Karmit felt nothing unusual as he passed through the barrier—only a shift in scenery.
He had officially stepped onto Platform Nine and Three-Quarters.bHe ignored the scarlet steam engine ahead and turned to look at the wall he had just walked through.
For a brief moment, he could've sworn he sensed magic runes at work.
He narrowed his eyes.
Interesting. This platform was far more mysterious than most wizards realized.
But what truly caught his attention was the thought that Dobby—an ordinary house-elf—had once sealed the passage in the original timeline.
If a house-elf could interfere with a rune-based portal…
Did that mean house-elves possessed fragments of ancient magical rune knowledge?
Even incomplete rune inheritance was still invaluable.
So these foolish little creatures… perhaps they had more potential uses than anyone suspected.
Karmit filed that idea away.
For now, he had school to attend. Later, when he had time, he would… acquire a few elves for study.
He made his way toward the train. No tickets, no assigned seats—students simply found whatever compartments they could.
Karmit intended to pick any empty compartment for a quiet ride.
But the moment he stepped inside, Draco's pale blond head popped out of a carriage doorway.
"Cousin! This way!"
Karmit walked over.
I
nside the compartment sat Draco and Harry, chatting happily. Karmit sat opposite them.
Moments later, the train began moving.
Then—
The compartment door slid open.
A shock of blazing red hair poked in like a walking traffic light. The boy opened his mouth to speak— Then spotted Draco's platinum hair.
"Ugh! Malfoy! Just my luck."
With that voice and that red mop, there was no doubt who it was.
Ron Weasley.
Draco, who had been mid-sentence, instantly stiffened. He turned and scowled. "Disgu—"
Karmit cleared his throat twice.
Draco's brain snapped back into place.
"Oh. It's just the poor Weasley. What is it? Your father can't afford new robes, and he also forgot to teach you basic manners?"
Ron went redder than his hair. "MALFOY! YOU—"
"When," Draco cut in, "did I insult you?
Oh—I get it. Your family can't afford new robes or books. No wonder you don't understand what I'm saying."
Ron sputtered.
He had never been attacked with such precision before. Draco's insults hit exactly where it hurt most.
[He had no idea Draco had been trained by Karmit.]
Ron rolled up his sleeves, ready to start a fistfight.
Draco didn't even flinch— He calmly pulled out his wand and pointed it straight at Ron's face.
Ron froze. "Y-You… what are you doing?"
Draco smiled sweetly. "You came looking for trouble yourself. Why would I waste the opportunity? Wizards don't use fists, Weasley.
Don't tell me you haven't learned a single spell yet. Typical Weasley—completely useless."
At that moment—
"What's going on here?!"
Another figure marched over and yanked Ron behind him.
A short-haired redhead in a Hogwarts robe, Prefect badge pinned proudly to his chest.
Dressed so formally before the school year even started… With that hair, that badge, that attitude—
Percy Weasley.
Percy glared at Draco. "You pointed your wand at a fellow student? Bullying before classes have even begun? Are you relying on your family name?"
Draco snapped, "Are you blind? He started it!"
"I saw you with your wand drawn. That's enough." Percy said stiffly.
The noise drew attention.
Several compartment doors slid open.
The Weasley twins leaned out.
"Look at that, George—our dear prefect brother showing off his authority again."
"Fred, please don't call him our brother. Say he's your brother. I refuse responsibility."
"You'll make Mum cry. Even if he's insufferable, we can't change the fact he's our brother."
"A tragedy indeed."
The twins shared a solemn nod, then burst into laughter.
Harry, seeing his friend unfairly blamed, stood up. "I—I can confirm it! Ron insulted Draco first!"
It took all the courage he had. Harry hated trouble, but he wouldn't let Draco be framed.
Karmit raised a brow.
How touching. The friendship of children really was simple and pure.
Percy frowned, glancing at Ron.
He was Ron's brother, yes… But he was also a Gryffindor prefect.
His prefect pride mattered more.
He had jumped in to show off— And he saw Draco facing Ron, so he assumed a typical Malfoy–Weasley fight.
But now Harry Potter himself was defending Draco…
Percy suddenly felt trapped.
Then Ron shouted, "He's lying! They're on the same side, he's lying!"
And just like that—
Percy grabbed onto the excuse like a drowning man grabbing driftwood.
"Well then," Percy said stiffly, "I'll report this to the professors. Malfoy, pointing a wand at a student will have consequences."
He turned to leave with Ron— smug and triumphant behind him.
Harry and Draco were furious.
Harry clenched his fists, teeth grinding. He had never met anyone so shameless— someone who lied with eyes wide open.
Draco huffed like an angry little dragon. "Cousin! You see this?!"
Karmit sighed.
Still a child indeed. No control of emotions. However— He had no intention of letting Ron and Percy just walk away.
You don't march into his compartment, run your mouths, and leave intact.
This wasn't a playground.
This was his territory.
__________
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