Nearly half a month had passed since Leo inherited the alchemical box he had named Dongtian, and only one week remained before he had to leave for Hogwarts. During that time, Leo spent most of his days inside Dongtian studying alchemy, basic magical theory, and practical spells.
He wasn't sure whether it was because of his previous spiritual advancement, his magical outburst, or the strange combination of both, but his learning speed had clearly improved. His control over magic had also become far more precise and delicate than before.
He had gone to the Leaky Cauldron several times during that half-month, passed through the rear courtyard into Diagon Alley, and purchased various alchemy-related materials after comparing them with the contents already stored inside Dongtian. More importantly, after entering Dongtian properly, Leo finally understood just how vast it really was.
Its interior space was even larger than the suitcase owned by a certain famous magical creature expert. Every time he entered Dongtian, he appeared inside a manor built in a Western European Gothic style.
The manor itself remained magnificent, but the world outside it was rather barren. Perhaps because it had not received magical replenishment for more than two hundred years and had been left unattended for too long, the surrounding environment looked desolate and lifeless.
As for Hei Si, there was no point expecting too much from that raven. According to what Leo had learned, Hei Si had only remained conscious for about ten years after being created by Ambot Nicholas.
After Ambot's death, the raven had slept inside Dongtian for centuries. If Leo's recent magical outburst had not swept through the manor like a storm, Hei Si might never have noticed the birth of new magical blood in the Nicholas family.
"Hei Si, I still think you did it on purpose," Leo said lazily.
Outside the manor inside Dongtian, a patch of lawn roughly ten square metres wide had appeared abruptly in the otherwise desolate landscape. A small tea table and two chairs stood in one corner, looking strangely comfortable against the barren surroundings.
Leo reclined in one chair with a magic book in his left hand and his wand in his right. He waved Judgment casually, casting the Bird-Conjuring Charm while complaining to the raven dozing on the table.
"You could have just told me the Nicholas ancestor's relics were in the basement. I would've gone down without you making everything so dramatic."
"Caw! No!" Hei Si snapped awake immediately. "Grandpa Hei Si was testing little Leo!"
The raven fluffed its feathers indignantly.
"It was necessary to see whether the master's descendant was worthy of inheriting the master's wisdom. Caw!"
"Sure, sure."
Leo closed the book and put away his wand.
"It's getting late. I'm going out first. I'll come back tonight."
He rose from the lounge chair and walked toward the manor entrance. He didn't open the door, only stood there and waved at Hei Si, whose mood was clearly becoming more heated by the second.
"See you tonight."
Without chanting any spell, the ground beneath Leo lit with a sudden flash. Blurry, indistinct runes appeared around him, and his body vanished from Dongtian.
In the second-floor bedroom of Nicholas Manor, a tiny box like a model toy sat on Leo's desk. Its lid suddenly opened.
The space in front of the desk rippled like water, and Leo appeared in the quiet room. He walked out, intending to go downstairs, just as Stoke came up to call him for dinner.
Father and son descended together, and the family of three ate their evening meal.
Grandpa Sean and Grandma Alice were no longer at the manor. A week after Leo returned from the basement, the retired couple had cheerfully departed for a world tour.
Before they left, Leo had asked Sean about Ambot Nicholas. His grandfather confirmed that Ambot had indeed been an ancestor who had once run away from home, then later returned with great wealth.
However, Sean refused to reveal more details. He said Leo would only be told the full story when he had the ability to protect himself and the family.
Leo understood why.
This world was not safe. There was Grindelwald, who had once plunged Europe into terror, plenty of dark wizards still hiding in the shadows, and somewhere out there remained the self-imprisoned Dark Lord who had treated prophecy like a personal curse.
After dinner, Leo used everyday magic to clean the dishes and tidy the kitchen. At first, this had been practice.
Later, Rose discovered that magic made housework incredibly convenient and declared that until Leo started Hogwarts, cleaning up after meals would be his responsibility. That was also one reason Leo had improved so quickly.
Aside from his naturally strong magic and mental control, repeated daily use had trained him to cast several simple spells without speaking. His parents, after spending a while tormenting him with jealous admiration, went to the living room to watch television and enjoy their evening entertainment.
And so, as the sun and moon continued their endless chase, one final week passed quickly.
On the morning of September 1st, Leo and his parents sat at the dining table enjoying breakfast.
"Oh, Leo," Stoke said while chewing bacon and cutting the egg on his plate. "Why does Hogwarts use a train instead of flying carpets?"
Across from him, Leo was packing a ham sandwich and steamed buns into his lunch box.
"Father, you have to understand," Leo said casually, "this is called keeping up with the times."
Of course, he knew perfectly well that the wizarding world was not exactly modern. It was isolated, old-fashioned, and stubborn in many ridiculous ways.
But he was not powerful enough to reform magical society. Not yet, anyway.
"Stoke," Rose said sharply, glancing at the clock. "Are you finished? If you drag this out any longer, we'll miss the time."
Stoke immediately stiffened.
