Chapter 26: Platform Nine and Three-Quarters (Edited)

Passing through the wall at King's Cross Station, Bell's family arrived at Platform Nine and Three-Quarters.

Departure time was approaching quickly, and the station was bustling with parents accompanying their children.

Elena looked at the luggage of other young wizards and asked Bell, "Dear, are you sure you don't want to buy a pet? Maybe it could replace us and accompany you at Hogwarts."

"No, Mom, I don't feel like having a common pet, like an owl," replied Bell.

Common animals seemed silly and weak to him. Bell was no longer a child and had embraced his identity as a wizard. Or should I say, he sought more power? In short, although he liked cute animals, he no longer felt the desire to have one.

"What kind of pet would you like? I can ask your father to look for one for you."

Elena looked at Bell with concern, although she knew he was very independent, she couldn't help but worry.

'Why do I always hurt myself?

William, who overheard the mother-son conversation, looked innocent. He's busy every day, so don't bother him all the time...

"I don't even know, I'll think about it in the future. Maybe I'll come across one at some point," Bell replied casually and then fell back into silence.

Elena looked worriedly at her children, who had been unusually quiet since the morning. She tried to comfort and instruct them as a low-pressure atmosphere surrounded the three of them.

Meanwhile, William, Bell's father, looked around as if it were none of his business, as if he were searching for something.

"Hey, look, isn't that the 'Chosen One,' Harry Potter? I heard Potter is enrolling this year, and here he is!" William pointed excitedly towards a slender boy with messy black hair, large glasses, and a big coat pushing a trolley while looking around and approaching the train.

"Bell, go and greet Potter, and maybe you can sit in the same compartment with him!" William slapped Bell's back enthusiastically, apparently wishing he could attend Hogwarts himself.

"I'm not interested."

Bell looked at his father in confusion. Why hadn't he realized before that he had such keen eyes? How could he see the small scar on his forehead from so far away?

William was about to say something more when the train started to whistle, and parents began to hurry the young wizards onto the train.

"Quick, Bell, get on the train," urged Elena.

...

Since she woke up in the morning, Shanna had maintained silence because she was afraid that if she opened her mouth, she would say words to hold back her brother.

She knew that if she said something to retain him, her brother would definitely stay. Since she was a child, her brother had never refused her request.

But she also knew she couldn't do it that way. Her brother should go to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry like any other young wizard his age. That way, maybe her brother could make some friends.

Watching her brother board the train, seeing her mother bid him farewell, and then seeing her brother get on the train, Shanna deeply hated herself at that moment. She hated herself for not being able to say a word of farewell.

As she watched the train doors slowly close and the train pull away from the platform, Shanna finally couldn't contain her tears. She cried out loud, calling for her brother, wishing to catch up with the departing train, until her mother embraced her tightly.

...

Since he woke up in the morning, Bell had refused to look at Shanna because he feared seeing sadness in his sister's eyes, fearing that his determination would waver.

He knew that if he saw any hint that Shanna wanted to hold him back, he wouldn't be able to deceive himself and would stay no matter what. But he also knew he couldn't be that selfish because it would only hurt his dear family.

Since boarding the train in the morning, through his mother's warnings on the platform, and then getting on the train, watching as the doors closed slowly and Shanna disappeared from his sight, Bell deeply hated himself at that moment, hated his weakness, until the end, he couldn't even smile and bid farewell to Shanna.

Finally, when the train door closed completely, the train started moving, and Shanna disappeared from his view. Bell ran toward the nearest compartment to the door, looking through the window as Shanna cried and shouted desperately, "Brother!" while trying to reach the train.

At that moment, Bell felt his heart tearing apart. One half stayed with him, and the other flew back to Shanna. Bell abruptly opened the train window and frantically waved his hand toward the platform. In reality, he wished to jump off the train and return to his sister, but he knew he couldn't. Shanna's life shouldn't depend solely on him; she needed to have her own life, meet more people, experience more things, and learn to think independently.

So, it definitely wasn't because the train window was too small for Bell to exit through!!

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...

The train gradually disappeared from view, and Elena silently hugged her little daughter as she shed tears. Thinking that she wouldn't see her son for the next few months, she also felt very sad, undoubtedly no less than her little daughter.

Up to this point, it is necessary to mention Bell's family situation.

Undoubtedly, Bell had a happy family, much happier than most people. However, this happiness was not perfect. In fact, under the guise of happiness, Bell's family still harbored two small cracks.

Firstly, William and Bell couldn't stand each other. "This old fool (little idiot) dares to compete for my sister (daughter)."

Secondly, Elena and Shanna often had conflicts. "Mom (Shanna) is really annoying, always competing with me for my brother (Bell)."

Of course, these two small cracks hadn't destroyed the overall harmony but had made this happiness more real, more valuable.

"Well, stop crying, both of you," William urged with resignation. "Bell hasn't gone forever. And today is not a joyless day. At least we met the 'Boy Who Lived' - Harry Potter. Cheer up a bit."

At least William's mood was quite good now, not only because he had met Potter, in reality, William didn't find it a big deal. The most important thing was that Bell was going to study away from home, which elevated William's status in the house! Although he was still in last place, this made a difference between being in third place or fourth!