Chapter 6: From Platform Nine and Three-Quarters to Hogwarts

September 1, 1991 - King's Cross Station

King's Cross Station concealed a platform from Muggles. Between Platform Nine and Platform Ten, behind a barrier at Platform Nine and Three-Quarters, a scarlet steam engine bound for Hogwarts was waiting today, with many wizards and witches in sight.

Among them were the Taylor and Granger families, engaging in lively conversation due to their children heading off to Hogwarts. Their connection had grown familial as Leo had been teaching Hermione about magic.

"Leo, take good care of my daughter, please. We're completely ignorant about magic, and this child isn't very good at making friends," Mrs. Granger said.

"I understand. I also have only one friend, Hermione, but we'll be at Hogwarts for seven years, so let's take our time," Leo replied.

"No need to worry, Mrs. Granger. Our son is more talented in magic than his parents. Please leave the magic to Leo. In fact, thanks to your daughter becoming friends with ours, Leo has made his first friend, and we're more than grateful for that!" said Mr. Taylor.

As they continued chatting, the departure time drew nearer. Leo and Hermione entered an empty compartment and leaned out of the window to bid farewell to their parents.

"Mom, Dad, we're off," Hermione said.

"Indeed. Have a good student life!" her father replied.

"Take care of yourself. Make friends. Write letters, alright? Um, and... just do your best!" her mother added.

"Mom! Dad! I'll be back for Christmas!" Hermione said.

"Take care. Don't overexert yourself," her father advised.

"If anything happens, consult Leo. Do your best," her mother encouraged.

As soon as the train started moving, there was a knock on the door of the compartment where the two were sitting. When they opened it, a boy stood there with an apologetic expression. It seemed he had nowhere else to go.

"Sorry... um, is this seat taken? Everywhere else is full," he said hesitantly.

"I don't mind. What about you, Leo?" Hermione asked.

"It's not a problem," Leo replied.

Having obtained their consent, the boy sat down somewhat nervously.

"I'm Neville Longbottom... Nice to meet you," he said.

"I'm Hermione Granger, and this is..."

"Leonard Taylor. Nice to meet you."

When Neville heard Leonard Taylor's name, his eyes widened, and he kept opening and closing his mouth. Most wizards had this kind of reaction when Leo introduced himself. To be honest, Leo was a bit tired of it.

"Leonard Taylor... I've heard of you! You're famous! I heard you were young, but to be about the same age as me..." Neville exclaimed.

"Neville Longbottom, are you starting Hogwarts this year? If so, Hermione and I are in the same year," Leo said.

"I can't believe someone as amazing as you is in the same year... What should I do? My shortcomings will be so apparent..." Neville fretted.

"Before it even begins, if you become so downcast, that's not going to help at all! Instead of moping around, pull yourself together," Hermione encouraged, but his expression didn't change much, and he still looked unwell.

Afterwards, the three of them spent their time chatting, buying snacks from the trolley, and having lunch while moving through the train. The conversation shifted to the topic of which house they wanted to be sorted into once they arrived at Hogwarts.

"Which house do you two want to be in? I'm torn between Gryffindor and Ravenclaw," Hermione asked.

"To be honest, I'm fine with any of them. No matter where I am, I'll just continue my research the way I want. Although, if I had to pick, Ravenclaw might suit me," Leo replied.

"I... well, Grandma told me to aim for Gryffindor... but I might end up in Hufflepuff. As long as it's not Slytherin, I guess it's fine," Neville said.

"Neville Longbottom, if you have the notion that Hufflepuff is for underachievers and Slytherin is a breeding ground for dark wizards, you should reconsider. Hufflepuff has produced great wizards too, and not everyone in Slytherin becomes a dark wizard. However, from what my dad told me, most of the current Slytherins are pure-bloods, so it might not be comfortable for Muggle-borns like Hermione here," Leo explained.

"True, I'd like to be in a house where I can comfortably study. I wonder how they decide which house you belong to? Do they have some kind of test?" Hermione asked.

The word "test" seemed to unsettle Neville greatly.

"What should I do...? A test right away sounds impossible. If I can't produce results and can't enter, I can't imagine what Grandma would say..." Neville worried.

"Don't worry; I think it'll be okay. They'll probably have something to measure your aptitude instead of a difficult test to decide which house suits each student," Leo reassured.

"You're right; in any case, I'm looking forward to it," Hermione said.

Afterward, they discussed various things about each other and Hogwarts for a while.

About halfway through the journey to Hogwarts, Neville suddenly exclaimed, "Huh? Trevor! Trevor's gone! What should we do? Did you two see him?"

"Calm down, Neville. What's a Trevor?" Hermione inquired.

"He's my pet toad. He has a habit of wandering off. We have to find him," Neville replied.

"I'll help you look," Hermione offered.

As the two of them prepared to leave, Leo stayed put.

"Aren't you coming, Leo?" Hermione asked.

"What are the two of us? We're wizards, right? Instead of going outside, we can use magic," Leo replied.

The two of them realized this with a sudden, "Ah."

"That's right, we should've used magic. I guess we're not quite used to feeling like wizards yet," Hermione said.

"But I don't know any magic for finding pets," Neville confessed.

Hermione, if it's you, what kind of spell should you use?

"Maybe a summoning spell. Let me try it. Neville, could you describe Trevor's features?" Hermione inquired.

Hermione asked about Trevor's size and color as she formed an image in her mind. She visualized Trevor coming to her.

"Accio!"

A few seconds later, Trevor flew toward their compartment from down the corridor.

"Trevor!"

"We did it! It worked!" Hermione exclaimed.

Neville repeatedly thanked Hermione, and she seemed rather satisfied with the results of her magic.

"Hermione, that spell you used was great. It was well-structured," Leo complimented.

"It's because of Leo's teaching," Hermione replied.

After that, time passed without any significant issues. As the sky gradually darkened, the three of them changed into their school uniforms, with two girls and two boys in each compartment.

After about thirty minutes, they arrived at Hogsmeade Station. They were instructed to leave their luggage on the train, so the three of them stepped outside onto the platform.

On the platform, there was a large man, similar to the one they had seen in Diagon Alley. Leo used his 'Eye' and noticed that this man was covered in a magical aura that differed from ordinary people. He was likely a half-breed with some kind of magical creature.

"First-years! First-years, over here! Follow me!" It seemed that this giant man would be guiding the first-years.

"Come on, first-years, you can see Hogwarts over there. Just follow this path after you turn the corner," he instructed.

As they passed through the mountain path, Hogwarts came into view, and cheers erupted from those around them.

Next, they were directed to board boats in groups of four and cross the lake. Leo, Hermione, and Neville ended up in a boat with only three people. The boat passed through curtains of ivy and entered an entrance in a cliff. They arrived at a dock at the end of a dark tunnel, where they were guided to a large door.

"All right, is everyone here?" The man asked.

He knocked on the door three times, and when it opened, Professor McGonagall, dressed in emerald robes, was waiting inside.

"Good job, Hagrid. I'll take it from here," she said.

Guided by Professor McGonagall, they passed through the entrance hall and were led into a small room.

(Now, it's time for the sorting. I wonder what the outcome will be.)

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Hermione's increased level resulted in them arriving at Hogwarts without any Harry-related encounters concerning Trevor.

Next time, it's the sorting ceremony.

Stay tuned to find out which house Leo and Hermione end up in.