Harry Potter: Awakening the Unknown

The last few days before their departure for Hogwarts were filled with excitement, practice, and an almost obsessive dedication to using their wands.

Harry and Hermione wasted no time putting them to use. At first, the spells felt strange wielding magic through a wand was different from the accidental bursts and wandless tricks that had shaped their childhoods.

The first attempt at Lumos resulted in a faint flicker at the tip of their wands before quickly fizzling out.

Hermione, ever the perfectionist, huffed in frustration, while Harry was already adjusting his stance and grip.

But they were nothing if not determined.

By the end of the first day, they had perfected Lumos and Nox, the room glowing and darkening at their command. Wingardium Leviosa was more difficult, but once Hermione adjusted the precise swish and flick of her wrist, her feather shot into the air and hovered with perfect control.

Harry took slightly longer, his movements were less fluid, but once he could feel the magic flowing through him his feather floated just as effortlessly.

It became a game between them.

They set small challenges: who could levitate objects the longest, who could summon the brightest light, who could flip a page in their book from across the room using only Flipendo, a jinx they found in an advanced spellbook and took an immediate liking to.

They read every spell in their first-year textbooks, attempting anything that didn't seem outright dangerous. By the third day, they could both cast most of their basic first-year spells with only a few attempts, far ahead of where any Hogwarts student should be before even stepping onto the train.

Elizabeth often found herself pausing in the hallway, watching them with a mixture of awe and apprehension. Magic was no longer an abstract concept; it was real, filling her home with glowing lights, floating objects, and books that turned colors at the flick of a wand.

Seeing Hermione so focused and driven made her proud, but also left her with the quiet realization that her daughter was stepping into a world she could never fully understand.

One evening, she sat with them at the dining table as Hermione practiced Colovaria, turning a quill from brown to blue and back again.

"You two are really something else," Elizabeth finally said, watching Harry casually flick his wand and send a small pillow floating across the room.

Hermione beamed. "We have to be prepared. Hogwarts will be full of students who have grown up with magic."

Elizabeth smiled fondly. "Something tells me you two will be giving them all quite the surprise."

Harry didn't say anything, but a small smirk tugged at the corner of his lips.

He liked the thought of surprising everyone.

The morning of their departure was a whirlwind of activity.

Mrs. Granger triple-checked their trunks, ensuring they had everything they needed. Hermione rolled her eyes every time her mother reminded her about extra parchment or ink.

Harry found himself at a loss for how to respond when Elizabeth made sure he had enough food for the train, pressing a small wrapped package of sandwiches into his hands.

By the time they arrived at King's Cross Station, their stomaches started to turn. The usual hustle and bustle of Muggle travelers surrounded them, but there was no sign of anything remotely magical.

"Are we sure this is the right place?" Elizabeth asked, frowning as she adjusted the strap of her purse.

Hermione checked her letter for what must have been the tenth time that morning. "It says Platform Nine and Three-Quarters. But I don't see anything that could be it."

Harry scanned the area. Searching for anything relatively magical.

They wandered between platforms nine and ten, looking for any sign of an entrance.

"Maybe it only appears at a certain time?" Hermione suggested, chewing her lip.

Before they could continue speculating, a voice cut through their confusion.

"Excuse me, are you trying to find the Hogwarts Express?"

They turned to see a boy about their age, round-faced, holding a toad tightly in one hand. Beside him stood an older woman, dressed in fine but old-fashioned robes, her expression stern yet kind.

"Yes!" Hermione said quickly, as though afraid the boy might vanish before answering. "Do you know how to get there?"

The boy nodded. "Gran told me earlier. We just have to walk straight at the barrier between platforms nine and ten."

Elizabeth blinked. "Walk into the wall?"

The older woman chuckled. "Indeed. Best do it at a brisk pace, dears. If you hesitate, it can be rather unpleasant."

Without further ado, she strode forward and, to their amazement, disappeared through the solid brick.

The boy hesitated. "Guess it's my turn," he mumbled, gripping his toad tighter. With a deep breath, he took off toward the barrier, only to stumble at the last second. He still passed through, but not before nearly tripping over his own feet.

"That looked promising," Harry muttered under his breath, making Hermione stifle a giggle.

"Well," Hermione said, straightening her shoulders. "Shall we?"

Elizabeth hesitated for only a second before pulling Hermione into a tight hug. "Write to me as soon as you can, alright?"

"I will," Hermione promised.

Then Elizabeth turned to Harry. "You too, Harry. Let me know how things are."

Harry blinked. No one had ever asked him to keep in touch before.

"I—yeah. I will."

Elizabeth squeezed his shoulder before stepping back. "Be careful, both of you."

Harry and Hermione exchanged glances.

Then, gripping the handles of their trolleys, they walked toward the barrier.

And stepped through.

The moment they emerged on the other side, their breath caught.

A grand, scarlet steam engine sat on the tracks, gleaming in the light. The platform was packed with students and parents, owls hooting, trunks being lifted onto the train, and excited chatter filling the air. Smoke curled from the engine as the whistle blew, signaling its impending departure.