With a loud bang,
Robert and Professor Sprout appeared outside King's Cross Station.
The station was bustling with activity.
Among the crowd, there were families dressed in strange clothing—obviously from the magical world.
Mixed in were many Ministry of Magic employees, each of them looking particularly tense.
Professor Sprout turned to Robert and explained,
"Every year, the opening day of Hogwarts is one of the most important events in the magical world. The Ministry doesn't want anything going wrong."
She lowered her voice and added,
"The Confundus Charm cast over the area helps Muggles ignore anything unusual. And—something happened at Gringotts. I heard a daring wizard actually broke into one of the underground vaults successfully. So, the security is especially tight today."
Hearing this, Robert's heart skipped a beat.
That explained a lot.
He had always wondered in his past life—why was the Hogwarts Express departure set at such a busy Muggle station like King's Cross?
Dragging trunks and cages with owls in full view seemed like a recipe for disaster, a violation of the International Statute of Secrecy waiting to happen.
But now it made sense. The Ministry of Magic had people stationed here year-round, maintaining the concealment spells.
When Professor Sprout mentioned the Gringotts incident again, Robert couldn't help but feel a ripple of emotion.
Even though he was now a "variable" in this timeline, the major events of the magical world were still playing out as before.
The ancient feud between Harry Potter—the Chosen One—and Lord Voldemort was destined to unfold again.
But after a moment's pause, Robert reminded himself of his goal.
This wasn't his concern.
He hadn't come to Hogwarts to get involved in wars or legacies.
He was here for one thing only—
To plant trees.
Just then, as Professor Sprout prepared to lead Robert toward Platform Nine and Three-Quarters,
a white-haired elderly woman approached, walking with a somewhat round, shy-looking boy.
Upon seeing each other, both women greeted one another warmly.
Professor Sprout turned to Robert with a smile and said,
"This is Mrs. Longbottom, and this little fellow is Neville Longbottom."
She leaned in and added,
"The Sprout and Longbottom families are distantly related. Robert, you're actually two months older than Neville—so technically, you're his cousin."
Robert raised his eyebrows, surprised.
So that's how it was?
In his previous life, he'd read that most wizarding families were somehow interconnected.
Even Harry Potter and Bellatrix Lestrange were distantly related.
So it made sense that the Sprouts and the Longbottoms had familial ties too.
He quickly offered his greetings to Mrs. Longbottom and Neville.
Neville timidly whispered, "Cousin," in response, blushing.
Mrs. Longbottom frowned slightly at Neville's timid demeanor.
"Neville, stand tall. You're a Longbottom—you must carry yourself like one!"
But her stern words only made Neville shrink further into himself.
With a sigh, Mrs. Longbottom gave up on scolding and turned her attention to Robert.
Her tone softened, and she said warmly,
"Child, I heard you've returned to the Sprout family. That brought me great joy. You and Neville will now attend Hogwarts together."
She smiled, then added,
"I must trouble you to look after him. Neville's forgetfulness gets the better of him."
Robert quickly waved his hands.
"It's not about looking after him. We'll look out for each other."
"Considering the ties between our families, helping each other just makes sense."
Mrs. Longbottom seemed visibly pleased by his words.
After a few more pleasantries, they all picked up their luggage and headed toward Platform Nine and Three-Quarters.
What met their eyes next was the gleaming Hogwarts Express, its brass nameplate shining in the sunlight.
The platform was bustling—
Students dragging trunks, waving to their families, and owls hooting inside cages.
Some first-year students already had tears in their eyes, reluctant to leave their parents behind.
Seeing this familiar scene from the books and movies in real life,
Robert felt a strange sense of awe.
"This is so much more real than in the movies," he thought.
But the noisy atmosphere soon began to overwhelm him.
It was far more chaotic than he had expected.
After giving Neville a long list of reminders and instructions,
Mrs. Longbottom finally gave in and waved her hand.
"All right. Get on the train and find a compartment to settle into."
Professor Sprout also waved goodbye.
"Robert, if you run into any problems on the train, look for the Hufflepuff prefect. I'll see you again at the Sorting Ceremony."
With that, Robert and Neville climbed onto the train.
Noticing Neville struggling with his trunk,
Robert easily lifted it for him.
"Let me help you with that."
Neville looked astonished.
"Thanks… Cousin Robert, you're really strong."
Robert smiled and waved to the two women one last time before walking through the train with Neville, looking for an empty compartment.
Back on the platform, Professor Sprout watched the boys' backs as they disappeared into the crowd.
Her gaze was soft.
"They seem to be getting along well," she said.
Mrs. Longbottom nodded, but her eyes were filled with unease.
"Pomona, I'm worried about whether Neville will be able to adjust at Hogwarts.
He's so clumsy—so easily picked on."
She hesitated before continuing.
"And… I'm not even sure he'll manage the coursework. You know, for a long time we all thought he might be a Squib.
If he can't keep up and gets expelled, I wouldn't know what to do…"
Her words trailed off, then changed direction.
"I heard Robert's magical talent isn't very high either?"
Professor Sprout's expression cooled slightly.
"Let me guess—that rumor came from Ollivander, didn't it?"
She snorted.
"If Ollivander could truly judge a wizard's future based on a wand, he ought to apply for the Divination post."
Then, proudly, she added,
"Just wait. He'll regret that judgment.
My Robert has the potential to become a legend."
Mrs. Longbottom was startled.
She didn't expect Professor Sprout to speak so highly of Robert.
Pomona wasn't the kind of person to exaggerate.
Maybe Robert truly was something special.
A mix of emotions swept over her—sadness, envy, and admiration.
She wished she could say with the same certainty:
"My grandson Neville will also become a legend."
But the words stuck in her throat.
She simply didn't have the confidence to believe them.
"Never mind," she said, sighing.
"Hopefully, Neville can learn something good from Robert."
Meanwhile, inside the train,
Robert and Neville had found an empty compartment and settled in.
There was still some time before departure, and it would be evening by the time they reached Hogwarts.
Not wanting to waste time, Robert reached into his suitcase and pulled out several small flower pots.
Planted inside were tiny, vibrant plants shaped almost like little goldfish—about the size of a fingernail, but glowing a healthy jade green.
Neville stared at them, fascinated.
"What are these?"
Robert smiled, the corners of his mouth lifting slightly.
"This," he said, "is a rather special magical herb."
"Its name is—Goldfish Vine."
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