False Alarm?
Arthur and Luther stared intensely for several seconds, but nothing seemed to be trying to attack them. Even so, they didn't lower their guard. Their eyes continued sweeping over every person who came close enough.
But there weren't even that many people around, since the train departure time had just passed and, for the moment, the station was fairly empty, with only a few guards wandering around and some lost travelers.
Luther and Arthur were being very careful to keep the swords hidden behind their bodies while still holding them in hand, ready to attack.
"Knock, knock."
A sudden sound startled the group for a moment.
Even Arthur and Luther instantly turned toward where it had come from, noticing it was coming from Harry.
Harry recognized the sound immediately and slipped his hand into his bag, pulling out a hand mirror.
"It's Mum," he said at once.
A moment later, Sally's somewhat worried face appeared in the mirror's reflection. In the background, Platform 9¾ could be seen while the train was beginning to move.
"Why didn't you come through? The Express is already moving. Did something happen? Are you alright?" Sally asked quickly, concern clear in her voice, though much of it faded when she saw Harry's and Percy's faces appear in the mirror.
Before Harry or Percy could say anything, Luther stepped closer.
"Sally, don't worry. We're keeping watch. I don't know exactly what happened, but something or someone prevented the boys from passing through the barrier. For now, it'd be better if we take them somewhere safe. Is that alright?" Luther asked in a very serious tone.
"Yes. Please take good care of them. I'll try to find out what's happening on this side. I'll inform Ron's parents and ask what we should do," Sally replied immediately.
"Once we're somewhere safe, we'll call you again," Luther added with a nod before handing the two-way mirror back to Harry.
Sally knew they couldn't waste time if they needed to move, so she quickly told her sons:
"Be very careful. And listen to Luther and Arthur. Don't split up, and take care of Tyson too, alright?"
Harry and Percy nodded seriously.
Even though they didn't know what was happening, they could understand that someone seemed determined to keep them on this side. Whether it was to attack them or for some other reason. And getting away from this place was the most obvious option either way.
Worrying about Hogwarts could come later.
The only one who probably had a lot of questions or things to say was Ron himself, who was in complete panic over the idea of his mother scolding him for missing the train.
But after hearing the conversation, this was clearly much more serious than it seemed, so he didn't ask many questions as he followed the group.
He only grabbed his pet rat, still inside its cage, and left everything else behind. It wasn't like he had anything particularly valuable anyway.
Even so, Luther told him that someone would be sent later to recover his belongings.
The group left the station very carefully, with Arthur and Luther watching every unusual movement around them.
As experts, they could sense danger from miles away and, even when they couldn't, that didn't make them lower their guard, especially when they were protecting someone.
As soon as they reached the street, several black military vehicles suddenly stopped in front of them, startling Ron for a moment.
But Harry, Percy, and even Tyson didn't seem very surprised, since several of the drivers were familiar faces. Or rather, it would be more accurate to say they were neighbors from Privet Drive.
"Get in," Luther said seriously toward the central vehicle.
Percy was the last one to climb aboard.
But at the very last moment, he seemed to spot something that made him stop and look toward the direction where he felt two large eyes watching them, along with a pair of very familiar ears.
"Is that a house-elf?" Percy asked in a confused tone.
Making Harry, who had already gotten into the vehicle, stick his head out in the direction Percy was pointing.
"Where?" he asked, unable to find the supposed elf.
But Percy also noticed that it had disappeared.
A faint expression of confusion appeared on his face.
And why had he recognized it as a house-elf?
Because he felt like he had seen it before.
"Is something wrong?" Arthur asked in a serious tone that looked unusual on his face, while staring at the same spot Percy had pointed to, just in case an enemy was present.
"No... maybe... my imagination," Percy said, reassuring Arthur before climbing into the vehicle, though not before giving one last glance in that direction, because more than anything, what would a house-elf be doing among non-magical people?
As soon as they got into the vehicles, they pulled away like some kind of presidential escort.
Ron was the most nervous of the group and couldn't help asking, now seated in the car as it sped down the road:
"Where are we going? What's going to happen with Hogwarts?"
"For now we're going to a safe house. Or maybe straight home. Don't worry," Harry said with complete calm, though hidden beneath his clothes he was still holding his wand, while acting reassuring so he wouldn't scare Ron or Tyson.
Percy and Tyson also looked fairly calm.
Though Percy kept one hand on his necklace at all times, just in case.
"Why do you all seem so calm?" Ron couldn't help asking.
"Oh, because when we were kids we had a few drills like this. Especially after people found out Harry was... well, Harry. And I'm me," Percy added calmly.
But that only confused Ron even more.
"Don't worry. We'll probably go home afterward. After all, that's the safest place for us," Harry added, understanding the confusion Ron was feeling.
After all, Ron didn't know they were demigods, nor that the attacks they usually had to worry about came from monsters.
Fortunately, they hadn't suffered too many attacks lately.
Though that didn't mean they lowered their guard.
But as Chiron once explained, maybe it was thanks to the magical world helping disguise their demigod scent among all the wizards that they weren't constantly being attacked.
Even so, they still had to be very careful, because if a monster got close enough, that wouldn't help much. Which was why the knights were always so serious about protecting them.
And as Harry had said, their home was safer than anywhere else.
The reason was simple.
They had the fireplace there, which allowed them to travel directly to what was possibly the safest place in the entire world.
Avalon.
As soon as the vehicles came to a stop, the knights, like soldiers, scanned the area to make sure nobody had followed them before finally giving the signal that the boys could get out and enter the house.
"Alright. Wait here for now until we have more information. Your mother is probably worried, so you can call her. Someone has likely already gone to inspect the Platform 9¾ barrier. Once they tell us whether it's a magical malfunction or something like that, we'll feel a lot better and figure out how to get you to Hogwarts, alright?" Luther told the boys gently before leaving.
Though sounds could still be heard outside, meaning some knights had probably remained behind to keep watch just in case.
"See? I told you. It's nothing," Harry said calmly to the frightened Ron, who began relaxing considerably upon hearing they might still be sent to Hogwarts.
But just as Ron turned around—
Two large glowing eyes.
Pointed ears.
And something even smaller than him was staring directly at him.
The sight nearly scared him to death.
But before he could even scream—
Another creature of the same species suddenly appeared out of nowhere and leaped onto the first one.
Immediately, it pulled out a wooden spoon and began beating it violently.
It was Lia, the family's house-elf, and she was attacking another elf who had somehow appeared inside their home.
Ton. Ton. Ton.
As she repeatedly shouted,
"Dobby bad elf, Dobby bad elf, Dobby bad elf! Lia give Dobby a beating!"
The scene left all four boys completely frozen.
And, more than anything else—
Completely confused.