Chase walked onto the train with Zuma Barkali happily.
"We'll get your wand fiwst, then youw clothing, then books, then youw othew needed stuff, and finally a cat, toad or an owl," Barkali listed. "And I'll buy a broomstick, but you'll only be allowed to use it duwing sessions or Basodgecewball."
"Basodgeball?" Chase said.
"Basodgcewball," Barkali corrected. "It's actually an 'r', mind my lisp. It's a game whewe you sit on your bwoomstick, and there's a dodgeball. You have do dodge it. If you get hit anywhewe but the head, you'we out. If you hit someone in the head, you'we also out. If you catch the ball, the pewson who thwew it is out. If you catch the ball and then dwop it, you'we also out. Ages 5-10. 11-17 is Qudditch." He paused and grunted as the train started moving. "It's a gweat game. To win, you eithew hit the basketball net on the opposing side, ow you eliminate all the playews on the other side, or you kick the ball into the soccer net. Except all these have Blockews."
"Blockers?"
"Goalies, in Muggle tewms. Childwen at the age of five might weveal the game to Muggles, so we made the game name 'Basodgecewball' instead of 'Quiddodge.' The Awmews are the ones that try to eliminate the other teams' citizens. The—what is it again—oh, yes—the Wetweatews are the expewt ones at dodging. The best one would be the one to play both Wetweatew and Awmew. And then a Kickew. That one's best at kicking into the soccew nets. Ten people on each side, two Kickews, one Blockew, one Weweatew+Awmew, ow Awtew, thwee Awmews, thwee Wetweatews."
"Sounds fun," Chase commented.
"A lot. So, Diagon Alley is for 11-17. We'we going to 5-10, Nogaid Alley, which is 'Diagon' backwawds."
"It sounds like 'No gaid', Chase said. "Except gaid ain't a word."
"Yeah. We'll stop at Diagon first, then Nogaid."
"So how much longer?"
"About 7 minutes. Three minutes 'till Diagon."
"Great. So how long is time in Hogwarts?"
"Muggle's a 60 seconds longer."
"Hmm." Chase counted on his fingers. "Okay. So right now it's 10:13 AM. In Muggle time, it would be 10:14?"
"You got it. Well, son, look, we'we neawing Diagon Alley!"
It was true. They saw a few stores. They were all kinds, some for wands, robes, a hotel, food...pretty much anything you could imagine. No, the other way around. Muggles had no knowledge of wands or magic.
The train stopped. A bunch of older children rushed past Chase and Barkali, some with parents, some with volunteers some with no one.
"So many people!" laughed Chase, as the train started moving again. They soon arrived at Nogaid Alley.
"Let's get our robes at 'Evercal's Everyday Robes'," Bakali said, heading towards the large store. Chase followed. They saw a small man with blue robes decorated with sapphires. He seemed to be very happy, and he was.
"Well! It's Schneider! What do you need?" the man—Evercal Zatco—said, smiling.
"Five robes, all black, a winter coat, gloves, and finally a wizard hat," Chase said proudly.
"Ah, here we go! What's your height?"
"Four feet 1," answered Chase.
"Really? Stand atop here." Zatco gestured to a thing that looked like a thermometer on top of a weight measuring machine. As soon as Chase stepped on it, the weight-look-alike-machine wrote on the wall with a wand-laser thingy:
Four feet 1/2, 3 mm
"Well, you'll need slightly longer robes," Zatco said, rummaging through his boxes as Chase gawked at the eraser that was magically erasing the words of the wooden wall. He tried on the robes, and they all fit.
"Perfect," Barkali said happily, as Chase tried on gloves, a hat, and a cloak. They all fit, and soon they were in "Wunderkinder Wugette Wands".
"A Chase, chap! What are, oh, Callum, you're finished?"
A boy with taffy brown hair, sky-blue eyes, and freckles nodded as he waved the green-with-white-feather-wand in his hand around. A spark of orange sparkles started to fly everywhere. "Yes, Mother is waiting outside," he said. The boy looked about seven or eight.
"Great!" Wugette, the owner of the store, said cheerfully.
Chase stared at Callum. "Hello," the boy said cautiously.
Callum stared too. " Mr. Barkali, who is this? I've seen him before."
