The others each picked up a bean and said in unison.
"To our great undertaking."
Fred then tossed his Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Bean into his mouth without hesitation and chewed twice. His expression immediately turned peculiar.
"What flavour?" George asked.
Fred frowned as he swallowed, then smacked his lips. "Soap."
Laughter erupted in the compartment.
Lee Jordan also grabbed a bean and chewed it. His face changed instantly.
"Don't tell me it's soap again," Fred said.
"No, it's... earwax."
"Looks like you used up all your luck buying the snacks." Fred gloated.
Gerald looked at the box of colourful beans before him. He had been quite interested in Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans in his previous life.
Earwax, bogies, vomit-the mere thought of those flavours was thrilling.
He put the golden bean in his hand into his mouth.
After a couple of chews, a rich caramel flavour spread across his tongue.
"Toffee," Gerald said.
"Nice luck. Here, this is for you."
Lee Jordan nodded, then picked up a box containing a Chocolate Frog and handed it to Gerald.
"I heard you're Muggle-born. This is a Chocolate Frog. You can collect the cards that come with them. Some are worth quite a bit."
Gerald opened the packaging, and a frog made of chocolate leapt out of the box.
"Don't let it get away!" George shouted.
Gerald reacted swiftly, picking up the wand on the table and giving it a flick.
"Wingardium Leviosa."
The Chocolate Frog, which had been about to leap again, floated into the air, suddenly finding nothing to push off against.
Fred was eating a Pumpkin Pasty and spoke through a mouthful.
"Merlin's beard, you actually know the Levitation Charm! Have you been secretly studying at home?"
"You're not a bookworm like Percy, are you?" George chimed in.
"I'm not as rigid as he is." As Gerald spoke, he grabbed the Chocolate Frog and stuffed it into his mouth.
"Heh, true enough. Gerald, I like you."
Gerald smiled, drew a thick card from the box, and turned it over to take a look.
The portrait on the card depicted a bearded, middle-aged man wearing a sixteenth-century scholar's robes and holding a thick book.
His gaze was deep and piercing, his nose prominent, and he exuded an air of quiet authority.
The gold lettering beneath the portrait read: Heinrich Cornelius Agrippa von Nettesheim.
Agrippa.
Gerald paused in surprise.
He turned the card over. Small lettering on the back read.
"Heinrich Cornelius Agrippa von Nettesheim (1486-1535), commonly known as Agrippa. Renowned wizard, author, and alchemist. His works include Magical Theory and Occult Philosophy. Agrippa was a pioneer in magical theory, and his research laid the foundations for modern Transfiguration and Charms."
Gerald stared at the card for several seconds.
Wasn't this the Agrippa card Ron could never get in the original story?
"Merlin's torn underpants, is that Agrippa?!"
Lee Jordan's voice shot up an octave.
"What?"
Fred and George leaned in at the same time.
"Let me see!"
The card passed between the three of them, each exclaiming in amazement.
"Green, that's some incredible luck."
Lee Jordan returned the card, envy written all over his face.
"This is Agrippa! He's incredibly rare. Prices on the market have been driven up to seventy or eighty Galleons."
George patted Gerald on the shoulder.
"That's fate. Some people are just born lucky."
"Here, take it. You bought it in the first place." Gerald held the card out to Lee Jordan.
"No, no. Since you're Fred and George's business partner, you're my friend too. That bag of Chocolate Frogs was meant for you anyway."
Looking at the Black boy's sincere smile, Gerald rubbed his nose.
This really is worth a lot. Selling it would be a pretty good option if nothing else, yet this kid isn't tempted at all.
What a good kid.
That was Gerald's conclusion.
"Thanks."
He slipped the card into his pocket.
Lee Jordan opened several more boxes of Chocolate Frogs, revealing one card after another.
Most featured common figures-Merlin, Nicolas Flamel, Paracelsus. Nothing rare.
Gerald picked up a Licorice Wand from the table and took a bite.
The texture was unusual. A thin sugar coating covered the outside, and biting through it released a strong liquorice flavour with a faint hint of bitterness.
He didn't particularly like the taste of the Licorice Wand, but it wasn't bad either.
"Don't like it?" Lee Jordan noticed his expression.
"It's all right. Just a bit too sweet."
"A Muggle's palate." Fred shook his head with a laugh.
The train finally started moving.
After a long whistle, the wheels began to turn slowly, and the platform outside the window gradually slid backwards.
Gerald leaned back in his seat, staring absently at London's receding skyline.
It was 1989, two years before the trio would start school.
Living in a world like this, Gerald knew he would have to face the Death Eaters sooner or later.
Voldemort was probably still scraping out an existence in Albania. There were two years left before he possessed Quirrell and returned to Hogwarts.
Should I tell Dumbledore about this?
He dismissed the thought as soon as it arose.
First, attracting too much attention too early wasn't necessarily a good thing.
Second, he had no way to explain it. Was he supposed to pose as a mystic and claim he was a seer with a gift for prophecy?
Gerald had no interest in thankless work.
There weren't any casualties during the Philosopher's Stone stage anyway. I'd better not steal the Chosen One's thunder.
He could do something else, though.
Like acquire a pet.
But toads and owls hardly suited his status as an immortal cultivator.
It would have to be a phoenix or a dragon at the very least.
Gerald rubbed his temples, then suddenly thought of something.
Taming that creature wouldn't be a bad idea.
Too bad I don't speak Parseltongue, and I haven't reached refining essence into qi yet. Otherwise, I might be able to enter the Chamber of Secrets using the Earth-Escaping Technique.
I'd better get on with my cultivation.
I can't neglect either magic or immortal arts!
Time passed quickly.
As the boys grew drowsy, the sky outside turned completely dark.
A slight jolt woke Gerald.
He opened his eyes and found that he had fallen asleep against the window at some point. His neck was a little sore.
Across from him, Fred and George slumped in their seats, their heads almost touching.
Lee Jordan's hat covered his face, and his snores were soft and steady.
The train was slowing down.
Gerald sat up straight, rubbed his neck, and looked out of the window.
The night was as dark as ink, and the train was moving slowly alongside a pitch-black lake.
In the distance, a castle stood atop a cliff on the far shore.
The train jolted again, its speed dropping noticeably.
"Are we there?"
George opened his eyes groggily and nudged Fred beside him.
"What? Where?" Fred jolted awake, nearly sliding off his seat.
"Hogwarts, you idiot. Hurry up and put your robes on."
Lee Jordan took his hat off his face and leaned towards the window to look outside.
The carriage suddenly grew much louder, with trunks bumping together and children shouting in the corridor.
Gerald stood up, took his trunk down from the luggage rack, and pulled out his robes to put them on.
Fred, George, and Lee Jordan followed suit.
"Finally. I'm getting hungry already." George rubbed his stomach.
The four of them dragged their trunks into the corridor and moved towards the doors with the crowd.
The moment the doors opened, the night wind rushed in, washing their faces with a damp chill from the lake.
Gerald jumped down from the train, landing on the gravel platform.
Then he froze.
An energy invisible to the naked eye permeated the air, like countless tiny points of light floating all around him.
Was this spiritual qi?
Spiritual qi several times denser than that in Nameless Town.
Doesn't that mean cultivating here will greatly shorten the time I need to reach refining essence into qi?
Gerald almost laughed aloud.
Hogwarts really is a wonderful place!
Before you continue