Shawn boarded the train and headed toward the prefects' compartment with Neville, who was straining to drag his trunk along.
He had no intention of helping Neville. That, too, was a form of respect.
When they reached the compartment, Alice helped the huffing and puffing Neville levitate his trunk onto the luggage rack.
Neville politely thanked her. Though tear tracks still marked his face, he looked more confident and spirited than before.
After greeting his trusted companions, Shawn glanced at Theodore, who sat quietly by the window, playing with the little rabbit in its cage.
Shawn did not disturb Theodore, who was immersed in his own happy little world.
But his thoughts turned to Tom's reason for making Gloria a Death Eater.
It was simple enough, and rather funny.
Tom simply refused to give up. After all, he was not Voldemort, and not a single Death Eater was truly loyal to him.
He had originally visited to try poaching Theodore again, but Theodore had refused firmly. Unwilling to leave empty-handed, Tom had simply recruited Gloria instead.
Despite how aggrieved Theodore's sister had looked in front of Shawn, she had actually been ecstatic about becoming one of the Dark Lord's Death Eaters.
Throughout the journey, everyone chatted about amusing experiences from their holidays and brought out the various foods they had prepared for Purple Shadow.
Hermione gave a vivid account of her trip to France, leaving Draco somewhat regretful. His mother had originally planned to take him to France, too.
In the end, he could only retort indignantly.
"You had so much fun, you must have fallen behind in your studies."
Who would have thought Hermione would knock Draco out with a single sentence?
"I don't read useless miscellaneous books anymore. I've already taught myself everything in the school textbooks through