Off to Hogwarts

Off to Hogwarts

Time quickly passed into the following year.

Little Shanna had been feeling extremely down lately. Even her favorite little cakes no longer tasted good, and not even going out to play with Gege could lift her spirits.

Because before long, Gege would be leaving to attend a magic school called Hogwarts!

Little Shanna had asked Mom whether she could go with him, but Mom said she would have to wait until she was eleven before she could attend school there.

Little Shanna was terribly disappointed. Ever since she had first met Gege at the age of two, they had never been apart for more than a day. But once Gege went to Hogwarts, he would have to live at school and would only come back once every few months! How could there be such an unreasonable rule in the world? It was absolutely awful!

Little Shanna simply could not imagine how she was supposed to live without seeing Gege for months on end... Who exactly had made all these awful rules? Shanna decided that when she was older, she would track down every one of those bad guys and smash their heads in!

You must never hold back against bad guys! Gege said so!

Though she was feeling low, Little Shanna had been trying very, very hard to endure it, doing her best to act as she normally did and not let her feelings show, because she did not want Gege to worry.

Time quickly arrived in 1991.

Bell had been in a very bad mood lately. Even his favorite grilled skewers no longer tasted good, and not even going out to play with his little sister could ease his irritation.

Because before long, he would have to attend that dump of a school, Hogwarts! Bell was growing more and more disgusted with that dump called Hogwarts.

Come on, it was already the twentieth century, and they still made Little Wizards wait until they were eleven to start school!? Were they kidding!? Did they not know that Muggle children started kindergarten at two and received elite education? Did they not know that Muggle children became familiar with cutthroat competition the moment they learned to walk? (By the way, what exactly was cutthroat competition?)

Little Wizards had already lost at the starting line! Did they even know that!?

And they were all wizards. Going out or traveling was ridiculously easy. Side-Along Apparition, Floo Powder, Portkeys—there were plenty of options to choose from, guaranteed to be convenient and affordable.

And if none of those worked, it would not take long to drive a Flying Car around Britain, so why did Hogwarts not have Day Students!?

Bell had considered simply not attending Hogwarts at all. That dump's teaching quality had been getting worse year after year; it was practically becoming a gathering place for noobs.

And after a certain unnamed little savior enrolled, all the other Little Wizards would become nothing more than tools to accompany the crown prince in his studies. Ever watched a detective show? Exactly! They were the guys lying on the floor. So perhaps it would be better not to go?

Besides, after years of hard study, Bell already possessed knowledge far beyond that of Little Wizards his age. And because he had been born with powerful magic, his current magical power had already surpassed that of ordinary adult wizards. Bell did not think there was any need for him to attend Hogwarts. Even against seventh-year Graduates, he was confident he could utterly crush them. They were merely a bunch of weaklings who could not even cast a Shield Charm.

(ˉ▽￣~) Hmph~~

Ahem, ahem. Can't call them weaklings, can't call them weaklings...

And even if he ran into any problems with his studies, he could spend money to hire a Tutor like before. If that did not work, he could always wait two years and enroll with Shanna. There were always more solutions than difficulties, right?

However, Bell could only think about it. Even if he said it aloud, William and Elena would absolutely never agree. No matter how much they indulged Bell, they could not possibly allow him to skip school.

As for the issue of "I might die if I can't see Shanna"? No sensible person would take that seriously.

Though he was in a bad mood, Bell had been trying very, very hard to hide it, doing his best to act as he normally did and not let his feelings show, because he did not want his little sister to be sad.

No matter how unwilling they were, no matter how much they wished time would pass more slowly, magic did not answer them this time. Thus, September 1 arrived right on schedule—not a second early, nor a second late.

After getting up in the morning and completing their usual basic training, the Menethil family sat down to breakfast together as always. Yet the dining table lacked its usual laughter and cheer, replaced by Elena's concerned reminders.

"Bell, have you packed your clothes? What about your textbooks? Your school supplies? Snacks?..."

"...Mom, don't worry. Everything is ready. And Lim will be going to Hogwarts with me too, so if I need anything, I can have her prepare it at any time," Bell replied listlessly.

"Alright, then. The train leaves at eleven. How about we use Floo Powder to get there at 10:45?" Elena asked Bell.

She was also extremely reluctant to send Bell off to Hogwarts, so she wanted to spend as much of this final bit of time as possible with her Son. What if her Son could not eat properly or sleep comfortably at Hogwarts? The thought tore at her heart, and she had not been able to sleep at all the night before.

Elena shot her husband a vicious glare. That heartless man had slept like a dead pig last night, not worrying about Bell in the slightest. Hmph!

William, who had been glared at by his wife for no apparent reason, scratched the back of his head with a baffled expression.

"No! Shanna cannot use Floo Powder before she is eleven! It would be best if she does not use Floo Powder at all until she learns Side-Along Apparition!" Bell refused decisively.

"But Little Wizards from ordinary wizarding families can use Floo Powder when they're seven or eight, can't they?"

Elena looked at her Son's excessive reaction with some exasperation. Once someone had learned Side-Along Apparition, who would be so bored as to use Floo Powder? How lazy would that be! (Though Floo Powder was more convenient when traveling to places protected by an Anti-Disapparition Jinx, such as the Ministry of Magic.)

"When other people use it is their business. I don't want Shanna using Floo Powder so early. The experience is terrible, and she could get lost if she isn't careful."

What a joke. Bell did not care what happened to other people's children. What if Shanna accidentally mispronounced the destination and got lost? Even adult wizards occasionally said it wrong.

His little sister was so delicate and so adorable. Anyone who saw her would definitely want to take her home and raise her. How could Bell possibly tolerate such a thing happening? Just thinking about it sent chills down his spine and made him desperately want to blow something up, alright?

"Fine."

Elena was already used to this sort of behavior from her Son. Whenever it involved Daughter, he always became somewhat neurotic.

"Then we'll have to leave earlier and take the Flying Car to London King's Cross Station."