"Wingardium Leviosa..."
With a practiced flick of his wand, the heavy suitcase filled with books and various daily necessities lifted gently into the air. This clever approach not only allowed Sterling to carry his luggage effortlessly but also ensured that unless someone crouched down to look closely, nobody would notice the suitcase was under a magical spell.
Since submitting his "Dragon Witch" manuscript to Andrew, no one had disturbed Sterling's increasingly deep exploration of magic. He had mastered many useful spells, especially those designed for practical daily life.
Of course, he had practiced potion brewing even more intensively, but despite his determined efforts, the potions he currently produced could only be generously described as "not immediately deadly."
He had no choice in the matter. Perhaps his fairy godmother's unconventional teachings were too deeply ingrained in his mind. He kept feeling the overwhelming urge to kick his cauldron during brewing sessions. It's worth mentioning that the very first spell he had ever learned in the dream world was a protection charm to prevent his feet from being burned by magical fires.
Sterling pretended to struggle slightly as he maneuvered his floating luggage along the platform. Andrew followed close behind, somewhat puzzled by Sterling's stubborn insistence on handling the suitcase himself instead of allowing his guardian to help.
Andrew glanced anxiously at his pocket watch. The hands clearly pointed to 10:17. If he remembered correctly, the Hogwarts Express departure was scheduled for exactly 11:00.
So they had slightly more than half an hour remaining before departure?
Andrew's face suddenly darkened with concern. As a professional editor, his time consciousness was exceptionally well-developed, perhaps even excessively so.
For example, in his personal system, arriving a full hour early represented perfection. Half an hour early? Complete disaster. They were surely running late.
He immediately quickened his pace and, passing Sterling entirely, effortlessly scooped up both boy and floating suitcase. Sterling looked up at Andrew in complete bewilderment, wondering when his guardian had become so remarkably strong.
Andrew's strides became swift and purposeful. This was mainly because the suitcase remained enchanted with the levitation charm. Otherwise, the combined weight of textbooks, additional reading materials, and a thick batch of manuscript papers would have equaled nearly half of Sterling's own body weight.
"Platform Seven... Platform Eight... here we are! Platform Nine!"
Andrew carefully set Sterling down, looking somewhat unfamiliar with their surroundings. This was a place he had never been permitted to visit as a child.
"So, did your professor give you clear directions about where to go?"
"Obviously..." Sterling didn't provide a direct answer. He stood completely transfixed, staring at the solid wall between Platforms Nine and Ten with his mouth slightly agape.
Truly... absolutely shocking...
To Sterling's unique vision, that seemingly ordinary wall was completely covered with countless colored threads of magical energy. Thousands? Tens of thousands? The brilliant threads were so densely packed they merged into one another, forming a shimmering screen across the entire wall surface.
This magical concentration exceeded even the impressive display at Ollivander's wand shop, nearly matching three-quarters of all the threads he'd observed throughout Diagon Alley. Consider how vast Diagon Alley was compared to how small that wall appeared.
While he watched in fascination, a large red-haired family helped a dark-haired boy pass directly through the solid wall, followed by several more family members... What an impressively large family indeed.
Sterling observed several additional threads appearing on the wall as each person passed through.
However, staring so intently seemed rather conspicuous, for suddenly two oddly dressed "security guards" approached their location. To Sterling's magical sight, their body threads were perfectly clear and distinctive.
Sterling quickly rubbed his eyes and deliberately shut off this unique vision. This was a newly developed ability he'd been practicing. Otherwise, entering crowded magical areas like Diagon Alley would leave him surrounded by overwhelming threads blocking his normal view, which proved quite uncomfortable.
The two "guards" noticed Sterling's deliberately revealed wand, nodded approvingly at him, and then walked away satisfied.
"So..."
Andrew's voice came from directly behind Sterling, carrying a forced note of artificial calm.
"You should board the train now, Sterling."
He looked down and gently patted Sterling on the shoulder with obvious affection.
"I won't accompany you onto the platform itself... Sterling, please take excellent care of yourself at school. Write to me frequently... No, not about magical subjects. Just tell me about the friends you make and the food you enjoy eating."
How could Sterling possibly miss hearing the unmistakable tremor in his guardian's voice?
Andrew gave Sterling a firm but loving push from behind and carefully placed a small bag of homemade candy onto his floating suitcase.
"Go on now, I still need to meet with some procrastinating writers who haven't submitted their work. Oh, and here's your special enrollment gift... I convinced someone to teach me how to make proper sweets yesterday... Definitely more delicious than Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans. They're still called that, aren't they?"
