Chapter 26: George, Luna, Colin, and Ginny

"The history of basilisks is too ancient. They've long been forbidden by the Ministry of Magic, which is why so few books mention them. But that doesn't mean they don't exist.

It's like the Crumple-Horned Snorkack—most wizards don't believe in such a magical creature, but my father was lucky enough to see one in Sweden."

The girl tilted her head as she explained.

"What's a Crumple-Horned Snorkack?" Colin asked with a face full of curiosity.

"It's a magical creature with special horns but can't fly," the girl replied.

"Well, that's probably a Graphorn," George interjected, now fully aware of the girl's identity—Luna Lovegood.

Her father, Xenophilius Lovegood, was the editor of The Quibbler magazine, and her mother, Pandora Lovegood, had tragically passed away during an experimental spell when Luna was nine.

This background explained Luna's extensive knowledge, lending credibility to her claim about the owl, though her mention of the Crumple-Horned Snorkack was likely her father's fabrication. The so-called Crumple-Horned Snorkack was almost certainly a misidentified Graphorn, a creature whose horns were known to explode if mishandled.

"Here's a seat. Let me help you with your luggage," George offered, hoping to learn more from Luna about things not found in books.

"Thank you. I'm Luna Lovegood," Luna said, visibly impressed by George's strength as he effortlessly lifted her luggage onto the rack.

"You're really strong!"

After Luna sat down, the three of them started chatting again. Most of the conversation consisted of Colin asking questions like a curious child, Luna answering, and George listening quietly. He only chimed in when the discussion touched on topics of interest.

Choo-choo!

The long whistle of the train signaled its imminent departure.

At that moment, the sliding door of their compartment opened, and a girl with thick, fiery red hair and bright brown eyes stepped inside. Her doll-like face radiated cuteness.

"Is this seat taken?" she asked, pointing to the spot beside Luna.

"There's room here," Luna said with a warm smile.

The girl exhaled in relief, explaining that her brothers' forgetfulness (though she wouldn't admit it was her fault for almost leaving behind a magical notebook) had delayed her boarding.

"Ginny! We're here to help you!"

Just then, a pair of identical red-haired twins burst into the compartment, their cheerful laughter filling the room as they helped Ginny with her luggage. Afterward, Ginny playfully shooed them away, clearly irritated by their antics.

"Hi, everyone. I'm Ginny. Ginny Weasley," she said, introducing herself confidently, though her shyness in front of Harry Potter was a well-known exception.

"Luna Lovegood."

"Colin Creevey."

"George."

The others introduced themselves in turn.

"George? That's the same name as one of my brothers—the one who just left! George Weasley. What's your last name?"

"You can just call me George," he replied with a smile, sidestepping the question.

In truth, George's name had a deeper significance. While it sounded the same as George Weasley's, it had a fundamentally different origin. His surname was Qiao, and his given name was Zhi, meaning governance or administration. His father had named him with the hope that he would grow up to govern and lead.

Technically, people should call him "Zhi Qiao" in this world's naming conventions. However, he found it awkward, so he simply asked everyone to call him George.

"Ginny, how many brothers do you have?" Colin suddenly asked, sensing George might not want to delve into personal topics.

Ginny held up six fingers, bending four of them down: "Six! Bill works as a curse-breaker in Egypt. Charlie is a dragon tamer in Romania. Percy is a sixth-year. George and Fred are fourth-years—you just saw them. And Ron..."

"So many!"

Colin and Luna were visibly astonished. Large families were uncommon, even in the wizarding world.

As the three continued chatting, George glanced away from Ginny's luggage and let out a quiet sigh. If all wizarding families were as prolific as the Weasleys, the wizarding population might have overtaken the Muggle world by now.

The train soon started, pulling out of King's Cross Station and speeding past fields dotted with sheep as it headed toward Scotland.

For all three of them—Luna, Colin, and Ginny—it was their first time traveling far from home to the famous Hogwarts. Even Luna, the quietest of the group, couldn't help but feel excited. Their lively conversation didn't cease.

Since the topics later shifted to personal stories—childhood experiences and family anecdotes—George gradually withdrew from the discussion and returned to reading.

Around 12:30, a witch with a kind smile and dimples slid open the compartment door and asked, "Anything from the trolley, dears? We've got Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans, Drooble's Best Blowing Gum, Chocolate Frogs, Pumpkin Pasties, Cauldron Cakes, Licorice Wands..."

The trolley brimmed with magical snacks, but the three declined simultaneously.

Colin, coming from a Muggle family, had spent his remaining money on a magical camera. Ginny, despite her pure-blood heritage, came from a family financially strained by six children attending Hogwarts. Most of her school supplies were second-hand. Luna, while not short on pocket money, seemed indifferent to snacks.

"I'll take one of everything, please!" George said, standing up and paying 12 silver Sickles and 5 bronze Knuts to buy the entire trolley's selection. He placed the snacks on the table.

"Ginny, I heard you mentioned a Bat-Bogey Hex earlier. Would you mind teaching me sometime?"

He pushed a quarter of the snacks toward her. Ginny's eyes lit up, and she nodded eagerly.

"Of course! It's my specialty. Even Fred and George have fallen victim to it!"

"Luna, I'd love to ask you about magical creatures sometime."

George handed another quarter to Luna, who smiled and nodded.

Finally, George split the last quarter between Colin and himself.

"Colin, could you take a magical photo of me sometime? I'd like to have a keepsake."