Chapter 23 "Trouble At Enrollment"

At King's Cross Station, Skyler and his brother Draco bid farewell to their parents before crossing the barrier onto platform nine and three-quarters to board the Hogwarts Express.

Initially, Draco and Skyler shared a carriage, but when Draco found his best friends, Goyre and Crabbe, he hesitated for a moment and then moved to their carriage.

Skyler couldn't help but roll his eyes, knowing Draco was probably going to show off with flying broomsticks and talk about joining the Quidditch team.

Skyler found an empty compartment and sat down.

According to the plot, Harry and Ron would be tricked by Dobby this year, making them miss the train.

However, Skyler chose not to intervene and let the events unfold as they should.

Not long after, the compartment door opened, revealing Daphne and Meredith.

They both looked pleased to see Skyler and quickly brought their luggage in. Being the gentleman, Skyler used a floating spell to assist with their bags.

He couldn't help but notice that Daphne's luggage was top-notch, likely enchanted with charms to protect it from being taken away without her knowing.

In contrast, Meredith's suitcase seemed old and worn, a testament to the Shafiq family's declining fortunes.

Skyler didn't voice his thoughts, understanding that giving Meredith a suitcase outright could hurt her pride.

Instead, he decided to gift it to her discreetly during Christmas, saving her face.

After some small talk, Daphne suddenly turned to Skyler with a hint of annoyance.

She inquired why he hadn't written to her during the summer, claiming his letter was only half the length of his usual essays.

Feeling unfairly accused, Skyler tried to justify his actions, emphasizing the importance of content in letters.

Once Daphne settled down, a flash of anger crossed her face. Skyler tilted his head in confusion, asking, "What's wrong, Daphne? Who upset you?"

"Skyler!" Daphne replied unhappily.

"What's the matter?" Skyler looked at her suspiciously. Had he missed something important?

"Why didn't you write to me during the summer vacation?" Daphne questioned.

"I did write!" Skyler responded, growing more perplexed.

"Huh! You dare to claim that during the two months of summer vacation, you sent me a letter that was only half a foot long! It's less than half the length of your usual essays!" Daphne complained angrily.

"Huh? I thought the content of the letter was the most important," Skyler retorted, feeling somewhat wronged.

After some negotiating, Daphne seemed satisfied with his explanations.

With tensions eased, they discussed the new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor for the semester and the fresh faces among the first-year students.

The three chatted amicably while indulging in the sweets Skyler had bought from the trolley witch.

Suddenly, a loud noise disrupted their conversation. The compartment door burst open, revealing Hermione in her wizard's robes, accompanied by a red-haired girl, Ginny.

"Hello, Skyler!" Hermione appeared somewhat uncomfortable, and her gaze avoided Daphne and Meredith as she addressed Skyler.

"Excuse me, but Skyler... have you seen Harry and Ron? We've searched the whole train, but they were nowhere to be found." She urgently inquired if he had seen Harry and Ron, revealing they had searched the entire train without success.

"Perhaps they just missed the train," Skyler pretended to ponder. "But don't worry, the school will surely arrange for professors to collect them, though there might be some consequences."

"Oh, no!" Ginny cried anxiously. "Consequences? Are they going to be expelled?"

"No," Skyler reassured her. "It's merely missing the train. It's not a grave offense. I doubt Professor Dumbledore would make such a severe decision."

"Yes, Ginny, they simply missed the train—oh my goodness, look out there!" Hermione suddenly screamed, her face filled with astonishment, pointing out the window.

Following Hermione's outstretched finger, everyone gazed outside in unison.

The weather beyond the window was clear, with a blue sky and white clouds. In the sky, a blue Ford car was flying!

"Oh no, that's..." Ginny's face reflected despair.

The car descended slowly, approaching the train. "Harry, Ron, what were you thinking!"

Inside the carriage, Hermione observed Harry and Ron sitting in the car.

She greeted them with a grin, anger in her voice as she shouted.

But the two boys couldn't hear Hermione's admonishments and continued to wave merrily.

"Will Harry be expelled?" Ginny seemed on the verge of tears, still fixated on the flying car.

"They will likely face expulsion, as they've violated at least twenty school rules," Hermione said, her complexion pale.

"I think you should consider writing a letter to Professor Dumbledore," Skyler suggested, averting his gaze. "If you do it quickly, you might be able to resolve the situation."

"That's a good idea!" The group regained their composure, and Hermione promptly announced, "I'm going to do that now!" With that, she and Ginny hurriedly left the compartment.

