Chapter 10: The Hogwarts Express
The billowing smoke from the steam locomotive drifted in the air above the platform, and the crowded people made a clamor, mixed with the hooting of owls, while various colorful cats weaved between people’s feet.
Guo Guo Cha crouched on Vaughn’s luggage, glancing at the backs of its companions, quiet and steady.
Harry was gone, and there were people all around. That reckless fellow had run off somewhere. Vaughn didn’t search for him specifically. He stood on tiptoe and watched for a while, finally finding Fred and George, then squeezed over and asked:
“Why are you two only here? Where’s Percy?”
“Haven’t seen him. Respected Prefect Percy is very busy, and he disappeared in the blink of an eye.”
“Huh? Fred, when did Percy become a prefect? How come I didn’t know?”
“You couldn’t not know, George. He’s mentioned it at least once… no, twice… no!”
The twins shouted in unison: “All summer! Hahahaha—”
Then, Percy appeared, having changed into a new robe from somewhere, and said with a straight face: “If I were you, Fred and George, knowing your brother has become a prefect, I’d be more restrained and not make it difficult for him!”
“Merlin’s Beard, Fred, I’m so scared!”
“Yes, George, it’s terrifying. The tone of his voice is like he’s become the Headmaster!”
“You guys…” Percy took a deep breath and finally decided not to bother with them anymore. He came over and patted Vaughn’s shoulder. During this, he ostentatiously shook his new robe to make sure Vaughn saw the ‘P’ badge pinned to his chest: “Vaughn, my dear brother, if you have any problems after entering the school, remember to find me!”
Vaughn smiled and nodded: “Okay, Percy.”
At this moment, the Weasley couple also arrived with Ginny and Ron. It was almost 11 o’clock, and the white smoke from the steam locomotive was getting denser—it was about to depart, and Molly had to bid farewell to the children.
When she reached Vaughn and Ron, she sentimentally wiped the corners of her eyes, wishing she could hold them both tightly and not let go: “You’ve grown up so much, and you’ve never been so far from home.”
“Don’t worry, Mom, we’re going to school, and Hogwarts is the safest place in the world…” Vaughn said, comforting her against his better judgment, and quietly added in his heart—
It might not be the case in the future!
“When we get to school, we’ll write to you and Dad, and of course, Ginny too.”
After comforting his mother, Vaughn also hugged Ginny. The little girl had already been crying buckets, clutching his shirt and refusing to let go.
“Vaughn, I don’t want you to go…”
“But brother has to go to school, and Ginny can come to Hogwarts next year, so we won’t be separated then.”
It took quite a while to finally coax her. During this time, Ron hadn’t said a word because he was also crying and his nose was running.
With the Weasley couple and Ginny waving goodbye, Vaughn and Ron pushed their large pile of luggage onto the train, looking for an empty compartment.
They definitely couldn’t go to the front of the train; that was for older students. Percy had bragged earlier that he had a prefects’ compartment at the head of the train.
So the two could only look in the back of the train.
After finally finding an empty compartment, the train let out a long whistle and started moving. Ron dropped his luggage and rushed to the window, pressing his face tightly against the glass, as if wanting to catch one last glimpse of his parents waving goodbye.
But he saw nothing.
The smoke obscured the platform, and only patches of waving arms could be seen. The boy slumped onto the seat in disappointment.
Vaughn took out his wand and cast the Levitation Charm to place their luggage.
Seeing him like this, he thought for a moment, then took out a piece of candy from his pocket.
“Here!”
Ron stared for a moment, took it, and mumbled incoherently while unwrapping the candy: “Th…thank you, Vaughn…”
“Call me brother!”
Vaughn playfully ruffled his hair, making the slight warmth that had just risen in Ron’s heart disappear instantly.
His face turned red, and he flailed his arms, trying to break free from Vaughn’s hand, shouting: “You wish—”
Just then, the compartment door opened, and a thin figure dragging a large suitcase stood hesitantly and blankly at the doorway: “Excuse me… can I sit here?”
Harry Potter felt today was absolutely awful.
First, he was abandoned at the station by his aunt and uncle and couldn’t find Platform Nine and Three-Quarters.
He finally met a kind lady and successfully entered the platform. He stumbled through the crowd for a long time before barely managing to board the train, but then he couldn’t find a compartment.
He had gone to the front of the train at first, only to be chased out by older students with small snake badges on their chests.
He walked all the way to the back of the train. Every compartment was almost full, and after looking around for a long time without finding a seat, he saw two red-haired boys.
He recognized them.
It was the kind family who had helped him outside the station earlier. Their fiery red hair was too conspicuous, especially the tall boy with ruby-like brown eyes named Vaughn. He was the most handsome boy Harry had ever seen, even more handsome than the male movie stars Aunt Petunia liked.
Of course, what impressed Harry most was the scene he had just witnessed of Vaughn waving his wand and making the luggage float.
Magic…
Harry didn’t know what possessed him; he impulsively pushed open the door, and then, after asking the question, he wanted to retreat.
He was a stranger, suddenly appearing before two brothers. What if they didn’t like to be disturbed? What if they kicked him out?
His thoughts were in a jumble. Having grown up with the Dursleys, he was accustomed to being cautious and compromising.
At this moment, in the compartment, Vaughn was also a bit surprised.
He hadn’t seen Harry Potter before and thought the boy had already found a compartment.
He couldn’t help but look at Harry, then at Ron.
The Wizarding World indeed had notions of destiny, which was also a part of magic. Was the trio destined to meet?
After pondering for a moment, feeling that he couldn’t figure out this question for the time being, Vaughn, without revealing anything, smiled at Harry and said: “Of course, please come in.”
Harry thanked him somewhat awkwardly, turned to pull the suitcase behind him, and then he heard a spell:
“Wingardium Leviosa （Wingardium Leviosa）”
His luggage immediately floated up, lifted into the air by a mysterious force.
Hedwig flapped her wings frantically in her cage, but it was in vain.
Harry hurried to turn back, seeing Vaughn holding a gnarled wand, directing his suitcase to fly onto the shelf, while Hedwig’s cage landed on the small table by the window.
There was also a huge cat there.
It glanced at Hedwig, then continued to stare at the mouse in the cage in the corner.
“Uh, uh…” Harry was dazed and almost speechless. After a while, he stammered: “Thank you, thank you.”
“You’re welcome, come in and sit down!” Vaughn smiled. “I’m Vaughn Weasley, this is my brother, Ron Weasley. Hello, Harry Potter.”
Harry, shrugging his shoulders as he walked into the compartment, immediately responded stiffly: “Hello, Vaughn… uh?” He widened his eyes. “How did you know…”
Vaughn pointed to his forehead. “Outside on the platform, I saw your scar.”
So it wasn’t because of magic…
Harry breathed a sigh of relief and was about to reply when he saw the freckled boy named Ron Weasley practically leap up, staring at his forehead with wide eyes.
“Harry Potter?! The Harry Potter?”
