered, holding a bag with two sandwiches. As soon as he and Albert locked eyes, they both felt it—an odd, almost electric pulse. Their heartbeats quickened, and a dizzy spell swept over them.
Harry stumbled, grabbing the doorframe for support.
"Ugh, my head!" he gasped.
Ron jumped to help. "Harry? What's wrong?"
But then he noticed Albert clutching his own head as well.
"What's going on with you two?" Ron asked, baffled.
A few minutes passed. Slowly, the dizziness subsided. Harry was the first to speak.
"I'm Harry Potter."
Albert raised his gaze. "Albert Black."
Harry blinked. He was used to being recognized, celebrated even, but Albert showed no reaction—no fanboy excitement, no request for autographs. Just calm.
Ron asked curiously, "Do you have a family, Albert? When I first saw you in Diagon Alley, you were alone."
Albert's expression grew somber. "My entire family died shortly after I was born—at Voldemort's hands. My mother gave her life to protect me. My father was imprisoned—framed for helping Voldemort, though he was innocent."
Both Ron and Harry listened in silence.
"I'm sorry," Ron said softly. "I didn't know…"
Unbeknownst to them, someone else had been listening—Hermione Granger, standing just outside the compartment door. She had paused as she heard Albert's story, and her heart ached for him.
Just minutes earlier, she had boarded the train and found a compartment with a nervous-looking boy seated inside.
"I'm Hermione Granger," she introduced herself. "What's your name?"
"Neville Longbottom," the boy replied after a pause.
Hermione noticed his worried look. "What's wrong?"
"My toad ran away," Neville said miserably. "I was going to feed it some chocolate—it's his favorite—but he bolted. I've looked everywhere."
Hermione offered a kind smile. "Come on then. Let's look together."
Hermione exited first, searching the train corridor, while Neville stepped out behind her—only to bump into Draco Malfoy and his two hulking companions, Crabbe and Goyle.
"Well, well," Draco sneered. "If it isn't the Longbottom boy. How's the family disappointment doing?"
His cronies snickered.
Meanwhile, Hermione had been about to enter the fifth compartment—Albert, Harry, and Ron's—but stopped when she overheard Albert's heartfelt story. It struck her deeply.
Suddenly, shouts rang from down the corridor—Neville's compartment. Hermione raced back to find Draco levitating Neville in the air, laughing cruelly.
"Hey!" Hermione shouted. "Put him down!"
Draco turned, sneering. "And who are you to tell me what to do?"
Before he could go on, another figure appeared at the door—Albert.
"You heard her," he said calmly. "Let the boy down. Now."
Draco laughed. "Did you hear that, boys? He thinks he can stop us."
But he didn't laugh for long.
A flick of Albert's wand—and Draco froze in place.
Neville floated gently to the floor.
Draco's smirk vanishe
d. "What the—? Let me go! You—beat him up!"
But before Crabbe and Goyle could make a move, Albert raised his wand again and...
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