Chapter 1812: Memoirs of Hogwarts
Chapter 1812: Memoirs of Hogwarts
Alice had never been to King's Cross Station in London, nor had she ever laid eyes on Platform Nine and Three-Quarters, but from a young age, she had read Albert's unpublished 'Hogwarts Memoirs.' She understood the significance of the platform for most new students and why Miss Hermione chose not to use Apparition, the simpler and more convenient method, to take them directly to Platform Nine and Three-Quarters.
So, when it came to the wall between Platforms Nine and Ten, Alice had a slight sense of anticipation, as Albert would say, some things are better experienced firsthand, or one might always feel like something is missing.
The next day, Alice woke up early, had a quick breakfast prepared by the house-elves, and then set off with the equally excited Ian and Sophia in Albert's specially modified car, heading towards King's Cross Station without any obstacles.
"We must pass through the wall, but we can't let the Muggles around us notice," Hermione instructed the trio as they made their way to Platform Nine and Three-Quarters.
"What if someone sees... I mean, surely we can't guarantee that everyone will be so cautious!" Ian voiced his concern, knowing that no matter how careful they were, mistakes could still happen.
"Every year during the start of term, Ministry employees are on duty to handle various emergencies, but we shouldn't trouble them," Hermione added, lowering her voice.
"Then why not use a Disillusionment Charm?" Sophia asked, even more puzzled.
"For you, it's also a special experience."
After confirming that no one was around, Hermione gently pushed Alice, who immediately pushed her luggage and ran towards the wall between Platforms Nine and Ten.
Although Alice had some prior knowledge, which lessened the excitement of her first experience, her gaze was still drawn to the deep red train waiting at Platform Nine and Three-Quarters.
To Alice's slight disappointment, it wasn't raining that day.
In 'Hogwarts Memoirs,' Albert complained about always encountering rain during the journey to Hogwarts at the start of each term.
As they stood on the platform, Hermione bent down and kissed Alice's forehead, giving her final instructions, "Take care of yourself, remember to use the communication bookmark to stay in touch, and you can write to me if you need anything."
"I will," Alice replied.
Alice didn't refuse Hermione's offer to complete this process, but instead turned to her brother and sister and said, "Take care of yourselves, too."
After kissing their foreheads, Alice waved goodbye to them, pushed her luggage, and boarded the Hogwarts Express. She quickly found an empty compartment, opened the window facing the platform, and waved goodbye to the trio outside.
This was Alice's first time traveling alone, but it didn't evoke much emotion.
She remained calm, with no fluctuations in her mental state.
Perhaps it was because she had traveled the world with her family from a young age.
Moreover, even though Alice hadn't actually attended Hogwarts, Albert had never intentionally kept it a secret from her, nor had he ever explicitly told her about it.
From Albert's 'Hogwarts Memoirs' in the study, Alice learned everything.
She knew how new students were sorted by the Sorting Hat and how to get into the house of her choice.
With the 'Marauder's Map' that she took from 'Hogwarts Memoirs,' Alice could also discover most of the secret passages in the castle, ensuring her free movement throughout.
To be honest, this would take away much of Alice's enjoyment, but she herself didn't mind.
With the help of Albert's photo albums, one could easily glimpse a corner of that castle. Nowadays, Hogwarts holds little mystery for Alice.
This also led to Alice's lack of enthusiasm for attending Hogwarts, as she preferred to stay with her family, travel with them, and learn from Albert's words and actions.
Albert was the best teacher, always teaching them a lot without realizing it. The time spent living in Avalon was Alice's happiest moments, and many of the things she knows now were taught by Albert hands-on back then.
This caused Alice to be influenced by Albert and inherit some of his thinking, making this young girl as mature as her parents were in their youth.
Although some of that maturity was feigned by the young girl, the eleven-year-old Alice was indeed a genius with a mature mind, possessing not only exceptional wisdom but also inheriting Albert's magical talent.
A knock on the door interrupted Alice's thoughts, and when she looked up, she saw a very pretty blonde girl cautiously poking her head in.
"Sorry, can I sit here? It's full outside!"
The blonde girl looked slightly anxious, as if afraid of rejection.
In fact, since the Second Wizarding War, the number of students at Hogwarts has noticeably decreased.
"Oh, of course, please sit."
Alice could tell that the girl across from her wanted to make friends.
"I'm Daphne, Daphne Mountbatten!" the blonde girl introduced herself.
"The Mountbatten?" Alice was taken aback and asked curiously.
"Yes, that's right, the Mountbatten. And you?" Daphne asked, pretending to be curious.
"Alice, Alice Anderson," Alice smiled and introduced herself.
"The Andersons?"
Daphne blinked her curious big eyes, feigning surprise at meeting a celebrity on the first day of school.
In truth, she had come over specifically because she knew that Albert Anderson's daughter was here.
"Yes, the Andersons!" Alice smiled and nodded.
"I also bought a copy of 'Albert's Easy Meals,' and I even had our family chef follow the recipes. She said Albert must have been a traveling foodie, and the book features many dishes from around the world. Not only are the recipes simple, but the flavors are also quite good."
As Daphne spoke, she took out a book from her suitcase and continued enthusiastically, "But my favorite is still 'Albert's Life Hacks.' I haven't learned those little spells from the book yet, and the most I can do is make the tips of my fingers slightly sharper..."
Alice Anderson fell silent.
Yes, the reason her father was most famous in Britain was not for defeating the notorious Dark Lord and leading everyone to end the Second Wizarding War, but for publishing 'Albert's Easy Meals,' a book welcomed by countless wizarding families.
For the vast majority of wizarding families who ate just to sustain life, this book, which taught them how to quickly prepare simple and convenient gourmet meals, was well-received upon publication.
As for why it was named 'Albert's Easy Meals,' Alice had once asked Miss Granger, and her answer was that using Albert's name would draw widespread attention to the book.
(End of Chapter)
Chapter end
Report
