It was already afternoon when Jerry and Professor McGonagall stepped out of Ollivander's wand shop. The professor treated Jerry and Crookshanks to lunch at the Leaky Cauldron before they wandered back into the bustling streets of Diagon Alley.
"We should make these more portable," Professor McGonagall said, withdrawing her wand.
Jerry watched in fascination as she pointed at his large suitcase and cart. A flash of brilliant blue light erupted from her wand, and both items shrank to the size of his palm in an instant.
"Time to return," she announced, carefully placing the miniaturised luggage into her pocket. She extended her arm toward Jerry.
"Oh!" Jerry hesitated momentarily before understanding dawned on his face. He reached out and grasped her outstretched arm firmly.
"Apparate!" With a decisive wave of her wand, both Professor McGonagall and Jerry vanished from the crowded street.
They reappeared in Jerry's familiar orphanage room, causing him to inhale sharply in wonder.
"Magic... what extraordinary power," he whispered, eyes wide with amazement.
Professor McGonagall's expression softened. "Don't be too envious just yet. When you graduate from Hogwarts, you'll perform these spells with ease. The prerequisite, of course, is dedicated study."
She retrieved the shrunken items from her pocket and restored them to their original size with a flick of her wand.
"I will!" Jerry set Crookshanks down and nodded with earnest determination.
He understood that the world he now inhabited wasn't entirely safe. Magic represented the only power he could master to protect himself. He would need to commit entirely to magical study for survival alone, perhaps even with 200% of his energy and focus.
"Here's your ticket to Hogwarts," Professor McGonagall said, handing him an envelope. "The journey departs on September 1st from King's Cross Station. All necessary details are included. I've already made arrangements with your orphanage director to transport you there."
Unlike Hagrid, who had hastily departed after merely delivering Harry's ticket, Professor McGonagall was considerably more thorough. Not only had she coordinated with the orphanage director about Jerry's transportation, but she also carefully explained potential complications that might arise during the journey to Hogwarts.
After her detailed explanation, Jerry smiled reassuringly. "Professor, I've committed everything to memory. Please don't worry, I'll board the Hogwarts Express on time."
Professor McGonagall nodded with approval.
"I'll see you at school, then. And, Mr. Carmen..." she paused meaningfully, "I believe you would make an excellent addition to Gryffindor House."
She performed another apparition spell with those parting words and vanished on the spot.
"Gryffindor?" Jerry's face contorted with uncertainty once Professor McGonagall had disappeared.
When he'd first realized he was in the "Harry Potter" world, he'd immediately ruled out both Gryffindor and Slytherin. His initial preference had been Ravenclaw, with Hufflepuff as his second choice.
After all, his primary goal was to learn magic and improve himself peacefully in this new reality.
Gryffindor seemed filled with reckless individuals who attracted trouble like magnets. Meanwhile, Slytherin suffered from serious social hierarchies that would make life difficult for an orphan with no connections.
Neither House seemed conducive to undisturbed study.
Ravenclaw, which selected students based on intelligence and wit, was superior for a learning environment. Surrounded by academic overachievers who engaged in scholarly discussions would undoubtedly accelerate his progress.
If Ravenclaw proved unattainable, Hufflepuff remained a solid alternative. Its students were generally honest and kind-hearted; they wouldn't interfere with his educational pursuits.
However, Professor McGonagall appeared to see potential in him for Gryffindor. Earning her approval might provide certain advantages in this world, making Gryffindor worth consideration after all.
"I'll worry about it later," he decided. "There's still a month before sorting. Better to focus on learning some practical magic first, enough to handle any trouble that comes my way."
Setting aside the House debate, he turned his attention to the more pressing matter of self-education.
Excitedly, Jerry opened his suitcase and removed the bag containing his textbooks. One by one, he arranged them across his bed:
'Standard Book of Spells (Grade 1), A History of Magic, Magical Theory, A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration, One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi, Magical Drafts and Potions, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, and The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection.'
With just one month before term began, he needed to prioritize books that would provide immediate practical value.
After careful consideration, Jerry returned four volumes to the bag: A History of Magic, One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi, Magical Drafts and Potions, and Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.
While A History of Magic might expand his knowledge of wizard society, it offered little practical application. One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi merely cataloged various plants.
Magical Drafts and Potions could prove helpful, powerful concoctions might serve him well in confrontations, but mastering potion-making in a month seemed unrealistic. Besides, he lacked the necessary ingredients for any worthwhile brews.
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them might become valuable during future adventures, but it held little immediate relevance.
He retained Standard Book of Spells (Grade 1), Magical Theory, A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration, and The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection. Jerry set Magical Theory apart and placed the remaining three texts on his desk.
For any magic novice, Jerry reasoned, understanding the fundamental nature and mechanisms of magic must precede learning actual spells.
Magical Theory demanded his immediate attention with its explanations of basic principles.
He picked up the volume with growing seriousness and settled into his chair. Jerry took a deep, centering breath and opened to the first page:
"The arbitrary manipulation of the deepest secrets, the source of life, the very essence of self, must be prepared for the most extreme and dangerous consequences." — Wulflin's Basic Rules of Magic, Rule 1
Jerry closed Magical Theory with a weary sigh four hours later, massaging his temples.
"Hermione Granger... truly deserving of her reputation as an academic prodigy," he murmured admiringly.
Jerry had initially assumed that, as someone who had completed higher education and lived over forty intense years, his learning capabilities would prove adequate to the task.
Reality proved humbling.
Magic represented an entirely unfamiliar knowledge system. Jerry's four-hour self-study session felt like attempting to decipher celestial text without instructor guidance.
It reminded him of a mortal suddenly acquiring an ancient manual promising immortality, yet lacking the master's wisdom to interpret even the most fundamental concepts.
He truly appreciated eleven-year-old Hermione's accomplishment, mastering most first-year magic independently before classes began, with no external guidance.
Perhaps Hermione possessed an innate talent for magical studies, while he remained disappointingly average.
"I can only hope that Little Red Star's refreshment function proves more potent than expected," he sighed. "Otherwise, this journey may prove more challenging than anticipated."