The Chronicles of Blood and Fire (HP Fanfic)

The platform was bustling with noise and color—children hauling trunks nearly the size of their bodies, parents fussing over last-minute instructions, owls hooting in their cages, and the gleaming red engine of the Hogwarts Express releasing steady puffs of enchanted steam.

Caelum stood near Platform 9¾, dressed in a neat, black traveling cloak and a deep hood that covered most of his features. He didn't look like the average eleven-year-old—not with the composed posture, nor the quiet intensity in his eyes. And certainly not with the aura of restraint he wore like a second skin.

"Well," Amelia said beside him, smoothing the lapel of his cloak with practiced care, "this is it."

He nodded, eyes still tracking the train.

"I packed the Ministry forms in your satchel," she added absently, "just in case."

"What eleven-year-old carries Ministry documents to school?" Caelum muttered with a faint smirk.

Amelia raised an eyebrow. "The kind who burns buildings and breaks underground smuggling rings before their first flying lesson."

Bridget chuckled from behind them. "And don't forget, your favorite strawberry cakes are packed in the very top of your trunk. Don't let the chocolate frogs squash them again."

From behind Bridget's legs, Susan peeked out, clutching her stuffed badger. Her wide eyes shimmered with unshed tears.

Caelum knelt to meet her gaze.

"I'll send you letters," he said softly, brushing her hair aside. "Every week. Owl post is fast, remember?"

Susan sniffed. "And in two years, I'll be there too."

"You better be," he said with a grin. "But don't go starting trouble while I'm gone."

"You're the one who starts trouble," she replied, sticking out her tongue.

"Exactly. That position is taken."

Amelia ruffled his hair as he stood, pulling him in for a brief, fierce hug.

"Caelum… just be yourself. Not the weapon. Not the project. Just the boy I know."

He returned the hug—awkward but real—and nodded.

With one last look back, he turned, pushing his trolley toward the train.

The moment he stepped into the corridor of the Hogwarts Express, the world shifted. Noise and laughter echoed through the narrow space, and the scent of sweets and worn leather filled the air.

He wandered through compartments, scanning quietly for a place to sit. Most were full of chattering students, some already forming little groups of friends.

Then he spotted a compartment with only one other boy inside—a tall, broad-shouldered boy with a quiet face and tousled brown hair. He sat by the window reading from a worn book of Quidditch tactics.

"Mind if I join you?" Caelum asked.

The boy looked up. "Not at all."

Caelum slid the door closed behind him and settled across from the boy.

A moment of silence passed.

"Cedric Diggory," the boy offered, extending a hand.

"Caelum," he said, shaking it. He didn't give a last name. Cedric didn't ask.

"First year?"

"Yeah."

"Same." Cedric smiled. "You nervous?"

Caelum considered it. "Not really. Just… curious."

The train gave a sudden lurch and began to pull forward. Outside the window, Amelia, Bridget, and Susan waved as the platform drifted away.

Caelum lifted his hand, just once.

Then he turned toward the future.