Always Meet Again

The next month passed particularly slowly for Li Mu.

Having decided to enroll at Hogwarts, Li Mu arrived in London early. In his previous life, he never had the chance to travel abroad, so now with the opportunity for a "publicly funded" trip, he naturally wanted to see the sights.

However, he arrived far too early and had already visited all the famous and not-so-famous attractions in the greater London area before even going to Diagon Alley. He considered flying across the English Channel to France and Germany, but he didn't have enough money.

Air travel was still a luxury in this era, and a single flight cost as much as two weeks in a hotel. Li Mu didn't have much cash on hand, and the cost of living in the magical world was low. One Galleon could only be exchanged for a meager 5 pounds. The money he withdrew from Gringotts was valuable in the magical world, but it would be a huge loss if converted to Muggle currency.

So, for the next month, Li Mu transformed into a bookworm. With nothing else to do, he curiously began reading the various textbooks he had bought in Diagon Alley.

Like Hermione, he felt anxious about learning magic. He had studied Taoist arts in the mountains for eight years and already had a solid foundation. However, the more he learned about Western magic, the more he realized...

Eastern Taoist arts and Western magic were largely two different systems, and his foundation was completely useless for learning magic.

He would wake up in the morning, drink coffee, and read textbooks. At noon, he would go out for a stroll and sample some of London's unpalatable cuisine. In the afternoon, he would either wander through the unique neighborhoods or return to the hotel to continue reading. After dinner, he would meditate until bedtime without fail... This was Li Mu's routine for the month.

Li Jianmin had specifically instructed him that even while studying magic in the West, he must continue to practice Taoist arts every day, and he would personally test his progress every summer. Li Mu didn't dare to slack off.

Finally, as Li Mu woke up from his morning meditation, he realized that the calendar had finally turned to September 1st.

Today was his first day of school, and it would also be his first day at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

He leaped out of bed with excitement. Li Mu excitedly stuffed his belongings into his suitcase, checked out of the hotel, and hailed a taxi on the street.

"King's Cross Station. Platform 9," he instructed the cool, blonde-haired driver.

Hogwarts, a place he had longed for in his previous life, the wondrous and fascinating world of Western magic, the heavy door that had been closed for so long, seemingly covered in ancient green vines, was about to open for him.

Even after eight years of cultivating a Taoist heart, he couldn't completely maintain his composure at this moment.

As Li Mu was suppressing his excitement and daydreaming, the bustling buildings outside the car were rapidly receding. There wasn't much traffic in London at this time, and King's Cross Station was quickly reached.

When the car stopped, he was still in a daze and only remembered to pay when the driver impatiently urged him.

The taxi sped away, and Li Mu, carrying his suitcase, looked around Platform 9. He quickly spotted his target: a thin, weak boy standing blankly beside Platform 9, carrying a large suitcase. A birdcage hung on the suitcase, and inside the cage was a rare snowy owl.

It was the slightly flustered Harry.

"Hi, Harry!" Li Mu called out as he rushed forward. Harry saw him too, and his heart immediately felt like it had found a pillar of support. The anxiety on his face gradually turned into a happy expression.

However... what followed...

"You mean... go through three-quarters of the way between Platform 9 and Platform 10?!" Harry's voice was full of surprise and hesitation.

"Otherwise, why do you think it's called Platform 9 3/4?..." Li Mu said with a smile, confirming the information again.

Harry Potter twisted his head and looked around again... Platform 9 was next to Platform 10, and Platform 10 was next to Platform 9—but indeed, where was Platform 9 3/4?

A sturdy railing surrounded the space between Platform 9 and Platform 10, and the iron railing connected four stone pillars. The pillars stood tall, dividing the distance between the two platforms into four equal parts, like markings on a ruler.

Harry slowly fixed his gaze on the third stone pillar from the left. According to Li Mu's suggestion, they should... He stared at the stone pillar, carefully dragging his large pile of luggage, and leaned against it.

Thump...

The suitcase hit the stone pillar, making a normal sound. A force of impact fed back from the handle, almost causing Harry Potter's suitcase to slip out of his hand. Hedwig was also startled and fluttered her wings in the iron cage.

"It's not working... I think, maybe we can ask someone?" Harry suggested as he backed away.

"If you mean asking Muggles, then forget it. According to what I've learned, wizards absolutely don't want Muggles to know about them... not even just to know," Li Mu immediately rejected, but his brow furrowed.

No way, according to what was written in the book, they should just pass through the barrier between Platform 9 and Platform 10. Could they have gone the wrong way?

They didn't have time to think much, as a guard strode over. "Hey, kids!..." the guard said, looking at the luggage in Harry's hand, which was almost taller than him. "Where are your parents? Why are you such little sprouts here alone... Which train are you taking?"

Obviously, the noise just now had attracted the guard's attention. He thought Harry couldn't hold the luggage cart, which caused the suitcase to hit the pillar.

"Sorry, it was just an accident. Our teacher told us to wait here, and he will pick us up. Thank you," Li Mu said to the guard gently, reassuring him.

Otherwise, according to British law, the guard might have notified the police. After all, two boys around 10 years old being abandoned alone at a train station is, strictly speaking, against the law.

The guard was dubious about Li Mu's words and repeatedly confirmed whether the two children needed help. Finally, Harry Potter chatted with him a few words, asking about Platform 9 3/4, Hogwarts, and so on...

So the guard got angry and stomped away, muttering, "I see, I see! You two little rascals are deliberately playing dumb and making fun of people! If I were you, I would quietly wait here for my parents to come, instead of looking for someone to tease!"

"Okay... my bad." Harry sighed, watching his angry retreating figure. He thought, maybe he really needed to find a wizard to ask... but it was obviously too far from the Leaky Cauldron here.

The train was leaving at eleven o'clock.

"I just asked that guard if there was a train leaving at eleven o'clock here, and he said no," Harry explained to Li Mu, he was indeed a little anxious.

"Let me try," Li Mu frowned, but still comforted Harry, "Watch!"

The original book said it was between the barriers of Platform 9 and Platform 10, so there should be no problem. There should definitely be no problem... He shouted, already striding forward, running towards the front. In front of him was the stone pillar that Harry had just bumped into.

And his speed was much faster than Harry's cautious attempt just now... much faster. The brick wall formed into a stone pillar was getting closer and closer.

Having Harry's experience as a lesson, even Li Mu was a little nervous. He subconsciously wanted to close his eyes, but finally resisted, instead widening his eyes even more. He wanted to see clearly, where exactly the problem was.

He crashed! Li Mu watched as the trolley made intimate contact with the stone pillar, but there was no feeling of collision as imagined. He only felt a blur before his eyes...

The next second, he saw a bright red steam locomotive, parked at a platform crowded with people, waiting to depart. A large area in the center of the front of the train read "Hogwarts Express, departing at eleven o'clock sharp."

The sky in the distance was blue and clear. This was definitely not in the London city area.

The distance of a stone wall pillar had already moved him far away.

Magical space magic!

It's almost the New Year, I wish you all a Happy New Year in advance! ～～～

These past two days have been submerged in visiting relatives and friends and family reunions, and the time for typing has been much less, but I still try to maintain one update a day.

I hope everyone will support me!

(End of this chapter)