Chapter 73: 73: Clatter, Clatter Goes the Hogwarts Express

Nolan wasn't sure when the Grand Duchess Felicia had disappeared. It wasn't until Miss Libera, who had been practically glued to his side lately, told him that the ancient vampire had left Randall Gorge ten days ago. "Where did she go? And why?" Nolan was puzzled. Felicia was famously lazy—even by vampire standards. If she could lie down, she wouldn't sit, and she spent at least two hundred days of the year in her coffin. For someone like that to leave her lair—let alone be gone for over ten days—was almost unimaginable. "Sweden, I think..." Libera murmured thoughtfully, her slender fingers kneading Nolan's shoulders. Even though vampires rarely got tired, she continued her work out of habit. "I think she's looking for some kind of magical eye?" Nolan nodded. A true magical eye had to meet several strict conditions—it needed to have an epic origin, high mystique, possess strong magical properties, and undergo careful processing in the right potions. Vampire eyes, in particular, were rare and difficult to craft. Sweden—or more broadly, Scandinavia—was a land steeped in ancient mysteries. The chances of finding a magical eye there were significantly higher than in England. So Felicia had left to find an eye for him. Enjoying the massage, Nolan thought for a moment before asking, "How exactly did she leave the country? Don't tell me she flew all the way to Normandy?" "No," Libera tilted her head quizzically. "She just took a regular flight. I booked her ticket a few days ago." ...Right. A vampire lord flying economy class. But Nolan wasn't actually surprised. The Van Draugr family had always maintained close ties with Muggles. They enjoyed the luxuries of Muggle technology, and in return, many Muggles were captivated by the beauty and longevity of vampires. It was a mutually beneficial arrangement. Wizards, on the other hand, were the real technophobes. Some wizarding families didn't even own a telephone, completely out of touch with modern society. Nolan couldn't wrap his head around such stubborn pride. In his opinion, it was nothing but stupidity and prejudice. And at the end of the day, wizards weren't entirely removed from Muggle technology. Take, for example, the bright red steam engine that departed from Platform Nine and Three-Quarters at King's Cross Station every September 1st—the Hogwarts Express. That was as Muggle as it got. Wizards simply chose to turn a blind eye to it. "Anything off the trolley, dears?" A plump woman with deep dimples rapped on the glass door of their compartment, her voice cheerful as she leaned in. Nolan glanced at the girls. "Anything you want to eat?" Cho shot up like a spring, practically bouncing to the door. "I'll have a Cauldron Cake and... three pumpkin juices!" "Two," Nolan corrected softly. "Fine, two." Cho shrugged. "Oh—do you have any tomato juice?" A few minutes later, Cho returned to her seat with an armful of Cauldron Cakes and drinks. She plopped down, nudging Nolan with her elbow. "Scoot over a bit. There's no space." Nolan sighed. "You could sit across from me, you know. Why are the three of us crammed into one seat? This is a two-seater, not a three-seater. If you insist on staying here, I'll move." Without another word, he stood and took a seat across from them, leaving Cho and Eve staring at each other. "I shouldn't have expected anything from him..." Cho sighed, mumbling under her breath. Eve shook her head. "Nolan understands everything. He just doesn't want to respond to us." "You're too young," Nolan said softly, not even glancing up. His hands moved swiftly—he had recently become obsessed with a Muggle toy called a Rubik's Cube. Nolan found it fascinating. It wasn't just a toy; every twist and turn felt like a mental workout. "How long did I take just now?" "Twenty-seven seconds... or thirty-seven?" Cho replied lazily, scooping out part of the Cauldron Cake to share with Eve. "I seriously don't get what's so fun about your new hobby. Why don't you come look at the Quidditch European Cup records with us?" The book on the European Cup was a gift from Nolan, one he'd picked up at Flourish and Blotts for the two girls. It seemed to be the perfect present—not too expensive, so neither felt burdened by accepting it, and both were genuinely happy. Eve was particularly smitten with the Irish team. She said their Seeker wasn't great, but thanks to their powerhouse Chasers and Beaters, they often managed to win—although they still lost to the French. "There's probably a better formula in here somewhere," Nolan murmured, eyes fixed on the cube. "If I could find the right one, I could solve a nine-layer cube in under ten seconds. But I have no idea where to look... maybe a Muggle bookstore sells books on this?" Resting her chin on her hand, Cho yawned dramatically. "Don't worry. I'll get you one for Christmas, Nolan." At that moment, the compartment door was knocked again. A brown-haired girl with large front teeth peeked inside. "Hello, upperclassmen. I'm looking for Neville's toad. Have you seen it?" "No, dear. We've been in here the whole time," Cho replied with a smile. There was a certain softness to her now that hadn't been there before. "Oh..." The girl nodded and began to withdraw, but half a second later, her head popped back in. "That's a nine-layer Rubik's Cube! I can't believe a wizard is playing with a Muggle toy! I've asked so many people if wizards use Muggle stuff, and everyone says no—but now I know they're wrong!" Cho scrunched up her nose. "Don't mind him. Nolan's always been a weirdo wizard. No one considers him a role model. You wouldn't believe it—last year, he brought a Muggle video game console to Hogwarts. If Salazar Slytherin knew his top student was obsessed with Muggle games, he'd probably roll in his grave. Or worse—send his pet snake to bite him!" Eve glanced sideways at Cho. "Funny. I seem to recall a second person bringing a console to Hogwarts. And didn't she show it off at the Slytherin table right after Valentine's Day?" Cho coughed lightly, turning her head to avoid eye contact. Neither of the girls noticed when the brown-haired girl slipped inside and sat next to Nolan. She leaned over slightly, watching him twist the cube with intense curiosity. She was a talker, and her constant chatter filled the compartment, peppered with shrieks of, "No, not like that!" every few seconds. "I thought you were looking for a toad?" Nolan frowned, visibly annoyed by the interruption. "Oh! Right! Neville's probably worried sick," the girl jumped to her feet. "I haven't introduced myself—Hermione Granger! If you find a toad, let me know. I'm going to check near the front of the train to see if anyone's picked it up." With that, she was gone, leaving Nolan and the girls in a brief, stunned silence. ~~~---------------------- Patreon Advance Chapters: patreon .com / HPdreame