"Hope this Professor Lupin isn't worse than she was," Hermione glanced at Lupin and said softly.
The Hogwarts Express steadily headed north, and the scenery outside the window took on a more rural flavor as the sky grew darker—the clouds above were thickening, seemingly brewing a storm.
People were constantly walking back and forth outside their compartment door.
Around noon, the trolley lady came to the compartment, and Ron and Harry bought a large pile of food, intending to have it for lunch.
"You're having this for lunch?" Hermione asked, uncertainly looking at the two of them.
"Do you want some or not?" Ron said, reaching for a biscuit and stuffing it into his mouth.
"I think the professor should eat something, don't you?" Hermione glanced at Professor Lupin, reaching out to nudge him, "Professor? Professor? I'm sorry—"
However, Lupin slept peacefully, showing no signs of moving.
"Don't worry, dear," the witch said, handing a Cauldron Cake to Harry, "if he wakes up hungry, he can come find me at the front with the driver."
As she spoke, the witch playfully winked at Harry as if they knew each other.
In fact, they did know each other—let's say, this lady had been pushing the trolley selling snacks on the Hogwarts Express a hundred years ago.
Hermione glanced worriedly at Lupin and continued to nibble on the snacks placed on the chair.
By afternoon, it started to rain heavily outside, and the outlines of the rolling hills blurred due to the relentless downpour.
The rain continued to fall, the atmosphere was far from pleasant, and fast-paced footsteps began to echo outside the compartment.
"Harry?"
Draco's voice came from the doorway. As Harry lifted his head, Draco had already squeezed in beside him, holding the Cauldron Cake he had bought.
"Hey!" Ron said, "Could you be more careful, that's our cake."
Draco tore open the packaging, broke off a piece of the cake, and stuffed it into his mouth, savoring it carefully before saying, "Not tasty."
Then he placed the cake on the small table and said to Ron, "Weasley—I'm here to issue a challenge, once the Dueling House opens, I want a duel with you! This time, watch me defeat you easily!"
"Defeat me?" Ron responded as if he'd heard a joke, "With just you?"
Draco chuckled, not bothering to argue, instead saying to Harry, "Sebastian taught me some tricks, so I think this time I'll definitely defeat Weasley—"
Was it taught by Sebastian?
Harry thought about it and figured Ron might be in trouble this time.
Everyone knew Sebastian was quite skilled at dueling, and with his guidance, Draco's dueling skills could improve rapidly.
"Bring it on, who's afraid of who?" Ron retorted defiantly, "This time, I'll make sure you admit defeat—"
Draco scoffed with a laugh, then swiftly grabbed Ron's Chocolate Frog and darted out of Harry's compartment like a gust of wind.
"Hey, that little thief," Ron said angrily.
Hermione corrected him, "He took the Chocolate Frog right in front of you, so he's not a thief, but a robber—"
"There's no difference," Ron said, pouting.
"So have you finished your homework?" Harry asked, chewing on a Chocolate Frog, with one of its legs still kicking helplessly at his mouth.
At Harry's words, the small piece of Cauldron Cake remaining in Ron's hand dropped to the ground with a splat.
"Oh no, I haven't done my Magic Potion homework!" Ron said, clutching his head, then bent down to pick up the Cauldron Cake, blew on it, and ate it again, "Snape will kill me!"
"It's not that bad," Hermione frowned, "So why don't you hurry up and catch up with your homework? We're still on the train, it's just Magic Potion homework, calm down, okay?"
"Yeah, hell is just a sauna," Ron rolled his eyes sarcastically.
Hermione gave Ron a fierce glare.
Ron pouted, got up, pulled out paper and pen, swapped places with Hermione, and started writing the Magic Potion essay on the table.
He frequently asked Harry and Hermione for advice on how to write the essay.
The compartment quieted down, with only the rumbling of the train in motion.
Ron worked diligently on his Magic Potion homework at the table, yet the train gradually slowed, the sound of the wheels diminishing while the sound of the wind and rain outside grew louder.
Harry, being closest to the door, got up to check the situation in the corridor.
In the adjacent compartments along the corridor, people were peering out to see what was happening, their little heads popping out like mushrooms emerging one after another.
Soon after, the train jarred to a halt, and distant banging noises suggested luggage tumbling from the racks.
Then suddenly all the lights went out, and they were plunged into complete darkness.
"What's happening?" Ron's voice came from behind Harry, "I was only halfway through my homework! Oh no! If I don't finish, Snape will boil me in a cauldron to make potions!"
"Ouch! What are you doing!" Hermione panted, "Ron, that's my foot! You stepped on my foot!"
Meanwhile, the compartment resonated with a thud.
Harry could tell it was the sound of Hermione's fist hitting Ron's back with a dull impact.
It seemed like it must've been a good punch.