The morning of September 1st brought cool air mixed with the scent of locomotive smoke and morning coffee at King's Cross Station. Amid the bustle of hurrying passengers, a red-haired boy pushed a trolley laden with a large suitcase, a golden cage housing a proud golden eagle, and a small glass box containing an emerald-green snake. Beside him, a girl with curly brown hair walked with a similar trolley, her eyes glistening as she glanced back. A pair of adults followed them, their faces full of pride and sadness.
"We're here," said the man from the couple, his voice heavy as he unloaded a suitcase from the car. He stared at the brick pillar between platforms 9 and 10, his brow furrowed. "You really go through there?"
The woman beside him, her eyes slightly red, kissed the boy and girl on their foreheads repeatedly. "Professor McGonagall said so, John," she said, wiping tears with a handkerchief. "Hermione, Larry, you'll write often, won't you?"
The girl, Hermione, hugged the woman tightly, her eyes also teary. "Of course, Mum," she murmured, her voice full of emotion.
The boy, Larry, smiled softly and hugged the woman too. "I'll write too, Aunt Granger," he said, his charm flowing naturally despite a slight tension in his chest. 'Hogwarts, finally,' he thought, feeling a small spark—perhaps points from his strange system for Mrs. Granger's loving gaze.
"Platform 9¾ can only be entered by wizards," said the man, Mr. Granger, putting an arm around his wife. "We can only take you this far."
"Uncle Granger, Aunt Granger, don't worry," said Larry, his smile brimming with confidence. "I'll take good care of Hermione."
Mr. Granger patted his shoulder, his eyes full of trust. "We know, Larry. But take care of yourself too, alright?"
"Of course, Uncle Granger," Larry replied, then glanced at Hermione, who was still reluctant to let go of her mother's embrace. "Hermione, we need to go."
Hermione nodded, hugging her parents one last time. "Mum, Dad, goodbye," she said, her voice slightly hoarse. She grabbed Larry's hand, her fingers gripping tightly.
"Goodbye, Uncle Granger, Aunt Granger," added Larry, pushing their trolley toward the brick pillar without looking back. They ran together, and in an instant, their bodies vanished, as if swallowed by the wall.
Behind them, Mr. and Mrs. Granger stood for a long time, staring at the empty pillar.
"They'll be fine," said Mr. Granger, hugging his wife. "Larry's a resourceful kid. Hermione's safe with him."
Mrs. Granger nodded, leaning into his arm. "I know. But… I'm still worried."
---
On the other side of the pillar, Platform 9¾ greeted them with the clamor of young witches and wizards and their families. A grand red steam locomotive stood on the tracks, white smoke billowing from its chimney. A sign reading Hogwarts Express, 11 o'clock hung on the side of the train, glinting in the sunlight filtering through the glass roof. The scent of caramel sweets and fresh ink mixed with the hooting of owls and the laughter of children in new robes.
Larry and Hermione pushed their trolley through the crowd, their eyes taking in every detail.
"This… it's incredible," Hermione murmured, her awe replacing the sadness on her face.
Larry smiled, feeling Hermione's hand still clutching his arm. "It's just the beginning, Hermione," he said, his voice full of excitement. "Let's find a compartment."
They found an empty carriage at the end of the train, stowing their suitcases, Themis's cage, and the snake's glass box on the overhead rack. Themis, Larry's golden eagle, gazed out the window with a cool demeanor, as if the commotion wasn't worth her attention. The green snake in the glass box coiled calmly, its eyes occasionally glancing at Themis with caution.
Larry sat by the window, watching Hermione, who was still gazing at the platform with teary eyes. He gently took her hand, his fingers warm.
"Hermione, Christmas break isn't far off," he said, his voice soft but confident. "We'll go home, see Mum and Dad again. Don't be sad, okay?"
Hermione turned, a small smile appearing on her face. "Yeah, you're right," she said, squeezing Larry's hand. 'Thank goodness for Larry,' she thought, her chest feeling lighter. This was her first time away from home, but Larry's presence made her feel… safe.
"By the way," said Larry, his eyes sparkling with an idea, "wanna help me find Harry? I need to give this snake to him."
