A Feast on the Hogwarts Express

Platform Nine and Three-Quarters appeared before Su Yu.

The Hogwarts Express stood there, a deep red steam train. The platform was crowded with people—students in wizard robes, parents pushing luggage trolleys, new students carrying owl cages, and boys and girls who looked like older students standing around in small groups and chatting. Owls hooted in their cages, toads kicked restlessly in their owners' palms, and a ginger cat leaped from someone's arms, darted across the platform, and vanished into the crowd.

Su Yu took a deep breath. The air was thick with coal smoke, old wood, and some indescribable magical scent.

"Su Yu!"

Hermione's voice cut through the crowd. She stood at the door of one carriage, waving hard at him. Her bushy curls had grown even fluffier in the steam, making her look like a cloud blown beside the train by the wind.

"Over here! There are still seats here! Hurry over!"

Su Yu pushed his trolley over. Hermione had already carried her own luggage aboard and was trying to help him with his trunks—but she clearly was not strong enough. She had only dragged one trunk halfway off the trolley before it got stuck in the gap between the train door and the platform.

"I'll do it." Su Yu walked over, lifted the trunk with one hand, easily raised it above his head, and set it inside the carriage. Then came the second trunk, the third trunk, and the luan bird cage.

Hermione stood beside him, watching Su Yu carry the impossibly heavy-looking trunks aboard one by one as if they were toys. Her expression shifted from surprise to admiration.

"You're really amazing," she said, with not a trace of flattery in her sincere tone. "Do you work out normally? Or does Eastern Continent magic make people stronger?"

"Both," Su Yu said. "And my trunks aren't as heavy as they look."

That was not entirely true—his trunks really were heavier than ordinary ones, but his physical strength was indeed far greater than that of children his age. He had Nine-Tailed Fox to thank for that. Ever since he had formed a symbiotic bond with the fox, his body had gradually been strengthened without his noticing.

After settling their luggage, the two of them walked down the carriage corridor in search of an empty compartment. Hermione led the way, peeking into every compartment they passed while talking without pause—about the magic books she had read, her expectations for Hogwarts, and the "not very successful" magical experiments she had conducted at home. She spoke as fast as a machine gun, and her ammunition was plentiful. There was no sign she intended to stop.

Nine-Tailed Fox let out a long, pained sigh in the soul space.

"She's still talking," Nine-Tailed Fox said with incredulous despair. "From the platform until we boarded, she's said... I've lost count of how many sentences she's said. Does she not know there's something in this world called 'silence'?"

"She's just excited," Su Yu replied in his mind. "It's her first time going to a magic school. No one used to talk to her at school."

Nine-Tailed Fox fell silent for a moment.

"...No one talked to her?"

"Mm. That's what the book said. Her classmates had always excluded her."

Nine-Tailed Fox was silent again for a while. Then she gave a humph—unlike her earlier disdain, it carried an awkward, unwilling softness.

"That still doesn't mean she has to be so noisy."

Su Yu did not expose her.

"Here!" Hermione finally found an empty compartment and pushed open the door. "No one's here! Let's sit here!"

The compartment was small but clean. Deep red upholstered benches lined both sides, with a fixed table in the middle and a luggage rack above the window. Outside, the platform crowd was still surging. Steam condensed into tiny droplets on the glass and slowly slid down the window frame.

Su Yu walked in and lay directly on one side of the bench. His movements were smooth and natural, as if the train bench had been custom-made as his bed—in truth, given his height, it was just long enough for him to lie flat, though his feet hung over the edge a little.

Hermione sat on the bench opposite him, placing her copy of Hogwarts: A History on her lap, but she did not open it—because she was still talking.

"Have you really studied Eastern Continent magic? Did your father teach you? You said Eastern Continent magic doesn't need wands, is that true? How do they do it? With hand signs? Or with—"

"My father taught me some," Su Yu answered with his eyes closed. "But I learned most of it myself. Eastern Continent magic really can be used without a wand, but it requires many years of cultivation. They call that power 'qi' or 'spiritual energy.' It's different from our magic. As for hand signs—"

He held out a hand, palm up. His fingertips glowed faintly—a light unlike that produced by a wand, softer and warmer, like a fragment of moonlight held in his palm. The light danced at his fingertips, then transformed into a tiny golden lotus that slowly spun in his hand.

Hermione's mouth opened, then closed, then opened again. This time, she did not want to speak—she was simply stunned.

"This is—"

"A very basic little trick," Su Yu said, withdrawing the light. The lotus dissolved into the air, leaving behind a faint golden afterglow. "Children on the Eastern Continent can all do it."

