chapter 9

September 1st 1991

Time flew by since the day Andromeda and Ted took me in. I spent most of my time studying while Andromeda and Ted were occupied with the politics that came with taking on the head position of the House of Black. They apologized a lot, but I didn't mind one bit. After all, I'm the one who got them into this exhausting work so I wouldn't have to, and in reality, I enjoyed the time spent learning magic. It was really just a win-win for me.

This past month, though, I've had a lot of company in the form of one Nymphadora Tonks-Black. I first met her at the train station when we picked her up after her graduation. She was surprised to find she had a cousin—especially one who looked more like her mom than she did.

Our introduction was awkward at first, but not even a day later, we were talking up a storm. She mostly talked about getting accepted as a trainee Auror and her excitement to meet her advisor, who will train her for the next four years. Little did she know that she would be working with the joyous bundle of paranoia that is Mad-Eye Moody, but I was happy for her nonetheless.

The most exciting thing that happened these past two months, though, was the addition to the family—my new owl, whom I named Helga. She is a beautiful siberian eagle owl, and she's rather expressive, giving me sass on the daily, which is the main reason I got her. I enjoy talking to her; though she can't respond, she always makes me laugh with the way she looks at me like I'm an idiot when I'm ranting to her about magic or other small thing in my day to day life. It might sound sad but she might now be my best friend.

Now I find myself weaving through the throngs of people at King's Cross Station. The noise is almost overwhelming—the mix of voices, the screech of train wheels, and the occasional hoot from Helga, which I'm betting is her complaining about the ruckus interrupting her sleep.

We neared brick pillar between Platforms 9 and 10.

My heart skips a beat as we approach. I've seen this scene in movies before, but living it is an entirely different experience. The brick wall looms ahead, looking solid as ever; it's difficult to convince my brain of the obvious—that it's a barrier—as common sense is telling me I'll ram into it.

Nymphodora gave my a slight nudge urges me forward with a sly smirk on her face. "Go on, Greyson. Just run straight at it."

I released a slightly annoyed sigh. "You can't say you weren't just as hesitant as me at first. It looks pretty solid from here."

I only received a laugh in response, followed by a shove pushing me towards the wall. Instinctively, I braced myself for the impact—but it never came. Instead, I was greeted by the bustling platform of 9¾. The scarlet train stood proudly before me, steam billowing from its engine, and students were swarming around it, saying their goodbyes and loading their trunks.

Nymphadora was still chuckling as she caught up with me. "See? Told you it wasn't so bad," she teased, her grin widening. "Now you're officially in the wizarding world, Greyson. Just wait until the real fun starts."

I rolled my eyes but couldn't help the smile that tugged at my lips. "Yeah, yeah. I'm here, aren't I?"

Ted and Andromeda joined us, both looking pleased and a little bit emotional. Andromeda, ever the perfectionist, immediately reached out to adjust my collar. "You'll be just fine," she said, her voice warm and encouraging. "Just remember, if anything gets overwhelming, we're alway free for you to write."

I smiled back at her, appreciating the sentiment. "Thanks, Aunty. I'll keep that in mind."

Ted, with a laid-back demeanor, gave me a thumbs-up. "Just remember to enjoy yourself, Greyson. It's not all studying and spells—there's plenty of mischief to get into as well. And if you get caught, well, blame it on Dora."

"Hey!" Nymphadora protested

"Don't worry, I'll save that excuse for when I really need it," I replied, grinning at Ted's suggestion. The thought wasn't all that appealing as I'd rather study, but I'm sure I'll be drag into something.

Nymphadora leaned in with a wink. "I'll write to you all the cool stuff that happens during my internship."

"Can't wait," I said, laughing internally at the headache Nymphadora's going to be enduring for the next four years

With a final round of goodbyes, and another playful shove from Nymphadora, I made my way towards the train. I could feel the excitement bubbling up inside me as I stepped aboard, my mind racing with thoughts of what lay ahead.

I found an empty compartment and settled in by the window, stowing my trunk above me using the levitation charm. As the train whistle blew, signaling our departure, I looked out to see Andromeda, Ted, and Nymphadora still waving from the platform.

"Next stop, Hogwarts," I whispered to myself

Getting more comfortable in my seat, my eyes felt heavy. I had planned to read during the journey, but a nap seemed more likely.

Or so I thought…

I heard the door open, followed shortly by a voice.

I opened my eyes to see a girl with bushy brown hair standing in the doorway, her arms loaded with books and a slightly haughty expression on her face. She looked around the compartment, her gaze briefly landing on me before she spoke.

"Everywhere else is full. Do you mind if I sit here?" she asked, though her tone suggested that she didn't particularly care for my answer.

