Magical Studies at Hogwarts...

Chapter 185 Class Leader

While Ike was still pondering what kind of spell to create, the day for the start of Hogwarts school quietly arrived.

Harry, who had a terrible holiday, couldn't wait to get back to school. Of course, what made him even happier was that Sirius Black came to see him off.

His transformation into a black dog aroused no suspicion from anyone except the Order of the Phoenix, Hermione, and Ron. No one knew he was an illegal Animagus.

He was overjoyed, wagging his tail around Harry incessantly.

"Damn it, Sirius, control yourself, you're acting more like a dog..." Mrs. Weasley muttered, but Sirius's two front paws were still gripping the suitcase.

"Get on, kids." Mrs. Weasley hugged Harry and the others one by one, urging them on. Harry and the others carried their luggage and hurriedly boarded the Hogwarts Express, waving to Mrs. Weasley, Moody, Tonks, and the others outside the window.

"Let's go to the box!" Harry said to Hermione and Ron, looking extremely excited.

"We... Ron and I need to go to the prefects' box first, you know..." Hermione said awkwardly, "but we won't stay there for too long. The letter said we're just following instructions from the male and female student council presidents respectively, and then patrolling the corridors from time to time."

"Okay, see you later then." Harry nodded, said goodbye to Hermione and Ron, and walked with Ginny to the back of the carriage.

The carriage was almost full of people. Along the way, Harry saw many people holding copies of the Daily Prophet, who would point and whisper when they saw him. This reminded him of his terrible memories from the summer holidays, such as the interrogation at the Ministry of Magic.

Finally, in the last carriage, they found a compartment and also rescued the flustered and bewildered Navee.

There was another person in the box, Ginny's good friend Luna. Harry hadn't actually had much contact with this Ravenclaw's infamous crazy girl, and to be honest, he also thought that the girl had some mental issues.

But clearly, Ginny didn't see it that way; they had been good friends for many years.

The group chatted for a while, and when the food cart arrived, they bought a lot of snacks. About an hour later, Hermione and Ron finally arrived.

"I'm exhausted." Ron plopped down next to Harry, grabbed a chocolate frog, ate it, then closed his eyes and slumped back in his chair, letting out a series of meaningless groans. Hermione didn't seem to be in much spirits either, sitting next to Ginny with Crookshanks in her arms, stroking the cat.

"What's wrong?" Harry asked.

"Each student has two prefects, one male and one female." Ron, still with his eyes closed, said, "Guess who Slytherin's are?"

"Malfoy." Without even thinking, Harry blurted out.

"Yes, the other one is Pansy," Ron said.

"What about the other houses?" Harry asked again.

"Hufflepuff's Ernie McMillan and Hannah Abbott, Ravenclaw..." Ron opened his eyes and glanced at Hermione opposite him.

"It's Anthony Goldstein and Padma Petil," Hermione said calmly.

Ron winked at Harry, who immediately understood. Ravenclaw and Ike seemed to have become taboo for Hermione; apart from the night they arrived at Black's old house, neither he nor Ron had ever mentioned those two words again.

"Padma, you and she even went to the Christmas ball together." A muffled voice rang out, and everyone turned around to see Luna, who was holding "The Quibbler."

"She wasn't having fun. She felt you treated her badly because you wouldn't dance with her," Luna said, her eyes darting around. "The prefect is Goldstein? I thought it was Strayder..."

"Luna..." Ginny tugged at Luna's arm. Luna looked over blankly, and only after seeing Ginny's mouth movements did she realize, "Ah! I forgot, Stradt is gone."

After saying that, he hid himself back behind "Singing a Different Tune".

The atmosphere in the box immediately became oppressive. Harry, Ron, and Neville didn't dare to breathe, and Ginny sat upright, only stealing glances at Hermione next to her who seemed nonchalant.

Hermione was petting the cat, looking very calm.

"What's wrong?" Hermione asked.

"It's nothing!" Everyone shook their heads in unison, including Luna, who had her head hidden behind a magazine.

Upon seeing this, Hermione suddenly laughed, grabbed Crookshanks with both hands, and scratched it a couple of times before it lay back on Hermione's lap.

It startled another little guy, Jimmy, who climbed out of Hermione's collar, rubbed his little eyes, and then crawled back in.

"What is that?" Harry and Ron asked in unison, as it was the first time they had ever seen this thing.

"Bowlet," Neville whispered, holding Rafer.

Before we knew it, the atmosphere had improved again, but it was soon broken again.

The box door was rudely flung open, and Malfoy and his two henchmen, Crabbe and Goyle, blocked the doorway, staring coldly at Harry.

"What's wrong!" Harry challenged.

"Watch your manners, Potter, or I'll lock you in your cell!" Malfoy drawled. "I'm not like you. I'm a prefect, and I have the right to punish others."

"Really? I'm different from you. You're a good-for-nothing, so leave!" Harry retorted without backing down.

"Tsk tsk tsk, tell me what it feels like, to lose to the Weasleys. He's a prefect and you're not." Malfoy sneered, staring intently at Harry.

"Enough, Malfoy." Hermione's voice was calm, but Malfoy instantly stopped chuckling. He turned to look at Hermione, seeing her calm, indifferent eyes, and said nothing.

"Just you wait, Potter!" With that harsh remark, he took Crabbe and Goyle and left.

Once again, an awkward atmosphere settled over the private room. Harry and the others exchanged glances, unsure of what to say to break the ice without creating further embarrassment.

"It's time to go, Ron. You're not planning to stay here forever, are you? You have to go on patrol eventually." Hermione put down Crookshanks, stood up from her seat, called to Ron, opened the box door, and went out first.

"Oh... wait for me!" Ron snapped out of his daze, shouted, shoved the chocolate frog in Harry's hand, and ran off as well.

This time, the two didn't return until the train was almost at its destination. After so much time had passed, the awkwardness had finally subsided, but they only chatted for a few moments before having to leave again. As prefects, they had to help maintain order.

Harry and the others changed their clothes, put away their luggage and pets, and followed the crowd off the train, heading out of the station. Along the way, they saw Hermione and Ron standing on either side of the road, helping a woman they'd never seen before to herd the new students onto the ship.

"Who's that? Where's Hagrid?" Harry asked.

"I don't know." Ginny shook her head, carrying the cage containing Crookshanks. "Let's hurry up and get going, don't block the road."

Harry quickened his pace and headed towards the carriage. He waited for a while before Hermione and Ron arrived, as they had arranged to meet on the carriage.

"Let's go, I'm starving. I feel like I could devour a whole turkey," Ron complained as he boarded the carriage first, followed by the others.

Once everyone was on the carriage, just like in previous years, it started moving automatically, carrying the students toward the castle.

Thank you Marin Takoyaki for the donation!

(End of this chapter)