Chapter 29: Speak Seriously and Don't Cry (Edited)

The young witch lowered her head in silence and returned to her seat with a desolate expression, rivalling Bell's.

"..."

'What happened? What's wrong with her? I didn't bite her! Why does she feel so desperate?'

Bell was confused and frantically pressing '?'. Maybe today is one of those days of the month? Are girls nowadays so mature?

"I'm surely the worst witch at Hogwarts," said Hermione with a tearful expression as she missed her parents.

"I've been studying magic very hard during the summer holidays, but so far, I can only turn matches into needles, and it takes me a long time..."

"I'm sure they'll expel me from Hogwarts. Maybe they'll tell me right away after getting off the train: 'Your magic is just too bad, we can't teach you, so you better go home'." Hermione was already completely immersed in the miserable future she had created for herself. "Then I'll have to go home and tell Mom and Dad that I'm so clumsy that Hogwarts doesn't want me, so I can only go back to the Muggle school... Sniff, sniff!"

She hadn't even reached 10% of her story when Hermione's tears began to flow like an overflowing torrent, and she couldn't stop crying.

╥﹏╥

"..."

Watching the tears fall from the girl's eyes, Bell felt uncomfortable.

Did I make her cry? It wasn't intentional!

Bell, who was stunned, looked at Neville, who was sitting in shock, and began to seriously consider the idea of eliminating all evidence that could incriminate him in the future under the title of "girl harasser."

Realizing that, in a matter of minutes, Hermione had envisioned a future where, after the age of 18, she couldn't get into college and had to make a living cleaning bathrooms, made Bell feel compelled to try to console the young witch.

As for how Bell knew what Hermione was imagining... well, that was due to his little use of "Legilimency."

All of this was a sacrifice to better comfort the young witch, and the truth is that Bell really didn't want to do it, really!

"Hermione..."

"Waaah! Ah, ah!"

(;Д`)

A deafening cry filled the air. Bellatrix's keen hearing even allowed her to hear a young wizard in the next compartment, who was so scared that he fell to the floor.

Σ(っ°Д°;)っ

What now? What's happening? Hasn't it ended yet?

"I... I can't even turn a match into a needle... I can't even cast a single spell properly... When I was a child, my family thought I was useless... I'm sure I'll be expelled from Hogwarts... my grandmother... my grandmother will kill me... ahh!"

The chubby boy sobbed incessantly, crying heartbreakingly. However, it also had its positive side; at least Hermione no longer needed Bell to worry about consoling her. She was now busy comforting Neville, and had no time to think about deep issues like whether "brooms should be made of canvas or hemp."

Bell felt like his brain was about to explode. He looked at Hermione desperately trying to console Neville, although with practically no results. Bell could no longer bear it.

Although he had been a single man for 40 years due to his personality, he couldn't do something like that to a cute girl. But, a chubby boy was a different story! Although he seemed quite silly due to his age, he was a boy, and Bell had no intention of indulging him.

(╬￣皿￣)

"Shut up! If you keep crying, I'll turn you into a toad and send you to keep 'Trevor' company."

The crying abruptly stopped, and Hermione and Neville looked at Bell in astonishment. Especially Neville, who probably would have run away with 'Trevor' if Hermione hadn't blocked him at the compartment door.

The crying finally ceased, and Bell, feeling the quiet peace that had been absent for so long, nodded in satisfaction and looked at Hermione.

"You, sit down!"

"Oh..." the young witch responded resignedly.

"Hmm!?"

"Yes!"

Hermione returned to her seat, sitting up straight and tall. Even then, she hadn't forgotten to sit back down; under no circumstances would she sit next to a toad.

"If you've reviewed your first-year books..."

"Yes! I've memorized all the first-year books!" Hermione responded loudly, trying to show that she still had hope.

"Good, very good. Then I suppose you should have some knowledge of first-year topics."

Neville looked at Bell, hesitating, wishing he hadn't read any first-year books. Although his grandmother had repeatedly told him to study the book contents seriously before entering school, every time he tried to open one of those books, it seemed like he was hit by a sleeping spell and fell asleep immediately.

But thinking about the demonic expression Bell had a moment ago (from Neville's perspective), he finally decided not to say anything.

"The contents of the textbooks are what you should learn during your first year at Hogwarts. This means that most young wizards won't be able to master the majority of the contents before entering. However, if they can competently master the material from the book during their first year, that will be enough to prove that they are qualified young wizards," Bell explained patiently.

I don't want these two young wizards to start questioning their lives and harming the flowers of our homeland because of me. I couldn't bear it.

"Hermione..."

"Yes!"

"Well, relax a bit."

Bell couldn't remember how many times he had felt uncomfortable today for disturbing the girl. The internal shame was about to overflow.

"You can successfully transform a match into a needle before entering, which shows that you are already very talented. Believe me, most young wizards from magical families can't do that."

Hermione looked at Bell with doubt.

"But, Bell, you..."

"Don't compare me to yourself. I'm an exception."

Bell pointed to the shy Neville sitting on the other side, trying to minimize his presence.

"Indeed, Neville is the normal type of person, and I'm the exception."

"..."

The compartment fell into an awkward silence. Hermione stayed quiet with her head down, unwilling to speak. Neville also avoided talking, keeping his head low. Bell looked around, not knowing what to say.

The atmosphere became increasingly uncomfortable, but Bell no longer cared. Whatever! Wasn't this the situation he had been looking for from the beginning? Finally, he could be alone to cherish every moment with Shanna.