Chapter 8: The Annoying Girl

The sudden and effortless acquisition of the reward left Hofa unprepared. He was eager to try out the **[Meditation Method of Milarepa]** right away, but he couldn't. The train let out a loud whistle—it was about to depart.

Hofa boarded the train, watching as countless wizard children waved goodbye to their parents through the windows. Some even shed tears, while the older students ran up and down the corridors, laughing and playing. Hofa had no parents or friends to bid farewell to.

Following the usual trope of other transmigrators, Hofa should have sought out the Golden Trio and secured the protagonist's favor. But this era made that impossible. Truth be told, Hofa didn't care much about Harry or Ron—he only wanted to meet Hermione. It pained him to think that he had come to the Harry Potter world but couldn't meet Hermione. By the time he could see her, he would likely be old and gray. The thought made him want to lie down on the tracks and let the Hogwarts Express run him over.

"I was born before you, and you were born after I grew old. I wish we had been born in the same era, so we could have been together every day," Hofa muttered in Chinese, lamenting the missed opportunity to meet his goddess. Feeling utterly despondent, Hofa just wanted to find a quiet spot to try out his newly acquired meditation method.

The train was large, but so was the crowd. After searching for a while, Hofa finally found an empty compartment near the end of the train. By then, the train had already started moving. The steam engine puffed out smoke, whistled, and began chugging along.

Hofa set down his luggage and sat comfortably, wiping the rain off his face. He crossed his legs on the seat and gazed out the window. Soon, the train left London behind and entered the countryside, dotted with sheep and cattle, occasionally passing by gray, barren boulders. Before long, the train entered the lush Scottish Highlands. The endless highlands weren't covered in dense forests like Scandinavia, nor were they desolate deserts. Instead, they were blanketed in low, green grass and moss, growing sparsely and bleakly. The exposed rocks and crisp air constantly reminded you that this was a highland on an island.

The **[Meditation Method of Milarepa]** instructed Hofa to always be in tune with nature, to feel its simplicity and harmony. So, he closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and began to regulate his breathing according to the method. The Sage's Knowledge was indeed extraordinary. As soon as he started meditating, Hofa felt his mind clear, his thoughts becoming sharper, and many physical desires slowly fading away.

However, Hofa had barely completed three meditation cycles when *click*—the compartment door slid open.

Annoyed at the interruption, Hofa opened his eyes to see who it was.

It was her.

The silver-haired girl stood at the door, holding her bag, a cold expression on her face. She wore a round hat, and a white owl perched on her shoulder. It was the same arrogant girl he had bumped into and then tricked earlier.

The girl didn't bother to greet Hofa or even acknowledge him. She plopped down on the seat across from him, tossed her bag aside, took off her hat, and crossed her legs, glaring at him coldly. Her owl mirrored her, staring at Hofa with wide eyes, as if it wanted to devour him.

Hofa hadn't expected the girl to track him down, let alone confront him like this. He wanted to call her crazy, but he held back. After all, humility was a traditional virtue in Chinese culture, especially when entering a new environment. Hofa decided to keep the peace and nodded at her.

"Hello."

The girl smirked sarcastically. "Hypocrite. You're cursing me in your heart, yet you put on a friendly face. Since when did Hogwarts start admitting students without considering their true nature?"

"You!" Hofa was momentarily speechless. He hadn't expected her to be so perceptive, nor had he anticipated such sharp words from someone so young. He was about to retort but then laughed at himself for being so childish. Why was he arguing with a little girl? Had his mind regressed along with his body?

So, Hofa stayed silent. Not only did he close his mouth, but he also closed his eyes and resumed his meditation.

Seeing that Hofa had closed his eyes and was ignoring her, the girl's irritation flared. She narrowed her eyes and asked sharply, "What's your name?"

Hofa let out a soft hum through his nose, indicating he didn't want to answer.

The girl chuckled coldly. "You think I can't figure it out just because you won't tell me? I can deduce your identity right now."

Hofa thought she was being ridiculously arrogant. He sneered, "Go ahead."

The girl began, "You're wearing a German Heligoland goblin's earring, yet you're attending Hogwarts. The British Ministry of Magic doesn't admit students from outside the British Isles, so you must be from an immigrant family. But according to the timeline, the Ministry banned wizard immigration after 1918, so your family must have arrived before then..."

