Steam billowed and the whistle roared as the Hogwarts Express once again headed toward its appointed destination. As it picked up speed, the trees and light streaming backward grew ever more blurred. It was a fine day, with bright sunshine outside the train. The people inside-and the toad-would not have agreed.
"Croak!" Trevor flailed desperately inside a transparent jar, making constant tapping sounds. But a toad had his limits. However hard he tried, he could not break through that thin glass wall and reach the lover he had fallen for at first sight.
Ashen-faced, Neville shook the jar, muttering with vacant eyes, "Stop it. Settle down, Trevor. Do you know what you just did? It's over, everything's over..."
He now felt certain there was some fantastic beast in this world that was "everywhere, pouring cold water on every freshly made resolution." Only moments ago, he had been discussing this term's House Cup with his good friends and resolving not to lose any points during the first month of school. Then, in the blink of an eye, Trevor had gone missing, led him all the way to a deputy minister from the Ministry of Magic, and frightened her out of her mind in one fell swoop...
Yes, he recognized Dolores Umbridge. Whenever his grandmother read the newspaper, she often blacked out her face with an ink spell, sometimes even letting slip a few swear words children were not allowed to say. According to his grandmother, Umbridge was a cruel, terrifying witch without a shred of empathy. If Professor McGonagall heard that his pet had frightened Umbridge into insanity... I'm going to be expelled-sorry, Dad, Mum, Gran... Neville thought pessimistically, giving the glass jar another hard shake to vent his frustration.
This time, Trevor finally toppled over. His world spun and his