Chapter 19

As Harry slowly recovered from the shock, Aaron picked up the box and said concisely, "Let's go, Harry."

Experiencing a train filled with students was quite an overwhelming sensation for Aaron. He had one prevailing thought: it was too noisy! Farewell hugs between parents, playful banter among friends, the rush of placing luggage — the cacophony seemed to envelop everything.

"Aaron, Harry…" A voice filled with excitement cut through the noise. It was Frank.

"Frank!" Harry greeted him happily, waving his hand.

"Mind if I join you? Let me help… Thanks." Frank navigated through the crowd, dragging his own luggage behind him.

"We all got Hogwarts acceptance letters unexpectedly. My parents and I thought it was a prank while we were traveling in France. It took Madam Hooch personally informing us and demonstrating broom flight to convince my parents. They finally believed when they saw her fly on a broomstick in front of them. Madam Hooch, by the way, is our Broom Flight instructor at Hogwarts. She's really cool!" Frank shared with his usual enthusiasm.

"Similar story here. My uncle Vernon tried everything to prevent me from getting the letter. Luckily, Hagrid came to pick me up," Harry chimed in, happy to reunite with his friends.

"Same for me. Let's find an empty compartment and catch up?" Aaron suggested, nodding towards the large box he was carrying.

The three of them walked towards the middle of the train, searching for an unoccupied compartment. After a bit of effort, they found one and began arranging their luggage. Frank couldn't help but ask, "When did you guys find out you were wizards? My parents thought Madam Hooch was a fraud until she rode a broomstick in front of them. Even then, my dad kept checking for hidden mechanisms before he finally believed I was a wizard. They were surprised, to say the least, to have a wizard in the family. My older sister is pretty jealous; she thinks being a wizard is way cooler than being a lawyer."

"It was only during the summer break that I discovered I was a wizard. Aaron, on the other hand, grew up in a wizarding family," Harry shared, recounting the delightful experiences in Aaron's home.

"Wow, Aaron, that's awesome! Can I come visit your place next summer break?" Frank asked with a hint of envy.

"Absolutely, and you too, Harry," Aaron replied without hesitation, his eyes sparkling with excitement.

Frank then proceeded to describe his adventures in France: "My favorite food is flame mussels. Fresh mussels are arranged on a wooden plank with four nails at the center. The mussels are placed around the nails, forming concentric circles that expand outward, resembling an old domino set. Next, pine needles are placed on top of the mussels. When the pine needles burn, they give the mussels a unique pine aroma and smoky flavor. Once the fire subsides, the ashes of the burnt pine needles are removed from the cooked mussels, and butter is added for flavor…"

Aaron couldn't help but admire Frank's innate talent for describing food, and his words evoked a sense of longing for the culinary delights he had encountered on his journey.

Harry's face displayed his desire, "I wish I could taste that…"

As he spoke, Frank's own stomach growled, revealing his hunger.

Realizing it was already noon, the three of them exchanged helpless looks, realizing that their conversation couldn't fill their empty stomachs.

"I'm hungry," Frank admitted candidly.

"Me too," Harry added, his hand covering his stomach in mock misery. Despite Mrs. Harris having fed him three times that morning, his stomach felt empty.

"I'll go check if there's any food on the train," Aaron offered, preparing to embark on this quest.

"Sounds good," Harry and Frank agreed in unison.

Just as Aaron opened the compartment door, he collided with a lanky, red-haired boy.

"Ron?" Aaron quickly steadied Ron.

"Aaron, perfect timing! I've been looking for you guys. You won't believe it, I heard Harry Potter is on this train. I really hope I get to see him," Ron blurted out enthusiastically.

"First things first," Aaron gently moved aside, placing Ron beside Frank.

Two equally chatty souls, both with vibrant red hair, stood side by side. Aaron couldn't help but smile at the sight of them exchanging grins.

"Ron, this is Frank. And by my side is the Harry Potter you've been eager to meet," Aaron introduced his two friends to Ron.

"Hey, Frank. I'm Ron Weasley," Ron extended his hand and introduced himself in a surprisingly adult manner.

The two of them instantly hit it off, as if they had been old friends for years. Perhaps sharing the same hair color somehow facilitated a deeper connection? Aaron couldn't say for sure.

"Are you really Harry Potter? So, it's true…" Ron's finger pointed at Harry's forehead.

Harry brushed his hair aside, revealing the lightning-shaped scar. Ron's eyes widened.

"Is this the mark that… you know who gave you?"

"Yes," Harry replied. "But I don't remember much about it."

"You don't remember anything at all?" Ron inquired eagerly.

"Not much. Just a lot of green light, and that's about it."

Ron continued to stare at Harry for a while before suddenly realizing what he was doing. He quickly averted his gaze out the window.

"What are you guys talking about? What happened to Harry's scar?" Frank's curiosity was piqued.

"Aren't you hungry?" Aaron interjected, diverting the topic away from Harry's scar.

"Just a moment ago, I saw some food sellers pushing carts. They should be here soon," Ron informed them earnestly.

"Perfect timing." Harry, seeing the impending arrival of food, leaped up from his seat and stood in the aisle, blocking Aaron who was about to pay.

"Aaron, I've eaten so much from you and Frank already. How about this time I cover the expenses?" Harry quickly added, "My parents left me plenty of gold in Gringotts." With that, Harry pulled out a handful of Gold Coins and Silver Coins from his pocket.

"Sure thing." Aaron grinned and winked.

They purchased an array of treats – Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans, Drooble's Best Blowing Gum, Chocolate Frogs, Pumpkin Pasties, Cauldron Cakes, Liquorice Wands, and various other peculiar items that Harry had never seen before.

Harry made the gesture to pay, but Aaron halted him. "How about this time, I treat both of you?" He turned to Frank, who nodded in agreement.

With the compartment door open, Aaron and Harry returned with their haul of goodies. They settled back into their seats, ready to enjoy the feast.

"Are you guys hungry?"

"Starving!" Harry grinned, taking a big bite of a Pumpkin Pastie.

"Frank, give it a try. This is the taste of Harry's generosity," Aaron suggested, stopping Frank from heading out to buy food.

The three of them happily shared their snacks and continued to chat, relishing the simple joy of each other's company.