Hogwarts: Rise of the Dark Legacy

Those beautiful, flawless light-blue eyes made Hermione think of the clear skies over the sea. She blinked in surprise, momentarily taken aback. Her cheeks flushed slightly as she tried to regain her composure.

Ron broke the silence. "We're all first-years at Hogwarts. I heard only third-years can learn spells like the one Toby just cast!" he exclaimed, his tone oddly proud, as though he'd been the one to cast the spell.

"Third-year? How do you know third-year spells?" Hermione asked Toby, her curiosity overriding any embarrassment.

Toby shrugged casually. "My parents are both wizards, and they taught me a few advanced spells before I came here. It's not that unusual. Before Hogwarts, most wizards were taught at home."

"That's brilliant," Harry said, clearly impressed. His face showed a hint of longing. Growing up in the Muggle world had left him with no knowledge of magic before coming to Hogwarts. Hermione nodded in agreement, her parents being Muggles as well, making everything about magic a recent discovery for her.

Ron, however, didn't want to be outdone. "Well, Fred and George taught me a spell last summer," he said, his ears turning pink.

"Show us!" Hermione said eagerly, her eyes lighting up with interest.

Ron hesitated, then straightened his shoulders, picked up his wand, and pointed it at the Niffler on the table, which was busy chewing on a shiny spoon. "All right, watch this," he said, trying to sound confident.

Ron cleared his throat, picked up his old wand, and pointed it at the gray mouse on the table, which was devouring a sandwich.

"Daisies, sweet cream, and sunshine, turn this fat rat yellow!"

Ron waved his wand dramatically, but nothing happened. Scabbers—the gray, scruffy rat—continued nibbling on a crumb, utterly unfazed.

"Are you sure that's really a spell?" Hermione asked, eyebrows raised.

Ron's ears turned red as he shifted uncomfortably. "Of course, it is! Fred and George told me—" He trailed off, realizing too late what had likely happened.

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Honestly, Ron. Magic incantations are usually concise, like Lumos for light or Reparo for fixing things. Not—" She gestured at him. "Whatever that was."

"She's right," Toby added, holding up his wand. "Watch this—Lumos!"

A soft, golden light blossomed at the tip of his wand, bright enough to make everyone blink.

"And for repairs—Reparo!" Toby pointed his wand at Harry's bent glasses. With a faint shimmer, the cracks vanished, and the glasses were good as new.

"Brilliant!" Harry exclaimed, inspecting them. "They're perfect!"

"Exactly," Toby said, taking on a professor-like tone. "The key to magic is intent. You need to truly want the spell to work—whether it's light, repair, or even transforming something. Otherwise, it's just waving a stick around."

Hermione's eyes widened in admiration. She fumbled with her bag, clearly wishing she'd brought a notebook. Harry and Neville watched Toby with awe, while Ron muttered darkly under his breath.

"Fred and George," Ron groaned, slumping in his chair. "They tricked me again. I bet they made that spell up just to make me look stupid."

"Ron, you should know better by now," Hermione said, her tone equal parts exasperation and pity.

Ron glared at the rat still nibbling on crumbs. "Honestly, Scabbers, you're no help either."

"Don't take it out on the rat," Toby said with a grin. "But if you really want to try a spell that works, how about this one—Wingardium Leviosa?"

Ron scowled but couldn't help the small smile creeping onto his face. "Fine. But if Fred and George laugh at me again, I'm hexing them."

Jamie spoke suddenly.

"Real?" Toby asked, his voice filled with excitement.

Jamie raised an eyebrow, a confident smirk on his face. "Of course! Who do you think I am? Something this simple? I wouldn't fail at it."

"What are you two talking about?" Hermione asked curiously. She had been observing them for a while. The blond boy—Jamie—hadn't said much earlier, and she'd assumed he was aloof. But now he seemed animated, though his words were still cryptic.

"Jamie came up with a fun idea," Toby explained, grinning. "Want to get to Hogwarts faster? If we stick to the train's speed, it'll take hours!"

"How can we get there sooner?" Hermione asked, her curiosity piqued. Harry, Ron, and Neville, seated nearby, leaned in as well, eager to hear the answer.

Jamie opened his mouth to explain. "It's very simple—"

But before he could continue, the door of the carriage slid open again. Three boys stepped inside. The boy in the middle had platinum blonde hair and a pale complexion. His expression was smug, and he was flanked by two large, thickset boys whose brutish features resembled those of bodyguards.

"So it's true, then? Everyone on the train is talking about Harry Potter being in this compartment," the pale boy said, his gaze fixed on Toby.

"Ah, you must mean Harry," Toby replied nonchalantly.

The boy smirked. "I'm Malfoy. Draco Malfoy. And these are Crabbe and Goyle," he added, gesturing casually to the two boys beside him.

Malfoy's gaze swept over the group, his lip curling slightly. "Well, I suppose this train ride just got a lot more interesting."