As they contemplated their next steps, an owl knocked on the window with a newspaper in tow.

Recognizing it as the Evening Prophet, Skyler paid the owl and took the newspaper.

The mood in the compartment shifted as they read the headlines.

Skyler opened the newspaper and read the headline, "A Flying Ford Anglia Causes Stir Among Muggles in London." Daphne and Meredith were also intrigued by the news.

They stood up, moved closer to Skyler, and began to read the paper alongside him.

Intentional or not, their proximity resulted in some rather distracting physical contact.

Daphne's chest pressed against Skyler's left arm, eliciting electric sensations.

Meanwhile, Meredith's soft blonde hair tickled Skyler's chin, creating a tingling sensation.

While Skyler acknowledged the girls' interest, he knew he wasn't ready for romantic entanglements at 12, especially with the tumultuous times ahead.

Skyler managed to refocus on the newspaper, pretending to be oblivious to the suggestive behavior.

He went on to discuss the news, "Two Muggles in London claim they saw an old car flying above the post office building. One of them captured a blurry photograph. At noon in Norfolk, Mrs. Hetty Bellis reported seeing... Mr. Angus Fleet of Peebles County reported to the police..." The rest of the train journey passed in this somewhat awkward yet charming atmosphere.

At the sorting ceremony, Skyler noticed the absence of Professor Snape, Harry, and Ron.

The Sorting Hat began to assign new students to their respective houses.

Ginny Weasley joined Gryffindor, along with Colin Creevey and Vicky Frobisher.

Luna Lovegood became a member of Ravenclaw, while Eloise Midgen joined Hufflepuff, and Edward Harper became a Slytherin.

Following the ceremony and Dumbledore's speech, the students began feasting while discussing the Evening Prophet's news about the flying blue car.

Draco was boasting at the Slytherin table, basking in the attention, but Skyler remained uninterested.

Upon returning to their familiar dormitory room, Skyler locked the door and cast a silencing charm to maintain privacy.

He summoned Dobby, the House-elf, who entered the room nervously. Dobby had been close to Skyler and considered him a friend rather than a master.

Still, Dobby's recent actions had left him trembling and full of guilt.

Dobby and Skyler usually share a good relationship. Dobby is usually delighted to see Skyler.

However, on this occasion, Dobby appeared guilty, his head hung low, and he couldn't meet Skyler's eyes.

His trembling body betrayed his anxiety and fear.

"Tell me the truth, Dobby, did you do anything to Harry Potter and his friends?" Skyler inquired.

Dobby's eyes widened suddenly, filled with alarm.

Dobby continued to hit his head against the wall, saying, "Bad Dobby, Bad Dobby! Dobby knew that the old master intended harm to the great Harry Potter, so he attempted to thwart Harry Potter's return to school. Dobby endeavored to disrupt the old master's plans. Dobby is bad, a terrible Elf!"

"Enough!" Skyler forcefully interrupted him.

Dobby shuddered, lifted his head, and gazed slowly at Skyler.

Despite Skyler's young age of only 12, Dobby could sense an air of authority.

Through experiences involving perilous encounters with monsters and clever stratagems against Dobby.

Skyler had matured beyond his years.

His demeanor was no longer childlike but filled with resolute determination.

Dobby was taken aback and immediately ceased his self-punishment.

Dobby was an unusual house-elf who lacked the conventional reverence for his master, the Malfoy family.

He obeyed his master's orders solely due to the binding magic of the soul contract.

His loyalty was born out of genuine feeling. This was largely due to Skyler's egalitarian mindset.

Since he was a child, he treated Dobby as an equal friend rather than a subservient being.

"Dobby, I've told you many times that we're friends in private, not master and servant. I'm aware that I can't change my father's actions, but it's important to remember that my father is my father, and I am my own person. I don't condone my father's practices, so, Dobby, I don't believe you've done anything wrong! You don't need to punish yourself anymore."

Dobby was deeply moved, tears streaming down his face. "Thank you, young master, thank you, young master. I know that you are just as great as Harry Potter..."

"From now on, please refrain from interfering in Harry's affairs. I assure you he will be fine. Next year, Harry Potter will return to Hogwarts in good health. On the contrary, I will be here this year, and there are many tasks within the school that require an assistant. Dobby, would you be willing to help me?"

Dobby nodded enthusiastically, saying, "Dobby is more than willing, and it's an honor to be of service to the great young master!"