Bab 11: Chapter 11: The first game with Dumbledore!
Argus's words successfully shifted everyone's attention to Ron.
Everyone then noticed that Mr. Weasley, who had been calling out "thief" earlier, had somehow ended up at the door of the compartment.
Caught in the act, Ron's eyes darted around, completely devoid of his previous arrogance.
"I didn't say anything wrong, why should I apologize?"
"Who knows if that toad wasn't secretly planted by Malfoy!"
"Are you out of your mind? Draco has been here with us the whole time, how could he have had the chance to send someone over?"
Daphne didn't tolerate him and directly retorted.
As Draco's sister-in-law in the original book, she is also one of the twenty-eight sacred families, the Greengrass family.
She and Draco have known each other since childhood. If it hadn't been for Argus calming down, she would have already started a fight long ago!
Now, Ron was completely speechless and could only look to his two brothers and Harry Potter for help.
Fred and George weren't the type to blindly defend their own, especially when the truth was so clear.
Even if the Weasley family had issues with the Malfoys, they wouldn't twist the facts.
As for Harry, he wouldn't say anything either!
From beginning to end, Harry was reluctant to believe that Draco would do such a thing. However, his tendency to trust what others said had misled him.
Without the support of the famous "Boy Who Lived," Ron's face turned bright red.
He said softly: "I'm sorry!"
He turned around and got into the compartment.
"Alright, everyone, the issue is resolved. Judging by the time, we should be arriving at Hogwarts soon. It's time to go change into our robes."
"The premise is not to go to the wrong compartment while someone is changing!"
Argus's words elicited a round of good-natured laughter from the group.
If Argus's earlier image was that of elegance and strength, he now appeared more approachable as well.
Hermione jabbed Argus hard with her elbow, hinting that he shouldn't learn bad habits from the Weasley twins.
"Draco, you go back to the compartment with Pansy and the others. I have something to discuss with Harry."
As Argus noticed Neville standing next to Harry, a bold idea suddenly came to him.
Should he try to persuade Harry Potter to join Slytherin?
Since coming to this world, he had repeatedly noticed that the course of events was not set in stone.
For example, his father, Grindelwald.
Or even today's incident with Trevor's disappearance causing a showoff.
Following this trend, it might not be impossible to place Harry in Slytherin!
The impact on the world didn't matter much; the main point was to annoy Dumbledore!
Additionally, having Harry under his watchful eye would make it easier to maneuver against Dumbledore in secret.
Acting on this idea immediately...
...
After the crowd dispersed, Harry, looking dejected, approached Argus with Neville.
"Argus, am I really that useless?"
"Hagrid said I'd definitely be in Gryffindor, but... but I didn't even have the courage to stand up for my friend."
"I... I..."
"Look at me, Harry," Argus's voice remained as gentle as ever.
"Courage comes in many forms. Being honest with yourself is a kind of courage too."
"Moreover, Hogwarts has more than just Gryffindor. Other houses might suit you just as well."
"For example, Mr. Longbottom."
Hearing Argus mention him, Neville looked up in confusion.
"Not like Ronald Weasly. Mr. Longbottom corrected his mistakes of doubting an innocent fellow and was able to face his mistakes. This is the courage of Gryffindor, but at the same time, he is sincere to his friends and upright. This is the loyalty of Hufflepuff."
"As one of the Sacred Twenty-Eight, he is a pure-blood wizard, embodying Slytherin House's heritage."
"You mean I have qualities of more than one house too?" Harry asked eagerly.
"Of course!"
"But... but Hagrid and Ron both said Gryffindor is the best house."
Argus simply smiled.
"There is no such thing as the best house, only the house that suits you best."
"Gryffindor values bravery and courage, but that doesn't mean it's flawless."
"For example, today, Mr. Weasley stood up to accuse Draco to help Neville, displaying classic Gryffindor courage."
"But we can't deny that he didn't understand the situation fully and judged Draco based on his personal biases."
"The result was clear: not only was Draco wronged, but the hallway also got blocked, preventing many people from returning to their compartments."
Argus was skilled in using conversational techniques, and by giving examples, he could touch the hearts of his listeners more effectively.
The important thing is, this example just happened right next to Harry and is something he personally experienced.
It's easier for him to relate to!
The order of speaking is also crucial for Argus.
Since Ron is already Harry's friend, directly belittling him could provoke Harry's resentment, making his efforts counterproductive.
On the contrary, using a "praise first, then criticize" approach works much better.
Harry fell silent.
He couldn't deny that Argus was right. When Ron accused Draco, he already felt something was off.
Unfortunately, his lifelong insecurity prevented him from standing up and opposing it.
If Argus hadn't come, Draco would have been wrongly accused!
And he would have completely lost Draco as a friend.
"Argus, which house do you think I should choose?"
Harry looked up, seeking Argus's advice.
"If you don't want to choose Gryffindor, Slytherin might be a good choice."
Harry hesitated, "Slytherin..."
"What about me? What about me!" Hermione asked urgently.
"Daring to point out the world's mistakes directly, with a yearning and pursuit for knowledge, both Gryffindor and Ravenclaw are very suitable for you."
"I don't want to go to Gryffindor!" At the mention of Gryffindor, Hermione thought of Ron's smug demeanor just now and immediately lost any good impression!
Twins were also dumb, wanting Argus' help for their homework and they were seniors of that house.
Neville also looked hesitant. Before the incident with Trevor's disappearance, he had been extremely eager to join Gryffindor.
But now, he was wavering!
Compared to the troublemaking Gryffindor, the friendly Hufflepuff might suit him better.
...
Toot! Toot!
With the train's whistle, the Hogwarts Express arrived at the station.
Under the pitch-black night, the old station looked like a relic from a past century.
Gazing at the magnificent castle in the distance through the starlight, even Argus couldn't help but feel a bit excited.
This was Hogwarts! The most iconic castle in Harry Potter!
The real-life scene was far more impressive than the movie.
"First-year students, come over here!"
"Hurry up, little ones, don't be shy!"
Hagrid's booming voice echoed, his massive frame standing out among the young wizards.
"Hagrid!"
Argus, followed by Hermione, approached Hagrid.
As soon as Hagrid saw Argus, a relieved smile spread across his face.
"Argus, just in time! Help me gather the first-year students."
"They're too unruly, always running around."
"No problem."
Argus pulled out his wand and pointed it at his throat.
"Sonorus!"
After clearing his throat, he immediately drew the attention of the surrounding students.
"First-year students, please come over here and line up in two rows, boys on the left and girls on the right."
"Follow Mr. Hagrid to Hogwarts Castle."
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