"I think you might need some help, Elena."
As the silver-haired girl struggled once again, about to seek the conductor's aid, a boy's voice came from beside her.
Elena turned to see a tall, red-haired boy with glasses who had appeared by her side, pushing a cart similar to hers.
"Who are you?" The girl furrowed her brow slightly, not recalling having met this boy before.
"Don't be alarmed. I'm Percy, Percy Weasley, Gryffindor prefect. Mum specifically instructed us to find you first, help you with your luggage and seat." Percy kindly smiled, indicating the shining letter 'P' on his chest.
The boy extended his hand to lift the girl's large black trunk... but it didn't budge.
Percy frowned slightly, waving to someone behind him and calling out loudly, "Hey, Fred, George, I found the girl! Come help!"
Wait, if the boy in front of her was Percy Weasley, then the George and Fred he mentioned...
Hearing Percy's words, Elena suddenly turned and saw a pair of twin brothers pushing a trolley coming from a distance, the only mischievous twins in Hogwarts history who could make Peeves bow?
For no apparent reason, the girl recalled a poignant scene from a fan fiction titled "The Resurgence of Hogwarts," set twenty years after Harry Potter defeated Voldemort in her previous life.
In that world, George could no longer cast the Patronus Charm—summoning one's Patronus required recalling one's happiest memory. And George's happiest memories were all intertwined with Fred. Fred's death was like the collapse of George's world; all the joyful memories connected to Fred were steeped in despair.
"Hey, hello, I'm George, George Weasley."
Before Elena could think too much, one of the red-headed twins spoke first, reaching out his hand to greet her.
"Huh? I'm Elena, Elena Kaslana..."
Elena regained her composure, nodded, about to respond when the other twin lightly nudged his brother's shoulder, shaking his head with a laugh.
"Oh, Fred, although I don't mind you promoting me in front of girls, could you not steal my lines during our first introduction?"
"I say, George, I'm just creating opportunities for you. Don't be jealous when I win Angelina. Besides, you don't think she'll figure out who's who next time, do you?"
"George Weasley," also known as Fred, rubbed his arm, slinging it around the real George's shoulder, grinning mischievously.
"Well, there might be some truth to that."
George blinked, nodded solemnly, cleared his throat, and extended his hand to introduce himself to Elena.
"Hello, I'm Fred now, Fred Weasley. Though next time, you might mistake me for George."
"..."
Elena glanced at the two pranksters before her, thinking for years, Mrs. Weasley hadn't knocked these two into shape, probably because they were her own.
"Alright, you two! Look a bit more like senior students in front of newbies."
Percy Weasley, standing nearby, frowned, tapped the black trunk impatiently, interrupting, "Less chatter, and hurry to lend a hand. Mum and Ginny are waiting."
"Alright, prefect, are you going to dock points from us?"
"Hush, show some respect. You might be the head of the male students' union next year."
The twins exchanged glances, teasing verbally while quickly releasing their trolley handles and stepping forward to help Percy lift Elena's heavy trunk.
With the assistance of the Weasley brothers, Elena finally pushed her two large boxes into the corner of the compartment.
"Thank you. But why would Mrs. Weasley, I mean, let you help me?"
Rubbing her wrist, Elena asked, puzzled.
The three Weasley boys glanced at each other. Fred raised his hand, poked Percy in front, and said in a low voice, "Prefect, it's your turn to explain."
"Um." Percy Weasley pondered for a moment, looked into the girl's eyes, and earnestly replied, "Elena, you have a father who loves you dearly."
Benedictus?
"That foolish old dad, I told him to go back himself."
Elena softened her gaze, her voice tinged with complexity, murmuring softly.
She raised her head, glanced at the three panting boys, thanked them again earnestly.
"Thank you."
Though unsure of what exactly transpired, she could guess—most likely, Benedictus bumped into the Weasleys at the entrance to the platform.
"Fred? George? Percy? Are you on the train?"
Just then, a woman's voice rang from outside the compartment.
"George and Fred are with me, Mum. We're coming down."
Percy loudly replied, gesturing towards Elena, saying nothing more, directly ushering the other two brothers to jump off.
Elena sat by the window, observing the red-haired family chatting on the platform. She opened her suitcase and wrote on a piece of paper:
"Dear foolish Dad, I'm on the train. The Weasleys are good. Don't worry, don't miss me."
After finishing the note, Elena handed it to Provisions, gently tapping the owl's beak, stepped off the train, found a secluded spot, and released the owl to deliver the message to Benedictus.
Having completed this, Elena turned, heading towards the direction of the red-haired family, intending to thank Mrs. Weasley in person for her assistance.
Toot—
A train whistle sounded from the platform.
"Hurry!"
Mrs. Weasley hugged her children quickly, then ushered each one onto the train.
The four Weasley boys leaned out of the window, bidding farewell to their mother, while their little sister seemed to start crying again.
"..."
Elena raised her hand, took a step forward, her lake-blue eyes full of envy. Slowly lowering her hand, she turned and boarded the train as well.
With the Hogwarts Express swaying, memories of the magical world she had seen in movies in her past life flashed rapidly in Elena's mind, finally settling on the ever-extending iron tracks.
Life was full of possibilities, wasn't it?
Self-mockingly shaking her head, Elena knew she couldn't refuse this dream.
Just like the words carved at the base of Fred Weasley's statue: "We only started distinguishing him from his brother George Weasley after he passed away, but how we wish we never had to distinguish them."
If another magical world had turned into reality through cruel sacrifice...
Then what Elena wanted to do was turn everyone but herself back into a fairy tale.
All those unfulfilled goals, all those past regrets, she would make them all start over.
Amidst the prolonged whistle, all the stories returned to the first year of the fairy tale.
...
With beautiful visions of the future in mind, Elena returned to her compartment, closing the door. Opening her trunk, she prepared to change into her Hogwarts uniform.
Clatter, the compartment's sliding door opened.
Outside stood a thin-faced, black-haired boy with a pair of emerald eyes behind glasses, somewhat awkwardly saying, "Sorry, the compartments ahead are all occupied, can I..."
"No."
"But..."
The boy's expression faltered, surveying the empty compartment, his tone weakening.
"Out."
One hand holding her dress, the other pointing outside, Elena raised an eyebrow, expressionless, addressing the "Savior classmate."
"Didn't you see a lady changing clothes here?"
Alright, on the first day of the fairy tale story, her first goal was not to strike the protagonist from the original work.
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