Hermione had chosen Compendium of Magical Crime Cases as Sherlock's Christmas gift.
The book was a collection of various magical crimes—ranging from Dark magic offenses to the smuggling of enchanted artifacts—compiled by scholars of magical law through years of research and field experience.
Hermione believed it was the perfect reference book for Sherlock. It would help him understand the patterns of magical crimes and draw investigative lessons from past cases.
Once they'd finalized the gifts, the trio returned, feigning nonchalance—only to find Sherlock still talking with the Ravenclaw girl.
Earlier, in their rush, none of them had paid much attention. But now, Hermione suddenly noticed that the girl was surprisingly pretty.
She had long, flowing black hair like a waterfall and a delicate, striking face—someone who would leave a deep impression at first glance.
When she noticed Harry and the others approaching, she politely smiled at them before waving goodbye to Sherlock.
For some reason, Harry's heart skipped a beat.
"She's quite a catch, don't you think, mate?"
After the girl walked away, Ron let out a low whistle and nudged Harry with his elbow.
"Uh… yeah… I guess," Harry mumbled.
Hermione glanced at them and gave a disapproving humph.
She had a vague sense of why Harry had blushed earlier.
"Sherlock, was she asking for your advice too?"
"Just a minor issue," Sherlock replied calmly.
The next morning marked the beginning of the holiday break, and the Hogwarts Express arrived right on schedule.
Sherlock, Harry, Hermione, and Ron shared a compartment.
The moment felt surreal to Sherlock.
Four months ago, he had boarded this very train and stepped through the gateway into the magical world.
Now, four months later, he was returning to the world of science—with magical friends by his side.
It felt like a lifetime had passed.
There wasn't much to say about the journey itself. At this point, everyone was just eager to return home for the holidays.
As for Draco Malfoy and his two companions, although they were on the same train, they didn't come over to cause trouble as they had at the start of term.
Ron found this rather disappointing—he had been hoping to prove that he could handle Malfoy one-on-one.
That afternoon, the train pulled into Platform Nine and Three-Quarters at King's Cross Station.
A thin, elderly guard stood at the gate, only allowing two or three people through at a time—obviously to avoid drawing the attention of Muggles as large groups emerged from the wall.
During the exit process, multiple students waved goodbye to Sherlock and Harry.
"Bye, Holmes!"
"See you, Potter!"
"You two are practically celebrities," Ron chuckled.
Harry shook his head. "Not where I'm going. I promise you that."
Sherlock made no comment. He and Hermione passed through the exit first, followed by Harry and Ron.
Since Harry hadn't informed the Dursleys he was returning to London, only the Holmes and Granger families were waiting at the station.
At the exit, Sherlock immediately spotted them.
His mother and Mrs. Granger were anxiously scanning the crowd, while the two fathers were standing a bit farther back, chatting.
Soon, the two families reunited with their children.
"These must be Harry and Ron, right?"
Mrs. Holmes greeted them warmly. After giving Sherlock a big hug, she turned to Harry and Ron with a kind smile, making both boys feel a little overwhelmed.
The Grangers were just as friendly. Even after learning the boys would be staying at the Holmes residence, they still warmly invited them to visit their home sometime.
"My dear Jane, let the boys stay with us for now," said Mrs. Holmes. "In a few days, Tannen and I will bring them over to visit you."
After a brief discussion, Mrs. Granger agreed.
Before parting, she pulled Sherlock aside for a few last-minute instructions, and Hermione made a "call me" gesture to him before leaving.
Mrs. Holmes and Mrs. Granger shared knowing smiles at the exchange.
Mr. Granger, however, frowned slightly.
"Wait, is that a car?"
Just then, Ron pointed in astonishment at a sleek vehicle parked behind Mr. Holmes.
Its exterior was streamlined and elegant, with smooth, flowing lines along the sides.
The rear had a minimalist design, and its unique tail lights matched the overall aesthetic—giving it a refined yet modern appearance.
The front grille bore an emblem resembling the prow of a ship with a sail. The word ROVER gleamed in gold above the sail, giving it a polished, airy look.
When Ron spotted the intricate dashboard and plush seats, he couldn't help but exclaim, "This is way cooler than the junker we've got at home!"
Mr. Holmes noticed Ron's fascination and grew curious.
When they started talking, he became even more intrigued.
Ron explained that his father—Mr. Weasley—also owned a car.
It wasn't as sleek or beautiful as this one, but it could fly!
A flying car? Wasn't that like KITT from Knight Rider?
No—according to Ron, their car could fly long distances, like a proper aircraft.
Even better than KITT!
Bonding over their shared love of cars, Ron ended up sitting in the front passenger seat for the ride home.
He and Mr. Holmes hit it off immediately.
They even made plans for Mr. Holmes to visit the Weasleys after their summer trip to Romania—just to see the legendary flying car.
From the back seat, Mrs. Holmes watched her husband with a smile, then turned to Harry, who was sitting a little stiffly beside Sherlock.
"Harry, there's no need to be so tense. Just think of it as going home."
Harry: '(°ー°〃)
Wait—so I'm sleeping in a cupboard again?
But he quickly realized that wasn't what she meant.
Mrs. Holmes was a gentle British woman, and in her, Harry saw a faint reflection of his own mother.
After a few more minutes of conversation, Harry began to relax, no longer the bundle of nerves he was at first.
Mrs. Holmes was clearly pleased by this.
No one knew Sherlock like his mother did.
She had feared that he'd be just as isolated and withdrawn at Hogwarts as he had been in Muggle school—perhaps even bullied again.
And while those bullies always ended up worse off, it was never something she wanted to see.
That was one of the reasons she'd been reluctant to send him all the way to Scotland for school in the first place.
The feeling of watching your child go far away, of being overwhelmed with worries—it was all too familiar.
But Hogwarts had brought her a pleasant surprise.
Not only had Sherlock stayed close with that Granger girl he'd met before term, he'd also made new friends.
That, in itself, was a wonderful gift.
So, upon hearing that Harry and Ron had planned to stay at school for Christmas, she had insisted Sherlock invite them to their home instead.
Throughout the journey, she'd quietly observed the two boys.
She could tell how much they trusted—and even admired—Sherlock.
That, more than anything, was what made her happiest.
Whether Sherlock became a great wizard one day or not—that didn't matter.
Back at King's Road, Mrs. Holmes went to prepare dinner while Sherlock led Harry and Ron upstairs.
"Both rooms are free. Take your pick."
"Wait… you mean one room each?"
Harry and Ron stared at him, wide-eyed.
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