Sean, who was sitting nearby and quietly taking notes, thought to himself: Not really.
"Flick and swish your wand. Pronouncing the incantation correctly is also very important—never say 's' instead of 'f.' It should be Wingardium Leviosa, and the 'ga' needs to be long and clear."
Sean glanced over his notes with satisfaction and then set his quill aside. If he put it away quickly enough, the ink wouldn't dry completely, which meant he could write for a little longer later.
"I've practiced fifteen times already, Hermione. Am I really that hopeless of a young wizard?"
Justin's voice carried a trace of anxiety. Facing an unfamiliar field of knowledge, even someone as optimistic as him couldn't help but feel a little discouraged.
Sean, carefully organizing his notes, thought again: Not really.
"I don't know either," Hermione admitted with a small frown. "With only myself as a reference, it's hard to judge…"
She shook her head, then suddenly her eyes lit up as if struck by inspiration.
"Sean! You… you surely know the Levitation Charm too, right?"
Being called out so abruptly, Sean nodded. At the same time, he lifted his wand with a smooth, practiced motion—flick and swish.
"Wingar—dium—Leviosa!"
[You have practiced the Levitation Charm to an introductory standard. Proficiency +3]
As Sean's incantation echoed softly through the compartment, the feather lifted into the air once more, floating gently and swaying as if caught in a mild breeze.
"Cool!"
Justin exclaimed in genuine admiration. Compared to his own Levitation Charm—which had barely managed to lift the feather for a single second—Sean's was clearly far more stable and refined.
"You must have learned it really fast, right?" Justin said, eyes bright. "I mean, you're a young wizard from a wizarding family, after all."
Justin's words made Sean tilt his head slightly, confusion written plainly across his face.
Seeing that expression, Justin widened his own eyes in surprise.
"Wait—you're not from a wizarding family?" he asked. "You're a Muggle-born wizard? That means you only started learning magic this summer… and in just two months, you've already mastered difficult spells like Transfiguration?"
Sean nodded calmly, his expression unchanged.
"How does that saying go again?" Justin muttered, struggling to remember. "Mer… Mer…?"
"Merlin's beard," Hermione whispered helpfully.
"Merlin's beard…" Justin repeated softly. He looked at Sean again, and this time, his gaze had changed—warmer, friendlier, and filled with undisguised admiration.
"Hermione and I are both Muggle-born too," he continued. "Our parents aren't wizards. That means all three of us in this compartment are Muggle-born wizards."
He smiled, though there was a hint of complicated emotion behind it.
"How wonderful… I heard that most of the magical world is still dominated by pure-blood families."
As he spoke, the noise outside the compartment gradually grew louder. Amid the clatter of the train, a distinct clunking sound became audible.
Unlike the other background noises, it didn't fade away. Instead, it drew closer and closer.
Soon, the compartment door slid open.
A plump witch wearing an apron stepped inside, pushing a trolley stacked high with colorful boxes and packages. She had dimples when she smiled, and her voice was warm and cheerful.
"Dears, would you like to buy some food?"
Sean glanced at the dazzling display for a moment before forcibly looking away.
It had been a long time since breakfast, and he was undeniably hungry. He knew the Hogwarts Express journey would take most of the day, traveling from early morning until nightfall.
But he hadn't been allowed to bring any food. Caregiver Anna wouldn't even let him take a slice of toast.
It'll be fine once I reach Hogwarts, Sean told himself.
"One—two of everything."
Justin had barely finished saying the first word when the witch's smile grew even brighter.
"All right, dears," she said cheerfully. "That'll be Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans, Drooble's Best Blowing Gum, Chocolate Frogs, Pumpkin Pasties, Cauldron Cakes, Liquorice Wands… That comes to one Galleon and five Sickles."
Her good mood was obvious, and she even took the time to introduce each item enthusiastically.
Hermione looked startled when she heard the price. She was just about to say something when Justin casually pulled out a handful of Galleons, dazzling her into silence.
After paying quickly, he explained with a faint blush.
"This money was originally meant for Eton College," he said. "But the very next day, I received my acceptance letter from Hogwarts."
He shrugged slightly.
"My mother thinks Hogwarts isn't as good as Eton, which I was originally planning to attend. But honestly—learning magic is far more tempting than becoming a lawyer or a business elite."
As he finished speaking, he tucked the remaining Galleons back into his trunk.
It was at that moment that Sean finally remembered who Justin really was.
Justin Finch-Fletchley.
A sincere and kind Hufflepuff.
He had participated in the Duelling Club and later joined Dumbledore's Army. When he realized he had wrongly suspected Harry of being the Heir of the Chamber of Secrets, he had even taken the initiative to apologize personally.
He was braver and more earnest than many young wizards who preferred to pretend nothing had happened.
Most memorably, he had rejected Eton College in favor of Hogwarts.
In Britain, Eton wasn't a school anyone could enter simply by having good grades. Those admitted were almost always children of nobility.
"My aunt's son's classmate's uncle's nephew got into Eton College! Hah! Aren't you bumpkins jealous? People like you shouldn't even dream of it!"
Those were words Caregiver Anna often used to mock others, and they perfectly reflected Eton's social status.
In other words—
Justin was Hogwarts' hidden rich kid.
Identified as pure-blood, Sean thought dryly.
The plump witch pushed her trolley away, muttering happily, "Such generous young wizards," before disappearing down the corridor.
Back inside the compartment, Justin piled all the snacks onto the table.
"Help yourselves," he said. "I definitely can't finish all of this on my own."
"You're being way too obvious," Hermione said under her breath, unceremoniously grabbing a sherbet lemon.
"Shhh—"
Justin made a shushing gesture. The two of them peeked secretly toward a certain young wizard.
Sean's clothes were clearly worn, slightly pilled, and frayed at the sleeves. If not for his pale but handsome face, he might easily be mistaken for one of those unwanted children from an orphanage.
"Want to try a Chocolate Frog?" Justin whispered mischievously. "I heard young wizards in the magical world really love these."
Faced with both Justin's conspiratorial tone and the Chocolate Frog being offered, Sean accepted it quickly.
"Thank you," he said softly.
No difficulty could defeat him—but temptation was another matter entirely.
Sean succumbed to sugar-coated capital.
"My Chocolate Frog!"
Just as Justin happily unwrapped his own, the frog suddenly leapt into the air, bouncing wildly and heading straight for the open window.
"Wingardium Leviosa!"
A calm voice rang out. Anticipating exactly this outcome, Sean flicked his wand. The Chocolate Frog froze midair and gently floated back into Justin's hand.
"Chocolate Frogs jump once," Sean explained slowly.
He then took small, careful bites of his own frog while reading One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi.
Outside the window, the sky gradually darkened as the Hogwarts Express continued its journey forward.