King of Lightning [HP FANFIC]

Soon, the train arrived at Platform Nine and Three-Quarters. After agreeing to write to each other during the holidays, the two stepped off the train and onto the platform. After saying goodbye to Anduin, Vivian followed her family, who had come to pick her up, and left.

Just as Anduin was about to leave on his own, he suddenly noticed a familiar figure and couldn't help but smile.

"Sirius? What are you doing here?"

"Haha, wasn't I just worried you'd arrive at the station all alone and bored? I happened to be passing by, so I thought I'd pick you up. What do you think, surprised?" Sirius wore a brown coat, and his shoulder-length hair was slightly styled, though his trademark bohemian expression remained.

"I think the one who's lonely and bored is you. I'd bet you only thought about coming for me because you had nothing better to do," Anduin said, mercilessly guessing Sirius's intentions and teasing him.

"You're biting the hand that feeds you! I came because I was worried you didn't have any friends and decided to take care of you . . . and you don't even thank me. By the way, who was that girl who got off the train with you? Is she your girlfriend?" Sirius grinned mischievously as he asked.

"Did you never talk to girls when you were at school? Why so curious? If you're looking for a girlfriend, I can introduce you to someone. What do you think about Madam Pince, the Hogwarts librarian? You know, your friends even have kids now. It's about time you stopped being alone," Anduin replied without holding back, knowing Sirius's personality all too well.

"Hahahaha, I'm destined to live among the flowers my whole life, never settling on just one. What could you kids possibly know?" Sirius said with a carefree laugh, clearly comfortable enough with Anduin to speak openly.

The two continued to joke as they left the station. Anduin followed Sirius to the parking lot, where they stopped in front of a motorcycle with a sidecar.

"What do you think? Cool, right? This is my baby . . . I don't let just anyone ride her. You're lucky today," Sirius said, tossing a helmet to Anduin.

Anduin was speechless as he looked at the motorcycle.

'It's the middle of winter, and you want me to ride this? Aren't you worried about freezing to death in the wind?'.

But, considering that Sirius had gone out of his way to pick him up, he climbed into the sidecar with a slightly disgruntled expression.

"What's the matter? I came to get you with my little darling and you're not happy? You should know my baby doesn't just drive on the ground . . . she can also fly and turn invisible," Sirius said with a sniff as he noticed Anduin's face.

"Oh? It's a magical artifact?" Anduin hadn't expected that. Once inside, he couldn't help touching here and there, curious about how the thing worked.

"Hey, careful, don't go touching random parts . . . you wouldn't be able to pay if you broke it. Now, where do you live? I'll take you there," Sirius said, annoyed by Anduin's inquisitive fingers.

"Head to Diagon Alley. I've been staying at the Leaky Cauldron," Anduin replied rather listlessly, pulling his hand back.

Sirius remembered Anduin had stayed there over the summer and had even bumped into him a couple of times. But he hadn't expected him to still be staying there during the holidays. Puzzled, he asked:

"Are you sure? Are you planning to spend Christmas at the Leaky Cauldron?"

"Yes. I can't use magic in the Muggle world, which isn't very convenient," Anduin replied.

Sirius couldn't help but take a closer look at Anduin. Only then did he remember he was an orphan, and the thought of him spending Christmas alone in a pub felt rather sad. So he offered:

"In that case, why don't you come and stay with me? I usually live alone anyway. What do you say?"

Anduin considered it and found nothing wrong with the idea, as long as he could use magic. Besides, the dinner party he was invited to wasn't until after Christmas, so he could take up Sirius's offer. He nodded:

"Alright. I don't want to be a bother."

Sirius laughed heartily.

"Haha, you won't bother me at all . . . as long as you don't mind my place being a bit of a mess. It's settled then, let's go!"

With that, Sirius started the motorcycle and sped off. After a ride down a deserted street, he raised his hands, and the motorcycle soared up into the sky.

The two flew over London, unseen by anyone below—probably thanks to the invisibility Sirius had mentioned. But it was bitterly cold; the biting wind lashed at Anduin, making him think this contraption really wasn't all that reliable. How can Sirius stand it? Unable to endure it any longer, Anduin raised a transparent barrier in front of himself, finally shielding out the freezing wind.

Sirius piloted them down to a street in a Muggle neighborhood. After driving a short distance, they stopped in front of a small villa with a garage. Once he parked, Sirius led Anduin into his home.

"Come on in, welcome to my humble abode. I ran away from home and have been living on my own since I was sixteen . . . I've been here quite a few years now."

The house wasn't large—two floors. Downstairs there was a living room with a fireplace, a kitchen, and a bathroom. Upstairs there were three bedrooms and a small backyard.

But as soon as Anduin walked in, he was hit by a strange smell that made him sneeze. While the house was fully furnished, everything was in complete disarray. The floor looked like it hadn't been cleaned in ages, and the dining table was covered in greasy stains. In the kitchen, Anduin spotted a pile of pots and dishes soaking in the sink, some even moldy.

Sirius, on the other hand, seemed perfectly at ease. After entering, he flopped onto a stained sofa and said:

"There are two guest rooms upstairs. Take your pick, but if I get busy, I won't have time to look after you. You'll have to sort out your own meals."

"Good heavens, are you still a wizard? Don't you ever bother to use a 'Scourgify' on your house? How can you live in this mess?" Anduin said, staring at him in disbelief.

"What's wrong with it? The most important thing about a home is being comfortable. Don't you think I'm perfectly comfortable?" Sirius replied with a laid-back smile.

Anduin couldn't stand such filth, but it wasn't his house. He picked up his luggage and went upstairs to check out the rooms.

He entered one of the guest rooms. The environment there was still acceptable, probably because no one used it often, though dust covered the floor and furniture.

After inspecting the room, Anduin set down his luggage and owl cage, opened the window, waved his hand, and a gust of air swept through the room, gathering the dust into a ball and blowing it out the window.