HP : Hogwarts, mashup, multiverse more with gacha, GOT, marvel, dxd dc

"Can I sit here?" Luna asked softly.

Draco glanced toward the door of the train compartment.

"I don't think I bought the whole place," he replied dryly. "So yeah, take a seat."

Luna gave a small nod and settled into the seat across from him.

Draco hadn't bothered sitting with the other Slytherins this time. From his memories, all they'd do during the ride was talk about who would spend their vacation where, and what expensive nonsense they'd be doing. Not that he thought it was wrong. If they had wealth, it was their choice to flaunt it. And if someone felt jealous, well, that wasn't their fault. It's not like they made your family poor.

Of course, it wasn't always just shallow bragging. Sometimes the talk shifted to magical theories or the latest spells someone's older cousin had learned. If that was all they did, Draco wouldn't have minded sitting with them. But the issue wasn't the content. It was the attention.

He had avoided most of them easily at school. But the train? That was harder. In this tight space, with his name and face being so recognisable, finding peace was almost impossible.

That's why he'd chosen this part of the train. Fewer Slytherins, fewer people in general, especially the kind who talked to him like they knew him.

The compartment door slid open again.

"Is there any space left?" a familiar voice asked.

Draco muttered under his breath, "Isn't this a bit too much…"

Luna turned toward the door. "Yes, no one else is here besides us, Hermione."

Hermione didn't take a seat right away. She looked at Draco, hesitating for a second as if weighing whether she should stay or find another compartment. Then her expression shifted, calm but stubborn.

Why should I leave? Hmph. It's not like he can do anything on the train anyway.

"Thanks," she said simply and slid into the seat beside Luna.

Draco sighed. Well, at least it's not Potter or Weasley.

He knew both of them were stuck at school for winter break. Potter because of his family, or lack of one, and Weasley because his family didn't miss a chance to save money when they could freeload off Hogwarts instead.

Why am I wasting time thinking about them? Draco shook his head and forced his focus back. Focus. Priorities.

How can I increase the strength of the Patronus Charm?

His brow furrowed. It still refused to take shape. No form, just mist.

If I can't boost its power through conventional means, maybe I should try combining it with another spell. Layer it. Control it.

A fireball wreathed in Patronus mist flickered through his imagination. Draco tapped his fingers lightly on his knee, lost in thought.

The compartment door slid open again, breaking his focus.

"Do you need anything, dears?" asked the trolley lady, her usual warm smile in place.

Draco looked up, briefly considering it, then shook his head. "No."

Hermione and Luna, however, browsed the selection and picked a few sweets.

As they did, Draco's eyes narrowed slightly. That woman. He'd come across theories about her in some fanfiction forums back in his old life. Some claimed she was a spy, working for a hidden muggleborn resistance group or some obscure half-blood network. Others suggested she was quietly linked to the Ministry, perhaps even tasked with monitoring students during the train ride. Honestly? That seemed plausible. After all, she had access to every compartment, every face, every year.

The Ministry isn't just Fudge and his idiocy, Draco mused. It's a sprawling beast. Departments, hidden powers, interwoven factions. Always scouting for talent. Especially the isolated, the ambitious, the expendable.

Muggleborns were rarely offered true support, despite the pretence of light-side idealism. Connections mattered. If a muggleborn wasn't exceptional or didn't tie themselves to a powerful sponsor, they'd remain background noise. Even among pure-blood factions that looked down on them, no one was foolish enough to ignore talent forever. Alliances could be made. Deals struck.

The idea that the light side would just welcome anyone with open arms? That's just propaganda. At the end of the day, there are no eternal enemies, no eternal friends, only interests.

Draco exhaled slowly. That's the only omniversal constant.

"I still believe Crumple-Horned Snorkacks are real," Luna said with serene confidence.

Hermione blinked. "There's no proof. Everyone else says they're just a myth."

"They're not," Luna replied calmly. "My father told me about them when I was young."

"Maybe he just told you that to mess with you," Hermione muttered, folding her arms.

Luna didn't even flinch. "Maybe. But I don't think he would lie about something that important."

Draco sighed, rubbing his forehead. How could I forget… where there are women, there can't be peace.

"Draco, what do you think?" Luna asked, turning to him with those wide, expectant eyes.

He rolled his eyes. The look said why am I being dragged into this, but he still gave a resigned sigh and spoke.

"Maybe your father did lie to you," he said flatly. "But maybe it was just to give you good memories."

Luna's smile faltered slightly, her gaze dipping down. Hermione's expression, on the other hand, shifted. Smug and victorious, as if even Malfoy was siding with her.

But Draco continued before she could gloat. "Or... maybe it's real, just too rare or too well-hidden. Like how Muggles think magic's fake just because they can't see it."

That made Luna's head lift again, her eyes brightening a little.

Hermione opened her mouth, paused, then slowly shut it.

"I'll definitely find it," Luna said softly but with firm conviction.

Draco turned his head, staring out the window as the train rattled on.

"Just… end this journey already."

********

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