Chapter 6: Hermione Granger

As they were going, the door of the compartment opened and Ron came in.

"All the other compartments are full. Do you mind if I sit here?" He asked while pointing at the seat next to Harry.

Both Harry and Argus nodded and Ron sat down.

Argus noticed that he was staring at both Harry and him, but when Argus looked at him back, he would swiftly look out the window.

"Hey Ron, you in there,"

The twins came back to the compartment and started to tease Ron.

"There's a huge tarantula Lee brought. Don't go there,"

"Right," Ron mumbled.

"Oh yes. Harry. We're the Fred and George Weasley. Nice to meet you," one of the twins said.

"Yes and Argus Nidma. We're also extremely pleased to meet you as well. I'm happy to say that not all rich families are complete dungheads like the wretched Malfoy family," The other twin said. "Well we have to go. See you later,"

"Bye," The three of them said as the twins slid the compartment door.

"Are you really Harry Potter?" Ron asked.

Harry nodded.

"So, you really have that lightning..."

Harry showed his lightning scar.

"Oh wow, I was just guessing that my brothers were messing with me. So that was the one You-Know-Who..."

"Can't remember it though. All I remember are green lights,"

Ron shifted his attention to Argus.

"You're Argus right?" Ron asked.

"Yes I am," Argus said.

"Well I really do have to thank you and your family. I was able to get so much more things because of the discount. You know being 6th in the family is hard since I have so much expectations, but even if I achieve something, it's not really much since 5 other people have done it," Ron said gloomily. "It's even worse since usually all I get are hand me downs. My brother Bill's old robes, my other brother Charlie's old wand, and I even got Percy's rat Scabbers,"

Ron took out a fat gray rat out of his pocket to which Argus looked at with hostility.

"Peter Pettigrew..." Argus thought.

"He's really useless. He only sleeps and nothing else. Since we couldn't really aff- I mean get owls for so many people, we just decided to get Percy one only," Ron said while his face was going red.

"Well, I don't think there's anything wrong with getting hand-me downs. I had to get hand-me-downs from my oversized cousin Dudley. Nothing ever fit me, always 3 sizes too big," Harry said.

Ron seemed to cheer up by this.

"And I didn't even know anything about this whole Wizarding Wold until Hagrid told me about my parents and Voldemort,"

Ron gasped and Argus jumped in.

"Harry I think you should get off the habit of saying that name," Argus said.

"Why Argus? I think it's appropriate considering he did beat You-Know-Who,"

"He didn't beat him Ron. Beating consists of Harry destroying You-Know-Who by his own powers. Harry was just a baby when he "defeated" You-Know-Who. Otherwise, he would be called the Boy Who Won instead the Boy Who Lived. I don't think it's appropriate to just say his name whenever. I believe that the only one who has the right to do so is Headmaster Dumbledore who is the only person, You-Know-Who was afraid of. Harry, You-Know-Who wasn't ever scared of you. Rather there must have been some other factor," Argus said warning Harry while trying to sound like he didn't know much.

Harry nodded.

"See I don't know much and just saying his name whenever. I'm probably going to fail every class," Harry said worryingly

"Don't worry," Ron said. "There are plenty of Muggles who learn everything really fast,"

While the three of them were talking about things like Harry and Argus' owl and how the two knew each other before coming here, a lady with a cart came.

"Anything- Oh Sir Argus, I didn't know you were in this compartment. I thought that the Madam or the Sire would put you in the..."

"No, my mother and father did not even say that they had something to do with the Hogwart Express,"

"Do something... Sir, one of the Nidma family members is the head of the Hogwarts Express Railway Authorities. You basically own the Hogwarts Express,"

"Those parents of mine... I can't believe that I didn't know of this..." Argus said while sighing. "Well no matter. Just bring the three of us some pastries and we'll be fine,"

"But Sir, we have a special VIP room on the train that is basically known to no one else except for the driver, the Authorities, and I. You're the heir of the Nidma family. We can't keep you..."

"Just bring me the pastries and we'll be fine," Argus said.

"Yes Sir," The lady said as she brought in some of every brand of candy that was available and quickly left.

"Well now that we have some pastries let's eat," Argus said.

"Woah! Argus I didn't know that your family basically owned the Hogwarts Express! That's amazing!"

"Honestly, I didn't even know about this either. Truth be told, I'm also quite amazed, but at the same time, I want to send a Howler to my father to say stop being so darn surprising every time," Argus said.

Harry was also fascinated by Argus' background, but was quickly diverted by some of the snacks there.

"Oh, what are these. Chocolate frogs? They're not really frogs are they?" Harry asked feeling that at this point nothing could surprise him.

