*Whoosh!*
Wayne hadn't been seated for long when the train's whistle blew again, signaling its on-time departure at eleven o'clock.
After exchanging names, the two quickly struck up a conversation. Cedric was a quintessential Hufflepuff—kind and enthusiastic. Upon learning that Wayne was a young wizard born into a Muggle family, Cedric shared a wealth of common knowledge that new students at Hogwarts should know.
"Don't be too nervous; the professors at the school are very nice people—well, most of them, anyway." Cedric hastily added that qualifier, recalling a certain greasy, middle-aged Potions professor. He didn't want Wayne to come after him for revenge later on.
Next, he introduced Wayne to the various colleges at Hogwarts. Cedric spoke enthusiastically, "Professor McGonagall may seem strict most of the time, but as long as you pay attention in class and don't disrupt it, she's actually quite approachable—most of her anger is directed at Gryffindor students."
"Professor Flitwick's character is even more interesting. Oh, and by the way, there's a legend that he has fairy ancestry—just don't mention his height!"
"As for our own Professor Sprout, she's a very gentle lady. The only forbidden topic is the plants in the greenhouses; she doesn't even care about house points concerning them."
"Sne—let's skip that part. Just keep your distance from him."
"Do you have a preferred house, Wayne?"
"Hufflepuff, I guess. I've read *Hogwarts: A History*—Muggle-born students are usually sorted there." Wayne didn't hide his preference and openly stated where he hoped to belong.
Although Ravenclaw was appealing, he ultimately chose Hufflepuff. After all, wisdom is the greatest treasure, but… the Hufflepuff common room is right next to the kitchen! As long as he was determined to study hard, knowledge wouldn't elude him in any house, but the kitchen might.
Gryffindor and Ravenclaw were located in towers at the top of the castle, meaning if Wayne got hungry, he'd have to trek all the way to the basement for food, which wasn't convenient at all.
Hearing this, Cedric looked pleased. "That's a wise choice! I can guarantee you'll have an incredibly happy school life because Hufflepuff is the best house!"
"Hey, we can't just pretend we didn't hear that!" A teasing voice came from the doorway as the compartment's door swung open, revealing two young wizards who walked in one after the other.
They looked as though they were cut from the same mold, each sporting bright red hair and identical expressions on their faces.
"Fred, George," Cedric greeted somewhat awkwardly, "Long time no see." Though he hadn't spoken ill of the other houses, being caught boasting about his own always made him feel a bit embarrassed.
"Ah!" One of the twins spread his arms dramatically. "Let me see who this is!"
The other immediately chimed in, "Fool! You don't even recognize him!"
"This is Mr. Diggory, the model student who has ranked first in his year for two consecutive years and is praised by all the teachers and parents!"
The two bantered back and forth as if they were performing a comedy skit. Wayne watched with great interest while Cedric's face turned red; he wished he could find a hole to hide in. He quickly grabbed the two mischievous twins, hissing through gritted teeth, "What are you two doing? At least show me some respect in front of the first-year!"
Cedric had already accepted that Wayne would most likely be sorted into Hufflepuff, so he wanted to maintain his own image.
"Tsk," Fred rolled his eyes. "Now you want respect, huh? All because your dad has been bragging about your grades in front of our mum."
"Do you know how difficult this summer was for George and me?"
Cedric sighed and released Fred's sleeve, conceding that he was in the wrong. After all, his dad boasted about his accomplishments to everyone he met. Now the entire Ministry of Magic was aware that the Diggory family had produced a genius young wizard.
"Alright, what do I need to do to make you let me off the hook?" Cedric resignedly asked.
The twins exchanged excited glances and high-fived each other. Their plan had succeeded.
"Pull out all your summer homework; we'll help you before class tomorrow."
"We've been looking for you for half a month, and you weren't home. Mum said you went to America to become a vampire—anything true about that?"
"Of course it's false!" Cedric snapped back, grabbing his backpack from the luggage rack and handing his homework to the twins.
Once they stowed away the materials, the twins showed no signs of leaving. The Diggory and Weasley families lived in neighboring villages, separated only by a mountain, so even though they weren't in the same house, they were quite familiar with each other.
Now they finally took the time to size up Wayne.
"Hello, I'm Fred Weasley; this is George Weasley," Fred introduced himself and then gave Wayne a thumbs-up. "You're quite good-looking—much better than our brother. He's also a first-year this year."
George added, "The one with red hair and a face full of freckles is our brother Ron. We hope you get sorted into Gryffindor; that would be the best house!"
Wayne remained noncommittal. "Everyone praises their own house, but I don't think there will be much difference."
With the twins in the compartment, the atmosphere became lively. They had a unique charm; even when they were being loud, no one felt annoyed—except for their usual prank targets.
However, they wouldn't target Wayne for pranks. First, they had just met, and they weren't that familiar yet; second, Wayne hadn't even started school, so bullying a little kid wouldn't be satisfying at all.
As the train sped along, the snack cart came around before long. Wayne bought some Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans, Super Bubble Gum, Chocolate Frogs, and a few Pumpkin Pasties. In total, he spent only ten Sickles and six Knuts.
Since the train departed at eleven, they wouldn't arrive at Hogwarts until evening. These snacks served as both his treats and lunch.
The vendor placed the snacks on the table, and Wayne invited everyone to join him. No need to be polite.
Cedric and the twins couldn't refuse and ended up sharing the food with him. This quickly strengthened their bond.
The twins exchanged knowing glances, ready to stir things up for Wayne. Cedric sensed something was off and wanted to intervene, but when he heard George's question, his expression turned strange.
"Wayne, did you know? Right now, you're technically not a true Hogwarts student."
"Only after passing the rigorous sorting ceremony can you actually be considered enrolled."
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