As evening approached, everyone changed into their wizard robes while waiting for the train to reach the station. The young wizards were filled with anticipation for Hogwarts, discussing everything they knew with excitement until a jarring voice broke the atmosphere of the carriage.
"Filthy Mudblood, who said you could be here? This is the noble Slytherin carriage." Draco Malfoy, wearing a cap, stood with two bulky cronies behind him. The three of them blocked the middle of the carriage, obstructing the path of a young boy and girl.
The girl had thick, bushy brown hair and brown eyes, her features delicate and fine, though her front teeth were slightly prominent. The boy had red hair and blue eyes with a lanky build; though his wizard robes were clean, they looked incredibly old.
Hermione and Ron.
Having only recently encountered the wizarding world, Hermione didn't understand the meaning of 'Mudblood.' She only felt that Malfoy was being far too overbearing and tried to explain that she was simply trying to help Neville find his lost toad.
The young girl had barely opened her mouth when she was interrupted once again by Malfoy's voice.
"Oh, and you too. Red hair and a hand-me-down robe... You must be a Weasley. Trash like you only deserves to hang out with Mudbloods."
Ron quietly tugged at his robe, his face full of embarrassment as he pursed his lips, unsure of how to fight back.
Seeing that his aura had suppressed the two, Malfoy flashed a triumphant grin, looking around with his head held high like a peacock in full bloom.
Lucius might be arrogant, but he also knew how to read the situation, being able to yield when necessary.
Draco was different. His pride in his own bloodline was through the roof, and that misplaced arrogance was something even Lucius couldn't stand. Privately, he had frequently let Draco feel the sting of fatherly love with a few heavy thwacks.
Before the school term began, Lucius had specifically coached him, telling Draco he must establish a good relationship with Harry Potter and become his friend.
As he looked around, Malfoy spotted two familiar figures. Upon closer inspection, it was the little brat who had made him and his father look like fools, and Harry Potter.
The two strong cronies behind him gave Malfoy courage. He pressed down on the cap covering his head tightly and marched toward Makiya's compartment with an aggressive air.
Harry swallowed hard and retreated into the compartment, turning to look at Makiya. "Makiya, that... they seem to be coming to cause trouble. There are two of them who are really big..."
"Harry." Makiya turned a page in his book and pointed toward the holster under Harry's arm. "If things get ugly, the twin pistols will provide the answer."
Harry nodded solemnly. "Actually, I'm just worried about hurting them."
"Then just be careful," Makiya shrugged. "I saw you practicing with them all day yesterday, so you should be able to control the output by now."
Bang!
The compartment door was shoved open violently, letting out a loud crash.
Malfoy had hoped to startle Makiya, but to his surprise, the other boy didn't even flinch. He slowly turned a page of his book and looked up. "Where did this idiot come from?"
As he spoke, Makiya looked at the top of Malfoy's head and paused. "Oh, and a bald idiot at that. Where's your hair?"
"You..." Malfoy's face turned beet red instantly. 'Don't you know how my hair disappeared? How dare a lowly servant mock me...'
Malfoy remembered his father's repeated warnings and took a few deep breaths. Muttering a few curses under his breath, he forced a twisted smile onto his face and extended his hand toward Harry Potter.
"I'm Malfoy, Draco Malfoy. It's a pleasure to meet you, Harry Potter."
Malfoy's gaze darted toward Makiya. "This compartment has been contaminated by a certain low-born servant, Harry. I'm inviting you to come over to our side. You'll soon find out that some wizarding families are naturally superior to others. Don't go making friends with the wrong sort of riff-raff."
Facing Malfoy's outstretched hand, Harry didn't acknowledge it. Instead, he pulled out White Ivory and aimed it at the trio's legs. "I can tell the right sort for myself, thanks. Also, I won't let you insult my friend!"
Malfoy was startled by Harry's sudden movement, but when he saw it wasn't a wand, he let out a sigh of relief.
The two cronies clenched their fists, planning to teach this ungrateful boy a lesson.
A pale blue shockwave erupted from the muzzle, striking Malfoy and his two companions before the surprised eyes of the onlookers.
Harry was soft-hearted after all, so he had deliberately restrained the power. The force of the shockwave sent the three tumbling out of the compartment, where they hit the inner wall of the train with a loud thud.
Watching the three of them clutching the backs of their heads and rubbing frantically, Harry reached out to close the door, but Makiya stopped him.
"Wait a moment. He just insulted me, and I can't just pretend I didn't hear that."
Makiya gave Harry a small smile and pointed his wand at Malfoy. "Kneel!"
Magic surged, and Malfoy's body instantly snapped taut, dropping into a standard prostration on the floor.
Thump!
Malfoy slammed onto the ground, his knees making intimate contact with the hard floor of the carriage. The heavy thud made the hearts of the onlookers skip a beat.
"Ahhh! My legs!"
Malfoy howled in pain, his face contorted.
"This is what happens when you have a foul mouth. I hope you learn your lesson from this experience," Makiya said with a smile, his eyes sweeping over the two cronies.
Crabbe and Goyle trembled, standing frozen in place, unsure of what to do.
The commotion soon attracted even more attention. The sound of hurried footsteps came from the forward carriages as a group of upperclassmen arrived, brandishing their wands.
Several boys raised their wands, aiming them at Makiya and Harry. "You two, drop your wands and that... weird thing immediately, and apologize to Malfoy. That's an order."
Makiya remained unfazed, observing them with interest. Judging by the crests on their chests, they were Slytherin students.
These pureblood families were inevitably related to one another; it seemed they intended to protect their own.
Harry was startled by their aggressive stance, but Makiya's words echoed in his mind. Gritting his teeth, he pulled out Ebony as well, standing in the corridor with both pistols raised, facing off against the group of Slytherins.
Harry had used White Ivory inside the compartment just now, so the onlookers had assumed he was casting some sort of magic. Now that he was out in the corridor, everyone stared at the twin pistols in his hands, completely bewildered.
What is that?
Of course, there were also Muggle-born children who recognized the objects in Harry's hands. They gasped, their minds filled with questions as they quickly made a run for it, eager to distance themselves from the brewing conflict.
Hermione also recognized the handguns and quickly pulled Ron into a nearby compartment, clearing the corridor for the two sides.
One by one, the compartment doors were locked as everyone watched the standoff through the glass with curiosity.
In the minds of the onlookers, the outcome was certain. The gap in numbers and experience was too large; there was no way the two young boys could win against the group of Slytherins.
Everyone was simply curious about what would happen to the two young wizards and which house they would be sorted into.
Being that reckless, they'll definitely end up in Gryffindor.
Some older Gryffindor students considered drawing their wands to help, but they were stopped by their companions.
They had no personal connection to Makiya or Harry, so there was no need to make enemies of the Slytherins. They could wait and see, and only step in if things spiraled out of control.
"Harry, strike first," Makiya whispered a quiet reminder.
Hearing this, Harry no longer hesitated. He immediately funneled magic into the weapons, and pale blue bullets and shockwaves erupted instantly, knocking back the Slytherins at the front of the corridor.
Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!
The instantaneous shockwaves held an absolute advantage. Wizards who hadn't mastered their craft stood no chance of reacting to the twin pistols. The crowd fell like wheat before a scythe as the Slytherin upperclassmen were utterly routed.