Last year, when they were still first-years, they could casually find an empty compartment and sit together.
Now they were second-years and had compartments reserved for their own houses.
Sean, Cassius, and Chris headed to the Slytherin carriage, where Graham had already saved seats for them.
"You're pretty quick," Cassius said, patting Graham on the shoulder.
"I didn't see you guys on the platform, so I came aboard first," Graham replied.
"What did your mom feed you over the summer?" Sean teased. "It's only been two months and you've gained that much weight?"
Graham flexed his arm and proudly slapped his bulging bicep.
"This isn't fat—it's muscle. Look at these guns."
The other three looked at him with obvious disgust.
Still, Graham's build was indeed quite sturdy for a second-year.
"I heard you returned to school a week early for training," Chris asked Sean.
"Training? What training?" Cassius looked confused.
Chris came from a prestigious family and had better access to information.
After all, for the other three schools to come to Hogwarts, the event had to be approved by the Department of International Magical Cooperation.
And the department head was Chris's grandfather—Barty Crouch.
"This term, Hogwarts is hosting the once-every-ten-years Four-School International Magical Exchange Tournament," Chris explained.
"What kind of competition is that?" Cassius and Graham exchanged puzzled looks.
Chris seemed happy to demonstrate her knowledge and began explaining the details of the Four-School Friendship Tournament.
After hearing her explanation, the two boys looked at Sean with even greater admiration.
"That's amazing," Cassius said, his eyes practically sparkling. "You're representing second-years—and Slytherin—in such a huge event."
"Oh, give it a rest," Sean said, unable to handle Cassius's over-the-top admiration.
At that moment, the basket on the table suddenly moved.
Chris curiously reached toward it.
Thinking about Jerry's usual behavior, Sean quickly stopped her.
"Don't open it."
But what happened next was completely different from what Sean expected.
Jerry poked its head out of the basket with wide, round eyes, staring innocently at Chris.
"So cute!" Chris said happily, raising her voice.
Jerry behaved just like a gentle house cat as Chris lifted it from the basket.
"Sean, is this your pet?" she asked while playing with Jerry.
Sean glared at Jerry.
So this little traitor even had a preference for pretty girls?
"Don't be fooled," Sean said. "That's a kneazle. It's actually pretty fierce."
The moment Sean finished speaking, Jerry glanced sideways at him with clear disdain.
"It seems very gentle to me," Chris said.
Cassius didn't believe it and reached out to take Jerry from Chris.
But before Jerry was fully in his arms, it slipped free and dashed down the aisle, disappearing out of the Slytherin carriage.
"Damn it—who left the door open?" Sean muttered.
He immediately jumped up and chased after it.
Awkwardly moving through carriage after carriage searching for Jerry, Sean suddenly realized he probably looked just like Neville searching for Trevor.
After several compartments, Sean finally spotted Jerry.
It was being held by a young girl.
She had yellow-toned skin, black hair, and dark eyes—clearly Asian.
The moment Sean saw her, a name immediately came to mind.
"His name is Jerry," Sean said casually. "He doesn't listen very well and loves to run around."
The girl handed Jerry back to him.
"It doesn't seem that way," she said with a smile. "He's very cute."
Sean sighed internally.
Another innocent girl deceived by Jerry's acting skills.
"Sean, what are you doing in the Ravenclaw carriage?"
A familiar voice sounded behind him.
Sean turned around.
It was Penelope.
"My pet ran over here. This new student found him," Sean explained.
"That's right," Cho Chang nodded.
"Well then, you should return to your own carriage now," Penelope said to them both.
She didn't yet know that later that evening, during the Sorting Ceremony, this Asian girl would be placed into Ravenclaw and become her junior.
When the train arrived at Hogsmeade Station, the older students rode the Thestral-drawn carriages through the main gates into Hogwarts.
The first-years followed Hagrid, crossing the lake in small boats.
Along the way, the Weasley twins suddenly remembered their bet from last year's Sorting Ceremony, when they had lost repeatedly to Sean.
Determined to redeem themselves, they approached him again.
"How about we guess the sorting again this year?" Fred said. "Same rules—one Sickles per guess."
Sean thought for a moment.
Among the new students this year, he only knew two names. He had already seen Cho Chang, but the other—Cormac McLaggen from Gryffindor—he didn't even know what he looked like.
If he guessed against the twins, he might actually lose.
"Sure," Sean said slyly. "But this time we decide everything in one round. When the new students enter the Great Hall, I'll pick one at random and we'll guess which house they'll go to."
"Sounds fair," George said, accepting the rules.
Sean smiled to himself.
With this method, he could play this game with the twins until fourth year—and never lose.
The older students entered the Great Hall first.
The first-years remained outside while Professor McGonagall introduced the four houses, just as she had done the year before.
Among the new students, none really caught Sean's attention.
But someone seated at the professors' table immediately drew his interest.
"He must be this year's Defense Against the Dark Arts professor."
Sean activated his Magic vision and examined the man.
The white aura around him was slightly brighter than Yovich's had been last year. In theory, that meant he was somewhat stronger.
The doors of the Great Hall opened, and the new students entered in orderly rows.
From the Gryffindor table, the Weasley twins leaned forward and gestured for Sean to pick someone.
Sean scanned the group quickly and soon spotted Cho Chang.
He pointed toward the black-haired girl, indicating that she was his choice.
Moments later, when the Sorting Hat shouted "Ravenclaw!"
The twins groaned and raised their thumbs toward Sean in defeat.
During Dumbledore's introductions, Sean finally learned the identity of the unfamiliar man seated at the staff table.
The middle-aged wizard with tea-colored hair and pale skin was named David Morrissey.
He was this year's Defense Against the Dark Arts professor.
Previously, he had been an outstanding Gryffindor graduate. After graduation, he worked in the Ministry's Department of International Magical Cooperation before resigning to become a traveler.
From his résumé alone, he seemed quite respectable.
Compared with last year's former Death Eater Yovich, Morrissey's background was much more appealing to students. After all, who wouldn't enjoy hearing exciting stories from a traveling professor during class?
But no matter how clean his résumé appeared, Sean intended to keep a close eye on him.
There was a reason Hogwarts changed its Defense Against the Dark Arts professor every single year.
Quirrell, who had been possessed by Voldemort.
Lockhart, the fraud who stole others' achievements.
Lupin, the werewolf.
The fake Moody, actually Barty Crouch Jr.
Umbridge, the Ministry's puppet.
Snape, burdened with secrets.
The Carrow siblings, Death Eaters.
And last year's former Death Eater Yovich.
Most of them had serious problems of their own before being dismissed.
Sean watching Morrissey closely was simply a precaution.
The next morning at breakfast, the owls arrived with letters.
Chris, being a wealthy young lady, subscribed to every issue of The Daily Prophet. Usually Sean borrowed the newspaper after she finished reading it.
But today, Chris handed the paper to him first.
Her expression was unusually serious.
"Sean, you should see this."
Sean took the newspaper curiously, wondering what kind of news could make Chris look like that.
But the moment he saw the headline, his expression froze.
He immediately began reading the article beneath it carefully.
"The Leaky Cauldron Attacked by Foreign Wizard — Greek Wizard Found Dead."
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