Shawn sat to the side, taking careful notes in a worn leather journal. Actually, that's not quite right either.
The page read:
Pronouncing the spell correctly is crucial—never say 's' when it should be 'f'. The incantation is 'Wingardium Leviosa', and that 'ga' must be pronounced long and clear.
Shawn looked at his notes with satisfaction and quickly stowed his quill. If he put it away before the ink fully dried, he could write longer before needing to refill—a trick learnt from months of rationing supplies at the orphanage.
"I practised fifteen full times, Hermione. I'm not the worst student here, am I?" Justin's voice carried genuine worry. Facing an unfamiliar world of magic, even his natural optimism was wavering.
Shawn closed his journal silently. Actually, fifteen attempts is quite good.
"I can't really say. With only myself as a reference, I have no basis for comparison..." Hermione shook her head, brow furrowing in thought. Suddenly her eyes brightened with an idea. "Shawn, you know the Levitation Charm too, don't you?"
Caught off guard by the question, Shawn nodded. His wrist flicked upward with practised precision.
"Wingar—dium—Leviosa!"
[You have practised the Levitation Charm once at Entry standard, proficiency +3.]
As Shawn's incantation filled the compartment, the feather rose shakily into the air, hovering with gentle stability.
"Brilliant!" Justin exclaimed, genuine admiration lighting his features. Compared to his own charm that had lasted barely a second before faltering, Shawn's control was clearly superior.
"You must have learnt this quickly, right? I mean, coming from a wizarding family and all."
Justin's assumption made Shawn tilt his head slightly in confusion, his green eyes questioning.
Seeing that bewildered expression, Justin's own eyes widened in surprise. "You're not from a wizarding family? You're Muggle-born? That means you only started learning magic this summer... In two months, you mastered difficult magic like Transfiguration?"
Shawn nodded calmly, as if this were perfectly ordinary.
"What's that saying wizards use? Mer... Mer..." Justin fumbled for the phrase, the unfamiliar words sticking in his throat.
"Merlin's beard," Hermione quietly supplied.
"Merlin's beard..." Justin repeated in an awed whisper, his gaze toward Shawn suddenly warm with kinship. "Hermione and I, we're both Muggle-born too—our parents aren't magical at all. That means everyone in this compartment shares the same background. How wonderful... I heard pure-blood wizards are supposedly more common in the magical world."
Just as he spoke, the noise outside the corridor grew considerably louder. A metallic clanging sound echoed through the train car—the distinct rattle of wheels on wood.
Strangely, this sound didn't fade like the previous commotion. Instead, it grew steadily closer.
The compartment door slid open, revealing a plump witch wearing a cheerful apron. The trolley before her overflowed with colourful sweets and treats that immediately captured their attention.
"Dears, would you like to buy some food?" The witch's voice was as warm as honey, her dimpled smile genuinely kind.
Shawn glanced at the dazzling array once, then forcibly tore his gaze away. His stomach clenched with hunger—it had been a long time since breakfast, and the train journey would continue from dawn until evening. He'd had no way to bring food. Matron Anna wouldn't have allowed him to take even a single slice of toast.
It would be fine once they reached Hogwarts, he told himself firmly.
"One of... two of everything, please."
Justin had barely finished his first word when the vendor witch's smile brightened like sunshine breaking through clouds.
"Certainly, dear! Here are Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans, Drooble's Best Blowing Gum, Chocolate Frogs, Pumpkin Pasties, Cauldron Cakes, Liquorice Wands... that's one Galleon and five Sickles total."
Her cheerful mood seemed to lift even higher as she introduced each treat to Justin with genuine enthusiasm.
Hermione's eyes widened at the price. She opened her mouth to dissuade him from such extravagance when the flash of gold Galleons in Justin's hand left her momentarily speechless.
Justin paid quickly, then explained with slightly flushed cheeks: "This money was originally set aside for Eton College, but the day after my parents secured my place, I received my Hogwarts letter instead. My mother still thinks Eton would have been more prestigious, but honestly—learning magic is infinitely more fascinating than becoming a lawyer or business executive..."
After speaking, he casually returned a substantial pile of Galleons to his trunk, as if they were mere pocket change.
Only then did Shawn remember who this boy truly was: Justin Finch-Fletchley. A sincere and kind Hufflepuff who would later join the Duelling Club and Dumbledore's Army. Most notably, when he learnt he'd misjudged Harry as the Heir of Slytherin, Justin had immediately sought Harry out to shake his hand and apologise—far braver and more genuine than other students who simply pretended nothing had happened.
What made him particularly memorable was that he'd refused admission to Eton College to attend Hogwarts instead. In Britain, excellent grades alone weren't sufficient for Eton admission. Only students from the most distinguished families were accepted—aristocratic lineage was practically a requirement.
Matron Anna had often mocked the orphans with variations of: "My cousin's neighbour's nephew got into Eton College! You wretches should be jealous! Worthless children like you shouldn't even dream of such things."
Her cruel words, at least, had inadvertently educated Shawn about Eton's elite status.
In other words, Justin was Hogwarts's hidden aristocrat—a certified pure pedigree in the Muggle world.
The plump witch had already rolled her trolley away, muttering happily about "meeting two such generous young wizards today" as she disappeared down the corridor.
Inside the compartment, Justin placed the mountain of sweets on the table between them. Colourful wrappers crinkled invitingly.
"Would you help me eat some of these?" Justin's voice emerged from behind the pile. "I definitely can't finish them all. Please, I'd appreciate it."
"You're being rather obvious," Hermione said dryly, though she reached for a bottle of pumpkin juice without real protest.
"Shh—" Justin made a quiet gesture, and both of them cast surreptitious glances at Shawn.
His clothes were worn and pilled, the fabric thin from countless washings. The sleeves were even unravelling slightly at the cuffs. If one ignored his pale, delicate features, he looked exactly like what he was—an unwanted child from an underfunded orphanage.
"Try this Chocolate Frog? I've heard young wizards in the magical world absolutely love them." Justin held out the blue-and-gold package with studied casualness.
Faced with Justin's generous offer and the enticing smell of chocolate wafting from the package, Shawn's resolve crumbled. He took it with both hands.
"Thank you." His voice was barely audible, soft as a breath.
No amount of hardship could defeat him, but kindness and temptation were another matter entirely. Shawn surrendered to the simple gift with grateful relief.
"My Chocolate Frog!"
Just as Justin celebrated his successful sharing and began unwrapping a sugar quill, his Chocolate Frog suddenly sprang to life, powerful amphibian legs propelling it toward the open window.
"Wingar—dium—Leviosa!"
A calm voice cut through the chaos. Shawn, who had clearly anticipated this exact scenario, waved his wand with practised ease. The escaped Chocolate Frog froze mid-leap and drifted gently back into Justin's startled hand.
"Chocolate Frogs jump once," Shawn explained matter-of-factly, then took careful, measured bites of his own chocolate while returning his attention to One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi. He savoured each morsel slowly, making the treat last as long as possible.
Outside the window, the sky gradually darkened from brilliant blue to dusky purple. The landscape transformed from sun-drenched countryside to shadowed hills dotted with distant lights. Inside the warm compartment, three Muggle-born students travelled toward their new lives—sharing sweets, practising spells, and forging the first fragile bonds of friendship.