Neville Longbottom

As the group chatted, the train finally began to move slowly, leaving Platform 9.

Neville was pathetically rummaging through his luggage, seemingly looking for something.

"What are you looking for?"

"Trevor, my toad." Neville's chubby, round face looked pitiful. "He always runs off. Maybe I should face reality; maybe he doesn't like being with me."

"How could a pet not like being with its owner? Right, Hedwig?" Gemini gently stroked Hedwig's little head.

Hedwig hooted softly, thoroughly enjoying Gemini's gentle touch.

The potion bought from Eeylops Owl Emporium had allowed it to regrow its beautiful feathers, and coupled with Gemini's newfound control over his abilities, it no longer rejected Gemini's closeness.

Hermione, however, was very enthusiastic and stood up directly. "I'll go ask in the other compartments for you."

Before Neville could say anything, Hermione left the compartment, leaving only Gemini and Neville inside.

Although Neville was still a bit afraid of Gemini, he felt much better compared to before.

He found that Gemini wasn't a violent sort of person. On the contrary, Gemini had a quiet personality, and his demeanor was as refreshing as a spring breeze; he was a very gentle person.

"Gemini, are you and Hermione both from Muggle families?" Neville asked, mustering his courage, then quickly waved his hand. "I'm just asking, no offense."

"Hermione is from a Muggle family. As for me, I'm not very sure."

Gemini gave a helpless laugh. "I grew up in an orphanage. I don't have many clues about my parents. I only know my mother's name was Anastasia, I don't know her surname, she was British, and my father was a Chinese businessman."

"The director said my parents sent me to the orphanage, initially hoping for temporary care. Then they seemed to have an urgent matter and left. About two months after that, he received a letter from my mother saying my father had passed away and her situation was no longer suitable for raising me. I've lived in the orphanage ever since."

"But I think that might just be an excuse." Gemini thought for a moment. "I guess they were probably just ordinary people. You know, just like wizards value pure-blood, Muggles also value lineage, but they value race and skin color. Besides children with congenital disabilities, most of the abandoned children in orphanages are mixed-race. Moreover, the Muggle society hasn't been doing very well economically these years, with unemployment waves and all, so there are many children."

"But speaking of which, although those adults rejected mixed-race children, they were fascinated by the Eurasian mixed-blood appearance I have. Superficial people are always the easiest to deal with. Children like those Black or mixed-race Black and white children have grown up under discrimination since childhood."

Gemini smiled gently. "Thanks to this face, I can get by anywhere. Thinking about it, even though my parents sent me to the orphanage, they weren't entirely without value."

Neville stared blankly at Gemini, and after a long while, he asked with a dry throat, "Val... value?"

"Mmm." Gemini nodded with a smile. "If I have the chance, I should really thank them. Regardless of their character, at least their genes are quite excellent."

"That's not right?" Neville looked at Gemini in disbelief. "I mean, how can you measure something like this with value? Even if they abandoned you, even if it's hatred... you're really..."

"Ah... I think I understand what you mean." Gemini suddenly realized, then broke into a smile. "There's no need for that, is there? Because it's too troublesome, it'll make me unhappy, and it won't change anything. To be exhausted over cheap emotions that cost nothing is too much of a loss."

Neville stared at Gemini, dumbfounded, not knowing what to say.

This person...

Does he have no emotions?

"No, that's not right, Gemini." Neville mustered his courage and earnestly refuted Gemini. "Those aren't cheap emotions..."

Before he could finish, Neville saw Gemini raise a slender finger and shake it at him.

"Neville, what do your parents do?"

With a warm smile and a gentle voice, his words sent a chill down Neville's spine.

"I've heard of them, the brave Longbottom couple." Gemini turned his head, resting his chin on his hand as he gazed out the window, speaking slowly. "When I asked you a question, your pupils constricted, your face turned paler, sweat broke out on your brow, and your back stiffened involuntarily."

"Undoubtedly, you're afraid of me asking about your parents, aren't you? So what are you afraid of?"

"Are you afraid I'll mock you because of them?"

"Mock your great parents who were tortured into madness protecting you?"

"Of course, I wouldn't do that." Gemini turned around, smiling and spreading his hands. "Whether emotionally or morally, I wouldn't allow myself to do such a despicable thing."

Saying that, Gemini poked Neville's chubby cheek with his finger. "But I will mock you, Mr. Longbottom. Just now, you felt ashamed of your parents, didn't you?"

Gemini lowered his eyelids and leaned unpleasantly close to Neville, smiling like a cunning little fox. "Right? Right? Harboring such deformed and twisted emotions, and yet you have the audacity to discuss my right and wrong with me. Hmm~ Mr. Longbottom, what are your feelings towards your parents? Even if it's hatred..."

"I don't!" Neville suddenly stood up, looking at Gemini indignantly, his voice involuntarily changing pitch.

"Oh?" Gemini crossed his arms and sat back by the window, looking completely unfazed. "Then—if you don't, you don't~"

Neville's face immediately turned bright red. He panted a few times, turned around, and left the compartment.

"Hoo?" Hedwig tilted its head and looked at Gemini.

"Isn't it normal for children to quarrel?" Gemini smiled gently and stroked Hedwig's feathers. "He just thinks I'm too cold-blooded, but that's not the case."

"Hoo~"

Hedwig nuzzled Gemini's palm, closing its eyes comfortably.

Gemini didn't think there was anything wrong with his behavior. He had been like this in his previous life.

In his previous life, he wasn't an orphan, but his father died of cancer, and his mother of asthma. Both passed away when he was twelve or thirteen.

His parents' relatives kept their distance. With no money to go out and play, he naturally lost his circle of friends.

Then he suddenly realized that without wealth and capital, if he could discard some unnecessary emotions, he could live more easily.

Since no one cared about him, he didn't need to care about anyone.

From then on, Gemini had been like this.

No friends

No lover

Until one night, drunk, he scooped up the stars in the water.