The Hogwarts Express

On the first day of September, a message came from the Ministry of Magic.

"For personal reasons, Queen Belvina Black II will no longer serve as the head of the Public Information Service, effective immediately."

Brothers and sisters, that damned bastard woman is finally gone, and the glorious moment has returned!

Overjoyed reporters flocked to the streets, excitedly exchanging their delight, their excitement comparable to that Tuesday ten years ago.

The smog has dissipated and the sun is shining! Blake is gone, and the sky is bright! Blake is gone, and life will get better!

Just as the media reporters were practically worshipping Connelly Fudge, the damned bastard woman they were talking about had already appeared at King's Cross Station.

Platform 9¾ remained unchanged, with its smoky, deep red steam locomotives, a platform crowded with passengers and small animals, the sounds of chattering, laughter, and the piercing hooting of owls.

It seems like nothing has changed, but everything has already changed.

The platform is still the same platform, weathered by time and hardship; but the passengers are no longer the same. Some are struggling to make a living for their families, some are imprisoned, and some have lost their lives.

Standing on Platform 9¾, Belvina was lost in thought, remembering the first time the original Belvina boarded a train, and also remembering her own first time boarding a train.

However, what Belvina thought about most was Fudge's solemn promise before he left.

To be honest, Belvina didn't believe in that guarantee; time could change everything. Having only been minister for a year, Fudge had already developed a tremendous thirst for power. Who knew if, in two years, the minister would invite Belvina fishing and forbid her from wearing a helmet?

However, if Belvina does become minister as planned, the first thing she will do is to include foot massage in medical insurance!

What? Wizarding society doesn't have foot massage parlors? Then let's open a huge bathhouse in the most bustling part of Diagon Alley! And then include it in health insurance!

Imagining an unrealistic future, Belvina carried her suitcase through the crowded streets, dodging cats darting under people's feet, and randomly boarded a carriage, finding an empty compartment in the middle.

Belvina had barely sat down when a loud whistle sounded, and the deep red steam locomotive slowly started moving.

On the train, many students leaned out of the windows, waving goodbye to their parents and family with reluctance. On the platform, people seeing them off were also waving, and some even chased after the train for a while.

As the train slowly pulled away, Belvina spotted several familiar figures among the crowd on the platform.

Characters like Narcissa and Lucius Malfoy, the oddly styled Mrs. Longbottom, and the Weasleys with their distinctive family features, including the Weasleys' youngest daughter running alongside the train, laughing and crying.

After rounding a bend, the train suddenly accelerated, and everything on the platform disappeared, with houses flashing past the windows.

Belvina withdrew her gaze, picked up the briefcase, and dialed the combination lock to adjust its mode. Neatly arranged books and magazines lay quietly inside, including serious ones like "Today's Metamorphosis," unserious ones like "Singing the Quibbles," and thick tomes as heavy as bricks.

After a while, a knock came from the small cubicle, and a little girl opened the door.

The little girl was quite young, likely a new student at Hogwarts. She had thick, fluffy curly hair and a pair of rabbit-like front teeth. She wasn't particularly beautiful, but her brown eyes were full of life.

"Hello, do you have any seats available?" the girl asked, showing neither the shyness nor timidity of a freshman. "May we sit here?"

Belvina didn't speak. After putting down "Today's Metamorphosis," she pointed to the empty seat opposite her, indicating that the brave little girl could make herself at home.

The little girl let out a long sigh of relief. It was clear that she had only dared to speak because she was forcing herself. The Belvina in the carriage, in terms of both demeanor and clothing, did not seem like a student still studying at Hogwarts.

Behind the little girl, a round-faced little boy followed her in. He kept his head down, his hands clasped together nervously, rubbing them together.

"Hello, I'm Hermione Granger," the little girl continued. "This is Neville Longbottom. We're both new students at Hogwarts."

Neville Longbottom remained silent, but nodded vigorously when Hermione mentioned his name.

"Black, Belvina Black," Belvina said, lifting her head from the "Today's Transfiguration" book. She hadn't expected to run into one of the main characters in just a random empty cubicle.

Yes, Belvina remembered the name; after all, it was a name that had been hyped up to the skies, almost leading to the title of the book being changed to "Hermione and Her Useless Man"—a name associated with a fierce and powerful woman. Furthermore, she was a prime target for certain ruthless individuals.

Despite her fear, Hermione bravely met Belvina's scrutinizing gaze.

Belvina was amused by the little girl's stubbornness and courage. Although she couldn't see why the little girl was being targeted by such a cruel person, the little girl's personality suited Belvina's taste. She was quite the stubborn mule.

It comes from one stubborn donkey acknowledging another stubborn donkey.

Then, Belvina turned her gaze to Neville Longbottom, who had been keeping his head down.

Belvina recognized the name, though she couldn't recall where she'd heard it. As members of the same Holy Twenty-Eight families, Black and Longbottom were related. Moreover, the Longbottom name was renowned within the Ministry of Magic, and many young Aurors considered the Longbottoms heroes.

In the cramped cubicle, Neville Longbottom, who had been keeping his head down and silent, unexpectedly raised his head. His eyes held fear, and his body trembled slightly, but he still stared intently at Belvina, as if there were flowers on her face.

It's natural for an eleven-year-old boy to have romanticized views of adult women; it's an appreciation for beautiful things. But this romanticized view is not what Neville actually expresses.

“Mr. Longbottom, I’m not the kind of person you think I am.” Belvina rested her chin on one hand, flipping through a magazine with the other. “Your parents’ affairs have nothing to do with me, a mere Coppernut. You may find this surprising, but I have the utmost respect for them.”

For the first time ever, Belvina offered an explanation. In the past, she would usually laugh off such misunderstandings or directly criticize them. But when facing Mr. Longbottom, the usually stubborn and ruthless Belvina softened her tone.

As soon as he finished speaking, Neville lowered his head again, but his small body was still trembling.

Hermione was a little confused. The little girl looked at Neville first, then at Belvina. She really didn't understand what the two were saying, and there was no one to explain it to her. This feeling of unrequited love was terrible, and the little girl's already fluffy hair became even fluffier.

Just then, a loud clicking sound came from the aisle, and a smiling woman with dimples pushed open the cubicle door and asked, "Honey, would you like to buy any food from the car?"

The woman selling snacks saw Belvina in the cubicle and was visibly taken aback.

It wasn't because Belvina's clothes didn't look like a student's, nor because of Belvina's surname; it was because of Belvina herself this time.

"We meet again. After all these years, your sales pitch hasn't changed at all." Belvina smiled and waved. "It's so disappointing; why won't you take my advice?"

What is Belvina's advice?

Of course, it's: cigarettes, beer, mineral water, grilled fish slices, liquor, soft drinks, instant noodles, and sausages! Tuck your legs in.