McLaggen

The scene shifts back half an hour to a carriage at the other end of the train.

Cho Chang and Luna boarded the train with the Ravenclaw group first. They said goodbye to their Ravenclaw friends and were on their way to the House of Malfoy's private box when Cormac McLaggen blocked their path.

McLaggen stood in the middle of the aisle, arms crossed, a self-satisfied smile playing on his lips, his Prefect Badge Winky under the lights. He deliberately raised his chin, exposing the badge in the most conspicuous position, and said lazily, "Cho Chang, what a coincidence? Why are you walking so fast all alone? Why don't we go to the private room and chat?"

Cho Chang frowned slightly, not wanting to pay him any attention. She took Luna's hand and planned to walk past him.

But McLaggen stepped aside to block her path, a flippant smile on his face, "Don't be so cold, Cho Chang. I don't just strike up conversations with anyone. You're the undisputed beauty of Hogwarts; it's an honor to speak with you."

Cho Chang frowned even deeper, her tone cold. "Get out of the way."

McLaggen seemed not to hear him, continuing, "You should know, right? I'm Prefect at Hogwarts." He ran his hand through his hair, adding smugly, "My uncle is a member of the Wizengamot. If you ever run into trouble at Hogwarts, feel free to come to me. I'm not like some people who only know how to talk."

His henchmen—Kenneth Toller, Harold Dingo, and Farrell Bertha Jorkins —immediately burst into laughter.

"Yes, Cho Chang, McLaggen is no ordinary person."

"Making friends with him will only benefit you."

"And you're so beautiful, you're so lucky to have caught his eye."

Cho Chang's face turned completely cold, and a hint of disgust appeared in her eyes. "What exactly do you want?"

McLaggen grinned, feigning innocence. "Don't be so cold. I just think you're special. You know, Prefect have a lot of resources at their disposal, like student council affairs, detention arrangements, and..." He paused, lowering his voice meaningfully, "... who gets certain special treatment."

Upon hearing this, Cho Chang completely lost his patience and made no attempt to hide his disgust. "Get out of here."

McLaggen, still grinning, blocked his way, his tone growing increasingly flippant. "How can you be so heartless? Are you afraid that if you spend too much time with me, you won't be able to resist falling for me?"

Luna stood to the side, tilting her head to look at McLaggen, her eyes calm. "You have a lot of spots on your face. Have you been eating too much meat lately? It could be a sign of the demodicosis plague."

Her words instantly froze McLaggen's smile. His men paused for a moment, then burst into laughter.

"Shut up, Loony!" McLaggen's face flushed red as he glared fiercely at Luna.

Cho Chang finally lost her temper, drew her wand, and said coldly, "One last time, get out of the way."

McLaggen chuckled and shrugged dismissively. "Oh? So what do you want to do—"

"Knockback Jinx!"

A burst of white light erupted instantly, catching McLaggen off guard and striking him with the spell. He was sent flying backward, crashing into Farri Bertha Jorkins behind him. Bertha Jorkins was knocked to the ground, unconscious, while McLaggen himself, though fortunate enough to escape injury, fell to the ground in a disheveled state, filled with shock and rage.

The people around fell silent for a second, then whispers began to circulate.

McLaggen struggled to his feet, his face contorted with rage, and pointed at Cho Chang, roaring, "How dare you attack Prefect?! I'm putting you in solitary confinement!"

Cho Chang paused for a moment, realizing she had acted too impulsively. Her fingers gripped her wand tightly, her heart raced, and her face paled slightly.

McLaggen, emboldened by his position, continued to threaten to put Cho Chang in solitary confinement. If she still didn't know what was good for her, he would give her even more punishment—attacking Prefect was a serious violation of Hogwarts' school rules. In addition, given McLaggen's powerful family background, Cho Chang was momentarily flustered and at a loss, not knowing what to do.

Just then, Hermione, Ron, and Harry arrived.

"What happened?" Hermione strode forward, her eyes quickly scanning the chaotic scene before her.

Before Cho Chang could speak, McLaggen roared, "She assaulted me! I'm going to report her and make her pay!"

Harry narrowed his eyes, looking at McLaggen's aggressive demeanor, a strange displeasure rising within him. He instinctively stood in front of Cho Chang, frowning, and said, "Don't go too far, Cormac. Everyone saw exactly what you just did."

However, before he could finish speaking, McLaggen sneered, a mocking smile playing on his lips, "Oh? Is the Savior going to interfere again? Do you think you're the representative of justice at Hogwarts, and everyone has to listen to you?"

Harry's face darkened, and he was about to say something more when McLaggen continued his sarcastic remarks, "Who do you think you are? Give me a break, Potter. What else can you do besides seek fame and fortune? Ha, I really don't think you have the right to point fingers here."

Harry was momentarily speechless, his face turning extremely pale. He was burning with anger, his fists clenched, and his hand unconsciously reached for his wand—

"Attack him! Give him a vicious Bat-Bogey Hex..."

A strange and chilling voice whispered in his mind, coiling around his thoughts like a snake. His fingertips trembled slightly, his heart raced, and anger and impulse churned in his chest.

