"Toot-toot—"
"Are there any empty seats in there?"
Hearing the knock and the question, Lucien and Hermione, who were both reading, looked up simultaneously.
Before they could reply, the door slid open with a whoosh.
Standing at the doorway were two young boys. One had messy black hair and round-rimmed glasses perched on his nose with a noticeable crack. He was peeking at Lucien and Hermione in the compartment with emerald green, almond-shaped eyes.
The other had a shock of red hair, a large nose, blue eyes, and a face full of freckles. He was as slender as the black-haired boy.
The two boys exchanged glances, and finally, the red-haired one spoke up.
"Ahem, excuse me for bothering you, but all the other compartments are full."
"Could we… could we two sit in here?"
His expression was awkward, and his tone was soft.
Hermione didn't reply directly to the question.
She thought it was quite nice just the two of them, Lucien and her, reading together, and she didn't really want the quiet atmosphere disturbed.
She glanced at the two standing boys. The black-haired one with glasses seemed fine, looking quite quiet. As for the red-haired one…
He just seemed so boisterous.
Even though it was their first meeting, Hermione felt that the red-haired boy was trouble.
However, Hermione only turned to look at Lucien, wanting to ask for his opinion.
But Lucien was currently sizing up the two boys at the door, a half-smile playing on his lips, not noticing Hermione's implied question.
Black hair and round glasses, green eyes, a shock of red hair and freckles.
Oh, isn't this the Savior and his good bro?
What a coincidence, the trio finally reunited.
Good, I'll observe them in advance. Later, I'll have to keep an eye on Harry to find the Philosopher's Stone and then brew Potions.
To repay the Qilin loan, Lucien needed to brew a Potion using the Philosopher's Stone.
The easiest way to find the Philosopher's Stone was to follow Harry and advance the plot.
Lucien believed that Dumbledore had everything arranged, and Harry would definitely get the Philosopher's Stone.
At that time, could I encourage Harry to find the Philosopher's Stone sooner? Then I could start brewing Potions earlier and pay off the loan as quickly as possible.
Just as Harry was becoming uneasy under Lucien's scrutiny, Lucien shifted his gaze, his smile becoming more pronounced, but still within the bounds of politeness.
"Please come in."
Hearing Lucien's words, Harry and Ron quietly breathed a sigh of relief.
Hermione also stood up and moved to sit on the seat on Lucien's side.
Harry and Ron quickly put away their luggage.
"Hello, I'm Ron Weasley."
Ron ruffled his messy red hair and introduced himself to the others.
Lucien and Hermione greeted him back and introduced themselves.
Finally, the three of them looked at Harry, this seemingly thin and introverted boy, who was the only one who hadn't spoken yet.
Feeling a bit uncomfortable under their gaze, Harry had always been ostracized and discriminated against by his aunt's family and those around him. This was also his first time encountering so many "kindred spirits." Logically, they, like him, would be able to use that strange ability called magic.
Harry adjusted his glasses and mustered his courage.
"Hello, I, I'm Harry, Harry Potter."
Hearing Harry's name, Lucien merely nodded, having already expected it.
But Hermione and Ron's reactions were much bigger, especially the latter.
"You're Harry Potter!"
"You're the Boy Who Lived!?"
Hermione, after all, came from a Muggle family and had only read some books about the Wizarding World during the summer, learning that such a person existed.
But Ron was different. His last name was Weasley. No matter how poor they were, they were still one of the Twenty-Eight Sacred Houses.
Harry's name was truly legendary to Ron.
"Do you, really, really have that, scar?"
Ron looked at Harry with shining eyes.
Harry nodded, pushed back his fringe, and revealed the thin, lightning-shaped scar.
Ron was even more excited now, gushing about the rumors concerning Harry.
Many of them left Harry himself bewildered, completely unaware of these things.
Hearing Ron's incessant "speech," Hermione pursed her lips. She had initially found it a bit interesting, but the more she listened, the more outlandish it became. She now just wanted to read her book in peace.
This red-haired boy was indeed very noisy!
Just as Hermione was about to interrupt Ron, a saleswoman arrived at the compartment door.
"Would you like to buy something to eat, children?"
Ron stared wide-eyed at the array of snacks on the trolley, swallowing hard.
However, he then turned his head and pulled out a lump of unidentifiable food from his pocket.
He mumbled softly, "No, thank you, I brought my own."
The Weasley family was indeed an ancient pure-blood family, but their poverty was also very real.
Moreover, Ron had five older brothers, three of whom were still in school, and a younger sister. The pocket money he received was truly limited.
"I'll have some."
It was Lucien who spoke. He pulled out a few Galleons and Sickles and handed them to the saleswoman.
Ron's eyes went wide. What Lucien casually pulled out was more than his entire year's pocket money!
"Then, then I'll have some too."
Harry also took out a few Galleons, which made Ron even more confused.
How could he not even have a Sickle or a Knut? Did he really know the value of a Galleon?
Is the Potter Family really that rich? Is selling shampoo that profitable?
Actually, Ron wasn't wrong. Selling shampoo really did make money, especially since the Potter Family's shampoo was so effective that it practically monopolized the Wizarding World's shampoo market.
If you have a monopoly, what can't you make money from?
Of course, the main reason was also that Harry was the last remaining heir of the Potter Family, and all the family's wealth was concentrated in this one boy's hands.
Lucien and Harry basically bought an entire trolley full of snacks.
Looking at the pile of snacks on the table, Ron swallowed again.
He really wanted to eat, but he was too embarrassed to ask.
"Help yourselves."
As Lucien spoke, he lightly waved his wand, and the snacks flew towards Harry and the other two.
After all, children are easily bought. Give them some food, some toys, and you can lure them away.
First, I'll build a good relationship with the three little ones. Then, when they find clues related to the Philosopher's Stone, they'll think to discuss it with me.
Any progress they make, I'll be able to keep track of it in time.
In Ron's ears, Lucien's voice was almost heavenly.
Especially his generosity in distributing snacks, coupled with his handsome face, he was simply an angel!
So much so that Ron subconsciously overlooked Lucien's wand magic, forgetting how rare it was for first-year Wizards to skillfully use the Hover Charm.
Harry also shared his snacks with Lucien and the others, but he couldn't use magic, so he could only hand them over one by one.
Ron took Harry's snacks and thanked him, but he was still not as touched as he was by Lucien, who had given him snacks first.
Lucien opened a box of Chocolate Frogs.
The frog inside leaped out the moment the lid was opened, trying to escape to freedom.
But it was grabbed in an instant and devoured!
Chewing on the Chocolate Frog, Lucien flipped over the card inside the box.
Each Chocolate Frog came with a card, featuring a portrait of a different Wizard and detailing their deeds and contributions.
He glanced at the portrait on the card.
Uh, Snape.
Snape's cold, deep eyes, peering through his greasy, straight black hair, met Lucien's gaze.
Tsk, tsk, tsk, it's time to wash his hair.
Lucien grinned, thinking about whether he could send Snape a bottle of shampoo sometime in the future.
He looked at the back of the card, which listed Snape's achievements: systematic improvement of Veritaserum, optimization of bezoar extraction techniques…
"Um, um…"
Lucien looked in the direction of the voice. A chubby boy with a round face and a sturdy build stood nervously at the doorway.
"Have you seen my toad? His name is Leffe."