Hogwarts Card System Chapter 101

Chapter 101: The Station, Another Year

It was past three in the afternoon when the train finally entered the bustling human settlement.

Gradually, several towns flashed by as the train chugged along. As the sun dipped further west, the train slowly glided into the station platform.

At this moment, Platform Nine and Three-Quarters at King’s Cross Station was already packed with people waiting to pick up passengers.

Before the train even pulled into the station, the young wizards were already a chaotic mess, some changing clothes, some grabbing their trunks, and some calling out to their friends.

Ted and the three other boys were shooed into the corridor to change out of their wizard robes, while the two girls changed inside the compartment.

Then the train came to a complete stop, and the doors opened.

The young wizards streamed out, carrying their luggage, and the entire platform instantly filled up.

It was even more crowded than at the start of the term, with people everywhere, front, back, and all around.

Ted and his five friends stuck close together, afraid of getting separated.

Just then, a slightly childish voice cried out from afar, “Neville, Mummy, I see Neville!” The voice was so excited it could be heard from a long distance.

Ted: Where have I heard that before?

Neville, standing nearby, quickly hunched his shoulders, afraid his height, half a head taller than his peers, would be noticed.

Ron, meanwhile, looked gloomy. “Oh, for heaven’s sake, Ginny, I’m your real brother! Didn’t you see me?”

He complained to the little girl squeezing through. Behind her were a red-haired couple.

The man was tall, with a smiling face that made him seem approachable. His forehead was thinning, clearly a genuine British gentleman.

The woman was short and stout, also with a kindly smile.

“Oh, Ron, you’ve grown so much!” Mr. Weasley exclaimed.

Molly, on the side, was excited. “Paige wrote to us and said you got ‘Exceeds Expectations’ in all your subjects and earned Gryffindor fifty points! Is that true?!” Molly grabbed Ron’s shoulders, practically lifting him up.

Ron always seemed a bit reserved when facing his family, nothing like when he was bragging to dozens, even hundreds, of people in the school Great Hall.

“Only fifty points, Ted and Hermione earned Ravenclaw over a hundred points… Oh, by the way, Mum and Dad, let me introduce you. This is Harry, Neville, you already know them. This is Ted…” He pointed to Ted.

Ted proactively extended his hand to shake Arthur Weasley’s hand. “Hello, Mr. Weasley, I’m Ted.”

Then he clasped Molly’s hands with both of his. “Aunt Molly, thank you for the sweater, it fits perfectly and is very warm. Thank you so much!”

It was Aunt Molly and Professor McGonagall who had given Ted the sweater and coat, so he had new clothes for the New Year. He definitely had to thank them.

“Oh, you poor dear. As long as you like it, if you have time, please do come to the Burrow for a visit and try my cooking.”

“Definitely!”

“This is Hermione, the Ravenclaw bookworm,” Ron said, pointing to Hermione.

Hermione greeted the Weasleys, who nodded in return.

Compared to Hermione, Ron hadn’t spoken as many good words to his parents about her as Ted and Jerry had.

So the Weasleys merely treated Hermione as an ordinary friend of their son’s.

“This is Jerry,” Ron said, putting an arm around Jerry. Jerry, however, was a bit timid, hunching his neck.

Molly proactively gave him a hug. “Good boy, come visit us with Ted when you have time!”

Jerry was incredibly moved. To be honest, no one had ever invited him to their home before.

As they spoke, the little girl—Ginny Weasley—kept staring at Neville, making Neville want to turn into a bug and burrow into the ground.

Neville was most afraid of this little girl in the Weasley family. In his words: before he went to school, he had visited the Weasleys, and their youngest girl looked like she was going to eat him!

Speaking of which, Ginny was the seventh child of the Weasley family.

According to the setting of this world, seven is a magical number, so Ginny’s magical talent was very strong.

This was the seventh child!

Hmm, it was all the will of seven!

While they were talking, Sirius, looking dashing with his two little mustaches, walked over with his beautiful and gentle wife.

“Sirius! Olivia!” Harry rushed over excitedly and hugged the two of them.

Not far away, an old lady with a serious expression, much like Professor McGonagall when facing students poor at Transfiguration, also approached.

