Chapter 266: Prefect

Harry admitted that letting Ma Erfu see him walk off the bright blue Rolls-Royce from the center of the motorcade, with a group of cool people standing on both sides, was something that made him feel very comfortable. Especially since Crabbe and Gao Er were still clumsily dealing with the subway ticket gate, dragging their boxes, looking very embarrassed.

Besides the Weasleys, quite a few other people from the Order of the Phoenix also came. They sent the children onto the train, and then waved goodbye to them excitedly.

They naturally sat in two adjacent compartments. Ivy and Jin Ni intended to sit by themselves. Harry, Luo En, and Zhang Qiu sat together, just like in those days at Beauxbatons, only this time Cedric was gone; he had graduated.

"Zhang Qiu, do you have any strange sayings this year?" Harry asked. "I don't know why, but I feel you have become much quieter."

"How should I put it? Fate doesn't exist, I don't care about those divinations anymore," Zhang Qiu said flatly. "Next, I just need to accompany you, and the task is considered complete."

"Oh, I thought it was the aftereffect of that spell. Your spells always consume sanity, right?" Luo En said.

"I suspect your spell consumes EQ." Zhang Qiu countered.

At this time, there was a knock on the door of the compartment. Harry opened the door and saw Neville and Hermione, each wearing shiny Prefect badges.

"We are patrolling, that's what's said, but there's nothing to care about. How are you guys doing?" Hermione said. "I saw the motorcade, so what the newspapers said is true?"

"What did you see in the newspapers?" Harry asked.

"Harry Potter is becoming a leader," Hermione said seriously. "The Ministry of Magic is trying to please you in every possible way."

"Seems like it really is like that." Harry indeed felt that the reports over this period of time were not quite right.

"This might not be a good thing," Hermione looked behind her nervously. "There might be some conspiracy in this. Why would the Ministry of Magic come to flatter you for no reason—"

"This is nothing," Luo En interrupted her indifferently. "Anyway, the Daily Prophet always has to make up some stories to attract everyone's attention. Chatting about a teenage hero is better than watching some mandarin duck water-skiing every day."

"My grandmother once said, the whisper of a demon sometimes sounds like the voice of an angel," Neville said. "No matter what is behind this, you must be careful."

"I think this is very normal. Fudge is in a hurry to divert people's attention," Zhang Qiu said. "Scrimgeour was forced to resign, Crouch wasn't willing to leave either. This must involve some kind of dirty deal, he doesn't want the public to focus on this."

"And, if everyone else is chatting about Middle Eastern armed conflicts, regional relations in Israel, Brexit disputes, defense budgets, inflation, unemployment rates, and so on," she continued, "and the wizarding world is peaceful and prosperous, and a genius wizard is emerging, this is also a very conspicuous political achievement for the Prime Minister."

Hermione blinked and said: "Alright, if that's the case, that's not bad."

After the two left, Luo En said discontentedly: "I think she's a bit oversensitive. If the Ministry of Magic was smearing you, that would be one thing, but they respect you so much, what conspiracy could there be?"

"I think, perhaps there really is some kind of saying," Harry instinctively became vigilant. "Otherwise, why did Snape choose Neville to be a Prefect? He must want to remind me through this."

"No, no, no, a Prefect is just a pile of trivial matters. He should intend for you to put your energy into more important things," Luo En said.

"Possible." Harry looked out the window, pondering. Had Snape discovered Hofa's true identity? Or did he simply feel that Harry needed to spend more time in the Order of the Phoenix?

Another knock on the door interrupted Harry's thoughts. He opened the door and saw Ma Erfu and Pan Xi standing in the corridor. The door of the compartment next to them was also open. Lu Na was leaning against the door frame, extending a hand to knock on Harry's compartment door.

"Look," she said in a voice with a hint of surprise. "I said Harry was on this side."

"Ah, yes," Ma Erfu revealed a trace of nervousness, which was rare. "Harry, how have you been?"

"What? I'm doing fine, of course. How about you guys?" Harry replied casually.

"The situation is in our favor." Ma Erfu swallowed.

"The Prefects for Hufflepuff are Hannah and Ernie," Pan Xi said. "The Prefects for Ravenclaw are Anthony Goldstein and Padma Patil. I didn't notice before that Padma was Crabbe's dance partner—and you introduced it."

"Yes, your layout means are truly exquisite, making me applaud," Ma Erfu said somewhat unnaturally.

"I didn't even know about this?" Harry was stunned for a moment. "I mean, who could have thought she would become a Prefect?"

