The boys watched the barrier closely, so when Harry Potter came through with a backpack slung over his shoulders, his forehead scar habitually hidden beneath the brim of a baseball cap, he was immediately noticed.
"Harry! Harry!" Justin waved his arms, trying to get his attention.
Harry immediately spotted his friends and headed toward them. As he walked, he kept glancing at the red steam locomotive, which had just fired up its boiler and was releasing thick clouds of smoke and steam.
"Hey, guys!" he greeted them. "Justin, Richie, you're already here."
"Didn't Scott come with you?" Richard asked.
"My uncle said he felt sick just looking at wizards' faces one more time, so he only saw me off to the barrier," Potter replied.
"Guys, I've secured us an excellent compartment," Richard said. "We should hurry, or the poor girl is probably fighting for her life to keep it for us."
"What girl?"Harry asked curiously. "A friend of yours?"
"The daughter of the dentists who once treated my teeth. Turns out she's a witch too. I'll introduce you in a moment. By the way, Harry, did you and Scott go to Gringotts?"
"We went a couple of days after shopping, when it was packed with wizards," Harry answered. "My parents left me a fair amount of money."
"What about our suspicions?" Richard asked.
"Everything's fine, Richie," Potter replied. "The goblins checked the access logs—no one has visited my vault."
"Harry, I understand that talking about finances, especially someone else's, is impolite,"Richard continued, "but it's not good when money just lies idle. Have you thought about investing it?"
"I don't know," Potter shrugged. "Richie, I don't understand any of that. Could you recommend something?"
"Of course, but it depends on how much you have,"Richard said.
"About fifty thousand galleons."
Richard thought for a moment and answered just as the boys reached the last carriage:
"Not a huge sum, but not a small one either. I'd recommend exchanging ninety percent of your galleons into pounds and buying shares in Nokia, Microsoft, and Intel. Then, in the year 2000—after you graduate from Hogwarts—you can sell them."
"Ugh, Richie,"Justin grimaced. "Don't be as boring as my father."
"Thanks, Richie, I'll think about it,"Harry said.
Hermione greeted Richard's return with clear relief.
"Phew," she said, "it's you! I'm already tired of telling people this compartment is taken."
Richard gave the girl a broad smile and said politely:
"Guys, this young lady is Hermione Granger, the one I told you about. Hermione, allow me to introduce my friends."
Hermione looked at the boys with curiosity. Her gaze shifted to the chubby boy in a fine suit holding a leather case, the one Richard indicated.
"Justin Finch-Fletchley,"Grosvenor said. "Son of Lord Robert Finch-Fletchley, a banker well known in certain circles."
"Nice to meet you, Justin," Hermione replied politely.
"And this is Mr. Harry Potter…"
Richard didn't get to finish, as Granger cut him off.
"Harry Potter?! Don't doubt it, I know everything about you!"
Taken aback by such enthusiasm, Harry recoiled, nearly stumbling into the vestibule.
Justin looked at Hermione in confusion. Without overthinking it, he slid his case under the seat and sat down opposite her, closer to the window.
Richard burst out laughing.
"What did I say that's so funny?" the girl asked, offended.
"Hermione, I didn't know you were a Harry Potter fan. If a fan had jumped me in the street, Harry would laugh too."
"Probably,"Harry said. "Sorry, Hermione, it's just… Could you maybe not shout my name? Otherwise, it'll soon be impossible to breathe in here with all the wizards wanting to shake my hand and tear off a piece of my clothes."
Harry sat down beside Justin, set his backpack on the seat, and continued:
"Sorry, Hermione, but I have to disappoint you. Everything you've heard or read about me is lies and fiction. I didn't do anything like that. Think about it—what can a one-year-old child possibly do?"
Justin looked back and forth between Granger and Potter in confusion.
"Harry, what are you talking about?"he asked. "I get Richie—he's a world-famous figure. But what about you?"
"What, you don't know?!" Hermione stared at Justin with wide eyes. Without waiting for an answer, as if she didn't need one, she hurried on: "Harry Potter defeated the evil wizard—the Dark Lord."
From beside Hermione came a cheerful snort. Harry rolled his eyes toward the ceiling and sighed heavily. Granger looked at Richard, who was barely suppressing his laughter with little snorts, and puffed out her cheeks.
"Richie, what are you laughing at?" she asked, confused.
"Hermione, you're hilarious," Grosvenor replied. "You should definitely try stand-up comedy! Oh… Lord… Where did you even get that from?"
"I read it in The Rise and Fall of the Dark Arts," the girl answered.
(End of Chapter)
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