Harry looked eagerly at Cho Chang. Despite being drenched in sticky plant juice and having a toad perched on his lap, he hoped she'd glance his way—just once. But Cho's dark eyes were fixed solely on Augustus, as though everyone else in the compartment was merely furniture.
"There were a few people in the other compartment I didn't really like. May I switch to this one, Mr. Augustus?" Cho's voice was soft, almost pleading.
Harry wanted to generously wave her over, but a glance around the compartment revealed that everyone else was waiting for Augustus to decide. Fine, no point in making a fuss over something so trivial.
"If you don't mind it being a bit cramped, you're welcome to join us," Augustus said with a slight nod. "Though I should mention, Ron and Hermione might drop by later. For a six-person compartment, it could get a little tight."
Cho smiled gently. "That's fine. A few more people won't make much difference. Thank you."
She slid into the seat opposite Augustus, next to Ginny, and only then seemed to notice the state of the compartment. Her gaze swept over the green-stained walls before settling on Neville, then finally landed on the small, juice-covered figure holding a toad.
"Potter?" Cho's expression turned curious as she looked at Harry.
Harry responded with an awkward grunt, his lips twisting into a strained smile.
"Don't mind him," Ginny said, stepping in to save Harry. "He got sprayed while helping Neville with his plant. It's easy to clean up." She drew her wand. "Scourgify."
The juice vanished, and Harry shot Ginny a grateful smile.
"Sorry about that," Neville murmured again.
"Were you performing some kind of show before I arrived? It feels like I missed something fun," Cho said, turning to Ginny.
Ginny covered her mouth to suppress a giggle. "Neville was just promoting his plant—a... well, a plant that can turn your face into a canvas."
"Sounds interesting," Cho said with a soft chuckle, tucking a strand of her jet-black hair behind her ear.
The compartment door slid open abruptly, revealing Ron, Hermione, and a tall girl.
"I heard you were here," the newcomer said, her crimson eyes locking onto Augustus. Lillian's voice carried a trace of amusement as she stepped into the room.
Augustus set aside the heavy book he was reading and nodded. "I figured there wouldn't be any critical tasks, so I skipped the prefects' compartment. One Slytherin prefect is more than enough."
Lillian smirked, her pale face tinged with mock annoyance. "While I appreciate your faith in me, your absence is incredibly irresponsible."
Augustus shrugged, silver eyes gleaming with mischief. "You've known me long enough to recognize my unique talents. Isn't it a bit late to be surprised?"
Lillian sighed and tapped her forehead in mock frustration, her gaze briefly scanning the room before landing on Cho.
"Oh, Cho's here too? It's been a while," Lillian said, her tone deliberately casual as she nodded in greeting.
"Yes, it has," Cho replied with a serene smile. "I think the last time was before the start of the previous school year."
"You have a good memory," Lillian remarked, her crimson eyes flickering briefly to Augustus before she added with a small smile, "I've got tasks to get back to, so I'll leave you all to it."
She turned and walked away, her proud and defiant silhouette bathed in golden sunlight streaming through the windows.
Ron watched her retreating figure, his expression tinged with a strange mix of admiration and regret.
"You once asked Padma to the ball, didn't you?" Luna suddenly asked, her voice drifting out from behind her upside-down magazine.
"Uh, yeah. Why?" Ron responded, puzzled.
Everyone turned to look at Luna, who stared blankly at Ron over the top of her magazine.
"She didn't enjoy it," Luna said plainly. "She thought you treated her poorly because you didn't dance with her. Although, I wouldn't have minded that—I don't like dancing much anyway."
With that, Luna disappeared back behind her magazine. Ron's jaw dropped, and he glanced around helplessly. Ginny, her face half-covered by her hand to stifle her laughter, offered no support. He groaned, shook his head, and checked his watch.
Augustus chuckled softly. Luna truly was a whirlwind of unpredictability, turning even the most nonsensical comments into something strangely poignant.
His eyes caught the cover of Luna's upside-down magazine, its bold headlines drawing his attention.
Corruption Scandal in the Ministry
How Donald Seized Control
Ancient Poetry's Hidden Secrets
Sirius Black: Cleared Hero or Secret Star?
One headline stood out: Sirius Black: Cleared Hero or Hidden Crooner? Beneath it, a photo showed the gaunt Sirius standing next to a rotund singer of similar height. The caption read: Is Sirius Black preparing for a musical comeback as "Fat Humphrey"?
Augustus's face twitched as he stared at the absurd image of "Fat Humphrey" waving cheerfully. Turning the page, he found another article featuring a sinister-looking figure wielding giant scissors, glaring at a house-elf.
The bold red headline screamed: Elf Slayer: The Lies of Cornelius Fudge.
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