"Jerry?"
Barely ten minutes after Jerry had closed his eyes to rest, a surprised voice pulled him back to consciousness. He opened his eyes slowly and turned toward the compartment doorway.
There stood a young girl with bushy hair, wearing a simple knitted sweater and jeans. She struggled with a large leather suitcase, her expression a mixture of surprise and recognition.
It was Hermione Granger, the young witch he'd met in Diagon Alley.
"Miss Granger, what a pleasant surprise," Jerry greeted her with a smile. Rising from his seat, he gestured to the empty space across from him. "There's plenty of room here. Please, join me."
"Thank you!" Hermione said gratefully as Jerry helped her lift the heavy suitcase onto the overhead rack.
Though she presented a confident exterior, sometimes even bordering on arrogance, Jerry could sense the uncertainty beneath. As a young witch born to Muggle parents, she was leaving behind everything familiar to venture alone into the mysterious world of Hogwarts. Despite her mature demeanour, she was still only eleven years old, not quite twelve for another eighteen days, embarking on her first solo journey.
Meeting the only wizard her age that she knew provided an unexpected comfort, a small anchor in this sea of unfamiliarity.
Hermione's exceptional academic achievements and somewhat haughty personality had left her with few friends in her Muggle primary school. Jerry was possibly the only person she'd met who didn't seem put off by her intellect, someone she could potentially consider a friend.
"Wow, what a beautiful cat! Is it yours?" Her eyes lit up when she noticed Crookshanks dozing on the seat, instantly transforming with adoration.
"Beautiful?" Jerry glanced at Crookshanks' flat, squashed face and twitched slightly.
He had to admit that Crookshanks was an excellent companion, remarkably self-sufficient, solving his own feeding needs most of the time, occasionally even sharing his catches with Jerry. The cat was intelligent too, never making messes in inappropriate places.
But beautiful? That was a stretch.
Still, Jerry understood that aesthetics varied widely from person to person. Like bull terriers with their egg-shaped heads, hairless sphinx cats, or bug-eyed Chihuahuas, pets that many found odd-looking had their devoted admirers who found them uniquely attractive.
"Here," Jerry said, gently lifting the sleeping Crookshanks and offering him to Hermione. "Since you like him so much, why don't you hold him for a while?"
Hermione accepted eagerly, cradling the cat tenderly in her arms. Though momentarily disturbed, Crookshanks shook his whiskers in mild protest before sensing the genuine affection radiating from the girl. Satisfied, he settled back into sleep.
"Please, call me Hermione," she said, stroking the cat's fur. "When I was at the bookstore, I spent all my extra money on books beyond the required textbooks. I didn't have enough left for a pet." Her voice carried a note of regret.
Jerry thought, "That answer is so, Hermione." Her reputation as an exceptional scholar stemmed not only from her natural talent but also from a dedication and work ethic that set her apart from her peers.
"So, Hermione," Jerry asked, his tone genuinely complimentary, "you must have already learned quite a bit about magic in advance?"
Hermione's chin lifted proudly. "Of course! I've memorized all the first-year textbooks and even tried a few spells at home, successfully, I might add. I've also read 'Modern Magical History,' 'The Rise and Fall of the Dark Arts,' and 'Great Wizarding Events of the Twentieth Century'..."
"That's incredible! You're truly a genius," Jerry remarked with sincere admiration.
His compliment wasn't mere flattery. Memorizing all the textbooks within a month demonstrated remarkable retention. Jerry had managed the same feat with only four courses, and that was with the assistance of his "refreshing" function.
In his previous life, he'd struggled to review and recite even previously learned material during summer breaks, let alone master new content before the semester began.
Hermione blushed slightly at his praise. Despite her confidence, she wasn't accustomed to such straightforward compliments.
With Hermione's arrival, Jerry abandoned any thought of resuming his rest. Instead, they fell into an animated conversation, primarily focused on the magical knowledge contained in their textbooks.
Although Jerry had used his "brain enhancement" function to memorise books like "Magical Theory" and "Standard Book of Spells, Grade 1" and could perform the first-year spells more proficiently than Hermione, he hadn't necessarily achieved complete comprehension.
It was like a modern person memorising a text written in ancient classical Chinese. Without proper guidance, one might grasp the general narrative but miss countless nuances. Many details would remain opaque without expert explanation.
Moreover, different people extracted different meanings from the same text. Some reading "Journey to the West" saw only an adventure tale of pilgrims seeking scriptures. Others perceived a rebellion against feudal hierarchy. Some recognised the political machinations beneath the surface, while still others focused solely on the fantastical elements and mythical creatures.
This was why communication and mutual learning were essential, they allowed for growth through shared perspectives.
With Hermione's natural talent, she'd not only taught herself most first-year spells in just one month but had also absorbed numerous additional magical texts. She undoubtedly possessed unique insights from which Jerry could benefit.
This was precisely why he'd invited her to share his compartment.