"Kyle, is this your Restoration Charm?"
In the howling wind of the roofless Hogwarts Express, little Hermione struggled to comprehend the situation. "Are you sure it's a 'repair spell' and not a 'destruction spell'?"
"Of course not! Isn't this just a Destruction Curse to showcase my repair skills?" Kyle maintained his "master" demeanor. He had intended to downplay his talent to demonstrate his true healing abilities, but he felt hindered.
"Oh, so it really is a breaking spell..." Hermione sighed in relief. If that's what real healing magic looked like, the wizarding world was truly terrifying. One wrong incantation could send you spiraling to your doom!
"But why haven't I seen it in the textbooks?"
"Textbooks?" Kyle replied, surprised. "Do you really think magic is learned from them? Aren't you little wizards from magical families?"
He summarized, "To earn a treasure chest of emotions, one must possess traits like perseverance, resilience, and boundlessness. The methods involved include intimidation, kidnapping, and other...creative techniques."
"I...I'm not..." Hermione stammered, confused. What did this have to do with wizarding families?
"No wonder! If you're from a wizarding family, you should have had preschool education. Muggles have their own methods too."
He continued, "Muggles from ordinary families practice something called 'happy education,' focusing on fun and childhood joy. Meanwhile, those from aristocratic families opt for elite education, hiring the best tutors for their children."
"It's the same for wizarding families..."
The little wizards in the carriage were stunned.
"You mean?" Hermione's face displayed disbelief. An excellent student throughout her life, she feared failing exams. She had even started previewing her courses before school and memorized half the textbooks.
"Yes! In fact, Hogwarts textbooks are tailored for children from Muggle backgrounds. Young wizards from true wizarding families have already experienced elite education."
"It's almost like memorizing half the books from the Lihen Bookstore in Diagon Alley. By the time they arrive at school, some can already use advanced spells like the Patronus Charm."
Kyle said this with a straight face, oblivious to the ridiculousness of his claims.
"Ronald?" Harry Potter glanced at his new friend, knowing he came from a wizarding family, but saw that Ron was just as stunned.
"Wait, why am I..." Ron attempted to defend himself but couldn't find the words. He thought of his family—his older brothers: Bill was Head Boy, Charlie the Quidditch captain, Percy a prefect, and Fred and George known for their mischief but high grades.
Now it made sense why they excelled; children from wizarding families received extensive preschool education. But why hadn't he?
Ronald felt overlooked in his family, suddenly thinking of his younger sister, Ginny, who was born just a year after him.
Case closed! Their parents must have focused all their energy on educating Ginny and neglected him.
Malfoy had similar thoughts, his two lackeys, Clark and Goyle, not exactly the sharpest wits. Whenever pure-blood families gathered, Hogwarts students behaved like elite scholars!
Pansy always bragged about her magical prowess whenever they met, and Malfoy had thought she was merely boasting.
The more he reflected, the colder he felt. His father had tried to teach him family magic, but he had always resisted out of sheer playfulness.
Why couldn't they see the harm in that?
A dark cloud of realization settled over the carriage.
[Ding! Startled emotion detected!]
[Ding! Treasure chest being extracted for the host!]
[Ding! Congratulations to the host for obtaining a golden treasure chest!]
...
Kyle quietly collected three golden treasure chests while Hermione finally calmed down.
"I think we should consult the seniors!" she declared, determined to get to the bottom of this.
"I say we go to George and Fred. They'll know what's up," Ronald suggested.
"What are we waiting for? Let's go! I don't want to be the last one!"
Hermione and Ronald agreed immediately, with Malfoy begrudgingly following.