Murphy!
Tom felt an inexplicable surge of nervousness, quickly stowing away his diary, making sure no smelly socks were in sight.
He had just tidied up his room when the door opened.
"Th-thank you for coming to pick me up…"
He mustered all his courage, almost closing his eyes as he forced the words out.
But there was no response from the other side. When he opened his eyes, he saw a pale-faced girl standing at the door.
"You…"
Tom's face instantly flushed with embarrassment.
The girl's face, however, turned even paler, "Sorry… ugh…"
...
Murphy gently patted Hermione's back, "Mrs. Colnan, do you have any motion sickness medicine?"
"Yes, yes." Mrs. Colnan hurriedly went to fetch medicine for Hermione.
"You're a wizard, aren't you? Why don't you use magic to cure her?!" Tom suddenly spoke up after Mrs. Colnan had left, his face still burning with feverish embarrassment. He was extremely resentful towards Murphy, thinking, what a ridiculous diary, get angry if you want, but I don't believe I can't go to a magic school without you! However, unexpectedly, Murphy didn't get angry, "Magic can cure her, but teleportation is something she'll need to get used to eventually. She'll be fine after throwing up a bit more."
With that, he stood up.
It was then that Tom realized how tall the professor was; he looked up at him as if he was looking up at a towering high.
Murphy extended his hand.
For a moment, Tom shrank back, but Murphy noticed and crouched down again. The hand that was originally going to pat his head ended up resting on his shoulder instead, "Young man, quite polite, aren't you?"
Pattting him on the shoulder, he added, "You have great potential. I have high hopes for you."
Tom was stunned.
For a moment, he couldn't describe how he felt.
He instinctively brushed off the hand on his shoulder, but somehow, he didn't feel like hurling any more insults.
Murphy didn't seem to mind, "Do you have any luggage? Pack up, and we'll head to Diagon Alley to get you some supplies before we leave."
"Also, say goodbye to your friends. You probably won't be coming back here."
"I... I don't really have any friends," Tom finally said.
"Oh," Murphy seemed unsurprised, "Normal, I didn't have many friends when I was young either."
"But some things, the process has to be completed, from start to finish. Just follow me."
After saying that, Murphy went to speak with Mrs. Colnan for a moment. She covered her mouth in shock after hearing his words.
She came over and hugged Tom tightly, "Oh, Lucas, thank you, child. I love you, and I'll miss you. I wish you happiness in your new school, dear."
Tom was confused. What was happening?
He looked at Murphy, who wore an inexplicable smile, even giving him an informal salute with two fingers.
What's going on?
He instinctively wanted to push Mrs. Colnan away, but she hugged him so tightly, he gave up after trying. Seeing Mrs. Colnan not letting go, he hesitated, then reluctantly patted her back lightly.
Unexpectedly, she hugged him even tighter.
"Mrs. Colnan…" Tom almost couldn't breathe.
Finally, the headmistress let him go, "Come on, Lucas, say goodbye to your friends."
"But, I don't have any friends…"
"What are you talking about, silly child."
Soon, the children from the orphanage gathered in the hall.
"In the past, I worried that saying goodbye to friends would make you sad, so I didn't let you properly say farewell. But that wasn't right. Now, Lucas is leaving us. Everyone, give him a hug and wish him well. I hope you all leave here with blessings, not regrets."
As Mrs. Colnan finished speaking, a girl suddenly ran over and hugged Tom, "Lucas! I thought you were ignoring us!"
What? Tom was still baffled.
Do we know each other?
"I thought you were mad at us…"
A few more boys and girls came forward, enveloping Tom in a group hug, "Goodbye, Lucas. Be happy! Don't forget us!"
"See ya, buddy!"
"Goodbye, Lucas, come back to visit us."
"You be happy, Lucas."
"Good luck, brother."
"Goodbye."
"Bye."
Countless hands patted Tom's back and shoulders, some touched his face, messed up his hair, some even lifted him up and spun him around, and a girl even kissed him.
"What is… this?"
Tom looked bewildered at the children, some crying, some laughing, unable to understand their expressions, but he didn't feel any malice from the pats and hugs.
It seemed like something warm was being transmitted through their words, tears, and hugs, filling his heart to the brim.
"Good… goodbye."
Finally, he said, the words seemingly jumping out of his mouth on their own.
"I'll remember you."
His gaze swept over those faces.
He wondered, why had he forgotten these people?
After a while, Tom walked out of the crowd. They left the hall, with the boys, girls, and Mrs. Colnan all waving at him.
Hermione Granger was already a crying mess.
Tom was surprised, "Why are you crying?"
Hermione's face was pale, gasping for air between sobs, "Aren't you crying too?"
"I am?" Tom was startled, wiping his eyes.
Indeed, they were wet.
"This… what is this?" Tom looked at the only adult nearby, hoping for an explanation.
"This…" Murphy smiled, suddenly opening his arms and hugging both children, "This is love, Tom."
"Love?"
Tom looked at his tear-stained hands, "Love is tears?"
"Exactly, my friend."
"Love is tears."
"Love is sadness."
"Love is parting."
"Love is what causes you pain."
"Only through heartache, only through endless turns and twists, only through tears and heartbreak, can it be proved that love once left its mark."
"However, my friend."
"Without pain, how can there be joy?"
"Without sadness, how can there be happiness?"
"Without parting, how can there be reunion?"
"Without tears, how can there be laughter?"
"They are two sides of the same coin, inseparable."
Saying this, Murphy gently tapped Tom's chest, "Those things in the tears, those things wrapped in sadness, parting, and pain, haven't you already received them?"
Tom touched his chest blankly.
He didn't understand Murphy's words yet, but he could vaguely feel that although it was the same pain and tears, they were different from the past.
They didn't contain that cold, terrifying emptiness. Instead, there was a warm, soft core.
Unknowingly, he cried even more.
"To know the joy of love, you must first understand the sorrow of love."
Tom, this is the first lesson I'm teaching you.
___________________
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