She was of medium height, dressed formally, and wore a lady’s hat shaped like an eagle—who on earth made this thing?

While Ted found it strange, he also felt a magical fluctuation.

This thing was actually a magical item; it seemed it wasn’t just strange-looking.

Behind the old lady followed a short, stout man in his forties.

“Grandma! Uncle…” Neville stammered a bit.

Neville’s grandmother, Augusta Longbottom, nodded, then looked at the other children.

“Aren’t you going to introduce me to your friends?”

“Oh, oh!” Neville nodded repeatedly. “This is Ted…”

It was the same routine as before.

The old lady also thanked Ted, expressing her gratitude for his help to Neville, and invited him to visit her home when he had time.

The Weasleys, the Black couple, and Augusta Longbottom were all old members of the Order of the Phoenix.

Now that the new generation were classmates and friends, it was natural to reconnect and reminisce about old times.

Soon, the Weasleys were joined by the twins and Paige. After saying goodbye, the three groups departed in their own ways.

Sirius and Harry, along with their family, went directly through the internal Floo Network at the station. Augusta Longbottom and her two companions did the same.

Jerry had to take a special Ministry of Magic channel back to their semi-human settlement.

The Weasley family, on the other hand, exited the platform to take their car home—Mr. Weasley had modified a car.

When he mentioned this, he looked at Ted and Hermione with pride and eagerness, clearly itching to show it off.

Hermione didn’t know what was going on, but Ted did.

“Ah, Mr. Weasley, you also research cars? That’s amazing!” Ted’s praise was spot-on, and Mr. Weasley immediately opened up.

He was incredibly curious about how Muggles could create such amazing things without magic. He kept discussing it all the way.

Ted, drawing on years of experience writing web novels, researching information, and engaging in online debates, handled it with ease.

Mr. Weasley felt today was incredibly satisfying; he hadn’t had such a畅快的 conversation in years!

Passing through the red brick pillar, the group arrived at Platform 9 of King’s Cross Station in the Muggle world.

Some Muggle parents were already waiting there, including Hermione’s parents.

“Dad! Mum!” Hermione rushed towards her parents. Then came the introductions once again…

The Grangers and the Weasleys had a rather pleasant exchange.

The two ladies discussed cooking and knitting techniques, while the two gentlemen discussed the differences in dental care between Muggles and wizards, and car principles.

Failing that, they could always discuss the weather— “The weather’s terrible today, isn’t it!” “Indeed!”

“Ted, would you like to come to my house?” Hermione asked Ted.

Ted patted her arm. “Thank you, Hermione. I’ll settle my things at the Leaky Cauldron first, and then I’ll have Hedwig send you a letter, alright?”

“You know, we still have so much to learn, and time is short. Perhaps, I’ll invite you to go shopping in Diagon Alley then!”

Ted politely declined Hermione’s invitation. He really didn’t like visiting other people’s homes; it was always a bit awkward. Maybe another time.

After agreeing to have a drink with Mr. Weasley next time, Mr. Granger started the car and drove off.

Hermione waved to everyone from inside the car.

“Well, then, let’s get in the car too,” Mr. Weasley said.

Since they were passing by the Leaky Cauldron, they could give Ted a ride.

It was an ordinary two-door hatchback, but with seven people inside, it still didn’t seem crowded. Ted checked that no Muggles were paying attention and then climbed into the car.

The car had an Undetectable Extension Charm cast on it, making the interior space comparable to a minivan.

Forget eight people, even a dozen wouldn’t be a problem!

At the Leaky Cauldron, Ted got out of the car, carrying his luggage, and waved goodbye to the Weasley family.

Ron leaned out of the car window and called out, “Remember to write to me!”

George and Fred also shouted, “Don’t forget our plan, the plan!”

“What are you planning again? Don’t drag Ted into it!” Aunt Molly’s expression instantly changed when she heard the twins mention a plan.

Mr. Weasley waved his hand and drove off. Seeing the car turn the corner, Ted turned around and looked at the familiar, narrow storefront.

“Ah, old Tom, I’m back again~”

Alright, Volume One is complete!

(End of Chapter)