Chapter 10: The Hogwarts Express
After returning to the Leaky Cauldron, Eisen suddenly realized he had some "free time" on his hands. He had intended to reduce his magic practice time and prepare for his classes, but he soon discovered that there was no real need for class preparation.
Or rather, Astronomy in the original book had virtually no presence, functioning more like a background character than anything else, with not even a textbook mentioned. Only through a few scattered remarks did Eisen learn what young wizards had studied in Astronomy previously.
For instance, observing the night sky, learning the names of different planets, satellites, and their respective constellations. Then, there was observing and studying the orbits of the planets. Apart from that, they also had to learn how to draw star charts depicting the movements of celestial bodies.
As for the purpose of young wizards studying Astronomy, Eisen was well aware that it was largely to support the subject of Divination. And it was quite clear that Astronomy was meant to aid in the study of Astrology.
However, none of this posed a significant problem for Eisen. After all, he had previously purchased Muggle books on Astronomy and a telescope. All he had to do was give a casual lecture, and he could coast through an entire year.
The reason Eisen wanted the young wizards to develop a sense of reverence was to ensure that they would not act recklessly if they ever found themselves exposed to the Muggle world in the future.
If conflicts could be minimized, Eisen's own living environment would naturally be better.
...
On September 1st, after packing some books and research notes on magical artifacts into his trunk, Eisen headed to King's Cross Station.
Ever since Eisen had discovered that magical artifacts could possess extraordinary properties, he had consciously begun researching them. Today was the day for Hogwarts to reopen.
Originally, Eisen could have simply used Floo powder to enter Hogwarts and await the arrival of the young wizards. However, on a whim, he decided to check in at Platform Nine and Three-Quarters and ride the Hogwarts Express instead.
To be honest, since entering the wizarding world, Eisen had been confined to the Leaky Cauldron and Diagon Alley, rarely venturing beyond. He wanted to experience passing through the barrier at Platform Nine and Three-Quarters.
Since the Hogwarts Express was scheduled to depart promptly at 11 a.m., Eisen wasn't in a hurry. At 10:30 a.m., he arrived at King's Cross Station, dragging his trunk behind him.
Eisen wasn't wearing wizarding robes, so he appeared no different from an ordinary office worker. However, he knew that he was no longer part of the same world as the rest of the crowd.
Stopping between Platforms Nine and Ten, Eisen paused and carefully observed his surroundings, but detected nothing out of the ordinary. He knew, however, that a concealing charm had been placed there, preventing Muggles from noticing anything unusual.
"Well, here goes!" he muttered, then swiftly pushed his trunk forward, passing straight through the barrier.
Eisen felt a brief moment of darkness before the scene changed, and the sounds of a bustling crowd reached his ears. Several young wizards bid farewell to their parents and boarded the Hogwarts Express on the adjacent platform.
Indeed, the Hogwarts Express sat on the tracks beside him. To be honest, Eisen didn't have a ticket. Of course, he was a Hogwarts professor – what did he need a ticket for?
After verifying his identity, Eisen easily boarded the Hogwarts Express. However, he couldn't help but comment on the absurdity of calling a steam locomotive the "Express" train – could anyone believe that?
Perhaps due to the relatively small number of wizarding students attending Hogwarts, the train only had five carriages. Upon entering, Eisen noticed that each carriage was divided into small compartments, some of which were already occupied by young wizards.
As Eisen walked down the aisle, dragging his trunk, the students gazed at him curiously. However, he didn't respond and simply made his way to the last carriage, taking a seat.
He couldn't deny that, despite living in the wizarding world for over a year, all the buildings and objects still gave him an old and outdated feeling, making it difficult for him to adapt.
Just from this perspective alone, one could see the vast divide between the wizarding and Muggle worlds.
Of course, it was understandable. After all, wizards had to remain hidden from Muggles, and they had disappeared from Muggle sight before the 1700s. Over the centuries, how far had Muggle technology advanced? Only a few wizards who didn't shun Muggles would bother to find out.
Due to their limited scope and perspective, most wizards likely knew very little about Muggle life. Otherwise, Hogwarts wouldn't have offered a separate Muggle Studies course.
The fact that Hogwarts offered a Muggle Studies course was a testament to the foresight of Dumbledore and the previous headmasters. Unfortunately, not only was it an elective, but the content was also lacking in depth. As a result, it was generally regarded as an easy course by the students, taken primarily to earn credits.
Just like Hermione, who had taken Muggle Studies for a year before dropping it, believing there was nothing more to learn. This gives an idea of how elementary the course was.
"Hi, Fred, I've got a brilliant idea!" "Funny, I've got one too!"
The distinctive voices caught Eisen's attention, and through the window, he spotted a pair of redheaded twins approaching from the platform.
Eisen knew them to be Ron Weasley's older twin brothers, Fred and George Weasley. They possessed exceptional talents in pranks and potioneering. Later, they would open Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes at 93 Diagon Alley, selling various joke products, mostly their own inventions.
If they mentioned having a brilliant idea at this moment, it was likely related to pranks or jokes. Eisen suddenly thought he could collaborate with the twins.
Since Eisen's "golden finger" cheat required magical artifacts, the Weasley twins, with their talent for creating powerful magical items, could be valuable partners. Although their skills were focused on pranks, with some guidance, they could probably excel.
After all, Eisen knew that in the original story, they had invented the Shield Hat, capable of deflecting curses. Regardless of its effectiveness, their abilities were impressive.
After the Weasley twins boarded the train, another figure appeared on the platform – a wide-eyed Harry Potter. Had he not encountered the Weasley family, Harry might never have found Platform Nine and Three-Quarters.
At 11 a.m., the train departed on schedule.
"Professor Turner!" Not sure if it was a coincidence, but after boarding, Harry Potter made his way to Eisen's compartment. Spotting the professor he had recently met sitting by the window, Harry seemed surprised.
"Harry Potter, please don't be so formal. There's an empty seat here!" Eisen greeted him. One couldn't deny the protagonist's aura – otherwise, with his antics in front of Voldemort, he would have been done for long ago.
"Just call me Harry, Professor Turner. Do wizards also study Astronomy?" Harry asked, taking a seat across from Eisen after his initial surprise.
"Yes, that's correct. Since Hogwarts offers Divination, the knowledge from Astronomy can be applied," Eisen provided a simple explanation.
Admittedly, Hogwarts' curriculum was quite interesting. Although Divination was an elective, Astronomy was a core subject. In other words, the astrological knowledge from Astronomy was mandatory for young wizards, while taking Divination in their second year was optional.
"So apart from Astronomy, what other subjects do we need to study, Professor Turner?" Harry followed up with another question. For a young wizard who had grown up in the Muggle world, the unknown path of wizarding education was likely a cause for concern.
"Hmm, let me think. Apart from Astronomy, first-year wizards also need to study History of Magic, Charms, Potions, Herbology, Defense Against the Dark Arts, and Transfiguration," Eisen recounted the subjects after a moment's thought.
"Of course, Harry, you don't need to worry. You have a natural talent for magic!" Eisen quickly reassured him, not wanting to discourage the young wizard.
(End of Chapter)