A Bite of Hogwarts - chapter 44

The Hogwarts Express.

In the swaying corridor of the carriage, Harry sat on his heavy trunk, watching as the houses flew past the window. The excitement in his heart began to cool as he somewhat worriedly wondered how he should apologize.

Thanks to his cousin Dudley Dursley, Harry had never made any friends in school. He had finally escaped Dudley and was in a new environment, so he had dearly hoped to make new friends…but it seemed like the first step was not going very smoothly.

As little Harry was racking his brains, the compartment door opened with a swoosh.

“I’m sorry! I didn’t know…”

Hearing the sound behind him, Harry immediately stood up from the trunk and hastily explained.

Perhaps because of all the years, he had spent inside the dark closet, he seemed much thinner and smaller than his peers. It was only when she was standing up close that Alina realized that the ‘savior’ of the world was half a head shorter than her.

“Psh, why are you so nervous? I’m not going to eat you.”

One glance at the nervous Harry Potter attempting frantically to repair his relationship with a classmate, Alina could no longer maintain her stiff composure and chuckled.

In truth, putting aside his attitude toward learning and his abilities, Alina quite admired Harry Potter.

As someone who was often bullied and excluded at school and was clearly treated unequally at home, Harry Potter somehow did not end up as gloomy or eccentric as a certain Mister Snape or a certain Mister Riddle. On the contrary, he was always trying to be kind to those around him.

Although Alina didn’t entirely agree with this style of doing things, this didn’t stop her from respecting those people who cleaved to such naive convictions, even if it was someone even shorter than her.

Alina stuck her head out and glanced at the large trunk obstructing the corridor. She walked past Harry to the trunk and rolled up her sleeves as she chuckled.

“Okay, don’t just stand around blocking the way. Help me out, and let’s push this thing inside.”

“Oh, oh…okay.”

The sudden smile on the girl’s delicate face left Harry in a daze, but he quickly came back to his senses and forcefully nodded. Together, the two managed to push the trunk into a corner of the compartment.

“Thank you so much! I’m Harry, Harry Potter.”

Harry let out a long breath as he wiped his sweaty hair to the side.

“I’m Alina, Alina Kaslana.”

Once they were in their seats, Alina curiously blinked her eyes as she examined the boy in front of her. Though she had read the books and movies many times, this was the first time she had seen the real Harry Potter for herself.

Harry Potter awkwardly rubbed his nose as the girl stared.

For some reason, he found the silver-haired girl’s gaze very unique. It wasn’t like the look of a stranger, but one more intimate…the compassionate gaze that Hagrid looked at him with?!

He felt like he was being inspected by a mature older sister or auntie, not a witch of the same age. Of course, he didn’t have much experience with an actual older sister or auntie.

“I’m sorry, um, do you know me?”

Harry hesitated. He sensed that it was somewhat inappropriate to talk this way and hastily waved his hands and tried to explain.

“I mean, ever since I entered the Magic World, everyone seems to know my name. But actually, until Hagrid told me, I didn’t know anything about witches or wizards, about my own parents, or even about Voldemort. Right, Hagrid was the one who came to take me to school. He’s Hogwarts’…”

Little Harry grew even more nervous as those lake-blue eyes continued to watch. His stuttering explanation became even messier, and his young face began to redden. He waved his hands wildly around, wanting nothing more than to use a spell so that he could show everything he wanted to say.

“Hogwarts’ Keeper of Keys and Grounds, I know.”

Alina shook her head, slightly leaning forward and patted Harry on the head like she was a tiny adult. She soothed, “It’s fine! Don’t be nervous. Speak slowly.”

“Eh? Do you also know Hagrid? Did he also come to pick you up?”

Harry’s eyes brightened. He had finally found a point of common knowledge, and his face visibly relaxed as he curiously asked.

“No. Strictly speaking, I’ve only met him once. But I like to read books, so I know quite a lot of things about you.”

Alina shrugged her shoulders, mentally adding to herself that Harry Potter Books 1-7 also counted as books.

“Wait! There are books that mention me?”

Harry’s eyes widened in shock as he pointed at his nose.

“Of course, but I didn’t buy those books. If you’re interested, you can look for them yourself in the book store.”

The silver-haired girl waved her hand in disinterest. She had no wish to be like some beaverish little girl with an obsession for reading and deliberately collect such books.

Moreover, she couldn’t buy them even if she wanted to. Ever since her Gringotts trip, Dumbledore had banned her from interacting with any books related to magic excepting ‘A History of Magic’…ah, wait…

Alina’s eyes moved back and forth between Harry Potter and his large trunk. She thoughtfully stroked her chin and slowly asked, “Now that I think about it…Harry, you should have brought all the textbooks with you, right?”

“Hm? Harry uncertainly nodded.

“If it’s possible, could you let me look through your ‘The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 1)’?”

Alina helplessly spread apart her hands as she earnestly explained, “For various reasons, I don’t have all my class materials. There’s still half a day until we get to Hogwarts, so I’d like to do a little studying beforehand.”

“Oh my god! That’s right! I didn’t even think about previewing the material! It’s over! I’m probably going to be the worst student in class!”

Harry Potter fiercely slapped his head, and hastily opened his trunk. In one go, he brought out all the textbooks and placed them on the seat next to him as he spoke in frustration.

“There’s no need to be that nervous. I’d say that the vast majority of new students haven’t even opened their textbooks.”

Alina took ‘The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 1)’ that she had been longing to read for ages from the pile as she comforted Harry. From what she had seen, even children from wizarding families like Malfoy or Ron had yet to open their books.

“But there must be some people who have read ahead.”

Alina’s comforting words had proved ineffective.

Harry, who was already beset by many worries, had realized that he had wasted an entire month playing around. His face wrinkled in frustration, and he was on the verge of tears.

Unlike the silver-haired girl with her clear goal, Harry Potter blankly stood in front of the large pile of books, looking through one and then another, momentarily confused as to what he should do.

“If you don’t know how to study ahead, I suggest you look through the Potions textbook.”

Alina glanced at Harry Potter, and as she continued to read through ‘The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 1)’, she casually said, “I recall reading in some book that your mother, Lily Evans Potter, was very talented in Potions.”

“Really?! There’s a book that mentioned my mother? Do you remember what it’s called?”

Harry Potter raised his head and anxiously implored. He recalled his aunt Petunia mentioning his mother’s name, which he had branded into his mind. He was naturally excited when he heard Alina mention it.

Tsk! She had accidentally let her tongue get too loose. She would have to control that in the future.

The silver-haired girl immediately knew that she had misspoken and wanted to give her a mouth a slap. Glancing at Harry and his hopeful eyes, she apologetically shook her head.

“I’m sorry. I only remember that it was half-blood something.”

Alina couldn’t stand to see the light in Harry’s eyes begin to fade. After some thought, she added, “But I think that the Potions professor at school might know about which book mentioned your mother,” a faint smile on her lips. “Of course, you would have to get good grades in Potions class first.”

The silver-haired girl paused, her eyes getting brighter and brighter as she thought of something very interesting.

Alina closed the book, sat up straight, and raised a finger as she very seriously spoke.

“At the minimum, you have to understand a few basic concepts. Let me give you a few examples. For instance…what do you get if you add the powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood…”