Chapter 324: A Peaceful Train Journey

The red train rumbled across the open countryside, producing a steady clack-clack sound as it moved, with the compartments swaying gently.

At one point, Wade took a trip to the restroom. On his way back to the compartment, he noticed that there were noticeably fewer students lingering in the corridors this year.

In previous years, many students would leave their compartment doors open, and run around to greet friends they hadn't seen all summer. 

The Weasley twins would take the opportunity to peddle their latest prank inventions, and Malfoy would be roaming around with his cronies, looking for trouble with Harry.

But this time, the corridor was unusually quiet. Many compartment doors were shut, and as Wade passed by, he could hear bursts of laughter from inside. 

A man's innocent-sounding voice asked:

[Jerry: Why are you buttering your face?

Cosmo Kramer: I'm shaving with it.

Jerry: Oh Moses, smell the roses.](Seinfeld 1989)

Oh. Now Wade understood why the corridors were so empty—everyone was huddled in their compartments watching TV.

Standing by the window, Wade gazed outside. Thick, heavy clouds had completely blocked out the sunlight, and the distant mountains had become blurry and indistinct.

Before long, raindrops began pattering against the train, creating a calming rhythm that brought a sense of tranquility.

The corridor lights flickered on, and the train's windows turned into natural black mirrors. Wade could no longer see the scenery outside—only his own reflection staring back at him.

A student, having just used the restroom, jogged past him, only to dash back a moment later. He gave Wade a curious glance but said nothing before quickly retreating into his compartment.

A few minutes later, another person joined Wade.

Michael stared at the window for a while before asking, puzzled, "Wade, what are you looking at?"

"Nothing."

"—Then why are you still staring?"

"I thought I might see something…"

"What?"

"We should be arriving at Hogwarts in about half an hour, right?"

"Pretty much."

"Never mind." Wade turned away. "Let's head back. It's getting chilly out here."

"Took you long enough!" Michael muttered. "If you want to space out, do it inside the compartment. I was starting to think something had happened to you!"

As Wade returned to the compartment, he could already see Ryan and Theo peeking their heads out. When they spotted him and Michael, they both grinned.

Wade couldn't help but smile back, and then his gaze briefly swept over the dark night outside once more.

The train did not stop unexpectedly. There was no frost forming on the rain-streaked windows, and the temperature didn't suddenly plummeted.

This time, despite the number of escaped prisoners increasing to three, the Dementors did not come to intercept the Hogwarts Express.

Perhaps it was because the Ministry of Magic didn't believe Peter Pettigrew had the courage to risk everything for revenge, or maybe it was because Dumbledore's current stance was much tougher than in the original timeline, making Fudge too afraid to act recklessly.

The train safely pulled into the station. As the doors opened, students poured out, followed immediately by a chorus of complaints.

It was still raining outside, the ground was muddy and slippery, and parts of the platform were even covered in ice.

Wade raised his wand, and an invisible force spread from its tip into the air, forming a transparent umbrella that kept the rain at bay.

With a whoosh, Michael quickly pulled Padma under the "umbrella" and sighed in relief. "Thank goodness—I left my umbrella in my trunk and forgot to take it out."

Padma giggled. "Thanks, Wade. I put on makeup today, and I really don't want it to get ruined by the rain."

Pavarti, who had also been pulled in, crossed her arms awkwardly and made conversation to fill the silence. "Wade, what spell is this?"

"Umbrella Expans—"

Before completing his words, Wade slightly widened the umbrella's coverage—only for several more people to squeeze in.

Wade: "…"

He silently stared at the grinning faces around him while, in the background, Hagrid's booming voice called out, "First years, over here!"

Wade extended his free left hand, and seven or eight leaves from a nearby tree suddenly rustled and flew in front of him, hovering in midair. He tapped each leaf with his wand in turn.

The green leaves rapidly expanded, growing larger and wider. Their edges curved downward, their stems lengthened and bent into the perfect shape for holding.

Then, with a wave of Wade's hand, the newly formed leaf umbrellas floated toward his umbrella-less friends. Everyone quickly reached out to grab a "handle," and the crowd around Wade instantly thinned out.

"Wow—"

A chorus of gasps and youthful exclamations echoed around them.

"This is magic?" A young boy with a bowl-cut hairstyle asked enviously.

Wade and the others turned to see a group of around ten first-years standing nearby. 

Those without umbrellas were tugging their hoods over their heads to shield themselves from the rain, as they looked at the floating leaf umbrellas with admiration and awe.

"That's right. Jealous? You'll be able to do it too someday." 

Michael said, as he grabbed an umbrella and held it over the Patil sisters. The leaf was large enough to cover two or three people. Then, he casually handed another to two younger girls in the first-year group.

"You're lying!" a pale-faced girl holding a small floral umbrella suddenly said. "My sister is about your age, and she can't do this. She's got her backpack on her head right now!"

"Shut up, Astoria!" Daphne, balancing a backpack on her head, snapped in embarrassment and frustration.

Astoria shrugged, her face was full of smug with 'See? Told you so!' energy, and she wasn't done yet. "I did remind you to bring an umbrella. You're the one who forgot!"

Daphne rolled her eyes in frustration, and jogged off toward the carriages, ignoring her sister.

Wade conjured a few more leaf umbrellas and handed them to the first-years. The children eagerly thanked him and gripped the leaf handles as if they were holding some kind of magical scepter, and their faces were beaming with pride.

Astoria glanced at the leaf umbrellas, then stepped under one herself. After a moment, she folded up her small floral umbrella and held it out.

"I don't need this anymore. Can you give it to Daphne for me? It must be pretty tiring holding a backpack over her head the whole time."

The group fell silent for a moment before Michael reached out, took the umbrella, and smiled. "Sure."

Astoria's bright eyes swept across the scarves wrapped around their necks.

Ravenclaw… another Ravenclaw… Hufflepuff… Gryffindor…

No Slytherins.

She smiled and said, "Thanks, you guys are really nice."

Under the dark sky, Hagrid—like a massive black bear—led the nervous first-years away, while Wade and the others headed for the carriages.

As they passed through the noisy carriage queue, Michael spotted Daphne. With a flick of his wand, he sent the umbrella floating toward her.

Amidst the sound of rain, it was unclear whether Daphne had thanked him or not. She simply opened the floral umbrella and held it over her head—though by then, she was already drenched.

Her friend Pansy had an umbrella too, but she had been clinging tightly to Malfoy the whole time, and even her robe hem was soaked in mud, making it obvious she had no intention of helping Daphne.

"Daphne's little sister is actually pretty sweet, isn't she?" Hermione suddenly remarked. "She's different from Pansy's group."

"But she'll definitely end up in Slytherin," Ron said with certainty. "Give it a month, and she'll be just like the rest of them."

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