Hearing Harry calmly say Avada Kedavra and the name of that person, Ron felt momentarily dazed.
"This… so that's how it is, Mr. Potter," he muttered, still struggling to process it.
He had been too excited to see Harry at first, but when the topic of Lord Voldemort arose, hesitation gripped him. It felt as though, even face to face, a thick barrier separated them.
"Actually… I've always wondered—why do you call him 'You-Know-Who'?" Ron admitted, his voice trembling.
"What's wrong?" Harry asked calmly.
"You said You-Know-Who's name!" Ron exclaimed, half shocked, half moved. "I always thought that, among everyone… only you—"
"It's just a name," Harry interrupted. "It's no big deal. Is it cursed?"
The thought struck Harry suddenly: perhaps it actually was. But then again, his own divine protection suppressed most curses. And now that Voldemort was gone, any lingering effects would have weakened considerably.
"Never mind. Let's not dwell on this," Harry said lightly. "Let's talk about other things."
They shifted to lighter conversation, and Ron, far more candid than even Hagrid, shared everything on his mind. It was easy for Harry to enjoy such straightforward company; no pretenses were needed.
Harry learned that Ron came from the pure-blood Weasley family and had five older brothers.
The two eldest, Bill and Charlie, had already graduated. Bill had been Head Boy, and Charlie had captained the Quidditch team. Percy, the third brother, was a rigid prefect. The fourth and fifth brothers were outgoing and jovial.
Quidditch wasn't new to Harry; he saw it as wizard football. In his world, he had never flaunted non-human abilities, keeping a low profile to avoid trouble. His highest sporting achievements had been the 2008 Men's Basketball Olympic gold and several individual titles. Previously, basketball had been a means to secure a special admission. Now, unless it gained him attribute points, he had no interest in playing again.
The Weasley household seemed financially constrained, judging by Ron's secondhand robes from Bill and an old wand from Charlie. Wizards were audacious—magic was dangerous enough without borrowing wands. Ron also had an old rat Percy had discarded. Harry could sense the rat's inherently malicious nature; it was practically a bully among rodents.
A king among beggars remained a beggar; a king among cockroaches and rats was still a pest.
If it weren't for its owner, Harry would have stomped this evil rat without hesitation. The rat, named Scabbers, was unusually strong, possessing at least one point of innate magic. Perhaps it was a rare breed—or the Weasleys' guardian creature? Regardless, Harry decided he didn't need to investigate further. Many wizards kept unusual pets; for instance, the round-faced boy Harry had passed on the platform was obsessed with a lost toad. Wizard aesthetics were often peculiar.
At noon, Harry bought various snacks, and they ate together. Chocolate Frogs came with collectible cards featuring famous wizards from ancient times to the present. Ron had amassed nearly five hundred cards, missing only Agrippa and Ptolemy, much like collecting hero cards from instant noodle sets.
Harry opened a Chocolate Frog and revealed the card. A man with half-moon spectacles, a long crooked nose, and flowing silver hair and beard stared back. The name below read: Albus Dumbledore.
The back contained a brief biography:
Albus Dumbledore, current Principal of Hogwarts. Widely recognized as the greatest wizard of his time. Dumbledore's notable achievements include defeating the Dark Wizard Grindelwald in 1945, discovering twelve uses of dragon blood, and collaborating with Nicolas Flamel in alchemy.
Harry had heard the name countless times. Dumbledore was the world's most powerful magic user. Power commanded respect. If Voldemort had been the Dark Lord, Dumbledore could be considered the White Lord.
Just then, a knock came at their compartment door. The round-faced boy from the platform appeared, eyes filled with tears.
"Excuse me," he sniffled. "Have you seen my toad?"
Harry asked curiously, "Didn't your grandma help you find it?" Wizards usually had magical ways to track their pets.
"She found it, and I lost it again!" he cried, dashing away.
Harry shook his head. "Why not release it and get a kitten instead?"
Ron chuckled. "You think he'd take advice? Meanwhile, Scabbers here has quite the reputation."
Harry observed the rat. It was cleaner than ordinary rats, but its evil tendencies were unmistakable. Its appearance was repulsive; a hamster would be far more suitable. Ron, noticing Harry's glance, grumbled, "Tried to turn him yellow yesterday for fun. Didn't work, though. Watch closely…"
He fumbled in his trunk and pulled out a worn, patched wand with a faint white glow at the tip.
"The unicorn hair's nearly exposed, but…"
At that moment, the compartment door opened again. The boy returned, this time accompanied by a little girl with a mass of bushy brown hair and large front teeth.
"Has anyone seen a toad? Neville's lost one," she announced, her tone imperious.
Harry frowned. Though a child, she lacked basic courtesy.
"We told him we haven't seen it," Ron said, but the girl ignored him entirely, focusing on Ron's wand.
"Oh, are you doing magic? Let's see it, then." She plopped down.
Ron jumped, clearly flustered. "Oh—all right…"
He cleared his throat. "Daisy, buttercups, and sunshine, turn this stupid, fat rat yellow." He waved the wand, but nothing happened.
"Are you sure that's a real spell?" the girl scoffed. "Doesn't look very effective."
"It's just a minor mishap. Rude girl," Harry muttered. Then, stepping forward, he drew his wand and cast the same spell. His immense charm and magical skill forced the transfiguration through, turning the rat yellow.