The older a person grows and the more experiences they accumulate, the harder it becomes to feel anything new, to be truly moved or touched.
The Thai-style landslide remains unchanged in color. This phrase describes a person's calm composure, not their boredom or despair.
There is only Mount Tai in the world. Even as it crumbled before her eyes, she remained utterly unchanged. How many disasters had this person survived? It was both depressing and dull.
The journey was safe. No child lost a toad, and no Malfoy appeared—this time, the train reached its destination without incident.
As the station approached, Hermione repeatedly asked George if her hair was messy, her dress appropriate, or if she had gained weight. Would her parents recognize her? Or would they think she was flustered, unable to carry her luggage, and therefore hadn't come?
"You look like a little princess right now. Nothing suits you better than how you look now. You've filled out a bit since you first arrived. It seems the school meals are excellent. I bet the moment you step off the train, they'll recognize you immediately."
George continued to reassure Hermione, telling her she looked even more beautiful than when she first arrived. They might whisper to themselves, "Who is this lovely little princess?" George's constant praise eased Hermione's nerves.
The normally serious George kept offering exaggerated words of comfort. Hermione couldn't help laughing, her heart warming and her tension melting away.
George had already taken both of their suitcases and, as the train stopped, he let Hermione walk ahead.
As George said, once off the train, Hermione saw a couple waving from a distance and running toward her. Her eyes reddened, and she ran to embrace them.
"What's wrong, darling? Why are you crying? School isn't bad, is it? School isn't bad, so we won't skip it." Mr. and Mrs. Granger held their daughter tightly, both joyful and anxious. They hugged Hermione firmly, then loosened their embrace slightly to examine her, before hugging her tightly again.
"No, school is great. I just missed you," Hermione said through her tears.
Hearing her words, the Grangers felt relieved once more.
"Mr. and Mrs. Granger, don't worry. Hermione missed you terribly. She started getting excited on the train. Besides, she's an excellent student at the university and very well-liked by her peers. You see, she's only a little heavier," George said.
"Oh, let me see. My dear really has put on some weight. Looks like she hasn't been lacking at school!" Mrs. Granger exclaimed, grabbing Hermione, patting her, and drawing her conclusion.
"All right, I won't disturb your family reunion. Goodbye!" George said, setting down Hermione's luggage and turning to leave, unwilling to interrupt their moment.
"What a polite and handsome young man," Mr. Granger remarked. He admired George's behavior, even briefly considering befriending him, but decided his daughter came first.
George picked up the luggage and approached a tall, blonde girl. "Long time no see, Anna!"
"Master, I hope you can be like your classmates!" Anna said, pointing toward Hermione and her family in the distance.
George set down the luggage and stepped forward, embracing her tightly. "Long time no see, Anna!"
Anna hugged George, stroking his head gently. "Welcome home, my master!"
The fireplace blazed warmly. On either side, beautiful Christmas trees stood, and orange string lights made the living room feel cozy and inviting.
The three of them had a quiet yet heartwarming Christmas dinner.
As soon as George arrived home, his grandmother, Mrs. Jessica Soros, placed steaming fruit pies and puddings on the table. Next came avocado with fried salmon, and the main course was roasted mashed potatoes with roast goose.
George had restrained himself from eating on the train, but now at home, his appetite returned in full force. This time, he even intentionally wanted to eat more, which surprised everyone.
Yet he was still outmatched by his grandmother and Anna. They had prepared all of George's favorite foods. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't finish everything. They themselves ate little, seemingly content just to watch George enjoy his meal.
After dinner, Mrs. Soros sat on the sofa by the fireplace. "So, our George has finally made friends."
"And a lovely little girl at that," Anna said, covering her mouth with her hand, smiling.
"Grandma, I'm only eleven," George said helplessly, sitting across from her, subjected to the 'interrogation' by his grandmother and Anna.
"Who would guess you're only eleven!" Mrs. Soros and Anna exchanged a glance and laughed together.
"I'm not worried about your studies, nor about whether you can take care of yourself. That has never been a problem. Can you make more friends? That would make me very happy," Mrs. Soros said, pausing to look at George.
"If necessary, I'll invite them home," George replied calmly.
"You're always so organized, not like a child at all," Mrs. Soros said, her tone balancing between praise and mild reproach.
"No wonder you're like this. It's just you and Anna at home. How could you act like a child in another family?" Mrs. Soros suddenly grew a little sad. "But it's fine, Anna is still here!" She reached out and pulled Anna to sit beside him.
Seeing his grandmother begin to feel guilty again, George shifted the topic to business to distract her.
"I founded a group called the Mutual Aid Society at school. I've made many friends and met some senior students about to graduate. I have great confidence in them."
After a while, seeing his grandmother recover, George continued, "I plan to arrange for some very promising students to work at our family bookstore. I also plan to expand the store, aiming for it to become a leading bookstore in the magical world."
"You really are optimistic about those students. You used to be so indifferent to the bookstore," Mrs. Soros pointed out sharply.
"Since it's just you and Anna at home, running the bookstore takes a lot of your time. Now that you have new staff, I still hope you spend more time doing things that make you happy," George said boldly.
Anna looked at George firmly, helplessly turning to Mrs. Soros. "It seems our little George is still stubbornly taking care of us."
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