(One minute later.)

"In history, there are five pure-blood immigrant families in the British Isles: Leost, Briart, Malfoy, Delacour, and one more... and twelve mixed-blood families: Baird, Cooper, Byron, Davis, Ian, Goshawk..."

(Another minute later.)

"Most immigrant families have vanished into history. The existing ones are narrowed down to half. Given your age, you're either a first-year or second-year student. Among the remaining families, the ones with 11- or 12-year-old boys are further narrowed down to a third: Delacour, Byron, Baird, and Goshawk. But the only family from Heligoland is the Goshawk family. And the Goshawk family has only one new student this year—Miller Goshawk."

The girl spoke nonstop for three minutes before finally stopping. She crossed her arms and looked at Hofa smugly, her owl mimicking her.

Hofa sighed, feeling a bit of pity. He opened his eyes and said, "You know so much, yet you couldn't figure out how to enter King's Cross Station?"

The girl lifted her chin arrogantly. "Because life is too boring without challenges. After receiving my letter, I cut off all sources of information. I wanted to find the station on my own! Hmph, even without your help, I made it in, Miller."

Hofa smiled faintly and said, "Indeed." Then he closed his eyes again.

Hofa had already figured out her personality—arrogant and self-centered. He didn't like her, no matter how beautiful she was. In fact, he found her somewhat detestable.

After her long-winded display, the girl wasn't as angry as when she first entered. She asked curiously, "Hey, Miller, which house do you want to be in?"

Hofa didn't want to engage with her, and he certainly wasn't named Miller. But the question was one he had pondered for days. The truth was, he didn't know which house he'd end up in. For Hofa, the best outcome would be Gryffindor, as it had the protagonist's luck, and Dumbledore was from Gryffindor. But without Hermione, Hofa didn't particularly care about Gryffindor. He had already learned a lot about it in his previous life and was curious about exploring the other houses. Honestly, Hofa thought all four houses were fine. He wouldn't even mind being sorted into Slytherin. He'd heard their common room was under the Black Lake, which sounded fascinating.

Out of politeness, Hofa replied indifferently, "Gryffindor, I guess."

"Gryffindor? Hmph." The girl shook her head as if she'd heard something amusing. Her owl mimicked her, swaying its head.

"Those arrogant, self-proclaimed chosen ones who are actually empty-headed fools waving their wands around like brutes. I can't believe you'd like that house. How pathetic."

Hofa was speechless. Was it really okay to trash the protagonist's house like that? And to talk about others in such a condescending tone—wasn't she the one being arrogant? This girl was probably a die-hard Slytherin.

Hofa asked, "What about Slytherin?"

He thought she might praise Slytherin after bashing Gryffindor, but instead, she tossed her hair and sneered.

"Those idiots who worship their family trees like sacred relics. They're ambitious but lack humility, and they'll stop at nothing to achieve their goals. Even if they succeed, they'll be despised. They're truly ignorant."

Hofa's eyes widened. "Then... what about Hufflepuff?"

The girl was about to answer when a loud clattering noise came from the corridor. A kind-looking woman with an apron pushed open the compartment door.

"Hey, want to buy some snacks? I've got lots of delicious treats."

Hofa jumped up, immediately forgetting the arrogant girl. Train snacks! He couldn't come to the Harry Potter world and not try the train snacks.

The woman's cart was filled with mouth-watering treats: Chocolate Frogs, Pumpkin Pasties, Cauldron Cakes, and Licorice Wands. Hofa wasn't short on money, so he bought a bit of everything, just like Harry. Satisfied, he returned to his seat.

As the kind attendant was about to leave, the silver-haired girl called out to her.

"Wait, are you a Hufflepuff graduate?"

The attendant turned around, surprised and delighted. "Oh, how did you know?"

The girl shrugged. "Just curious. You can go now."

The attendant smiled. "Alright, let me know if you need anything."

After the attendant left, Hofa became curious. He handed the girl a Chocolate Frog and asked, "How did you know?"

The girl's pretty face twisted into a sarcastic smirk. "Because only Hufflepuff graduates would end up doing such menial work."