Jon woke up to soft sunlight spilling across his bed.
Seven o'clock. September 1st. The day had finally come.
He sat up slowly, looking around his room one last time. His books, his bed, the faint marks on the desk from candle wax, it all already felt like a memory.
Downstairs, Bella's voice floated through the hall.
"Morning! Aunt said to wake you up. We're leaving soon. If we hurry, maybe we can grab something to eat on the way."
She stood by the door, pulling on her boots and sighing. "Ugh, I could really go for something greasy right now."
Jon chuckled, opening the shoe cabinet. His mother had neatly placed a new pair of leather shoes for him.
"Mom, aren't you coming with us?" he asked while tying the laces.
Mum smiled warmly from the kitchen doorway. "Your father will take you. Bella will keep an eye on you."
Jon noticed the soft way she rested a hand over her stomach.
"Oh," he said quietly, grinning. "You and Dad work fast."
She laughed and brushed his hair aside. "Go on, Jon. Don't make your father wait."
They stopped for a quick breakfast near King's Cross.
When they finished, Dad hesitated, his usual calm voice trembling slightly.
"Write to us, son. Every week, if you can."
"I will," Jon said. His voice came out steadier than he felt.
When they reached the station, Dad wanted to follow them in, but Jon shook his head gently.
"You can't get through, Dad. It'll only make it harder."
He sighed but nodded. "You're right… Still, I'm proud of you."
He gave Jon a quick, tight hug before letting go.
As they turned away, Bella whispered, "You really think too much sometimes."
Jon smiled faintly. "Someone has to."
They walked past Muggles rushing for trains, the ordinary world fading with every step.
Soon, the sound of engines and chatter dimmed, replaced by something quieter, something alive.
Steam curled from the air ahead. And then they saw it.
The Hogwarts Express stood waiting, bright red against the grey stone, gleaming in the sunlight.
The sight hit him harder than he expected, childhood dream and second life colliding in one moment.
Even after two lives, the image made his heart lift.
Bella breathed out softly. "Every time I see it… It feels unreal."
Jon nodded. "Some things never lose their magic."
They found a quiet compartment near the middle of the train and set down their bags.
Bella stretched her arms with a contented sigh. "We're early. Hardly anyone's here."
"That's good," Jon said, sitting down. "Less chaos."
She smirked. "You really do act older than you are."
He shrugged. "Normal people don't see what's coming."
A few minutes later, someone knocked on the door.
"Senior Bella, good morning."
Jon looked up.
A boy stood at the door, tall, polite, with a kind smile and bright grey eyes.
"Cedric!" Bella exclaimed, lighting up. "Come in!"
Jon blinked. Cedric Diggory.
The name hit him like a flash.
For a moment, his chest tightened. He knew that name and the story behind it.
He wondered if meeting Cedric again was fate's way of testing him… or warning him.
"This is my cousin, Jon Smith," Bella said happily. "He's starting at Hogwarts this year wants to be in Hufflepuff too!"
Jon offered a brief handshake. "Jon Smith."
"Cedric Diggory," the boy replied, still smiling.
Jon's handshake was firm, but his thoughts were elsewhere.
When Cedric sat beside Bella, chatting cheerfully, Jon leaned back and stayed quiet.
He only hoped Bella wouldn't get too close to anyone whose story he already knew the end of.
The train whistle blew, long and low. Steam rolled past the window as the carriage began to move.
Bella leaned forward, smiling. "First-year nerves yet?"
Jon's gaze stayed on the window. "Not nerves," he said softly. "Just… anticipation."
"For what?" she asked.
"For the part of the story that hasn't been written yet."
As the train carried him north, Jon felt a strange pull like something from his past was waiting for him at Hogwarts.
The wheels clattered rhythmically beneath him, steady and sure, the sound of destiny rolling forward.
Outside, clouds gathered too heavy, too deliberate for ordinary weather.
And in that quiet shift of sky, fate began to stir.
(End of Chapter 9)