"Shut him up, make him pay the price..."

His fingers tightened around his wand, as if with a simple wave, McLaggen's mocking face would be enveloped by bats, screaming and fleeing in a pathetic state...

He can show everyone who is truly unchallengeable.

"Make your move, Potter, don't you want to?"

His vision blurred for a moment, and he almost raised his wand—

But just then, Hermione's voice suddenly rang out. "Using the Prefect's power to arbitrarily threaten to put someone in solitary confinement is not a good thing. We can report this to the professors."

Her voice was like a bucket of cold water, jolting Harry awake. He jolted, his fingers loosening their grip on his wand, realizing he had almost actually used it.

That sound... that impulse just now...

He frowned, suppressing his unease, but still glared fiercely at McLaggen of his eye; the anger in his heart had not been completely extinguished.

Upon hearing Hermione's words, McLaggen's mouth opened and closed, his anger visibly subsiding, a hint of apprehension flashing in his eyes. He clearly knew Hermione's character—she never spoke without evidence. If things escalated to the professor's side, he might not come out on top.

He glared at Hermione resentfully, his lips twitching, but he didn't continue shouting.

Just then, Skylar appeared.

He didn't rush to speak, but quietly surveyed the scene. His gaze swept over the pale-faced Cho Chang, the resolute Hermione, the gloomy and dissatisfied McLaggen, and then over the students watching.

Then, he slowly walked towards Cho Chang, gently patted her wrist, and asked in a gentle tone, "Are you alright?"

Looking at him, Cho Chang's previously flustered heart immediately calmed down. She nodded gently, biting her lower lip and whispering, "I... I was too impulsive just now."

Skylar chuckled and waved her hand casually, "You're just teaching him a lesson, letting him know that not all girls will indulge him."

After speaking, he finally looked at McLaggen, his gaze indifferent, as if he were looking at an insignificant nobody.

"McLaggen, you said she attacked the Prefect, but—" Skylar smiled slightly, continuing in a languid tone, "What you just did probably doesn't conform to the duties of Prefect either, does it?"

McLaggen's expression changed, but he quickly sneered, "Hmph, who do you think you are, trying to get involved in this?"

Skylar tilted his head, his smile deepening. "Oh? I thought you'd remember who I am."

His tone was casual, yet it carried an invisible sense of pressure, causing McLaggen's back to stiffen for a moment.

The Triwizard Tournament champion, the Potions Championship champion, the representative of Wizengamot... these titles alone were enough for McLaggen to understand that he simply couldn't afford to mess with the person in front of him.

The carriage was so quiet you could almost hear a pin drop.

"Alright then," Skylar waved his wand, "We're both Prefect at Hogwarts, and you're a year older than me, so let's have a wizard's duel—one-on-one!"

From the moment Skylar appeared, he immediately became the focus of everyone's attention, and even many students in the carriages came out of their compartments to watch the excitement.

Harry leaned against the wall with his head down, seemingly oblivious to everything happening around him. He sighed and occasionally stole a glance at Cho Chang out of the corner of his eye. He had just bravely stood up for her, playing the hero, but Cho Chang hadn't even looked at him.

Cho Chang's gaze darted back and forth between Skylar and McLaggen, but when it landed on Skylar, a subtle emotion unconsciously surfaced. It was a complex expression, tinged with shyness and mixed with an indescribable meaning.

Harry's heart tightened inexplicably, as if gripped by an invisible hand. He suddenly realized—he had never seen Cho Chang look at him like that before.

A heavy stone pressed down on his chest, and an indescribable emotion surged within him. He clenched his fists involuntarily, his gaze instinctively drifting towards Skylar. But Skylar already had a girlfriend! How could he do this!

The pent-up frustration in his chest transformed into a burning anger, and he couldn't even tell whether it was dissatisfaction with Skylar or disappointment with Cho Chang.

That's unfair.

I'm not reconciled.

A flicker of restlessness ignited in his heart, and just then—that deep, seductive voice echoed once again in the depths of his mind.

Pursue power.

Power is everything.

If you're powerful enough, you can get everything... including her.

Harry's breath hitched slightly, his fingertips tightened involuntarily, and a restless emotion churned in his chest, as if a dark tide was slowly surging deep within his consciousness.

"Wait, what are you trying to do!" Hermione realized things were getting out of control, and she stepped in to try and stop the situation from escalating further.

"Yes... yes... we all need to calm down... we're still on the train..." Ron came out, seemingly trying to help quell the situation.

Before Ron could finish speaking, McLaggen suddenly moved, his wand appearing in his hand in the blink of an eye. Sensing Skylar's momentary lapse in guard because of Hermione and Ron, he unhesitatingly uttered the spell—

"Stupefy!"

Driven by a powerful desire, McLaggen wanted to prove himself, to prove that he was just as talented. Indeed, who was better than him?

Here, on the Hogwarts Express, in front of so many people, knocking out Skylar, who is touted as the Dumbledore, will make him famous. He will become a celebrity, the new darling of the Daily Prophet.

It was all worth it, he deserved it all, and it will all come true soon!