Today was September 1st.
The weather was exceptionally nice.
Harry examined the ticket in his hand.
On the front, it read: "King's Cross Station."
On the back: "September 1st, 11:00 AM, Platform 9¾."
Once he boarded the train, he would officially step into the world of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
At this very moment, countless other first-years were probably feeling the same mix of excitement, eagerness, and anticipation.
Different Places, Same Excitement
A massive manor.
Just walking from the gates to the main building took ten minutes.
A tall man looked down at a young boy and said firmly:
"You are a pureblood. Never forget the honor of the Malfoy family."
"Yes, Father."
A platinum-haired boy responded proudly.
In a moving car on a London street, a man enthusiastically told his daughter:
"Hermione, your father believes in you. Even at a magic school, you will still be the best."
A cute girl lifted her chin and smiled confidently.
"Of course!"
In The Burrow, a plump woman yelled furiously up the stairs:
"RON WEASLEY! Today is your first day at Hogwarts, and you're still not out of bed?!"
"Should I write to Dumbledore and tell him you won't be attending this year?!"
"I'm getting dressed! ...Haahh..."
A reluctant voice, mixed with a lazy yawn, drifted down from upstairs.
"If you're not down here in one minute, you'll never come down again!"
The furious roar of Molly Weasley shook the entire house.
"Alright, alright!"
The voice suddenly became panicked.
"THUMP!"
Something crashed onto the floor.
Back to Harry...
Harry hauled his bags—big bags, small bags, way too many bags.
Luckily, he didn't have to worry about Optimus Prim— ahem, no, Hedwig.
After all, an eagle should fly freely in the sky.
As for Little Cutie, she was comfortably curled up on one of the luggage bundles.
Harry put on his Hogwarts first-year robes, checked himself out in a small mirror, tidied up his long, straight black hair, and flashed a confident grin.
"Time to set off—towards my destiny... as King of the Pirates!"
Since he had too many bags, Harry had to make several trips moving them to the entrance of The Leaky Cauldron.
Before leaving, he waved goodbye to Tom the Barkeep, who looked reluctant to see him go.
"Mr. Potter, I hope you'll visit again..."
"Of course! Oh, about my plans to renovate the bar, you—hey, don't walk away!"
"Tsk. I was just trying to help you, you know?!"
Harry had even written up a detailed renovation proposal—a brilliant plan to revamp The Leaky Cauldron.
But the reality? Heh. Heh. Heh...
"Forget it. This is just too painful to remember... Ah… youth… is a beautiful tragedy… Maybe I really am a poetic soul, after all..."
Arrival at King's Cross Station
Harry took a taxi to King's Cross Station.
Upon arrival, it was 9:30 AM.
He loaded his luggage onto a trolley and started searching for Platform 9¾.
As he walked, Harry noticed something—people kept staring at him.
Then he realized—of course they were curious!
After all—he was just an 11-year-old kid, dragging around way too much luggage, with a cat casually strutting behind him, wearing a weird black robe, with a silver tattoo on his forehead, and long, flowing black hair.
If it were any other kid, they'd probably feel awkward and embarrassed.
But him?
"Pfft—please. I once ruled over the kindergarten playground. As if I'd care about a few stares."
Harry purposefully scanned the station signs and soon spotted Platforms 9 and 10.
A small smile appeared on his face.
"Found it."
Arriving at the space between Platforms 9 and 10, Harry thought to himself:
"It must be literal… ¾ of the way through."
As he examined his surroundings, he noticed a red brick column near Platform 10.
"Could this be it? Do I… just run at it? Headfirst?"
As Harry slowly approached the stone pillar, a strange sensation washed over him—
He felt the air pressuring him, as if he were being squeezed.
Looking around, he noticed that the people nearby looked… blurry.
Harry quickly stepped back, and the strange sensation vanished.
Everything returned to normal.
"Yep, this is definitely it."
Bringing his thumb and index finger to his lips, Harry took a deep breath—
And let out a sharp, clear whistle that echoed across the station.
Many heads turned toward the source of the sound—
Only to gasp in surprise as—
A massive black eagle soared in from outside, circling twice before descending gracefully onto Harry's shoulder.
After ensuring that no one was watching him anymore, Harry swiftly made his way back toward the pillar.
As expected, that strange sensation returned.
Even Hedwig felt the pressure, shuffling her talons and pressing herself closer to Harry's face.
As he passed through the brick pillar, Harry instinctively glanced back—
Just in time to catch a glimpse of a plump woman leading a group of red-haired children in his direction.
Then, in the blink of an eye, Harry was through.
The Magical Platform 9¾
This was an open-air station, with a deep crimson train parked along the tracks.
A cloud of steam billowed from the train's engine, swirling around the sign that read:
"Platform 9¾."
On the side of the train, a golden plaque gleamed in the light—
"Hogwarts Express."
Harry grinned brightly—a smile so radiant, it could rival Luffy's.
Boarding the train, he searched for an empty compartment.
Finally, he reached a half-empty compartment and began loading his luggage onto the train, one piece at a time.
"Hey, need a hand?"
A cheerful voice called out.
Turning, Harry saw two identical boys standing beside him, both grinning mischievously.
The Weasley twins—Fred and George!
"Thanks, but I've got it." Harry responded politely.
"What's your name?"
"Uh… Harry Potter."
As expected—their expressions were priceless.
The twins exchanged glances—then bolted off toward their mother.
"Mum! Mum! You won't believe who we just saw—"
"It's Harry Potter, Mum!"
"Oi! Shut up, let me tell it!"
"Why should I?!"
Their bickering voices gradually faded into the distance.