Back in Diagon Alley, it was as bustling as it had been that morning, but without the stern Professor McGonagall, the Gray Family felt much more relaxed, and their shopping became enjoyable.
The Gray Family thoroughly explored almost every shop—except for one that sold animal organs and eyeballs. The moment they stepped in, they saw a giant, rolling eyeball, which scared Fiona so much she shrieked and immediately ran out.
Ferdinand bought several exquisite magical creations, such as a self-sweeping broom, a golden bird that could fly around, and talking wizard chess pieces. When paying, he repeatedly confirmed with the shop assistant that these items absolutely did not have any "dangerous" or "harmful" magic attached to them.
Wade, on the other hand, spent over an hour in the bookstore. There were so many books he wanted to buy. But considering there was only a month until school started, and Hogwarts surely had many more books, he ultimately picked only the few he wanted most: Standard Book of Spells, Healing Handbook, and Basic Introduction to Ancient Runes.
He also bought two self-writing quills, though the shop assistant warned him that these pens weren't suitable for homework, as they meticulously transcribed every thought from the owner's mind onto the parchment. Even those who had specifically trained might accidentally write something that would cause them social ruin.
As Wade walked out of the bookstore, new books in hand, he saw his parents sitting by a street vendor, eating ice cream. Ferdinand was holding a golden owl cage, and inside sat a particularly strong-looking little fellow, drawing circles with its head.
"Dad, you bought another owl?" Wade asked.
"That's right," Ferdinand said, smiling. "Considering you'll need to take your owl to school, what if your mother and I want to send you a letter? I heard Muggle post offices can't deliver mail to Hogwarts, so we bought one too. Oh, and he's called General Bard. He's a magnificent little fellow."
Wade bent down to greet him: "Hello, General Bard."
General Bard opened his mouth and yawned.
"Look, I bought a little one too," Fiona said, leaning over and opening her hand. A small white hamster was curled up in her palm, looking very docile.
"Isn't she adorable?" Fiona asked, her voice full of surprise. "I wonder if wizarding pets eat some kind of smart-pill or something, because they seem so much smarter than regular animals! She isn't afraid of people at all and seems to understand my commands."
"She's cute, but Mom, aren't hamsters on an owl's diet?" Wade asked.
He had only learned that owls primarily eat rodents, birds, fish, or insects—in short, they are carnivores—after buying his own owl and then owl food based on the shop assistant's recommendation. Thinking of the handful of pine nuts he'd once given to the school owl, Wade silently apologized in his heart.
"It's fine, your dad will keep an eye on his owl! Oh, and this is Miss Millicent," Fiona said, quite seriously. "Wade, you should name your owl too!"
"Hmm…" Wade's gaze swept over, and he happened to see an Evante Stationery Shop. The letters "EVA" at the beginning shimmered brightly in the sunlight, very conspicuous.
"Let's call her Eva," he said casually.
***
The Gray Family lingered in Diagon Alley for several days. Ferdinand could now discuss Quidditch matches and various Nimbus 2000 models with others without any trouble. Fiona, meanwhile, had acquired a complete set of miniature furniture for her hamster, Miss Millicent (charmed with auto-cleaning spells), along with various small dresses, wizard robes, hats, and rainbow-colored socks.
Of course, as the parents of a new Hogwarts student, they had signed a confidentiality agreement with Professor McGonagall on the first day, promising not to tell any non-magical people about the wizarding world and to fulfill their duty of safeguarding magical items from entering the Muggle world.
A month passed in a flash. On the morning of September 1st, Fiona once again checked Wade's trunk, ensuring he had packed everything he needed—from nail clippers and ear picks to autumn and winter clothes. Ferdinand drove him to King's Cross Station.
Platform Nine and Three-Quarters, the starting point of his magical journey, looked like nothing more than an ordinary brick wall from the outside.
Wade pushed his trunk, with his owl cage on top of the trolley. He walked up to the wall, then turned back to see his parents smiling and waving at him.
Wade smiled and waved back, then turned and dashed straight through the wall.
Fiona covered her mouth, suddenly letting out a sob.
Ferdinand put his arm around her shoulder and sighed, "If only we could go to the platform to see him off—"
"Don't tell him—I don't want Wade to be sad," Fiona choked out. "Going to school—it should be a happy occasion—"
Ferdinand gently patted her, comforting her. "Don't worry, I've gathered a lot of information these past few days—the wizarding world is very peaceful now. The greatest wizard of our time, Dumbledore, is their headmaster. Wade will be fine at school."
"Sorry—sorry—"
A timid voice spoke nearby. Ferdinand looked down and immediately recognized the boy in front of him.
"You're—Harry Potter?!" he exclaimed in surprise.
"Yes, that's me." Harry uncomfortably brushed the hair on his forehead to cover his scar. He had forgotten he'd met this couple before at The Leaky Cauldron—mostly because too many people had shaken his hand then, and the pub was dimly lit. Now, with a hint of joy, he cautiously asked, "I just heard you talking about Hogwarts… I mean—I'm not quite sure how to get there—"
"Oh," Ferdinand said, realization dawning. "See that wall? Just push your trunk right through it. If you're scared, just close your eyes. Don't worry about crashing into it."
This wasn't something Professor McGonagall had told them, but something Ferdinand had heard from his own parents when he was a child. Back then, he hadn't been confirmed as a Squib, and his parents had told him many little stories about the magical world. It was only later that they stopped mentioning such things.
"Oh, okay—"
Harry was somewhat incredulous. He tentatively observed the couple's expressions—they seemed kind, but he wondered if they were teasing him…
Seeing them watching him with encouraging eyes, seemingly waiting to see him pass through the wall, Harry, too embarrassed to ask anyone else, gritted his teeth and pushed his trunk forward, not very quickly.
I'll stop if I hit the wall… it's no big deal if they laugh at me…
The boy thought nervously, yet he never encountered the expected obstruction. At one particular moment, his ears were suddenly filled with a buzzing of voices, and what abruptly appeared before him was—
A massive, crimson train, with endless tracks winding into the distance.
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