Sean scribbled notes, a thought forming. ' *That's not quite right.* '
"You have to flick and swish your wrist. It's also very important to say the incantation correctly—don't say 's' instead of 'f'. It should be 'Wingardium Leviosa', and make sure the 'ga' is long and clear."
Sean glanced at his notes, then set his quill down with a satisfied sigh. He knew if he moved fast enough, the ink wouldn't dry, letting him stretch its use a little longer.
"I've practiced it fifteen times, Hermione. Am I the clumsiest little wizard?" Justin's voice held a hint of worry. Even his usual optimism faltered in this unfamiliar magical world.
Sean, who had just set his notes aside, thought, ' *Actually, that's not quite right.* '
"I don't know. I don't have anyone else to compare myself to, so I can't really judge..." Hermione frowned, shaking her head. Then, her gaze snapped to Sean. "Sean, you... you must know the Levitation Charm too, right?"
Sean nodded, called into action. He flicked and swished his wrist. "Wingar—dium—Leviosa!"
[You have practiced the Levitation Charm to a beginner's standard. Proficiency +3.]
As Sean's incantation echoed, the feather floated up, wobbling once again.
"Cool!" Justin exclaimed. His own charm had barely kept the feather aloft for a second; Sean's was clearly far more skilled.
"You must have learned it really quickly, right? I mean, for a little wizard from a wizarding family like you."
Justin's question made Sean tilt his head in confusion. Justin's eyes widened. "You're not from a wizarding family? Are you a Muggle-born? That means you only started learning magic this summer... You learned a spell as difficult as Transfiguration in just two months?"
Sean nodded calmly.
"How does that saying go? Mer... Merlin?" Justin fumbled for the words.
"Merlin's beard," Hermione whispered, reminding him.
"Merlin's beard..." Justin repeated under his breath. His gaze softened on Sean. "Hermione and I, we're both... Muggle-borns. That means our parents aren't wizards. Oh, that means all three of us in this compartment are Muggle-borns. How wonderful... I heard there were more pure-blood wizards in the magical world."
As he mused, a clatter grew louder from the corridor. Unlike other sounds, this one didn't fade. The compartment door slid open, revealing a plump witch in an apron. The trolley she pushed immediately captured all three children's attention.
"Anything off the trolley, dears?" The plump witch's dimpled smile was friendly, her voice kind.
Sean's gaze swept over the dazzling array of treats, then he forced himself to look away. He was starving. The Hogwarts Express would travel from morning until night, and Nurse Anna wouldn't have let him pack so much as a slice of toast. ' *It'll be fine once I get to Hogwarts,* ' Sean thought.
"We'll take one... no, two of everything." Justin's words made the sales witch's smile widen even further.
"Of course, dear. That'll be Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans, Drooble's Best Blowing Gum, Chocolate Frogs, Pumpkin Pasties, Cauldron Cakes, Licorice Wands... that will be one Galleon and five Sickles." Her cheer visibly brightened as she listed the treats for Justin.
Hermione gasped at the price, about to protest, when the glint of Justin's gold Galleons caught her eye. He paid quickly, then explained with a slight blush: "This money was originally for my tuition at Eton. But the very next day, I received my Hogwarts acceptance letter. Although my mother thinks Hogwarts isn't as good as Eton, just think about it—learning magic is much more tempting than becoming a lawyer or a business tycoon..."
He finished speaking, then tucked the pile of Galleons into his trunk. Only then did Sean remember him: Justin Finch-Fletchley. A sincere, kind Hufflepuff, he'd later join the Duelling Club and Dumbledore's Army. Notably, when he wrongly suspected Harry of being the Heir of Slytherin, he'd been brave enough to apologize directly, unlike many others who simply pretended nothing happened.
What made him even more memorable was his decision to turn down Eton for Hogwarts. In England, Eton wasn't just about good grades; it was a school for the aristocratic elite.
"My aunt's son's classmate's uncle's nephew got into Eton! Ha, be jealous, you bunch of bumpkins! People like you, you shouldn't even dream of it." Nurse Anna's frequent taunt perfectly captured Eton's exclusive status.
In other words, Justin was a hidden tycoon at Hogwarts. ' *Confirmed: pure-blooded status,* ' Sean thought.
The plump witch, muttering about "two generous little wizards," had already pushed her cart away, disappearing down the corridor. Inside the compartment, Justin piled all the snacks onto the table.
"Help me eat some?" Justin's voice came from behind the small mountain of snacks. "I definitely can't finish all this. Please."
"You're being too obvious," Hermione said bluntly, snatching a sherbet lemon before leaning in to whisper to Justin.
"Shh—" Justin shushed her, then both glanced at Sean. His clothes were worn, pilled, a slight tear at the sleeve. Ignoring his pale, handsome face, he looked exactly like one of the unwanted children from the orphanage.
"Try this Chocolate Frog? I heard little wizards in the magical world love these."
Faced with Justin's devilish whisper and the offered Chocolate Frog, Sean quickly took it.
"Thanks," he said softly.
' *No difficulty can defeat me, but temptation is another story,* ' Sean thought, succumbing to the sweet allure.
"My Chocolate Frog!" Justin cried out. He'd been happily unwrapping his candy, only for the Chocolate Frog to suddenly leap up, aiming for the window.
"Wingar—dium—Leviosa!" Sean's calm voice cut through the air. He'd anticipated this, flicking his wand, and the Chocolate Frog dropped back into Justin's hand.
"Chocolate Frogs will jump once," Sean explained, slowly taking a bite of his own. As the sky outside darkened, he opened *One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi*.