On the Train

"Hello, is there still room here? I mean, all the other compartments are already full!"

The sliding door opened, and a little witch with thick, bushy hair and a rather delicate, cute face led in a chubby, somewhat dull-looking little wizard, asking Li Wei and Hannah.

Li Wei was frowning as he read his Potions textbook. Hearing the question, he merely looked up at them without answering.

Hannah, on the other hand, was warmhearted and took the initiative to invite them in.

"You came at just the right time. There are still seats available, so come in and sit down! You two are first-year students as well, right?"

The little witch brightened, thanked them, and dragged her luggage into the compartment, not forgetting to call to the timid little wizard behind her.

"Hello, I'm Hermione Granger, and he's Neville Longbottom!"

"We met at the station. Mr. Longbottom's grandmother asked me to look after him."

Come to think of it, she had never expected wizards to take trains to school too. She wondered how far away Hogwarts was; Mr. Longbottom's grandmother must have been terribly worried about him...

Once Hermione Granger entered the compartment, her rosy little mouth never stopped moving.

Li Wei looked up at Hermione and Neville. He had not expected to share a compartment with two famous figures from the original story as soon as school began.

Hermione Granger was one of the main trio. Well-read and blessed with an excellent memory, she was known as Miss Know-It-All. If Harry Potter were renamed, it could have been called Hermione and Her Two Deadweights.

Neville Longbottom was the Gryffindor Sword Saint. Though he appeared to lack courage, in the final battle he had slain Voldemort's Horcrux—the Basilisk Nagini—with a single stroke.

Even though Li Wei did not remember much of the original plot, these two especially famous characters had left a deep impression on him.

Perhaps sensing Li Wei's gaze, Hermione Granger, who had been talking nonstop, turned to look at him and immediately noticed Magical Drafts and Potions in his hands.

"Are you studying ahead, sir?"

"When I was at home, I looked through all the textbooks too. In fact, I've already memorized everything in them."

"However, no one in my family can use magic. When I received my Hogwarts acceptance letter, I was utterly stunned, but also incredibly happy, because as far as I know, Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry is the finest sanctuary of magic in all of England, Europe, even the whole world! Headmaster Albus Dumbledore..."

"Oh, right, sir and miss, I still don't know your names!"

Hermione Granger fired off a whole string of words like a machine gun.

This seemed to be Hermione Granger's instinctive way of protecting herself in an unfamiliar environment.

To make herself seem more imposing and bolster her own confidence, she spoke in a way that made her seem a little arrogant and full of herself.

Hannah and Neville were utterly stunned by Hermione Granger's words!

Was this what people called a top student?

Weren't textbooks just something you bought, stuffed into your bag, and brought to school when term started?

Someone had actually memorized every textbook before school even began!

Merlin's beard! If all Hogwarts students were at this level, would I be sent home for being too stupid—or too lazy?

Thinking this, Hannah and Neville had already begun to tremble.

Li Wei was not affected in the slightest. Instead, he thought Hermione resembled a little lioness trying hard to put on a brave front. Smiling, he introduced himself.

"Lee Wickens. Nice to meet you, Miss Granger!"

Hannah realized she was the only one left who had not introduced herself, so she gathered her courage and spoke.

"My name is Hannah Abbott. Miss Granger, you're really amazing!"

"I mean, I've realized that both you and Mr. Lee Wickens are amazing!"

"You don't know this, but Mr. Wickens worked in Diagon Alley throughout the summer. He can cast all sorts of magic..."

Once the conversation turned to something she knew well, Hannah Abbott was no longer so socially anxious. She began talking nonstop about Li Wei's summer job.

"Oh my goodness, why hadn't I thought of that!"

"You can actually stay in Diagon Alley and go shopping there whenever you want. How many chances did I miss to visit Flourish and Blotts, buy books, and read?"

Hermione Granger looked shocked, her face full of regret and remorse over the opportunities she had missed. If she had thought earlier that she could stay in Diagon Alley, she definitely would have convinced her parents not to go home.

"But, Wickens, why did you go work?"

"Wouldn't it have been better to spend that time learning more knowledge and magic?"

Hermione had spotted the issue and promptly offered a very Granger-like opinion.

"It's nothing. I'm an orphan, and I don't want to return to the orphanage in the future. If I want to live a little better, I have to make some money while I can."

"Besides, using magic for work is pretty interesting! Don't you think it's fascinating to wave a wand, speak an incantation, and make everything follow your will?"

Li Wei said it lightly, making no effort to hide his background.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Wickens. I didn't know..."

The moment Hermione heard that Li Wei was an orphan, the big-sister side of her personality, nearly a year more mature than the other young wizards in her year, surfaced. She apologized to him sincerely.

"It's fine. I'm used to it. You don't have to keep calling me Mr. Wickens either. We'll all be classmates from now on, and since we've gathered here, we're friends. Just call me Li Wei!"

Li Wei smiled unconcernedly. Honestly, hearing a bunch of little kids call one another sir and miss felt rather funny to him.

He glanced down at the luggage Hermione and Neville had brought into the compartment and casually asked them.

"I'll presumptuously call you Hermione and Neville, then. Is that okay?"

"Do you want to put your luggage on the rack? It'll be a while before the train arrives, and leaving it here takes up too much space."

"Of course," Hermione Granger said generously, already acting rather familiar with them.

Neville and Hannah nodded as well. Though they had not known one another long, they were already friends.

Hearing Li Wei's reminder, Neville and Hermione reached for their luggage. But when they looked up, they realized that the luggage rack was far too high. Unless they stood on the seats, there was no way they could put it up there.

"Let me help you. Wingardium Leviosa!"

With a flick and a shake of Li Wei's wand, the two children's luggage floated lightly into the rack like balloons.

However, his little thief cat, Nami, was startled by the suddenly flying luggage and leapt from the rack straight into the middle of the group.

"Thank you, Li Wei," Hermione and Neville said, only to be startled again by little Nami's sudden jump.

"Ah, what an adorable cat! Her fur is actually purple!"

"Is she some kind of magical creature? Why haven't I seen her in Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them?"

Hermione Granger, who secretly had the instincts of a devoted cat lover, had her full attention instantly captured by the incomparably adorable little thief cat, Nami.

Her eyes gleamed as she reached out a small hand to pet her, but Nami easily dodged away and jumped into Li Wei's arms.

"She's my pet companion. I call her Nami!"

Li Wei introduced his darling to them. Hannah was already used to Nami's cuteness, but Hermione was racking her brains for a way to win Nami over and give her a proper petting.

Just as the three were chatting happily, a burst of crying suddenly came from the corner of Li Wei's side of the compartment.

"Waaah... Trevor, I lost you..."