Inside Flourish and Blotts, the atmosphere remained somewhat heavy.
Hermione was picking out a book about spellcasting for Lia; Lia was now able to master magic quite well.
An annoying voice rang out at an inopportune moment.
"Oh, look who it is? Granger and her half-blood pet." Draco Malfoy walked over with a smirk, flanked by Crabbe and Goyle. "I heard it almost died in the Chamber of Secrets? What a pity it didn't finish the job."
Hermione's expression instantly turned cold, and she was just about to retort.
Lia, however, lifted her head from Hermione's arms. She wasn't angry or afraid; she simply looked at Draco Malfoy calmly with those azure eyes.
She saw the hard shell of arrogance and bitterness he used to disguise his soul's outer layer, and beneath that shell, she saw a core that was lonely and weak—blustering because he craved attention and fearful because of his father's severity.
Then, she saw a clear image.
Last night, in a luxurious bedroom at Malfoy Manor, this little blonde young master was hugging a dragon-shaped plush toy, sobbing quietly and complaining about something his father wouldn't allow him to do.
Lia tilted her head.
She leaned into Hermione's ear and spoke in a soft, innocent tone that was just loud enough for Draco to hear:
"Hermione, if you hug a dragon toy to sleep at night, won't it be uncomfortable?"
The smirk on Draco Malfoy's face instantly froze.
Lia acted as if she hadn't noticed and continued in a naive tone, "And when he cried, his snot got all over the toy's wings. It's so dirty."
Crabbe and Goyle looked at their leader blankly.
Draco Malfoy's face turned from pale to livid at a visible speed, finally flushing a deep blood-red. It was as if he had been stripped naked in public; all his dignity and pretenses were torn to shreds by that light remark.
"You... you're lying!" He pointed at Lia, his voice trembling, but he couldn't hide his blustering panic.
Lia blinked her large, innocent eyes and shrank back into Hermione's arms as if he had frightened her.
"I... I didn't..."
"You!"
Draco couldn't get another word out. He felt the gaze of everyone around him like needles pricking his skin. He couldn't stay a moment longer; he spun around and practically fled from Flourish and Blotts.
Hermione stared blankly at the little one in her arms.
Lia looked up and used the tip of her tail to playfully hook Hermione's finger, as if saying:
"I'm amazing, right? Hurry up and praise me."
Hermione finally couldn't help it and burst out laughing, the gloom from moments ago swept away. She rubbed Lia's head and whispered in praise:
"Nicely done."
...On Platform Nine and Three-Quarters, the steam engine puffed out clouds of white smoke.
The platform was bustling with departures; the parting advice of parents, the hooting of owls, and the croaking of toads in cages blended into a cacophony.
Ron hadn't spoken a word to Hermione or Lia since morning. He stood far off with Harry, clutching Scabbers and throwing indignant glances their way from time to time. Harry was caught in the middle, feeling conflicted.
Hermione paid them no mind; all her attention was on the little one in her arms.
"Once you're on, no running around, and don't eat anything people give you, especially from The Twins." Hermione fussed like a worried mother, giving instructions over and over.
Lia nodded obediently, her cat ears swaying.
Seeing that it was almost time for the train to depart, Hermione carried Lia to a slightly quieter corner. She didn't say anything more; she just cupped Lia's small face, forcing those azure eyes to look at her.
Then, she slowly lowered her head and pressed her forehead against Lia's.
"Lia."
Hermione's voice was very soft. As she spoke, she toyed with the little bell on Lia's neck, making it chime continuously.
"Remember, no matter what happens this school year, don't believe a word the voice in your head says."
"You are only allowed to believe me, only allowed to listen to me."
"Understand?"
Right before her were Hermione's incredibly serious brown eyes. They held worry, affection, and an even more undeniable possessiveness.
Lia's heart thundered.
Since that time her ear was bitten, they seemed to have naturally established a relationship.
Logically, Lia's power far exceeded Hermione's, yet every time, she was held firmly by Hermione like a snake caught by its pressure point.
As a result, Tom within her mental world was currently so suppressed by the surging waves of affection that he couldn't transmit a single word to Lia.
Every time Lia said "that's enough" or "that's plenty," Hermione ignored her completely.
The bell on her neck jingled incessantly, and Hermione didn't let her go until Lia's strength was exhausted and she begged for mercy.
The result of Hermione's "hard work" was that Tom's influence was now completely isolated, and even the fur on the tips of her ears had returned to snowy white.
"I understand."
Answering sweetly, Lia extended her long, fluffy tail like a soft chain, wrapping it round and round Hermione's wrist.
The corners of Hermione's mouth curled into a satisfied arc. She gave Lia's forehead one last kiss and led her onto the Hogwarts Express.
They found an empty compartment.
Harry and Ron followed them in shortly after. Ron placed Scabbers on his lap, while Harry shared the misdeeds of the Dursley family with the others.
Hermione locked the compartment door and took out the books she had brought. Lia leaned against the window, looking out and beginning to enjoy this rare peace.
The train started moving slowly, and the scenery outside receded rapidly.
Everything seemed normal.
However, after the train had been traveling for several hours and a drizzling rain began to fall outside, Lia, who had been dozing on Hermione's lap, suddenly tensed up.
Danger Intuition!
This wasn't a trap or attack aimed at an individual; this was a massive, despairing alarm covering the entire area!
A bone-chilling aura was diffusing from all directions.
A spiritual deadness that could drain all joy and hope was sweeping in like a dark cloud.
Lia jerked her head up; she smelled it.
She smelled the scent of "Death."
"Hermione..." Lia's voice carried a hint of gravity.
"What's wrong?" Hermione immediately put down her book and looked at her nervously.
"Something... is coming." Lia's pupils narrowed into vertical slits. She looked around as if she could see the invisible "Death" penetrating the carriage walls.
"What is it?" Harry also sensed something was wrong.
Just then, the train lurched violently. Its speed slowed further and further until, with a piercing screech of metal on metal, it came to a halt.
The lights in the carriage flickered twice and went out completely.
Darkness and a deathly silence instantly enveloped everything.
An unprecedented chill invaded the carriage, and a layer of frost quickly condensed on the windows.
Lia's Danger Intuition was screaming at its limit, and her fur stood on end.
"Hold on to me," she said to Hermione behind her in an unprecedentedly serious tone.
The words had just left her mouth.
Click.
The compartment door lock was slowly opened from the outside as if by an invisible hand.
A figure cloaked in black, as tall as the ceiling and appearing decayed, appeared at the door. It had no face, only a shadow beneath its hood.
The moment it appeared, Lia felt the "black crystal" belonging to Lord Voldemort deep within her soul react violently.
A Dementor.
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