Snow Feather's First Cry and the Star-Moon Ripples

Professor McGonagall's figure appeared beneath the colorful awning of Sweet Swirl with the precision of a clock's hands. She glanced at the half-melted ice cream on the table, clearly forgotten by its owner, and the deep blue Starry Notebook clutched tightly in Hermione's arms. Her brow twitched almost imperceptibly, but in the end, she said nothing.

"It's time." Her voice carried its usual cool detachment. "I will send each of you back separately. Miss Granger, your parents are waiting for you at home. Mr. Lee..." Her gaze shifted to Lynn. "I've made the necessary arrangements at the welfare institute where you're currently staying, ensuring your departure goes smoothly. Now, please stand closer."

Lynn and Hermione quickly rose. Hermione carefully placed the Starry Notebook into the paper bag holding her new textbooks, her movements as gentle as if handling a fragile treasure, her fingertips still lingering on the notebook's cool touch and the weighty sentiment it carried. Lynn gathered his own belongings swiftly.

Professor McGonagall drew her wand—a straight, smooth, unadorned dark wooden rod. She gestured for Hermione to stand on her left and Lynn on her right, about an arm's length apart.

"Don't move. It may be a bit uncomfortable," Professor McGonagall warned, then gave a steady flick of her wrist.

Pop!

A faint burst of sound, like a cork being pulled from a bottle. Lynn and Hermione simultaneously felt a powerful force pressing in from all directions, as if being squeezed through an extremely narrow rubber tube. Darkness engulfed their vision, their ears filled with the roar of their own blood rushing and a strange, whistling wind. The Star Stone and Moon White Stone against Lynn's chest flared with intense heat, as if resisting the crushing pressure.

This suffocating sensation lasted only a second or two before vanishing abruptly.

His feet landed on solid ground again. Fresh air, tinged with faint grass and car exhaust, filled his lungs. Lynn shook his head, steadied himself, and found he was standing on a familiar, slightly worn street. The evening sun illuminated the house number of a nearby red-brick building—the very St. Mary's Children's Welfare Institute in London where he currently resided. Hermione and Professor McGonagall were nowhere to be seen.

The welfare institute's gray, dusty exterior stood quietly in the sunset. Lynn took a deep breath, suppressing the faint dizziness from the rapid transfer and the brief longing for the brown-haired girl clutching the Starry Notebook. He knew Hermione should now be safely back at her home in Hampstead.

In the days that followed, while waiting for the Hogwarts Express to depart, Lynn's life was consumed by two things: devouring his newly purchased magical textbooks with insatiable hunger, and cautiously exploring the inheritance from "Lynn Li's" vault—especially the deep blue Starry Notebook and the Pen of Stars.

The small room assigned to him at the welfare institute was in the top-floor attic, cramped but quiet, with a skylight that offered a view of a small patch of gray sky. He spread the Starry Notebook open on his only desk, alongside A History of Magic and Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration. When his fingers gripped the Pen of Stars, the Star Stone on his chest pulsed with a steady warmth. The tip touched the blank deep blue pages, and as his thoughts flowed, reflections on the Magic Source, Spell Structure, and the basic principles of Transfiguration poured out like a clear stream onto the paper, shimmering with a deep blue starlight. This method of directly materializing abstract thought was far more efficient than ordinary writing, accelerating his understanding of magical theory by leaps and bounds.

Beyond studying, he also experimented with the Star Core Ring and the Astrology Compass. The ring fit snugly on his right index finger, its cool touch quickly becoming familiar, but aside from an occasional faint blue glint, it showed no other unusual reactions. The Astrology Compass was more mysterious—its jade shell warm and smooth, the star tracks etched inside exquisitely detailed. When he tried to channel a trace of magic into it, the star track lines inside would glow faintly for an instant, like a sleeping galaxy disturbed, then quickly fade back into silence, yielding no readable information. Clearly, both items required specific conditions or greater magical power to activate.

Three days later, one evening, Lynn was immersed in One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi's description of Moonlight Grass properties when a rapid, crisp tapping came from the small attic skylight.

Tap tap tap! Tap tap tap!

Lynn looked up in surprise. An exceptionally majestic owl was pecking at the glass with its curved beak. This owl was slightly smaller than a common Barn Owl, but its feathers were a pure, flawless snow-white, bathed in a faint golden glow under the sunset. Most striking were its eyes—like two translucent amber gems, bright and spirited. The tips of its tail feathers were adorned with a few quills that seemed formed from tiny ice crystals, refracting light into a shimmering rainbow, beautiful as a dream creature.

"Snow Feather?" Lynn immediately thought of the name Hermione had mentioned. He quickly stood and carefully pushed open the skylight.

