On September 1st, Albert woke up early. He climbed out of bed, dressed, and stretched to wake himself up.
Today, he was finally going to Hogwarts. He couldn't help but feel a little excited.
After washing up, Albert began to double-check his luggage.
"You're awake? Good, come downstairs for breakfast." Daisy, wearing her apron, pushed open the door. "Oh, and put your robes and pointed hat at the very top of your trunk. It will be easier to find when you change on the train."
"Albert, are you sure you're not taking Tom?" Nia, still in her pajamas, ran into the room, clutching the cat.
"I'm leaving Tom to keep you company," Albert said.
"What about Shera?" Nia asked.
"She'll fly to Hogwarts and find me. I already asked; the school has an owlery for her to live in." Albert had no desire to bring an owl to King's Cross Station and attract a crowd.
Breakfast was simple, as always. Daisy also packed him a ham sandwich and a drink for later, just in case. The train, of course, sold food, but she worried. Herb had given Albert all the remaining Galleons, which was a considerable sum. They weren't worried about him spending it foolishly; he never had.
Albert cast a Levitation Charm on his heavy leather trunk, floating it easily into the car.
"Did you bring the camera?" Herb asked. "The one your grandfather Luke bought you?"
"I've got it. I'll write home every week and send photos," Albert promised. He planned to take pictures of Hogwarts to share with his family.
"Good man," Herb nodded. "Alright, let's go."
The family arrived at King's Cross Station before ten o'clock. Herb found a trolley and helped Albert load his trunk.
Albert pushed the trolley to the solid barrier between Platforms 9 and 10. He put a finger to his lips in a "shh" gesture, then casually reached out and touched the wall. His hand went right through.
He let out a small sigh of relief, then walked back to his parents. "Okay, I'm going in."
"Remember to write," Herb said. "And send pictures."
"I will," Albert said, turning to his sister. "Nia?"
"So sneaky... I want to go too," Nia mumbled, giving him a quick, tight hug.
"Be good at home. Don't cause any trouble," Albert instructed.
"I won't!" Nia huffed, turning her head away to pretend she was angry.
"We'll see you at Christmas, son." Daisy pulled him into a hug and kissed his cheek. "We'll all go skiing."
"See you at Christmas." Albert grabbed the trolley. He glanced left and right to make sure no one was watching, then broke into a light jog and aimed straight for the barrier.
"He's gone!" Nia said, pointing at the spot where he had vanished.
"Magic is always so amazing," Herb said, putting his arms around his wife and daughter. "Let's go home. Don't worry, Albert will take good care of himself."
On the other side of the barrier, Albert found himself on another platform, where a deep-red steam engine was waiting. A sign on the engine read: Hogwarts Express.
There weren't many passengers yet. The train was scheduled to leave at eleven, and it wasn't even ten. He was an hour early.
As he stepped onto the platform, a new notification popped up on his System panel: [Discovered Platform 9 3/4. Reward: 100 EXP.]
Exploring the map gave experience, but it was usually a trivial amount. He quickly pushed his trolley out of the way of the entrance to avoid being hit by anyone coming through behind him. The ticket barrier was now an archway with a wrought-iron sign that read "Platform 9 3/4."
It was just like the books described.
This was his first time riding such an old-fashioned train. It was practically an antique.
He walked down the platform and found an empty compartment. He used another Levitation Charm to lift his trunk onto the overhead rack, then slid the door shut and began to change into his wizarding robes.
He'd just opened the window when Shera swooped in and landed on the seat opposite him. It seemed she had no intention of flying all the way to Hogwarts; she was going to hitch a ride.
"Smart girl," Albert said, stroking her head. He dug some owl nuts out of his trunk and offered them to her.
"Right, photos. Almost forgot." Albert grabbed his camera and went back onto the platform, taking a few shots of the Hogwarts Express. His photography skills were mediocre at best, but Luke had anticipated this and given him plenty of film.
"This one's not bad," he muttered, admiring a shot of the engine, before heading back to his compartment.
He sat by the window, watching the platform. Over the next hour, it began to fill up. Just then, a light rain began to fall.
"I swear, it rains every single time we go to Hogwarts," Albert complained to himself. He was glad he'd arrived early. The witches and wizards on the platform popped open umbrellas, saying hurried and slightly miserable-looking goodbyes in the drizzle.
He wondered if he'd see anyone he knew.
He didn't expect to see the main character. He was starting Hogwarts before Harry Potter. His cohort should be the same as the Weasley Twins and Cedric Diggory.
He was actually relieved he wasn't in the Savior's year. Albert wanted nothing to do with Potter. The Savior was a natural-born lightning rod, a combination of a main character aura and a trouble-magnet aura. When normal people got caught in his orbit, they tended to end up dead. Cedric Diggory was a prime example.
The rain outside grew heavier. Albert closed the window, leaving just a small crack open. Shera, having eaten, was now dozing. Owls were nocturnal, after all.
He took a chocolate from his pocket, popped it in his mouth, and listened to the rain. He didn't mind the rain, as long as he wasn't in it.
The corridor outside began to get noisy, but Albert kept his compartment door closed. He pulled out his copy of Dark Forces: A Self-Defense Guide and began to read, passing the time. He'd read it more than once and had even tried most of the spells over the summer. In fact, he'd tried every spell he knew of—except the Unforgivables, of course. He'd even tried the Patronus Charm, but that had, unsurprisingly, failed.
"Quick, quick! The train's about to leave!"
A group on the platform caught his eye. A large, red-haired family was in the middle of a frantic goodbye. Among them, he spotted a pair of identical twins.
"The Weasleys?" Albert mused, finding the sight of the famous family a bit comical. Ron Weasley was there, looking a bit dopey. The little girl next to him must be Ginny. She was clinging to Mrs. Weasley, looking sad about being left behind.
Albert compared Ginny to his own sister. Yep, Nia's cuter.
The Weasleys looked flustered, as if they'd been delayed.
Albert turned his gaze from the window, because someone was knocking on his compartment door.
Standing in the doorway was a Black boy with dreadlocks.