This was the first time Sean had seen the so-called Chocolate Frog Cards, and of course, it was also the first time for the young wizards in Compartment Two.
Naturally, the conversation once again revolved around the cards.
"Wow! Derwent Shimpling!"
"Do you know him?"
"I don't, but I feel a deep admiration for what he did."
Hermione raised her eyebrows and took the card from Justin.
"Derwent Shimpling, Famous for betting he could eat a whole Venomous Tentacula and surviving, though he remained permanently purple." When Hermione finished reading, she turned her head and glared at Justin.
"Idiot."
"Alright, you're right." Justin didn't argue at all. Their attention turned to Hermione's card.
"Godric Gryffindor," Hermione lifted her chin, a wide smile gracing her lips, "One of the founders of Hogwarts. One of the houses is named after him."
"That's brilliant. I read about him in 'Hogwarts: A History'. The book said he even left a sword somewhere in Hogwarts." Justin's praise was sincere. Hermione squinted her eyes, clearly pleased.
While they were talking, the train had long since left London behind. They were now speeding past meadows dotted with cows and sheep.
The two fell silent for a moment, watching the vast grasslands and rolling hills flash by. Occasionally, they could see people riding magnificent horses, dressed in white riding gear, looking like white flowers from a painting.
"I say, he's really quiet." Hermione didn't mention a name, but Justin knew exactly who she meant.
"Not necessarily." Justin laughed. He had dimples on his face, which looked particularly heartwarming. "Sean, please help me out with this Pumpkin Pastie. Do me a favor."
A moment later, a slightly slender hand flashed out and took it.
"Thank you."
A few seconds later, the voice came from behind the incredibly thick, brownish book.
The dimples on Justin's face deepened.
"My mother told me that people who are truly capable are often very quiet.
Even if a mountain fell in front of them, it wouldn't scare them. However, they often aren't very lucky..." Justin's gaze fell on Sean's pilled jacket and his focused expression, his words carrying a certain meaning. "Mother said I always need friends like that. Her advice helped me find my friends at Summerfield School. It proved she was right. I think we'll be friends for life. We promised each other that even in different schools, we wouldn't lose touch. Oh, if you're interested, I'd be happy to share our letters with you."
As he spoke, Justin opened his trunk.
Aside from the items on the school list, the most eye-catching thing was the stack of neatly folded letters.
Scattered beside the letters were various photos, seemingly of Justin and his friends.
Just as Hermione was looking on with some surprise, a voice on the verge of tears suddenly sounded:
"Trevor! Where are you!"
A round-faced boy squeezed into the compartment, asking timidly, "Excuse me, have you seen my toad?"
By now, the train had covered about two-thirds of its journey.
Sean's concentration was finally broken by the train's warm, dim lighting.
He rubbed his eyes. The compartment was empty except for him.
Noting the darkening sky outside, he prepared to go change into his robes.
But as he closed *One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi*, he found a note inside.
It read:
[Sean, we've gone to help a young wizard named Neville find his toad. If you want to join, you can find us in the corridors.]
Sean thought for a moment, then wrote a few words on the back of the note:
[The train will be arriving soon. Remember to change into your robes.]
After writing, Sean picked up his school robes and opened the compartment door.
The corridor was extremely noisy, much louder than before. Perhaps the young wizards had all gotten to know each other, so their discussions were much more animated.
As Sean passed one compartment, he happened to hear an argument inside.
"Sunshine, daisies, butter mellow, Turn this stupid, fat rat yellow." It was a young boy's voice.
"Are you sure that's a real spell?" asked a girl's voice. "Well, it's not very good, is it? I've tried a few simple spells just for practice, and they've all worked. For example, look at this— Reparo!"
Sean roughly understood what was happening. He was just about to walk past when he saw a boy with platinum-blond hair stride up and open the compartment door, followed by two other boys who looked like bodyguards.
Sean knew exactly what was coming without even thinking.
Sure enough, a moment later, a sneering voice rang out:
"If I were you, Potter, I'd be very careful. You ought to be more polite; otherwise, you might end up going the same way as your parents. They didn't know what was good for them either. If you hang around with riff-raff like the Weasleys and that Hagrid, it'll rub off on you."
'What a vicious tongue,' Sean thought to himself, continuing on to the changing room without looking back.
In that tense compartment, a loud shout soon followed. Sean could guess it was probably Scabbers biting Goyle, helping Harry out of the situation.
If he remembered correctly, was this the only time Peter Pettigrew ever helped Harry?
By the time Compartment Two was filled with young wizards again, the train's rumbling had reached its peak. The scarlet steam engine slowly decelerated.
Outside the window, beneath a dark purple sky, only a stretch of mountains and forests was visible.
Hermione and Justin couldn't contain their excitement.
The three of them disembarked the Hogwarts Express one after another, arriving at a dark, small platform.
In the distance, they could see a giant holding a lantern. At first glance, he looked like a man-eating monster from a fairy tale.
The night's chill at night, but this time, Sean didn't shiver. The clothes he wore were no longer those donated, hole-ridden, pilled garments, but the plain Hogwarts robes and inner linnings.
They were warm.
Following Hagrid through the woods, when they saw Hogwarts Castle, all the young wizards let out a loud: "Wooooow—"
Justin's voice was the loudest, earning him frequent glares from Hermione.
"Forgive me, Hermione. Eton College wasn't easy to give up, but my decision wasn't wrong. Look at this castle, those floating candles, and the moving portraits... If my mother could see this—I mean to say, she would be proud of me."
Riding small boats across the Black Lake, entering the boat house, and climbing the cliff-side stairs, the young wizards stopped at the entrance to the Great Hall. Then, they listened to Professor McGonagall's explanation about the Sorting.