September 1st, early morning.
Leonard got out of bed early, changed into ordinary muggle clothes, and began packing his things.
Textbooks with curled edges, a well-worn cauldron, dragon-hide gloves, neatly folded winter robes...
Checking against his list, Leonard packed everything into his trunk.
Today he was heading to Hogwarts. Strangely, even though he had expected to feel excited, his heart was calm. He even toyed with the idea of breaking a few school rules just for fun.
Maybe it was because, before ever stepping into the ivory tower, this student had already been tainted by the filthy world.
No, wait—what kind of student thinks about robbing Gringotts before even enrolling? That wasn't being tainted. That was surfing the waves of society's crime spree.
Rowing without oars, riding only the tide—the Dark Lord himself would probably call him a natural.
A boy who could command dozens of werewolf wizards in Knockturn Alley was now about to behave like an obedient student at school. The contrast made Leonard feel oddly conflicted.
Once everything was packed, Leonard wrapped the reinforced dittany and the Chomping Cabbage in black cloth and set them aside, then glanced out the window.
He wondered if his owl was back.
"Hoo-hoo!"
Sure enough, the thought had barely crossed his mind before a gray owl landed on the windowsill, hooting warmly at him.
"Owls really do come when their master needs them." Leonard fetched the cage, letting Gray climb in. "We're off to Hogwarts soon. With the hills and lakes, it'll be far nicer than the city. You'll be able to catch whatever game you want."
Gray hooted twice, though Leonard couldn't tell if it understood.
He placed the cage beside his trunk and looked up to see Midgard standing in the doorway.
The two-meter-tall woman leaned against the frame, blocking out the sunlight entirely—impossible not to notice.
"Heading out this early?" Midgard asked. "The Hogwarts Express doesn't leave until eleven, does it?"
"I don't like being late. Better early than late—it's respect for others and for myself." Leonard tested the weight of his trunk. Heavy, but manageable.
Thanks to the Ancient Sprout that had strengthened his body.
"I'll take you," Midgard offered. "Want to try Apparition? It's quick—one blink and you're there."
"Apparition? Sounds good." Leonard's interest was piqued.
Apparition was a highly convenient spell, allowing one to move instantly from place to place.
It worked both as transport and as rapid movement in battle. When two skilled wizards fought with it, the duel was dazzling—figures flickering in and out of sight, shadows streaking across the sky, bursts of magic lighting everything up.
Though, of course, everyone who studied it said it wasn't meant for combat.
Still, it was worth learning.
Leonard had tried a Portkey before, but he really wanted to experience Apparition. People said you had to feel it first before you could learn it properly.
"But..." Leonard suddenly remembered something and eyed Midgard with suspicion. "When did you learn Apparition?"
This wasn't a spell you could just pick up. Outside Hogwarts' official lessons, learning it cost a fortune.
Midgard shifted her gaze uncomfortably. "It's been a while."
"How long exactly?" Leonard pressed, sensing something off.
"Three days... I learned from Lupin. Didn't you say he graduated from Hogwarts? So I asked him to teach me some magic."
Midgard cleared her throat. "But don't worry—I can already use Apparition very well."
"How many times have you splinched yourself? When was the last time?"
"...Thirteen times... yesterday."
"...Goodbye." Leonard grabbed his trunk, birdcage, and flowerpot, and walked out without a backward glance.
"Hey, wait! I'll find someone else to take you. Isn't that luggage heavy?" Midgard called after him.
In the end, Leonard brought along a werewolf wizard to help. Midgard was right—the trunk was ridiculously heavy.
The one carrying it for him was Robert, the young werewolf who had recently mastered brewing dangerous potions.
Though still young, Robert was built solid. What Leonard struggled to lift felt weightless in his hands.
The two avoided Knockturn Alley, heading straight out to the muggle streets and catching a cab to King's Cross Station.
"Do you remember the way back?" Leonard asked Robert, who was fetching him a trolley outside the station entrance.
He really was worried the boy might get lost in this massive city, being so unused to going out.
"I remember." Robert nodded. "You don't need to worry about me."
Though the werewolf boy answered firmly, Leonard still felt uneasy.
"I think you'd better just take a taxi back." Leonard handed Robert the last of his muggle money. He wouldn't be needing pounds for quite a while anyway.
Robert obediently took the coins and pushed the cart, intending to escort Leonard into the station.
