Time flew by.
Since Jason’s last attack, it was as though he’d vanished. He hadn’t shown his face again, leaving Bruce in relative peace. Whether Jason had given up on figuring out magic or was just plotting something bigger remained unknown.
Either way, Bruce passed a relatively quiet half-year, with no other DC villains coming after him.
Of course, it was possible some had tried and simply failed to find him. After all, not every villain knew that Batman’s true name was Bruce Wayne.
Sometime during the half-year, Bruce had hit a growth spurt, towering a head above Hermione.
On the morning of September 1st, Mrs. Granger meticulously checked Bruce’s and Hermione’s luggage, only letting them go after ensuring nothing was left behind.
The car drove all the way to King’s Cross Station.
“Hermione, remember to look after your brother at school, and don’t let anyone bully him!”
At this, Hermione cast a sideways glance at Bruce.
Bruce Wayne, bullied?
An impossible concept. She could hardly even imagine what that would look like.
Meanwhile, Kathoom—sitting on Bruce’s shoulder—grumbled, “Why is it only Bruce who needs protecting? A handsome owl doesn’t need protection too?”
“Quiet,” Bruce replied.
Thanks to their contract, he and Kathoom could communicate via telepathy, making sure no one else could hear. And while Kathoom could talk, Bruce was the only one who could understand him, meaning only Bruce suffered through his endless weird commentary.
“Alright, you two. Time to get going!”
Their destination was Platform Nine and Three-Quarters, a route Hermione had known ever since her acceptance letter had arrived.
Bruce followed her lead, pushing his cart through the wall between Platforms Nine and Ten, vanishing from King’s Cross Station.
Finally, Mrs. Granger couldn’t hold back her tears anymore.
Mr. Granger pulled her into a tight hug, whispering words of comfort. “It’s okay. They’ll be back for Christmas.”
—
A deep red steam engine waited at the platform, with the wall they’d come through now transformed into an ornate iron archway.
A sign on the train read: Hogwarts Express.
Since they’d arrived early, Bruce and Hermione quickly found an empty compartment on the train.
After helping Hermione stow her luggage on the rack, Bruce settled in, sitting across from her as the platform outside grew busier.
Snippets of conversation floated into the train:
“Gran, I lost my toad again!”
“Show it to us, Lee, hurry up!”
“Oh my goodness, could it really be Ha—”
Hermione, however, barely registered the voices. She was busy brooding over something.
“They’ve all got pets!”
She scowled at the other students outside, still annoyed that her mother had refused to let her get an owl, saying she was too young.
Seeing the other students with their pets gave her a lingering feeling of betrayal.
Bruce tried to console her. “Don’t worry. If you ever need to send a letter, I can lend you Kathoom.”
“What a generous offer,” Kathoom muttered, rolling his eyes. “Did you even ask me, hmm? I am the mighty Lord Kathoom, not some…some rental bird!”
Bruce ignored him, pretending to be absorbed in the scenery outside.
“H-hi there!”
Suddenly, the compartment door slid open, and a timid voice drifted in.
Bruce turned to see a round-faced boy standing hesitantly in the doorway, looking as though he might burst into tears.
“Would it be alright if I sit here? All the other compartments are filled with older students…”
“Of course!” Hermione gestured to the empty seat beside her. “Come sit here.”
The boy’s face lit up in relief as he dragged his luggage inside, fumbling clumsily with it.
At Hermione’s pointed look, Bruce sighed and rose to help him stow the bags.
Kathoom snickered in Bruce’s ear. “Quick, tell him you’re an older student too!”
Bruce ignored him.
Once the bags were stowed, the boy took a seat next to Bruce, looking as though he were headed for doom.
Hermione was the first to break the silence. “I’m Hermione Granger, and this is my cousin, Bruce Wayne. What’s your name? You seem a bit troubled.”
“Hi. I’m Neville…Neville Longbottom.”
Neville’s expression grew more anxious. “I lost my toad. It’s my pet; Uncle Algie gave it to me, and if I can’t find it, he’ll be so mad at me—”
Neville’s voice quivered, and it looked as though he was close to tears.
Hermione quickly offered, “Don’t worry! We can help you find it, right, Bruce?”
Bruce simply nodded. What else could he say?
Sometimes, he wondered why the forces of fate had saddled him with a sister figure.
Even if they weren’t related by blood, something about having an “older sister” did seem to weigh on him. Around Hermione, he often felt like he was operating at a slight disadvantage.
So, the three split up to search, knocking on compartment doors, asking about the toad.
Every time Bruce opened a door, he instantly drew the attention of everyone inside. And if there were older students present, they’d inevitably offer him snacks.
By the time he returned to their compartment, he was laden with treats.
Kathoom snorted. “What, did you go out begging? No toad, but you managed to collect enough food for lunch.”
Hermione and Neville returned empty-handed as well, though Neville’s spirits had lifted a bit.
“We saw Harry Potter,” Hermione reported as soon as she sat down, eager to share her discovery.
“The Boy Who Lived, the one who’s made it into history books. A History of Modern Magic, The Rise and Fall of Dark Arts, Great Magical Events of the Twentieth Century—he’s mentioned in all of them!”
She seemed to be reminding Bruce of Harry’s importance, as if to underline her next statement.
Earlier, she’d used a spell in front of Harry and his friend, and she was practically glowing from the experience, clearly pleased with herself.
So there, she seemed to be saying. I’m not inferior to anyone!
“Harry Potter, huh.”
Kathoom gave an exaggerated sniff. “Hmph. Yet another orphan!”
At that, Bruce’s fists clenched. He would’ve throttled Kathoom right then and there if he could.
Did Kathoom really need to remind him every single day that he was an orphan?
He shot Kathoom a glare, mentally scouring his mind for a spell that might grant eternal silence.
For once, Kathoom didn’t seem to notice Bruce’s glare at all.
“What’s wrong, hmm? Intimidated by Harry Potter’s fame?”
Kathoom patted Bruce’s shoulder with a wing, his tone full of genuine encouragement. “Don’t be. Be confident! After all, you’re a Boy Who Lived too!”
—
T/N: Ouch
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