The cold was seeping in through the thick coat of 11-year-old Sirilak Kwong the moment she got out of their car, followed by her butler who was carrying her luggages and placing it onto the trolley to make the heavy lifting easier. Her pet Charsiu was on her heels, following her as she walked into King's Cross Station, directly onto the platform between 9 and 10. She glanced around, noticing many Muggles or non-wizarding folks shuffling and bustling about the busy train station, but her eyes caught sight of her own kind. Passing by her was a family of three; the parents were dressed in a peculiar combination of a loose maroon shirt and mustard-colored pants, moving briskly while the mother issued stern warnings to her daughter, who was grinning from ear to ear. They passed briefly but Sirilak smelled a Floral air with a hint of Cinnamon.
“I swear to God, if I received a howler the first week stating how you blew up the toilet. I’ll immediately have you fly home!”
“So mummy, is it okay if I do it the second week?”
Sirilak hides her smile. They appear to be a happy family, certainly a joyful one, despite the mother's scolding, as she heard the cheerful laughter of the kid's father before she saw them vanish into the brick walls of nine and three-quarters. She recalled her morning earlier at their sprawling Mayfair estate, where her mother only briefly bid her farewell before stiffly retreating into the study room, wherein she hadn’t seen her father for weeks now. He was so busy working as the head of the Ministry of Magic's Foreign Affairs that she thought her father might have already forgotten that he had a family waiting for him at home. But Sirilak is used to it; she grew up alone, although her parents made sure she received the best tutelage before entering the famous Wizarding School of Hogwarts.
She walked onto the platform, followed by her butler, and she observed the stark contrast between the Wizarding and Muggle worlds. From the modern machinery of high-speed trains and automobiles, she saw the steam rising from the scarlet locomotive of the Hogwarts Express, which transports students to and from Hogwarts. She sees, amidst the fog, the students bidding farewell to their parents, a cacophony of last-minute reminders, newspaper vendors selling the Daily Prophet, a wizarding newspaper based in London that serves as a primary source of news for British and Irish wizards, typically delivered by owls, and countless food trolleys offering an assortment of sweets ranging from Chocolate Frogs, Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans, Honeyduke treats, and even Fudge Flies.
"Ice mice! Ice mice! It’ll surely clean your teeth, lad," a lanky vendor tried to persuade her, but Sirilak shook her head. Her mother always pursed her lips and looked at her disapprovingly whenever she was near any sweet confectionary.
Although she occasionally visits foreign lands with her parents, this is the first time she is alone without a butler to assist her. As she stops near the entrance of the train, she begins to feel something foreign; she feels a cold sweat and an unfamiliar trembling in her fingertips.
"We're here, Mademoiselle Kwong. I wish you a great term at school." Her butler stated after he deposited her luggage at the entrance.
Ling gently kneeled down to her Golden Retriever and ruffled Charsiu's fur, "Be a good boy at home, i'll be back before you knew it." She whispered, silently wishing that the Wizarding school allowed not just owls and toads but dogs as well.
"Thank you, Mr. Cronks." She stated, and her butler nodded, smiling encouragingly at her before she watched her butler's retreating figure along with her pet. Now, she is all alone. She thought that there was no point in lingering any longer, so she decided to hop on the train and look for a place to sit.
