Lucien tucked away Professor McGonagall's letter.
He was beginning to see the potential for pioneering a new direction in Transfiguration, and he now had a clearer path toward repaying his system loan. Glancing over, he noticed the owl still perched by the window, preening its feathers.
Sitting at his desk, Lucien began drafting a reply to McGonagall:
"Dear Professor, thank you for your guidance. I'll heed your warning and won't attempt…"
Since McGonagall had explicitly cautioned him about the dangers of transforming into magical creatures, Lucien wasn't about to stubbornly experint right away. Progress, he knew, ca step by step. He'd focus on mastering the basics first, building a solid foundation before tackling groundbreaking Transfiguration.
As long as he could develop stable magical creature transformations within a year, he'd complete the loan's tasks.
The quill scratched softly across the parchnt.
Soon, the letter was finished. Lucien sealed it in an envelope and was about to hand it to the owl when a faint golden blur zipped through the window, diving straight for the snowy white bird.
"Hoo! Hoo!"
The owl screeched in panic, flapping wildly around the room.
Lucien sighed and waved a hand. "Luster , stop scaring it."
The golden figure froze, its large ruby eyes blinking at Lucien. He smiled back at the tiny creature.
Luster —his na for the baby Qilin, aning "golden light," a fitting match for its shimring golden scales. A wisp of auspicious cloud swirled beneath its feet as Luster floated over, nuzzling Lucien's cheek with its still-hornless forehead, radiating affection.
"Go calm that owl down," Lucien said. "I need it to deliver this letter."
Understanding its master, Luster turned toward the frantic owl. Without any visible effort, the owl's frantic flapping slowed, and it settled back onto the windowsill.
"Hoo," it hooted, tilting its head curiously.
Luster tilted its head back at Lucien, as if waiting for praise.
Qilins, known for their ability to communicate telepathically, could convey emotions and intentions directly to other creatures. Luster had sent the owl feelings of goodwill and calm. As a symbol of benevolence, Qilins were naturally friendly to other beings, which explained why the owl settled so quickly.
Lucien gently patted Luster head. "Well done."
He handed the envelope to the owl, which took it and flew off with a flutter of wings.
---
September 1st, 10:00 a.m.
Lucien arrived at King's Cross Station, London's bustling transport hub teeming with people. Weaving through the crowd, he made his way to the famous Platform Nine and Three-Quarters.
Slowing his pace, he waited until he saw soone charge straight into the third pillar and vanish. Following suit, Lucien casually walked into the barrier and erged into a new world.
The Hogwarts Express, an old-fashioned steam train, stood quietly on the tracks, not yet ready to depart. Lucien didn't board right away. Instead, he strolled along the platform, studying the magical train.
Its red engine and black carriages looked much like any Muggle steam train, but Lucien knew better. This was a masterpiece of alchemy, perhaps the most prominent magical creation to interact with the Muggle world.
Scanning the platform, he saw young witches and wizards saying tearful goodbyes to their parents. Older students, seasoned Hogwarts veterans, were more at ease, but the first-years—barely eleven—looked anxious, so with misty eyes. For many, this was their first ti leaving ho, heading to an unfamiliar school to et new friends and teachers.
Lucien stepped onto the train, a smile tugging at his lips. Hogwarts, here I co.
He wandered through the carriages, found an empty compartnt, and stepped inside to stow his luggage—a single suitcase. But this was no ordinary suitcase. Lucien had made a special trip to Diagon Alley to buy one enchanted with an Undetectable Extension Charm. Its interior was spacious enough to hold all his belongings and books.
Of course, it couldn't compare to Newt Scamander's legendary suitcase, which housed an entire ecosystem of magical creatures. Maybe I'll study the Extension Charm soday, Lucien thought. If I could upgrade this suitcase to unleash a herd of magical creatures in a fight, that'd be a nice little surprise for anyone on the other end.
As he mused, Lucien opened the suitcase, pulled out a few books, and settled by the window to read. With plenty of ti before the train departed, he figured he'd make the most of it.
---
"You have to crash into a pillar for Platform Nine and Three-Quarters?"
Hermione Granger, lugging a pile of luggage, huffed as she trudged through the train. She'd arrived at King's Cross early but spent ages searching for the platform. If she hadn't spotted a family vanish into the barrier between Platforms Nine and Ten, she might still be wandering.
Hurrying had left her breathless, with sweat beading on her nose and her bushy brown hair even ssier than usual. Passing packed compartnts, she reached a closed door, took a mont to catch her breath, and knocked lightly.
"Hello, is there any room in here?"
"There is. Co in," ca a familiar voice.
Hermione didn't think much of it—she just wanted to stow her luggage and rest. Sliding the door open, she looked inside.
A boy sat by the window, a book in his hands. Sunlight stread through the glass, catching his dark blonde hair and casting a faint golden glow. Hearing the door, his deep green eyes lifted from the page to et hers.
"Oh, Miss Granger. Fancy eting you here," Lucien said, a faint smile in his eyes.
Hermione froze, caught off guard by his familiar, handso face. For nearly a minute, the compartnt was silent.
"Uh, right, Lucien! Quite a coincidence," she stamred, her cheeks flushing. Luckily, her face was already red from exertion, so it wasn't too obvious. She turned slightly, mumbling, "Can I sit here?"
Lucien gestured casually. "Make yourself at ho."
Clearing her throat, Hermione moved to grab her luggage, but before she could—
"Wingardium Leviosa!"
At Lucien's incantation, Hermione's pile of luggage floated up, gliding smoothly onto the overhead rack.
"You've already learned spells?!" Hermione's eyes lit up as she noticed the wand in Lucien's hand.
True to her studious nature, Hermione had spent the sumr poring over basic spellbooks, even trying a few simple charms. But the Levitation Charm Lucien just used? She'd assud that was sothing they'd learn at Hogwarts under a teacher's guidance.
Not only had Lucien mastered it, but the way her luggage floated so smoothly suggested he was already quite skilled. Is he a pure-blood? she wondered. Did his family teach him magic early? He's got this aristocratic air—maybe he's from one of those pure-blood families in the books. But… Grafton doesn't sound familiar…
"Oh, thank you for helping with my luggage!" Hermione said, snapping out of her thoughts.
"Just practicing a spell. No need to thank ," Lucien replied with a polite smile, tucking his wand away and returning to his book.
Seeing him dive back into reading, Hermione sat across from him quietly, not wanting to disturb him. But within minutes, she grew restless.
She considered grabbing a book to read, but that would an pulling her suitcase down, which would make noise and bother Lucien. And she definitely didn't want to ask him to use the Levitation Charm again.
"You can take any book from the table," Lucien said without looking up, flipping a page.
Hermione, still a kid at heart, found his reserved deanor amusing but appreciated the gesture. "Thanks," she said softly, reaching for the top book on the stack.
It was A Guide to Raising Magical Creatures.
User Comments
0 comments from readers