[Meanwhile… at the front of the train…]
A small girl with long, burnt-brown hair adjusted her robes and strode with purpose towards the door to the first compartment. She fought to keep her nerves under control as she neared. Daddy had spent the last week drilling into her head how important this was. She reached for the door handle and paused.
....
Actually, she should really find and talk to her best friend before she joined Malfoy shouldn't she? Otherwise they wouldn't see each other the whole train ride. Yes. That was a good idea. She turned around and marched away from the compartment, sure of foot, and firm in purpose.
.....
[Moments later…]
Harry finished brushing his teeth in the tiny train bathroom, slipped his shrunk trunk back into his black silk robes, and poked his head out into the corridor. All clear. His signature 'I'm fine' Slytherin mask lit up his face with a glint of humour and a boatload of confidence. He swept to the first compartment, knocked, and slid back the door.
Four pairs of eyes latched onto his. Malfoy, Crabbe, Goyle, and Parkinson. Four pairs of eyes narrowed.
"Bugger off, Potter," sneered Pansy. "This is our end of the train."
Harry grinned. "My sincere apologies, my lady. But I fear your aggression may be misplaced. I'm sure Heir Malfoy would be happy to introduce us?"
Draco's face relaxed back into boredom. "Oh, Harry, it's you."
Pansy's head whirled between him and Draco. "What?" Her voice was wary. "Draco, what's going on?"
Crabbe and Goyle looked between the three, immediate aggression held back only by sudden confusion.
Draco stood. "Heiress Parkinson, may I present Harry Potter, estranged twin of the Most Ancient and Noble House of Potter. Mister Potter, this is a close friend of my family, Heiress Parkinson, of the Noble House of Parkinson."
The outside sounds of other children laughing and crying seeped into the compartment.
"Whhaaatttt? Draco, is this a joke?"
Draco sat back down.
He smiled. "I assure you, Heiress Parkinson, this is no joke." He bowed to the slightly flat faced girl. He turned. "And you, gentlemen?"
The Crabbe and Goyle boys fumbled through their formal introductions.
Pansy crossed her arms. "Well, okay, but what are you doing here? Shouldn't you be at the back of the train, with your brother?" She sneered the last word.
"I don't get on well with my family. As to why I'm here…I'm shopping."
Pansy's eyes knitted together. "Shopping?"
"Yes." He turned back to Draco. "Heir Malfoy, I believe you will be addressing the compartment soon after leaving. May I request the honour of a seat to listen in?"
Pansy looked incredulous. "Potter, we're full. We've been full for weeks."
He inclined his head. "I'm aware of that. However, I could take a seat until the eighth arrives and then just stand for a few minutes after that."
He looked between Pansy and Draco. The Malfoy heir seemed deep in thought. Eventually the blonde gestured a languid hand. "Very well, Harry. However, once all the real wizards arrive, you'll have to leave."
His warm smile tweaked a quarter-inch wider. "Of course, Heir Malfoy. You have my thanks and gratitude." He sat down and made himself comfortable.
Beside him, Pansy stuck her nose in the air and harrumphed. "Well, at least you have manners."
The door opened and Theodore Nott stuck his head in the compartment. "Hi everyo—" the Nott heir's eyes fell on him "—Whaa?"
.....
[Halfway between the first and middle compartment]
John Potter marched through the corridors of Hogwarts Express, glancing into the compartments as he passed.
Time was short. He knew he had to find Hermione before they left the station or he wouldn't get the chance. The younger versions of his friends and classmates would be expecting him in the end compartment.
Every other footstep brought with it a new pointed finger, another whisper, a poorly hidden giggle or blush. He responded with nods, smiles, and even the occasional wink, causing said blushes to deepen. The open-seating carriage were the most extreme. All eyes on him, every move and gesture analysed and giggled over. He had to dodge out of the way of more than one pair of fourth or fifth year girl's arms, who thought he was 'utterly adorable'. Frustrating, considering he thought they were much the same.
He'd started at the second to first compartment and was nearly at the middle of the train, and he still hadn't found Hermione. Obviously she wasn't going to be in the first compartment, the compartment of the Dark. He glanced into the compartment just before the middle one, gave a small head shake and moved on, passing said compartment without even a glance.
Obviously Hermione wasn't going to be in the Gray's compartment either. He continued looking all the way down the train and, eventually, arrived just outside the last compartment. He bit his lip. Had something happened to Hermione? He'd never known the bushy haired witch to be late for anything, and the train would leave any moment.
He sighed, put on his game face, and slid open the compartment door. The faces of Susan Bones, Ron Weasley, Lavender Brown, Sally Smith, Padma Patil, Neville Longbottom, and Hannah Abbott, greeted him. They were all here. He forced a cheerful smile and sat down.
They exchanged a round of greetings and pleasantries. Susan, Lavender, and Padma were excited. Sally, Neville, and Hannah were nervous. Ron, as was so typical of his red-headed friend, seemed bored.
There was a slight shift and the world outside the window started to move away from them. They were off. As one, all the children turned to him, expectancy alight in their faces.
He took a deep breath and reached into his occlumency. "Friends. Thank you all for sitting with me today. I know that much of this has been arranged by our parents, but I'd like to think that even without their involvement, we'd have come together like this anyway."
....
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