Hermione blushed in embarrassment and began to examine the tabletop, as if she saw something interesting there.
"No, really," Ron drawled. "I just heard a lot about him from my parents. Oh, I'm sorry," he turned to Harry. "Mum would scold me for being so rude. Harry, Justin, Hermione, nice to meet you."
As soon as Ron sat down next to Richard, two identical heads with red hair and freckled faces appeared in the doorway. The boys looked to be about thirteen years old. They were dressed in well-made suits, hand-made or rather magically tailored.
"Ron, there you are!" said the one on the right. "Hi, guys. I'm Fred, and this is George."
"I see you're settling in nicely, Ron," George said. "We've taken your things to your compartment. If anything happens, look for us in the third carriage."
"Gentlemen," Richard rose from the sofa, "we haven't been introduced, but we've met. Richard Rich. This is Harry, Justin, and Hermione. And are you the same George and Fred Weasley? That's exactly how your esteemed mother described you."
"Oh, Fred, really?!" George said happily. "Are you seeing the same thing I am?"
"Yes, George. This is the illustrious Earl Richard Rich himself!" said Fred, giving Richard a low, playful bow. "Pleased to meet you, Your Grace."
"It's an honor for us to attend the same school as an entire Lord," George said in the same joking tone. "Father constantly mentions you and holds you up as an example to us."
Richie immediately recognized the twins' nature-jokers and pranksters. There's a type of person who thrives on humor and laughter. So he switched to a cheerful tone:
- So you also want to build a transgalactic spaceship and conquer the galaxy?
"Oh, Fred," George said delightedly. "Just look at the scope! We really could learn from this great man."
"Guys, come by if anything happens," said Fred. "Our friend is bringing a tarantula-you can take a look at it."
Ron grimaced and shrugged.
"Thank you, but not today, gentlemen," Richard answered for everyone. "Have a safe journey."
When the twins had left, Harry Potter spoke up:
- Richie, I wonder how you manage to find a common language with strangers so easily?
"Harry," Rich replied, "if you'd been drilled by stern tutors and given a thrashing for misbehavior, you'd be just as good. And, of course, the experience of negotiating with grown-ups-and dare I say it, business sharks-has its consequences."
"No way, I can do without a belt," Harry answered ironically.
"Do you play Quidditch?" Ron asked.
"Quidditch?" Harry asked.
"What? You don't know?!" Ron was surprised.
The train pulled out, and Ron really got going. It seemed like he could talk about Quidditch forever. At first, everyone listened with curiosity, but then Hermione and Richard lost interest in the wizarding game and both became bored.
Richard, out of politeness, didn't want to interrupt Ron, especially since Harry and Justin were listening to the red-haired boy with interest. So Earl Rich attempted a temporary escape.
- Hermione, would you like to take a walk around the train?
- Yes!
Hermione stood up too quickly.
"Come on, Richie," she said, adopting a deliberately calm tone. "I'm interested in seeing the magic locomotive."
"Guys, don't be bored, we'll be back soon," said Richard, leaving the compartment.
In response he heard indistinct muttering.
When the boy and girl entered another carriage, Hermione said:
- I don't understand what the boys saw in this Quidditch?
"Boys love games, especially spectacular ones. I think a game where several wizards fly at breakneck speed on sticks while everyone tries to shoot them down is legalized suicide. In any case, Ron's point is also valid."
"I still agree with you," Hermione said, putting on an air of importance. "Richie, what house would you like to go to?"
"Every house has its good points," Richard replied, as evasively as usual. "I like Hufflepuff, but the others are good too."
- I want to go to Gryffindor, that's where Dumbledore studied.
"Dumbledore, right? His examiner told me the current headmaster was excellent at charms in his youth."
Richie and Hermione narrowly missed a trio of boys their age. Two were stocky, and the third was a sleek blond with the same hairstyle as Richard and wearing a similarly colored suit.
Richie and the blond froze and looked each other over with appraising glances. The blond's eyes narrowed, and he drawled affectedly:
"Malfoy. Draco Malfoy. This is Crabbe," he pointed to the stocky man with the short, powerful neck, "and Goyle," he pointed to the rounder fellow.
Richie raised his right eyebrow, assessed the quality of Malfoy's suit, nodded his chin, and said with pride in a dry tone:
- Count Richard Rich. Pleased to meet you, Mr. Malfoy, gentlemen. Would you like to hear a relevant joke?
"I won't refuse," Draco drawled affectedly through his nose.
A ship was wrecked. Two gentlemen swam onto a desert island. They weren't rescued until a year later. The rescuer asked one gentleman the other's name. The other replied that he didn't know, as there was no one to introduce them.
Malfoy's lips curled into a snake-like smile.
"Rich?" he drawled. "I think I've heard that name."
"I've heard of the Malfoys too," Richard replied politely. "Have a good day, Mr. Malfoy."
"And you too," Draco drawled affectedly.
The boys continued on their way to the back of the line, while Richard and Hermione made their way to the front of the line.