First Meeting with Little Beaver

A month later, outside King's Cross Station in London, Britain.

Grindelwald was dressed exceptionally formally today: a black double-breasted wool coat over a matching shirt and handmade waistcoat, with silver buttons and tall riding boots.

Beside him stood the Little Demon King, dressed much the same way. At a glance, anyone would know they were father and son...

No, with that age gap, people would probably think they were grandfather and grandson.

It was worth mentioning that Kyle had not received an acceptance letter from Hogwarts, only a letter from Dumbledore.

Between the lines, it conveyed one message: once you were done fooling around outside, get your ass back here.

Though Dumbledore had not said it so directly, that was more or less what he meant.

Probably because, over the two months of summer break, Kyle had written to Dumbledore only twice.

Once was shortly after he arrived in France.

The other was on his birthday, when Dumbledore mailed him a gift and he wrote back.

Just those two letters.

Why had he not stayed in touch more?

The long distance and the difficulty of getting owls there were one reason. The most important reason was that Kyle had forgotten.

So Dumbledore was full of resentment toward him.

"Dad, are you really not going to see Mom?"

Grindelwald shook his head. "No. It's getting late. The train leaves at eleven, right? You should be going."

"Then goodbye, Dad! I'll write to you."

Pulling his suitcase, Kyle passed Grindelwald and headed into the station.

He did not have much luggage. His school supplies and such had been bought back in February and left at school.

He soon arrived between Platforms Nine and Ten, where a little girl pushing a trolley stood at a complete loss.

Judging by the owl cage atop her mountain of luggage, she was probably a new Hogwarts student this year.

Her equally helpless parents stood beside her.

Dressed like Muggles, the family had clearly only just entered the Magical World and did not know how to get to Platform 9 3/4.

Kyle wheeled his suitcase over. "Hello. I think you might need some help?"

The family of three, still searching for the platform entrance, all stopped and turned toward the voice.

"Uh, yes." The middle-aged man with thick brown hair glanced at Kyle's suitcase, but did not see an owl cage like theirs.

That made it difficult for him to judge Kyle's identity.

Still, he finally ventured, "We don't know how to get to Platform 9 3/4..."

Kyle glanced at the little girl behind him, whose unruly hair made her look exactly like a little beaver. "Your daughter is a new Hogwarts student this year, right?"

The man nodded. "Yes. I'm Roy Granger. This is my wife, Monica, and this is our daughter, Hermione," Mr. Granger introduced them.

Kyle was a little surprised to run into one of the Golden Trio here. He shook Mr. Granger's hand. "Kyle Dumbledore."

At the sound of Kyle's surname, Hermione let out a cry of surprise. Kyle was already used to that sort of reaction.

The Granger couple, however, had no idea what that name represented.

"Oh my God! What is your relationship with Headmaster Dumbledore?" The somewhat shy Hermione slipped out from behind Mr. Granger, her eyes fixed intently on Kyle.

Kyle: ...

You probably wouldn't believe me if I told you I'm his son, and he's my mom—no, Dad...

That doesn't seem right either?

Do I have two dads?

"That's a bit complicated..." Kyle looked up at the clock hanging above the platform, then said to Mr. Granger, "The train is about to leave. We should go."

"To get into Platform 9 3/4, just walk straight toward the barrier between Platforms Nine and Ten," Kyle told Little Beaver.

Then, pulling his suitcase, Kyle led the way toward the barrier.

Watching Kyle disappear into it, the Granger couple rubbed their eyes in disbelief.

After waving goodbye to her parents, Hermione pushed her trolley toward the barrier as well.

The instant she passed through it, Hermione's vision blurred, and the scene before her changed at once.

A scarlet steam engine stood beside a platform packed with passengers. A sign on the train read: Hogwarts Express, 11 o'clock.

When Hermione turned around, she found that the barrier had become a wrought-iron archway with the words: Platform 9.

Smoke from the steam engine drifted above the chattering crowd, while cats of every color weaved between people's feet.

Amid the hum of conversation and the clatter of heavy luggage being dragged about, owls screeched sharply back and forth in response to one another.

The first few carriages were already packed with students. Some leaned out of the windows to speak with their families, while others roughhoused in their seats.

Kyle was waiting for her beside the entrance.

After meeting up with Hermione, Kyle took her luggage and led the way.

Years of training had made him strong enough to easily push through the crowded throng, forcibly opening up a broad path for Hermione.

Near the rear of the train, they found an empty compartment. Kyle shoved both their pieces of luggage into a corner.

"Thank you, upperclassman."

"Uh, what?" Hearing how Hermione addressed him, Kyle thought he had misheard.

Only when he looked down at the little girl beside him, who was nearly a head shorter, did Kyle understand. So height was the culprit.

Eleven-year-old Hermione was barely between 1.3 and 1.4 meters tall.

But because of his years of Taijutsu training and ample nutrition, Kyle was now nearly as tall as Captain Levi.

"No, no, no. I'm not an upperclassman. I'm a first-year too."

"Huh? A first-year?" Looking at the boy before her, who was a full head taller than she was, Hermione simply could not believe he was only eleven.

Kyle sat down by the window, while the little girl across from him kept staring at him.

At last, Hermione could not help asking:

"Um... since you're from the Dumbledore family, you must know lots of magic, right?"

Kyle nodded, tacitly admitting it.

The little girl's eyes widened.

"Would students from other wizarding families also know lots of magic? Before school started, I only learned a few simple spells. Will I be far behind the other new students?"

Seeing Little Beaver's nervous expression, Kyle found it rather amusing.

"As far as I know, even students from wizarding families generally haven't learned much magic before enrolling."

Kyle spread his hands. "My situation is rather special. After all, Dumbledore. You know."

Hermione nodded in sudden understanding, then asked uncertainly, "I really won't fall behind the others?"

"I dare say that most first-year students probably haven't even opened their textbooks yet."

"That's wonderful! I was worried before, so I memorized all the textbooks. I hope that will be useful."

Kyle's mouth twitched. Memorized all the textbooks...

What kind of monster was that?

Even when studying for graduate school entrance exams in his previous life, he had never crammed that fiercely.

In the next chapter, another important female character in this book—Hannah, the blacksmith—will make her appearance.

So we can officially start voting for the female lead!

There are currently several options.

1. Choose between Hermione and Hannah, then add another character the author has already decided on later.

2. Take both Hermione and Hannah, then add another character the author has already decided on later.

3. Choose neither Hermione nor Hannah, and only choose the character the author has already decided on later.

4. Choose none of the three potential female leads and be Cedric's best bro for life.

I'll reveal this much: the female lead who has not appeared yet is a character from Naruto. Can you guess who she is?

(The clues are on this book's cover and in the first half of the synopsis.)

One more hint: if you choose Option 4, someone will pick up a shed snake skin during the Chamber of Secrets in second year and become Hogwarts Orochimaru.

Then Snake Uncle will become Snake Auntie...

(So go ahead and boldly choose Option 4!)

Oh, and whoever the hell suggested swimsuit Chiyo while guessing the unrevealed female lead, I'll crawl through the internet cable and beat you up!

And the person who commented a few days ago that the female lead was gender-swapped Malfoy, and Harley—get out here!

(Support whichever option you like by commenting under the corresponding option.)