Chapter 13: Platform 9¾

September 1st—a special day. Luke had already packed his luggage early in the morning and used the newly reconnected Floo Network to travel to Diagon Alley.

From there, he left through the Leaky Cauldron and caught a taxi to King's Cross Station.

Though he was dressed in a somewhat vintage style, the air of wealth and the expensive fabric he wore dissuaded the taxi driver from initiating any conversation.

While the trip to King's Cross was smooth, the small hassles of the journey left Luke a bit frustrated.

Perhaps he should consider hiring a house-elf to help with such basic errands, like traveling.

Pushing his luggage cart, Luke entered King's Cross Station, the feeling of embarking on a solo journey for education reminding him of his time heading to university in his previous life.

"Meow!"

Booker, his cat, peeked out from his backpack, pawing at Luke's neck as if to remind him of his presence.

Luke chuckled softly—right, he wasn't entirely alone.

Humming a tune, he strolled confidently and lightly through the bustling station crowd.

Like other wizarding children, Luke knew exactly where Platform 9¾ was, though his knowledge came from the movies. The advantage was that he wouldn't struggle to find the peculiar platform with a fraction in its name, unlike Harry.

Along the way, he saw a few families asking for directions to the platform.

He wasn't worried, knowing that wizards would be around to clean up after the confusion caused by such inquiries.

At that thought, Luke couldn't help but smirk. Was Hogwarts' tradition of omitting detailed instructions on how to access the platform a case of pure tradition or just a whimsical bit of mischief?.

Perhaps when he became a school director, he could suggest a change.

After all, Dumbledore was usually quite respectful of rules, so there must be some authority in the position of a director.

"Excuse me, could you tell me how to get to Platform 9¾?"

Luke was suddenly stopped by a voice.

Turning towards it, he saw a girl with bushy brown hair, sharp brown eyes, and prominent front teeth. Luke immediately thought he knew who this was.

"Oh, Hermione, you're troubling him. Look at how confused he looks—just like the staff members we asked earlier," said the man standing behind her.

He was well-dressed, exuding the air of a professional, clearly frustrated by the situation.

Despite the guidance Hermione had received before coming to the station, the person who advised them must have forgotten to mention how to actually enter the odd platform.

With the train scheduled to leave at eleven, time was running short.

Hermione, however, remained calm. She scrutinized Luke like a detective, analyzing him intently.

"Let's go together," Luke said, shaking his head. "It seems Hogwarts could use a bit more detail in its guidance for new students."

Mr. Granger's comments confirmed Luke's suspicions. The girl wasn't as stunning as he had imagined. She only bore about a 60-70% resemblance to the Hermione from the movies.

As expected, Hermione was a beauty in the making, still in need of some time to blossom.

Luke walked ahead after his quick response, and behind him, in his backpack, Booker peeked out to glance at the father and daughter pair before losing interest and retreating back inside.

Mr. Granger looked at his daughter in surprise, while Hermione hurried to push her luggage and keep up with Luke.

She began explaining to her father, "His outfit is a bit too vintage, like that so-called senior who gave me guidance earlier. Plus, he's alone, carrying a lot of luggage, and he's eleven—it's obvious he's headed to Hogwarts."

With Hermione's clarification, Mr. Granger quickly caught on. "We should've asked those oddly dressed people who passed by earlier. They might've been wizards too."

Luke overheard their conversation clearly and couldn't help but admire Hermione's sharp thinking, impressive even at such a young age.

Soon, they reached the third pillar between Platforms 9 and 10.

Luke stopped and turned to Hermione, smiling, "Stay close, and don't hesitate—run at full speed."

Before Hermione could ask her question, Luke had already pushed his cart and disappeared into the pillar.

Mr. Granger, startled, took a step forward to help, only to realize Luke had vanished into the wall.

Another bizarre thing that made no sense to him. He massaged his temples in frustration—understanding the wizarding world was no easy task.

Meanwhile, Hermione, though momentarily nervous, took a deep breath, suppressed her anxiety, and charged toward the pillar.

She too disappeared through the barrier.

But when Mr. Granger tried to follow, he only slammed into the solid wall.

Clutching his forehead in pain, he let out a groan.

---

On the other side, Hermione found herself in a bustling, strange, yet lively station. Students, parents, and even vendors filled the platform. She quickly scanned the area and saw the boy who had led her through waiting nearby.

She hurried over to him, but then suddenly remembered something and glanced back in panic.

"Where's my dad?" she exclaimed, louder than she intended, catching the attention of some other students and parents.

Hermione noticed people whispering and pointing at her, and a wave of frustration washed over her.

"Calm down," Luke said as he stepped closer. "Muggles, or non-magical people, can't enter this station. Your father couldn't come through."

Relieved by his explanation, Hermione thanked him earnestly, "Thank you."

"No problem. If you didn't get a chance to say goodbye to him, you can go back now. The wall remains open until eleven."

Though he hadn't seen this part in the movies, Luke had asked Professor McGonagall about such details during their earlier conversations. Now, he felt well-informed about these nuances.

"Alright! I'll go say goodbye now. Can you watch my luggage for me?"

Without waiting for a response, Hermione sprinted back toward the wall.

As she left, Luke noticed that several pairs of eyes had shifted from Hermione to him, some carrying a hint of provocation.

These gazes, which ranged from curiosity to disdain, were mostly from well-dressed individuals who looked like wealthy wizards. Some even had family crests embroidered on their robes' hems.

Luke raised an eyebrow, then casually pulled out his own family crest from his pocket. It featured a black diamond at the bottom, a brown wand above it, and at the top, a green coiled snake.

As soon as the onlookers recognized the symbols on his crest, the previously challenging or scornful looks quickly turned into surprise and, in some cases, respect.

Luke couldn't help but sigh inwardly.

"How can I hope to restore pure-blood prestige when they behave like a bunch of insects?"