Learning that the friendly boy beside him was Cedric Diggory immediately improved Alistair’s mood.
In the future, Cedric would be chosen by the Goblet of Fire as Hogwarts’s official champion, which said more than enough about his talent even if Harry Potter eventually became an additional competitor under extraordinary circumstances.
From his previous life in America, Alistair knew exactly how useful it could be to have a high-achieving upperclassman as a friend, especially one willing to help without constantly showing off.
Cedric also happened to be a Hufflepuff, which made the situation even better.
Harry Potter and his friends would arrive at Hogwarts the following year, and Alistair had already decided that staying away from their yearly disasters would greatly improve his chances of enjoying a peaceful school life.
For that reason, Gryffindor and Slytherin were already near the bottom of his personal list of preferred Houses.
Alistair genuinely wanted to experience everything the Wizarding World had to offer, but that didn’t mean he wanted to spend seven years being chased by Dark wizards, monsters, cursed objects, and whatever else Hogwarts managed to produce.
Cedric, by comparison, seemed almost ideal as a school connection.
Alistair therefore made no effort to hide his compliments, and Amos Diggory responded exactly as expected.
By the time they were preparing to board the Hogwarts Express, Amos had apparently decided that Alistair was an unusually polite and promising first-year.
Before leaving, he repeatedly reminded Cedric to look after him, proving that anyone willing to praise his son immediately earned a place in Amos’s good graces.
Cedric was embarrassed by his father’s enthusiasm, but he was still only around twelve and had little defense against Alistair’s practiced friendliness.
It didn’t take long before he began treating Alistair like a genuine younger friend rather than a stranger he’d met on the platform.
Once they boarded the train, Cedric turned down several invitations from other students and instead helped Alistair find an empty compartment.
By the time the Hogwarts Express pulled away from King’s Cross, the two were already talking comfortably.
Most of the conversation consisted of Cedric explaining Hogwarts traditions, classes, professors, and small details about castle life while Alistair listened with genuine interest.
Their conversation was eventually interrupted when the compartment door slid open.
A slender girl with long golden curls stepped inside, dressed with the same expensive confidence Alistair remembered from Diagon Alley, and her dark-green eyes immediately locked onto him.
Both of them spoke at the same time.
“It’s you?” Cedric looked between them in surprise, clearly wondering how two first-years had already managed to recognize one another before even reaching Hogwarts.
“We met in Diagon Alley while buying school supplies,” Alistair explained.
“Her name is Cassandra, and she’s starting Hogwarts this year too.” He then gestured toward Cedric.
“Cassandra, this is Cedric Diggory.
He’s a second-year Hufflepuff.” Cedric immediately smiled and extended his hand.
“Nice to meet you.” Cassandra merely gave him a small nod before sitting down beside Alistair without accepting the handshake.
Cedric looked mildly embarrassed but simply shrugged and returned to his seat.
The compartment fell quiet for several seconds before Cassandra finally spoke.
“Every other compartment is full.
My father specifically told Hogwarts that a compartment should be reserved for me, but apparently nobody bothered doing it.” Her expression hardened with obvious offense.
“This isn’t going to end here.” Alistair and Cedric exchanged a brief glance, both wisely choosing not to comment.
When neither boy showed the reaction she expected, Cassandra frowned.
“Do you even know who my father is?” she demanded.
“He’s the Head of the Auror Office at the Ministry of Magic.
Every Auror in Britain answers through his office.” Cedric immediately brightened, apparently seeing an easy way to improve the conversation.
“Really?
Then our fathers both work at the Ministry.” Cassandra’s expression became slightly friendlier.
“Your father is an Auror too?” “No,” Cedric answered.
“Dad works in the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures.” Cassandra’s brief interest disappeared almost immediately.
“Oh.” She leaned back against the seat and returned to her previous aloof expression.
Cedric glanced toward Alistair, who had to make an effort not to laugh.
Before the silence could become uncomfortable again, the compartment door opened for a second time.
An adult woman wearing a tall hat, her hair pulled into a long ponytail beneath it, stepped inside in an elegant coat.
“Sorry to bother you,” she said pleasantly.
“The other compartments are crowded.
Do you mind if I sit here?” Despite asking permission, she was already taking the empty seat before anyone could answer.
The sudden appearance of an adult among a compartment full of students immediately made all three children sit a little straighter.
Noticing their curious expressions, the woman smiled.
“My name is Ilona.
If everything goes according to plan, I’ll be your new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor this year.” The effect was immediate.
Cedric became noticeably more formal, Cassandra’s previous arrogance disappeared, and even Alistair stopped lounging comfortably in his seat.
For several moments, nobody said anything at all.
Alistair couldn’t shake the vague feeling that something about Ilona seemed familiar, but since the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor for the 1990 school year had never been important to the stories he remembered, he dismissed the thought.
Cassandra was the first to recover.
Apparently determined to make a good impression before they even reached Hogwarts, she noticed a small mark near the hem of Ilona’s coat and immediately pulled out her wand.
“Professor Ilona, there’s a little dirt on your coat.
Let me clean that for you.” With a confident flick, she cast, “Scourgify.” The mark disappeared at once, leaving the fabric spotless.
“Thank you,” Ilona said with a warm smile.
Cassandra’s expression immediately brightened at receiving praise from a possible future professor.
Ilona then lifted her cup and took several graceful sips of water.
Cedric, apparently deciding he shouldn’t let Cassandra be the only student demonstrating useful magic, pulled out his own wand.
“Professor Ilona, would you like me to refill that?” After Ilona nodded, Cedric pointed his wand toward the cup.
“Aguamenti.” Clear water flowed neatly from the tip and filled it without spilling.
Ilona thanked him as well, leaving Cedric looking quietly pleased with himself.
Then Cassandra, Cedric, and Ilona all turned toward Alistair.
Alistair froze.
Why is everyone looking at me?
He suddenly realized that the other two students had each demonstrated a spell and now seemed to expect him to do the same.
Unfortunately, his magical training before Hogwarts had consisted almost entirely of Occlumency, which wasn’t exactly something he could perform for entertainment inside a train compartment.
He couldn’t very well announce that his specialty was resisting people trying to invade his mind, and most ordinary first-year spells were things he’d barely practiced.
For the first time since boarding the train, Alistair found himself wishing he’d spent less time defending his thoughts and more time learning something flashy.
Fortunately, salvation arrived before the silence became unbearable.
The compartment door slid open again, and the witch pushing the snack trolley smiled at them.
“Anything from the trolley, dears?” Alistair nearly sighed with relief.
He immediately straightened in his seat and looked toward the others with sudden confidence.
“Actually, I do know one spell I can demonstrate.” Cassandra raised an eyebrow.
Cedric leaned forward curiously.
Alistair reached into his pocket and pulled out a generous handful of shining gold coins.
“Galleons.
Lots of them.” He pointed toward the trolley.
“I’ll take everything.” Enjoyed the chapter?
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