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London King's Cross Station.
Harry, walking beside Yang Tao, looked at the ticket in his hand and asked, "Is this ticket really okay?"
Yang Tao pulled out an identical ticket from his pocket, which read:
["London to Hogwarts Single Ticket"]
["Platform Nine and Three-Quarters"]
"Of course, there's no problem. This is the magical world; anything is possible."
The two quickly arrived at Platform 9 empty-handed. Harry stared around, but he couldn't find the so-called Platform Nine and Three-Quarters.
"Sir..."
"No hurry, we need to wait a bit longer..."
He needed to wait for the Weasley family to arrive. Almost everyone in their family, except for Ron's father, Arthur Weasley, would be at the station today.
This was a great opportunity to advance the plot. Otherwise, to meet Ginny and Molly, he would have to make a special trip to the Weasleys' house.
Harry didn't press for details. Since Yang Tao said to wait here, he would wait.
From time to time, the sound of train whistles and the chatter of pedestrians could be heard. The two sat on a wooden bench by a pillar on Platform 9.
They didn't wait too long before a middle-aged woman led a group of children pushing trolleys towards their location.
"It's like this every year. It's full of Muggles here. Hurry up."
Molly Weasley didn't like the Muggle-filled environment, but it wasn't that she discriminated against Muggles; it was just that not being able to use magic made her very uncomfortable.
"Platform Nine and Three-Quarters is over here..."
Yang Tao looked at the exploration value, which had risen to 43%, a smile appearing on his face as he stood up and said, "Harry, let's go. The people we're waiting for have arrived."
Harry glanced at the Weasley family.
Then, he followed Yang Tao towards the pillar leading to Platform Nine and Three-Quarters.
"Harry, take a look at that little girl..."
Hearing Yang Tao's words, Harry looked at Ginny Weasley with some confusion—a very cute little girl.
"Just a quick look is enough, don't stare."
"???"
Yang Tao's face showed an aunt-like smile. To be honest, he really hadn't expected Harry to end up with Ginny. In his mind, Harry should have been with Hermione Granger or even Draco Malfoy.
At this moment, Molly Weasley noticed them. Yang Tao smiled and nodded at her, then walked through the wall with Harry to the real Platform Nine and Three-Quarters.
Platform Nine and Three-Quarters was inside a huge building, with surrounding architecture featuring a 1950s or 1960s style. A deep red steam-powered train was parked next to the platform.
The Hogwarts Express was not a steam-powered train. It looked very much like one and operated in the same way, but it wasn't.
This was a magical invention. It mimicked the appearance and operation of a real steam train but did not imitate its technology. Like the Ministry of Magic's cars, the Knight Bus, and wizarding radio, it was a magical device that drew inspiration from Muggle technology.
Arriving in front of a carriage, Yang Tao handed the ticket in his hand to the ticket inspector.
He had specially requested this ticket from Dumbledore, citing his desire to experience the customs and culture of Hogwarts.
Of course, it wasn't so smooth at first.
But after a heartfelt conversation with Yang Tao, Dumbledore eventually sent the ticket over.
Sitting down in an empty compartment, Yang Tao looked at the children boarding the train outside the window, a hint of nostalgia in his eyes.
"I never thought I would actually get to ride the train to Hogwarts one day..."
Harry didn't quite understand Yang Tao's sentiment, but he was very curious about Yang Tao's actions before entering the platform.
"Mr. Yang Tao, was there anything special about that girl just now?"
Hearing Harry's words, Yang Tao's thoughts returned from his memories. He looked at Harry, an aunt-like smile appearing again, and said, "Nothing, I just feel that you and that little girl have a special connection."
Harry was young, but he wasn't stupid. He didn't believe Yang Tao's nonsense at all. Just as he was about to ask again, a figure appeared at the compartment door.
"Excuse me, may I sit here?"
Harry subconsciously gripped the wand in his trouser pocket, but he quickly realized this wasn't the Backrooms.
Yang Tao also noticed Harry's subtle movement, but he thought it was a good habit, after all, Harry's mortal enemy was still alive. Looking at Ron, who almost died at the door, he smiled and said, "Of course, no problem."
Ron was very curious why Yang Tao was on the Hogwarts Express; normally, this train didn't accommodate adults.
Sirius Black's escape from prison, of course, didn't count as a normal boarding.
Ron walked into the compartment and sat next to Harry, introducing himself, "I saw you at the train station."
"My name is Ron, Ron Weasley."
"Yang Tao."
"Harry, Harry Potter."
Hearing Harry's name, Ron's eyes widened instantly, looking at Harry in disbelief and saying, "So, so it's true? You really... really have that..."
"What?"
"The scar..."
Harry didn't lift his hair; he just smiled and said, "Yes, I do, but there's nothing special about it."
Ron said in an awestruck tone, "It's different, your scar is..."
He didn't say the rest of his words due to fear of that person, and Harry didn't say much either.
Yang Tao had told him everything about Voldemort.
At this moment, the sound of a small trolley's wheels rolling through the carriages came from outside the compartment. Yang Tao looked over. A vendor pushing a trolley full of snacks stopped at the door, smiling, and said, "Children, would you like some snacks?"
Yang Tao stood up, walked to the vendor, took out some Galleons from his pocket, and handed them over, saying, "Leave this trolley of snacks here."
Harry had never eaten snacks from the magical world, nor had he. As for Ron, he rarely encountered them; the Weasley family's economy was primarily characterized by poverty.
...
Yang Tao played with the Chocolate Frog in his hand. After it came out of the wrapper, it only moved for about ten seconds before turning into an ordinary frog-shaped chocolate.
Now, no matter how he poked it, it didn't react.
'If this technology were used for... it would definitely sell like crazy.'
He glanced at the rat sprawled on the table, devouring snacks. Yang Tao narrowed his eyes slightly and said to Ron, "Ron, I'm very interested in your rat. Are you interested in selling it to me?"
Ron, who was struggling to eat a Licorice Wand candy, heard Yang Tao's words and quickly swallowed the snack in his mouth, saying:
"Scabbers is my brother Percy's pet. He gave him to me. I'm sorry, I can't sell him to you..."
"100 Galleons."
Yang Tao felt truly evil, using money to tempt an eleven-year-old child here.
"Sorry... I..."
"200 Galleons, and I'll buy you a new wand plus a pet of your choice."
Ron's face showed an expression as if he was about to cry.
"No... No... Mr. Yang Tao, please don't say any more. I'm already wavering, but I can't explain it to my brother Percy..."
"No... You can. If I remember correctly, Percy should be on the train too, right? You can go ask him."
The rat Scabbers on the table also stopped eating at this moment, standing up and staring motionless at Ron.
"Then... then I'll go ask my brother. I think he'll agree."
Yang Tao's face showed a satisfied smile.
Ron's resistance to temptation was enough to make him think highly of him. He also had to admire Mrs. Molly, who was able to raise Ron and the twins.
"Harry."
Yang Tao gave Harry a look. Harry was stunned for a moment but still pulled out his wand from his pocket.
Yang Tao extended his finger and pointed at Scabbers, who was staring at him on the table.
"Petrificus Totalus... Petrificus Totalus..."
Currently, the spell Harry was most familiar with was Petrificus Totalus. He couldn't sleep without using it a hundred times a day.
Although he didn't know why Mr. Yang Tao wanted him to attack a rat, he thought Yang Tao must have his deeper meaning...
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