28 Jul 2021, 01:30
Where is the train?
Crowds of people passed by purposefully, but a family of three was in a daze. They had been to the train station many times before, but they were particularly confused today. Avery looked towards his dad, who was pushing a heavily-loaded trolley stacked with Avery's suitcases, knick-knacks and new violin. Where was platform 9 3/4? For once, his all-knowing dad looked as confused as he was. They stopped between platforms 9 and 10. The family looked at each other.
"Maybe this is a mistake," his mother said. "Maybe the ticket is wrong." Avery's heart skipped a beat: What if he wasn't meant to go to a magical school called Hogwarts? Was he simply wishing for a too-good dream over the past few weeks? He had been so distracted during the summer that it was difficult to focus on violin practice. There was finally a world beyond the rigorous routine that he knew! -- A world of new possibilities to explore! What if all of it was a dream, or a well-played prank to unload some coins from kids who hoped they were magical?
He gripped his wand, which was stuffed into the back pocket of his jeans. -- But it was all real! He had seen green lights and boxes fly off the shelves when he waved his wand at Ollivander's; he had seen goblins in Diagon Alley; he had seen all sorts of candy flying around and exploding on their own. Avery shook his head: No, he wasn't going to let himself get discouraged.
"Ma, let me try this," he said in Mandarin, whipping his wand from his pockets and waved it around like he was fending off ghosts... and nothing happened. He looked around sheepishly as a man in a business suit stared oddly at him before walking off. No, he wasn't going to give up. "Abra kadabra?" he whispered quietly, hoping no one else would hear him and think him mad. Still, there was no train in sight and he was running out of ideas.
"Maybe this is a mistake," his mother said. "Maybe the ticket is wrong." Avery's heart skipped a beat: What if he wasn't meant to go to a magical school called Hogwarts? Was he simply wishing for a too-good dream over the past few weeks? He had been so distracted during the summer that it was difficult to focus on violin practice. There was finally a world beyond the rigorous routine that he knew! -- A world of new possibilities to explore! What if all of it was a dream, or a well-played prank to unload some coins from kids who hoped they were magical?
He gripped his wand, which was stuffed into the back pocket of his jeans. -- But it was all real! He had seen green lights and boxes fly off the shelves when he waved his wand at Ollivander's; he had seen goblins in Diagon Alley; he had seen all sorts of candy flying around and exploding on their own. Avery shook his head: No, he wasn't going to let himself get discouraged.
"Ma, let me try this," he said in Mandarin, whipping his wand from his pockets and waved it around like he was fending off ghosts... and nothing happened. He looked around sheepishly as a man in a business suit stared oddly at him before walking off. No, he wasn't going to give up. "Abra kadabra?" he whispered quietly, hoping no one else would hear him and think him mad. Still, there was no train in sight and he was running out of ideas.
Reducio
OOC: Continuing in a new thread on the Hogwarts Express.