"No need for that. Head back," Leonard stopped him. "I can go in on my own."
The crowd outside the station was one thing, but inside—especially near Platform Nine and Three-Quarters—being seen with a werewolf wizard could cause real trouble.
Besides, in Knockturn Alley Leonard always kept his robes on, but his height and build stood out regardless. If someone noticed a figure like his hanging around with a werewolf, it would all but expose him.
It might sting Robert's young pride, but avoiding unnecessary attention was more important.
"Alright then, Mr. William. Goodbye." Robert's serious expression showed no trace of disappointment. Before leaving, Midgard had already told him to follow Leonard's instructions to the letter. Even without her reminder, he would have done so.
Among their circle of werewolf wizards, anyone who knew Leonard believed he was far sharper than all of them. All they needed to do was listen.
Watching Robert leave, Leonard steadied himself, trying to shed the image of Knockturn Alley's bully and step into the role of an ordinary student.
He couldn't afford to act too strange at school. Laying low was the only way forward.
King's Cross Station, a major terminus opened in 1852, had added Platforms 9 through 11 later—the section where Platform 9¾ was hidden.
Because of planning flaws, this side of the station looked half-hearted compared to Platforms 1 through 8.
It had neither the elegance of classic British architecture nor the clean simplicity of modern design—in short, it looked shabby.
From the overpass, Leonard's gaze drifted across the platforms below.
With Hogwarts so close now, his thoughts wandered, a mess of ideas tumbling in his mind.
He thought of the stories that would unfold at Hogwarts, the possibility of unknown ruins hidden there, the main cast of Harry Potter.
Oh, and of course, the Forbidden Forest, filled with resources.
That was where Leonard planned to build his magical garden and harvest materials from magical creatures.
"Things are going to get busy once I'm there. Strength training can wait, but endurance and agility drills are a must. I'll need a proper spot to grow magical plants. And I can't neglect my studies..."
Leonard mentally listed out his plans, prioritizing them.
"And then there's the main group..." He frowned slightly, thinking of the ever-talkative Harry Potter.
One way or another, meeting Harry Potter was unavoidable. Leonard couldn't bring himself to be rude to someone so kind. Friendship would almost certainly form.
At this point, trying to keep distance seemed unrealistic. With Harry's personality, even if he made other friends, he wouldn't forget Leonard, his first one.
Harry would surely show up with all kinds of things he thought were fun—Gobstones, wizard chess, and the like.
But Leonard had no desire for an idle Chosen One constantly buzzing around him.
If Harry was going to disturb him, Leonard at least wanted it to be with real problems or worthwhile magical knowledge.
So the question was: how to make Harry Potter into a Chosen One who wasn't a headache?
The answer, Leonard thought, was obvious.
Keep certain lazy, unmotivated types from dragging him down.
Which meant calling out a certain red-haired boy.
From Harry's early days at Hogwarts, he had been worried about whether he could even stay, and that anxiety drove him to study obsessively once Leonard pointed out the issue.
But once school truly began, the Chosen One declined rapidly, turning into a slacker who coasted on talent alone.
And the reason for that was a certain red-haired boy.
Yes, Ron Weasley of the pure-blood Weasley family.
Ron wasn't a bad person. Growing up under his brothers' care (and constant pranks), he remained cheerful, kind, and optimistic.
He was, admittedly, the perfect first friend for a boy like Harry Potter, inexperienced at making connections.
But that was all.
Beyond his personality, he had nothing valuable to offer.
Just look at what he dragged the Chosen One into!
When others were studying—Hey, Harry, let's play wizard chess.
When others went to the library—What, people actually study here? Come on, Harry, let's play wizard chess!
When others were preparing for exams—Don't worry, Harry, there are still weeks left. Let's play wizard chess!
By the time Harry faced Voldemort, still relying on the Disarming Charm, Ron Weasley had already "made his mark."
He urged Harry into nighttime wanderings and duels, and kept feeding him a mindset of just scraping by.
As for jealousy—well, that childish streak was hardly worth mentioning.
By comparison, the reliable Hermione Granger was much more likable. Though she wasn't great at making friends, her drive and eagerness to learn made her an excellent influence for the Chosen One.
The problem was that this studious girl didn't have a particularly strong spirit. She was easily swayed by outside influences, and in the end, Ron Weasley had taken advantage of that.
