Harry Potter : This Progress Too Much

"Can we sit here?"

The compartment door slid open again, revealing Hermione Granger—her thick, unkempt brown hair slightly frizzy, her prominent front teeth visible as she spoke.

Behind her stood a round-faced boy, his expression timid and uneasy.

Cassandra Wallace—who had been quietly reading—didn't even look up. Her posture remained indifferent, as if she didn't care about the newcomers.

David, however, nodded slightly.

While Cassandra had entered first, compartments on the train weren't reserved—anyone had the right to sit wherever they pleased.

Hermione hesitated slightly upon seeing David.

Their earlier encounter on the platform hadn't been pleasant.

Still, she had already spoken—the only option now was to move forward.

Hermione placed her luggage neatly beside her, while Neville—the round-faced boy—sat down next to David.

Hermione took the remaining spot, beside Cassandra.

A Coincidental Meeting

Hermione and Neville had met by sheer chance.

At King's Cross Station, Hermione—like most Muggle-borns—had been utterly confused.

When she asked a station staff member about Platform Nine and Three-Quarters, she received only a puzzled stare.

"There's no such platform, miss."

For a moment, Hermione had felt completely lost.

Fortunately, she encountered Neville's grandmother—a stern-looking woman who overheard her plight and decided to help.

After leading Hermione through the barrier, she had immediately pulled Neville aside, giving him a long lecture.

Hermione, meanwhile, had lingered near the entrance, still fuming about Hogwarts' lack of guidance for Muggle students.

"How are we supposed to know how to enter? They could have at least included instructions!"

But before she could finish venting—

She had been bumped into from behind.

By David.

Already in a bad mood, she had stormed ahead without looking back.

Not long after, she found Neville, who had just finished speaking with his grandmother.

The two decided to find a compartment together—unknowingly walking right into David's.

Had they known who was inside, they might have chosen to sit elsewhere.

An Awkward Silence

The compartment fell into an uncomfortable quiet.

David, Cassandra, and Hermione all had their noses buried in books.

Only Neville—who had neither a book nor confidence—sat awkwardly in silence.

"I should have just stayed in the corridor," Neville thought miserably.

Compared to this tense atmosphere, sitting on his suitcase outside seemed far more comfortable.

Suddenly—

"Your scabby ran out."

David's words broke the silence.

"What?"

Neville blinked, completely confused.

Even Hermione and Cassandra looked up, staring at David in bewilderment.

"What did you just say?" Hermione asked.

David sighed and corrected himself.

"Your toad ran out."

The Escaped Toad

The realization dawned on Neville instantly.

"Laifu!" he gasped in panic.

He bent down to check under the seats.

Sure enough—there was his toad, Trevor, lazily squatting on David's shoe.

David grimaced.

He had first noticed the slimy sensation on his foot while reading. Looking down, he had discovered the toad staring at him.

And worse—it had tried to jump onto his lap.

Had it been any other creature, David wouldn't have hesitated to kick it away.

But since it was Neville's pet, he had restrained himself.

Neville lunged forward and grabbed Trevor, holding him tightly as the toad wriggled in protest.

Seeing this, he had no choice but to shove it into his pocket, sealing it shut.

David exhaled in relief.

No more slimy creatures on his shoes.

Judgment from Cassandra

Hermione's face was filled with curiosity.

Cassandra, however, looked at Neville with thinly veiled contempt.

"Why would anyone bring a toad?"

Hermione, seemingly reading Cassandra's thoughts, voiced the question aloud.

"Is it… common for wizards to keep toads as pets?" she asked.

Neville hesitated, his face turning red.

"No, it's not," Cassandra answered before he could.

She closed her book and regarded Neville coolly.

"He's making the wizarding world look bad," she thought.

Unlike most Muggle-borns, Cassandra was from an old, pure-blood family.

She already knew who Neville was.

Among wizarding circles, Neville had a reputation.

And it wasn't positive.

His clumsiness and lack of magical talent were well-known.

The Reason for Trevor

"I didn't choose a toad," Neville explained hurriedly.

"It was a gift… from my uncle. When I was eight."

David raised an eyebrow.

"A gift? Why would anyone gift a toad?"

Neville hesitated, then recounted his childhood struggle—how he had barely shown any magical ability, how his family doubted he was a wizard.

They had put him through countless "tests", trying to force his magic to manifest.

Some of these tests had been downright dangerous.

"One time, they even… pushed me off a dock into the lake," Neville admitted sheepishly.

Hermione gasped.

"The wizarding world is insane!" she muttered.

"After I finally showed magic, my uncle was so happy, he bought me Trevor!"

David stared at him.

"Are you sure he was happy? Or was he just getting rid of an unwanted toad?"

A Harsh Reality

David wasn't trying to be cruel—he was simply practical.

Hogwarts allowed students to bring owls, cats, or toads.

Owls were useful. They carried letters.

Cats were somewhat practical. They helped catch pests.

Toads? Their only purpose was that parts of their body could be used in potions.

Almost no one actually kept them as pets.

The Weasley family had a pet rat, but that was only because they were poor—if they could afford an owl, they would have bought one instead.

Even Percy Weasley had ditched his rat the moment he could afford an owl.

And yet, the Longbottoms weren't poor.

Neville's grandmother had given him a Remembrall, an expensive alchemical artifact.

So why… a toad?

David shrugged.

"It's probably not a good sign when your family gifts you a potion ingredient as a pet."

Neville's smile faded.

Reassurance from David

"I probably won't do well at Hogwarts," Neville muttered. "Maybe they'll send me home…"

Hermione shot David a glare.

"Look what you've done!" her expression seemed to say.

Even Cassandra looked unimpressed—though for different reasons.

David sighed.

"That won't happen," he said firmly.

Neville looked up hopefully.

"Have you ever heard of someone being sent home after getting a Hogwarts letter?"

Neville shook his head.

"Exactly," David said. "If you weren't capable, they wouldn't have sent one."

Neville brightened slightly.

Introductions

Feeling slightly more confident, Neville straightened his back.

"Neville Longbottom," he said formally.

David smirked.

"David Adrian."

Hermione, smiling now, added, "Hermione Granger."

Then, finally—

"Cassandra Wallace," the blonde girl announced proudly.

"The future pride of Slytherin."

Cassandra's Declaration

Hermione blinked.

"You're a Slytherin?"

"No," Cassandra corrected her.

"Not yet. But I will be."

Her confidence was absolute.

David leaned back, watching her with interest.

Hermione, however, frowned.

She had read about Slytherin.

And she didn't like what she had read.

But Cassandra?

She looked amused—as if she could already hear Hermione's thoughts.

The train rumbled onward, carrying them closer to Hogwarts.

And closer to the start of their new lives.