Chapter 9

**Five Minutes Earlier**

Hermione boarded the train, placed her belongings on the overhead rack, and noticed a slightly chubby boy sitting across from her, looking frightened and sad.

She sat down in front of him and said, "My name is Hermione Granger. What's your name?"

The boy remained silent for a few seconds before finally responding, "I'm Neville Longbottom."

Hermione smiled kindly. "I can tell something's bothering you. What happened? Maybe I can help."

Neville sighed, "My pet toad has run away. I was about to give him some chocolate, his favorite treat, but when he saw the trolley lady, he disappeared, and I've been searching for him ever since."

Neville's face fell as he spoke, clearly distressed about losing his toad.

Hermione, determined to help, said, "Alright, let's go look for him outside this compartment. We might find him."

Hermione led the way, running down the corridor to search for the missing toad. As Neville exited the compartment, he bumped into Draco Malfoy, the notorious blonde boy, flanked by his friends Crabbe and Goyle.

Draco sneered, "Well, well, look who it is—the dim-witted heir of the Longbottoms. Hahaha!"

Crabbe and Goyle joined in, laughing cruelly at Draco's mockery.

Meanwhile, Hermione had planned to enter the fifth compartment where Albert, Harry, and Ron were seated. However, she stopped short when she overheard Albert talking about his family.

The sadness in Albert's story moved Hermione, but her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of shouting and laughter coming from her own compartment.

She rushed back to see what was happening and was shocked to find three strangers in her compartment, with the boy in front levitating Neville into the air, mocking him.

"Hey, put Neville down this instant!" Hermione demanded.

Draco turned around to face her, smirking arrogantly. "And who do you think you are to order me around?"

Before Draco could finish, he noticed a figure appear behind Hermione, standing in the doorway.

Albert stepped into the compartment, his expression calm but firm. "Didn't you hear her? Put him down gently and without any more trouble."

Draco, Crabbe, and Goyle burst into laughter at Albert's confident tone.

Draco sneered, "Hahaha, did you hear that? He thinks he can use force against us! Hahaha!"

But Draco's laughter was cut short as he suddenly froze in place, and Neville slowly descended to the ground without a sound.

"Curse you! What did you do to me? Undo your spell! Crabbe, Goyle, do something!" Draco shouted, his voice shaking with fear.

Before Crabbe and Goyle could make a move, Albert raised his wand and pointed it at them. "Everte Statum," he commanded.

With a swift flick of his wand, both Crabbe and Goyle were sent flying backward, crashing into the wall with a powerful thud.

Crabbe groaned, "Ugh, my back hurts!"

Draco, now visibly shaken, watched in terror as his friends were easily overpowered and collapsed to the floor in defeat.