That morning, the weather was startlingly good—as if even the nature had decided not to spoil the spirits of the first-years so eager to begin their new lives at school. The sky stretched out, endless and cloudless.
The crisp air and warm sunlight shimmered across the lake in front of the cabin, setting the water dancing with ripples.
Ark pushed open the cabin door, wand in hand, and strolled lazily toward the shore.
Usually, this was when he would carry a bucket and fishing rod, planting himself on the wooden pier for half an hour or more in the hopes of catching a meal.
But lately, he hadn't bothered with fishing gear at all.
"Accio Fish!"
With the lightest flick of his wand, the surface of the lake suddenly erupted, and a plump, glistening fish burst from the water, soaring straight into his waiting reach.
If Professor McGonagall had been here to see it, she would have been stunned.
Ark had just used the Summoning Charm, a spell that drew distant objects into the caster's hand.
It was listed in *The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 4*.
In other words, Hogwarts students weren't supposed to learn it until their fourth year.
Ark, however, already cast it with ease.
"Perfect. You'll do nicely for today."
He grinned at the fish flailing in midair. A tap of his wand, and instead of falling, the fish froze in place, floating obediently before him.
The Levitation Charm—an introductory spell every first-year was taught. Ark had mastered it the very first day he opened *The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 1*. Now he could cast it wordlessly, a feat even most sixth-years at Hogwarts couldn't manage.
Guiding the helpless creature toward the cabin, Ark walked at a leisurely pace. With a casual flick, some firewood flew from the stack by the door and arranged itself neatly a little ways off.
"Incendio!"
Flames roared to life at once, smoke curling upward as the campfire caught.
After a month's practice, his control over the Fire-Making Spell had grown smooth—he could expand or shrink the flames at will.
"Too bad I haven't learned a spell that cooks meals on its own. That'd save me the rest of the trouble."
Muttering to himself, Ark set a pot over the fire, boiled water, cleaned and gutted the fish, then dropped it into the pot to make a simple soup.
Once he finished the meal, he'd set off for Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
His belongings were already packed. Last night, he'd filled an entire trunk with everything he'd bought in Diagon Alley, including his new uniform.
The trunk itself was his handiwork. He had transfigured it just yesterday.
Transfiguration wasn't a single spell but an entire, intricate branch of magic. Turning one thing into another—whether changing inanimate objects, bringing life to the lifeless, or even transforming one's own body—was all part of it.
At Hogwarts, Professor McGonagall taught the subject. She believed it was the most versatile and practical discipline in magic, but also the most demanding, requiring absolute focus and rigorous study to master.
In daily life, academics, or battle, Transfiguration had countless uses. No wonder Ark had poured most of his efforts into the *Guide to Transfiguration* series instead of the *Standard Book of Spells*. His goal was to one day recreate that vision he'd had when he first held his wand—turning the world around him into a menagerie of creatures at will.
Thanks to Mind Guidance, he progressed at remarkable speed. Transfiguration required a vivid, unwavering image of the intended form, and Ark could clear his mind and hold that image with crystal clarity.
Now he could already transform dead matter into living things. Compared to that, reshaping a block of wood into a trunk had been child's play.
He glanced at the fish glaring at him from the pot, its bulging eyes seeming to accuse him of some terrible injustice. His thoughts drifted.
He'd lived here for a year, eating fish almost every day—enough to sicken him. If he hadn't discovered the nearby village, where he could buy other meats and vegetables or sell off his excess catch, he'd have gone mad.
But this morning, on the verge of leaving, he suddenly craved one last pot of fish soup.
He remembered that first day, when he'd caught his very first fish. His instinct had been to boil it for soup.
Unfortunately, the cabin back then was a wreck, with no pot to his name. He'd had to rub sticks together like a wild man to light a fire, then roast the fish on a spit.
He'd burned it, of course.
And with no seasonings, it had tasted like ash. Practically inedible.
Today's pot of soup felt like a ritual. A farewell to the past, a toast to the future.
"Wonder what it'll be like when I come back."
The thought made him laugh softly.
"Whatever it is, it'll be better than now."
Ark quickly finished the meal, grabbed his trunk, and set out without hesitation.
He couldn't afford to waste time.
This place was too remote, far from London and cut off from proper transport. To reach King's Cross Station, he had to travel to the village first, hitch a ride on a supply cart heading to town, then find a railway station there to finally board a train into London.
It would take hours. To avoid missing the Hogwarts Express, he had no choice but to leave early.
And as he thought about the exhausting trip, he made himself a promise:
"When I get to Hogwarts, I'm learning to Apparate the moment I can."
They were among the most common travel methods for witches and wizards—vanishing from one spot at will and reappearing in another familiar place. But they were advanced, risky forms of magic.
Because of the dangers, Hogwarts only allowed sixth-years who had turned seventeen to enroll in Apparition lessons, taught by Ministry instructors. The course lasted twelve weeks, cost twelve Galleons, and required additional training before sitting the Department of Magical Transportation's exam. Only after passing would one be licensed to use it.
Naturally, Apparition didn't appear in the Standard Book of Spells or any of the textbooks Ark owned. He'd have to wait until Hogwarts to find a way to learn.
…
King's Cross Station had opened in 1852 as a major London terminus, straddling the border of Camden and Islington, connected by Euston Road and York Way. From here, trains ran across England and Scotland, to cities like Cambridge, Peterborough, Hull, Doncaster, Leeds, York, Newcastle, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Dundee, Aberdeen, and Inverness. The result was a bustling hub, packed with crowds and noise.
None of the Muggles bustling about knew that back in the 1850s, then–Minister for Magic Evangeline Orpington had overseen the creation of a hidden wizarding platform here: Platform Nine and Three-Quarters.
"Ninth and tenth platforms… third pillar…"
Ark murmured to himself as he dragged his trunk through the crowd, reaching the spot between Platforms Nine and Ten.
A single pillar stood there, with no visible entrance.
But once he was sure he'd found the right place, he didn't hesitate. He broke into a run and charged straight at it.
No impact. No pain.
He felt himself pass through, and in the next instant, a new platform stretched before his eyes.