"That's incredible!" Hermione's voice was full of genuine amazement. "I've never read about anything like that in books! You have to teach me! I mean, if you have time, if you're willing—"

"I can," Su Yu said. "But it takes a lot of patience."

"I have patience!" Hermione said at once. "I have loads of patience! When I'm trying to understand the principle behind a formula, I can sit in the library all day!"

Just as Hermione was about to ask more questions, the compartment door slid open.

A round-faced boy stood in the doorway. He had light blond hair, was a little chubby, and was short—even a little shorter than Hermione. His face wore a timid expression.

"My name is Neville Longbottom," he said quietly. "There aren't any seats up front, so... could I sit here...?"

Hermione reacted instantly. She patted the empty seat beside her. "Of course you can! Sit here! What was your name again? Neville? Come in!"

Relief spread across Neville's face. He entered the compartment and carefully sat down beside Hermione.

"Thank you," Neville said, his voice a little louder than before but still timid. "My... my grandmother told me to find an empty compartment on the train, but I looked through several, and they were all full. Then I saw yours, but I was afraid I'd disturb you..."

"You aren't disturbing us," Hermione said, speeding up again. "You came at the perfect time. We were talking about magic. Can you do magic too? What kind of wand do you use? Are all your family members wizards?"

Neville was at a loss beneath that string of questions. His face reddened slightly, and his hands rubbed anxiously against his knees.

"I... I can do a little. My wand used to belong to my father. My grandmother is a witch, and my mum and dad... they..." His voice grew quieter, as though something had caught in his throat. "They... used to be wizards too..."

Hermione keenly sensed something strange in Neville's tone. She did not press further.

To thank them, Neville took out a box of biscuits.

"These are butter biscuits my grandmother made," Neville said, with a little pride in his voice. "She makes a lot every time. Would you like some?"

"Of course!" Hermione unceremoniously took one and popped it into her mouth. "Mm—so good! It tastes so buttery!"

Su Yu lay on the bench and reached out, feeling across the tabletop—his eyes were still closed. His fingers touched the box, then slipped past it.

Neville hurriedly pushed the box closer to Su Yu's hand. Su Yu's fingers found the box, felt around for a biscuit, picked it up, and put it in his mouth.

The buttery flavor melted over his tongue, rich and sweet, with a faint hint of vanilla.

Nine-Tailed Fox let out a satisfied sigh in the soul space.

"This one's good," Nine-Tailed Fox said, all disdain gone from her voice and replaced by genuine pleasure. "It's no worse than cheesecake. That child Neville's grandmother is a good cook."

"You're easy to talk to when you're eating," Su Yu replied in his mind.

"I'm easy to talk to even when I'm not eating. You just never listen."

The three of them shared the biscuits, and the atmosphere gradually relaxed. Neville began to talk more—about his grandmother, about how he had accidentally broken one of her vases when he was little, and about Trevor, the first toad he had ever raised. Hermione listened with great interest, occasionally asking a question or gasping in surprise. Su Yu lay on the bench with his eyes closed, occasionally giving a quiet hum to show he was still listening.

The scenery outside began to change. London's urban streets gradually faded into rolling fields and hills. On distant slopes, they occasionally saw flocks of sheep or a solitary farmhouse with thin white smoke rising from its chimney.

"Ding ding—"

A crisp ringing sound came from the corridor. The compartment door opened, and a smiling witch stood in the doorway pushing a trolley. It was filled with every sort of snack—Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans, Chocolate Frogs, Pumpkin Pasties, Cauldron Cakes, Licorice Wands...

"Anything from the trolley, dears?" the witch asked in a kind, warm voice.

Before Su Yu could answer, Nine-Tailed Fox's voice exploded in his mind.

"Cheesecake! Do they have cheesecake? No—Chocolate Frogs! I want Chocolate Frogs! And Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans! And that—what is that—Pumpkin Pasties are fine too! I want everything! I want it all!"

Su Yu sat up. He moved so quickly that Hermione and Neville both jumped—it was the first time that day they had seen Su Yu react so swiftly.

"I'll take everything," Su Yu told the seller. He pulled out a handful of Galleons from his pocket—Carson had prepared them beforehand as spending money in a small pouch, with a note attached that read "Snack expenses"—and placed them on the trolley.

The seller froze. "Everything? Dear, you mean..."

"Everything," Su Yu repeated. He began moving snacks off the trolley—Chocolate Frogs, Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans, Pumpkin Pasties, Cauldron Cakes, Licorice Wands, Pepper Imps, Drooble's Best Blowing Gum, Fizzing Whizzbees, Ice Mice, Acid Pops—placing them on the table one by one until they quickly formed a small mountain.

Hermione and Neville both stared wide-eyed.

"Su Yu," Hermione said in disbelief, "can... can you finish all that?"