Snow Feather glided in lightly, bringing a cool night breeze. It folded its wings, landed steadily on Lynn's desk, tilted its head, and curiously examined Lynn with those beautiful amber eyes. It then glanced at the open Starry Notebook and the shimmering starlight script on the pages, letting out a short, clear chirp: "Hoo!"

A slender roll of parchment was tied to its leg.

Lynn untied the scroll, and Snow Feather immediately began preening its fluffy white chest feathers with elegant grace.

Unrolling the parchment, familiar, slightly childish yet neat handwriting came into view:

> Lynn: > > Did Snow Feather find you? Isn't she beautiful? Dad says she might have Silver Snow Owl blood! She arrived from the Magical Pet Shop this morning, and I immediately wanted her to deliver a letter to you! > > I can't wait to go to Hogwarts! I've been reading the textbooks these past few days (especially History of Magic—so interesting!), and I even tried lighting a lamp with my wand a few times (only succeeded once, almost burned the curtains! Mom was terrified!). How's your notebook research going? Is that pen amazing? > > Oh, I made a little sleeve for my wand (from an old scarf) to keep it clean. What about yours? > > Looking forward to September first! See you at the station! (Don't forget Platform Nine and Three-Quarters!) > > PS: Snow Feather seems to really like those hard candies you gave me last time (the ones with star patterns). If you still have some... > > Hermione

At the end of the letter, a small, smiling sun was drawn.

The words overflowed with Hermione's characteristic, leaping-flame excitement and boundless anticipation for the new world. Lynn could almost picture her hunched over her desk writing, her bushy curls falling by her cheeks, her big eyes sparkling. A smile crept unbidden to his lips, and even the warmth of the Star Stone on his chest seemed to deepen.

He immediately took out the Pen of Stars and a piece of ordinary parchment (the Starry Notebook was too precious; he didn't want to use it for a reply just yet). After a moment's thought, he wrote:

> Hermione: > > Snow Feather arrived safely. She is indeed the most majestic owl I've ever seen, especially the ice crystals on her tail feathers—truly unique. Thank her for me, and congratulations on having such a wonderful companion. > > The Starry Notebook and Pen are priceless. My learning efficiency has doubled. The discussion on magical flow in Chapter Seven of A History of Magic, combined with the notebook's star track simulations, has given me new insights. I've attached a rough sketch of my thoughts (on another sheet) that might inspire you. > > My wand is still bare for now. It seems I'll have to learn from your craftsmanship. > > Hard candy stock is plentiful (a small pouch is enclosed). Give my regards to Mr. and Mrs. Granger. > > September first, Platform Nine and Three-Quarters, see you there. > > Lynn

Lynn quickly sketched a few shimmering deep blue lines representing magical flow on another piece of parchment using the Pen of Stars, marking several key nodes. He carefully rolled up the letter, the rough-draft notes, and a small pouch of hard candies stamped with silver stars, then tied them to the leg Snow Feather extended.

Snow Feather seemed to catch the sweet scent of the candy, letting out a pleased cooing sound and affectionately rubbing its head against Lynn's fingers—the touch was cool and soft—before spreading its snow-white wings and gliding lightly through the skylight like a beam of moonlight, vanishing into the deepening dusk.

Watching where Snow Feather had disappeared, Lynn's mood lightened as well. He sat back down at his desk, his gaze falling on the palm-sized Astrology Compass lying next to the Starry Notebook. A thought suddenly struck him: Hermione's Moon White Stone pendant contained pure moonlight energy, while the notebook and Pen of Stars responded to his thoughts... What if he combined the two?

This idea was like a pebble thrown into a calm lake, stirring ripples. He acted immediately. Placing the Astrology Compass on an open blank page of the Starry Notebook, he gently grasped the Star Stone pendant at his chest with one hand, slowly channeling the faint but clear magic within him into the compass. With his other hand, he picked up the Pen of Stars, its tip hovering above the compass, and focused his mind on recalling the aura and texture of the Moon White Stone pendant Hermione wore—that pure, gentle, soothing sensation like cold moonlight.

As he concentrated his will and simulated the energy of the Moon White Stone, the star-shaped sapphire at the tip of the Pen of Stars faintly lit up, and the flow from the nib shifted from deep blue to a strange, luminous stream mixed with a soft milky white glow. This faint light, like a living thread, slowly extended downward toward the quietly resting Astrology Compass.

Just as the faint light from the pen tip, blended with the radiance of stars and moon, was about to touch the jade casing of the compass—

Hum!

A low, strange resonance suddenly rang out from within the compass! The precision-engraved star orbit lines on its surface lit up as if a sleeping Milky Way had been instantly awakened! No longer the weak flicker from previous tests, but a steady, clear, soft silver glow! Countless tiny silver specks of light slowly flowed and rotated between the star orbit lines, forming a miniature, dynamic Star Chart! Even more astonishingly, on the blank page of the Starry Notebook, a simplified projection of star orbits composed of intertwined deep blue and milky white light points appeared in sync, mirroring the compass's chart!

