Тейлор Поттер и философский виал / Taylor Potter and the Philosophical Vial: Глава 2. Вормвартс - экспресс

Chapter 2. Wormwarts Express
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Camrad_RIP 09.01.26 в 20:55

September 1, 2022

Camrad_RIP 09.01.26 в 20:56

Grand Central Station in New York was still as central, noisy, and chaotic as ever, but this time, unlike last year, Taylor knew what to do. Not to mention, she arrived at the station accompanied by Lisa Granger and the entire Weasley family — five of Sarah's children were going to Wormwarts this year.

Camrad_RIP 09.01.26 в 20:56

Having habitually activated her ticket key, Taylor stepped inside the "column," which was actually a passage to the hidden platform 9 3/4. Now the system would recognize her, and she would step into the wonder...

Camrad_RIP 09.01.26 в 20:57

"Authorization failed," came an unpleasant mechanical voice. "Intruder!"

Camrad_RIP 09.01.26 в 20:57

"Wait!" Taylor cried, but it was too late.

Camrad_RIP 10.01.26 в 12:33

Nozzles emerged from the walls, and a stream of yellow-white mixture poured out. It immediately began to swell rapidly, quickly engulfing Taylor. The last thing Potter saw before the foam engulfed her was an ugly face on the screen and the words // "Don't go anywhere!"

Camrad_RIP 10.01.26 в 12:51

*
"There's a system glitch," Lisa said, wiping Taylor's face with a damp cloth.

Camrad_RIP 10.01.26 в 12:52

The napkin was soaked not in just anything, but in a foam solvent that has an unpleasant, pungent smell and a vomit-green color.

Camrad_RIP 10.01.26 в 12:52

"You're saying the same face appeared on your tablet and then the Dursleys' house went crazy?"

Camrad_RIP 10.01.26 в 12:52

Taylor just nodded and sighed, realizing that now, after being scrubbed with foam remover, she looked like a pathetic, wet, and plucked chicken. Not to mention that she was dripping all over the seats in her compartment, and that the train had been delayed because of her! Furthermore, everyone had to disembark and wait while the Wormwarts Express' systems were rechecked.

Camrad_RIP 10.01.26 в 13:05

"My tablet's glitching up too!" Amy noted.

Camrad_RIP 10.01.26 в 13:05

“That’s because it’s already ten years old, and you also hit it against a column,” Lisa immediately answered.

Camrad_RIP 10.01.26 в 13:18

Amy's freckled face flushed, which, combined with her chestnut-red hair, made it look as if someone had set her head on fire. The system had locked Taylor in the column, but Amy, unaware of this, tried to get inside. She tried very persistently, even asking Victoria for help, and ended up hitting the tablet much harder than usual. The designers of the school models, of course, took into account that the users would be young superpowered individuals, but the tablet was not completely indestructible.

Camrad_RIP 10.01.26 в 13:24

"This is all very strange," Amy muttered, looking away. "We should ask Professor Lockhart to figure out what's going on."

Camrad_RIP 10.01.26 в 13:19

"He's a professor, of course, but remember what his subject is called?" Lisa squinted.

Camrad_RIP 10.01.26 в 13:20

"DPTS: Defense and Protection, Tactics, and Strategy," Amy replied.
T.N. There are problems with the reverse translation of acronyms.

Camrad_RIP 10.01.26 в 17:52

"There! If we just defend ourselves, we won't catch the attacker!" Lisa said thoughtfully, raising her index finger with the napkin to the ceiling. "We need to set a trap and catch him... although now that probably doesn't make sense anymore."

Camrad_RIP 10.01.26 в 17:52

"Why?" Taylor was surprised.

Camrad_RIP 10.01.26 в 13:24

There were three of them in the compartment, and they could speak without embarrassment. Yet. Until Victoria came, and until anyone else came to express their displeasure with Taylor. As they boarded, she caught several displeased glances and even more displeased gestures directed at her back.

Camrad_RIP 10.01.26 в 13:37

"Why do you think, with teleporters, Tinker devices, and capes that can fly, students travel to Wormwarts and other schools by train?"

Camrad_RIP 10.01.26 в 13:39

“I don’t know,” Taylor replied, looking at Amy hopefully.

Camrad_RIP 10.01.26 в 13:39

"They didn't tell me," she sighed, "but you could ask Carol. Or Eric. Or Crystal."

Camrad_RIP 10.01.26 в 17:56

Carol Weasley was a sixth year and a Prefect, and Eric and Crystal seemed to know everything about Wormwarts, despite being only two years older than Amy.

