Great Ambitions

Luke's sudden question caught Hermione off guard. She did not know much about the four Houses either, and even with Luke's explanation, her shallow understanding made it difficult for her to choose.

Seeing Hermione with her lips pressed together and her brow faintly furrowed in troubled thought, Luke smiled slightly.

"Don't rush. We probably won't reach Hogwarts until tonight, so you can think it over properly in the meantime. Let me give you a rather valuable piece of information as well."

Just as Luke had expected, Hermione immediately looked up at him.

"The Sorting Hat is used for the Sorting. It can analyze your traits, speak with you in your mind, and assign you to a House. But if you truly yearn for a particular House, tell it so in your heart. Generally speaking, it won't refuse."

"And let me rule out one House for you while I'm at it. Slytherin, as it is now, really isn't suitable for you."

Luke's expression grew relatively serious.

Hermione could see how earnest he was. She might have been stubborn, but she also knew that it was wise to listen to advice.

"I understand. What about you, then? Which House are you going to?"

Hermione immediately questioned Luke in return.

Luke chuckled.

"Slytherin."

Just as Hermione was about to ask more, the door to their compartment suddenly opened.

A large boy with a round face, who looked a little slow-witted, appeared before them and asked in a panicked voice, "Trevor! Have you seen my Trevor?"

If Luke had not recognized who this person was at first, then the moment he heard "Trevor," he knew exactly who the guy in front of him was.

The future Gryffindor Sword Saint, the next Head of Gryffindor, and the one the films had wanted to pair with Luna.

Neville Longbottom!

Because Luna had made him interested in Neville, Luke also knew that, in the original story, the boy before him would later marry Hannah Abbott of the Abbott Family. So Luke held no hostility toward him.

"Uh, who is Trevor? And shouldn't you introduce yourself first?"

Hermione looked helplessly at the incoherent boy before her.

"Trevor, Trevor is my toad! I'm Neville, Neville Longbottom!"

Neville looked as though he was about to burst into tears, and Hermione could not help feeling sorry for him. She wanted to help this boy who seemed a little slow-witted, but she was worried she might miss some of the things Luke was teaching her.

So she instinctively looked at Luke.

To her surprise, Luke had already risen to his feet and set Book aside.

"Hello, Mr. Longbottom. I'm Luke Gaunt. You can call me Luke. I have heard of your parents' deeds. They were great fighters, true nobles worthy of praise."

As he spoke, Luke extended his hand toward Neville.

Seeing Luke act so formally, Neville's panic subsided considerably. He straightened his clothes, then took Luke's hand. "Hello, Luke. You can call me Neville. Thank you for praising my parents. They are my pride too. I heard your name a month ago."

Though awkward and somewhat timid, Neville still gave a very proper response. He did not embarrass himself. Clearly, his grandmother had not neglected to teach him the proper etiquette.

For a moment, Hermione felt as though she had seen two different Nevilles. One was like a crybaby, while the other, like Luke, carried a faint air of nobility.

"So, Luke! Can you help me find Trevor?"

After withdrawing his hand, Neville pleaded with Luke as though he had found a lifeline.

Hermione felt certain she must have seen wrong just now.

"Come on, Hermione. We can look around and see if there's anything else interesting too."

Luke had actually been unable to sit still for a while. Showing off before others was certainly amusing, but compared to that, he wanted more to see the people who had existed only in films and stories in his original world.

Hermione was also somewhat surprised by Luke's use of the word "interesting." Of course, it also made her truly realize that Luke was ultimately just a child around her own age.

So she nodded, looking a little proud.

"Let's go! Let's take a look outside!"

The three of them left the compartment together. Then Luke asked, "Neville, which direction did you search from?"

In Luke's memory, Neville's Trevor should have appeared when they reached Hogwarts. But he also remembered a friend mentioning that, in the original story, the toad did not appear until the end of the term.

Either way, Luke could say that the toad was as lucky as its name suggested. There was no need to worry about it.

Neville pointed toward the front of the train. "I searched from that direction. But—right, there are still a few compartments beyond mine that I haven't checked!"

Luke nodded after hearing that, then said, "You search toward the front. Hermione and I will search toward the rear."

Neville nodded in agreement, then headed back the way he had come.

"I thought he was about to cry just now."

Hermione watched Neville's retreating back and spoke helplessly.

"The year he was born, his parents were tortured into madness by Voldemort's followers. They should still be living at St Mungo's Hospital now. Other relatives are probably raising him. Being timid and sensitive is a normal reaction."

Luke spoke calmly.

After hearing Neville's story from Luke, Hermione's eyes immediately filled with surprise and pity.

"The Wizarding world is absolutely not as beautiful as you imagine, Hermione," Luke said as he walked ahead. "Dark Magic, racial oppression, bloodline discrimination, even enslavement and slaughter—these are all commonplace in the magical world."

Hermione nodded, her heart feeling somewhat heavy. Though Luke had made it sound grave, from everything she had seen so far, things did not seem quite that severe yet.

"If it isn't good, then we'll change it."

Hermione's voice was quiet, but her tone was firm.

Luke nodded without replying. He opened the door beside them, revealed a gentle smile, and asked the people inside, "Hello, have you seen a toad?"

There were four girls inside. The moment they saw Luke, they were briefly dazed. After staring blankly for a moment, one particularly pretty girl with distinctly Eastern features smiled and said to Luke,

"No, we haven't seen a toad. The only animal we've seen so far is the little cat by your feet."