Get Ready, the Journey Is About to Begin

Sirius followed the Robemaker inside. He lounged against the wall with his arms folded, a smile in his voice. "That depends on Mr. Potter's performance."

"Of course, Neville is already quite handsome. You probably don't stand much of a chance." He winked at Neville again.

Neville gave a bashful smile. "Sirius, don't make fun of me."

Sirius's smile faded as he said seriously, "Neville, you look great. I mean it."

"All right, all right..." Neville gave him a helpless look, but Sean still caught the hint of happiness at the corners of his eyes.

"Hey, Sean, this is my godfather, Sirius Black," Harry introduced enthusiastically.

"Hello, Mr. Black. Sean Wallop." Sean placed his left hand over his chest and gave a slight bow, wearing an impeccable smile.

Sirius did not seem particularly taken with that sort of thing. He gave a slight nod and, for Harry's sake, offered Sean a reasonably warm greeting before urging Harry to change his clothes.

Sean did not mind. He maintained his proper posture so the automatic measuring pins could get accurate readings.

Harry emerged after changing, looking nervously at Sirius as he asked expectantly, "How do I look? Compared to my dad back then?"

Sirius gave him a serious once-over, then broke into a smile. He stepped forward and patted his godson's shoulder. "Excellent, kid. You look far better than your father did back then."

Harry smiled happily. It was obvious that he and his godfather were very close.

"All right, time to buy the rest of the things. Let's go, boys."

Harry and Neville said goodbye to Sean, called, "See you at Hogwarts," and headed out together.

Sean watched their retreating backs and could still hear snippets of their conversation.

"Hey, Sirius, is there any way to sneak a Flying Broomstick into school?"

"Hmm, I think we first need to get past your mother..."

A new version of Harry Potter... Sean pondered as he stood on the footrest.

Now, he was even more curious about Hogwarts.

It was worth mentioning that when Sean and his father left Diagon Alley, they ran into Harry's group again. After exchanging a few pleasantries, they happened to meet Hogwarts's Muggle Studies professor: Quirrell.

At this point, Quirrell merely looked like a somewhat pale young man. Aside from speaking weakly, he showed no signs of nervous instability.

"Professor Quirrell is always like that, as if he's drunk a Weakness Potion," Sean heard Sirius explain quietly.

Then it seemed Voldemort really hadn't caused any trouble, Sean thought.

However, no one noticed that after they left, Quirrell, retreating into the shadows of the pub, narrowed his eyes slightly. His gaze turned cold and calm.

That night, Sean sat in his room. Before him lay a specially purchased copy of "Modern History of Magic," while beside it were the already opened "The Rise and Fall of the Dark Arts" and "Important Magical Events of the Twentieth Century."

"There's nothing I want..." He rubbed his temple with a headache.

The books contained very little on Grindelwald. Only "Important Magical Events of the Twentieth Century" offered some vague information.

"Gellert Grindelwald had ideological conflicts with Albus Dumbledore in his early years. Grindelwald attempted to carry out his ideals, and after being stopped by Dumbledore, the two reached a reconciliation. Afterward, Grindelwald founded Newmontgard School of Magic and established the Wizarding Reform Association in the same year."

"The Wizarding Reform Association, founded by Gellert Grindelwald, has been committed to improving wizarding rights since its establishment."

That was all the several books had to say about Grindelwald.

Sean rested his chin on his hand and thought for a while, but still had no clue.

"I should enroll first. Once I know more about the Ministry of Magic, I can investigate further. Besides, things should be much safer now than they were before. At least I won't have to worry about some noseless guy jumping out and hitting me with an Avada Kedavra."

As Sean muttered to himself, someone knocked on his bedroom door.

"Come in."

Allen entered, holding another copy of "The Rise and Fall of the Dark Arts," one they had purchased separately.

"Son, we need to talk." Mr. Wallop's expression was grave.

"What is it, Dad?"

"As I see it, the Wizarding World isn't very safe..."

After a heart-to-heart conversation between father and son, they finally reached an agreement: Sean needed to make some preparations before starting school.

Ordinary people had no magic, but they had science.

On the morning of September 1st, the Wallop family estate was already bustling with activity.

Sean wheeled his trunk to the door. Allen took it and placed it in the car's boot, then winked at his son. "Did you put that thing away properly?"

Sean patted his Transfiguring Lizard Wallet. "Of course."

Inside the wallet holding Galleons, Sickles, and Knuts lay a miniature pistol.

After carefully studying magical history, Mr. Allen Wallop had concluded that wizards were far more likely than ordinary people to encounter bad people. The always thorough private hospital owner gritted his teeth and made this decision.

For the remainder of the summer, aside from practicing a few basic spells on his own, Sean underwent shooting training.

Of course, giving a gun to a child who had not yet turned twelve did not seem particularly sensible, but Sean's maturity and excellence, far beyond those of children his age since childhood, meant Allen was not too worried.

He glanced toward the front door. Seeing that his wife and daughter had not yet come out, he lowered his voice and added, "Sean, Dad trusts you very much. Protect yourself, but be cautious—more cautious than ever."

"Please rest assured, Mr. Wallop. My goal is the same as yours: to give that little thing as few chances to appear as possible." Sean winked.

"Very good." Father and son exchanged smiles, reaching an understanding.

The car started. Amid Mrs. Wallop's worried reminders and his younger sister Ayla's questions, the family finally arrived at Platform Nine and Three-Quarters.

"Damn it, where's the entrance?" Allen pushed the luggage trolley, and the owl cage on top had already drawn quite a few looks.

The snowy owl named Gugu had been bought in Diagon Alley that day. She had been the most expensive owl in the Magical Creatures shop, though she was probably not Harry's Hedwig.

Sean looked around and spotted another strikingly beautiful snowy owl.

He smiled. It seemed fate had still left its traces behind.

"Hey, Harry." Sean ran over to greet him.

"Hey, Sean. What a coincidence." Harry waved back, then introduced the two people behind him. "These are my parents."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Potter, Mrs. Potter." Sean gave them a polite bow.

James looked like a gentler, more refined grown-up version of Harry, while his wife Lily was a beautiful woman whose emerald-green eyes seemed gentle and deep.