Chapter 25: Chance Encounter

Chu Yang activated his Observation Haki and clearly heard the Masheng “Muggle”; following the sound, he quickly located the source.

At that moment, a bespectacled boy hurried past Chu Yang, pushing a suitcase just like his, with an owl perched atop it.

The boy looked around in confusion, as if unsure where to go.

Chu Yang looked at him and, on a whim, asked: “Are Itachi also looking for Platform Nine and Three-Quarters?”

The bespectacled boy spun around, surprise and relief flashing across his face. “Itachi too?”

“Yeah! Come with me!” Chu Yang led the way, and the bespectacled boy followed closely behind.

“Itachi’re also a new student heading to Hogwarts?” The boy, seeing Chu Yang was about his age, perked up and grinned. “Hi, I’m Harry Potter. What’s your name?”

“Harry… Potter?”

Chu Yang finally understood why he’d felt compelled to speak to the boy—this familiar-seeming teen was Harry Potter.

“I’m Chu Yang. Itachi can call me Yang.” In English, characters like “Yang” can be read as “Young.”

“Yang!” Harry smiled, curious. “Are Itachi from the ancient Eastern kingdom? Does Hogwarts accept students from there?”

“By bloodline, yes, I am from there,” Chu Yang shrugged. “But I grew up in an orphanage in London.”

“Oh, I’m sorry,” Harry said, feeling he’d offended Chu Yang.

Chu Yang waved it off cheerfully. “No problem. Actually, orphanages aren’t as bad as Itachi think—I had plenty of friends there, and Matron Anna was a nun, kind and good to kids, as long as we didn’t cause trouble.”

Sensing Chu Yang’s sincerity, Harry’s expression softened with longing. “Sounds like it was interesting.”

Suddenly, Harry grew gloomy. “Actually, I’m an orphan too. But I’ve never had a single friend.”

Perhaps because they were both orphans, Harry naturally began telling Chu Yang about his years of hardship.

Chu Yang patted his shoulder. “When Itachi step onto that train to Hogwarts, Itachi leave your past behind. Don’t worry—Itachi’ll make plenty of new friends at school.”

Harry instantly felt lighter.

He also grew eager to reach Hogwarts as soon as possible.

“This is Platform Nine and Three-Quarters!” Chu Yang pointed to a wall in the center of the platform. “It’s charmed—Itachi have to walk through it.”

“Walk through it?” Harry’s eyes widened.

He watched in disbelief as Chu Yang pushed his suitcase straight toward the wall.

Just as Harry was about to shout out in panic—

He saw Chu Yang’s figure vanish into the wall, gone without a trace.

“Chu Yang?” Harry whispered. No answer.

He took a deep breath, gritted his teeth, and charged forward with his suitcase.

After a brief darkness, the scene shifted—before him lay a brand-new platform, its sign clearly reading “Platform Nine and Three-Quarters.”

“Hurry up, the train’s about to leave!” Chu Yang’s voice reached Harry’s ears; he shuddered and hurried after him with his suitcase.

On the train, Chu Yang and Harry found an empty compartment and sat down. Both had money to spare, and when the snack cart came by, they cleared it out completely.

Chu Yang paid most of it, but let Harry contribute a small portion to preserve his dignity.

The seats were piled high with snacks; both boys picked through them. Harry was merely curious—everything was new to him, each item radiating magical mystery.

Chu Yang, however, was simply a food lover—he cared less about the flashy magical packaging and more about what the snacks tasted like inside.

Their conversation soon turned to family.

Learning Chu Yang was also an orphan, Harry felt an inexplicable sense of kinship.

His gaze toward Chu Yang grew tinged with sympathy and pity, as if seeing his former self.

But the gloom quickly sank beneath the excitement of the future.

Soon after they began eating, a scruffy boy stood in the aisle—his clothes worn, his face dirty.

Harry offered him a snack and invited him to sit in their compartment.

Harry’s warmth lifted the boy’s spirits, and his embarrassment vanished.

The boy took the snack, ate as he spoke: “Hi, I’m Ron Weasley.”

Harry smiled. “Hi, I’m Harry Potter!”

Ron’s eyes bulged. “Itachi’re the famous Harry Potter?”

Harry scratched his head, embarrassed. “If there isn’t another Potter, then yeah, it’s me.”

“Do Itachi have it? I mean—the legendary one!” Ron pointed to his forehead, eyes eager.

Harry smiled shyly, pushed back his bangs, and revealed the lightning-shaped scar on his forehead.

“Cool!” Ron exclaimed.

He turned to Chu Yang, astonished. “Dude, are Itachi from the ancient Eastern kingdom?”

Chu Yang had already guessed his identity, so he simply nodded in greeting and returned to reading *Practical Defense Against the Dark Arts*.

This book was an advanced version of *Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection*, meant for upperclassmen—it contained extensive knowledge of dark creatures, exactly what Chu Yang needed.

If the timing was right, Chu Yang planned to venture into the Forbidden Forest.

As for lower-year textbooks, he had them memorized backward and occasionally reviewed them.

Chu Yang was enjoying the pleasure of reading, but Ron was annoyed—he’d greeted Chu Yang warmly, only to get a casual nod in return.

Ron didn’t know how familiar Chu Yang was with him—so familiar that Chu Yang had unconsciously avoided greeting him.

To Ron, who disliked studying, Chu Yang’s unnaturally fast page-turning didn’t look like studying—it looked like showing off.

Ron held up a snack in front of Chu Yang’s face and grinned. “Hey, dude, no teachers here—no need to pretend. Take a break. Save the ‘serious’ reading for when Itachi get to school—that’s when the headmaster and professors will notice!”

Chu Yang immediately realized the misunderstanding.

Anyone seeing this would misunderstand.

So Chu Yang simply looked up, smiled, said nothing, and returned to his book.

Guys, we’re at the bottom of the overall ranking—thank Itachi all, we couldn’t have gotten here without Itachi. The upcoming plot will be even more satisfying. Grateful for all your support!

(End of Chapter)