"Hey, mind if I join you? All the other compartments are full," said a boy standing at the door with a friendly smile. He rubbed the back of his head nervously.

"Of course, come on in. There's plenty of room," Alex replied, gesturing to the empty seats. "I'm Alex Wilson, and this is Vivian Bulstrode."

"I'm Charles. Charles McKinnon," the boy introduced himself with a shy smile.

Charles was taller than Alex, though a bit thin. Vivian gave Alex a meaningful look when she heard the name, clearly recognizing it from their earlier conversation. She raised an eyebrow as if to say, 'That's the McKinnon I was talking about!'

Alex smiled back at her but kept things polite. He helped Charles with his luggage, and soon enough, Vivian started chatting with him. Luckily, the conversation stayed light, and she didn't mention the tension between their families. Alex had been a bit worried that she'd bring it up, which would have made things awkward very quickly.

As they settled in, Vivian pulled out a copy of the Daily Prophet and began reading aloud. "Have you guys heard? They say Harold Minchum, the current Minister of Magic, is about to step down. People are saying he hasn't done enough besides putting more Dementors around Azkaban. The Dark Lord is getting stronger, and Death Eaters are causing chaos everywhere. They even attacked Sirius Black in Diagon Alley last month."

‘Technically, it was Knockturn Alley.’

Charles frowned. "It's about time for a change. The Ministry's just reacting to attacks instead of stopping them. Those Death Eaters are a menace," he said, his previous shyness gone as his anger rose.

Alex, sensing Charles's frustration, added calmly, "Don't worry. They won't be causing trouble for much longer."

He didn't remember much of the plot of Harry Potter, but he knew one thing for certain—Voldemort would soon fall after Harry was born.

Charles gave a weak smile, clearly comforted by Alex's words. "I hope you're right. My family's been fighting against You-Know-Who for years. Several of my relatives have joined the Aurors. My uncle was attacked by Death Eaters not long ago—one of them broke his leg. He's still at St. Mungo's Hospital. We're sure one of the Death Eaters was Travers, but the Ministry won't investigate without solid proof. It's infuriating."

Vivian's eyes widened in shock. "That's awful! Didn't your uncle see who attacked him?"

Alex stepped in to explain. "Many Death Eaters wear masks when they attack. It's hard to recognize them even if you see them."

Charles nodded. "Exactly. My uncle's sure it was Travers, but without evidence, the Ministry won't take action."

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As the conversation shifted to complaints about the Ministry of Magic, Alex realized just how fractured the magical world was. There were different opinions even within the Ministry itself, which was likely contributing to its inaction against the Death Eaters.

Before long, the Hogwarts Express began to move.

"The train's finally off," Vivian said, settling into her seat. "I heard it takes several hours to get there."

Alex was puzzled. "Several hours? Why does it take so long? The magical world has so many ways to travel faster—why are we using a slow, old-fashioned train?"

Vivian shrugged, looking equally curious. "That's a good question. I've wondered the same thing. Why don't they just use magic to get us there faster?"

Charles, who seemed more informed, chimed in. "There's an enchantment on the train. It's supposed to give new students time to get to know each other and build excitement for Hogwarts. Plus, it's a tradition. They've been using this train for decades, if not longer."

Alex nodded thoughtfully. "I see. So it's more about tradition than anything else."

"I heard that wizards used to travel to Hogwarts in their own way—some rode broomsticks, others used Floo Powder to go straight to Hogsmeade," Charles McKinnon explained, leaning back in his seat. "But after the International Statute of Secrecy came into effect in 1692, they had to stop all that. Too many wizards were being spotted by Muggles, and it put a lot of pressure on the Ministry of Magic to cover things up."

"Well, since we have plenty of time on the train, how about I teach you a game?" Alex suggested, a sly grin forming on his face.

"Sure, I'm up for anything," Charles replied, his earlier serious demeanor vanishing at the mention of games. "Is it Wizard Chess or Gobstones?"

Alex shook his head. "No, it's a game from my homeland. Usually, it's played with four people, but three can play too. I'll teach you."

Alex reached into his luggage and pulled out a deck of cards, carefully placing it on the table in front of them. He had a feeling that once they got into the game, they wouldn't be able to resist its charm.

"But wait... I still need a proper table," Alex muttered to himself. His Transfiguration skills weren't perfect yet, but he knew enough to manage a solution. He pointed his wand at the small table by the window and cast an Engorgio spell, extending the table just enough for their game.

"That should do it," he said with satisfaction.

Alex began explaining the basics of the game to Vivian and Charles. His teaching experience at the orphanage came in handy, and he quickly laid out the rules in simple terms. "Alright, let's play a couple of rounds so you can get the hang of it," Alex said.

"These cards look confusing," Vivian admitted, frowning as she studied them. "Are you sure it's fun?"

"You'll get the hang of it," Charles said, clearly intrigued. "Let's give it a try."

With that, the three of them gathered around the table, Vivian and Charles sitting on chairs while Charles pulled a suitcase into the aisle to sit on. They began playing under Alex's guidance, slowly learning the strategy and excitement of poker.

After about half an hour, both Vivian and Charles had picked up the basic gameplay. They each managed to win a round, thanks to Alex letting them win to make sure they fully understood the game.

"Haha, I won again! This is actually pretty fun," Vivian exclaimed, putting her card forward triumphantly, her earlier confusion replaced by excitement.

"Let's make it more interesting," Charles suggested, grinning. "Whoever lost the most by the time the snack trolley comes around has to buy the snacks."

Vivian's eyes lit up. "I'm in! I feel like my luck is pretty good right now."