Camrad_RIP 10.01.26 в 14:51

"Or me," Lisa grinned, hugging Taylor and wiping her ear with a napkin. "So, schools of caping and parahumanism all over the world are autonomous structures, with their own AIs keeping order. While we're riding on the train — a special Tinker train, mind you — we're scanned for viruses, bombs, and foreign influences, our luggage is X-rayed and dissected to make sure we don't bring anything harmful into Wormwarts. Not counting us, of course, because young capes are the most destructive creatures in this part of the universe, as Amy's tablet can confirm!"

Camrad_RIP 10.01.26 в 17:57

"There's just a crack in the screen and a little glitch in the programs!" Amy pouted, drawing her head into her shoulders and tucking her hands under her armpits.

Camrad_RIP 10.01.26 в 14:51

"Okay, okay, don't be offended," Lisa moved over and hugged Amy.

Camrad_RIP 10.01.26 в 17:57

"How touching," came a mocking voice.

Camrad_RIP 10.01.26 в 14:52

Taylor turned her head and sighed. Of course, how could she have done without Max Malfoy and his companions, the twins Jessica and Nessa?

Camrad_RIP 10.01.26 в 14:52

"Potter," Max muttered, "you look exactly as you'll look all year: pathetic and miserable."

Camrad_RIP 10.01.26 в 14:53

"What are you talking about?" Taylor frowned.

Camrad_RIP 10.01.26 в 14:53

"He joined the Eidolorin Quidditch team and is confident he'll win all year," said Lisa, who was studying Malfoy closely. "Because he considers himself the best Tactician in the world."

Camrad_RIP 10.01.26 в 18:02

"He doesn't think so, but that's how it is," Max chuckled, "but how could a first-generation cape understand that? Keep hugging that broken Weasley, that's where you belong!"

Camrad_RIP 10.01.26 в 18:02

Amy, blushing again, tried to get up, but Lisa gently but insistently held her back and shook her head.

Camrad_RIP 10.01.26 в 14:53

"Yeah, listen to your cowardly friend and know your place!" Malfoy burst out laughing, then left.

Camrad_RIP 10.01.26 в 14:54

When the door closed behind him, Amy pushed Lisa away and screamed.

Camrad_RIP 10.01.26 в 18:03

"What's wrong with you?"

Camrad_RIP 10.01.26 в 18:03

"He was clearly provoking a fight," Taylor interjected, "and Lisa did the right thing. If your enemy provokes you, you can't rush into battle!"

Camrad_RIP 10.01.26 в 14:54

"Those are Quirrell's words," Amy frowned.

Camrad_RIP 10.01.26 в 14:54

"Just because they were said by a mega-villain with a Dark Cape in his head didn't make the words false."

Camrad_RIP 10.01.26 в 15:23

"And he's still wrong!" Amy turned away, offended.

Camrad_RIP 10.01.26 в 18:05

Lisa scratched her nose and offered a conciliatory tone.

Camrad_RIP 10.01.26 в 18:05

"Taylor, you need to change, and then let's eat. And let's not talk about what happened, let's talk about summer... no, about Wormwarts and your upcoming studies! By the way, Taylor, do you have your bandage?"

Camrad_RIP 10.01.26 в 18:05

"Of course," Taylor, who was getting a change of clothes from her suitcase, froze and turned around. "Did something happen?"

Camrad_RIP 10.01.26 в 18:06

The bandage made by Dragon, inherited from her deceased parents, made Taylor invisible to all devices, and no wonder Potter was wary after her friend's words. Granger was a Thinker, after all.

Camrad_RIP 10.01.26 в 18:09

"Wormwarts is autonomous," Lisa slowly bowed her head, "but outside of it, it’s better to keep the bandage on you."

Camrad_RIP 10.01.26 в 18:11

"You think that will keep the equipment from breaking down?" Taylor realized.

Camrad_RIP 10.01.26 в 18:11

"These are just guesses," Lisa clasped her hands together and tapped her fingertips together. "That's enough about that. Amy, don't sulk. We need to figure out what's wrong with Malfoy, and then, of course, take vicious revenge within the school rules. Break into the Eidolon premises, for example, and do something wrong there."

Camrad_RIP 10.01.26 в 18:12

"Will it work?" Amy perked up.

Camrad_RIP 10.01.26 в 18:12

"I'm Thinker, you're a biology expert, and Taylor has an invisibility bandage," Lisa grinned triumphantly. "I think together we can figure something out."

Camrad_RIP 10.01.26 в 18:13