The Wandering Toad

"Over there!"

Every carriage on the Hogwarts Express consisted of separate compartments, and with the compartment doors shut, the corridor was fairly quiet, filled only with the rhythmic clatter of the train wheels.

Now, that quiet was shattered by Li Mu's shout.

Several people in nearby compartments pulled their doors open a crack and poked their heads out curiously. Seeing that a few people were chasing a toad, they quickly lost interest and withdrew.

Li Mu and the others were searching for Neville's toad.

Quite some time had passed since they began looking for Neville's toad. They had split up and asked through nearly every carriage. Finally, in the corridor near the middle of the train, Li Mu spotted the mischievous little creature.

"Oh! There you are!" Neville was right beside Li Mu. He rushed forward excitedly and lunged at it, but the toad hopped aside, leaving him clutching at air.

Hearing the commotion, Harry, Ron, and Hermione ran over as well. Then they saw a sight that left them dumbfounded—after failing several times to catch the toad, Neville bent down and began hopping along behind it... looking exactly like a large toad himself...

Why didn't he just get in front of the little toad and catch it with his hands?

Li Mu was speechless. He practically wanted to pull a few black lines down from his forehead.

But Neville looked like he was about to succeed. He was getting closer and closer to the toad—if not for a hand suddenly reaching out and snatching the toad first, Neville would definitely have caught it.

"Oh, thank you." Neville struggled to his feet and reached for his own toad, but the hand moved away from him.

"Hey! Crabbe, Goyle, look over here! A big toad!" The person holding the toad pointed at Neville with his other hand, his voice dripping with mockery.

Behind him stood two short, stocky, burly boys, who chuckled stupidly in agreement.

Li Mu and Harry immediately recognized him. He was the sharp-faced boy from Madam Malkin's robe shop, Draco Malfoy.

"Give it back. That's my toad." Neville finally realized that this was not friendly behavior and grew anxious. His eyes immediately brimmed with tears, glistening with watery light.

It looked like he was about to cry.

Hermione stormed to Neville's side, glaring furiously as she shouted at Malfoy, "Give the toad back! How can you just steal someone else's things?!"

But Malfoy merely curled his lip, not taking Hermione seriously at all. His gaze wandered over the group. When he saw Li Mu and then Harry, he froze slightly.

At last, he recognized them. His eyes, which usually looked toward the sky, finally lowered. He stared at Harry and said quietly, "Oh, so you're Harry Potter, are you? Everyone on the train has been talking about how Harry Potter is on this train."

Malfoy seemed to be trying hard to sound friendly, but his words still carried an arrogant air, as though it were a trait his family had been born with. "My name is Draco Malfoy. This is Goyle, and this is Crabbe."

He casually pointed at the two hulking boys behind him, looking utterly unconcerned.

"That Draco, the 'Draco dung-egg'?" Ron muttered. He coughed lightly, his expression a little strange, as though he were holding back laughter. That drew Malfoy's attention to him.

"Of course I know who you are. My father said all the Weasleys have red hair, freckles all over their faces, and so many children they can't afford to feed them. Three people have to share one set of clothes. Tsk, tsk, what a pathetic family..."

With just one sentence, Ron's smile vanished. An unnatural flush rose to his face as he clenched his jaws so hard that his teeth ground together.

Malfoy couldn't be bothered with Ron and turned back to Harry. "Potter, if I were you, I wouldn't make friends with people of questionable character."

His eyes swept over Neville, Hermione, Ron, and Li Mu. He hesitated when he looked at Li Mu, but quickly returned to his distracted expression. He continued, "They'll only hold you back badly. I think I can help you with that."

Even Hermione's face flushed red with anger... She was a person of questionable character?

Malfoy extended his empty right hand toward Harry, but Harry only said coldly, "I think I can tell for myself who is worth being friends with."

A flush colored Draco's pale, proud cheeks as he glared viciously at Harry. Before he could say anything else, Hermione, overflowing with rage, stepped forward, planted her hands on her hips, and shouted, "What gives you the right to judge people however you want? Give Neville's toad back!"

Malfoy's eyes narrowed as he sneered. "Neville? This little fatty is that useless Longbottom from the Longbottom family, the famous jinx, isn't he? Hmm?"

At his hum, Goyle and Crabbe behind him had already begun rolling up their sleeves, striking poses as though they were ready for a fight. Neville's legs went weak with fright, and he staggered several steps backward. Hermione's face also turned pale. She was a little scared, but she stubbornly gritted her teeth and stood in front.

They were all built like ordinary ten-year-old children. Even Neville was only a little chubby, but Goyle and Crabbe already looked like strong, fully grown adults.

As they faced off, Li Mu strode forward and stepped in front of Hermione. "Malfoy, if I were you, I'd put down that toad and slink away. Otherwise, you'll bear the consequences!"

"What? You want to fight... ah?!" Malfoy had intended to say a few more tough words, but halfway through, he cried out in surprise as he stared at Li Mu's left palm.

That left hand was held upright, and an emerald flame burned from its palm to its five fingers, looking incredibly eerie.

Malfoy couldn't help wondering whether this person could spontaneously combust. Countless thoughts flashed through his mind in an instant. He recalled records of Eastern magic in his family's books and the terrifying effects of those ancient secret arts.

He couldn't help taking a step back, moving closer to Crabbe and Goyle. Only then did he feel slightly more at ease.

"Hand over the toad. Otherwise... I don't mind letting someone of questionable character experience what being burned feels like." Li Mu sneered and reached his left hand toward Malfoy.

Malfoy stumbled backward several steps in panic. He seemed to feel scorching heat from the flames, and the flickering fire looked as though it might leap onto his clothes at any moment. His pointed face turned even paler.

Fortunately, Goyle and Crabbe still had loyalty going for them. They charged forward with their thick arms bared, looking ready to fight at any moment. Then, very quickly... they learned their lesson.

Goyle was struck once by Li Mu's flaming palm. The flames on Li Mu's hand vanished, but Goyle howled in pain and rolled about on the floor. Crabbe tried to flee in fright, but Li Mu closed in on him in an instant, poking and twisting his wrist. Then Crabbe felt as though his bones had split apart, his wrist bones and tendons completely out of his control. He could only clutch his arm as cold sweat streamed down his face.

"This is called the Muscle Splitting Bone Dislocating Demon Capturing Hand," Li Mu said casually to Crabbe. Sweat beaded on Crabbe's forehead as well, and he could not utter a word.

Malfoy was stunned too.

Li Mu pressed forward again, grabbed Malfoy's arm, and snatched the toad away. With another twist, he spun Malfoy around on the spot. Then he sent a kick flying, making Malfoy stumble.

"You... just you wait!" Malfoy brushed at the footprint on his clothes, but when he saw that Goyle and Crabbe had already been knocked down, he could only leave behind that threat before turning and walking away.

Goyle and Crabbe also struggled to their feet and limped away, supporting each other.

End of Chapter