The next day, everyone woke up early. After breakfast, they all accompanied him to the station, unwilling to part until they had seen him off.
There were fewer people on the train, half of what it had been when he first arrived.
Zhao Lun, who was looking for an empty compartment, happened to run into Norway and Penelope, who were returning to school.
"Hey, Allen, how are you?"
"Thank you for your gift, I really like it," Norway greeted him.
After a few days apart, Zhao Lun noticed that Norway seemed to be doing well, and had put on a little more weight.
"I'm doing well, don't even want to leave," Zhao Lun replied with a smile.
"Hey, Norway, Penelope, you two are up so early? Have you had breakfast? I have some food here, would you like some?"
Zhao Lun greeted them both warmly.
He had already become familiar with the Head of Ravenclaw and knew a bit about her personality.
"We've already eaten, thank you for the gift, I really like it."
"This four-leaf clover is so beautiful, isn't it?"
She noticed the clover Zhao Lun was wearing and smiled a little.
"Yes, it's beautiful, I really like it."
Zhao Lun looked at her, noticing that after a few days, she seemed even more beautiful.
"Why are there so few people today? Did they all return to school early?"
Today, the train was quieter than usual.
"Didn't you know? The students are returning home these past few days," Penelope said, adjusting her hair to shield her eyes, her lips curling slightly in a pleasant smile.
"Everyone's just thinking about staying home longer, no one thought about returning early."
Zhao Lun had assumed that everyone, like him, preferred to stay at home for an extra day.
"Hey! Norway! Over here! Excuse me, Allen, I need to talk to Norway."
At that moment, Simon suddenly appeared out of nowhere, winked at Zhao Lun, and dragged Norway away.
"No worries, if Norway is willing, you can call him. I already have company here," Zhao Lun said with a wink of gratitude.
"Simon, I was just talking to Allen and..."
Norway started to say something but couldn't quite remember.
"Well, Norway, if you remember later, let's talk then. Right now, I have something important to discuss with you. Let's go over here."
Simon didn't wait for him to finish, pulling him toward an empty compartment.
"Here's a compartment with no one in it."
Zhao Lun happily led Penelope to an empty compartment. The train started, and no one else came into their compartment.
Zhao Lun looked at the girl in front of him.
She had a graceful figure, and when she walked, her movements were elegant.
Her golden hair framed a youthful yet beautiful face.
Her long eyelashes, her clear blue eyes, the perfect nose, and the subtle lip color made her lips stand out. From her, Zhao Lun could sense an intellectual beauty.
Her figure displayed both maturity and youth.
Honestly, she was stunning. His heart raced just looking at her.
The fragrance she wore made his heartbeat accelerate even more. It felt like his heart might leap out of his chest.
"You're so beautiful!" Zhao Lun exclaimed.
Unlike the reserved nature of Eastern culture, to win a Western girl's affection, one must set aside shyness and openly compliment them. This was the best way to win their favor.
"Thank you." The girl smiled more upon receiving his praise.
A faint, natural fragrance filled the air, so pleasant that Zhao Lun couldn't help but inhale deeply.
"You're mesmerizing," he continued to compliment, not hiding his admiration.
Eastern and Western beauty standards differ greatly. Apart from universally acknowledged beauties, other women, unless wearing makeup, rarely receive recognition from the other side.
Penelope's beauty had earned his admiration, even without makeup. As for other women, their beauty was so different from his own perception that Zhao Lun couldn't even be bothered to notice.
Western girls mature early, and the one before him was no exception. Aside from her slightly youthful face, the rest of her body was indistinguishable from that of an adult woman.
Most importantly, her temperament, her wisdom and intellect, made her even more beautiful.
Her body was mature, yet her youthful face remained, with clear, pure eyes. Through her gaze, one could sense a hidden fragility, loneliness, and vulnerability.
She wasn't as strong as her status as the Head of House might suggest; her inner world was fragile, insecure, and solitary.
Her seemingly calm eyes revealed a quiet vulnerability that stirred Zhao Lun's protective instincts.
She hid her fragility well, and almost no one except Zhao Lun noticed it.
Zhao Lun remembered that this beautiful girl appeared only a few times in the original book, and later, aside from Hermione mentioning her name, she vanished without a trace, never appearing in the movies.
What happened to her? Was she missing or had she met with misfortune? Zhao Lun was unsure, only after getting to know her did he have some understanding.
Her future...
Zhao Lun looked at the girl in front of him, feeling a little regretful, his heart heavy.
"What are you thinking about?"
The girl looked at Zhao Lun, seeing the regret and understanding in his eyes, and she was a little surprised.
"Thinking about the future," Zhao Lun answered vaguely.
No one interrupted them, and the atmosphere between them remained pleasant. Zhao Lun felt as though he could enjoy this moment forever, wishing the train ride would last longer.
As night fell and the station approached, the two of them sat next to each other, holding hands.
"We'll be at the station soon," the soft hand in his made Zhao Lun not want to let go.
"Yes," the girl replied.
The train stopped at the small platform, and they both got off, then walked together back to Hogwarts.
The long road that had felt so endless at the beginning of the term now seemed so short. Before they knew it, it was time to part ways and return to their respective houses.
Zhao Lun found they were fortunate to have arrived just in time for dinner.
On the way, they ran into Fred and George Weasley.
"Hey! Allen!"
"How was your holiday?"
Both of them were wearing blue sweaters their mother had knitted, one with a large yellow "F" and the other with a large yellow "G."
Seeing them, Zhao Lun felt a sense of warmth, like an old friend after a long separation, and greeted them with a passionate hug.
"It was really nice. I almost didn't want to leave."
Zhao Lun gave them a hearty pat on the back before shrugging and looking regretful.
"Well, you had a good time. We spent the whole Christmas at school."
The brothers patted him back, feeling the same joy of reunion. They envied him for having spent Christmas at home and appreciated his affectionate gesture.
"Thanks for the gift. We really like it."
"Didn't expect Muggles to have so many tricks up their sleeves. Heh heh, this time, let's show everyone just how awesome the Weasley twins are."
"I'm glad you liked it. When summer comes, feel free to come find me, and I'll take you to the Muggle world. You'll definitely be amazed."
As they walked toward the Great Hall, their bond seemed to grow even closer.
"Really? Can't wait for summer to come!"
The two brothers were very excited.
As they talked, they soon reached the Great Hall.
The hall was full of students, with the sound of cutlery clinking all around.
Looking at the bustling hall, Zhao Lun realized that he had adapted to this magical school. Seeing such a familiar scene made him feel a deep sense of belonging, like he had returned home.