As the train rocked rhythmically, Alaric helped Hermione and Cho Chang place their trunks on the luggage rack before settling down.
Luna stared at them from her upside-down magazine, titled The Quibbler.
She seemed to need no blinking, her gaze fixed on them unwaveringly.
Suddenly, Alaric's backpack shifted and opened on its own, and a small cat emerged, jumping onto the table and claiming it as its own.
Luna's attention immediately shifted to the cat.
"How was your summer, Luna?" Cho Chang asked, breaking the awkward silence as she was the only one familiar with Luna.
"Yeah," Luna said dreamily, her eyes still fixed on the cat, "it was quite pleasant."
"You're Hermione Granger," she added in the same detached tone.
"I know that," Hermione replied, both amused and exasperated.
Alaric laughed, finding Luna's unique greeting as amusing in person as it was in the book.
Luna turned her pale eyes toward Alaric.
"You're Alaric."
"You know who I am?" Alaric asked, surprised.
"Every girl at Hogwarts knows you," Hermione said with a hint of jealousy, "isn't it only natural for her to know who you are?"
"No, you're wrong," Alaric shook his head seriously, "Luna's thoughts are always unconventional and unpredictable.
If she told me she didn't know who the Dark Lord was, I wouldn't be surprised."
"You know her quite well," Hermione said with a hint of curiosity, "Have you been observing her for a long time?"
—How was Alaric supposed to respond to that?
Alaric was momentarily taken aback by Hermione's comment, but before he could answer, Luna spoke first.
"Exceptional intelligence is a man's greatest asset," Luna said in a sing-song voice.
Then, she held up the upside-down magazine to cover her face and fell silent.
Alaric and Hermione exchanged glances while Cho Chang struggled to hold back a giggle.
Eventually, Cho Chang commented, "That… must be a compliment."
Hermione's look at Alaric became more resentful. It was no longer just a matter of Alaric having an interest in some girl; it seemed like they were already eyeing each other for something more.
She even felt they might take things further at any moment.
But what could she do?
Thinking about it, apart from saying a few words, she could do nothing to stop or influence the situation—she no longer had the standing to do so.
After all, with precedents like Fleur, Cho Chang, and Penelope, what's done is done.
They couldn't go back.
The atmosphere in the compartment grew awkward again, only warmed slightly by the cat's meows.
To ease the tension, Alaric decided to change the topic.
He glanced at Luna's magazine.
Although the magazine was upside down, Alaric could still make out the cover image.
It was a poorly drawn cartoon of Cornelius Fudge, identifiable by his dark yellow-green hat.
In one hand, Fudge was holding a bag of gold, and in the other, he was gripping a goblin by the neck.
The caption read: "How far is Fudge from taking over Gringotts?"
Below that were other article titles in the magazine:
- "Corruption in the Quidditch Club Federation!"
- "Fire Dragon Escapes from Gringotts: A Goblin's Big Mistake!"
- "Has the Dark Lord Returned? The Split in the Ministry."
- "Sirius Black: Villain or Victim?"
"Is there anything interesting in there?" Alaric asked Luna, "Could you show me?"
Luna nodded and handed the magazine to Alaric. Before he could look at it, Hermione spoke up.
"The Quibbler is a load of rubbish, everyone knows that."
Her tone made it clear she had strong feelings about it.
"Sorry," Luna said, her voice suddenly more focused, "My father is the editor of the magazine."
"Oh…," Hermione said, looking extremely embarrassed, "I see. Some of it can be quite interesting… I mean, it's still…"
The awkwardness deepened, and Alaric began to browse through The Quibbler with a serious expression.
He planned not to speak again until they reached Hogwarts.
The train continued north, and the weather changed unpredictably.
Raindrops intermittently tapped on the windows, while the sun lazily peeked out, only to be quickly covered by clouds.
As night fell, the lights in the compartment came on.
By then, Alaric had returned The Quibbler to Luna.
The girl carefully rolled up the magazine and placed it in her bag before turning her attention back to everyone in the compartment.
Cho Chang sat idly, resting her forehead on the window, trying to catch a glimpse of Hogwarts.
However, it was a moonless night, and the window was dirty from the rain.
Eventually, the train began to slow down, and the compartment was filled with the bustle of everyone preparing to disembark, gathering their luggage and pets.
As a prefect, Cho Chang had to maintain order, so she left first, leaving Alaric and Hermione to handle the rest.
"May I hold your cat for a moment?" Luna suddenly asked, extending her hand towards Alaric.
Taken aback by the unexpected request, Alaric looked at the cat, seeking her opinion.
To his surprise, the normally aloof cat, Himari, agreed to Luna's request.
Alaric handed Himari to Luna, and under his watchful eyes, the cat settled comfortably in her arms, showing no signs of unease.
In fact, Himari even shifted to a more comfortable position and fell asleep in Luna's embrace.
This scene astonished both Alaric and Hermione.
"Himari, you've changed…" Hermione said in a pitying tone, addressing the cat.
"When I first met you, you were so aloof and unapproachable, never letting me touch you.
But now, why are you so docile with her? It's your first time meeting her…"
In response to Hermione's question, Himari merely turned her head away as if she hadn't heard.
Alaric found the situation equally perplexing. Luna was the first person to make Himari feel comfortable enough to fall asleep in her arms upon first meeting.
From this perspective, Luna was indeed a magical girl.
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