dmims Chapter 240 Mail Order and the Journey
Chapter 240 Mail Order and the Journey
Chapter 240 Mail Order and the Journey
The last few days in Plymouth passed by in quiet routine. Karen handled the pre-school chores methodically, with Owl Mail Order being the most worry-free.
"Phobos!" Karen called to his snow osprey. The robust snow osprey gracefully landed on the windowsill, tilting its head to look at him.
Karen stuffed several parchment orders and a small bag of gallons into the special mailbag tied to its leg. "Diagon Alley, Flourish and Blotts,"
And there's Lady Primpinier's Potions Shop. The Priority Bookstore, that pile of books is rather—spectacular.” He gently patted Phoebus on the head.
Phobos let out a low cry and flapped its wings into the morning sky.
A day later, when the mail owl swooped down onto Karen's bedroom window with a heavy package, he truly understood the accuracy of his prediction. The package was so large it almost wouldn't fit through the window. Inside, seven brand-new hardcover books cascaded onto the carpet, their covers illuminating Gilderoy Lockhart's dazzling smile and gleaming teeth, practically lighting up the entire room.
Breaking Up with a Female Ghost, Traveling with a Ghoul, Vacationing with a She-Devil, Walking with a Troll
"Traveling on a Boat with Vampires", "Wandering with Werewolves", "A Year with the Yeti of Tibet".
"Seven books." Karen's lips twitched. He bent down and picked them up one by one, stacking them on the desk to form a small mountain that exuded the scent of ink and narcissism. "I hope his oblivion spell skills match his writing passion. I have to earn this money back from him." He shook his head and tidied up the package of potion ingredients.
Next came packing. He first checked the key items he carried close to his body: the upgraded "Resonance Compass," its brass casing cool to the touch, the runes inside glowing faintly when infused with barely perceptible magic at his fingertips; a small, palm-sized, lead-gray, sealed box covered with multiple protective runes—containing fragments of Voldemort's soul obtained from the crown—which he carefully placed into a specially made, padded magical pouch before hiding it close to his body.
Then, he took out a bronze spinning top-shaped spyglass, slightly smaller than the ones he'd given his roommates. It was a gift he'd made for Harry after writing his letter; its design was simple, but the core detection runes had been optimized. He gently turned it, and the top spun silently a few times in his palm. After confirming it was working properly, he placed it in a separate small box.
"Textbooks—Lockhart series—crucible—balance—potion bottles—safety glasses—" Karen counted, sorting the items into their suitcases. Finally, he carefully folded a few changes of clothes and placed them on top.
From downstairs came her mother Emily's voice: "Karen, dinner is ready!"
The atmosphere at dinner was warm yet tinged with a touch of melancholy at the impending separation. Father David chatted about the shipyard's new project, while Mother Emily repeatedly reminded everyone of various details of daily life: stay warm, eat on time, and be sure to tell the professor or write home if you encounter any difficulties. Lily, meanwhile, chattered incessantly, asking about the fascinating stories of Hogwarts, especially about Hagrid and his magical creatures.
"Karen, are you going to explore the Forbidden Forest again this year? Could you bring back a Bowtruckle? Or something else?"
"Brother Wesley said they're amazing!" Lily's eyes sparkled.
"It depends, Lily," Karen replied gently. "The Forbidden Forest is still dangerous; we can't just go in casually. However,"
"If we get Hagrid's permission, maybe we can find some safe little things to show you." He avoided the topic of the potential dangers lurking deep in the Forbidden Forest.
"Okay—" Lily was a little disappointed, but quickly became excited again, "Then you have to come back early for Christmas! Mom said she'll roast the biggest turkey!"
"Of course, Lily." Karen nodded seriously. "I promise you, I will definitely come back for the Christmas holidays this year and celebrate with everyone." He added in his mind: As long as the diary is resolved smoothly, this promise should not be difficult to keep.
Emily put down her knife and fork, looking at her son with eyes full of reluctance and pride: "Karen, remember, no matter how far you go in the magical world, this will always be your home. Safety first, protect yourself, and don't forget to take care of your friends."
"I will, Mom," Karen said solemnly.
The day to depart for London had arrived. David saw Karen off at the station, King's Cross Station, which was as bustling as ever, the air thick with the smell of steam and the scent of travel. Karen pushed her luggage cart through the crowd, heading directly towards Platform Nine and Three-Quarters.
In a relatively secluded corner, some distance from the famous partition wall, Karen stopped. He put down his luggage and sharply scanned the crowd moving around the entrance—wizard families with children, excited new students, and...
Upperclassmen dragging their luggage.
"Harry and the others haven't arrived yet," Karen thought. In the original story, they rushed in at the last minute. He wasn't sure if that was still the case now, so he needed to confirm it.
He picked up his suitcase, took a deep breath, and rushed towards the partition. A familiar sense of time travel washed over him, and the scene before him instantly shifted; the bustling, ordinary station was replaced by the magical Platform Nine and Three-Quarters. The Hogwarts Express puffed out white steam, and many students were already bustling on and off its bright red carriages.
Karen quickly boarded the train and arrived at one of the usual photo booth areas in Ravenclaw. He pushed open the door of one of the booths and, sure enough, saw Fabian. Over the summer, his curly black hair seemed even thicker. He was looking down at a thick book, with a small box of soil next to him containing what appeared to be a few peculiar leaves.
"Fabian!" Karen greeted him.
Fabian looked up, his eyes behind his glasses lighting up with surprise. "Karen! You're here! How was your summer vacation? You must have had a great time in France!" He noticed Karen's luggage. "You've already packed it all?"
"That was quite a haul, I'll tell you more later." Karen stuffed her suitcase into the overhead rack. "See Wesley and Enesto?"
"Not yet, I just got on the train." Fabian shook his head and pointed out the window. "There are still a lot of people on the platform, we should be arriving soon."
Karen nodded. "Okay, have a seat. I have something to do; I need to go back to the station entrance to check things out. I've left my luggage here." Before Fabian could ask what it was, he added quickly, "We'll talk when I get back!"
"Oh—okay, no problem." Fabian nodded, though he was a little puzzled.
Karen quickly got off the train and crossed the partition wall back to the regular station. He walked to the observation point he had chosen earlier, which offered a clear view of the entrance wall of Platform Nine and Three-Quarters, yet was relatively hidden at the edge of the crowd. He leaned against a thick pillar, closed his eyes, and concentrated.
Then, with a very subtle flick of his wrist, the wand slid into his palm and silently pointed at himself: "Disillusionment Charm."
A chilling sensation spread from his head to his feet, and his figure instantly became blurred, like a moving chameleon skin, perfectly blending into the shadows of the pillars and the surrounding environment. Unless someone was deliberately staring intently at this corner or had extremely strong magical perception, it would be difficult to spot him.
Karen regulated his breathing, focusing all his attention on the wall at the entrance to Platform Nine and Three-Quarters, waiting patiently. Time ticked by, the clock on the platform relentlessly turning. He saw Ernesto, accompanied by a well-dressed, solemn-looking old wizard (presumably his grandfather), stride confidently through the wall with an expression of "finally relieved," his head held high, yet also somewhat impatient.
Not long after, Wesley appeared, alone, carrying a bulging backpack, rushing towards the wall in a flurry of activity, as if disappearing into the magical side with boundless anticipation for the new Quidditch season.