The Hogwarts Express departed at eleven o'clock. Tom arrived early, so when he boarded, there weren't many students on the train yet.
Even so, he headed straight for the last few carriages, so that when more students boarded later, they wouldn't constantly be passing his compartment and disturbing him.
Reaching the second-to-last carriage, Tom casually chose an empty compartment, stowed his luggage on the rack, and took out a copy of A Thousand Clever Responses to Magic, settling down to read.
Andros's voice sounded in his mind.
"So the Hogwarts Express is hidden right inside a Muggle train station? Aren't they afraid of being discovered?"
Tom smiled. "This is probably the largest recorded use of Muggle-Repelling Charms in wizarding history. Every year, the Ministry sends people to renew them. I imagine the Repelling Charm has become the spell every Ministry employee is best at."
"We didn't even have such a department in my era," Andros sighed. "It's much more convenient now—and more importantly, it can restrain those black wizards who commit evil without restraint."
"Restraining dark wizards is also a form of self-preservation," Tom said, pointing out the core issue. "Modern Muggles aren't comparable to those of the past. If the wizarding world were exposed, most wizards wouldn't end well."
Andros fell silent.
He didn't discriminate against Muggles, but like many wizards—perhaps even more so—he possessed a certain innate arrogance. After all, he had been the strongest of an entire era.
Back then, Andros could never have imagined that the Muggles who once regarded wizards as gods would develop to such a degree—enough to threaten wizardkind's very survival.
No wonder the books said the original purpose of the Ministry of Magic was to ensure that the wizarding world remained hidden from Muggles.
With Andros silent, Tom didn't continue the topic. He read calmly, enjoying himself. Today, he didn't plan to spend much time studying with Andros—the learning space was open mostly to let this "ancient" see what the modern world looked like.
As the train grew livelier and departure time approached, the compartment door slid open.
A cute girl with curly blonde hair, long eyelashes, and big, blinking eyes jumped slightly in surprise—she clearly hadn't expected anyone to be inside.
Still, she stepped in and asked a little nervously, "Um… may I sit here?"
"Of course," Tom replied, nodding. He even gallantly helped her place her luggage on the rack.
As he did, Tom keenly noticed that although the suitcase looked plain, its corners were embroidered with dark gold trim, and one edge bore a complex, ornate crest.
It looked very much like a family emblem.
Tom immediately understood—this was most likely a young lady from a pure-blood family.
After thanking him, the girl sat down opposite Tom, secretly observing him as he resumed reading.
He's really good-looking…
The thought startled her. A blush crept onto her slightly baby-fat cheeks, and she hurriedly looked away—only for her eyes to sneak back again almost immediately.
As everyone knew, anyone named Tom Riddle was never lacking in looks.
His black hair carried a natural wave, his dark eyes focused intently on the book in his hands. The girl's gaze became firmly fixed on his refined features, admiration mingling with a hint of envy.
Why did a boy have features more delicate than hers? They were almost on par with her younger sister's.
Seeing that Tom didn't seem inclined to speak, the girl shifted uneasily and took the initiative.
"Hello, I—I'm Daphne Greengrass. A first-year at Hogwarts."
"Riddle," Tom replied, closing his book. "Tom Riddle. Also a first-year."
Riddle?
Daphne Greengrass searched her memory and realized she'd never heard of that surname before. She asked tentatively, "Are you half-blood? Or… Muggle-born?"
"I'm not really sure what I count as," Tom said with a casual shrug. "I was abandoned by my parents after I was born. Maybe they were pure Muggles, maybe Squibs. It doesn't really matter."
He raised an eyebrow slightly. "What—has the Greengrass family's young lady already regretted sitting in the same compartment as me?"
In The Sacred Twenty-Eight, written by Cantankerus Nott, the Greengrass family ranked near the top, praised as a model pure-blood house—low-key yet noble.
Tom instinctively assumed she would be the Malfoy type, about to start preaching blood purity.
But the conversation took an unexpected turn.
"No, no, please don't misunderstand!" the girl waved her hands repeatedly. "I don't really care about that. My mother says that all pure-blood families have Muggle ancestors somewhere. I was just curious—I've never actually had any contact with Muggles…"
"Then that's my mistake. I apologize," Tom said frankly.
"It's fine," Daphne shook her head seriously, then smoothly changed the subject.
"I have a younger sister who really likes Muggle fashion magazines, but she only has an old, outdated one she picked up years ago. If you get the chance later, could you help me buy a few for her? I'll pay you."
"No problem—but you'll have to wait until Christmas," Tom replied.
He finally recalled some unimportant details. Daphne's sister—Astoria Greengrass. A girl with little presence, who later seemed to end up with Malfoy. She had health issues and didn't live very long.
Naturally, Tom didn't mention any of this. He simply followed Daphne's lead and continued chatting.
Most of the time, Daphne asked questions about the Muggle world, and Tom answered. When certain topics came up, she even took out paper and pen to jot things down, saying she wanted to write to her sister.
From these little details alone, it was clear she was a very caring older sister.
Without them realizing it, the train had already begun moving, heading west toward the Scottish Highlands. The rhythmic clatter of the wheels outside did nothing to dampen their conversation.
Andros suddenly chimed in, deadpan:
"I'll bet you a Galleon this girl likes you. No—wait. It's more that she thinks you're good-looking and is lusting after your body."
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