Chapter 3: Welcome To The Wizarding World

It had been several days since Leo received his acceptance letter to Hogwarts.

As I was reading in the library as usual, Hermione approached me with a subtle expression, making it unclear whether she was happy or sad.

"Leo... um, there's something I need to tell you."

"What is it? Please, go ahead. Is something wrong?"

"Well, you see, I think I won't be coming here for a while. I mean, I won't be able to come here except maybe during Christmas or summer vacation."

Leo felt a twinge of sadness upon hearing this, but he realized that he wouldn't be coming here much either if he was going to attend Hogwarts, an all-boarding school.

"That's quite a coincidence. I'll be attending an all-boarding school from now on, so I think we won't see each other much either."

"Leo too? I'm going to an all-boarding school as well. I'm happy about it, of course, but it's tough not being able to see you."

"Well, it's not a final farewell. Just think of it as an opportunity to become stronger before we meet again."

Hermione seemed to brighten up at Leo's words, as if saying, "I'll do just that."

Leo chuckled, thinking that her determined expression suited her.

"Get fired up as much as you want. By the way, what kind of school are you going to? I hope it's a good one that will help you develop your abilities."

After some thought, Hermione replied firmly, "You've probably never heard of it, but it's called Hogwarts. It's not widely known, so I doubt you can find much information about it."

Leo, who was usually calm and rarely surprised, couldn't believe his ears and instinctively asked, "Hogwarts!? Is it that Hogwarts? Hermione, weren't you a Muggle?"

Hermione noticed Leo's surprise and realized that he knew the name Hogwarts.

"Leo, are you a wizard too? I don't know what 'Muggle' means yet, but I received a letter from Hogwarts the other day, and that's when I found out I'm a witch. Are you the same?"

"No, I come from a family of wizards. 'Muggle' refers to people who can't use magic. I see, so you're a witch too, Hermione."

For Leo, having his one and only friend turn out to be a fellow wizard was even more delightful than he had imagined. He couldn't discuss magical topics with anyone else, especially Muggles. He felt confident that he would enjoy talking about magic with Hermione.

"Hermione, we talked about seeing each other less earlier, but since I'll be attending Hogwarts too, I think we'll actually have more time to see each other."

"Really!? That's great! You know, I'm thrilled to know that I'm a witch, but at the same time, I'm incredibly anxious. So, I want you to teach me all sorts of things about magic. Please!"

"Of course, that's okay. For now, let's both get what we need from Diagon Alley. How are you preparing for your enrollment? Will one of the Hogwarts teachers help you?"

"I'll be going shopping with Deputy Headmistress McGonagall tomorrow to buy textbooks and other necessary items. She'll pick me up at home at 10 in the morning."

"Can I come with you tomorrow to go shopping? I haven't got everything I need yet, so I need to buy some things too."

"There's no reason to refuse! I'd like you to teach me a lot about magic. Please!"

"Sure thing. So, let's call it a day for today. We'll get what we need tomorrow, and the day after tomorrow, we'll start studying magic. You didn't know about magic before, but with your potential, you can become an excellent wizard."

"I understand! Well then, see you tomorrow."

"Yeah, see you tomorrow. And welcome to the world of magic."

The two of them headed back to their respective homes. Their steps were light, to say the least.

They hadn't thought that each other was a wizard. Leo had no prejudices against Muggles; in fact, he highly regarded their non-magical abilities. Hermione acknowledged Leo's superior intelligence and his ability to perceive things accurately through their exchanges. She was delighted to find a friend who was also a wizard, someone she could share her anxieties and excitement about entering the magical world with.

That night, Hermione went to bed with hope for the unknown world filling her heart, while Leo looked forward to seeing how his only friend would grow.

Meanwhile, Harry Potter...

"Me, a wizard?"

Harry learned the truth from Hagrid.

The third episode has concluded. Neither of them had thought the other was a wizard. Leo held no prejudice against Muggles and even admired their non-magical skills. Hermione recognized Leo's intelligence and his ability to perceive things accurately. Even though they hadn't known about each other's magical abilities, their relationship had been excellent. The next episode will be about their shopping trip in Diagon Alley. Original characters will gradually make appearances.