“May I come in and sit here?”
Mord looked toward the girl standing outside the compartment.
She had long black hair that flowed over her shoulders like a waterfall, bright and expressive eyes, and a graceful, slender figure.
Her calm, elegant demeanor gave her a quiet beauty that was gentle rather than overwhelming.
She looked like a traditional Chinese painting brought to life.
At first glance, it was obvious she was of Asian descent.
Could she be…?
Mord’s curiosity was immediately piqued.
He stood up and opened the compartment door.
“Of course. Please come in.”
“Thank you.”
The girl smiled warmly before taking a seat.
“My name is Cho Chang. I’m a second-year student in Ravenclaw. Are you both first-years?”
Mord smiled.
“Yes. I’m Mord Black.”
“And I’m Hermione Granger.”
The three quickly introduced themselves as the Hogwarts Express rolled away from King’s Cross Station.
Since there were only three people in the compartment, the atmosphere soon became relaxed.
“Black?” Cho Chang asked with surprise.
“As in the House of Black?”
Unlike many students, Cho wasn’t unfamiliar with wizarding families.
Mord nodded with a helpless smile.
“Only a distant branch.”
“To be honest, the Black family doesn’t have the best reputation. A few days ago, the Ministry of Magic even questioned me personally—as if they expected me to blow up Hogwarts on my first day.”
Cho couldn’t help laughing.
“I think they’re worrying far too much.”
She covered her mouth politely as she smiled.
“You don’t look anything like a Dark Wizard.”
Hermione quietly listened from beside them.
For some reason, she felt a strange tightness in her chest.
She didn’t understand why Cho Chang immediately recognized Mord’s surname or why she seemed to know so much about the Black family.
It made Hermione feel as though the short time she had spent getting to know Mord meant very little compared to Cho’s understanding of his background.
Even the book in her hands suddenly became difficult to focus on.
Noticing her silence, Mord immediately changed the topic.
“Hermione, I should have told you earlier.”
“My family… the House of Black… has a rather unfortunate history.”
He briefly explained his family’s reputation and why the Ministry viewed him with suspicion.
Hermione’s eyes widened.
“That’s completely unfair!”
She spoke without hesitation.
“It’s nothing but prejudice.”
She looked at Mord earnestly.
“I know you’re a good person. You’ll never become a Dark Wizard.”
She hadn’t expected someone as calm, polite, and dependable as Mord to carry such a heavy burden because of his family name.
If anything, it only made her admire him more.
Cho Chang nodded in agreement.
She, too, found it difficult to associate the elegant boy before her with the image of a Dark Wizard.
Instead, he reminded her of a young noble whose family had fallen from grace.
Mord simply smiled.
A faint trace of melancholy lingered in his eyes.
Both girls couldn’t help feeling sympathy for him.
The system suddenly interrupted. You are reading on g.com, the official source.
[Ding!]
The future Demon King’s charm has reached an astonishing level.
Truly a sinful man.
Darkness Points +5
Mord nearly rolled his eyes.
System…
this is simply making good use of my natural advantages.
The train continued northward.
By noon, it was passing through the beautiful Scottish Highlands.
An elderly witch pushing the snack trolley stopped outside their compartment.
Mord generously spent ten Sickles, buying nearly every popular treat available.
Neither Hermione nor Cho Chang could refuse his kindness.
Both thanked him softly.
“Mord,” Hermione asked curiously while chewing a Jumping Toffee, “why didn’t you buy Bertie Bott’s Every Flavor Beans?”
Before Mord could answer, Cho Chang laughed.
“I know why.”
“I tried them once.”
Her expression immediately became one of horror.
“I got one that tasted exactly like dirt.”
Mord nodded seriously.
“Cho is absolutely right.”
“Bertie Bott’s Every Flavor Beans belong in Zonko’s Joke Shop, not a sweet shop.”
“I’ve even eaten one that tasted like earwax.”
As he spoke, he opened a box of Chocolate Frogs.
The moment the box opened—
Whoosh!
The Chocolate Frog leaped into the air.
Fortunately, Mord reacted quickly and caught it before it escaped.
Without hesitation, he bit off its legs.
The unfortunate frog immediately stopped struggling.
Inside the box was a collectible wizard card.
Turning it over, Mord smiled.
It featured an elegant witch dressed in blue robes.
Rowena Ravenclaw
One of the Four Founders of Hogwarts.
Renowned for her extraordinary wisdom and her countless contributions to magical knowledge.
Cho Chang’s eyes immediately lit up.
“It’s Rowena Ravenclaw!”
“I’ve wanted this card for ages, but I’ve never managed to get one.”
Without hesitation, Mord handed her the card.
“Then it’s yours.”
Cho accepted it happily.
“Thank you.”
Her smile became noticeably warmer.
Just then…
“Croak?”
The tiny White Jade Frog poked its head out of Mord’s pocket.
It stared curiously at the Chocolate Frog.
Chuckling, Mord placed the Chocolate Frog in front of it.
The White Jade Frog cautiously licked it.
Apparently satisfied, it immediately began eating its unfortunate “relative.” Enjoying the story? Read on at novelping.com.
Cho Chang’s eyes sparkled.
“Is that a Chinese White Jade Frog?”
She gently picked it up.
“I grew up in Britain, so I’ve only heard stories about creatures like this. I’ve never actually seen one before.”
Hermione quickly joined the conversation.
“I’ve seen it before.”
“Mord and I bought it together in Diagon Alley.”
The White Jade Frog seemed to recognize Hermione and happily jumped into her hands.
Delighted, she offered it another piece of candy.
Cho smiled before opening her own box of sweets and offering the frog another treat.
Watching the scene, Mord could only shake his head.
The poor White Jade Frog truly had a difficult life.
If it weren’t naturally resistant to poison, these two girls probably would have fed it to death already.
Just then, loud voices echoed from outside the compartment.
The three exchanged curious glances before stepping into the corridor.
At the center of the commotion stood a pale boy with neatly combed platinum-blond hair.
His expression was filled with arrogance.
“You should think carefully about who deserves to be your friend, Potter.”
“Those Weasleys and Longbottoms aren’t worth your time.”
Standing opposite him were Harry Potter, a red-haired boy, and a slightly chubby boy.
Ron Weasley.
Neville Longbottom.
Harry clenched his fists.
“I think I can decide for myself who deserves to be my friend.”
Mord watched with amusement.
So this is Draco Malfoy.
Draco clearly hadn’t expected Harry to reject his offer so bluntly.
In his eyes, Harry had chosen two nobodies over the influential Malfoy family.
His expression darkened.
He glanced at Crabbe and Goyle, clearly preparing to let them teach Harry a lesson.
Before anything could happen, a calm voice interrupted.
“With everyone watching…”
“You’re being rather rude.”
Mord stepped forward.
Draco frowned.
“And who are you?”
“Mord Black.”
The moment Draco heard the surname Black, his expression softened.
Before leaving home, his father had specifically mentioned Mord.
Although the Black family had declined, Lucius believed Mord would certainly be sorted into Slytherin.
With a few favors, recruiting him should have been easy.
Smiling confidently, Draco extended his hand.
“I’m Draco Malfoy.”
“I’m sure you’ve heard of my family.”
“I think you’d agree that these people need to learn some manners.”
“The Malfoy family is more than willing to offer you its friendship.”
He was already imagining Mord standing beside him against Harry and the others.
Instead…
Mord simply raised an eyebrow.
“Are you trying to tell me what to do?”