Percy Weasley, the tall, thin fifth-year prefect, gave them a cold greeting.
He then hurriedly followed Mrs. Weasley through the brick wall.
It seemed he wasn't particularly interested in acknowledging these two Muggle-born wizards.
Only Ron was left standing there, looking like a bit of a fool.
Seeing that his mother had clearly forgotten him, Ron's freckled face was etched with gloom.
Fortunately, he still had two friends he had just met.
Ron forced a smile, wanting to talk to Harvey and Hermione about how they'd spent their last two months.
However, without a word, Harvey grabbed Hermione's hand and charged toward the brick wall—the gateway to their dreams.
Ron's face instantly fell.
"Am I really that unpopular?"
Unconcerned with whether Ron was about to cry, Harvey led Hermione through the wall.
In a blur of motion, they found themselves on an ancient platform paved with marble.
A deep red steam engine sat there, black smoke billowing from its chimney.
It let out a low, mournful whistle as it pulled into the station.
The edge of the platform was packed with adults in wizard robes and eager young students.
Hearing the "clatter-clatter" of the vintage steam engine, Hermione's expression froze.
This was not at all how she had imagined the Wizarding World.
"This dirty, dilapidated steam engine with a 'Hogwarts Express' sign... are we sure it's not an antique from the last century?"
Harvey also frowned, the acrid smell of burning coal irritating his nose.
He quickly waved his wand at the two heavy trunks.
"Wingardium... cough, cough... Leviosa!"
While casting the Levitation Charm, the soot made him cough, nearly causing a magical backlash.
Luckily, he managed to finish the incantation just in time.
Seeing the two trunks float up and follow them automatically, Hermione didn't seem surprised.
She just wanted to get on the train; the thick, burning smell in the air was becoming unbearable.
"Let's just get going!"
Covering her nose, Hermione led the way forward.
By the time Harvey and Hermione squeezed into a carriage, they found the front cars already packed with students.
They saw rows of unfamiliar faces; some looked at them with curiosity, some with indifference, and some with outright disgust.
With zero social connections, Harvey had no choice but to lead Hermione toward the rear of the train.
When they finally found an empty compartment and sat down, Hermione couldn't hold back any longer.
Feeling like her future was looking rather bleak, she began to vent her frustrations.
"Why is the Wizarding World here so different from Kamar-Taj?"
An Air-Purifying Charm seemed to be active in the compartment.
Once seated, Harvey could no longer smell the soot, and his furrowed brow finally relaxed.
Hearing Hermione's complaint, he said with a knowing look:
"Would environmental factors really defeat you? My wise little piggy who loves magic so much?"
"You have to remember, Hogwarts is built right next to the vast Forbidden Forest. You can imagine how 'wild' the environment is."
As he spoke, Harvey deliberately tried to spook her.
Hermione let out a cold snort and pulled Hogwarts: A History out of her trunk, slamming it onto the table.
"Don't try to fool me. I've read this book; it even has magical portraits of the school grounds!"
Harvey raised an eyebrow and said in a teasing tone, "I hope you're still this tough once we actually get to Hogwarts."
"As far as I know, the Slytherin common room is built under a dark lake, and it's haunted by ghosts..."
Unfortunately, this tactic no longer worked on Hermione.
"I'm not going to Slytherin. I've read about the four houses. Gryffindor's dorms are at the top of a tower with a beautiful view..."
As he listened, Harvey's gaze shifted to a young boy who had just entered the compartment.
He was thin and scrawny, with a gaunt face and glasses held together by tape. He looked malnourished.
The boy was struggling to drag a heavy trunk over the low step between the carriages.
Doing this one small task seemed to drain all his energy, showing just how frail he was.
Panting for breath, he looked at Harvey and Hermione and asked cautiously:
"Hi... hello. Do you mind if I sit here?"
Hermione looked a bit disgusted; the boy's robes were so tattered they looked second-hand, and he smelled like he hadn't bathed in days.
But being kind-hearted at her core, she eventually agreed.
"Of course you can. Have a seat across from us!"
Harvey, who had just been caught in the crossfire of the boy's odor, gave Hermione a look that said, Are you trying to kill me?
Hermione just gave him a sweet smile that said, As long as he isn't sitting next to me, I don't care.
This girl has a dark heart, doesn't she?
Resigned, Harvey moved further into his seat and pointed his wand at the poor fellow, casting a triple-spell combo.
"Scourgify!"
"Reparo!"
"Rennervate!"
As soon as Harvey finished speaking, the boy's old, ragged robes became clean and new.
Even the holes in his trousers stitched themselves back together.
"Cool! Is this... magic? You can actually use magic?"
If this kid weren't the protagonist of this world, Harvey wouldn't have been so generous.
He offered a cold introduction.
"Harvey Ferguson. Muggle-born."
Only then did the boy realize his broken glasses were fixed, and his weak body felt full of energy.
Rarely experiencing such kindness from a stranger, the boy introduced himself enthusiastically.
"Thanks for the help. It's great to meet you, Harvey. I'm Harry Potter. I'm Muggle-raised too!"
"Harry Potter?" Hermione gasped from beside him.
"Yeah... that's my name. Is something wrong?" Harry's tone instantly became nervous, thinking he had offended his new friend.
Hermione stared at him in pure shock. "You're the Boy Who Lived? The savior who saved the world when you were only seven months old?"
"I've read about your famous deeds in so many books! It's an honor to meet you. I'm Hermione Granger, also Muggle-born."
Harry Potter felt a bit overwhelmed by Hermione's sudden enthusiasm.
But it was understandable; to Hermione, he was a legend from a book come to life.
"Can you tell us about your heroic experience? How did you defeat the Dark Lord and save the world?"
Faced with Hermione's look of adoration, Harry replied awkwardly, "I... I don't remember."
Admiration is often the beginning of a girl falling in love.
Feeling that if he didn't speak up, Hermione would be swept away, Harvey interjected:
"Harry was just a baby back then. How could he possibly remember anything?"