Hermione nodded, her spirits lifting. "Your brother's famous, right? He'll be easy to find," she said, standing and pulling Larry out of the compartment.
---
The train was packed with young witches and wizards, some showing off new wands, others chatting about Hogwarts houses. Larry, holding the snake's box in one hand and Hermione's hand in the other, knocked on compartment doors one by one.
"Excuse me, anyone seen Harry Potter?" he asked, his voice casual but hopeful.
The responses varied.
"Harry Potter? The Savior?" asked a boy with large glasses, his eyes gleaming. "Haven't seen him, but if I do, I'm getting his autograph!" Others just shook their heads, busy with their chocolate frogs.
As they opened the next compartment door, two voices greeted them in unison.
"Oh, first-year witches?" said one.
"Looking for Harry Potter, eh?" added the other, their tones teasing.
Larry looked up, his eyes widening as he saw two identical faces with fiery red hair and mischievous grins. 'Fred and George Weasley,' he thought, chuckling inwardly. 'Found you guys quick.'
"I'm Larry Potter," he said, his voice calm but confident. "I'm looking for my brother, Harry."
The twins' eyes widened, their mouths dropping open in sync.
"Wait, Larry Potter?!" exclaimed one, maybe Fred. "You're the 'second savior' from the Daily Prophet?!"
"Mum cried when she read about it," added the other, maybe George, his eyes gleaming. "Said, 'That boy's alive, thank goodness!'"
Larry rolled his eyes, but his smile remained. "Yeah, that's me. But please, do you know where Harry is?"
Fred and George exchanged a look, then shrugged in unison.
"No clue," said Fred. "Haven't met him."
Larry sighed. 'Right, they haven't met Harry yet,' he thought.
"Okay, if you see him, tell him to come to this compartment, alright?" He pulled out a small piece of paper, wrote the compartment number, and handed it to Fred.
"Deal, second Potter!" said George, giving an exaggerated salute that made Hermione giggle. Fred followed suit, and both grinned widely.
Larry rolled his eyes again, pulling Hermione to continue the search.
"These guys can't be serious," he muttered, but there was a small laugh in his voice.
---
They kept searching, passing compartments full of kids chatting about Quidditch or new spells. Some recognized the Potter name and looked at Larry with curiosity, but no one knew where Harry was.
Until, in a narrow corridor, an arrogant voice stopped them.
"Potter, huh?"
A boy with pale blond hair stood before them, his robes pristine and his demeanor brimming with confidence.
"In the wizarding world, pure-blood families like us make friends easily." He glanced briefly at Hermione, then extended a hand to Larry. "I'm Malfoy. Draco Malfoy."
Larry stared at the hand, his eyebrow raised. 'Same exact words as in the story,' he thought, his mouth twitching to suppress a laugh. He ignored Draco's hand, walking past him while holding Hermione's hand tighter.
"Malfoy, if you want to be friends, don't make me sick with that pure-blood nonsense," he said, his voice cold but laced with charm that left Draco speechless.
Draco's face paled, his hand still hanging in the air, his eyes wide with humiliation. For the first time, someone had rejected him so openly.
Larry paused, turning back with a small smile.
"But, if you can drop those stupid prejudices, I might consider it," he said, his tone casual but meaningful. "More friends, more paths, right?"
Draco opened his mouth, but only one word came out: "What?"
Larry chuckled, not answering, and continued walking with Hermione, who looked at him with a mix of admiration and amusement. 'Malfoy could be a pawn if he changes,' Larry thought, his mind spinning. 'If I'm going to fight Voldemort, I need to play from the inside. Starting with kids like him.' He felt a spark of points from his system—maybe for Hermione's gaze or his boldness in challenging Draco.
"That was cool," Hermione murmured, her voice soft but full of admiration.
Larry looked at her, his cheeky smile appearing. "Just saying it like it is," he said, briefly putting an arm around her shoulder. "Come on, let's head back to the compartment. Harry'll show up… eventually."
---
They returned to the compartment, sitting by the window as the train began to move, leaving the platform with a gentle rumble. Themis looked out, her eyes sharp, while the green snake in the glass box remained calm.
Larry gazed at the passing scenery, his thoughts drifting to Hogwarts, Harry, and his grand plans.