As they boarded the Hogwarts Express, warm yellow light from inside the carriages spilled through the windows, mingling with the swirling steam outside in a hazy glow of warmth.
Because Draco and the others had arrived quite early, most of the train's compartments were still empty. There was no need to compete for seats, and they were spared unnecessary greetings and small talk.
Leading Pansy, Vincent, and Goyle, Draco casually picked a compartment by a window and pushed the door open.
Vincent and Goyle sat opposite him, their enormous bodies taking up most of the seat, with barely enough room for the two of them.
Pansy and Draco sat elegantly on the other side.
After gently smoothing the creases in her robes, Pansy curiously surveyed the compartment's furnishings, a hint of excitement about the unknown journey tucked away in her eyes.
Draco had only just settled into the middle seat when Goyle leaned toward him from across the compartment and asked guilelessly, "Boss, do you know that Engorgio spell? The one that turns a shrunken trunk back to normal? Crabbe and I practiced for ages, but we still couldn't learn it. It always feels like we can't control our magic properly..."
The moment his question ended, a brief snort rang through the compartment, so shrill it almost sounded like a birdcall.
It burst unmistakably from Pansy Parkinson's nose, shattering the compartment's brief silence.
Pansy, who had been lounging lazily against the velvet seat, instantly straightened, leaning slightly forward.
Her small but bright eyes were now filled with incredulous mockery, as though she had just heard the most ridiculous thing in the world.
"Vincent," she deliberately drawled, her voice thin and shrill, every syllable like a silver needle dipped in poison, every word stinging, "have you gone stupid? Use that thick head of yours-the one even a troll would find cramped-and think!"
Pansy deliberately stressed the word "troll," pausing briefly to ensure that the insulting nickname struck Goyle's face like a heavy stone.
It was a nickname everyone in their circle knew, reserved for Goyle and Vincent, mocking their simple minds and powerful bodies.
"What else?" Pansy raised an eyebrow, her tone growing even more cutting, mockery almost spilling from her eyes. "Did you think the Malfoy family heir's dragon hide trunk would spring open all by itself with a 'pop,' like a startled doxy?"
"Magic this basic is nothing more than a flick of the hand for Draco. I can't believe you dared ask such a stupid question. How utterly embarrassing!"
Under her barrage of barbed mockery, Goyle's face turned as red as cooked pig's liver. He opened his mouth, wanting to argue back, but could not squeeze out a single meaningful syllable for ages. He could only lower his head awkwardly, his face full of embarrassment.
Beside him, Vincent merely looked blankly from Goyle to the aggressive Pansy, completely unable to make sense of the situation.
Having finished mocking Goyle, Pansy immediately redirected her attention, swiftly turning toward Draco. The spite and mockery on her face vanished instantly, as though by magic.
In their place came a cloying expression that mingled boundless admiration with an intimate sense of shared understanding. She gazed at him with sparkling eyes, as though Draco were the only deity in her heart.
"Of course Draco knows it!" Pansy's voice instantly dropped an octave, becoming soft and lilting. "A basic spell like this is as natural and effortless as breathing for him. It doesn't take the slightest effort. Isn't that right, Draco?"
Pansy did not wait for Draco's answer at all, because to her, the answer needed no confirmation.
The Malfoy family heir ought to have mastered all basic magic. That was simply a matter of course.
"This is the most basic Transfiguration spell. As children of pure-blood families, we should have mastered it long ago. Only those two..." As she spoke, she cast a contemptuous glance at the embarrassed Vincent and Goyle beside her, making no attempt to hide the disdain in her voice.
Quietly watching her expression change as quickly as turning a page, Draco had already gained a thorough grasp of her personality.
Pansy had always been fiercely competitive and loved to argue over every detail. If he agreed with her now, she would surely become even more pleased with herself and only target Crabbe and Goyle more relentlessly in the future.
But if he took the opposite position and refuted her, she would immediately launch into an argument and pester him endlessly, determined to establish who was better and who was right. That would only make the situation more awkward and leave everyone without a moment's peace.
Having thought it through, Draco slowly began, "Pansy, we don't need to stay cooped up in this tiny compartment, spending all our time with just the two of them."
As he spoke, Draco's gaze swept over the bewildered Vincent and Goyle beside him.
Then he looked back at Pansy. "We're about to enter Hogwarts and step through Slytherin's doors. What lies ahead of us involves all the new students in the house, and even our network of connections throughout the entire wizarding world."
"We need to learn about the others in advance, especially those children of... pure-blood families with room to choose.
"Their positions and their families' leanings will all affect our future standing and influence. We can't afford to overlook any of it."