"Chase Safor, Mw. Callum Ritso." Barkali smiled down at the new boy.
"Oh, it's you?!" gasped Callum. "Well, I've heard of you. Thanks for keeping Adventure Bay safe!"
"You're welcome," the startled Chase said. "Is this your first year, or..."
"It's my first! I'm half-and-half. You're, like, the first pure-blood in three years known in Junior Hogwarts! Oh my, I can't wait to tell Mother!"
"Uh...okay?" Chase said. "How old are you?"
"I'm seven, like you!"
"Oh, okay. Bye, Callum."
"Bye!" The boy ran out, squealing, "Mother! You will just never believe who I met! Chase Safor!"
Chase was quiet until he stopped in front of Terka's Thesaurus with a new brown-body-with-blue-feather wand, when Barkali asked,
"Chase, you've been quiet. What's the mattew?"
"It's just Callum. His hair..." His voice trailed off.
"What about it?"
"It's nothing, really." He stepped into the store. "It's just...it's brown."
"Well, yeah? It's a common haiw colouw." Barkali's brown eyebrow raised.
"I...guess." But Chase kept his face thoughtful as he picked up "The Standard Book of Spells: Junior Grade 1" by Miranda Goshawk, and stepped towards the "History" section. He grabbed the book entitled "A Magical History" by Shapri Preternatural.
"Where's 'All Magical Theories and Legends by Zyff Transfo?" He questioned Barkali.
"Would it be in the Legends aisle?" Barkali asked.
"Maybe." They marched toward the aisle and soon found it. Then they grabbed "A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration" by Emeric Changefur, then "One Thousand Magical Plants" by Cunsily Daffodil, then "Magical Drafts and Potions" by Arsenius Jigger, and then finally "Great Beasts and Their Biomes" by Afsul Forest, and "Dark Enemies: Helping You Find Self-Protection by Lapita Getawant.
"Perfect," Barkali said, paying. They soon found themselves in "Owlivia's Owls".
Chase walked by every cage. Every owl was hooting, every single one. He finally settled on a 2-year-old Barnowl. He was about 29 inches tall, and he seemed to like Chase very much. He hooted a dozen times as they departed, looking happy to be free. They finally arrived at the train.
"Goodbye, Barkali! See you September!" the happy lad cried, getting onto the train.
"Goodbye, Chase," Barkali responded, as the train left the station.
Chase sighed contentedly as the train started running again. He checked the map. Only three more stops until his.
A boy suddenly plopped down on the seat beside him.
"Callum?" Chase asked, surprised.
"Hey, Chase! Sick owl!" the brown-haired boy said cheerfully. "Let's get off at the next stop. The Chocolatier is open, and their candies are awesome! Open only to wizards and witches." He grinned. "My favourite's the Bang Bops. They're shaped like all types of wizard and witchy stuff, and they taste great! My least is the every flavour beans. Once, I got a stomachache one, and...that wasn't pretty. But I think tied up with it is Ricky's Switch. When you put them in your mouth, it becomes plastic or something..."
But as he continued to talk, Chase smiled. Callum was happy, and Chase liked him. He liked people who liked to engage conversation. They were always super friendly.
"Awesome. I'll try the Bang Bops."
"They're awesome," a boy said from behind them. "Who's this, cuz?"
"Are you kidding, Marshall? Don't you remember him from the news? Chase Safor!"
Marshall's eyes widened. "I thought he looked familiar! Nice to meet you, Chase. I'm Marshall Ritso, Callum's cousin."
Chase looked at their eyes. They were both sky blue. "Your eyes are the same colour. Man, it's as if only your blond and brown h-hair were different!"
"Well, I'm a year younger," Marshall said. "I'm six, he's seven. I heard you're seven too."
"Yeah, I am." Chase nodded.
"I wonder if I'll be in Hufflepuff, Slytherin, Gryffindor or Ravenclaw," Callum commented.
"I hope I'll be in Gryffindor. Mom and dad were there, and they say that they loved it there, and their coach was perfect for Quidditch." Chase smiled.
"Right, you're pure blood," said Marshall after a pause.
"What about you two?" Chase asked.
"Both me and Marshall are half. Our mothers are witches, our dads are Muggles."
"But they're great," Marshall added.
