"They claimed they were being controlled, but my father didn't believe that at all."
Ron said, "He mentioned that Malfoy's dad didn't offer any excuses, and he easily chose the side of dark magic."
Harry's face showed disgust at the mention of the Malfoy family being connected to the Dark Lord, while Hermione felt a bit frightened.
Hermione came from a world governed by rules. To her, the Malfoy family seemed like bullies, always picking on ordinary people. She feared that they might cause trouble for her and didn't want Ivan to be affected. "It's okay," Ivan smiled and reassured her. "Hogwarts is the safest place in all of England. The Malfoy family's power doesn't mean anything there."
As for the old Malfoy's past as headmaster, Ivan thought it was irrelevant. Everyone in England knew that Hogwarts belonged to Dumbledore. Only spoiled kids like Malfoy would think they could get away with anything there.
"Exactly!" Ron chimed in. "Ivan is so powerful he drove Malfoy away in just a few moves. They should be scared of you."
Ivan's easy dismissal of Malfoy made Ron admire him even more.
"No fighting!" Hermione interrupted firmly. "We need to follow Hogwarts' rules, study hard, and go to the teachers for help instead of solving our problems with violence."
After saying that, Hermione gave Ron a wary look, worried that Ivan might be influenced by Ron's aggressive attitude. She decided it would be best to keep him distance from both of them.
Hermione felt it was her duty to protect Ivan. Malfoy's comments, although not entirely wrong, made her anxious. As the saying goes, "You are who you hang out with." Hermione had already labeled Ron as "stupid, poor, and reckless," and she was determined to keep Ivan away from people like him.
Ron and Harry, on the other hand, felt embarrassed by Hermione's words. One of them lived in a cupboard under the stairs all year long, while the other was someone who had only received basic family education until he turned eleven. They couldn't understand Hermione's thoughts about being a good student.
"Is she your girlfriend?" Ron asked, looking for help. Even Harry turned to Ivan for assistance. They genuinely couldn't grasp Hermione's so-called idea of being good.
"What?!" Hermione exclaimed, jumping up with excitement. Her face turned red as she shot a fierce glare at Ron.
"The train will arrive at Hogwarts in five minutes. Please leave your luggage on the train, and we will escort you to the school," a voice announced over the train's speaker.
"Ivan, we should go back," Hermione said, still flustered by Ron's comment. She quickly took Ivan's hand, ready to leave. Before they walked away, she reminded him, "You should change into your wizard robes quickly. Don't wait until we get off the train!"
Ivan exchanged a helpless glance with Harry and Ron before he and Hermione returned to their compartment, leaving Harry and Ron looking at each other.
"I think they should be a couple," Ron said, munching on some candy. Harry nodded in agreement. "Ivan is really impressive. Not only is he skilled in magic, but he also has a girlfriend."
Though they didn't fully understand what having a girlfriend meant, they knew it was cool.
"And Ivan is so unfortunate," Ron added, expressing his dislike for Hermione. "That Miss Beaver with the big front teeth seemed to look at us like we're idiots."
Harry wanted to point out that Hermione only thought Ron was foolish and was actually quite nice to him. But Ron was Harry's first friend, so he didn't want to upset their friendship.
"Are you two done yet?" Hermione appeared outside the carriage again. She must have heard Ron call her "Miss Beaver" because she was staring at him with cold eyes.
"I forgot to ask if you're ready for the Hogwarts entrance exam. It will determine which house we will be placed in."
At this, both Ron and Harry's expressions changed suddenly. Ronald, in particular, looked frightened; his two older brothers had scared him about coming to Hogwarts.
Harry felt a wave of anxiety, and he saw that Ron's freckles stood out against his pale face. They quickly stuffed the remaining candy into their pockets and joined the crowd in the aisle.
"What's wrong with them?" Ivan, now changed into his wizard robes, noticed Hermione's return and the worried looks on Harry and Ron's faces. He was puzzled.
"Nothing," Hermione replied, though she was a little nervous herself. "Ivan, do you know what the entrance exam is about?"
"This," Ivan said with a smile, "I've heard a bit about it."
"What is it? Is it difficult?" Hermione asked, surprised that Ivan really knew something. "I went through A History of Hogwarts, and it only briefly mentioned the sorting process."
Ivan was aware that the details were vague, likely because of adult wizards' poor humor.
"With your skills, Hermione, you should be more focused on which house you want to join instead of worrying about passing the test."
They had talked about this before. Ivan was indifferent about it, while Hermione was torn between Gryffindor and Ravenclaw.
"What about you, Ivan?" she asked.
"I can fit in anywhere," Ivan answered. He didn't want to complicate the Sorting Ceremony, a unique experience that only happened once. He felt that if it involved trickery, it would spoil his time at Hogwarts.
No matter what house he ended up in, he would be okay with it.
"My grandma wants me to go to Gryffindor," Neville chimed in quietly from behind them. "But honestly, I just hope to pass the Sorting Ceremony. As long as I'm not sorted into Slytherin, I'll be happy."
Finally, the train slowed down and came to a stop. The young wizards pushed and shoved as they hurried to the door, stepping out onto a small, dark platform.
The chilly night air made everyone shiver. Hermione instinctively moved closer to Ivan, seeking warmth.
"First-year students! First-year students, come this way!" a booming voice called out from the front.
"Hurry, Harry, are you okay?"
As Ivan and Hermione looked over, they saw a giant man with a thick beard holding an oil lamp. It was Rubeus Hagrid, the Keeper of Keys and Grounds at Hogwarts.
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