Chapter 16: The King's Cross Station
That day, we celebrated my eleventh birthday with great joy and excitement.
As part of the celebration, I proudly showed my exclusive wand to my parents. They were both astonished by the wand's design and the energy it radiated. It was a moment of wonder and disbelief for them—one that further deepened their acceptance of the magical world I was about to enter.
Afterward, I shared with them a set of books I had written and expressed my strong desire to publish them. At first, they found it hard to believe that I had authored such complex and imaginative stories. But after reading them, they were deeply impressed and overwhelmingly supportive of my ambitions.
Encouraged by their support, I wrote a letter to Professor McGonagall, requesting her assistance in obtaining permission from Headmaster Albus Dumbledore to publish my books within the wizarding world. Since he was my magical guardian, any formal decisions involving the magical society—especially as a minor—required her and the Headmaster's approval. Once I became of age, the responsibility and legal rights would be returned to me.
In the letter, I also asked her to help me get in touch with a publishing company that could release my books in both the magical and non-magical worlds.
Exactly one week later, Professor McGonagall visited our house, bringing along a representative from a wizarding publishing company. The representative had come to assess the quality and potential of my manuscripts. After reading Game of Thrones, The Lord of the Rings, and Frozen, he was absolutely thrilled. He offered a generous publishing deal. My mother, being a professional lawyer, carefully reviewed the terms and drafted a formal contract.
To preserve my privacy and add a layer of mystery, I chose not to use my real name in the books. Instead, I adopted the pseudonym Unknown Dreamer, under which I would be known to the world.
Once the contract was signed, we said our goodbyes. Professor McGonagall smiled warmly and told me that she would be waiting for me at Hogwarts. She also informed us that my books were scheduled to be released on September 1st, the very day Hogwarts commenced its school year.
The days passed quickly, and soon the moment arrived—I was finally going to Hogwarts to begin my magical education.
Over the past two months, I had diligently completed the entire first-year curriculum. I had read every assigned textbook and practiced nearly all of the spells—except for potions, which required a specific environment I couldn't replicate at home. Additionally, I had gone ahead and read through portions of the second- and third-year materials, memorizing key concepts and spells.
In secret, I had also studied and practiced unauthorized branches of magic—specifically Occlumency and Legilimency. To my surprise, I discovered I was a natural in both fields. My proficiency grew quickly, likely due to my innate magical disposition.
On the morning of our departure, we had an early breakfast and made all necessary preparations for the journey. Once everything was ready, we left for King's Cross Station.
Upon arrival, we noticed several people dressed in bizarre, outdated, or mismatched clothing—wizards attempting to blend in with Muggles, but not doing a very good job of it.
My mother couldn't help but comment, "Do wizards really think this is fashionable? If so, then I fear their fashion sense died centuries ago."
Both my father and I nodded in agreement. The view was truly odd and amusing to all of us.
We made our way to the platform and located the barrier between Platforms 9 and 10—the secret entrance to Platform 9¾. Strangely, no one seemed to notice the unusual number of people disappearing into a brick wall. It was as if the entire crowd was collectively ignoring what was happening.
After checking everything one last time, I turned to my parents for a final goodbye. My mother embraced me tightly and began to give me a long list of instructions—reminding me not to cause any mischief and to always be kind and respectful. My heart swelled with emotion. I felt so lucky to have loving parents in this life. After assuring her that I would be careful, I took a deep breath and ran toward the barrier.
As I passed through it, I felt a strange, liquid-like sensation wash over my body. In the blink of an eye, I emerged on the other side—standing before the legendary Hogwarts Express, the magnificent train that would carry us to school.
Suddenly, I felt someone crash into me from behind. With lightning-fast reflexes, I spun around and, with a flick of my hand, stopped the falling luggage and belongings in midair before they hit the ground.
When I turned to look, I saw a blonde-haired girl with striking blue eyes staring at me with a mixture of awe and curiosity. She was undoubtedly a pretty girl for her age.
"Are you alright, miss?" I asked politely.
"Oh! Yes, thank you, and I'm sorry for bumping into you. My name is Daphne Greengrass. I belong to one of the Sacred Twenty-Eight ancient pure-blood families. Which family are you from? I don't think I've seen you at any of the traditional gatherings," she said in a composed tone.
She glanced at the still-floating luggage, which was slowly returning to its original position, her eyes wide with interest.
I realized that she had likely mistaken my composed demeanor and magical skill for a sign of pure-blood heritage.
"I'm from a Muggle family," I said with a small smile. "That might be why you've never seen me at any family gatherings."
Her expression shifted instantly. A flicker of arrogance and pity appeared in her eyes. Without another word, she turned and walked away, completely ignoring my presence as if I had become invisible.
I was taken aback by her sudden change in attitude but quickly brushed it off. I boarded the train and eventually found an empty compartment where I could sit alone and read.
I pulled out a copy of my freshly published book and began reading it. Earlier that morning, I had sent a signed copy to Professor McGonagall as a token of appreciation for her help and support.
Just as I was settling in, the compartment door slid open. A nervous-looking boy peeked in and asked, "Excuse me, do you mind if I sit here? Most of the compartments are full."
I was momentarily stunned—it was Harry Potter himself, standing right there.
Suppressing my surprise, I replied calmly, "Yes, of course. Feel free to take a seat."
After he settled in, I extended my hand and introduced myself. "Hello, my name is Ashton A. D. Willson."
He hesitated for a moment, then said nervously, "My name is Harry. Harry Potter."
I nodded politely, showing no sign of shock or recognition, which seemed to relax him.
He asked me if I was from a Muggle family, and I nodded again in response.
From that moment on, we continued chatting in a relaxed and friendly atmosphere—two boys from very different worlds, beginning an extraordinary journey together.
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