A Fresh Start

London was its usual blend of vibrant billboards in the morning sun, Muggles in suits commuting to work, and the pale, ancient buildings that seemed to resist time itself. Simon was listening to Coldplay’s "Adventure of a Lifetime", the rhythm thumping through his new AirPods as the red double-decker bus came to a halt outside King’s Cross Station. Stepping off, his senses were hit by a cocktail of greasy fast food, exhaust fumes, and the rich tapestry of fragrances from the Londoners, seemingly oblivious to the stream of young witches and wizards finding their way toward the station.

To anyone who had witnessed Simon’s decline during his third year – a period where he had withdrawn so far into the castle’s shadows that he had practically merged with them – the boy returning now had not only reclaimed his former self, but surpassed it. The grey pallor of his depression had been stripped away, replaced by a deep tan from a summer spent almost entirely outdoors. He was no longer the ghost who had haunted the quiet and lonely corridors of the castle. He was returning with physical vitality and a hardened, positive mindset, ready to discard the weight of last year and make the most of his time ahead.

For him, this year was a fresh start.

He looked at the ticket in his hands, recalling the anticipation he had felt when holding it for the very first time. Back then, he had viewed himself as merely a guest in a world that wasn't truly his own. Now, the paper felt almost like a birthright. He was no longer visiting the magical world as an outsider. He was a part of it.

Starting his fourth year, though, was special. By the end of this term, he would leave the junior ranks behind and transition into the upper years of Hogwarts. He would be halfway through his magical education, and he had no intention of squandering his remaining time on passivity or self-pity.

As the final beats of the Coldplay song faded, he stowed his AirPods into their case and tucked them away – a silent goodbye to the Muggle world. Though the music had stopped, he was determined to carry the energy of the song with him.

"Alright, Hoax." Simon looked at his morepork owl. The bird met his gaze with sharp, gold-rimmed eyes, ruffling its feathers almost as if it braced itself for the journey ahead. "A fresh start. Another year at Hogwarts... Here we go."

When he reached the barrier between platform 9 and 10, there was no hesitation. He walked with a steady, confident stride directly into the solid brick. The world blurred for a fraction of a second before the scarlet steam engine of the Hogwarts Express materialized before him, along with the familiar, frantic energy of Platform 9 ¾.

He didn't know what it meant at the time, but this was his year. He was sure of it.