Having been hit by Felix's Disarming Charm, Ron Weasley seemed thoroughly frightened, even stammering as he spoke: "I... I g-g-got it."
He swallowed hard, finally managing to regain some composure. "I... I don't like cats. I thought she came in to eat Scabbers."
"Himari wouldn't eat something so peculiar," Felix shook his head. He knew, of course, that the rat Scabbers was Peter Pettigrew's Animagus form, but he had no intention of exposing Pettigrew just yet. Doing so would only cast suspicion on himself – how would a Muggle-raised newcomer to the wizarding world know so much?
Himari also meowed, moving away from Ron and his rat, clearly having sensed something odd about Scabbers.
Felix casually scooped Himari into his arms and introduced himself and the other four to Harry and Ron.
Finally, he explained, "We came here to help Neville find his toad."
"But Neville was originally sitting in this compartment," Harry Potter pointed out, puzzled.
Neville, standing behind them, nodded in agreement.
At this, the girls all cast doubtful glances at Felix.
"Just watch. Himari doesn't make mistakes," Felix retorted, and Himari, too, shot the group a disdainful look, scorning their doubt in her abilities.
She leaped from Felix's shoulder, landing lightly on a suitcase, and then began to scratch at it with her paw.
"That's my luggage!" Neville blurted out.
Felix gestured for him to open it. "Himari means your toad is hiding in there."
"Trevor couldn't possibly be in there! I packed this suitcase myself. If Trevor were in there, I would have known long ago," Neville grumbled, but at Felix's insistence, he reluctantly opened the suitcase.
The result was just as Felix had expected. As soon as the suitcase was opened, a toad, looking as if it had finally been liberated, hopped out.
With the toad's appearance, the truth was revealed.
Neville had fruitlessly gone from compartment to compartment down the corridor, wasting a great deal of time.
In reality, Trevor had been in his luggage all along.
Now Himari was thoroughly vindicated and proud. She strutted back and forth before them with her head held high, like an arrogant rooster.
Watching her proud, adorable display, the girls' hearts nearly melted.
They lavished her with praise, all hoping for a chance to pet her.
But Himari deftly darted back into her master's arms, showing no lingering interest in the compliments from her new admirers.
With the matter resolved, the two groups, who had met through a minor conflict, began to introduce themselves properly.
When the black-haired boy with glasses said his name, "Harry Potter," it caused a wave of astonishment.
"Is it really you?" Hermione asked, somewhat excitedly. "I know all about you. Of course – I bought several extra reference books: Modern Magical History, The Rise and Fall of the Dark Arts, and Great Wizarding Events of the Twentieth Century. You're1 mentioned in all of them."
Hearing this, Harry Potter looked utterly bewildered; he had no idea he was so famous.
But in truth, as a prime example of someone who had confronted the Dark Lord and survived, Harry Potter had long been a major celebrity in the wizarding world.
Marietta and Cho Chang also couldn't help but look him over a few more times. Cho, having spent most of her life in Muggle society and only formally entering the wizarding world a year ago, didn't have a strong sense of what this meant.
Marietta, however, was different. She even looked like she wanted to go up and ask Potter for an autograph.
Compared to them, Felix was much calmer. He merely expressed mild surprise, then chatted briefly with both Harry Potter and Ron Weasley, who was being somewhat overshadowed by Harry's fame. This made both Harry and Ron feel quite positive about him.
Harry felt that Felix wasn't just trying to get to know him because of his fame, while Ron was touched that Felix hadn't focused solely on the renowned Harry Potter and ignored him.
Because of this, Ron even forgot about the conflict from a few minutes earlier when Felix had disarmed him.
Next, Felix, along with the girls, bid them farewell and returned to their own compartment.
After they left, Ron cast a look of envy mixed with jealousy at Felix's retreating back.
"So what if he's a bit better looking?" he grumbled to Harry. "He gets to sit in a compartment with three girls! And even if he's a decent chap, I bet no girl would ever notice anyone else if they were walking with him."
Harry nodded in agreement. Although they both thought Felix was a decent person, boys often found a common bond in their shared resentment of strikingly handsome peers.
Meanwhile, the "handsome guy" they were discussing, holding Himari, returned to their compartment with the three girls, a slightly helpless expression on his face.
All the way back, Hermione had been chatting animatedly with Marietta about Harry Potter and Voldemort. One had read many books about the wizarding world, and the other's parents worked at the Ministry of Magic and were well-informed. The two of them were having a grand time discussing these bits of gossip, exclaiming in surprise from time to time.
Cho Chang listened intently to their conversation, occasionally adding a comment. Only Felix, who wasn't much for gossip, found himself with nothing to say and resorted to reading his own book.