"Regardless, this gave us a very good topic," Pan Xi said with a fake smile. "We came specifically to tell you, this is how surprising it is."

"Then next we will continue to be busy with those trivial matters," Ma Erfu nodded, then pulled Pan Xi away.

"What's going on? Why do I feel he's weird?" Harry looked at the four people in the compartment next door.

"Who knows, maybe he broke his brain and just happened to pour out the water inside," Luo En's voice came from behind.

"Well, I think," Cui Ge looked at Harry with a strange look, "he might be worried that you will start to liquidate him because of the Death Eater thing."

"My dad said, you have become the actual leader of the Order of the Phoenix, and are planning a great plan to eliminate all Death Eaters," Lu Na said in a light tone. "Ma Erfu wants to draw a line with the Death Eaters in advance, but it seems his father doesn't think so."

"He quarreled with his family," Jin Ni added. "Pan Xi told us."

"No matter what's going on outside," Harry rubbed his eyebrows, "we should focus on our studies at school this year."

"Right, especially since we have to prepare for the OWL exams this year," Zhang Qiu said. "The four of you don't have to worry for the time being, but Harry will be very hard-working. He not only has to review himself, but also has to help Luo En."

"If you compare with them, then you have already lost," Harry patted his shoulder. "I think you can review by yourself, right?"

"I think I can admit defeat," Luo En's voice was trembling.

"Actually, there is one more thing," Lu Na suddenly said. "Do you know Greengrass?"

"Greengrass?" Everyone's eyes suddenly gathered on this crazy girl.

"Astoria Greengrass, a very beautiful lower-year girl," she said in a firm tone. "Given that Daphne is a firm non-marriageist, Astoria might become the only heir to the Greengrass family, and, as Astoria marries into her husband's family, the Greengrass surname is about to disappear."

"Isn't this eating the household?" Zhang Qiu interrupted discontentedly. "Who is so heartless?"

"Lu Xiusi Ma Erfu," Lu Na took out the latest "The Quibbler". "This says that Lu Xiusi intends to swallow all the property of the Greengrass family quietly through marriage."

Seeing the four big characters of "The Quibbler", everyone present suddenly breathed a sigh of relief. Cui Ge said: "Everyone disperse, just pretend nothing happened."

Zhang Qiu closed the compartment door and said with a smile: "I believe it, I really believe it."

Lu Na pouted, took back the magazine, and the two compartments returned to their original state.

"So, Ma Erfu won't have a good time this year," Luo En's mouth split to his ears. "If he doesn't support the Death Eaters, he will fall out with his family; if he supports the Death Eaters, he will be beaten to the ground by us."

"I really don't want to bring the differences outside into the school," Harry said helplessly.

In order to change his mood, Luo En naturally brought up Quidditch. They discussed how to design tactics for the Gryffindor lineup, how much linkage there might be between the Keeper and the Seeker, and the topic of Quidditch was endless.

Suddenly, the train began to slow down. Harry and Luo En noticed that the sky had darkened, so they stopped their discussion about the team with lingering interest, and then started looking for a place to change clothes.

When they stood on the platform, enjoying the pine fragrance brought by the cool evening breeze, a crisp and decisive voice rang out: "First-year freshmen, come to me!"

"Isn't that Hagrid?" Jin Ni stepped forward and asked.

"Ah right, Hagrid needs to perform a secret mission," Harry explained. "So who will be the new gamekeeper this year?"

"I hope it's Newt," Luo En said.

As a swaying lantern illuminated the newcomer, Harry realized that Luo En might be disappointed. The new magical animal professor was a middle-aged man with short hair, well-proportioned muscles, and a capable style. Judging from his age, it definitely couldn't be that Newt.

"Senior students, please make way, you are blocking the door," he said.

Harry pushed Luo En through the narrow doorway and came to the road outside. There were more than a hundred horseless carriages parked here. Every year, they took students above the first year to the castle, and this year was no exception.

"Did you see the horses pulling the cart?" Zhang Qiu held the small book recording divination and asked. Then she touched her chin with some embarrassment. "Sorry, I'm used to it."

"Should I see horses?" Harry adjusted his glasses. "Can you see them? Could it be something like a hound again?"

"I can't see them either, so I just divined wrong," Zhang Qiu said while scribbling in her diary. "The horses are gone." ===== CHAPTER 267 =====

"I can't see it either, so the divination was just wrong," Zhang Qiu said while scribbling in her diary, "The horse is gone."