chapter 5

I headed to my room, determined to find my trunk. Bending down, I reached under the bed and pulled out the old brown trunk that had been given to me as part of the Hogwarts welcome package. It was standard issue for all muggle-born students, but it wasn't just any ordinary trunk. Like most wizarding luggage, it had been enchanted with an extension charm, making it far bigger inside than it appeared. It had the capacity of about half a room, which was more than enough space to store all my belongings and anything else I might need.

I unlatched the top and opened it, peering inside. The familiar smell of parchment and leather greeted me. Right on top were a few of my spellbooks, still in decent condition despite the wear and tear they'd been through. "The Standard Book of Spells" and "Magical Theory" lay there, reminding me I still had a lot to learn. I glanced at the clock on the wall. It was only 9 a.m. I had about three hours before I needed to leave for Diagon Alley. That gave me some time to practice.

My plan was simple—try to work on wandless magic. I didn't want to risk getting a warning from the Ministry of Magic for underage magic use. Wandless magic would be my workaround. If I could master a few basic spells without a wand, they wouldn't detect it as easily. Plus, it would be a handy skill to have down the road, especially in situations where using a wand might attract unwanted attention.

Before diving into practice, I decided to take a quick inventory of what else was in the trunk. As I shuffled through the contents, I came across a small pouch filled with wizarding currency—500 Galleons, to be exact. I smiled at the sight. That was from my alternative self doing odd jobs over the years, scraping together money here and there. If my calculations were right, 500 Galleons converted to around 2,400 pounds. Not bad at all. It was a decent starting fund for the plans I had in mind.

But money was only part of the equation. I still needed to sort out ID papers and proper documentation to move forward. Living in both the muggle and wizarding worlds required careful planning. I couldn't just rely on Galleons; I needed to figure out how to establish myself with proper identification in both worlds. But those were problems for later. First things first—magic.

I sat down on the floor and focused my mind. Wandless magic wasn't easy, especially for someone still learning the ropes, but I knew I had to start somewhere. The Reparo charm seemed like the best option. Simple, but incredibly useful. If I could master repairing objects without a wand, I'd be on my way to learning more advanced spells.

I closed my eyes and stretched out my hand toward the small, broken quill that I had purposely snapped earlier for practice. My fingers tingled slightly as I summoned my magical energy, trying to focus on the spell. "Reparo," I whispered, imagining the quill mending itself in my mind.

For a moment, nothing happened. Then, slowly but surely, I felt a shift in the air around me. The quill wobbled slightly before fusing back together. It wasn't perfect—the tip was still a little bent—but it had worked. I exhaled, feeling a rush of excitement.

The first steps were always the hardest, but I could feel the potential there. I knew that with more practice, I'd get better. But I also knew that if wandless magic proved too slow to learn in time, I had another option: Knockturn Alley. It wasn't the most reputable place, but I'd heard rumors of disposable wands—cheap and easy to obtain. They wouldn't last long, but they could get me through in a pinch without drawing too much attention.

For now, though, I'd stick with practice. I still had time before heading to Diagon Alley, and if I could refine my control over magic without a wand, it would make everything else that much easier.

By the end of my training with wandless magic, I had finally managed to fix the pen. It had taken me nearly three hours to get to that point. The progress was slow, but I knew it would get easier with time. I planned to keep pushing myself, attempting to repair bigger and bigger objects until I could eventually repair an entire room. That was my ultimate goal—to master the Reparo charm without a wand, so I could buy broken-down houses, fix them up, and sell them. It would become my steady income in the near future.

But for now, it was noon, and I needed to catch the Knight Bus.

I left my room, trunk in hand, and walked through the orphanage's quiet hallways. As I reached the entrance, I found Sister Elizabeth standing near the doorway, arranging some papers on a small table. She had been more of a mother to me than anyone else here, and I knew I had to say something before I left.

"Hello, Mother," I said, using the name I'd called her for as long as I could remember. "I'm heading out for a few weeks. I'll be staying at a friend's house."

Of course, that was a lie. My real destination was the Leaky Cauldron, where I'd be staying for a while. I tried to keep my face calm and neutral, though there was always the fear that she'd see through me.

She looked up from her papers, studying me closely. For a moment, I thought she might catch me in the lie, but I maintained my poker face, hiding any nervousness behind a small smile.

"Make sure you stay safe," she said after a pause, her voice gentle. "And don't cause any trouble for your friends." She smiled softly, and I felt a pang of guilt for lying to her.

"I will," I replied, stepping forward to give her a quick hug. "I'll be back soon."

As I pulled away and started walking toward the door, I could feel her eyes on me, but she didn't press further. With my trunk in hand, I made my way out of the orphanage.

Outside, on the field near the building, I spotted Jason playing football with some of the older kids. I watched them for a moment, remembering all the times I had played out there myself. But those days felt distant now. I had other things to focus on, bigger plans.

I kept walking, further and further away from the orphanage, until I found a quiet, empty street. Once I was sure no one was around, I placed my trunk on the ground and took my wand out. Raising it in my hand, I waved it slightly and called out, "Knight Bus!"

With a loud bang, a triple-decker bus appeared out of thin air in front of me, screeching to a halt on the cobblestone street. The doors opened, and a man in his fifties stepped down. He was balding, with gray hair sticking out from under his cap, and wore large goggles that made his eyes look oversized.

"You called for the Knight Bus?" he asked, his voice gruff but polite.

"Yes, I need to get to the Leaky Cauldron," I replied, shifting my trunk closer to me.

"That'll be 10 Sickles and 5 Knut," he said, holding out his hand.

I dug into my pocket and handed him the coins, and with a nod, he stepped aside, gesturing for me to enter. "Take a seat," he said as I climbed aboard.

The bus was half full, with a few other people already sitting in the peculiar beds that acted as seats. I remembered the last time I'd taken this bus—how chaotic and fast the ride had been. I found a seat near the back and quickly settled in, gripping my trunk tightly. There was a certain unease in the air, but I reminded myself that I'd been through this before.