Chapter 1053
The Train to School
Chapter 1053 The Train to School
Ferdinand put his arm around his wife's shoulder and watched the taxi turn the corner and disappear from sight completely.
Just minutes earlier, he had picked up his car keys, put on his coat, and was naturally preparing to take Wade to the station.
But after a moment's thought, Wade refused.
“No need, Dad,” he said. “I didn’t bring any large luggage, so I don’t need the family car to pick me up.”
He patted the seemingly ordinary black backpack on his shoulder.
Wade's wardrobe space comes in seven different forms, ranging from small pencil cases to large wardrobes, allowing you to choose different shapes to suit your needs.
At that moment, Fiona's carefully prepared lunch was inside, transformed from a pencil case into a backpack for easy access.
After a pause, Wade added, "I took a taxi to King's Cross station by myself, which was more discreet and safer... There was nothing inconvenient about it."
When Ferdinand met his son's gaze, he knew clearly that his son was not just being polite, nor was he afraid of causing trouble for his father, nor was it the stubbornness of a young man eager to become independent.
He simply believed that this method was "safer".
This safety is not for Wade himself, but for Ferdinand and Fiona.
As Vader Grey's non-magical parents, the less they appear in the magical world, the safer they will be.
Under that calm yet clear-headed gaze, Ferdinand felt a complex mix of warmth and bitterness swirling within him.
He swallowed the words that were already on the tip of his tongue, and in the end just nodded and patted Wade on the shoulder:
"Okay, you've grown up now... Be careful on the road."
……
As the engine noise completely disappeared, Fiona couldn't help but sob.
“Every time he leaves like this…”
With a heavy nasal tone and a choked voice, she said, "When I came back, I felt like I had suddenly grown up so much... I'm so sorry, Fede..."
“I know he was really lucky to get into Hogwarts, but we missed… missed so many… important moments in his life…”
Ferdinand tightened his grip on his arm and whispered:
"I know, darling... I know."
"But from another perspective, this precisely proves that our son is outstanding, doesn't it?"
“He is walking his own path. Perhaps we have missed the details, but I believe that your love, my love, and our family will always be the strength that supports him.”
In the morning mist, the couple's figures, leaning on each other, appeared somewhat hazy. They gazed into the distance, close together. After a while, they turned and went back into the house.
……
Platform 9¾ was bustling with noise, filled with students and their families seeing them off.
The train station in January was far from warm, which greatly shortened the time that the two sides spent on the platform, filled with noise and sentimentality.
Wade easily weaved through the crowd of people pushing luggage carts and quickly found an empty compartment in the middle of the train. He then sent the compartment location to everyone on the SSC page of the Friends Book.
Not long after, the door to the private room was opened, and Theo and Ryan walked in one after the other, their cheeks flushed and carrying the chill of the outside air.
"Ha, finally found it!"
Theo dragged his suitcase through the door, breathed a sigh of relief when he saw Wade, then threw himself into the seat opposite him and stared blankly into space.
Wade lowered his hand, which was about to greet him, and asked Ryan in surprise, "What's wrong with him?"
Ryan suppressed a laugh and said, "He received a love letter and thought the person was trying to humiliate him. Then, well... he just went over and gave the person a very serious dressing-down, only to find out the truth later."
He waved his wand, sending their suitcases onto the overhead rack.
Wade: "..."
He slowly turned his head to look at Theo, who was still petrified, and saw that he was muttering something, as if he hadn't heard the other two talking about him at all.
Wade was certain that Theo was mentally replaying his righteous "criticism" in his mind, wishing he could tear every word he had said to pieces and swallow it whole.
He asked, puzzled, "Why would he think...that was an insult?" Ryan's lips curved into an even wider smile: "Because the letter said...you're like a sun-baked pumpkin lying on dark earth. And something else...reminds me of the sturdy old armchair at home, and overly fluffy wool socks..."
Theo snapped back to reality as if pricked by a needle, jumped up, covered his friend's mouth, and shouted in a trembling voice:
"Ryan!"
The bright red color quickly spread from his neck all the way to the tips of his ears, and Theo felt like he was about to explode.
"Okay, okay, I won't say anything more."
Ryan struggled for a moment, pushed his hand away, and earnestly reminded him:
"But you'd better be prepared—that girl has a lot of friends, and the poem she wrote for you might be all over the school by tomorrow morning!"
Theo's hand froze in mid-air, as if his soul had already left his body.
Just then, the door to the private room was opened again, and the first thing to peek in was a striking hat covered in colorful feathers. Then everyone saw Michael's handsome, smiling face.
"Oh, I'm the last one... What are you guys talking about!"
Michael spoke, but without waiting for a reply, he triumphantly flicked a trembling feather hanging in front of his eyes and said:
"Look, this is the most popular hat in the Spanish wizarding world this year. My uncle brought it back from Madrid. What do you think?"
Wade leaned against the window, suppressing his astonishment, and said calmly:
“When Daphne sees you, she’ll probably pretend she doesn’t know you, Michael.”
"Tsk tsk tsk, you just don't understand, do you?"
Michael shook his head and plopped down next to Wade, making sure the exaggerated brim of his hat didn't touch anyone.
He took out a jewelry box that looked like a bracelet from his pocket, opened it, and revealed a small, colorful feathered hat.
"Look, I even asked someone to buy her the same one. There's not enough space in the private room, so I won't show you what it looks like when it's enlarged."
Facing the skeptical gazes of the crowd, Michael confidently declared:
"Being able to share things that others find strange and funny, and to share silly joys that only we understand, is a way to truly avoid losing each other."
"Because we have our own unique frequency, it is difficult for anything else to cover it up."
He showed off his gift, then carefully put it away, seemingly planning to give Daphne a "surprise" after they met.
Although Wade still had doubts about whether Daphne would actually be happy about it.
It was then that Michael realized that someone in the box had remained unresponsive.
“Theo?” Michael asked, “What’s wrong with you? You look like someone’s taken your soul…”
"Dong dong!"
There was a polite knock on the box door, then it was opened, and Anthony and Padma appeared in the doorway, both wearing gleaming prefectural badges.
"Routine patrol...inspection!!"
Anthony's fluent speech faltered for a moment. He opened his mouth and stammered for two seconds before politely looking away from Michael. When he saw Wade, a smile immediately appeared on his face.
“Oh, Wade! Perfect timing! I’ve been wanting to thank you in person—thank you for the ticket, Lilliput is truly amazing!”
"I'm glad you like it." Wade asked, "Did you have fun?"
Anthony beamed: "Fantastic!"
Padma didn't say much, but just stood at the door with a smile, her gaze sweeping over everyone in the private room.
"See you at school, guys." As she left, she turned back and smiled, adding, "By the way, that's a nice hat, Michael!"
The door closed gently, and the two prefects went on to perform their duties.
The private room fell silent for a moment, and the smug, eloquent expression on Michael's face had somehow faded away.
He looked up, took off his hat, placed it on his lap, and unconsciously fiddled with the longest blue feather, his eyes somewhat vacant.
Padma didn't ignore him or mock him as before; her relaxed smile proved that she had truly let go.
But Michael suddenly felt uncomfortable, and even thought the bright color of the hat was a bit too dazzling.
(End of this chapter)