"You bought... all of it?" Neville's voice was even quieter, but he was no less shocked than Hermione. "Th-this must cost so much..."

"It's fine." Su Yu opened a Pumpkin Pasty and took a bite—or rather, Nine-Tailed Fox made him take a bite. "I can eat a lot. And I'm treating. Help yourselves."

Hermione's eyes lit up as if someone had switched on a lamp inside them. A dazzling smile bloomed across her face.

"Really?" Her voice trembled slightly with excitement. "You're really treating us? I can eat whatever I want?"

"Eat whatever you want."

"Oh my God! Thank you!" Hermione immediately grabbed a Chocolate Frog and tore open the wrapper. "My mum never lets me eat this much candy. She says too much sugar is bad for your teeth and your brain. But—but—these are Chocolate Frogs! I read about them in History of Magic! Do they really jump?"

As soon as she finished speaking, the Chocolate Frog leaped out of her hand, bounced onto the table, and was swiftly pinned down by Su Yu.

"They do jump." Su Yu handed the Chocolate Frog back to her.

Hermione took it from him, her eyes curving into crescent moons as she smiled.

Neville also took a Pumpkin Pasty and cautiously bit into it. His expression changed from reserved to relaxed, then from relaxed to happy.

"Thank you, Su Yu," Neville said, louder than before. "You're really nice."

"It's nothing." Su Yu lay back down, still chewing his Pumpkin Pasty. "Eat."

The compartment filled with the sweet scent of snacks. Hermione kept talking as she ate—but now, instead of serious academic questions, she shared amusing stories from her childhood. She talked about discovering her magical talent for the first time, how she had found Hogwarts: A History in a bookshop, and how she had spun around the living room three times with joy upon receiving her acceptance letter. Neville talked about himself too—how his grandmother taught him his first spell, the singing flowers he grew in his garden at home, and how his toad Trevor always liked to run off.

"—Speaking of Trevor..." Neville suddenly stopped moving. The smile on his face froze, then was quickly replaced by panic. "Where's Trevor?"

He lowered his head and looked beneath the seat. Then he looked up and scanned the whole compartment. His face grew paler and paler, his voice more and more urgent.

"Trevor's gone! I—I clearly put him on the table just now! He must have hopped away! Oh no, I can't find him!"

"Don't panic." Hermione set down her biscuit, her tone turning serious. "We'll help you look. When did he disappear?"

"I don't know—I was eating just now, so I didn't notice—"

"Then he might still be in this carriage. Let's go look."

Hermione stood up, brushed biscuit crumbs from her robes, and turned to Su Yu.

"Su Yu, are you coming?"

Su Yu lay on the bench, his eyes half-open and half-closed, looking like a cat softened by the sun.

"No," he said lazily. "You two go. I'll wait here."

Hermione seemed to have expected that answer. She nodded and pulled Neville outside—Neville still clutched half an uneaten Pumpkin Pasty, his expression on the verge of tears.

"Don't worry," Hermione's voice came from the corridor, full of confidence. "We'll definitely find Trevor!"

Then their footsteps gradually faded away.

The compartment fell quiet.

Su Yu lay on the bench, listening to the rhythmic clatter of train wheels over the tracks.

Nine-Tailed Fox was quiet in the soul space as well. She lay on her chakra, her nine tails curled into a soft cushion, chin resting atop them, eyes half-closed.

The train continued onward. Outside the window, the sky grew darker and darker.

After an unknown amount of time—perhaps half an hour, perhaps an hour—footsteps and voices sounded in the corridor. Hermione's voice was clear and hurried, Neville's low and dejected. Their voices intertwined like strands of different-colored thread twisted together.

The compartment door slid open.

Hermione entered, with Neville behind her. Neville's face was full of disappointment, and his hands were empty. There was no sign of Trevor.

"We searched several carriages but couldn't find him," Hermione said as she sat down, a trace of unwillingness in her voice. "We asked lots of people, but no one saw a toad."

Neville sat in his seat with his head lowered.

"My grandmother will definitely be angry," he said so quietly that he was almost inaudible. "She says I'm a big idiot, always forgetting this and forgetting that..."

"You're not a big idiot," Hermione said immediately. "Toads are naturally the kind of thing that likes to wander everywhere. Look, his name is Trevor. It sounds like a restless name."

Neville raised his head and forced a small smile. "Thank you, Hermione. But..."

"No buts." Hermione patted his shoulder. "We'll look again when we get to school. Maybe he's already gone to Hogwarts by himself? Toads always know the way home."

Su Yu woke up then.

He sat up, rubbed his lower back, and stretched deeply.

"Neville," Su Yu said, his voice still a little hoarse, "don't worry."

He reached out and patted Neville's shoulder.

