Although she didn't fully understand why Kate had such a poor attitude toward the people outside, Hermione herself felt a certain aversion just hearing that arrogant voice.
She didn't say anything more, letting Kate sit beside her. Just like when she was tired from their usual practice sessions, she tilted her head and leaned against Kate's shoulder.
"The train is about to start. Do you want to sleep for a while?" Kate attentively adjusted her posture to let Hermione lean more comfortably.
Hermione shook her head. "No, I want to review the knowledge in my books later. Yesterday I was reading Hogwarts: A History and saw that every student needs to undergo a Sorting."
Ah, this...
Kate's heart skipped a beat; she knew this question couldn't be avoided forever.
Previously, to prevent Hermione from asking, she had deliberately kept her from reading about the Sorting Ceremony. But who knew this little friend was so eager to learn? Just in the one night after going home, she had actually read up to that part.
"Mn..." Kate hesitated, trying to comfort her. "Actually, you don't need to worry. The Sorting doesn't require an exam."
Hermione sat up straight instantly, looking at her in astonishment. "How do you know? Haven't you never been to Hogwarts?"
Before Kate could answer, she answered herself, "That's right, you went to study at your Teacher's house for so long, you must know the relevant common knowledge."
Saying this, she asked directly, "I heard Hogwarts has four Houses, and students enter different Houses after the Sorting."
"Which House do you want to enter?"
She actually asked it so bluntly.
Kate's heart trembled, and she said uncertainly, "I don't know yet. I'll just listen to the Sorting Hat's opinion when the time comes."
"The Sorting Hat? What is that?" Hermione's eyes lit up, and she hurriedly pressed her with more questions.
Thanks to her habit of seeking knowledge, she completely skipped over the matter that was hardest for Kate to speak about.
Relieved, Kate was just about to open her mouth when she heard a knock at the compartment door.
Immediately after, a round-faced boy timidly poked his head in. "Excuse me, is anyone sitting here?"
"No, please come in." Hermione pointed in a friendly manner to the seat opposite them.
Only then did the boy happily come in carrying bags big and small. Just as he sat down, a toad jumped out of his arms.
"Be careful, don't let your toad jump out," Kate reminded him. "By the way, what is your name?"
The boy scrambled to hug his toad. "My name is Neville Longbottom."
The future Gryffindor Sword God, she knew.
Kate raised an eyebrow and took the opportunity to introduce herself and Hermione. Seeing that Neville's toad wanted to jump out again, she took out her wand. "Accio Toad."
Then, she deftly caught it with her left hand and tossed it back to Neville.
"Thank you." Neville hurriedly gripped it tightly in his palm, asking curiously, "Are you a second-year student?"
Before Kate could answer, Hermione beat her to it. "She is in the same year as us!"
Neville blinked, his gaze turning to the birdcage covered by a cloth in front of him. "Is this an owl?"
"It's a Diricawl, a type of magical creature," Kate explained patiently. "But it's still young, so it's best not to expose it to light."
As the three spoke, the train began to start slowly, and the scenery outside the window gradually transformed.
Compared to the two girls who interacted naturally, Neville watched his toad tightly, appearing somewhat cramped.
Seeing that he was nervous all over, Kate reminded him softly, "You can make a small box and put it inside."
"But I didn't bring anything like that with me..."
"It doesn't matter, I'll help you." Kate glanced at the luggage he had placed on the table, pulled out a notebook, and pointed her wand at it.
After murmuring an incantation, the notebook before their eyes turned into a plastic box at a speed visible to the naked eye, the size just right to hold his toad.
"It's Transfiguration!" Hermione looked at her in surprise. "You've actually self-studied to this level already?"
Kate shrugged. "My Teacher taught me. I spent more than half a year learning it."
Actually, this level could be easily applied after finishing the first year of Transfiguration classes. Transforming inanimate objects into inanimate objects was much simpler than switching between living and inanimate things.
The first lesson of Transfiguration taught students to turn matches into needles, which wasn't much different from the basic Transfiguration she had just performed.
What was truly difficult was Human Transfiguration, as well as other branches derived from Transfiguration.
Kate didn't have the energy to delve into those higher-difficulty Transfigurations yet.
However, her current basic Transfiguration, honed through insane practice day and night, had already surpassed most fifth-year students.
At the very least, she could pass the O.W.L. exams smoothly.
Although she had been humble enough to hide her strength, Hermione's face still visibly sank.
From her perspective, she was at least a year behind Kate and had to double her efforts to catch up.
"I want to read some more." She took a textbook out of her trunk and buried her head in it again.
Beside her, Kate exchanged a helpless glance with Neville and held up a finger, signaling him to make as little noise as possible.
Just like that, while the students in other compartments were chatting enthusiastically, their compartment effectively became a small study room.
With Hermione reading, Kate naturally couldn't stay idle either, so she casually took a copy of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them from her handbag and began to browse.
As for Neville, given that both girls in the room were reading, he could only take out a Herbology book to cover his face.
It wasn't until the train was about to arrive at the station that Neville actively went out to leave them space to change clothes.
Hermione was forced to put down her book, her face still looking somewhat worried. "I recited the textbook three times, but I still feel it's not enough."
"You have to combine theory with practice," Kate answered calmly while changing into her wizard robes.
"Then after the Sorting, let's continue practicing in the common room!" Upon hearing this, Hermione perked up and issued an invitation with a face full of anticipation.
Kate hesitated a bit. "About that..."
After the Sorting, they didn't even know if they would be in the same House.
Fortunately, Neville knocked on the door at the right moment from outside. She quickly changed the subject. "Alright, let's go out first. We can talk after Neville changes his clothes."
Hermione then hurriedly tidied her clothes. "Then let's get off the train together."
She escaped the topic again.
Kate secretly wiped the sweat from her forehead and slid open the compartment door. "We'll get off first; come find us after you've changed."
Neville nodded hurriedly, clutching the box containing the toad as he rushed inside.
Luggage left on the train would be sent to the school by someone else.
The train slowed down and finally stopped. The young wizards on board shoved and pushed as they poured out the doors, arriving onto a dark and small platform.
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