Chapter 7: The Sage's Knowledge

After Indor left that night, Hofa didn't return to the orphanage. Instead, he rented a small room at the Leaky Cauldron and had some wizard-style roast meat and fresh fruit for dinner. He had 100 Galleons, and after spending some on his wand and books, he still had over 70 Galleons left. For an 11-year-old, he was quite wealthy—though only temporarily. He would be at Hogwarts for seven years, and this amount of money wouldn't last long. But Hofa believed in living in the present and dealing with the future when it came. 

During the day, he hadn't felt much, but as the night settled in, his excitement became hard to contain. He kept taking out his new wand, turning it over and over, savoring the sensation of magic flowing through his body. By the early hours of the morning, he couldn't resist any longer. He pulled out his spellbook and tried a few simple spells. The wand, which Ollivander had called "incomplete," performed flawlessly. The Levitation Charm, which had given Harry and Ron so much trouble, was mastered by Hofa in the blink of an eye. Sitting on his bed, he pointed his wand at a pillow and incanted, "Wingardium Leviosa!" The pillow zoomed around the room. 

After playing around for a while, Hofa grew worried that the Ministry of Magic might come after him for underage magic outside of school. So, he spent the rest of the night in a mix of excitement and anxiety. But as it turned out, no one came looking for him.

---

In the days leading up to the start of term, Hofa exchanged a few Galleons for pounds and bought himself some decent clothes—a few pairs of jeans and white shirts. His old clothes were too shabby. He also bought some fruit and a few bottles of pine nut wine to give to Mrs. Cole as a farewell gift. Though his soul wasn't the original Hofa's, his body had been cared for by her for a long time.

The rest of his time was spent in Diagon Alley, hoping to complete the 100% exploration task and obtain the so-called **[Sage's Knowledge]**. Unfortunately, due to his age, he couldn't enter Knockturn Alley or some of the other dangerous dark magic shops. His exploration progress stalled at 60%. This left Hofa feeling somewhat regretful. He now realized the value of Harry Potter's Invisibility Cloak. If he could turn invisible, he could explore anywhere freely. But Harry's father hadn't even been born yet, so who knew where that cloak was now?

Hofa also wanted to try the Disillusionment Charm with his new wand, but the spell wasn't in any of his beginner spellbooks. After reading through all his textbooks, he found that most of the spells were for everyday use, with nothing particularly advanced. He consoled himself with the thought that he might find the Disillusionment Charm in the Hogwarts library.

As for the earring Indor had given him, Hofa spent days trying to figure out its purpose but found nothing special. To make matters worse, he couldn't remove it—it seemed to have fused with his ear. He could only hope that Hogwarts wasn't as strict as the schools in his previous life, where wearing an earring would have gotten him expelled on the first day.

Time in Diagon Alley flew by, and soon it was September 1st, the day of departure. Hofa woke up early, before dawn, fearing he might miss the train due to some unforeseen delay. He didn't have much luggage—no trolley. He had bought a canvas bag and a suitcase for 2 pounds, packing his clothes and books in the bag and his collapsible cauldron in the suitcase.

Luckily, he had left early. It was pouring rain, and he encountered London's morning traffic jam. He had to weave through several streets to reach the subway station. Fortunately, London already had a subway system in 1938, though it wasn't as efficient as modern ones. The subway train was slow, and the seats smelled of cat urine. Soldiers in green metal helmets, carrying rifles, stood in the carriages, swaying and chatting. They looked young, likely new recruits for the British monarchy, heading to their assignments.

Hofa, sitting in a corner with his bag, watched these soldiers with mixed feelings. In a few years, many of them would be gone. Knowing the future wasn't always a blessing, especially in such turbulent times.

---

King's Cross Station was located in the heart of London, at the border between Camden and Islington. When Hofa stepped out of the subway station, the area was already bustling with people—mostly Muggles, but also a few wizards who clearly didn't understand Muggle fashion. Hofa even saw a couple of men in dresses picking their noses and chatting by the station.

Knowing the method, Hofa didn't need to ask for directions like Harry Potter had. He found the barrier between platforms 9 and 10, adjusted his backpack, and ran straight at the wall, closing his eyes as he did so. He picked up speed, and then—*thud*!

