The Hogwarts Express, an old steam train, was slow and not particularly comfortable. Its only advantage was that passengers could fully enjoy the scenic view along the way. Robert had heard about this from other wizards, and soon, he'd experience it himself.
Robert didn't arrive early, so many compartments were already occupied. After searching for a while, he finally found an empty one toward the back of the train.
"Good luck," Robert said, taking out his wand. He pointed it at his trunk and flicked it upward.
"Wingardium Leviosa..." he muttered.
The trunk wobbled awkwardly, floating up with difficulty. It crawled slowly, and Robert pushed it onto the luggage rack with some effort.
"It should be ~ Levi-osa, your pronunciation and pause are wrong," a sudden voice startled Robert.
A small girl with brown hair pushed open the compartment door, walked straight in, and sat down on the seat opposite him. A round-faced boy followed her timidly.
"Hello, I'm Hermione Granger, and this is Neville Longbottom," the girl said.
"Hello, I'm Robert Ollivander," Robert replied.
"We were looking for a seat and saw you using the Levitation Charm as we passed by," Hermione said, continuing without pause. "I've tried it too, and it works pretty well. I mean, I've memorized 'Standard Book of Spells, Grade 1,' and a few extra reference books I bought. What about you?"
By the end of her sentence, her voice had gotten louder, and her tone seemed a bit overbearing.
"I haven't memorized it, and I don't think it's necessary to waste time memorizing textbooks when you're just starting school," Robert said without hesitation.
Hermione was stunned for a moment, clearly not expecting him to respond that way. The atmosphere became a bit awkward, and Neville, clearly flustered, tried to say something to ease the tension, but he couldn't find the right words.
However, neither Robert nor Hermione took the brief interlude to heart. Robert didn't care, and Hermione was used to it.
"I'm the only one here. If you don't mind, we can share," Robert offered.
"Thank you," Hermione replied, not planning to leave. The train was about to depart, and it would be hard to find another empty compartment if she left now.
After stowing his luggage, Robert took out a thick, hardcover book and began reading it intently by the window. Outside, parents were seeing off their children, making a lot of noise, but Robert wasn't bothered. He read seriously, occasionally taking out a piece of wood and scraping it lightly with a small knife he carried.
He didn't know when, but the train had already left the station, leaving behind fields of wheat and distant villages. Still, the compartment didn't grow quiet.
The main reason for that was Hermione. Since sitting down, she hadn't stopped talking. She rambled on to Neville about the books she had read during the holidays and how many she had memorized. It was like a macaw showing off its feathers.
Although Robert had heard about Hermione's personality, experiencing it firsthand made him realize that she was, in fact, a bit annoying at the moment. He couldn't understand why Hermione could talk non-stop for two hours about just a few basic spells. What was even more unbelievable was Neville, who kept nodding in agreement without showing any impatience at all.
At first, Robert thought this would continue all the way to Hogwarts, but he quickly realized he was wrong.
Hermione's attention had shifted to him.
"What book are you reading?" she asked, craning her neck to look toward Robert.
"Maybe we can exchange ideas. I've also bought a lot of extra reference books, like 'Modern History of Magic,' 'The Rise and Fall of the Dark Arts,' and 'Great Wizarding Events of the Twentieth Century.' What's yours..."
"Snap!"
As Hermione leaned over, Robert instinctively closed the book in his hand, blocking her view. The sudden and somewhat unfriendly movement caused Hermione's expression to change noticeably for the first time. She looked a little angry.
"I won't just look. I can lend you my books too..." Hermione offered.
"No, you misunderstood," Robert quickly shook his head and explained. "Actually, this is a magical book, and if you look at the contents recklessly, it might cause you some trouble."
"A magical... book?" Hermione asked, clearly skeptical.
How could a book be unreadable? She had been to Diagon Alley bookstores and had read all sorts of books there.
"He's right," Neville said, his voice quiet but serious. "There are many books in the wizarding world that you can't just read carelessly."
"I heard my grandma say that someone once read a cursed book and after that, could only speak one word per second. I don't know if it's true, though."
"It's true," Robert confirmed softly. "Actually, I've met that person."
"You've met him?" Hermione's eyes widened, and her voice became high-pitched. She looked from Robert to the book, then recoiled slightly, pressing herself against the compartment wall.
She certainly didn't want to be someone who could speak only one word per second. That was terrifying.
"You're thinking too much. This one isn't like that," Robert said, picking up the book and shaking it slightly. The cover was illustrated with two crossed wands, and the writing on it was blurry and faded, showing signs of age. Hermione could only make out the word "Ollivander" above the wands.
Wait… Ollivander?
"I remember!" Hermione suddenly shouted, startling Neville. But she didn't notice his surprise; her attention was still fully focused on Robert.
"I've seen you!" she said, her voice almost triumphant. "At the wand shop. You were standing next to Mr. Ollivander."
"Then you're really amazing to actually remember that the person who sells wands is called Ollivander," Robert said lightly. "If your memory were a little better, you might even remember my introduction just now."
"Remember? Robert Ollivander."
Hermione's face turned red as she realized her mistake. She had been so focused on correcting Robert's magic earlier that she hadn't paid attention to his introduction.
"Of course I remember... it's just... I didn't think of it..." Hermione explained awkwardly.
Robert didn't press her on the matter. Instead, he stretched his shoulders and neck, trying to relieve some tension. The Hogwarts Express was, as people had warned him, incredibly uncomfortable. The constant shaking was making him feel slightly nauseous.
Opposite him, Hermione continued to stare at him, her mouth opening as if she wanted to say something but hesitating.
Finally, the hesitation ended.
"So, are you a wandmaker too?"
Robert's expression changed slightly. He looked at the two of them seriously, his face growing more earnest.
"If possible, I hope you can use a more formal term – Wandmaker."
"Is there a difference?" Hermione asked, raising an eyebrow.
Robert didn't answer immediately. After a brief pause, he said, "Think of it as the difference between a cat and a tabby cat."