Today, buying school supplies went faster and smoother than expected.
Since it was still early, the Merrick family decided to wander around a bit more before heading back.
Seeing all kinds of shops they had never seen before greatly satisfied their curiosity.
“So the magic world has ice cream too.
I wonder if this was invented by wizards or ordinary people?” As they passed a shop called Florean Fortescue’s Ice Cream Parlour, Mr.
Merrick muttered curiously to himself.
Just then, a boy with glasses walking by answered enthusiastically, “Ice cream was definitely invented by Muggles, sir.
Mr.
Fortescue just uses magic to make it better.” “The ice cream here is excellent and reasonably priced.
I highly recommend you and your family try some.” As he spoke, the boy with glasses pushed open the door to the ice cream parlour, invited them in, and went inside first to greet Mr.
Fortescue.
“Oh, since the boy put it that way, let’s go in and take a look.” Mr.
Merrick, who had a sweet tooth, became even more curious about how magic-processed ice cream tasted.
He immediately led his family into the shop.
As soon as they entered, they heard conversation inside.
“Oh Harry, while I’m glad, you don’t need to help promote my shop.” “Mr.
Fortescue, I was just giving an honest review.
The ice cream you sell really is wonderful.” At that moment, Harry and the owner, Mr.
Fortescue, both noticed the Merrick family entering.
Harry was the first to speak.
“Welcome.” “Oh Harry, hurry up and do your homework, or someone will accuse me of hiring child labor soon.” Mr.
Fortescue shooed Harry away, pretending to be annoyed.
Harry just gave a mischievous smile and winked at John as he left.
He could tell at a glance that John was a Hogwarts freshman this year, a future junior, so he was very friendly.
Then Harry took his homework to a table outside the shop to work on it.
Meanwhile, John, who had just walked in, frowned when he heard the owner call the boy with glasses by name.
Harry… Why does that name sound so familiar?
Sss… Wizard… flying broomstick… magic school… Harry… Harry Potter!?
Isn’t this a damn popular IP from my previous life?
Although he had never read the Harry Potter books, he had heard about the globally famous series.
He remembered seeing a video clip that started with Harry boarding a train for his magic journey and ended with Harry as an adult sending his own children off on theirs.
The Harry in that clip was a black-haired boy wearing glasses.
So, he had transmigrated into the world of Harry Potter?
While John stood there dazed, his parents had already ordered their ice cream and turned to ask what he wanted to eat.
John snapped back to his senses.
He saw his father comically eating a strange black pepper and mint ice cream while his mother giggled beside him.
His mind calmed down quite a bit.
Whether this was the world of Harry Potter or any other world did not really matter.
He was who he was.
He just needed to live his own life well.
“Then I’ll have Chocolate Raspberry,” John said with a smile.
He took the ice cream from Mr.
Fortescue, paid for it, and the Merrick family left the shop chatting and laughing.
As they left, they nodded to Harry, who was doing his homework outside.
However, they did not notice that after they left, Harry watched their departing backs — a happy family together — with envy in his eyes.
…
“John, you stayed up late reading again last night, didn’t you?
I’ve told you so many times, it’s bad for your eyes.” At ten in the morning, Mrs.
Merrick woke John up.
Lately, he often slept until nearly noon because he had been staying up late reading the wizarding books he bought.
He had barely touched the school textbooks yet.
The teachers would explain them once school started anyway.
He preferred reading extracurricular books.
As for the wand, it had been gathering dust on the table since he bought it.
John figured that as an underage wizard, he probably was not allowed to use magic outside of school.
So he had been holding back and had not tried it.
Mainly, he was worried he would not be able to control it properly and might cause trouble.
A few more days would not make a difference.
“Get up, wash up, and eat.
Pack your things.
We need to leave soon.
Doesn’t the train depart at eleven o’clock?” Mrs.
Merrick pulled the still-drowsy John up and urged him to hurry.
But because the station was right next to their home, just a short walk away, it was not actually that rushed.
So John still moved slowly.
His luggage had already been packed last night.
He just needed to change clothes before heading out.
“I’ve stuffed some bread and water into your bag.
Remember to eat if you get hungry on the way.” While John was eating breakfast, the ever-worried Mrs.
Merrick handled all the preparations for him, being more attentive than John himself.
“When you get to school, learn to be modest.
Try not to argue with your classmates, and be respectful to your teachers and elders…” Although John was very mature and sensible in his parents’ eyes, their child was about to go to a magic world they knew nothing about, and it was a boarding school.
So his mother could not help but nag.
John squinted his eyes and made a cat-like face while agreeing to everything.
“Yes, yes, I know.
Don’t worry.” It was half past ten when John, accompanied by his parents, left the house and arrived at King’s Cross Station.
The ticket had been delivered by an owl the previous night.
Platform 9¾, Hogwarts Express.
These were all names he had never heard before, and they probably would not be easy to find.
So John had set out a bit early.
On the way, he saw many children like himself pushing piles of luggage and entering the station with their parents.
If there were no surprises, these people should be students going to Hogwarts just like him.
Following their footsteps, the Merrick family soon arrived between Platform 10 and Platform 9.
In his parents’ eyes, these children seemed to simply get lost as they walked and disappear to who knows where.
But in John’s eyes, these children were pushing their luggage straight into the pillar between Platform 10 and Platform 9 before vanishing through the wall.
“Dad, Mom, you can leave me here,” John said, turning back to his parents.
The two of them were stunned for a moment.
They soon realized that John could probably see an entrance they could not.
“Alright, take care on the way.” A thousand words condensed into a simple farewell.
His mother smiled gently and gave John a hug, while his father placed a hand on John’s shoulder.
After saying goodbye, John did not hesitate any longer.
Pushing his luggage, he disappeared before his parents’ eyes.
…
Watching their child vanish in the blink of an eye, the parents looked around but could not find John anywhere.
“Is he gone?” the father asked uncertainly.
“Probably…” the mother replied, equally uncertain.
“…What time does our train depart?” “Eleven thirty.” “Hurry back and get the luggage!” With that, the reluctance and worry on the Merricks’ faces disappeared completely.
They were replaced by somewhat gleeful expressions.
When they learned their son was going to a boarding school, they had already agreed to use up all the annual leave they had saved over the years for a spontaneous trip.
And the plan was to leave today.
Poor John was still worried that his departure might leave his parents unable to eat or sleep.
Clearly, he was overthinking it.