บท 16: CH 15 Hogwarts Express Fiasco
Soon it was time to start his first term at Hogwarts. For the past few weeks, Hermione had been a regular visitor to the home of Birchwoods.
She practiced 2nd-year charms along with Alcor, who she learned was a monstrous prodigy when it came to magic. Not only could he use any spell or charm instantly, but he could also perform a more advanced and customized version of those charms without the need for incantations of wand movement.
Alcor didn't hold back from showing his prowess to Hermione, except for the fact that he could perform all magic without the need for a wand. The only wandless magic he displayed were minor charms or basic push and pull force.
When September 1st came, Birchwoods drove to Grangers and picked them up on their way to the station. They reached the station well ahead of time at 10 am, even though the train was supposed to leave at 11 am. Knowing that they had more than enough time, they were relaxed and unloaded their stuff from the car carefully.
Alcor and Hermione both had Muggle Travel Suitcases with them, which Alcor had personally crafted based on his previous life's memories. He had even enchanted them with Customized Extension Charm, Lightweight Charm, Durability Charm, and many other useful ones.
He had made sure that, unlike the usual expanded trunks, the contents inside these travel suitcases don't get disarrayed during travel. This idea was inspired by Newt Scamander's infamous suitcase, the inside of which defied space, gravity and many other laws of physics muggles swore by.
They entered the station and calmly made their way to platforms 9 and 3/4. Even, Alcor had to admit that he felt a twinge of excitement when passing through the famous barrier that separated Muggle and the magical world.
On arriving at the platform, Alcor was greeted with the sight of the red-colored large magical train engine, puffing away smoke for an unknown reason. Was this not an engine that ran on Magic Energy?
Hermione left Alcor alone temporarily as she greeted few acquaintances from her year. Meanwhile, Alcor said his goodbyes to Birchwoods. Astrid was a little teary but Alcor promised to come back with many interesting toys and sweets.
He carried his suitcases to an empty compartment easily, thanks to his excellent physical strength and lightweight charms on the suitcase. He had just finished arranging his suitcase on the luggage rack when the compartment door was pushed open gently.
He turned to look and was greeted with the sight of a girl, with dirty blond hair, pale eyebrows, and a dreamy look in her silvery eyes, looking around the inside of the compartment with a mild surprise.
"Can I help you?" Alcor asked.
"Mm. How did you repel all those Wrackspurts? They all are running away from this compartment." the girl asked.
'Ah, of course. I know who this is.' Alcor smiled in realization before replying to her "Umm, I don't really know. Do you have any theories?"
"Well," Luna said as he came in with her trunk "I just figured it was because of so many different cores you have in you, but I don't know for sure."
Alcor froze, his expression weird, as he watched Luna struggle to pick up her trunk. He moved automatically and helped her put the trunk in the luggage rack. However, he didn't know how to move forward in the conversation that had stalled.
"Um, so … My name is Alcor Celesta." Alcor said.
"I am Luna Lovegood," Luna said with a dreamy smile.
Right at that moment, the compartment door was pushed open again, and in rushed a frantic Ginny while dragging her trunk.
"Oh, thank Merlin there is space here," Ginny said while pushing back stray hair. She then noticed Luna and Alcor in the compartment.
"Oh, Hi Luna. Hi Alcor." Ginny said, "Mind if I join you?"
"Fine with me. How about you Luna?" Alcor asked.
"I have no problem with that," Luna said.
Alcor helped Ginny lift up her trunk to the Luggage Rack too, after which the three of them relaxed and began to chat.
"So, you guys seem to know each other, Am I right?" Alcor asked.
"Um, yeah. Luna and I are sort of neighbors." Ginny said, "But we have not chatted recently. Not since--"
"My mother's funeral?" Luna interjected calmly.
"...yeah.." Ginny admitted in a dim voice.
"Sorry to hear that Luna," Alcor said.
"It's fine. It has been a while. I am coping with it." Luna said.
Alcor wanted to slam his head on his palm. Luna was extremely efficient in creating awkward moments back to back. Also, how did she know about his cores anyway? He doubted even Dumbledore could find that out at first glance.
"Well, let's change the topic?" Alcor suggested, "Oh ya, any guesses on which house you will be put in?"
