Chapter 114: The Fourth Passenger
“Hey, Jon!” Natalie said with a cheerful smile.
Her English wasn’t very fluent and sounded strange—her voice was low and muffled, as though she were speaking with something caught in her throat.
“Excuse me, could you give me a hand?”
Only then did Jon notice the suitcase trailing behind her, nearly as big as she was.
“Coming!” He stood up and helped Natalie push the suitcase into the corner of the compartment.
Natalie was already dressed in her new Hogwarts robes. She plopped herself down beside Jon, straightened her back, and reached up to tie her deep red hair into a braid...
“Who is she...” Astoria folded her arms across her chest without thinking, her gaze on Jon carrying a hint of reproach
“Uh... a first-year, Muggle-born like me,” Jon said quickly, pursing his lips. “It started about a month ago. I ran into Professor Snape in Diagon Alley—he was showing her around on her first trip into the wizarding world. In the end, Professor Snape had other business, so he asked me to take her shopping.”
Jon carefully explained the whole incident.
“But weren’t you in America a month ago?”
“I had just come back from America!”
“And since when has Professor Snape been so kind to you?”
“Uh... well... why would you take it as kindness toward me...”
“Professor Snape is very gentle!” Natalie interrupted. “When we were in Dragon Alley, he even bought me ice cream...”
“It’s Diagon Alley, not Dragon Alley!,” Astoria corrected sharply. “And are you sure we’re talking about the same Professor Snape?”
“Really...” Natalie blinked, then suddenly darted in front of Astoria, extending her small hand warmly. “Big sister, I’m so happy to meet you... My name is Natalie!”
“Greengrass,” Astoria replied a little coolly, though she still took the little girl’s hand.
“You’re not British, are you?” she asked softly.
“Mhm...” Natalie nodded, her voice dropping. “I lived in a big city until I was eight... It was very cold there, and we often didn’t have enough to eat. My father drank every day, and my mother was always off at parties. Later, they brought me to London. At first, things were still terrible, but then a kind man gave my dad some money, and life slowly got better...”
“I’m sorry...” Astoria said sympathetically, seeing the sadness in the girl’s eyes.
“Yes, Mom was right. She told me...” Natalie rubbed her slightly reddened eyes, then forced a bright smile. “No matter how hard things get, if you just smile, everything will get better...”
...
“Knock, knock, knock!” Just then, a loud rapping came at the door.
“Does someone think this place isn’t chaotic enough already...” Jon muttered with a sigh. “Come in!”
The compartment door swung open. A man stood outside, leaning on a long staff, wrapped in a black travel cloak.
He scanned the room warily, then pushed back his hood to reveal a mane of long gray hair before stepping inside.
“I believe there’s room for one more?” His voice was hollow and low, chilling to the ear.
But his face was even more terrifying. It looked as if it had been roughly carved from rotten wood, by someone with only a vague idea of what a human face should look like.
Every inch of his skin was scarred. His mouth was a crooked gash, the bridge of his nose gone entirely. One eye looked normal, but the other was a large, ghastly, coin-like white orb that spun restlessly in every direction...
The compartment fell into silence.
The two girls, who had been happily chatting moments ago, instantly stopped.
Natalie stared at the grotesque face and pressed herself fearfully against Astoria.
Astoria wrapped her arms gently around her, then gathered her courage.
“I believe you must be Mr. Moody... former Head of the Auror Office, correct? I think I’ve seen your photograph...”
“Correct, Miss Greengrass—that must be you!” The man’s voice held no emotion. His normal eye fixed on Astoria, while the magical one swept every corner of the compartment. “I had the privilege of working with your mother, Mrs. Greengrass. She was an outstanding witch... And you—you look almost exactly like her!”
“Yes, Mr. Moody...” Astoria said with a trembling nod.
“Natalie, sit over there,” Jon said calmly.
Natalie quickly obeyed, curling into the corner and clutching Astoria’s hand tightly.
“Well then, Mr. Moody!” Jon forced a look of fear onto his face, while pretending to conceal it. “Would you prefer the window seat or the aisle?”
“The window. That way, if enemies attack from outside, I can strike back immediately,” Mad-Eye Moody said coldly. “Let me introduce myself—Alastor Moody. I’ll be your Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher this year.”
Jon shook his hand with deliberate trembling, then stepped aside to let Moody sit by the window.
“You seem to like Potions quite a bit,” Moody said casually. “I noticed your trunk is full of potion bottles.”
His magical eye was staring straight at Jon’s trunk.
“Yes, Professor Moody,” Jon replied calmly with a nod.
“Indeed... Potions...” A twisted smile crept across Moody’s scarred lips. “Your Potions master... an old acquaintance of mine.”
“By the way, I haven’t asked your names.” His normal eye turned to Jon, while the magical one fixed on Natalie.
“Hart. Jon Hart, Professor Moody, Jon replied.
“Good. I’ll remember that name, Hart...” Moody said.
“My name is Natalie Pavlov...” Natalie whispered, her voice trembling.
Moody gave her a brief nod, then pulled a curved flask from his pocket, checked the room, and took a swig.
Both his eyes immediately shifted to scan the view outside the window.
The steam engine hissed and groaned as the train lurched into motion.
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