Once all the young witches and wizards were seated, the Hogwarts Express officially chugged to life, the scenery outside accelerating backward past the windows.
By now, Harry and Ronald were no longer as guarded as when they first met, even addressing each other as Harry and Ron.
Harry in particular found that he and Ron were both deeply curious about each other’s families.
Through back-and-forth questions, their familiarity deepened rapidly.
Sherlock did not join in.
Merely listening to their conversation provided enough data for him to deduce their backgrounds.
Instead, he found himself far more interested in Harry’s lightning-bolt scar.
Though, in Sherlock’s opinion, the scar looked less like lightning and more like a capital “N”.
Harry and Ron grew increasingly animated.
Getting caught up in the excitement, Ron decided to demonstrate a spell for his two muggle-raised friends.
“George gave me a spell to turn him yellow.” “Him” referred to Ron’s pet, a fat gray rat named Scabbers—a hand-me-down from his prefect brother, Percy.
As Ron spoke, he opened his trunk and rummaged through it.
The trunk was a total mess; he moved a pile of books, hauled out two robes, and after quite a while finally pulled out a wand.
“Want to see?” He looked at his two companions expectantly.
“Hurry up!” Harry urged.
Sherlock watched Ron with interest as well.
Over the summer, Sherlock had tried numerous spells and succeeded with all of them.
By normal standards, his magical talent was quite good.
However, when it came to Transfiguration—like McGonagall turning a teacup into a squirrel—he was powerless.
Of course, after reading the textbooks, Sherlock knew that wasn’t part of the first-year curriculum; it was way beyond their grade level.
Under the gaze of his two friends, Ron cleared his throat and waved his wand: “Sunshine, daisies, butter mellow, turn this stupid fat rat yellow.” One second, two seconds, three seconds.
Scabbers remained drab gray, sleeping soundly without the slightest effect.
Harry: (°ー°〃) Sherlock: ←_← Ron blinked, raised his wand again, and tried once more: “Sunshine, daisies, butter mellow, turn this stupid fat rat yellow.” Still nothing happened.
Harry: (lll￢ω￢) Sherlock: ←_← “Well, I knew it wouldn’t work.
I bet George knew it was a dud all along,” Ron said, putting his wand away in disappointment.
“Is the problem the wand?” Hearing Sherlock’s question, Ron didn’t react immediately.
“What?” “Your second brother’s wand…” Sherlock pointed at Ron’s wand.
The wand was extremely battered, peeling in places, with a bit of white hair glowing at the tip.
“Oh, this was Charlie’s old wand.
The unicorn hair is nearly poking out.
But Dad said it wouldn’t affect its use…” Ron carefully stroked the worn wand, then suddenly looked up.
“Wait—how do you know this was my second brother’s wand?” “Ron, even I could tell it’s an old wand…” Harry chimed in.
He was secretly pleased, feeling as though his own intellect had taken higher ground.
“No, no, no!
I mean, how did you know it belonged to my *second* brother?
I haven’t even told you how many brothers I have!” Right!
Harry realized it too.
He could tell it was an old wand, but Sherlock had directly stated it belonged to Ron’s second brother.
Wasn’t that ridiculous?
Sherlock smiled.
“I don’t just know it’s your second brother’s wand; I also know there are seven children in your family.
You are currently wearing your eldest brother’s robes, holding your second brother’s wand, keeping your third brother’s pet, your fourth and fifth brothers are twin brothers, and you have a younger sister who hasn’t started school yet.” Harry and Ron were completely dumbfounded.
Neither spoke for a long moment until Ron flushed crimson and muttered: “Sherlock, making fun of people like this isn’t funny at all.
You must have investigated me beforehand!” Harry couldn’t help standing up for Ron as well.
“Sherlock, you actually knew about Ron’s family beforehand, right?
Otherwise there’s no way you could know all that.” At this moment, the two formed a united front, convinced Sherlock must have investigated Ron in advance.
Sherlock was long accustomed to such reactions.
“My dear Harry, my deductions were actually quite simple.
With careful observation and logical analysis, you could infer the very same things.
Think back to my analysis of you earlier—once explained, it’s hardly worth mentioning!
When I explain the reasoning, you’ll both surely say, ‘Ah, so it was that simple!'” Harry was half-skeptical.
“Really?” “I don’t believe it!” Ron shook his head like a rattle.
“You definitely investigated me!” Compared to Ron, Harry was slightly better off since he had witnessed Sherlock’s skills earlier.
But now, he remained doubtful too.
After all, the details Sherlock deduced about Ron were far too specific—hardly comparable to what he had deduced about Harry.
Looking at their eyes filled with eager curiosity, Sherlock smiled and said: “Very well, let me explain: “Ron’s robes, wand, textbooks, and even his trunk are second-hand.
That alone indicates he comes from a family with multiple children—pardon me, but when you opened your trunk earlier, I took an extra glance.
Your robes have been altered once and don’t fit quite right; I expect when you put them on later, your sneakers will show.
The old wand is obvious—even Harry noticed that.” Harry: |(*′口`) “But that doesn’t prove the wand belonged to my second brother!” Ron protested.
Sherlock shrugged.
“Normally, wands and robes are purchased together.
Yet judging by the wear on your wand and robes, the robes were clearly purchased much earlier than the wand.
Items like wands and robes are only handed down to younger siblings when the older brother leaves school.
Therefore, two of your older brothers must have already graduated.
“Furthermore, when you tried to perform magic earlier, you mentioned Scabbers was given to you by the brother who became a prefect, and that the spell was taught to you by George.
That implies you have at least two more brothers.
“Coincidentally, I happened to see you chatting with a pair of twin brothers on the train.
No one would doubt you’re related—you share the same red hair and similar facial features.
However, neither of them is a prefect—prefects have two designated compartments at the front of the train, which isn’t difficult to find out.
“Based on all this information, it isn’t hard to figure out, is it?
See?
From these details, it was simple to deduce that you have five older brothers: the robes and wand came from the eldest and second brothers who graduated, the pet came from the third brother who is a prefect, and the fourth and fifth are twins.” “B-but how did you know I have a sister?” “You might not have noticed, but you have a few strands of long red hair on your shoulder.
Judging by their texture and sheen, her age isn’t far from yours.
Thus, you should have an older or younger sister—a younger sister being more likely.
This was the only detail I guessed rather than strictly deduced, though I believe my guess is correct.
I assume she hasn’t started school yet?”