The steam train crossed the wilderness, passed wheat fields, and rolled over hills.
Not long after Sylvia and Hermione returned to their compartment, someone knocked on the door.
The door opened, and the first things Hermione and Sylvia saw were a velvet coat and its gilded buttons.
Then a bearded man as fat as a walrus panted, "Oh dear, finding someone really is no easy task..."
Hermione and Sylvia exchanged a bewildered glance.
Will closed his book and turned toward the man. "Professor Slughorn? What brings you here?"
Sylvia and Hermione were both a little surprised—naturally, neither of them knew Slughorn was going to be a professor.
In fact, neither of them even knew this professor.
"To invite you to lunch, of course, Will. And Miss Lestrange here, naturally," Slughorn said gruffly. "In compartment C. I trust you'll come?"
Will was a little helpless. "Of course, Professor Slughorn. I'll be there. Thank you for inviting me in person."
Slughorn looked delighted and beckoned to them. "Splendid! Well, come along, then."
Will took Sylvia's hand and stood up. "Come on, honey. The highly esteemed Professor Slughorn has personally invited us."
Slughorn was clearly even more pleased, grinning from ear to ear.
Hermione, however, seemed unable to catch up. What was going on? How had a professor suddenly appeared and whisked the two of them off to lunch?
She was rather lost.
Will and Sylvia followed Slughorn into compartment C—a very spacious compartment with quite a few people already inside.
Harry, Neville, Ginny, Blaise Zabini, Cormac McLaggen, Marcus Belby, Susan Bones...
Slughorn made no attempt to hide his favoritism toward Will. "Hello, everyone. Sorry for the wait. I just went to find Mr. Behrens and Miss Lestrange, which proved quite a task.
"I imagine you all know Mr. Behrens, don't you?"
Everyone