He crashed into something soft, followed by a clatter of falling objects. Hofa, caught off guard, tumbled to the ground, rolling twice. His first thought was, *What the hell? Did I just kill myself?*

He scrambled to his feet and looked at what he had hit. It wasn't the wall—it was a girl with silver hair. She had been pushing a trolley and had suddenly appeared in the middle of the barrier. Hofa had crashed into her, sending her luggage and a caged white owl tumbling to the ground.

Hofa cursed inwardly. Why had this girl been standing in the middle of the barrier? And she was clearly a witch, given the owl. Did she think she could enter the platform sideways?

Annoyed but trying to be polite, Hofa quickly helped her up and began gathering her scattered belongings. "Sorry, are you okay?" he asked, not looking up as he picked up her things.

The girl stood with her arms crossed, watching him clean up her mess without lifting a finger. The air was silent.

After a moment, Hofa felt something was off. Sure, he had crashed into her, but she didn't have to be so cold about it. He looked up and got his first good look at her.

She was stunning—pale skin, a delicate face, silver hair cascading over her shoulders, and piercing blue eyes that stared at him like a ghost. But his admiration lasted less than a second before she spoke.

"Keep going. Why did you stop?" Her voice was cold, her eyes filled with pride and dissatisfaction.

Hofa's expression darkened. He had a good temper, but he wasn't about to be treated like a house-elf. Besides, she had been the one standing in the way.

"Why were you standing there?" he asked coldly.

"I was looking for Platform 9. Do you know where it is?" she replied indifferently.

*Ah, a fellow first-year.* Hofa thought. Seeing her arrogance, he decided to mess with her. He pointed behind her. "Look, isn't that the platform?"

She turned her head, and Hofa seized the moment. He dashed through the barrier and disappeared.

The girl turned back, frowning. "Where?" she asked, but no one answered. She looked around—the boy was gone, leaving only her half-gathered belongings and the screeching owl. Her face darkened.

---

On the other side of the barrier, Hofa smirked. *Serves you right for acting so high and mighty.*

He spotted an old brass plaque embedded in a brick pillar: **[Platform 9¾—Established in 1849 by Evangeline Orpington, 15th Minister of Magic]**. It wasn't particularly useful information, so Hofa quickly moved on.

The platform was packed with people. A deep red steam engine stood beside the platform, its sign reading: *Hogwarts Express, 11 o'clock*. Smoke from the engine swirled in the rainy air, and cats of all colors darted between people's legs. Amid the chatter and the clatter of heavy luggage, owls hooted incessantly.

Before Hofa could take in the scene, a chime sounded in his mind.

**Ding!**

**Hidden Wizard Realm discovered: [Platform 9¾].**

**Complete 50% exploration—You will receive [One-Third Spell Fragment].**

**Complete 100% exploration—You will receive [The Sage's Knowledge].**

Hofa was momentarily stunned, then overjoyed. It seemed that any wizard gathering place could trigger an exploration task. Unlike Diagon Alley, where he couldn't access Knockturn Alley or dark magic shops, this was just a platform. If he moved quickly, he could complete the exploration in no time.

Without hesitation, Hofa began exploring. He ran from the front of the train to the back, passing children with all sorts of pets—frogs, owls, cats, rats, snakes, and birds. He even spotted the handsome Tom Riddle, chatting and laughing with a group of older Slytherin girls. But Hofa paid no attention to them. His focus was entirely on the progress bar in his mind.

As he ran, the green bar filled rapidly.

**20%... 30%... 45%... 50%...**

**Ding! You have obtained [Spell Fragment (2/3)].**

**60%... 70%... 90%... 100%...**

**Ding! You have obtained [The Sage's Knowledge].**

Standing at the end of the train, Hofa felt a shiver run down his spine. A flood of unknown knowledge poured into his mind. Within seconds, a profound text appeared in his thoughts:

**[The Meditation Method of Milarepa]** 

Through this mysterious meditation, you can continuously enhance your mental strength, fortify your will, and rapidly replenish your magical energy.