"It worked?!" Lynn's heart jolted. His concentration peaked as he struggled to maintain the simulation of the Moon White Stone's energy and the output of his magic, his eyes fixed on the flowing Star Chart in the compass and the synchronized projection on the notebook.

Yet, this wondrous scene lasted less than five seconds!

The light of the Star Chart within the compass suddenly flickered violently and twisted! The synchronized projection on the notebook page blurred, light points scattering chaotically! A wave of chaotic energy rebounded from inside the compass!

Pfft!

With a soft, muffled sound, the grain-sized star-shaped sapphire at the tip of the Pen of Stars burst into a small, chaotic cluster of blue-white sparks! Lynn felt a strong numbing sensation and burning pain shoot through both the hand holding the Star Stone and the hand holding the pen, as if struck by a weak electric current!

"Ah!" He grunted, instinctively letting go.

The Pen of Stars fell with a clatter onto the notebook, the sapphire's light rapidly dimming, leaving only a wisp of smoke and a faint burnt smell. The Star Chart inside the Astrology Compass went out instantly, reverting to a warm but lifeless piece of jade. The chaotic light-point projection on the notebook page completely dissipated, leaving only a blank expanse of deep blue.

Failure. And the cost was... Lynn winced as he looked at the sapphire atop the Pen of Stars, now noticeably dimmer and even bearing a fine crack. A wave of intense regret washed over him. He had been too impatient. His control over the two forces—especially the simulated moonlight energy of Hermione—was far from precise enough. Rashly attempting such a difficult feat of energy resonance and guidance had resulted in backlash.

He slumped back in his chair, the palm of his right hand stinging from the chaotic energy that had burned it. Spreading his hand, he saw the palm was red, with even a few tiny scorch marks like those left by flying sparks.

Just then, the Star Stone at his chest sent a more urgent and clearer wave of warmth than usual, as if reminding him of something. Then, Hermione's Moonlight Grapevine Wand, which he had placed on a corner of the desk, emitted an extremely faint, soft milky white flash from the transparent gem at its tip—like a gathered dewdrop—without anyone touching it!

Lynn's heart stirred. Acting on a whim, he reached out his injured right hand and gently grasped Hermione's wand.

The moment his fingertips touched the warm, ivory-white vine wood of the shaft—

A pure, cool energy, like a babbling brook under a moonlit night, flowed gently and firmly from the wand, traveling along the meridians of his arm and softly enveloping the burning, painful area of his palm!

The sensation was incredible! The stinging pain faded like melting snow and ice. The red marks on his palm visibly lightened, and a faint, tickling itch came from the tiny scorch marks—tissue rapidly repairing itself! In just a few seconds, most of the discomfort in his palm vanished, leaving only a slight pinkness of new skin and an indescribable feeling of comfort.

Lynn stared in shock at his nearly healed hand, then at the Moonlight Grapevine Wand in his grip, which seemed to possess its own will and had actively healed him. It had now returned to calm, but the warm shaft still seemed to retain a trace of reassuring warmth.

"Hermione..." He murmured the wand owner's name, a mix of emotions swirling within him. This wand had not only chosen Hermione but also seemed instinctively to protect those deeply connected to her? The pure healing power just now clearly carried that unique, soothing aura of Hermione's Moon White Stone.

He carefully placed Hermione's wand back where it had been, as if handling a fragile relic. Then, he picked up his own Star-patterned Fir Wood Wand, gazing at the deep, starry-sky-like sapphire at its tip. He tried sending a faint thought to it, hoping it would respond like Hermione's wand.

However, the Star-patterned Wand lay quietly in his palm, the starry patterns on its shaft deep and restrained, showing no special reaction—neither warmth nor healing power emanated from it. It was powerful and reserved, like the silent starry sky, only responding to his will when power was needed, but seemingly lacking the delicate, guardian-like spirit of the Moonlight Grapevine Wand.

Lynn gently stroked the cold shaft of his own wand, then glanced at Hermione's warm moonlight wand beside it. The strange feeling he had toward Hermione deepened, like ripples spreading further across a lake after a stone is thrown. Stars and moon—they were the inseparable twins of the night sky. His strength always seemed to need her gentleness to harmonize.

Outside the window, night had fully fallen. Lynn carefully put away the damaged Pen of Stars and the now-silent Astrology Compass. The scars on his palm had vanished, but the touch of being healed by the moonlight wand and the gentle power within it, belonging to Hermione, were clearly etched into his heart. He picked up Hermione's letter and read the simple smiling sun again. Even the starlight outside the window seemed a few degrees softer. September first truly seemed worth looking forward to even more.