"Yes, my dear. Finished."
He swallowed the last of his breakfast with heroic speed. Being called by one's full name was dangerous in any country.
It was basically the domestic version of saying something unforgivable.
Because of certain "exercise games" the couple had played the night before, Stoke had overslept that morning. Rose, however, remained completely unaffected.
In fact, she looked refreshed and energetic. Some things were better left unspoken.
By the time Stoke finished eating, Leo had already cleaned the dishes with magic and packed his lunch into his suitcase. There was nothing left to check.
He had checked everything the previous night. All the Hogwarts supplies were already stored inside his enchanted suitcase.
Dongtian had also shrunk into the size of a pendant and now hung around Leo's neck on a nylon cord.
After everything was ready, the Nicholas family of three drove to King's Cross Station, following the instructions printed on the train ticket that had arrived with the Hogwarts letter.
Around half past ten, their car stopped outside the station entrance. King's Cross was crowded, noisy, and full of ordinary travellers.
Stoke carried the suitcase while Rose held Leo's hand, and the three of them walked between platforms nine and ten.
"Leo, have you found Platform Nine and Three-Quarters?" Rose asked quietly. "I don't remember there being such a platform here."
Stoke was still looking around in confusion, but Rose remembered the Leaky Cauldron, which ordinary people could not see, and decided it was smarter to ask the only wizard in the family.
Leo had been wondering how to remind them without making it obvious that he already knew the answer. His mother's question solved the problem perfectly.
"I see it, Mum. Dad. Look there."
He pointed toward the barrier between Platforms Nine and Ten. At that exact moment, a father and daughter walked straight toward the wall and vanished.
"Oh," Stoke said, eyes lighting up. "Found it."
"Let's go," Rose said. "I'm curious what sort of transport takes you to Hogwarts."
The three of them walked hand in hand toward the enchanted barrier. As they approached, Leo noticed two inconspicuous middle-aged men in black robes standing nearby.
They were trying very hard not to look noticeable, which made them noticeable in an entirely different way.
Aurors from the Ministry of Magic, probably.
The moment the Nicholas family neared the barrier, the wall opened before them like an archway. Beyond it, an old red steam train waited beside a crowded platform.
The front of the train bore the words Hogwarts Express, and the sign above the platform clearly read Platform Nine and Three-Quarters.
"Oh, darling," Stoke whispered, eyes sparkling. "Look at that steam locomotive."
His expression became almost indecently excited.
Leo silently let go of his father's hand. At the same time, Rose also took a step away from her husband, as if mother and son had shared the same thought.
Leo understood, of course. Men were often weak before machinery.
It was the same as model builders seeing rare parts or fanboys seeing their favourite fictional characters. Understanding did not mean he wanted to stand too close to that expression.
Smoke from the steam engine curled over the busy crowd. Students pushed trunks, parents called reminders, owls hooted from cages, and the occasional cat slipped between people's feet.
All the sounds tangled together into a lively farewell song.
Stoke finally snapped back to himself. He coughed and pretended nothing had happened.
"My dear Leo, remember to write once you get to school. Your mum and I will miss you."
He placed the suitcase down, crouched, and hugged Leo tightly. Rose crouched as well and wrapped both arms around him, rubbing his hair gently.
"Leo, listen carefully. You must not go flirting with girls at school."
Leo looked at her blankly.
Was that really the first warning?
Rose sniffed, her expression suddenly turning sad.
"And your dad is right. Take good care of yourself. Daddy and Mummy will miss you very much."
Warmth rose in Leo's chest.
This was, in a way, his first time leaving home for boarding school. He had always thought he would be calm, but now that the moment had arrived, reluctance tugged at him more strongly than expected.
He nodded obediently.
"I'll write. I'll take care of myself."
Then the next scene made him seriously doubt whether he was actually their biological child.
Stoke and Rose quickly stood up, waved goodbye, and explained that although they were company executives, they still had to follow company schedules. Work was waiting, after all.
Then they walked away with surprisingly cheerful steps.
Leo stared at their backs.
A moment later, he shook his head and smiled. That was very like them.
He picked up his suitcase and turned toward the train.
Around him, parents were still hugging children, students were dragging heavy trunks, and younger siblings were crying or waving. Compared with those bulky piles of luggage, Leo once again felt deeply satisfied with his enchanted suitcase.
Buying it had been an excellent decision.
Inside the Hogwarts Express, the corridor was already crowded. Leo walked toward the rear of the train, passing several compartments full of noisy students.
Some were laughing, some were arguing over seats, and some were wrestling with heavy trunks while blocking the walkway. Eventually, he found an empty compartment.
He opened the door, stepped in, and closed it behind him.
The moment he sat down, Leo looked at his light, compact suitcase and silently praised his own brilliance once again.
Outside the window, the platform bustled with movement and goodbyes. Inside the compartment, Leo leaned back against the seat and recalled the few familiar faces he had glimpsed along the way.
The train that would carry him into the mysterious magical world was about to depart.