The remaining days of August flew by in an atmosphere that was calm on the surface but fraught beneath. To Tom, each day felt like chewing gravel mixed with longing and impatience. He devoted nearly every waking moment to studying his new textbooks and repeatedly running his fingers over the Yew Wand. No longer satisfied with the basic magical stabilization Ares had taught him, he began trying to understand the principles behind the elementary spells in his books. Even when no one was around, he silently practiced the smallest traces of magical guidance, pointing his wand at walls or fallen leaves. His progress was astonishingly fast, and the fire burning in his black eyes grew ever fiercer.
Ares, meanwhile, seemed more composed. He studied the textbooks as well, but spent more of his time examining the ancient scrolls they had taken from the vault and repeatedly trying to open the Black Box. When he practiced magical control with the "Eternal Cycle" wand, he displayed a sense of seamless harmony. Light and dark magic flowed beneath his will like gentle streams, utterly unlike Tom's precise style, which carried a hint of sharp aggression.
The tension from that night seemed to have been set aside for the time being, but an invisible crack had already formed between them. Tom no longer readily shared every new magical discovery he made. His gaze often fell upon the wand beside Ares's pillow and the unopened box, filled with contemplation and assessment.
At last, September first arrived.
A fine drizzle fell from the sky, lending London's morning a touch of chill and haste. At the entrance to Wool's Orphanage, Mrs. Cole looked at the two boys who were about to leave, her expression complicated. In the end, she merely said stiffly, "Behave yourselves at school," before turning and going back inside, as though she had cast off a heavy burden.
Dumbledore did not appear. Only a letter arrived by owl, briefly explaining how they were to get to King's Cross Station. At the bottom of the page was an added sentence: "Stay vigilant, and remember your choices."
The words were like a small stone, sending ripples through Ares's heart.
They carried the old suitcase containing all their magical belongings. Its interior had already been expanded slightly by Ares using a rudimentary Extension Charm, a small trick he had learned from the ancient scrolls. Tom also carried his silent black owl. Together, they blended into London's bustling morning crowds and took the Underground to King's Cross Station.
The station was packed with noise, the roar of steam engines mingling with the clamor of travelers. Muggles hurried along with their luggage, completely unaware of the miracle that was about to occur between Platforms Nine and Ten.
Tom stood before the solid barrier between Platforms Nine and Ten, staring at the wall with a deep frown. For the first time, his face showed obvious uncertainty and a faint anger at being fooled. "There's nothing behind this," he said coldly, his gaze sweeping over the endless stream of Muggles with undisguised irritation.
"The letter said to walk straight at the barrier," Ares reminded him. He could sense faint magical fluctuations coming from behind the wall. The feeling was somewhat similar to the entrance to The Leaky Cauldron, but more lively and... younger.
"What if we crash into it?" Tom's tone was thick with doubt.
"I don't think that'll happen," Ares said calmly, adjusting his grip on the suitcase. "Ready to run?"
Tom glanced at him, his lips pressing into a thin line before he finally nodded. He hated the feeling of placing himself in an unknown situation, but the lure of Hogwarts overwhelmed everything else.
Taking a deep breath, Ares pushed the luggage trolley forward. Without further hesitation, he accelerated straight toward the seemingly solid barrier. He fixed his eyes on the wall, silently repeating Hogwarts in his heart. Just as the trolley was about to smash into the bricks—
A strange, icy sensation swept over his body, as though he had passed through a curtain of water. The sight before him blurred abruptly, then snapped back into focus!
The noisy Muggle station vanished, replaced by an entirely different scene!
He stood on a crowded, old-fashioned platform. A deep-red steam locomotive stood beside him, its front bearing a prominent sign: Hogwarts Express. Thick, milky-white steam billowed from the engine, filling the air with the pleasant scent of coal and machine oil. The platform was crowded with witches and wizards in black robes and their children. Owls hooted from their cages, cats darted around people's feet, and toads of all colors bounced atop suitcases. It was bustling, vibrant, and brimming with the unique vitality of magic.
He had made it.
Tom came through the barrier right after him, appearing at his side. All uncertainty and irritation vanished from Tom's face, replaced by an almost greedy scrutiny. He surveyed this world that belonged to wizards, watching the laughing families and the train that would carry him toward a hall of power and knowledge. The light in his black eyes blazed brightly. He instinctively straightened his back, as though trying to better fit into this new world.
"We're here," Ares said softly, unable to suppress the excitement surging within him.
They pushed their luggage along the platform, searching for an empty compartment. The young wizards around them curiously examined the two boys who had arrived alone and carried themselves so differently from the others. Their eyes lingered especially on Ares's heterochromatic eyes and face.
Just then, an enthusiastic voice with a slightly exaggerated tone rang out beside them:
"Merlin's beard! Look who we have here! Two new faces! Brave souls venturing onto Platform Nine and Three-Quarters all by yourselves?"
Ares and Tom turned at the same time. They saw a boy with golden curls and blue eyes, dressed in a knight's outfit trimmed with gold, grinning at them. Beside him stood another boy with short pale-blond hair, a handsome but pallid face, and cool gray eyes filled with scrutiny. The latter was exquisitely dressed, and every movement he made revealed an inborn elegance and arrogance.
The golden-haired boy extended a hand, his smile dazzling. "Bilierce, Bilierce Blanco! And this is Abraxas Malfoy. From the looks of you, you're first-years, right?"
Tom's gaze swept quickly over the two of them, lingering especially on Abraxas Malfoy. He keenly caught the distinctive bearing of a pure-blood family about him and... his potential value. At once, Tom's face took on the polite, faintly distant smile he had practiced countless times.
"Tom Riddle." He held out his hand, briefly shaking Bilierce's before giving Abraxas a slight nod.
Abraxas's cool gray eyes rested on Tom's handsome face for a moment before shifting to Ares. When he saw Ares's heterochromatic eyes and the golden markings on his face, a clear flicker of surprise flashed through his eyes, though it was swiftly concealed beneath perfect manners. "Abraxas Malfoy," he said evenly, with a trace of barely perceptible appraisal.
"Ares Phoenix," Ares introduced himself as well. He could feel the inquiry in Abraxas's gaze; it ran far deeper than Bilierce's simple curiosity.
"Phoenix?" Abraxas repeated, a thoughtful gleam passing through his gray eyes. "An ancient and rare surname."
"There's still room in our compartment," Bilierce invited warmly. He was clearly very interested in these two unusual first-years. "Want to join us? We can get to know each other on the way!"
Tom barely hesitated. He needed to understand the rules of this world and find potential allies. "It would be an honor," he replied with a smile, carrying himself as though he had been born to belong in such circles.
Ares glanced at Tom and nodded as well. He knew that from the moment they boarded this train, they would no longer be merely "accomplices" from an orphanage. They were actors about to step onto the grand stage of Hogwarts. And Bilierce Blanco and Abraxas Malfoy were the first important characters they had encountered.
The four of them headed toward an empty compartment together. Tom and Abraxas walked ahead, speaking quietly about something. Through the swirling steam, Tom's profile looked especially calm and captivating. Bilierce, meanwhile, stayed close to Ares, asking question after question, particularly fascinated by his eyes and wand.
The whistle sounded long and loud. The Hogwarts Express released even thicker clouds of steam and slowly began to move, leaving King's Cross Station behind. It carried a train full of hope, ambition, and secrets toward the magical castle hidden among mountains and lakes.
The Hogwarts lives of Tom Riddle and Ares Phoenix had officially begun. And the "ark" they had built on that isolated island was about to sail into a broader sea—one with fiercer winds and higher waves.
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