Chapter 1235 - 51: The Train to School

Ferdinand slipped an arm around his wife's shoulders and watched the taxi turn the corner and disappear from sight.

Just a few minutes ago, he had picked up the car keys, put on his coat, fully expecting to drive Vid to the station himself.

But after thinking for a moment, Vid had refused.

"No need, Dad," he'd said. "I didn't bring any big luggage, I don't need the family car."

He patted the seemingly ordinary black backpack on his shoulder.

Vid's wardrobe-space had seven different forms, ranging from pencil case to full wardrobe, and he could choose whichever exterior he needed.

Right now, the lunch Fiona had carefully prepared for him was inside; it had changed from pencil case into backpack just to make it easier to take out.

After a pause, Vid added, "If I take a taxi to King's Cross Station by myself, it's more low?key, and safer… it's really not a hassle."

Ferdinand met his son's gaze and knew clearly that this wasn't politeness, nor fear of troubling his father, nor adolescent stubbornness trying to be independent.

He simply, genuinely believed this way was "safer."

And that safety wasn't for Vid himself, but for Ferdinand and Fiona—

As Vid Gray's non?Magic parents, the less they appeared in the Magic World's line of sight, the safer they would be.

Under that calm and lucid look, Ferdinand felt a complicated warmth and bitterness twist together in his chest.

He swallowed the words that were already at the tip of his tongue, and in the end only nodded and reached out to pat Vid's shoulder:

"All right. You're growing up too… be careful on the way."

...

When the sound of the engine finally died away, Fiona couldn't help letting out a sob.

"Every time he leaves like this…"

She spoke through a thick, nasal choke: "When he comes back again, it always feels like he's suddenly grown so much… I regret it so much, Ferd…"

"I know it's incredibly lucky that he can go to Hogwarts, but we've missed… missed so many… important moments in his growing up…"

Ferdinand tightened his arm around her and said softly:

"I know, darling… I know."

"But if you look at it another way, doesn't this just prove how brilliant our son is?"

"He's walking his own road. Maybe we missed the details, but I believe—your love, my love, our family—will always be the strength that supports him."

In the morning mist, the two silhouettes leaning into each other looked faint and blurred. They stared into the distance, pressed close together. Only after a long while did they turn and go back into the house.

...

Platform 9 3/4 was a cacophony of voices, crowded with students and families saying their goodbyes.

The station in January was far from warm, which greatly shortened the time people spent making noise and getting sentimental on the platform.

Vid slipped easily through the crowd pushing luggage trolleys and soon found an empty compartment in the middle of the train. Then, on the SSC page of the Friendship Book, he sent everyone the compartment's location.

Not long after, the door was pulled open; Theo and Leian came in one after the other, their cheeks red from the cold outside.

"Ha, finally found it!"

Theo dragged his suitcase in. Seeing Vid, he let out a breath of relief, then threw himself into the seat opposite and stared blankly ahead.

Vid's hand, which had been halfway raised to greet him, dropped back down. He asked Leian in surprise, "What's up with him?"

Leian tried not to laugh. "He got a confession letter and thought the girl was insulting him. And then, well… he just went to find her and gave her a very serious talking?to, only to find out the truth afterward."

He waved his Magic Wand and sent both of their suitcases up onto the rack overhead.

Vid: "..."

He slowly turned his head and looked at Theo, who was still in a petrified state; Theo's lips were moving, mumbling something, as if he hadn't even heard the other two talking about him.

Vid was certain Theo was silently chewing over every word of his own righteous "lecture," wishing he could tear each sentence to shreds and swallow them whole.

He asked, baffled, "Why would he think… that was an insult?"

Leian's mouth curved into an even more obvious grin. "Because the letter said… you're like a pumpkin that's soaked up sunshine, lying on dark earth. And something about… how you make her think of the solid old armchair at home, and a pair of overly fluffy wool socks…"

Theo jerked like he'd been stabbed with a pin, snapped out of it, and leapt up to clamp a hand over his friend's mouth. His voice shook as he shouted:

"Leian!"

Red rushed up from his neck to the tips of his ears; Theo looked about ready to explode.

"All right, all right, I'll stop."

Leian struggled a bit, pushed his hand away, and reminded him seriously:

"But you'd better be prepared—the girl's got plenty of friends. It wouldn't surprise me if by tomorrow morning that poem she wrote you has spread across the whole school!"

Theo's hand froze in midair, as if his soul had walked out and left his body behind.

Just then, the compartment door was yanked open again. First to poke in was a conspicuous hat bristling with colorful feathers, and only after that did they see Michael's handsome, grinning face.

"Wow, I'm actually the last one… what are you talking about?"

Michael spoke without waiting for an answer, flicking a long, quivering feather that drooped in front of his eyes, and said smugly:

"Look, this is the most popular hat in the Magic World in Spain this year. My uncle brought it back from Madrid. What do you think?"

Vid, leaning against the window, smoothed the surprise from his face and said evenly:

"When Daphne sees it, she might pretend she doesn't know you, Michael."

"Tsk, tsk, tsk, that's where you don't get it."

Michael shook his head and plopped down next to Vid, carefully making sure the ridiculous brim didn't bump into anyone.

He pulled out a jewelry?style box from his pocket. When he opened it, inside lay a small, colorful feathered hat.

"See, I even asked someone to buy her a matching one. The compartment's too cramped, so I won't show you what it looks like once it gets big."

Facing their doubtful looks, Michael declared with full confidence:

"Being able to share things that other people think are weird and ridiculous, to share silly happiness only the two of you understand—that's how you don't easily lose each other."

"Because we have a frequency that belongs only to us, and it's hard for anything else to drown it out."

He showed off his gift, then carefully put it away again, clearly planning to give Daphne a "surprise" when he saw her.

Vid still seriously doubted whether Daphne would actually be happy about it.

Only then did Michael realize that someone in the compartment hadn't reacted at all.

"Theo?" Michael asked. "What's wrong with you? You look like someone stole your soul…"

"Knock knock!"

The compartment door was politely tapped twice, then opened; Anthony and Padma appeared in the doorway, both wearing sparkling Level Leader Badges.

"Routine pat… patrol!!"

Anthony's originally smooth sentence hit a snag. He stammered for two seconds, then politely moved his gaze away from Michael and, spotting Vid, broke into a smile.

"Oh, Vid! Perfect, I've been wanting to thank you in person—thanks for the tickets. Little People Country was unbelievable!"

"As long as you liked it." Vid asked, "Did you have fun?"

Anthony's grin was bright. "It was fantastic!"

Padma didn't say much, just stood in the doorway with a squinting smile, letting her eyes sweep over everyone in the compartment.

"See you at school, guys." As she left, she turned back with a laugh. "Oh, and the hat is gorgeous, Michael!"

The door closed gently, and the two Prefects went off to continue their duties.

The compartment fell quiet for a moment; the smug, smooth?talking expression on Michael's face had faded at some point.

He reached up and took off the hat, setting it on his knees, and absent?mindedly toyed with the longest blue feather, his eyes unfocused.

Padma hadn't ignored him like she used to, nor mocked him. That easy smile proved she had truly let go.

But Michael's chest suddenly tightened; he even felt that the hat's bright colors were a little too harsh on the eyes.