Chapter 5: Chocolate Frog

Wizard Sean Green, taking notes beside him: Actually, that’s not true.

Your wrist must flick and snap.

It’s also vital to pronounce the incantation correctly—never say ‘s’ instead of ‘f’.

It should be ‘Wingardium Leviosa’; the ‘ga’ must be drawn out and clear.

Wizard Sean looked at his notes, satisfied, and returned his quill to its holder.

If you put it down fast enough, the ink won’t dry, letting you write longer.

“I practiced fifteen times, Hermione—am I really the dumbest wizard?”

Justin’s voice carried a hint of worry; faced with an unfamiliar field, even his previously optimistic demeanor had turned somber.

Wizard Sean, putting away his notes: Actually, that’s not true.

“I don’t know either. With only myself as a reference, I can’t judge…”

Hermione frowned, then suddenly her eyes lit up.

“Wizard Sean, you… you must know the Levitation Charm too, right?”

Suddenly calling out, Wizard Sean nodded, then flicked and snapped his wrist.

“Wingar—dium—Leviosa!”

【You performed the Levitation Charm at a beginner level—Proficiency +3】

As Wizard Sean’s incantation echoed, the feather floated up again, wavering.

“Cool!”

Justin exclaimed; compared to his own Levitation Charm, which had lasted only a second, Wizard Sean’s was clearly more skilled.

“You must’ve learned it quickly, right? I mean, for someone from a wizarding family.”

Justin’s follow-up words made Wizard Sean tilt his head slightly in confusion.

Seeing Justin’s wide, inquisitive eyes, Justin himself widened his own in surprise:

“You’re not from a wizarding family? Are you a Muggle-born?”

That means you only started learning magic this summer… in two months, you’ve mastered Transfiguration—a difficult spell?”

Wizard Sean nodded calmly.

“What’s that saying again? Merlin… Merlin?”

Justin seemed about to say something, but the words stuck in his throat.

“Merlin.”

Hermione whispered a reminder.

“Merlin…”

Justin repeated softly, his gaze toward Wizard Sean suddenly warm.

“Hermione and I—we’re both Muggle-born, meaning neither of our parents are wizards.

Oh, that means all three of us in this compartment are Muggle-born.

How marvelous… I heard pure-blood wizards are more common in the magical world.

As he spoke, the noise outside grew louder, faint clanging sounds audible.

Strangely, unlike other noises that faded quickly, this one grew louder.

Soon, the compartment door opened, revealing a plump witch in an apron; her cart drew all three of their gazes.

“Darlings, would you like to buy some snacks?”

The plump witch smiled warmly, dimples showing, her voice equally inviting.

Wizard Sean glanced at the overflowing shelves, then forcibly looked away.

It had been a long time since he last ate—he was hungry.

He knew the Hogwarts Express would travel for hours, from dawn till night.

But he couldn’t bring food; Anna, his caregiver, wouldn’t allow even a single slice of toast.

He’d eat properly once they reached Hogwarts.

Wizard Sean thought to himself.

“One… two of everything.”

The moment Justin said the first word, the vendor’s smile widened.

“Of course, dear—here are Bertie Bott’s Every Flavour Beans, Drooble’s Best Blowing Gum, Chocolate Frogs, Pumpkin Pasties, Cauldron Cakes, Liquorice Wands… Total: one Galleon and five Sickles.”

Her mood brightened further as she began explaining each item to Justin.

Hermione gasped at the price, about to protest—when Justin’s Galleons flashed before her eyes.

Justin paid quickly, then blushed slightly as he explained:

“This money was meant for Eton College. But the very next day, I got my Hogwarts letter.

Mother thinks Hogwarts isn’t as good as Eton,

but think about it—learning magic is far more appealing than becoming a lawyer or a business elite…”

He finished speaking and stuffed the pile of Galleons into his trunk.

Only then did Wizard Sean remember who he was:

Justin Finch-Fletchley,

a sincere, kind-hearted Hufflepuff.

He had joined the Dueling Club and Dumbledore’s Army.

Notably, when he realized he had wrongly suspected Harry as the Heir of Slytherin, he voluntarily shook Harry’s hand and apologized,

braver and more earnest than other wizards who pretended nothing had happened.

What made him truly memorable was his refusal of Eton to attend Hogwarts.

In Britain, you couldn’t get into Eton just by good grades—every student was from nobility.

“My aunt’s son’s classmate’s uncle’s nephew got into Eton! Ha, envy us, you country bumpkins! You mudbloods like you? Don’t even dream of it.”

This was what Anna often mocked them with—revealing Eton’s status.

In other words,

Justin was a hidden rich kid at Hogwarts.

Pure-blood status confirmed.

Wizard Sean thought to himself.

The plump witch had already pushed her cart away, muttering “two generous young wizards,” and vanished outside the compartment.

Inside the compartment,

Justin had laid all the snacks on the table.

“Help yourselves?”

The snacks piled into a small mountain; Justin’s voice came from behind them.

“I can’t possibly eat it all—please.”

“You’re being too obvious.”

Hermione took a bottle of fruit juice without hesitation, then whispered to Justin.

“Shh—”

Justin made a hushing gesture, and both of them stole glances at the other wizard.

His clothes were worn, pilled, even slightly frayed at the sleeves.

Ignoring his pale but handsome face, he looked like a child no orphanage wanted.

“Try this Chocolate Frog? I heard all wizarding kids love these.”

Facing Justin’s whispered temptation and the Chocolate Frog held out to him,

Wizard Sean snatched it quickly.

“Thank you.”

His voice was quiet.

No hardship could defeat me—but temptation? Not a chance.

Wizard Sean had surrendered to the sugar-coating of capital.

“My Chocolate Frog!”

Just as Justin happily unwrapped his candy, the Chocolate Frog leapt—about to jump out the window.

“Wingar—dium—Leviosa!”

A calm voice spoke; Wizard Sean had anticipated this, flicked his wand, and the frog landed safely in Justin’s hand.

“Chocolate Frogs jump once.”

Wizard Sean explained slowly, then took small bites of the frog while reading *One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi*.

The sky gradually darkened.