Chapter 177: Returning Home (Part 3)

King's Cross Station.

A crowd of students changed into Muggle clothes and pushed their luggage carts out of the platform one after another.

John followed his friends to the platform exit.

Just as they emerged, Ryan saw his family waiting to pick him up from afar.

"Mom! Dad!"

Ryan waved at them happily, then pulled John and the others along toward them.

"Mom, Dad, these are the good friends I told you about: Titus, Ethan, and John."

Mr. Grey listened to his son's introduction and nodded at the children in a friendly greeting.

John and the others greeted them in turn.

However, for some reason, Mrs. Grey began looking around like a thief and tugged at her husband's arm.

"Let's go quickly, dear. Ryan, come home with Mom right now."

Mrs. Grey's voice was very low, and as she spoke, she grabbed Ryan's hand, ready to leave.

Ryan looked at his mother's uncharacteristic behavior, feeling a wave of confusion.

His father also looked a bit awkward but said nothing, merely waving apologetically at the children.

Then, he hurried away with his family, disappearing from John and the others' sight.

"Mom, what's wrong with you? I haven't even said a proper goodbye to my friends yet!"

Once they were back in the car, Ryan finally couldn't help but speak up again.

"Ryan, next semester I will have the school change your dormitory. From now on, try your best not to associate with those Muggle-born children, especially that Merrick boy."

To his surprise, Mrs. Grey's expression suddenly changed, and she spoke to Ryan with a stern face.

"What?"

Her words stunned Ryan, and the next moment, he realized what she meant.

Could it be that because the news of Voldemort's resurrection had spread, his mother had developed prejudice and fear toward Muggle-born wizards?

Was she so nervous because she was afraid of being targeted by Death Eaters?

"Dear, isn't that going a bit too far? They're just a group of children. Treating them like this..."

At this moment, Mr. Grey also caught up, and hearing his wife's demand for their son, he couldn't help but advise her.

"Besides, we don't even know if the news of that person's resurrection is true or not. Severing the children's friendship like this is too rash."

"What do you know! My brother was cruelly murdered by Death Eaters back then just because he fell in love with a Muggle-born witch as a pure-blood."

Mrs. Grey suppressed her emotions with great effort, but her voice still trembled, and a flash of fear and pain buried for many years crossed her eyes.

"I cannot let Ryan repeat the same mistake. Even if there is the slightest possibility of danger, I will absolutely not allow it!"

"Look at that Merrick boy—a Muggle-born little wizard who has recently been making such a splash in the *Daily Prophet*, becoming some 'once-in-a-century genius'."

"I know those madmen too well. His existence is a provocation to the supremacy of pure-blood! He is a thorn in the eyes of those madmen!"

"If the Death Eaters want to make an example of someone, he is absolutely the most conspicuous target!"

Hearing his wife's words, Mr. Grey fell silent for a moment.

He had to admit that this little wizard named John had indeed been too eye-catching lately.

One must know that tall trees catch the wind and the bird that sticks its head out gets shot, especially in such turbulent times.

But when his son was with them, there was light in his eyes.

As a father, how could he bear to personally extinguish that heartfelt smile?

"But you don't have to be so extreme..."

"I didn't turn against them on the spot and force them to break off relations; I was already being very restrained."

Ryan, having listened to his parents argue for a while, finally understood his mother's meaning.

Simply put, she felt that being friends with John was dangerous.

Furthermore, it was the first time he learned he had an uncle who was killed by Death Eaters for falling in love with a Muggle-born witch.

"I've said it before: we won't aid the evildoers, but we won't make enemies of them either."

"But how is this any different from aiding the evildoers? Helping the Death Eaters ostracize those Muggle-born wizards..."

Hearing her husband's words, Mrs. Grey's emotions completely spiraled out of control. She shrieked hysterically at her husband, and tears finally burst from her eyes.

"Then what do you want! Should I take our son and go shed blood and sacrifice ourselves!"

"I just want to protect my family! You men always talk about justice and courage, but have you ever thought about the price we people have to pay once disaster strikes!"

She pointed a trembling finger at Ryan.

"I cannot let him walk the same path as his uncle, and I certainly cannot watch him throw away his life for a moment of impulse!"

"We just need to be quiet. When the Death Eaters are in power, we can shout 'Pure-blood supremacy' twice, or when the Death Eaters fall, we can shout 'All wizards are one family' twice."

"That way, we won't offend anyone, and we'll have a place regardless of which side wins..."

Seeing his emotional wife, Mr. Grey had no choice but to stop provoking her and hurriedly hugged her to soothe her emotions.

"Alright, alright, let's not talk about this. The world is still peaceful right now, let's not think so much."

Mrs. Grey calmed down, leaning into her husband's embrace and sobbing in a low voice.

Ryan looked at his sobbing mother, even though he felt her thinking was biased.

But he couldn't say anything rebellious.

On the other side, John and the others, watching Ryan leave, didn't think much of it.

Perhaps they had some urgent business.

They continued walking out, meeting Mrs. Claude on the way to pick up Titus, and also met Ethan's parents, the Hold couple.

Finally, John reached the outside of the station.

John saw at a glance that his mother was standing by a car chatting and laughing with the Granger couple, and even Hermione was already standing by the car.

Just looking at her head-down, embarrassed expression, he didn't know what the adults of the two families were talking about.

"Mom, I'm back. And Uncle, Aunt, long time no see."

John walked up with a smile to greet them. Hermione looked up and saw him, her eyes brightening, though she immediately restrained her expression.

"My precious son is back. Come, let Mom take a good look at you."

John's mother opened her arms to hug him, patting his back gently.

"Hmm, you've grown taller. You're a big young man now."

"Little John is really taller than our girl, huh."

On the other side, Mr. Granger also looked John over and said with a smile.

"That's right!"

"Just one compliment and you're showing off, huh."

John had just proudly put his hands on his hips and puffed out his chest when Hermione rolled her eyes at him.

"You bet!"

Watching the two children bickering, the three adults looked at each other and smiled.

Then they walked together toward the apartment building across the street.

Just like last time, the Granger couple planned to visit John's home first and return after dinner.

On the way, Mrs. Granger kindly came to John's side, took the arm of the big boy who was as tall as herself, and started chatting with him.

"John, have you and Hermione discussed when you'll come to visit our house?"

John thought for a moment, then said with a cheeky grin.

"Can I go whenever I want?"

"Yes / No."

Mrs. Granger and Hermione spoke in unison; one nodded with a smile, while the other pouted and shook her head.

Hermione had been staring at the arm John and her mother were holding since just now, a look of jealousy appearing on her face that she didn't even notice herself.

"Hey, Auntie agreed, the objection is invalid~"

John turned back triumphantly and smiled at Hermione, making Hermione's fists clench—her fists were clenched. ===== CHAPTER 178 =====