1st September 1991, King's Cross Station, Platform Nine and Three-Quarters
From the designated floo station of King's Cross emerged a young man wearing casual Muggle clothes.
He looked around the platform that already had a good number of people, despite it still being an hour before the train departed.
'I guess there are other people who want to be here on time, hopefully it won't be too hard to find a compartment where I can sit in peace,' Alex thought to himself as he began to walk towards the train.
He had purposefully arrived an hour early simply because he did not want to have to be surrounded by loud teenagers on all sides, hoping that if he arrived so early, he could find a compartment to sit alone in before eventually someone came and joined him.
He had also said his goodbyes to his mother back at home before flooing here since neither of them saw a point in her coming to the station just to say goodbye when surrounded by all of the other people here, when they can just do the same in the comfort of their home without outsiders.
After a while, He found an empty compartment and sat inside before taking off the necklace he had around his neck. This was a magical trunk that his mother had prepared for him for his school years.
It had been enchanted to be able to change its size so that it could be easily carried around.
Alex took out his wand and tapped the suitcase lightly on the designated spot, after which the trunk enlarged.
He opened it and took out his school uniform, and then started to change into it.
Afterwards, Alex took out a book on transfiguration and put his trunk back on his neck.
He sat down and started to read the book.
In the last two days, Alex had been reading his school books and practicing the easier spells in them. He had learned that thanks to the Great Sage, he can perform spells not just silently but also without the wand movement, since apparently the chant annulment counts the wand movement as part of the chant.
---
Alex was deep in his reading when a robotic female voice suddenly sounded out in his head.
[Notice. It is almost time for the train to depart.]
"Oh?" Alex moved his eyes from the book to the window and saw that the station was packed full of people.
He got up and took out his trunk to put his book away before sitting back down.
'Thanks, Sage, ' He told his partner, having asked her to inform him before the train departed.
[Notice. Of course.] Sounded the robotic voice, though Alex could have sworn there was a hint of smug pride in it.
At that moment, the door to the compartment opened, and two girls were revealed to be standing on the other side. One of them took a step forward and looked at Alex politely.
"Excuse us, but do you mind if we sit here? Everywhere else around this part of the train seems to be full already," She asked Alex, hoping that they could she and her friend could stay in the compartment.
"Of course, as you can see, there is plenty of room here," Alex said, giving a small smile and pointing to the empty seat across from him.
"I'm Alex Morra, by the way, a new first-year," He introduced himself to the girls as they began to enter the compartment.
The two girls put away their trunks and took seats across from him.
The red-headed girl who opened the door and spoke earlier smiled and looked Alex in the eyes as she began to introduce herself. "I'm Susan Bones, and this is my friend Hannah Abbott." She pointed to the shy blonde-haired girl beside her, who nodded her head shyly towards Alex when her name was said.
"We are also first years," Susan continued.
"It's nice to meet you two," Alex nodded his head politely to the two.
Alex and Susan began to converse as the train began to leave the station. Eventually, Hannah began to slowly give her input as well.
---
After an hour or so, the door to the compartment was suddenly opened, and a girl with brown bushy hair peeked in and took a glance around the compartment before addressing the three sitting there. "Have any of you seen a toad? A boy named Neville lost his." She said.
Hannah spoke quietly. "Neville lost Trevor again?"
Alex looked at the girl he recognized as Hermione Granger and spoke, "No, I haven't seen any toads. What about you, Susan?"
"No, I haven't seen any either, though I would not be too worried. Neville tends to lose Trevor quite often, but he always turns up somewhere in the end". Susan told Hermione.
"But Neville is so worried about his toad, I have to help him," Hermione said, not wanting to give up searching for the toad just like that. "Oh, my name is Hermione Granger by the way."
"Nice to meet you, I am Susan Bones. This is my friend Hannah Abbott, and that over there is Alex Morra." Susan introduced them to her in one go.
"Have you tried to speak to a Prefect and ask them to help?" Alex asked. "They should know both the point me spell and the summoning spell," He suggested, seeing that Hermione probably did not yet know about the prefects, as otherwise she would have probably thought about going to see them already.
"Oh! I can try that, thank you," Hermione thanked Alex and immediately left to look for a prefect's help.
Alex looked to where she disappeared for a while before turning to look at Susan and Hannah ."So I take it that you know this Neville person based on your words."
Susan nodded, "Yep, our families have been close for a few generations, so we often played together growing up." She explained.
Hannah also nodded at Susan's words, "Yes, my family is close to them as well."
"I see," Alex nodded, then looked at the two girls who were still wearing their normal clothes and said, "You should probably start changing to your school robes as well so that you don't have to do it at the last minute."
"You're right, that sounds like a good idea," Susan nodded her head.
Alex stood up at her words and walked to the door of the compartment. "I will stay outside and make sure that you won't be disturbed," He said and proceeded to move outside the compartment. "Tell me when you're done." He closed the door, and the last thing he saw was Susan pulling down the curtains.