I sat up, suppressing a yawn. "Sure, go ahead."

She nodded, more to herself than to me, and slid into the seat across from me, carefully arranging her books in a neat pile beside her. She glanced at me again, her eyes scanning me with mild curiosity.

"I'm Hermione Granger," she said, her tone brisk and somewhat detached. "Are you a first-year as well?"

"Yeah, I am. I'm Greyson Sayre," I replied, watching for a reaction.

Hermione's expression didn't change, clearly not recognizing the name. Instead, she seemed more interested in assessing me than in exchanging pleasantries. "Have you read any of the course books yet? I've already gone through most of them. They're quite interesting, especially 'Hogwarts: A History.' You should really consider reading it."

I couldn't help but smile slightly at the socially awkward girl. I knew she didn't know how to talk to people, so she came off as rather rude and standoffish, but in reality, she just wanted to make some friends and learn about the new world she had been introduced to. "I'll definitely check it out," I said.

Hermione gave a small nod, as if that was the correct response, and then pulled one of her books into her lap, clearly ready to immerse herself in reading again. It seemed this journey to Hogwarts was going to be more about observation than conversation, at least for now.

No longer tired, I decided to ease my boredom by bothering Hermione a little.

With my genius plan in motion, I pulled out my wand and tried the maneuver I had practiced at home. It was nothing spectacular, just for visual appeal.

Holding my wand lightly yet firmly, I delicately wrapped my fingers around it. I remembered how Voldemort held his wand and did my best to imitate him, knowing that his precision with spells was nearly unmatched.

"You seem to be a rather dedicated learner, Ms. Granger, so I'd like to teach you something I've learned with some practice," I said.

My words caught her attention, and she peeked up from her book with a look of curiosity.

"Now, magic is a phenomenon that breaks all the rules we've learned in the Muggle world. So, the way we read and memorize will only help to some extent. Some of the information could even be wrong if you read the wrong text. What one really needs is imagination to truly kickstart the magic you are able to wield."

Noticing the glare she gave me, as if I had insulted her favorite Author, I decided to ignore it and continue.

"Let the symphony begin," I said as I flicked my wand.

Our cabin was instantly covered in dancing waves of color, imitating the Aurora Borealis.

Proud of myself, I couldn't help but feel a sense of accomplishment, even though I had practiced a lot at home. Looking over at Hermione, though, was quite amusing; she was completely entranced by the scenery around us.

For a moment, the compartment was bathed in a soft, ethereal glow as the colors swirled and danced across the walls and ceiling, casting a mesmerizing pattern of light. Hermione's eyes were wide, her earlier skepticism momentarily forgotten as she watched the display with a mix of awe and curiosity.

I leaned back in my seat, feeling rather pleased with myself. "It's all about imagination, like I said. The spells in our books are just the starting point. The real magic happens when you start thinking beyond the words on the page."

Hermione blinked, snapping out of her trance. She turned to me with an expression that was now more thoughtful than dismissive. "That was… impressive," she admitted, albeit somewhat grudgingly. "But isn't it risky to experiment with spells like that? What if something goes wrong?"

I shrugged, keeping my tone light. "That's why you practice. It's not about recklessness; it's about understanding what you're doing and being confident in your abilities. Besides, magic is all about bending the rules, isn't it?"

She pursed her lips, clearly mulling over my words. "I suppose there's some truth to that," she conceded, though her voice carried a note of caution. "But I still think it's important to have a solid foundation in theory before trying anything too advanced."

"Of course," I replied, nodding in agreement. "Theory is important, no doubt about that. But don't let it box you in. Sometimes, the best discoveries come from a little creative thinking."

Hermione didn't respond immediately, but I could see the gears turning in her head. She glanced back at the colorful display still dancing around the compartment, and for the first time, I noticed a small, genuine smile tugging at the corners of her lips.

"Maybe you're right," she said quietly, almost as if admitting it to herself rather than to me. "There's more to magic than just following the rules."

I grinned, satisfied that I had at least planted a seed of curiosity in her mind. "Exactly. You've got the brains, Ms. Granger. Just don't forget to have a little fun with it."

She gave me a sharp look, as if trying to decide whether I was teasing her or offering genuine advice. Finally, she nodded, her expression softening slightly. "I'll keep that in mind."

With that, she returned to her book, but I could tell she wasn't as absorbed in it as before. Every now and then, she would glance up at the still-shimmering colors, her eyes betraying the fact that her mind was now contemplating something far beyond the text in front of her.

I settled back into my seat, content with the small victory. It wasn't every day you got to shake up one of the Golden Trio a little bit, especially that of Hermione Granger. The journey to Hogwarts was turning out to be more interesting than I had anticipated.