The epic upgrade of the Hogwarts Express certainly doesn't just involve the interior compartments. Aside from the unchanged exterior, its overall power performance has been improved by more than one level.
Steam engines are already two hundred years old relics; replacing them with more advanced internal combustion engines is the wise choice.
After the power upgrade, the Hogwarts Express became even faster.
The journey, which used to take more than seven hours, has been reduced by a third, and the fastest time to arrive at school has now been moved from evening to afternoon.
However, the Sorting Ceremony for new students is a tradition of the school for nearly a thousand years, so the upgraded school bus will slow down midway to ensure that it arrives at the school in the evening.
Draco, in high spirits, finished watching another game when the tightly closed cubicle door was pulled open from the outside.
He looked over with an impatient expression and found that it was Marcus Flint, who had repeated a grade.
"Draco, that bastard Wayne has disappeared."
"I know."
When you're in a good mood, even the air smells sweeter.
Not long after Marcus came in, Pansy arrived as well.
Next was Blaise Zabini, and finally Theodore, who always kept to himself.
All the top executives of the Black Swan Club were present; they certainly weren't there to relive the World Cup.
The Owl Court Club is still searching everywhere for people; Wayne and Granger are definitely in Elphias Doge this time.
Pansy grinned. "This is the best news I've heard since I enrolled!"
She started wearing makeup and dressing up in fourth grade, but her smile still looked particularly ferocious.
Draco quickly looked away. "That bastard finally got what he deserved. My dad said the school would be very lively this year, he must have known something beforehand."
The You-Know-Who has returned, and the good days for those of inferior bloodlines are finally over. Pure-blood will once again become great.
Blaise Zabini also learned of this through his new stepfather, who worked at the French Ministry of Magic.
"My stepfather said that Hogwarts will be hosting some kind of competition with two other schools in Europe this year, and he said that the Wizarding World will be even more exciting than the World Cup."
Pansy's ferocious smile froze instantly. "A competition?"
She glanced at Draco, who also looked puzzled, and said, "I'm saying... is it possible that Wayne, that bastard, and Granger, that scumbag, are actually because of..."
Apart from Crabbe and Goyle, everyone understood what she meant.
Since it is a competition jointly organized by the three major magic schools, the students who can qualify for the competition are naturally the most outstanding.
If Hogwarts has already been decided in advance...
"Impossible!" Draco exclaimed, his voice trembling with excitement. "Dumbledore, that old senile man, loves to emphasize fairness and justice. There's no way he would predetermine the eligibility of the participating students."
"Yes." Pansy quickly chuckled a few times. "Draco, you're right. My thinking was too naive."
Marcus laughed along, "That's right, Wayne the bastard offended the Death Eaters, his disappearance can only be related to them."
Blaise Zabini chuckled in return, "What kind of bullshit hero is he? Even if he didn't face retaliation, he should be too scared to come to school."
Crabbe and Goyle grinned and laughed loudly.
Theodore, who hadn't smiled at all the whole time, snorted coldly.
"After everything you've been through, don't you understand? Aside from his background, Wayne is far superior to us in every other way."
Everyone stopped laughing, except for Crabbe and Goyle, who were still laughing foolishly.
Marcus narrowed his eyes. "Theodore, you think too highly of Wayne."
"I'm just telling the truth."
Blaise Zabini scoffed, "I heard your father, Old Nott, was Death Eaters elder. What? Didn't You-Know-Who call on him when he was dealing with Wayne?"
Theodore's expression was particularly unpleasant. "You're all celebrating too soon. Don't end up looking like clowns."
Draco grabbed Blaise Zabini and Marcus's shoulders. "Theodore, did you hear something from your father?"
"Ha—" Theodore sneered, "No, nothing at all."
As Blaise Zabini said, Old Nott is a veteran of the Death Eaters and has been under intense scrutiny from the Ministry of Magic recently.
If the You-Know-Who really does return, he will definitely regroup his old subordinates.
The reason why it hasn't happened yet is either because they don't want to or they can't.
Regardless of which possibility it is, the Death Eaters' current power is far from being able to directly confront the Ministry of Magic.
Therefore, Wayne and Granger's disappearance could not possibly be due to their revenge.
This is a simple truth; they are no longer children, and there is no need for them to deceive themselves anymore.
Crabbe and Goyle finally stopped laughing.
The two looked at each other, puzzled as to why the atmosphere had suddenly become tense.
Draco quickly released the dejected Blaise Zabini and Marcus.
Feeling agitated, he said nothing and went to the window alone, letting the rain splash on his expensive school uniform.
Theodore is right. Aside from his background, Wayne is superior to them in every other way.
Deceiving oneself is a childish and foolish thing; they should stop their petty squabbles.
The train passed by something blue and black, Draco quickly rubbed his eyes.
You must have been seeing things because your eyes were fogged up by the rain.
The moment this thought crossed his mind, the blue-black thing suddenly accelerated and caught up with him.
That's... a Muggle sports car?
The car features a rounded and smooth shape with a two-tone color scheme, a highly recognizable horseshoe-shaped grille at the front, and full and elegant body lines.
With a powerful roar of an engine, Draco stared blankly at the blue-black sports car speeding away. The red taillights in the rain seemed to mock him, and a sense of déjà vu suddenly arose within him.
This feeling of déjà vu is so strong...
"I know where Wayne is."
The others all looked at him.
"That bastard was driving a Muggle sports car and just overtook the school bus."
"What?!"
Okay, this is very Gryffindor.
Even the Black Swan Club knew about it, so of course Vincent's friends knew too.
The twins immediately ran to the control room at the front of the car.
Although it's blurry, that eerie red color is real.
Inside the blue-black Bugatti Veyron, Vincent slowed down, maintaining a safe distance from the Hogwarts Express behind him.
Hermione, sitting calmly in the passenger seat next to her, asked, "Do you think Professor Snape might find an excuse to deduct points from our score?"
Vincent shrugged indifferently. "So what if they deduct it? Professor Dumbledore will just add it back at the end of the academic year anyway."
Hermione suddenly shivered.
She turned to look at the Hogwarts Express behind her. "I have a bad feeling. Could we be being watched by someone?"
"Hmm—I think I feel that way too."