Chase nodded. "I can imagine. Did you get a cat or a toad or an owl?"
"I got a toad. He's way too happy to be free, so I keep him in my pocket." Callum patted his right pocket.
"I got none. My mom already has a tabby cat, and she's planning to give it to me."
"Awesome, you guys," Chase said. "I got an owl named Galdur, which is Icelandic for magic."
"Nice. My toad's name is Croaks. Seriously, he's loud!"
"My cat's name is Beetle, 'cause he's super nice."
"The train's stopping! Get your trunks!"
Chase hoisted his trunk with one arm, which was magically super light, and started walking as the train finally stopped. He followed Callum and Marshall into a street with dozens of stores. There was a particularly long line-up at a store labeled "The Chocolatier".
"Great, it's way too long," Callum grumbled.
"Hey," Chase said, winking. "My mom said chocolate helps injuries. And..."
Chase put a rock in front of him. He pretended to be walking toward the line. "You guys, follow me," he whispered, as he walked toward the stone. Then he got a red marker from his pocket. "Always comes in handy." He pretended to trip and fall. He screamed.
Marshall knew this was an act. But nobody seemed to be watching. So he yelled, "Oh my gosh, Chase, are you alright?!"
Chase shook his head. "I think...the sprain got worse," he said wearily.
"Hold on, I'll get you to the line pronto so you can get some chocolate," Callum said.
By then, everyone was watching.
"You okay?" a man asked.
"Are you fine, dear?" a woman asked.
Chase forced his lip to quiver. Finally, a man said,
"He needs some chocolate, and then he can head back to the train. Hogwarts?" He nodded at the trunks they were holding.
"Yes." Callum nodded.
"Everyone, make way, this boy must go in with his companions!" the man yelled. "He must get some sugar!"
Chase limped into the store and started scanning the aisles.
"Where's the Bang Bops?" he hissed to Callum.
"In the 'Best Candy' section," he whispered.
"How much time 'till the train departs?" Chase asked Marshall after he had picked up three bags.
Marshall, holding a huge bag of Chocolate Delish, answered, "About ten minutes. The train stops for half an hour on this stop because this is where most wizards and witches get off to buy stuff."
"I see. Let's pay." Chase hobbled over to the counter, pretending his knee was still not okay.
"The total is 23," the woman at the counter said after just one look at the candies. Marshall gave her a few silver coins and one gold coin.
"They're melted because sometimes the bars are too—Marshall, help me hold the Bang-Bops—big to pay," Chase informed them as they left. In his right hand were two bags of Bang Bops. In his other was his trunk.
"Cool," Callum said, putting a chocolate in his mouth. "C'mon, let's head to the train. They're leaving in eight minutes, and it's a two-minute walk from here." he sealed up the bag and started walking. Chase and Marshall followed. They soon found themselves at the train, and took their seats.
"These are great!" Chase exclaimed after a handful of Bang Bops.
"I know. These were actually created by accident," Marshall said.
"Really?"
"Yeah. So a wizard wanted to turn a clock into a chocolate, but he mispronounced a word. So he turned the clock into Bang Bops."
"It's true," Callum added. "I think it was added in 'The Standard Book of Spells: Junior Grade 1'."
"Awesome," Chase marvelled. "I'll check it out when I get home. My mom has a strict no reading in any vehicle rule."
"Mine too," Marshall muttered.
"Mine three," sighed Callum.
"Oh well. It's for our own good," Chase said.
"Great! Now you're sounding like our moms!" Marshall whined, then let out a little giggle. Callum chuckled too, followed by Chase.
"You're a pretty good joker," Chase said. "Oh, the train's starting!"
And it was. Soon there was a ring of a bell and the skid of the magical tires.
"This goes at just the right speed," moaned Chase sarcastically. The others saw he was a bit green. "But it could be a lot slower."
"Eat these," Callum said. He handed Chase a Bang Bop.
"That...does make me feel better." He sat straighter up and smiled.
"They have power against nausea." Callum held the bag of candy up triumphantly.
"How much time 'till we get there?" Marshall asked.
"About...just five minutes." Chase grinned, and the others did too.
It was the start of a new journey. A journey in a magical land.
A journey, also nicknamed...A Matter of Life and Death.
Unbeknownst to them.