The Bard of Hogwarts

Chapter 15 Platform Nine and Three-Quarters

Emerging from Gringotts with a staggering sum of nearly 500 Galleons in his pocket, Ino couldn't help but feel a little smug.

Although none of the necessities of the soul can be bought with money, wealth can often bring spiritual satisfaction.

To be honest, this was the first time he had received such a large amount of gold coins since he entered the fantasy world, and he was inevitably a little too happy.

In the past two years, his best luck was only managing to bring back a pitiful few silver coins within the bounds of the rules.

"I need to buy a custom-made luxury robe, a whole bottle of ink, a pet, and more..."

At that moment, Ino had only one thought in her mind: to spend money on shopping.

The secret to enjoying double the happiness is being able to both earn money and spend it.

……

Two hours later.

Outside the Leaky Cauldron bar stood a young man carrying a brown vintage suitcase.

"It feels really good to be rich..."

As Ino strolled through the streets of London, recalling her recent experience, the exhilarating shopping spree was unforgettable.

After spending nearly 200 Galleons, he not only bought the brand-new items required for his enrollment list, but also spent 10 Galleons to buy the musical instrument he had longed for—an accordion enchanted with the ability to learn music and play it himself.

You should know that if a bard doesn't have a proper musical instrument, he will always seem less professional and will easily be looked down upon.

Of course, all of these items combined wouldn't exceed 50 Galleons. The truly valuable thing was the vintage leather suitcase he was carrying.

This is a seamless extended suitcase with official Ministry of Magic certification. Although it only has twice its original size, it still costs as much as 150 Galleons.

"It seems that no matter where you are, the value of permits and approvals often exceeds that of the goods themselves..."

Ino looked down at the box in her hand. Although she felt like she was being ripped off, it was the only option at the moment.

This kind of spatial equipment is truly indispensable for a wandering traveler like him. It not only makes daily use convenient, but also provides an extra layer of protection when he goes to fantasy worlds in the future.

evening.

Ino returned to the bridge pier once more.

If it weren't for the books he had previously purchased, he wouldn't have wanted to make the trip at all. After all, apart from an aluminum kettle that was newly bought, everything else in his old residence was a generous "gift" from the wealthy neighborhood.

Back at my lodgings, I quickly packed some personal belongings and finally made it back to the Leaky Cauldron before dark.

The first thing Ino did upon returning to the Leaky Cauldron was to book a room with the owner, Tom Abbott, for two months. Barring any unforeseen circumstances, he didn't plan to change locations during this period before the start of the semester.

Since we are no longer troubled by money, there is no need to go back to living under a bridge and suffering. After all, nobody is stupid.

……

Time is like a wound-up toy; sometimes it turns very fast, sometimes it turns very slowly, and urgency and leisure are always intertwined.

Two months passed in the blink of an eye.

1991 9 Month 1 Day.

In the early morning, Ino packed all her belongings into the seamless extension box and took one last look at the room where she had lived for two months.

After a silent farewell, he closed the door, went downstairs to say goodbye to old Tom, and set off for King's Cross Station.

I paid the taxi driver £7 and successfully arrived at my destination.

King's Cross Station opened in 1852 and serves as a major railway terminus in central London, handling a considerable volume of passengers daily.

Ino didn't care whether the place was bustling or not; he was more concerned with finding the entrance to Platform Nine and Three-Quarters.

To be honest, as a major transportation hub in an international city, it's not like what's portrayed in movies... In a simple shot, you can see a few brightly lit pillars that anyone with eyes can see.

In fact, King's Cross Station occupies a considerable area.

It took almost ten minutes to find platform number nine, going around in circles.

Of course, I also saw many familiar faces, such as Hermione standing beside her parents, seemingly wanting to say something but holding back, or a boy with black eye sockets carrying a pure white snowy owl.

However, he pretended not to see any of this. They weren't on the same wavelength; there was no need to force themselves together and cause unnecessary trouble.

Finally, after many twists and turns, they arrived at Platform Nine. After witnessing several young wizards disappear into the stone pillars, Ino didn't hesitate to charge headfirst into them.

Station 9¾

The medieval-style platform, the old steam locomotive, and the mottled red and black body exude a strong sense of history.

"This feeling... is so familiar."

The momentary weightlessness he felt as he crossed the platform reminded him of the feeling of entering a fantasy world, a similar, ambiguous sense of weightlessness.

But before he could even think, a cacophony of sounds suddenly rang in his ears.

The sounds of a steam engine burning, parents' parting words, the playful squeaking of young wizards, and even various pets making inexplicable noises.

All these voices combined made Ino instantly feel the urge to turn around and leave.

Speaking of noise, it's okay if it comes from a distance and gradually gets closer, because there's a buffer period to adjust. But this sudden burst of noise is really hard to accept.

"I definitely need to learn the silence-canceling spell in the future. I never imagined London had a Spring Festival morning market..."

Without delay, Ino picked up her suitcase and headed towards the train. She remembered that this train had compartments, so she went in early and closed the door to make it a little quieter.

……

Board the train.

Along the way, he ignored many older girls who tried to strike up a conversation with him.

He knew very well that this was not the Muggle world, where Muggle girls would just whine and lament when they were heartbroken.

At Hogwarts, upperclassmen are always a force to be reckoned with, including but not limited to love potions, confusion spells, and even the Imperius Curse...

Most importantly, the way these upperclassmen looked at Ino scared her. It wasn't just simple liking or admiration; it was more like the amazement and possessiveness that girls have when they see a furry pet...

Faced with this situation, he was even less inclined to continue wandering on the train, so he randomly found an empty compartment and quickly went inside.

*Bang!* The cubicle door slammed shut.

Perhaps it was the effect of magic, but even though it was just a not-so-thick wooden door, once it was closed, this small room fell into an extreme tranquility.

Small, enclosed spaces always give people a sense of security, just like how children always want to crawl into cardboard boxes.

Of course, this excludes people with claustrophobia.

"Thank you, England, thank you for the rigid, retro traditions..."

In the isolation room, Ino couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief, feeling somewhat fortunate.

Thank goodness this is Hogwarts. If this were in France or Beauxbatons, my pockets would probably be stuffed full of pink notes by now.

After all, looking across Europe, only England, known for its gentlemen and ladies, has girls who know a little bit about modesty, even if it's just superficial modesty.

New book release, a new journey begins. Thank you to all the big names for your support.

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(End of this chapter)