The Hogwarts Express

In the British wizarding world, September 1st is a day of great importance, especially for those wizards who are over eleven but have yet to graduate.

This is the day Hogwarts begins its term.

Young wizards who have just turned eleven look forward to this day day and night, wishing only for it to arrive sooner.

However, wizards between the ages of twelve and seventeen do not necessarily feel the same way, because the start of school signifies the official end of their pleasant summer vacation, and they must now face the homework they had forgotten all about over the break.

This is certainly not good news.

This point is particularly evident in the cases of Kyle and the Weasley twins.

In the open space in front of The Burrow, Kyle stood at the very front, looking quite excited, while Fred and George behind him were full of nervousness, whispering to each other from time to time as if it were their first time going to Hogwarts.

Yes, Kyle was here as well.

Chris had originally intended to take him there via Apparition, but just before they set off, they happened to run into Mrs. Weasley, who had come knocking at the door.

Mrs. Weasley seemed to have guessed his plan; her first words upon seeing Chris were that there were too many Muggles at King's Cross Station, making Apparition too easily spotted and far too unsafe, and that regardless, Kyle had to travel with them.

Chris wanted to say something more, but seeing Mrs. Weasley's firm attitude, he could only swallow his words and nod in agreement.

Kyle, standing to the side, rubbed his forehead in resignation.

He really wanted to tell Mrs. Weasley that, in the eyes of Muggles, nine people piling out of a Ford was far more shocking than two people suddenly appearing out of thin air.

After all, there is no Ganges River here, and a Ford is not some legendary vehicle with a diamond logo that can seat as many as one pleases.

But unfortunately, he was only eleven, his words carried little weight, and he was simply ignored.

Just as he was thinking this, Mrs. Weasley suddenly came to Kyle's side and asked with concern, "Dear, have you packed everything?"

"Of course." Kyle, snapping back to reality, kicked a large trunk by his feet and said, "I checked it three times before leaving; nothing is missing."

"That's good." Mrs. Weasley nodded with a smile.

As they spoke, Mr. Weasley pulled up in front of them in a vintage car that looked quite aged.

This was their mode of transport for the trip: a ninth-hand Ford they had picked up from somewhere, though Mr. Weasley loved it dearly and treasured it like a gem.

"What are you waiting for? Get in."

Urged by Mr. Weasley, Chris was the first to climb into the car.

Seeing this, Kyle knew it was too late to say anything, so he could only follow suit, followed by the rest of the Weasley family.

The interior of the car had been enchanted with an Undetectable Extension Charm, so even with nine people and a mountain of luggage, there was no sense of crowding at all.

Mr. Weasley was a skilled driver; throughout the journey, Kyle felt no significant bumps, nor were there any sudden brakes or jerky starts—it was far better than a certain public bus.

Around ten o'clock, they arrived at King's Cross Station right on time.

Fortunately, the situation Kyle had anticipated did not occur—or rather, the people around them simply didn't care about a broken-down, old Ford—and the group reached the pillar between platforms nine and ten without a hitch.

Once here, there was basically no need to worry about being discovered by Muggles.

There were Muggle-Repelling Charms in the vicinity, causing ordinary people to subconsciously ignore everything happening there, and even in the rare event of an anomaly, Ministry of Magic personnel nearby would handle it immediately. It was perfectly safe.

The group lined up skillfully and, under Mrs. Weasley's direction, passed through the pillar one by one to arrive at the famous Platform 9 ¾.

It was much livelier here than outside.

A deep red steam train was parked by the platform, with a sign hanging on it that read: Hogwarts Express.

"It seems I am not late." A gentle voice came from behind Kyle.

Hearing this familiar voice, Kyle turned around abruptly and was met with the sight of Diana looking at him with a smile.

"Mom?" Kyle said in surprise. "Didn't you have a mission earlier..."

"Of course it's already finished." Diana crouched down and straightened Kyle's clothes. "Today is your first day of school; I didn't want to miss such an important day."

"That's good." Kyle was also very happy.

If only Chris had come to send him to Hogwarts, it would have truly been a regret.

Diana spoke with Kyle for a few more moments, and only when it was nearly time for the train to depart did she send him aboard, adding a final piece of advice: "I assume Chris has already told you the general situation at Hogwarts, so I won't repeat it, but there is one thing I think he hasn't mentioned."

Diana looked at Kyle with her deep blue eyes and said earnestly, "Dear, your father and I graduated a long time ago, and we have no desire to reminisce about our school days, so please do not let us receive any letters from any professors, including Dumbledore. Can you do that?"

"Don't worry, Mom." Kyle smiled. "I won't break school rules, so they have no reason to send letters home."

"Of course, dear." Diana kissed Kyle on the cheek and watched him board the train. "Also, don't forget to tell us your House result."

"I will." Kyle nodded, then turned and boarded the train.

A few minutes later, the train slowly pulled away from the platform, and only then did Diana look away.

Not far behind her, Chris had just finished a conversation with a middle-aged man and walked over to Diana in a few strides.

"Is Mr. Diggory showing off his son again?" Diana asked with a smile.

Clearly, she knew the person Chris had been talking to as well.

Amos Diggory worked in the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures, just like Chris, and also had a child attending Hogwarts. However, he was a year older than Kyle and in the same grade as the Weasley twins.

But unlike the mischievous twins, that boy was excellent in every way, much like Percy had been.

Consequently, Diggory, a fanatic for showing off his child, would praise his son almost every time he spoke to anyone throughout the year.

Once or twice was fine, and people would even chime in with a few compliments, but he wouldn't stop talking about it, and no one could stand that.

Consequently, Diggory gradually became one of the most unwelcome people at the Ministry of Magic, especially among parents whose children were attending Hogwarts but had mediocre grades; unless absolutely necessary, they would never cross paths with him.

Even if they happened to run into him, they would lower their heads and hurry past, avoiding conversation whenever possible.

For those who truly couldn't avoid him—such as encountering him in the elevator or being a colleague like Chris who worked in the same department—they would exchange a few pleasantries and immediately find an excuse to leave, never giving him a chance to change the subject.

And this time, Chris clearly couldn't get away.

"Cedric is indeed very outstanding."

Chris gave a wry smile and said, "Forget it, let's not talk about that. Is your mission really finished already?"

Although he didn't know the specifics of the Department of Mysteries, he knew that any mission appearing there lasted at least a month; a situation where it could be finished in two days was practically impossible.

"Of course not," Diana said, squinting her eyes. "But my colleagues are very easy to talk to. It was just a small request for leave; they won't say anything about it."