The darkness receded like a curtain being drawn back, and consciousness flooded into Jerry's body once more.
When he opened his eyes, he was no longer in his Queens home in New York but standing in the familiar surroundings of Edward Orphanage in London. The transition had been seamless, depositing him exactly where he needed to be in this parallel magical reality.
Taking a deep breath to center himself, Jerry reached for the large suitcase he had packed before his departure. He placed it carefully on a nearby cart, scooped up Crookshanks, his feline companion in this world, and began pushing toward the orphanage gates.
Following Professor McGonagall's instructions from his previous visit a month ago, the director of Edward Orphanage was already waiting for him at the entrance, ready to drive him to the station.
Not everyone could easily accept the existence of wizards. Many ordinary people, especially the older generation, harboured a mixture of fear and awe when confronted with the reality of magic in the world. The orphanage director was no exception.
During the journey to King's Cross Station in London, the director maintained an almost complete silence, his demeanour careful and restrained. Jerry didn't attempt conversation, seeing little purpose in it. The unease was palpable, and small talk would only increase the tension.
The town of Winton lay a considerable distance from King's Cross. After more than two hours of driving, they finally reached the station entrance shortly before ten o'clock.
After helping Jerry unload his suitcase, the director hurriedly said, "Be careful," before promptly driving away. Jerry suspected the man would avoid King's Cross Station in the future if possible. The idea of a platform specially designated for wizards clearly unnerved him.
The ticket indicated an eleven o'clock departure.
Jerry preferred doing everything with time to spare. Being seated on the train well in advance was far better than risking a missed departure due to unforeseen circumstances.
With Professor McGonagall's ticket in hand, he entered the station smoothly and followed the signs until he located the dividing wall between platforms nine and ten.
"The legendary Platform Nine and Three-Quarters," he murmured, studying the seemingly solid barrier.
He observed that passing commuters unconsciously avoided the wall, confirming he'd found the right spot. Pushing his cart forward, Jerry didn't charge at the barrier as he'd seen in the movies. Instead, he adopted a curious expression and strolled toward it.
Why rush and risk collision? he thought. If I'm wrong, I'll hit a solid brick. If I'm right, I should be able to pass through just as easily at a walking pace. Besides, this way I can actually experience the sensation of passing through a solid wall.
As the cart made contact with the barrier, there was no resistance, just like moving through air. Both cart and boy slipped effortlessly into the wall.
"Is this space magic, or merely an illusion?" Jerry wondered as he and Crookshanks emerged on the other side.
He recalled his previous experience teleporting with Professor McGonagall, which hadn't included the spatial compression he'd expected. Yet this didn't quite feel like a simple illusion either. Shaking his head, he acknowledged that having only recently been introduced to magic, such profound questions were beyond his current understanding.
Beyond the wall stood a five-meter wrought iron archway with "Platform Nine and Three-Quarters" engraved above it. As Jerry continued forward, the magical platform revealed itself in its full glory.
The first sight to greet him was a magnificent, dark red steam locomotive. A large sign on its side proclaimed: "Hogwarts Express, 11:00!" The platform beside the train teemed with robed wizards and a menagerie of magical pets.
Threading his way through the crowd, amid a chorus of farewells and parental admonitions, Jerry quickly located a relatively empty carriage. Having arrived early, he had his pick of vacant compartments.
He selected an empty compartment, settled in, and activated his "Refreshing and Rejuvenating" function. Then he retrieved "Magical Drafts and Potions" from his trunk and began to read.
During the past month, Jerry had focused primarily on magical theory and spells to handle the crisis with the four armed robbers. Now, with that situation resolved, he needed to preview his other textbooks before classes began.
In the magical world of Harry Potter, beyond the fascinating spells, Jerry considered potions among the most practical skills. The Polyjuice Potion that could transform one's appearance entirely. Veritaserum, which compelled truth from its consumer. Amortentia is the most powerful love potion in existence. Felix Felicis, which bestowed extraordinary luck upon the drinker.
These would all prove immensely valuable if he could bring them back to the Marvel universe.
Moreover, exceptional potions commanded high prices. Becoming a Potions Master virtually guaranteed financial security in the wizarding world. One need only compare the impoverished Lupin with the relatively affluent Snape to understand the economic advantage of mastering this art.
In terms of magical ability, Lupin and Snape were comparable, both formidable wizards in their own right. As for background, Lupin's father had worked at the Ministry of Magic, while Snape's father had been a Muggle, an alcoholic with a violent temper prone to domestic abuse. Yet their financial circumstances differed dramatically, largely due to Snape's potion-making prowess.
As time passed, young wizards gradually filled the train's carriages.
After studying "Magical Drafts and Potions" for half an hour, Jerry deactivated the "Refreshing and Rejuvenating" function, stowed his textbook, and leaned back in his seat, closing his eyes to rest.
The cognitive enhancement placed considerable strain on his brain. He typically used the function for just thirty minutes to prevent himself from falling into a deep, vulnerable sleep, followed by one to two hours of recovery before reactivation.
This method wasn't the most efficient, but it was the safest approach.
The most efficient strategy would have been to alternate: thirty minutes with the function active, followed by thirty minutes of deep sleep, and repeat. However, deep sleep left him completely defenceless. Furthermore, his Little Red Star reserve wasn't inexhaustible.
Twelve hours of continuous use would consume 720 stars at one star per minute. With just over 6,000 stars total, and needing to set aside roughly 100 per day for his time in the Harry Potter world, he couldn't afford such extravagance.
More importantly, even with the cognitive enhancement active, self-study was inherently inefficient compared to proper instruction.
His plan, therefore, was to conserve his stars to maximize his time in this world, activating the enhancement only during critical learning moments when memory and comprehension needed boosting.
Each departure from this world triggered a one-month cooling-off period before he could return. His strategy was to absorb as much magical knowledge as possible while here, store it in his memory, and then use the cooling-off period in the real world to earn more Little Red Stars.
When he had accumulated enough, he could reenter the magical world and continue his education, using "Refreshing and Rejuvenating" selectively to consolidate and deepen his understanding.