With that, Draco looked steadily at Pansy, his gaze carrying a sense of scrutiny and appraisal. "You can go to the compartment next door now and sit with Daphne Greengrass or Millicent for a while. Chat with them and gather some more information.
"I need to know which way this year's new students are leaning outside our little circle, what the relationships between those families are like, whether there are any allies worth making or opponents we need to watch out for."
"For this task, your eye is sharp enough and your conversation polished enough. You're better suited to it than any of us. I can rest easy leaving it to you."
At his words, Pansy's eyebrows first lifted slightly, and a clear flicker of surprise crossed her eyes.
She evidently had not expected Draco to be considering such far-reaching, strategically significant matters at a time like this.
It went beyond what she had expected of Draco's current state of mind.
But that surprise passed in an instant. A moment later, a knowing, slightly smug smile slowly appeared at the corners of Pansy's mouth.
Her whole bearing grew more confident and spirited.
The words "your eye and conversation are best suited to it" made Pansy feel her own worth and made her feel that she was an indispensable partner Draco acknowledged, rather than merely a follower.
Pansy's eyes instantly lit up, gleaming with shrewdness. She had clearly grasped Draco's intentions completely and understood the significance behind the task.
"Oh~ I understand." Pansy deliberately drew out her words. "Exactly. We can't just sit here and shut ourselves away. Only by learning the situation in advance can we seize the initiative. That's how the Malfoy family does things."
As she spoke, she rose elegantly from her seat and lifted a hand to gently straighten her brand-new dark green robes, her movements delicate yet carrying a theatrical solemnity.
Watching her, Draco added, "Exactly. Our outlook can't be limited to this tiny compartment, much less to our existing little circle."
Once again, Draco's words exceeded Pansy's expectations, and a clear flash of astonishment crossed her eyes.
Pansy had originally thought she was the sole person Draco had chosen to carry out his plans, a crucial part of his arrangements.
She had not expected Draco himself to have a similar, even more proactive plan, rather than simply wanting to sit here and wait for others to pay their respects and flatter him.
This completely shattered Pansy's ingrained notion that "Young Master Malfoy" ought to be "sitting high above everyone else, waiting for others to attach themselves to him" at this moment, leaving her both surprised and particularly excited.
But that astonishment lasted only a brief instant.
Then a broader, more genuine smile, even carrying a hint of the excitement of meeting a worthy opponent, completely replaced her earlier, deliberately manufactured smile of superiority.
"Ha!" Pansy gave a short laugh, her eyes sparkling as she looked at Draco and exclaimed admiringly, "I knew it. The Malfoys never sit around waiting for disaster. No matter when or where, they know to take the initiative and keep a firm grip on the situation. That's the true Malfoy spirit!"
"Daphne Greengrass is a good choice," Pansy analyzed seriously after finishing her praise of Draco.
"Her Greengrass family has been very active in pure-blood circles lately, and they're close to quite a few families. They must know plenty of inside information. We should be able to learn something useful from her. As for Millicent..."
At this point, she gave a soft, thoroughly disdainful snort, clearly looking down on Millicent's simple-minded stupidity from the bottom of her heart.
But on second thought, the family behind Millicent also held a certain amount of influence, and perhaps she could coax some casually revealed information out of her, so she gritted her teeth and accepted the task after all.
"All right. For the sake of the bigger picture, I know what to ask, and I'll get the information we need out of her. I certainly won't disappoint you."
At that moment, Pansy resembled a young noblewoman entrusted with a secret mission. Her gaze swept slowly over Crabbe and Goyle beside her, who remained bewildered and clueless, with a slight air of superiority.
Then Pansy raised her hand and grasped the compartment door handle. Just as she was about to pull it open and leave, she suddenly stopped and slowly turned back to look at Draco.
After giving him a reassuring look, Pansy lingered no longer. She gently pulled open the compartment door and swept away.
After Pansy left, the compartment door slowly closed, shutting out the noise outside and finally keeping her overbearing presence temporarily on the other side.
Looking at the tightly shut compartment door, Draco let out a sigh of relief, unsure whether to laugh or cry, and inwardly counted himself lucky.
I finally got rid of that difficult character. If I had to sit in the same compartment as her for the whole journey, there would surely be no end of pestering and questioning. I certainly wouldn't have a moment's peace.
Sending Pansy off to gather information gave her something to do, satisfying her competitiveness and sense of purpose, while also giving Draco room to move freely. It truly killed two birds with one stone.
And this way, Draco could also take the opportunity to leave the compartment and look around the train for Hermione.
Even if Pansy returned after gathering information and found him gone, he could explain that he had "also gone to gather information about the other new students and learn more about the situation." It was entirely reasonable and would not arouse her suspicions-a foolproof plan.