Chapter 324: A Peaceful Train Journey
Chapter 324: A Peaceful Train Journey
The red train rumbled across the wilderness, its carriages swaying gently.
Midway through the journey, Vold went to the bathroom, and upon returning to his compartment, he noticed fewer students lingering in the corridor than usual.
Typically, students would leave their compartment doors open, running back and forth to greet friends they hadn't seen all summer. The Weasley brothers would take the opportunity to peddle their holiday creations, and Malfoy would be up to no good, causing trouble for Harry.
But this time, the corridor was unusually quiet, with many compartment doors closed. As Vold walked by, he heard bursts of laughter and a man's innocent voice asking, "Why are you putting butter on your face?... Oh, Moses smells like roses..."
Vold understood why the corridor was so quiet—everyone was hiding in their compartments, watching TV.
Vold stood by the window, gazing outside. Thick clouds had completely blocked the sunlight, and the distant mountains were blurred.
Soon, raindrops began tapping on the carriage, creating a sense of tranquility.
The corridor lights came on, turning the train's glass into a natural black mirror. Vold could no longer see the outside scenery and could only make out his reflection on the glass.
A student rushed past to use the bathroom, then quickly returned, giving Vold a curious glance before darting back into their compartment.
A few minutes later, someone joined Vold.
Michael stared at the glass for a while, then asked curiously, "Vold, what are you looking at?"
"Nothing."
"Then why are you still looking?"
"I thought I'd see something..."
"What?"
"We'll be at Hogwarts in half an hour, right?"
"About that."
Vold turned and said, "Let's go back. It's getting a bit chilly out here."
"It's about time!" Michael muttered. "You should have been in the compartment, daydreaming. I thought something had happened to you!"
As Vold returned to his compartment, he saw Ryan and Theo peeking out. Upon seeing them, he couldn't help but smile.
He smiled unconsciously, his gaze once again sweeping over the dark night outside.
The train didn't stop, and the rain didn't freeze on the windows or cause a sudden drop in temperature.
This time, despite three escapees, the Dementors didn't show up to harass the Hogwarts Express.
Perhaps it was because the Ministry didn't believe Peter Pettigrew had the audacity to seek revenge. Or maybe it was because Dumbledore's stance was firmer than in the storyline, making Fudge hesitant to act rashly.
The train arrived safely at the station, and as the doors opened, students poured out, followed by a chorus of complaints.
The rain continued outside, the platform was muddy and slippery, and ice had even formed.
Vold raised his wand, and an invisible force flowed from its tip, creating a transparent umbrella that kept the rain at bay.
Michael quickly pulled Padma under the umbrella, relieved. "Great! My umbrella is in my luggage, and I forgot to get it."
Padma giggled. "Thanks, Vold. I did my makeup today, and I don't want it to get ruined by the rain."
Parvati, who had also been pulled over, clung to her arm, feeling awkward. "Vold, what spell is this?"
"Rain Umbrella Expansion..."
Before Vold could finish his sentence, he had barely expanded the umbrella, and suddenly several more people squeezed in beside him.
Voldemort: "..."
He silently observed the surrounding sycophantic smiles, while also hearing Hagrid loudly calling out, "First years, over here!"
Voldemort extended his empty left hand, and seven or eight leaves from the tree suddenly rustled and flew towards him, hovering in the air. He then tapped each leaf with his wand.
The green leaves quickly unfolded and expanded, forming a large green umbrella with drooping tips and a curved handle, perfectly sized to be held in one's hand.
Voldemort waved his hand, and the leaf umbrellas flew towards his friends without umbrellas, causing the area around him to suddenly become spacious.
"Wow—"
A chorus of exclamations filled the air, mixed with the awe-filled voices of the young students.
"Is this magic?" asked a small boy with a pot-like head, his eyes filled with envy.
Voldemort and the others turned to see a group of a dozen or so first-year students standing nearby. The children without umbrellas were holding their hoods with both hands to shield themselves from the rain, their eyes filled with admiration as they gazed at the floating leaf umbrellas in the air.
"That's right, are you envious? You'll be able to do this in the future too."
Michael grabbed a leaf umbrella and placed it over the heads of the Patil sisters, large enough to shelter two or three people. He then casually took another one and handed it to two little girls among the first-years.
"You're lying!" exclaimed a pale-faced little girl holding a small floral umbrella. "My sister is about the same age as you, and she can't do it either. She's still carrying her schoolbag on her head!"
"Shut up, Astoria!" Daphne, who was also carrying a schoolbag on her head, called out, her face filled with embarrassment and annoyance.
Astoria shrugged, her expression clearly saying, "See, this is how it is, right?" She continued, not letting up, "I reminded you to bring an umbrella, it was you who forgot!"
Daphne rolled her eyes in frustration and stopped paying attention to her sister. She ran off to board the horse-drawn carriage.
Voldemort created a few more leaf umbrellas and distributed them to the first-year students. The children excitedly thanked him, and those who held the handles of the leaf umbrellas looked as if they were holding a scepter, their faces filled with pride.
Astoria looked at the translucent leaves and then squeezed under the umbrella. She put away her small floral umbrella and handed it over.
"I don't need this umbrella anymore. Can you give it to Daphne for me? It's quite tiring to keep the schoolbag on her head all the time."
The group fell silent for a moment, and then Michael reached out and took the umbrella with a smile. "Sure."
Astoria's bright eyes scanned the scarves hanging around the necks of the group.
Ravenclaw... Another Ravenclaw... Hufflepuff... Gryffindor...
There was no Slytherin.
She smiled and said, "Thank you, you're all so kind."
Hagrid, towering like a giant black bear in the night, led the nervous first-year students away, while Voldemort and the others headed towards the carriages.
As they passed by the noisy carriage procession, Michael spotted Daphne. With a wave of his wand, he sent an umbrella flying towards her.
In the pouring rain, it was unclear whether Daphne had thanked him. She opened her floral umbrella and held it over her head, her clothes already drenched.
In fact, her friend Pansy had also brought an umbrella, but she was sticking closely to Malfoy's side, her robe's hem was already soaked in mud, making it impossible for her to care for Daphne.
"Daphne's sister is quite cute, isn't she?" Hermione suddenly said. "She's different from Pansy's group."
"But she'll definitely end up in Slytherin," Ron stated confidently. "Wait a month and see her again, and you won't find any difference."
(End of Chapter)
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