"It's just a spell. Well, either way, pass me one frog. I'm missing Agrippa and Ptolemy. In each frog there's a card of famous witches and wizards. Oh yeah by the way, Argus, there's one of your father I believe," Ron said as he opened one.

Harry opened his and Argus proceeded to open one as well. Surprisingly, it was his father.

JACK NIDMA

CURRENTLY HEAD OF THE NIDMA FAMILY

Considered by many the greatest businessman of all time. Grown the Nidma family into double of what it was 50 years ago. He essentially owns most of the industry for a wizard and there are rumors that he has also moved on to the Muggle world (of course without revealing any magic).

"The face disappeared," Harry suddenly said.

Argus looked up.

"Of course, he isn't hanging around all day. Morgana again?! I got like 6 of her. Want her Harry. You could start collecting," Ron said.

For a while then, Ron started to eat the frogs while Harry was being engrossed by new cards.

Suddenly the door opened and the round-faced boy that Argus saw at the station came in.

"I'm sorry, but have you seen a toad at all?"

All three shook their heads and the boy started wailing, "He's always running away!"

"Well I'm sure that he'll show up," Harry said.

"Yes," The boy said gloomily. "Well please tell me if you see him,"

When he left, Ron said, "Well, if I brought a toad, I'd lose it. Well, at least a toad is better than my pathetic Scabbards,"

"Honestly, I don't even know if he's dead or alive. I wanted him to turn yellow yesterday, but he wouldn't turn yellow. I'll show you," Ron said as he took out his wand. It was extremely battered and a white hair-like substance was poking out at the tip.

"Unicorn hair is popping out. Well anyways-"

Before Ron could start, the door slid open once again. The round-face boy was again at the door with a girl with a small stature, a bit of a curly hair, and a round face.

"Hermione..." Argus thought.

"Has anyone seen Neville's toad?" She asked in a bossy manner.

"We told him we haven't seen it," Ron said. However, Hermione's attention shifted to the wand on his hand.

"Oh, magic. I want to see you do it," Hermione said.

"Oh, alright...Sunshine, daisies, butter mellow,

Turn this stupid, fat rat yellow,"

Scabbers obviously stayed the same.

"Are you sure that's a real spell. If it is, it doesn't seem that good to me," Hermione said.

"Ron, George just fooled you with that one. That's not a real spell." Argus said. "I'll teach you the real incantation,"

Argus took out his wand and Ron commented on it.

"Argus, you're rich man. You should've asked Ollivander for a better one,"

"Ollivander said it was good for me so I'm guessing that I have to stick with this one," Argus said.

"That's a really fragile looking wand," Hermione said. "Are you sure it can do magic?"

"Of course it can," Argus said while smiling. "Well take a look,"

"Colorvaria," Argus chanted.

Immediately the rat changed color from the dull gray to a vibrant yellow.

"Woah, nice Argus," Ron said.

"Argus? Argus Nidma?" Neville asked.

"That's me," Argus said.

"It's really umm... nice to meet you," Neville said while extending his hand for a handshake. Argus shaked hands back and Hermione came to sit down.

"Wow, that was nice. You must be excited for Hogwarts as well," Hermione said. "I've tried a few spells just for practice and memorized the course books by heart. You know I'm quite happy and excited to go to Hogwarts. Heard it was the best place for magic. Oh yes, my name is Hermione. Hermione Granger," She said extremely quickly.

"Nice to meet you Hermione and wow you memorized it by heart already," Argus asked acting shocked. "Thought I was the only one that did that,"

"You memorized it too?" Hermione asked glad that she could find someone similar to her. She then smiled a radiant smile that made Argus' legs feel a bit numb. She then looked at Harry.

"You must be Harry Potter and you are..." She looked at Ron.

"Ron Weasley,"

"Pleasure to meet you. Anyways, you are in several modern textbooks,"

"Am I?" Harry asked.

"Goodness, you didn't know? I'd and I think Argus would as well search up everything if it was up to me. Anyways, we have to go. You three should change to your robes. We're almost there," Hermione said while taking the still gloomy Neville with her.

"I hope that whatever house I'm in, I'm not with her. Also, that dunghead George gave me a dud spell. Well thanks Argus for telling me the actual incantation,"

"What house do you think you'll be in Ron?" Harry asked.

"Oh, Gryffindor, I hope," Ron said. "Well as long as they don't put me in Slytherin, I'll be fine. Imagine if they do, I'll probably be abandoned by my family.

"I honestly don't think you will Ron. You don't look like you have it in you to deceive others and only care about being pure-blooded,"

After a bit of talking about their favorite Quidditch team and what Ron's older brothers did for a living, the door once again slid open revealing Draco Malfoy and two other big mean looking boys.