"Draco?"
Marius Cloud turned toward the voice. It was none other than Draco Malfoy, who had once cowered in fear before him just a few weeks earlier.
Remembering that, Marius raised a brow, a hint of amusement dancing in his eyes. "Huh. Something must've changed for you to grow a spine and speak to me like that. What gave you courage all of a sudden?"
"I—" Draco flinched instinctively, then spotted Crabbe and Goyle watching him and immediately puffed up his chest with false bravado. "Why should I be afraid of you? This is the Hogwarts Express! If you try anything here, Dumbledore will have you expelled!"
Marius snorted. "When did I ask why you were afraid of me? Don't expose yourself so willingly, Malfoy."
His scorn was like a slap in the face. Even Hermione, unable to hold back, chuckled softly—though she quickly covered it up.
Draco felt thoroughly humiliated, but still didn't dare to engage Marius directly. Instead, he turned to Hermione to redirect his frustration. "What are you laughing at, you filthy little Mu—"
"Malfoy."
The single word, cold and razor-sharp, sliced through Draco's sentence.
Marius hadn't raised his wand. Hadn't even moved. But the moment he spoke, Draco felt all the courage he'd scraped together drain from his body. He couldn't even finish that slur. It was as if that one act of defiance earlier had drained all his mental reserves.
Marius's eyes, flat and icy, locked onto him, and Draco suddenly felt like something deep in his soul was being frozen solid.
But he couldn't just back down—not again. His pride wouldn't allow it. So he glanced around frantically, then forced the conversation in a new direction.
"I see you've come to the compartment where the famous Harry Potter is. Just like my father said—you're trying to cozy up to him, aren't you? Hoping to build your influence at school?"
Marius tilted his head mockingly. "You're revealing your own ambitions while projecting them onto me? Impressive."
Even Harry couldn't help laughing at that. Being roasted by the very person you were trying to mock was bad enough—being laughed at by your intended ally? That was humiliating.
"What's so funny!?"
Draco snapped, but he knew he couldn't win a verbal sparring match with Marius. He cast one last withering look at Harry, then turned sharply away.
"Come on! Marius Cloud! Harry Potter! We'll see each other again at Hogwarts!"
He threw that last line over his shoulder like a challenge. Ron and Hermione? As far as Draco was concerned, one was a blood traitor and the other a Muggle-born—hardly worth his attention.
But Marius wasn't done.
"I suggest you pray we don't run into each other at school. If you end up fainting like before, it'll be the entire Malfoy name that's humiliated."
Draco whirled around, furious. "I never fainted!"
Marius shrugged. "Spoken like someone desperate to protect what little face he has left. But I'd wager that your legs are already trembling. Won't be long before you collapse again."
"I. DID. NOT!"
Draco growled through clenched teeth. But the pitying expressions on Harry and Hermione's faces made it worse. They were clearly siding with Marius.
And, just as Marius said, Draco's whole body was shaking. What they didn't know was that it wasn't fear—it was pure, blinding rage.
"Let's test it, then," Marius said suddenly. "A wager. If I manage to make you faint, you run naked through Hogwarts. If you don't faint, I'll do it instead. Deal?"
That wicked smile curled across Marius's face again, and Draco's instincts screamed at him that something was wrong.
But he didn't want to back down now. Not in front of everyone. And he was pretty sure he'd never actually fainted before.
"Fine!" Draco barked. "Let's see how far the Cloud name falls when you humiliate yourself!"
"Very well. I swear it upon the honor of the House of Cloud."
"And I swear on the honor of the Malfoy family!"
With both sides locked into the bet, everyone nearby perked up with interest. Even Ron leaned over, watching intently to see if Draco would really keel over.
"Marius, don't do it…" Hermione tugged on his sleeve anxiously. "What if you lose?"
"Yeah," Harry murmured, worry creeping into his tone. "You don't want to start your first year like that…"
For all his curiosity, Harry didn't actually want to see Marius fail.
But really—could you actually scare someone into fainting on command? Marius wasn't exactly a Dementor.
"Getting cold feet?" Draco sneered. "Too late! The bet stands!"
"Yeah, don't back out now! We want to see you streaking into Hogwarts!"
"For the honor of the House of Cloud, don't you dare chicken out!"
Crabbe and Goyle echoed Draco with theatrical glee, clearly convinced their side would win.
Marius sighed dramatically. "You all talk as if I've already lost."
Even his own allies were starting to lose faith, apparently.
But no matter. Marius raised his head with a calm, confident smile, eyes gleaming with mischief.
"Don't worry. Watch closely."
He slowly turned to Draco.
"Because now… it's time for a miracle."
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T/N:
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