"Oh, I definitely have to be in Gryffindor." Ginny said immediately, looking nervous "I have a feeling Mum might disown me if I am not. All my brothers are there. And even …. he …"
Alcor glanced at Ginny as she trailed off. Not wanting to embarrass her, he switched to Luna.
"How about you Luna? Any familial preferences?" Alcor asked.
"Well, both my parents were in Ravenclaw. Also, it is the house of the intellectual Witches and Wizards, who seek the truth of Magic. I think I want to be there and search the existence of Crumple Horned Snorkacks, the most elusive of Magical Beasts." Luna said.
"Hmm, well as good as a reason as any," Alcor said with a smile.
"What about you?" Ginny asked Alcor.
"Well, I can't be Slytherin. The whole nonsense about blood superiority will be driving me nuts in that house and I might actually end up attacking those idiots to shut them up." Alcor said with a shrug. Ginny laughed at that, and even Luna gave a dreamy smile.
"Hufflepuff might not be too bad, but I have heard that Hufflepuff students tend to be sort of social birds rather than focusing on studying. In the end, I guess it will be a tie between Gryffindor and Ravenclaw."
"Ravenclaw is the House of Intellectuals and those who are interested in exploring the depths of Magic. But, Gryffindor has Hermione, with whom I have been having fun discussing and practicing all kinds of magic. Not to mention, she seems to be able to match or even surpass any in the Ravenclaw." Alcor said.
"Well, if you are either Ravenclaw or Gryffindor at least either Luna or I will have someone to discuss things with at any time." Ginny said, "I kind of have a hard time making friends so I think having a friend from the get-go will be helpful."
"Don't worry Ginny," Alcor reassured her, "Even if we are put in different houses, we could still be friends and talk. Being in different house will not take anything away from our friendship."
"Me too," Luna said "I would love to have more friends."
"Thank you," Ginny said to both of them before they started talking about random hobbies and interests. As they started talking about differences in their lives as a Muggle-born and someone from Wizarding Family, their compartment door was suddenly pushed open with a bang.
As they looked up, they saw Hermione looking around the compartment with a frantic expression.
"Hermione?" Ginny asked, "What happened?"
"I can't seem to find Harry and Ron anywhere!!" Hermione gushed out "I found Fred and George goofing with Lee Jordan. When I asked them, they said that Harry and Ron were supposed to enter right behind Mrs. Weasley and you. Oh, Ginny, I am so worried."
Ginny too looked ashen on hearing they were missing, although Alcor was not sure whether this was a reaction to hearing about Ron or Harry.
"Okay calm down, Hermione." Alcor said as he grabbed her shoulders and made her sit down "You will be no good to us in a panicked state, so calm down."
He then turned to Ginny, "If I remember correctly, isn't one of your brothers a Prefect?"
Some color came back to her face and Ginny nodded hurriedly, "Yes, Percy is a Prefect."
"Good then," Alcor said as he got up "Let's go find him and get him to make an announcement for Harry and Ron. If they are truly not here, then we could send an owl ahead of time to the school and get one of the professors to get Harry and Ron."
"After all, professors at school should know Apparition and will be able to get Harry and Ron to the school even before us," Alcor said.
They all agreed with Alcor's plan and Hermione led them to the Prefect Compartment. They soon found Percy, who was shocked to hear this news.
While grumbling about idiot little brothers, he helped them make an announcement on the train for Harry and Ron to come to the Prefect compartment if they are on the train.
After Fifteen minutes, they decided to send the owl to Hogwarts. Alcor volunteered Spectre, as he knew that Spectre was the fastest owl due to the Personalized Prana Treatments given by Alcor. Spectre was now at least twice as big as before and was ten times faster, stronger and silent while flying.
Spectre expertly flew away with the letter, his speed comparable to low-level muggle planes. Luna was in love with Spectre and managed to get Alcor to promise her to let her pet him later.
They all retreated to their compartment after that, Hermione joining them with her own luggage as she felt lonely being alone in her compartment without Harry and Ron.
Soon it was time for Hogwarts to appear and Alcor vacated the compartment so that the girls could change in. He changed outside while standing guard, using Photo-Umbrakinesis to camouflage that particular section of the train.
They reached Hogwarts a little while after that and Hermione told them to leave their luggage on the train, as it will be shifted to their rooms later. With that, they disembarked the train, off to the Castle of Magic.
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