Toad and the Savior

Ron Weasley seemed terrified after being hit by Ye Ting's Expelliarmus. Even his words came out stammering. "I... I kn... know."

He swallowed hard and finally managed to calm down. "I... I don't like cats. I thought it came in to eat my Scabbers."

"Himari wouldn't eat something this strange." Ye Ting shook his head. He knew that Scabbers the rat was Peter Pettigrew's Animagus, but he had no intention of exposing Peter just like that. It would only make himself a target of suspicion—how could a Muggle who had only just entered the magical world know so much?

Himari meowed as well and moved away from Ron and his rat, clearly having noticed something strange about Scabbers.

Ye Ting casually picked Himari up and introduced himself to Harry and Ron, then introduced the other four as well.

Finally, he explained, "We came here to help Neville find his toad."

"But Neville was sitting in this compartment to begin with," Harry Potter pointed out doubtfully.

Neville behind them nodded in agreement.

Now all the girls turned suspicious looks on Ye Ting.

"Just watch. Himari won't be wrong." Ye Ting pursed his lips, while Himari shot everyone a disdainful look, clearly scornful of their doubts.

She leaped from Ye Ting's shoulder, landed lightly atop a suitcase, and began scratching at it with her paws.

"That's my luggage," Neville blurted out.

Ye Ting gestured for him to open it. "Himari means that your toad is hiding inside."

"Trevor can't be in there. I packed the suitcase myself, and if Trevor were in there, I would've known already," Neville muttered. Still, at Ye Ting's insistence, he reluctantly opened the suitcase.

The result was exactly as Ye Ting had expected. The moment the suitcase opened, a toad jumped out as though it had finally been freed.

With the toad's appearance, the truth became clear.

Neville had gone up and down the corridor, asking in every compartment and wasting a great deal of time.

But in truth, Trevor had been left in his suitcase the entire time.

Himari was vindicated. She held her head high and puffed out her chest as she strutted back and forth before everyone, like a proud rooster.

The girls' hearts practically melted at her proud and adorable appearance.

They lavished her with praise, hoping they might get to pet Himari themselves.

But Himari lightly ran back into her owner's arms, showing no attachment whatsoever to the older girls praising her.

With the matter resolved, the two groups who had gotten acquainted through a fight began introducing themselves.

When the black-haired boy with glasses said his name—"Harry Potter"—a chorus of astonished exclamations erupted.

"Is it really you?" Hermione asked excitedly.

"I know all about you. Of course—I bought a few extra reference books: A History of Magic, The Rise and Fall of the Dark Arts, and Important Magical Events of the Twentieth Century. All of them mention you."

Harry Potter looked utterly baffled upon hearing this. He had never known he was so famous.

But in fact, as the archetypal survivor who had stood against Voldemort and escaped death, Harry Potter had long since become a renowned figure in the wizarding world.

Marietta and Cho Chang could not help giving him a few extra looks as well. Cho had spent most of her life in Muggle society and had only formally entered the wizarding world a year ago, so she had no real sense of it.

Marietta, however, was different. She even wanted to go up and ask Potter for an autograph.

Compared with them, Ye Ting was much calmer. He merely showed a little surprise, then exchanged a few simple words with both Harry Potter and Ron Weasley, who had been somewhat overlooked in Harry's spotlight. This left both Harry and Ron with an excellent impression of him.

Harry felt that Ye Ting had not approached him merely because of his fame, while Ron was touched that Ye Ting had not focused solely on the famous Harry Potter and ignored him.

At this point, he had even forgotten the conflict from a few minutes ago, when Ye Ting had knocked his wand flying.

After that, Ye Ting took the girls and bade them farewell.

After they left, Ron watched Ye Ting's retreating figure with a mix of envy and jealousy.

"Isn't he just a little better-looking?" he complained bitterly to Harry. "He actually gets to share a compartment with three girls. Sure, he's a decent guy, but I'd bet that anyone walking beside him would never get noticed by a single girl."

Harry nodded in agreement. Though both of them thought Ye Ting was a good person, boys always stood united when it came to resenting handsome guys.

Meanwhile, the handsome guy they were talking about returned to his compartment with the three girls, holding Himari and wearing a helpless expression.

Along the way, Hermione kept talking with Marietta about Harry Potter and Voldemort. One had read many books about the magical world, while the other had parents working at the Ministry of Magic and was well informed. The two chatted endlessly about the gossip, occasionally letting out cries of surprise.

Cho Chang listened intently beside them, chiming in now and then. Only Ye Ting, who was not much for gossip, had nothing to say and could only read his own book.