Sterling tucked the precious candy into his coat pocket and ran straight toward the barrier wall with his magically floating suitcase, not daring to look back.
"You take care of yourself too! Wait for my manuscripts!"
"If you don't write a single manuscript all year, don't bother coming home!"
Andrew laughed in response, but a single tear slipped from the corner of his eye.
Hogwarts... Hogwarts... please be genuinely kind to Sterling Page. Allow him to experience the magical life I missed… no... the life I was never destined to enjoy.
Then he turned and strode away without looking back.
"Wooooo... wooooo..."
The train whistle cried out loudly as thick steam swirled dramatically above the crowd's heads. Everyone spoke in raised voices; otherwise, the powerful whistle would completely drown out their conversations.
The magnificent deep red steam locomotive sat proudly beside the platform, its doors standing wide open as if personally inviting the excited children aboard.
Sterling wiped his eyes quickly. He had run too fast moments earlier, and perhaps some dust from the platform had been blown into them.
He withdrew his wand and waved it confidently upward. The heavy suitcase floated obediently beside him, wobbling slightly in the air. Now that he stood on the wizard-filled Platform Nine and Three-Quarters, he no longer needed to conceal his magical abilities.
With limited time remaining before departure, Sterling walked back and forth along the train but couldn't locate a single empty compartment.
It appeared he would have to join someone else's compartment... preferably with other first-years, since older students might not welcome a nervous freshman joining their established group.
After searching thoroughly, he finally discovered a compartment near the very end of the train with only two occupants.
A girl with impressively curly brown hair and a slightly chubby, nervous-looking boy. Judging by their height and the unmistakable expression of anxious anticipation on their faces, they were definitely first-year students.
Sterling knocked politely on the compartment door.
"Excuse me, is there room for one more?"
The girl nodded immediately with enthusiasm. The boy seemed rather shy and socially awkward, which actually pleased Sterling. He preferred quieter companions since it meant he wouldn't be expected to maintain constant conversation.
However, basic social greetings couldn't be avoided entirely.
"Thank you so much. All the other compartments are completely packed. I'm fortunate you're willing to accept me, otherwise I'd be squeezed in with seven or eight other students... I'm Sterling Page, from a Muggle family."
The girl carefully set down her thick book and smiled with obvious confidence.
"Hello, I'm Hermione Granger, also from a Muggle family."
The boy's eyes flickered nervously as he stammered with considerable difficulty,
"Hi... I'm Neville Longbottom... from... a wizarding family..."
Even managing those few words seemed to require tremendous courage. Sterling sensed the boy was genuinely socially anxious, but he nodded kindly in encouragement.
"From a wizarding family?"
Before he could consider this further, Hermione launched into a rapid series of questions directed at both him and Neville.
"Oh, you come from a wizarding family? Did you begin learning magic when you were very young? How many spells have you mastered so far? I've already studied all the spellbook incantations during the holidays but can't successfully cast them all yet. Are you also starting first year? Did you use a Levitation Charm on your suitcase just now?"
Her speech was extraordinarily rapid, as if she didn't require breathing between sentences.
Sterling glanced sympathetically at poor Neville, who appeared to still be processing the overwhelming flood of information while Hermione waited eagerly for responses. To help the painfully shy boy, Sterling decided to answer first.
He noticed that Hermione seemed somewhat nervous herself. Otherwise, her voice wouldn't sound quite so fast and urgent.
"I'm also beginning first year. As for this charm, yes, I practiced the spell extensively during the holidays before achieving success. It's remarkably practical, isn't it?"
As he spoke, Sterling raised his floating suitcase slightly higher for demonstration.
"Oh wonderful, you also studied magic during the holidays! I remember the Levitation Charm appears toward the back of our spellbook! I still can't determine whether the pronunciation is 'Wingardium Leviosa' or 'Wi-ngar-dium Levio-sa' because our textbook mentions that a wizard once mispronounced it terribly and accidentally summoned a charging buffalo, so I'm absolutely terrified to attempt it at home."
"I believe it should be pronounced 'Wingardium Leviosa,' with the 'gar' syllable spoken long and clearly."
Hermione chatted enthusiastically about magical theory with Sterling, graciously sparing poor Neville from immediate interrogation.
"Wooooo... wooooo..."
The train whistle sounded loudly once more.
And with that powerful sound, their incredible story truly began.