Aaron meets the Platform 9¾

If someone stopped Aaron on the street and, say, asked what the young boy's greatest fear was that morning, he'd certainly answer, "Not making it through the brick pillar between platforms 9 and 10 at King's Cross Station." But, in fact, as soon as he secretly peeked at a wizarding family from a distance, the fear drained away like the hot steam that came out of a teapot when he drank tea with his grandmother, Celly. This memory gave him a sense of nostalgia for the good times, when she was still alive, but it didn't last long. It was soon replaced by the adrenaline and ecstasy of finally finding the wonderful Hogwarts Express he'd read so much about in books.

Aaron was certain the family he saw cross the pillar was made up of wizards, since they, just like him, were wearing Hogwarts uniforms. When no one was in front of him, the boy, holding his suitcase in one hand and the cage with his owl Melly in the other, ran toward the pillar. When he opened his eyes, which he didn't even realize he had closed, he found himself on Platform 9 ¾. It was beautiful and magical, just like the Hogwarts Express right in front of him.

Aaron was visited by a strange feeling—the same one he had felt the other day in Diagon Alley—of not belonging there. You see, he was a young wizard born to Muggle parents, just like the rest of his family. But then, he remembered a conversation he once had with his grandmother, as soon as he got to her house for some tea after returning from school.

"Grandma," he said upon arriving in her kitchen, "you won't believe what happened to me!"

"What, dear?" she asked from in front of her yellow 1950s-style stove.

"I fell out of the moving school bus. I thought I was going to get hurt, but I fell like a feather. Did I dream it?"

She gave him a kind smile, the kind she was used to giving after hearing the stories her grandson told her, but this time she was certain that this one was more real than a dream could ever be.

"You are a special boy; never forget that."

Of course, they had a good conversation about this unique and important event while they had some delicious English-style tea. But Aaron, as anxious as he was, on remembering this snapshot of such an important memory, had the necessary courage to step onto the first step of one of the train cars.

After all, as his grandma once said, he knew he was special.

Reducio

Translated from Portuguese, using Gemini IA

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