The Hogwarts Express was quite spacious.
However, there were still far too many new students enrolling this year.
When Vinson Wright and Cedric boarded the train, they searched all the compartments for new students, but without exception, every compartment already had someone sitting inside.
When they found that even the last compartment was occupied, Cedric finally looked at Vinson helplessly.
"How about we squeeze into the fifth compartment? There's only one person in there, and there's still some space..."
"No rush. Let me think of something."
Vinson Wright slowly but firmly shook his head. Clinging to the compartment door, he asked the people inside, "If you're sorted into Hufflepuff after enrolling, how would you feel about it?"
"What's Hufflepuff?"
The boy inside the compartment looked at them curiously.
"It's nothing. Get some rest here."
Vinson shook his head, a kind smile appearing at the corners of his lips. He waved for Cedric to follow him to the next compartment. "Come on, let's ask the people in the next compartment..."
"Okay."
Cedric nodded happily.
At that moment, Cedric still hadn't realized how serious the problem was. He still thought Vinson Wright was looking for classmates who might end up in the same house.
Obviously.
Cedric was still an innocent boy.
"Hello."
Vinson opened another compartment door. He glanced down at the two girls inside, who had stopped talking, and asked them with a smile, "If you're sorted into Hufflepuff after enrolling, how would you feel about it?"
"That would be great!"
One of the girls immediately smiled and said cheerfully, "My mother was in Hufflepuff..."
Seeing that Vinson was still pushing a cart, the other girl kindly said, "Haven't you found a suitable seat yet? There's room here..."
"No, sorry to bother you."
Before the girl could finish, Vinson interrupted her. He nodded politely to the two girls. "I hope we'll meet in Hufflepuff in the future."
After saying that, Vinson closed the door.
The two girls inside the compartment were still somewhat stunned.
Just as Cedric was about to ask Vinson about it, Vinson had already opened the next compartment door. He still wore a proper smile as he asked, "May I ask everyone here, if you're sorted into Hufflepuff, how would you feel about it?"
"That's the house where only trash gets sorted!"
"If I were sorted there, I'd rather drop out!"
"Only wizards willing to debase themselves would want to go to Hufflepuff!"
The three boys in the compartment immediately flared up as if they had been provoked. Each of them acted as though they had encountered something disgusting and arrogantly sneered at Hufflepuff.
As children from noble Pure-blood wizard families, how could they possibly be willing to be sorted into a mediocre house like Hufflepuff?
"All right, I understand."
Vinson Wright nodded seriously, then turned to Cedric, whose face was visibly flushed with anger. "We found one. Let's sit in this compartment..."
"Huh?"
Cedric was still too angry to react.
The three young wizards in the compartment also failed to understand what Vinson meant.
The next moment.
Under Cedric's watchful gaze, Vinson suddenly drew his wand and pointed it fiercely at the three boys in the compartment!
"Petrificus Totalus!"
"..."
Vinson had cast the spell so quickly that the three boys in the compartment had not even had time to scream before they were immobilized by the Petrifying Charm.
What...
What was going on?!
Cedric stared at Vinson Wright's actions in disbelief, completely dumbfounded. "Vinson... We've only just enrolled, and you're already using magic to hurt our classmates..."
"Well, ignorance is an excuse..."
Vinson waved his hand indifferently and said, "Don't just stand there. Come and lend a hand. Let's throw the three of them out..."
"Oh... okay."
Cedric nodded dazedly.
The two of them cleaned up the compartment together. The three petrified young wizards and their luggage were piled onto their respective luggage carts and left lying in the corridor.
"This doesn't feel right..."
Cedric sat in the compartment and stared at Vinson in disbelief. "You kept asking everyone in each compartment about their attitude toward Hufflepuff because you deliberately wanted to find a compartment where people were badmouthing Hufflepuff!"
"Is there a problem?"
Vinson Wright looked up in confusion and explained seriously, "I asked about their attitude toward Hufflepuff. They insulted Hufflepuff, so I dealt with them..."
"But..."
Cedric furrowed his brows and began seriously searching for the flaw in the argument. "But your... your purpose... You weren't really asking about their attitude toward Hufflepuff. You wanted them to insult Hufflepuff so you could find a reason to attack them!"
This...
This was deliberately baiting them!
Vinson Wright slowly leaned back in his seat. His expression suddenly turned cold as he began bullying the honest boy. "So, Cedric, are you criticizing your own friend?"
"No, that's not what I meant..."
Cedric's face instantly flushed with embarrassment. He shook his head and said, "I'm just worried this might cause trouble for you... If I fail to stop you when you make a mistake, then I'm not a good friend."
Besides...
Not only had he failed to stop Vinson just now...
He had even acted together with Vinson Wright.
Cedric felt that he ought to keep a closer eye on Vinson Wright in the future and prevent this friend from going farther and farther down the wrong path.
"All right. Remember to stop me next time."
Vinson Wright brushed Cedric off casually.
"Okay!"
Cedric, however, looked Vinson in the eye and answered very seriously. He really was an honest boy suited to Hufflepuff.
However...
Before the two of them could even settle into their seats.
A female attendant came pushing a snack cart down the corridor. When she saw the three small luggage carts blocking the way, along with the three petrified boys on top of them, she could not help exclaiming in shock, "Oh, my goodness! Who did this? They actually petrified three little boys here!"
"...I'll go out and admit my mistake!"
As Cedric spoke, he reached for the compartment door.
"Sit down!"
Vinson Wright stood up and pushed Cedric back into his seat. He straightened his clothes and said solemnly, "This was my mistake. I should take responsibility myself..."
"No, I did it with you..."
"Cedric!"
Vinson Wright's small face was utterly solemn and serious. "Having your friend take responsibility for a mistake you made isn't something an honest Hufflepuff should do."
"...Vinson..."
Cedric's face showed both surprise and relief.
The facts proved it.
Cedric was still too young.
Just as Cedric thought Vinson was going outside to confess, he heard Vinson report the facts to the female attendant through the compartment door.
"I did this."
"I was with my friend just now, asking people in the other compartments how they felt about joining Hufflepuff after enrolling."
"Those three immediately started cursing. They said only wizards willing to debase themselves would join Hufflepuff. I couldn't stand their insults, and I didn't expect one spell to deal with them so easily..."
"...Well done."
The female attendant praised him instinctively.
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