Seeing Neville's reaction, Hermione imdiately tensed. She started to rise, wanting to comfort him.
But Neville frantically stamred in a trembling voice:
"No!"
Hermione froze mid-motion, not daring to continue. Though Neville appeared clumsy, she could tell he wasn't stupid—just painfully lacking in confidence.
"Don't move, Hermione. Don't provoke the Obscurus."
"Otherwise everyone on this train dies. I'm not joking..."
Neville's voice sounded strangled, as if each word was being dragged from his throat.
"What?"
Hermione's mouth fell open in disbelief.
Neville swallowed hard, desperately trying to force his trembling legs to support him.
After several failed attempts, he gave up.
The mory of an Obscurus's destructive power crashed over him like a wave. Neville finally surrendered to what felt like inevitable doom. His face crumpled as he sank back into the leather seat, abandoning all hope of escape.
"We're finished... Hermione... we're all going to die... I never even said a proper goodbye to Gran..."
Tears began streaming down the round-faced boy's cheeks, but Hermione still didn't understand his terror.
"Neville, Tiger wouldn't hurt us. I don't think this is as frightening as you imagine."
"No... Hermione... you don't understand." Neville's voice cracked with barely contained sobs:
"Tiger wouldn't hurt us, you're right. But the thing inside him would. That's an Obscurus—a monster that can't be controlled by anyone. Not even the wizard hosting it."
"Gran once witnessed an Obscurus rampage. When they lose control, they can level an entire city in minutes. She still wakes up screaming from those mories."
"Like an atomic bomb."
Tiger's voice cut through the tension. Neville flinched violently, his face sohow managing to look even more wretched.
Fortunately, Hermione knew Tiger well enough to read his moods.
Spotting that familiar half-smirk playing at the corners of his mouth, she released a shaky breath. She dropped back into her seat with a huff, crossing her arms and shooting Tiger an irritated glare.
Neville trembled harder.
"Neville, don't be afraid."
"Tiger can control his Obscurus."
Despite Venom's nightmarish appearance, Hermione had an inexplicable gut feeling that the Obscurus Neville described and Venom were entirely different creatures.
Seeing the poor boy was on the verge of wetting himself, Tiger abandoned his teasing and explained with unusual patience:
"Relax. Professor Dumbledore examined personally. My Obscurus is a mutated strain—it won't lose control."
"Of course, that's our little secret."
"You'll keep it for , won't you?"
Dumbledore?
At the ntion of that na, Neville's expression shifted. His violent trembling gradually subsided.
Thanks to Mrs. Longbottom's influence, Neville held Dumbledore in almost religious reverence. The greatest white wizard of their age commanded the respect and admiration of virtually every witch and wizard in Britain.
Noticing the chubby boy stealing glances at him, Tiger said with playful nace:
"This guy really likes you."
"Fancy saying hello?"
"Tiger!"
Hermione protested sharply. She could see Neville was genuinely terrified of Venom.
"May I?"
But unexpectedly, Neville looked cautiously toward Tiger's shoulder.
His young eyes brimd with equal parts terror and fascination—like a moth drawn to fla, knowing it might be destroyed but unable to resist.
Honestly, this chubby boy reminded Tiger of his older brother Arthur as a child. That's why he bothered talking to him at all.
Mother Polly used to say Arthur had been so timid as a boy he couldn't even wring a chicken's neck.
Until the day he encountered muggers beating Tommy on the way ho from school. Despite pissing himself with fear, Arthur had thodically butchered all three attackers.
From that mont, Arthur developed an insatiable hunger for blood and violence.
Especially after his magical awakening amplified his physical abilities, he'd beco addicted to the rush of eliminating enemies.
Tiger sensed similar potential in this trembling boy.
Just then, a plump witch pushing a laden trolley appeared at their compartnt door, cheerfully hawking her wares.
"Got any chocolate?" Tiger intercepted her, desperate to appease Venom's incessant pestering.
"Oh, certainly, love!"
"Chocolate Frogs, chocolate gateau, chocolate ice cream, chocolate pudding with brandy..."
The witch bead as she arranged the chocolate treats, awaiting Tiger's selection.
"All of it. Every piece of chocolate you've got."
Tiger produced a gold Galleon. With a casual flick, the coin arced through the air in a perfect spiral, landing in the trolley's cash box with a satisfying clink.
"Bliy, what a shot!"
"Another generous one, aren't you, dear?"
The witch's face lit up as she loaded the sweets into their compartnt. She had a soft spot for students willing to share treats with their friends.
"That'll be fifteen Sickles and four Knuts, love. Let sort your change."
After counting out Tiger's change, the witch trundled off down the corridor with a spring in her step.
She adored this job—seeing these fresh-faced students always reminded her of her own Hogwarts days.
"I bloody love chocolate!"
Venom could contain itself no longer. It burst forth with a triumphant roar.
Tentacles slamd the compartnt door shut while simultaneously tearing into Chocolate Frog packages with manic enthusiasm.
The enchanted frogs leaped and croaked as they were systematically devoured by Venom's at-grinder maw.
"Christ, this is incredible!"
"Best chocolate I've ever tasted! I love magic!"
"Ha! It's still hopping about in my mouth!"
"Tiger, I'm so moved I could weep!"
The jarring contrast left Hermione and Neville gaping in bewildernt.
It was like watching Lucifer himself transform into an overgrown toddler discovering candy for the first ti.
A wizard card slipped from one of the packages. Venom's tentacle snatched it reflexively.
"What's this then?"
"So chocolate mascot?"
Venom examined the card with obvious confusion, rotating it between its appendages.
The card featured a stern-looking wizard with a white beard and a distinctly bald pate, who seed to be glaring disapprovingly at Venom.
"That's Adalbert Waffling..."
"Cos free with the Chocolate Frogs."
Neville's voice quavered as he offered a careful explanation:
"Extrely rare card—definitely top ten. He's considered the father of magical theory..."
His timid gaze remained fixed on the card, radiating a mixture of awe and desperate longing.
"Why didn't they put on it?"
Venom tossed the card dismissively toward Neville while another tentacle claid a chocolate gateau.
"Keep it... chomp..."
"Bloody hell... munch munch... Tiger... munch munch... you absolutely must... munch munch..."
"Try this!"
Venom's pale, predatory eyes sparkled with delight. Tiger watched with resigned exasperation as it protectively curled around the remaining cake.
You'd better not be lying about how good that tastes.
anwhile, Neville stared at the card in his trembling hands. His fearful expression lted into pure, radiant joy.
"I've got an Adalbert Waffling card!" His excited whisper filled the compartnt.
"rlin's beard! Gran, I finally have an Adalbert Waffling card!"
He nearly bounced out of his seat with excitent, but Venom's writhing tentacles occupied most of the cramped space, forcing him to contain his euphoria.
"Thank you! Sir!" He gazed at Venom with heartfelt gratitude, his voice thick with genuine respect.
"You're truly a good person!"
Venom froze mid-chew. It swiveled toward Neville as if it had misheard:
"You talking about ?"
Neville's throat bobbed nervously as he nodded: "Yes, sir! You!"
"You're a good person... I'm sorry for being so... inappropriate... earlier..."
"HA!"
Venom's explosive laughter bood through the compartnt.
"I'm a good person!?"
"Tiger! D'you hear that!"
"He called a good person! Brilliant! I like this one! He's got excellent taste!"
"AHAHAHAHA!"
Watching Venom preen and show off shalessly, Tiger turned away with studied indifference.
What's there to be so bloody proud of?
I'm a good person too!
Kid's got terrible judgnt.
~~~~❃❃~~~~~~~~❃❃~~~~
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