"Crack!"
Neville's hand shot out to catch the chocolate frog that had leapt from its box onto the table. In one swift motion, he brought it to his mouth and bit off its head, chewing with evident satisfaction.
(How brutal! Jerry thought with amusement.)
Meanwhile, Trevor, Neville's golden-backed toad rested nearby, seemingly giving his owner the cold shoulder as he watched the chocolate amphibian meet its demise. With a single hop, Trevor disappeared beneath the seat.
"Neville, you seem quite fond of Chocolate Frogs," Hermione observed, delicately nibbling at her Cauldron Cake as she watched Neville devour his sixth chocolate frog rapidly.
"It's not that I particularly like them," Neville explained between bites. "It's the Famous Witch and Wizard cards inside that I collect. I've got... oh no, I can't remember how many I've collected or which ones I'm still missing!" His excitement faded into dismay as his notorious forgetfulness struck again.
Jerry smiled to himself. The combination of blind-box purchases and collectable items clearly transcended cultural boundaries, even wizards weren't immune to the allure of completing a collection. It reminded him of his childhood in his previous life, when he'd spent what little pocket money he had on Little Raccoon instant noodles, not because he enjoyed the taste, but to collect the 108 Heroes of the Water Margin trading cards that came with them. Though he never did manage to complete the set.
Pushing aside the nostalgic memory, Jerry leaned forward with Hermione to examine the card Neville had placed on the table.
The portrait featured an elderly man with flowing white hair and an equally impressive white beard. He wore half-moon spectacles perched on a long, crooked nose, and was dressed in deep purple robes that seemed to shimmer slightly in the light. Despite his advanced age, his eyes twinkled with kindness and unmistakable intelligence.
Below the image was a name: Albus Dumbledore.
"It's Dumbledore!" Hermione exclaimed, clearly impressed by this fortuitous find.
Jerry reached over and flipped the card. On the reverse side was printed a brief biography:
Albus Dumbledore, current Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
Widely considered the greatest wizard of modern times.
Professor Dumbledore's notable achievements include:
The defeat of the dark wizard Grindelwald in 1945
The discovery of the twelve uses of dragon's blood
His work on alchemy with his partner, Nicolas Flamel
Professor Dumbledore enjoys chamber music and ten-pin bowling.
"'Defeated the dark wizard Grindelwald in 1945' I imagine that's an achievement Dumbledore has mixed feelings about," Jerry mused quietly, recalling what he knew from the Fantastic Beasts series about Dumbledore and Grindelwald's complex past as devoted lovers turned bitter adversaries.
When he turned the card back over, the portrait of Dumbledore had vanished, presumably wandered off to visit another portrait, as magical images were wont to do.
"Neville, you might want to moderate your consumption of Chocolate Frogs in the future," Jerry suggested, looking up from the card to find Neville still trying to recollect his collection inventory.
"Why?" Neville asked, genuinely puzzled.
"Well, for one thing, too much chocolate isn't good for your health," Jerry replied diplomatically, glancing briefly at Neville's chubby frame. "And for another, the collection is designed to be nearly impossible to complete, that's how they keep selling Chocolate Frogs."
Jerry silently added, " Not to mention it might make finding a girlfriend more challenging down the road."
"Speaking of Hogwarts," Hermione interjected, the sight of Dumbledore's card apparently triggering a new train of thought, "have either of you decided which House you're hoping to be sorted into?"
Before either boy could respond, she continued with barely contained enthusiasm:
"I'm hoping for Gryffindor, they say it's the best. Dumbledore himself was a Gryffindor, you know. Though I suppose Ravenclaw wouldn't be too terrible either..."
Her question seemed to have been largely rhetorical, a prelude to sharing her preferences.
Once Hermione had finished her impromptu lecture on Hogwarts Houses, Neville summoned his courage to speak up:
"I'm hoping for Gryffindor too," he admitted. "My grandmother says both my parents were Gryffindors."
"What about you, Jerry?" Hermione asked, nodding approvingly at Neville's response before turning her attention to Jerry. "Which House do you want?"
Jerry paused thoughtfully before responding with a confident smile:
"Gryffindor, without a doubt."
After considerable deliberation, Jerry had indeed made up his mind about his preferred House. Initially, he'd leaned toward Ravenclaw or Hufflepuff, thinking they might offer a quieter environment where he could focus on learning magic and developing his abilities away from danger and drama.
But upon further reflection, he realised that his chronic deficit of Crimson Stars might be better addressed by joining the more adventure-prone Gryffindor House, where opportunities to earn Stars would likely be more plentiful.
Additionally, despite her stern demeanour, Professor McGonagall, the Head of Gryffindor, had left a favourable impression on Jerry during their brief interaction. Jerry suspected that maintaining good academic performance would put him in her good graces, potentially leading to special accommodations, much like the Time-Turner she had procured for Hermione in her third year to facilitate her ambitious course load.
Most critically, Jerry had formulated a plan to acquire a quality broomstick before his next return to the Marvel universe. His current method of transportation there was woefully inefficient for collecting Crimson Stars. By joining Gryffindor, he could position himself within the canon storyline, intercepting Neville's Remembrall before Harry Potter had the chance, and demonstrating his flying prowess to Professor McGonagall.
If all went according to plan, McGonagall would make the same exception for him that she'd made for Harry in the original timeline: inviting him to join the Gryffindor Quidditch team and providing him with a top-of-the-line Nimbus 2000 broomstick.
The fastest flying broom in the wizarding world, obtained entirely free of charge!
As for any concerns about his flying abilities, Jerry wasn't worried in the slightest.
What did Quidditch truly test, after all?
Magical power? Spell-casting ability?
Of course not, otherwise, Harry, who'd had no magical training whatsoever at the beginning of his first year, would never have made the team.
No, Quidditch primarily tested physical coordination, reflexes, and sensory acuity. Peak physical condition and heightened senses were far more crucial than magical prowess.
This principle extended to magical combat as well. While powerful spells were important, a wizard's physical fitness and reaction time often determined the outcome of duels.
Hermione, for instance, far surpassed Harry in her understanding of magic and academic ability. Yet in practical combat scenarios, Harry consistently demonstrated superior fighting capabilities.
That was why Harry was immediately granted an exemption to join the Quidditch team, while Hermione struggled in their flying lessons.
And when it came to physical fitness and sensory acuity, those were precisely Jerry's strengths.
Once he managed the basic feat of getting his broom airborne, his superhuman state activated, instantly elevating his physical capabilities and senses to their maximum potential. Jerry was confident that, with these advantages, he could outperform not only the naturally talented Harry Potter but even professional Quidditch players.