"He probably doesn't know where he ended up," Su Yu said in a calm but certain tone. "If fate wills it, you'll meet again. Maybe he'll show up by himself soon."

Neville looked at him, his lips moving as if he wanted to say something, but in the end he only nodded.

The train began to slow.

"We're almost there!" Hermione's voice became excited again. She pressed herself against the window, trying to make out the scene outside.

The train traveled for a few more minutes, growing slower and slower. Then, with a long whistle and a sharp screech of metal grinding, the Hogwarts Express gradually came to a stop.

"First-years! This way! First-years!"

A booming voice came from the platform, piercing through the steam and darkness and reaching every carriage clearly.

Su Yu stood from his seat. He followed Hermione and Neville off the train. The air on the platform was much colder than it had been inside the carriage.

A huge figure stood at the front of the platform, holding a lantern. The lantern looked like a toy in his hand—because his hand was simply enormous, large enough to hold the entire lantern in one grip. He was at least over two meters tall—no, three? His face was covered in thick beard, his hair like a mass of black shrubbery, and his eyes gleamed in the lamplight.

That was Rubeus Hagrid, Hogwarts's gamekeeper.

"First-years! This way! Don't be afraid! Just follow me!" Hagrid's voice echoed across the platform with an irresistible warmth. "Come on, come on—watch your step! The path's a bit steep!"

Su Yu, Hermione, and Neville followed the crowd in Hagrid's direction. Beyond the platform was a steep, narrow path. Dark bushes lined both sides, while the ground beneath their feet was uneven, littered with stones and tree roots. Hermione walked carefully, one hand holding up the hem of her robes while the other unconsciously gripped Su Yu's sleeve. Neville walked on Su Yu's other side, stumbling a little but barely keeping up.

At the end of the path lay a black lake. In the night, the water looked deep and mysterious, like a vast black mirror reflecting the stars above and the silhouette of the distant castle—Hogwarts Castle, rising on the cliff across the lake.

"Four to a boat!" Hagrid stood by the lake with his lantern, shouting loudly. "No more than four! Four to a boat! Come on, come on—"

He jumped into a boat first. It rocked beneath his weight but quickly steadied. Hagrid sat at the bow, the lantern placed on his knees, its light turning his massive beard into a mass of golden flame.

Su Yu looked at Hermione, then at Neville.

But the other new students were busy finding boats and climbing aboard. No one noticed that the three of them were still missing a fourth person.

"Forget it," Su Yu said. "Three is fine. Let's go."

He climbed into the boat first, then held out his hand and pulled Hermione and Neville aboard one at a time. Once the three of them were seated, their boat was far steadier than Hagrid's.

Hagrid shouted something from the front, and then—all the boats began moving at once.

They had no oars, no sails, and no visible source of power.

Hermione sat opposite Su Yu, both hands tightly gripping the edge of the boat. Her expression was a mixture of excitement and nervousness.

Neville sat beside Su Yu, and his nervousness was even more obvious than Hermione's.

The flotilla crossed the lake and arrived at a small dock beneath the castle. Moss covered the stone steps, dampened by the lake water and slippery beneath their feet. Hagrid jumped onto the dock first, then turned and used his massive hands to pull boat after boat to shore, helping the children aboard safely disembark.

"This way! This way!" Hagrid's voice echoed through the cave. "Watch your step! Follow me!"

"We'll wait in the boathouse until everyone comes up!"

Su Yu leaned against the boathouse wall with his hands in his pockets, looking as though he were daydreaming. Hermione stood beside him, still clutching her book tightly, her lips moving faintly as if reciting something under her breath. Neville stood on Su Yu's other side, still wearing the disappointed expression of someone who had failed to find Trevor.

At that moment, a booming voice came from outside the boathouse.

"—Who lost a toad?"

It was Hagrid's voice.

Neville lit up.

He jerked his head up, all the disappointment vanishing from his face and replaced by near-ecstatic excitement. His mouth fell open, one hand shot into the air, and his voice was so loud that even he seemed unable to believe it.

"It's mine! That's my toad!"

Hagrid appeared in the boathouse doorway. A toad rested in his huge hand.

"Trevor!" Neville rushed over, carefully took his toad from Hagrid's hand, and hugged him tightly to his chest. "Trevor! Where did you run off to? I've been looking for you all day!"

Trevor puffed out his eyes and gave a thoroughly satisfied croak.

Hermione stood nearby, watching Neville hold Trevor. The smile on her face was warm and bright. She turned to look at Su Yu.

Su Yu was still leaning against the wall.

"If fate wills it, you'll meet again," Hermione said, imitating Su Yu's tone before breaking into laughter. "You really were right."

Su Yu shrugged.