Still, Leonard understood—it wasn't realistic to control who others befriended. Sometimes people needed a friend like Ron Weasley, a brotherly (or rather, rowdy) companion.
There was a kind of comfort in dragging others down with you when you slipped into self-destruction.
Thinking this far, Leonard suddenly felt like smoking. Unfortunately, he was still just a kid and couldn't buy cigarettes.
That only made him more irritable.
"Hello there, son. Need any help?" Perhaps he had been lost in thought too long, because a patrolling guard had noticed his unusual behavior.
Leonard snapped back, glancing at the station clock—10:20. Not too early, not too late.
But he had zoned out for a full twenty minutes.
"Sorry, I was just a little distracted," Leonard said calmly, checking his pocket watch.
"Are you alone? Which platform is your train?" the guard asked.
Leonard glanced at his ticket, saw the words "Nine and Three-Quarters," and smiled faintly.
There was no way he could say that number out loud.
"Platform Nine, just ahead. Thank you for asking," Leonard replied politely. "I should get going now."
He said goodbye to the kindly guard, then pushed his trolley down the overpass toward Platform Nine.
Stopping at a particular pillar, Leonard studied it.
It was the third pillar between Platforms Nine and Ten. Up until this point, a child alone with a cart full of luggage and an owl had been eye-catching.
But once he got near the pillar, people's gazes noticeably lessened. It wasn't that there were fewer people, but whenever their eyes passed over the pillar, their focus blurred and naturally shifted away.
There had to be a faint Muggle-Repelling Charm here. Not strong enough to drive them away entirely, just enough to divert attention. Leonard also noticed it wasn't only this pillar—several others from Platform Eight onward had the same effect.
It seemed King's Cross housed more than just Platform Nine and Three-Quarters. Perhaps multiple magical platforms branched from the normal ones, leading to different regions across Europe.
The question was, how were these magical platforms linked together?
"Probably Undetectable Extension Charms... with careful timetables so trains don't collide. But no... that doesn't really work..." Leonard began doubting his own theory.
Trains weren't like planes. They needed long stretches of track.
How could tracks be hidden inside an Extension Charm? Wouldn't the trains just keep running endlessly outside of London?
And if it wasn't that, then it would take massive Muggle-Repelling Charms to hide the extra rails.
That didn't seem practical either.
Leonard recalled how, before he transmigrated, he had read about the Leaky Cauldron. Back then, it had taken dozens of wizards working together to conceal its entrance with a Muggle-Repelling Charm, just to prevent demolition.
To permanently hide such a vast railway system would be nearly impossible.
"That relic seemed to have a similar effect. Is it anchored to Gringotts? No... that doorway was probably just symbolic. It must actually be a transfer point. The relic's real location definitely isn't inside Gringotts."
Otherwise, the uproar caused by that stone statue would have collapsed several vaults by now.
"The wizarding world really is amazing... mysteries everywhere waiting to be explored."
With that thought, Leonard pushed his trolley toward the pillar.
He wasn't a little kid anymore. There was no need to close his eyes and rush through. This was the time to open them wide and study how Platform Nine and Three-Quarters fit into the pillar.
The wall felt unreal, offering no resistance at all. Around him was pitch black, as though he really had been shoved into solid stone, save for a faint glimmer of light ahead.
Leonard counted his steps silently, walking forward slowly.
The light grew brighter, and finally, with the sound of a train whistle, the darkness opened into a vast space.
Squinting, Leonard saw a small station, entirely different in style from King's Cross. On the track beside the platform stood a single, ancient steam locomotive.
"So this is Platform Nine and Three-Quarters?" Leonard looked up at the sky. Judging from the clouds and the sun's position, he was still physically at King's Cross, Platform Nine.
His location hadn't changed—but everything else had.
This was Platform Nine and Three-Quarters, a magical station between Platforms Nine and Ten. It overlapped with Platform Nine in the same space, yet the two did not interfere with one another.
It was like another world entirely.
"Good day. Please hand over your luggage and proceed to ticketing," a conductor in a scarlet uniform approached politely.
"Thank you." Leonard nodded, watching as the conductor pushed his trolley into the rear luggage compartment before heading to the carriages.
"Welcome aboard the Hogwarts Express," the ticket inspector said with a faint smile as he took Leonard's ticket.
Leonard nodded in return and formally stepped onto the train bound for Hogwarts.
...
[Up to 50 chapters ahead for now]
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