Hogwarts, Please Graduate Soon, Ch 16

In 1785, Watt improved the steam engine, ushering in a new era for industrial production. In 1814, the Englishman Stephenson invented the first train, naming it the "Locomotion." Since then, for over a hundred years, trains have become an indispensable mode of transport for the people of England. Many commute to London by train, then switch to buses or the underground to reach their workplaces. In this regard, the Ministry of Magic has been quite modern in its thinking.

Since the 1950s, the Hogwarts Express has been responsible for transporting young witches and wizards between the school and London. Prior to that, students could choose any interesting method to travel to school, leading to a host of humorous incidents, and even some cases of injury. It wasn't until the then-Minister of Magic, Olympe Maxime, pushed through the largest secret operation in the history of the Ministry of Magic to construct this railway. This endeavor involved a staggering 176 Memory Charms and a wealth of records of concealed spell casts.

The Muggles in charge of building the railway often felt as though they had forgotten something important, but could never quite recall what it was. This perplexity lasted for a full year. Therefore, if you ever find yourself unable to remember certain things, don't doubt it—your mind has likely been subjected to a Memory Charm.

September 1st is a special day for students in England. It marks the end of a two-month summer vacation, sending countless students back to school—some excited, others disappointed. For those attending boarding schools, it means they won't return home until Christmas at the earliest.

On this day, King's Cross Station, the terminal of London's railways, reaches its peak—no, its climax. The station is filled with students and parents bustling about, laden with bags, hurrying to their platforms. Wayne travels lightly, pulling along a modest suitcase. Clearly, this suitcase has been enhanced with a Undetectable Extension Charm, though it isn't Wayne's own work.

The Undetectable Extension Charm is a highly advanced spell documented in "Standard Magical Spells: Level 7," meaning only seventh-year students are qualified to use it. After spending an entire morning mastering the spell, Wayne applied it to his pockets as well. As for the suitcase, he acquired it through a connection at an exotic clothing shop for 120 Galleons.

The use of the Undetectable Extension Charm is strictly regulated by the Ministry of Magic; it is prohibited for personal use and must be registered to be legal. Although Wayne strongly suspects that this law is part of some hidden collusion between the Ministry and the manufacturers of tents and luggage, he understands that, as a mere rookie, he isn't in a position to challenge the Ministry—better to avoid trouble.

For him, problems that can be solved with money aren't really problems at all. As he makes his way to Platform 9¾, Wayne scans the crowd around him. He notices a few men in black coats and bowler hats seemingly patrolling the area—it's his guess that they're Ministry staff dispatched to maintain order and handle any incidents. After all, ordinary Muggles aren't fools; they would certainly notice if a group of people collided with a pillar and then vanished.

At that moment, someone would need to step in and explain what happened. Wayne glances around, noting no one is paying attention to him, and pretends to act casually as he walks toward the third pillar between Platforms 9 and 10. Just like breaking through a thin membrane, he steps through to find himself in an entirely new world.

The old-fashioned steam train emits a loud whistle, its bustling atmosphere matching that of the outside crowd. Wayne takes a quick look around, feeling slightly exasperated. J.K. Rowling's portrayal of Harry Potter is a joke; she claimed there are only 3,000 wizards in the whole of Britain, yet there must be one or two thousand right here!

Is it really possible that every wizard in England has come out to gather?

Young witches and wizards are hurriedly saying their goodbyes to their families, who are offering a barrage of advice—the scene is chaotic yet warm. Rarely does one see sadness on anyone's face. Given the "Decree for the Reasonable Restriction of Underage Sorcery," the summer vacation was hardly enjoyable for the magical community. Although they have classes at school, at least they can use magic and be among like-minded peers, which is certainly better than spending their days at home feeling unwelcome.

Of course, some faces wear a mask of torment, likely recalling the homework they forgot over the summer.

Wayne does not linger on the platform. He searches casually, but not finding Hermione, the only young witch he knows, he boards the Hogwarts Express. With just ten minutes until departure, he notices that most of the front cars are already full.

With his suitcase in hand, he makes his way to the rear of the train, where he finds a compartment with only one occupant. The door is open, but he politely knocks anyway. 

"Excuse me, may I sit here?"

The young wizard inside, who is reading a book, looks up to reveal a handsome face. Both of them are taken aback for a moment.

"Wow, this guy is almost as handsome as I am," Wayne thinks to himself.

"Merlin, there's a wizard even more charming than I am!" thinks the other young man.

"Of course, feel free to sit," the young wizard replies quickly, expressing his surprise while enthusiastically standing to help Wayne place his luggage on the rack.

Once everything is settled and they sit across from each other, the young wizard extends his hand with a warm smile.

"Hello, I'm Cedric Diggory, a third-year Hufflepuff student."

"You must be a new student this year?"

His tone is reassuringly certain, even though he doesn't know all the students personally. However, with the looks of this young wizard, he would undoubtedly be very well-known at Hogwarts; it'd be hard not to notice him.

Wayne is equally surprised, realizing he's sitting across from "the perfect kid" from Hogwarts, Cedric Diggory, who, despite only appearing in two books, has skyrocketed to popularity.

Wayne shakes his hand in greeting.

"Hi, I'm Wayne Lawrence; I am indeed a new student this year."

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