“Yeah! Although I don’t know which ones are actually delicious, I can try them all now.”
There was undisguised elation in Harry’s voice, her fingers carefully stroking the wrapping paper of the Chocolate Frog: “And, I want you to try these too.”
Vera gazed into Harry’s bright green eyes, which were filled with pure joy and a desire to share.
She hesitated for a moment, gently picking up a Chocolate Frog, a slight vibration coming from the other end of her fingertips.
“Then many thanks.” She said softly.
Hermione couldn’t wait to unwrap her own: “It’s said that magic is cast inside, but once bitten it stops moving—Oh! A card!”
A Wizard card fell out of the packaging, showing the face of a man wearing half-moon spectacles, with a crooked, long nose, and silver hair and beard draped down.
“It’s Albus Dumbledore!”
Harry immediately leaned over curiously to look: “Who is he?”
“He is the Principal of Hogwarts!” Hermione said excitedly, “You don’t even know this?”
Harry smiled sheepishly: “My aunt and uncle never tell me anything about the magic world.”
Hermione immediately rattled on about Dumbledore’s various achievements.
Staring at the small text for a moment, Harry flipped the card back to the front and was shocked to find that Dumbledore had disappeared.
“He’s gone!” she said in surprise.
“In the magic world, the figures in photographs can move around,” Vera explained softly, looking at her wide-eyed, astonished expression, “it’s considered a kind of Transfiguration.”
Harry listened, understanding half of it; just as she opened a Chocolate Frog and before she could catch it, the Chocolate Frog “swooshed” out from between her fingers, tracing a graceful arc in the air and disappearing outside the train window.
Vera watched her small face wrinkle with disappointment, unhurriedly unwrapped her own package, and precisely pinched the Chocolate Frog the moment it tried to jump away.
“The trick lies in the angle of the wrist.” She said softly, showing the Chocolate Frog to Harry: “As long as it’s caught, it won’t move anymore.”
Harry widened her eyes in amazement and quickly unwrapped another Chocolate Frog.
Just as she tried to grab it, the new Chocolate Frog made a fierce leap, tracing an arc in the air, and landed accurately on top of Hermione’s head.
The three girls froze simultaneously.
Looking at this scene, Vera finally couldn’t help but chuckle softly.
Nox was startled by the sudden commotion, jumped from Vera’s lap onto the luggage rack, and looked down condescendingly at the chaos.
“Don’t move!” Harry suppressed a smile, carefully helping Hermione remove the Chocolate Frog from her hair: “Sorry, I’ll definitely keep trying next time.”
Vera shook her head, took out her wand, and said softly: “Scourgify!”
The residual chocolate traces on Hermione’s messy brown hair instantly vanished.
She breathed a sigh of relief and looked at Vera gratefully: “Thank you, I didn’t expect you to already know how to use such a spell.”
“I often see house-elves use it at home.” Vera calmly explained, then flipped open her own card, which featured a Witch wearing blue robes—Morgan le Fay, a Witch from the era of King Arthur.
Nox showed great interest in the Chocolate Frog, amber eyes staring intently at the Chocolate Frog in Vera’s hand.
“No, Nox.” Vera gently pressed down on the white cat’s restless paws: “Chocolate is toxic to cats.”
The cat purred resentfully and jumped onto the luggage rack overhead.
Harry asked curiously: “Can it understand you?”
“Kneazle blood makes it smarter than ordinary cats.” Vera explained, casually handing the Chocolate Frog to Harry: “Here you go.”
Harry took the Chocolate Frog, but kept her eyes fixed on Vera: “Are you always like this? Giving good things to others?”
Vera was slightly startled: “Just not used to eating sweets.”
“Liar.” Harry suddenly leaned closer, her green eyes flashing with a mischievous gleam: “You ate raspberry ice cream that day, I saw it.”
Vera was stunned, not expecting Harry to have noticed her back then, and even less expecting her to remember such details, not knowing how to respond for a moment.
Hermione smoothly came to the rescue: “Quick, look out the window! We seem to be almost there!”
The three girls turned their heads to look out the window simultaneously.
Amidst the distant mountains, a towering Castle shone brilliantly in the setting sun, its soaring spires piercing the clouds, countless windows reflecting golden light.
“That is Hogwarts…” Harry murmured softly, her green eyes filled with yearning.
Vera gazed at the ancient Castle, the crystal in her heart suddenly vibrating slightly—she felt a powerful wave of magic coming from the direction of the Castle, as if calling out to her.
The Magic Circuit accelerated its flow inside her, golden patterns faintly visible beneath her skin.
Vera calmly pressed her wrist, temporarily suppressing the restless Magic Circuit inside her, took a deep breath, and lit the lamp in the compartment with her wand: “Let’s change into our school robes first; it will get colder once it gets dark later.” Read this novel at g.com for the best experience.
The three girls began to prepare flusteredly.
Vera easily changed her clothes using magic, while Harry and Hermione helped each other tidy their collars and cuffs.
The train slowly decelerated and finally stopped beside a small, dark platform.
By this time, dusk had ended, and night had quietly descended.
The platform was buzzing with voices.
The upper-class students swarmed toward the carriages in the distance, while the first-years gathered around an unusually tall figure—Hagrid, who was still holding a swinging oil lamp in his hand.
The three of them deliberately waited until there weren’t many people before leaving the compartment.
Harry looked at Vera, hesitating for a moment: “Shall I push?”
Vera shook her head, tapped her wand lightly, and her body floated lightly again, slowly falling back into the wheelchair.
“Let’s go.” Vera pushed the wheelchair, taking the lead to move toward the compartment door.
Nox nimbly jumped onto her lap and lay down.
Just off the train, the chill of the night made Harry shiver involuntarily.
She instinctively looked at Vera beside her, tucking the blanket on her legs firmly.
“Be careful not to catch a cold.” When Vera looked up, she whispered an explanation with a red face.
In the night, it was actually hard to see Harry’s face clearly, but Vera still softly said thank you.
Faintly, she heard Harry seem to laugh, and then she walked toward Hagrid not far away.
“Hagrid!” Harry waved excitedly.
The half-Giant turned around, a brilliant smile blooming on his face as he greeted her.
His loud voice attracted sidelong glances from many surrounding new students, especially when people noticed Harry and Vera, whispers immediately spreading.
“That’s Harry Potter…”
“The girl in the wheelchair beside her must be from the Black Family… How pitiful…”