King's Cross Station.
In a quiet, tucked-away corner, Theseus appeared with Rock at his side, both emerging from Apparition. A moment later, Newt and Tina followed behind them with their luggage in tow. The group slipped away from the crowd and headed toward their destination.
Rock walked with them, taking everything in.
It was his first time truly seeing the non-magical world up close. Honestly? It didn't feel all that different.
Sure, the country was "developed," but the whole place still had this retro, 1980s-movie filter over it. And along the way, Rock kept wanting to say they didn't need to skulk around like this. If anything, acting so sneaky made them look more suspicious to everyone else.
After pushing through the busy entrance of the station, they finally reached the space behind the third pillar between Platforms Nine and Ten.
Seeing the crowd gathered ahead of him, Rock finally understood the strange vibe J.K. Rowling had written about.
Adults in bizarre outfits — some dressed like they'd just walked out of a circus tent.
No wonder Hogwarts offered an elective called Muggle Studies.
With things like this, if wizards didn't learn how to blend in, future generations were only going to look even stranger.
And that definitely wasn't good for the wizarding world's long-held stance on staying hidden.
"These many people… never expected this," Theseus muttered, raising an eyebrow.
This kind of scene simply didn't exist in his era. Back then, wizards were almost entirely pure-blood, with only a few half-bloods around. Intermarriage between magical and non-magical folks had legal restrictions.
Now? That rule was basically gone.
Newt and Tina were just as surprised. They hadn't interacted with the non-magical world for years — they spent almost all their time living on the manor grounds.
"Grandpa, Grandma, Grandpa Theseus — I can go on my own."
Rock shook his head. There was no reason to squeeze these three elderly folks — whose ages combined were nearly three hundred — into that crowd. Someone would get bumped or knocked around.
Theseus frowned. He'd come straight to the manor the night before for the sole purpose of personally seeing Rock off. Now that they were here, just turning back felt unacceptable.
"Alright, Theseus. Listen to Rock," Newt said, patting his brother's shoulder. Missing out on sending him through the barrier wasn't ideal, but it wasn't the end of the world. It was just a shame — it was such a memorable first-time moment.
Tina bent down, straightening Rock's tie — which had gotten a bit messy — and patted him on the head. "Alright, sweetheart. Just be careful."
"When you get to school, remember to write to us."
Rock nodded. After hugging each of them, he grabbed his suitcase and made his way toward the crowd.
Thanks to Newt — a master of Undetectable Extension Charms — he didn't need to haul a mountain of luggage like other first-years. With that advantage, he slipped easily into the mass of students and parents.
When Rock's figure disappeared, the three adults couldn't help feeling a little hollow.
"The manor's going to feel so empty now…" Tina sniffed, wiping the corner of her eye.
Both Newt and Theseus remained quiet for a long moment before finally escorting her away.
A flash of light — and Rock burst through the barrier, stepping into the magical platform as the massive red steam engine came into view.
"Move! Move!" someone shouted from behind him.
Rock quickly stepped aside, light on his feet.
"Whoa — that was slick," the boy behind him said in admiration.
Two heads of flaming-red hair came into view — twins.
"Judging by your age, you're a first-year, right?" Fred asked.
Rock simply smiled and nodded before heading toward the train.
"This kid's quick," George commented.
"For sure. C'mon, we should get on before Percy shows up," Fred said. "You know how he gets."
"Yeah, let's go."
For their older brother's sake — and their own peace of mind — avoiding him before departure seemed like the smartest move.
Rock walked through compartment after compartment until he reached the very last one — empty.
Perfect. No one else around, and being this far back meant few people would wander in.
After storing his suitcase, he sat down. Outside the window, parents hugged their children and gave tearful goodbyes.
Grandpa and Grandma must've already gone home, Rock thought.
Time passed in a comfortable quiet. Then the steam engine whistled sharply, and last-minute stragglers scrambled aboard.
Rock raised an eyebrow. Still no one coming into this compartment.
Good. More time to study.
He pulled a book from his case and started reading. He'd read everything once already, but to master his special skills, he needed to commit far more to memory.
He already had a thorough study plan ready for when he reached Hogwarts.
A cool breeze slipped in through the window, making him feel surprisingly relaxed. Life at the manor had been fun, sure — but Tina and Newt were old, and their energy wasn't what it used to be. And honestly, Rock had already explored every corner of the manor.
Including the basement and Newt's trunk full of magical creatures.
After seeing such incredible things for so many years, Rock wasn't overly excited by much anymore.
Even meeting the famous trio — the "main characters."
When he used to read Harry Potter, he'd wondered what adventures he might have if he somehow ended up in their world.
Life had a funny way of making jokes, he supposed.
Rock stayed lost in his book until the compartment door suddenly knocked.
"Hi, sorry to bother you — I'm Hermione. Have you seen Neville's toad anywhere?"
A girl with bushy, lion-like hair stepped inside, chin lifted with a hint of pride.
Well… Rock figured it was more like a kid trying too hard to show confidence. Or maybe— actually, never mind.
Rock set his book down and glanced at Neville behind her. He shook his head. "Sorry, haven't seen it."
Being willing to run around the entire train searching for a toad she'd only just learned about — well, Hermione really was outstandingly helpful.
Still, Rock had zero desire to get involved.
Why? Simple:
Getting close to the main trio meant getting dragged into the center of every major event.
A little involvement could be "training," sure. But constant chaos? That was just asking for trouble.
"Alright, thank you," Hermione said politely. Then she noticed his book — and immediately sat across from him.
Neville hovered awkwardly beside her, unsure whether he should stay or leave.