As the chatter of the first-years gradually faded behind him, Solace pushed open the door to the compartment with a casual flick of his wrist. The Hogwarts Express, with its steady clatter and hum, seemed to pulse with excitement. It was as if the entire train was alive, a blend of anticipation and mischief bubbling in the air.
He stepped into the corridor, his boots tapping lightly against the wood floor as he adjusted his cloak. The scent of warm food and magical snacks mingled with the scent of old leather and steam. Solace couldn't help but smirk at the sight of students piled into compartments, some already shoving their faces full of sweets while others practiced spells in makeshift duels. He briefly wondered if they were already testing out spells to impress their new classmates or simply to pass the time.
He passed one compartment where a group of first-years sat in wide-eyed awe, their faces glued to a game of Wizard's Chess. The board was in utter chaos—two knights were on top of the castle, one of the rooks had fallen over, and the queen was actively trying to leap off the board, clearly fed up. Solace couldn't resist.
"Careful," he called out as he passed by, "It looks like your chessboard is about to start a revolution. Better lock down those pawns before they start a rebellion."
The students looked up, startled, but then quickly broke into nervous laughter. One of them, a freckled boy with glasses, hurriedly moved his pieces back into place, eyes darting nervously around to see if anyone else had noticed.
Solace continued down the corridor, smirking to himself, when he noticed something truly amusing—two students attempting to levitate a very large, very reluctant toad. It was hovering about three feet off the floor, and as Solace drew closer, it let out an enormous croak and plummeted back down, landing with an almost comically loud thud.
"Ah, the art of levitation," Solace remarked, tilting his head as he stopped to watch. "Not quite the flying carpet you hoped for, I take it?"
The students, both Slytherins by the looks of their green scarves, shot him a glare, clearly embarrassed. "This isn't funny," one of them snapped, before he pointed his wand at the toad again, trying to make it rise.
Solace gave them an amused look. "Trust me, it'll fly when it's ready. You just need a little more charm with it."
He gave a playful wink and turned away before they could respond, continuing his stroll. His eyes caught a group of third-year Gryffindors playing Exploding Snap in a nearby compartment. The sound of cards flipping and the occasional shriek of surprise filled the air as one card went off with an explosion that left half the group covered in confetti and glitter.
"Careful there," Solace called, leaning in the doorway. "If you keep playing like that, you'll end up with more sparkles than a unicorn in a glitter factory."
The students froze, staring at him as if he had suddenly appeared from thin air. Then, slowly, a few of them chuckled.
"Didn't mean to be that sparkly," one of them muttered, brushing glitter out of his hair. "But if you think we're bad, you should see Fred and George Weasley."
At the mention of the twins' names, Solace's grin widened. "Ah, now that's a group I'd like to meet."
As he made his way to the next carriage, he passed another compartment, this one occupied by a group of second-year Ravenclaws. They were deep in a heated discussion about which house was superior, the debate escalating as each student named off reasons why their house was the best. It was friendly—mostly—but Solace couldn't resist interrupting.
"Ravenclaws, huh?" he said, raising an eyebrow as he leaned in the doorway, "It's all about the books, the knowledge, and the cleverness, right?"
One of the Ravenclaws, a sharp-eyed girl with glasses, nodded enthusiastically. "Of course! It's about thinking before acting!"
Solace smirked and casually pointed to a nearby compartment where a boy had just spilled an entire box of Chocolate Frogs all over the floor. "So... who's the genius who thought it was a good idea to bring that and an open box of frogs onto the same train?"
The group burst into laughter, the tension of their debate vanishing as they shared the absurdity of the situation.
With a final glance down the corridor, Solace chuckled to himself. The train was chaos, but it was a kind of beautiful chaos. He couldn't help but enjoy the farcical nature of the ride—a perfect way to ease into his first year at Hogwarts.
The train car rocked gently, but Solace's steps were as steady as ever, his eyes scanning the sea of students. Most were too busy with their own excited chatter to notice him, but he was already scanning for his next target. And there she was—standing in the doorway of her compartment, arms crossed, her eyes half-lidded as she looked out at the moving landscape.
Selena Thornfield.
He couldn't help but admire the way she seemed to own her space. There was an elegance to her aloofness, a sort of cold brilliance in the way she ignored the chaos around her, like she was too important to engage with the noise of the world. Solace, of course, loved nothing more than disrupting that tranquility.
Without a moment's hesitation, he leaned casually against the doorframe, his hands tucked into his pockets as he shot her a grin.
"Selena," he said, his voice the perfect mix of teasing and smooth, "I was beginning to think the rumors about you were exaggerated. I heard you were practically untouchable."
Her eyes flickered to him, and for a moment, he could see the tiniest hint of annoyance. Perfect.
"Rumors?" She raised a brow, keeping her tone icy and controlled. "I don't concern myself with such things, Mr. Antigonus. I have better things to do."
Solace flashed an exaggerated look of mock sympathy. "What a shame. I had hoped to find some truth in them. All this talk of cold, untouchable beauty… and yet, here you are, standing all alone. I could've sworn you were a legend. The kind of girl who never steps out of her tower."
She scoffed lightly, her lips curving into a smirk that was almost imperceptible. "I don't waste my time with tower-dwelling romantics."
"Oh no," he grinned, straightening up slightly. "I'm not romantic, Selena. I'm pragmatic. It's simple—just think of me as the person who finally gets you to step down from your tower." He paused, eyes twinkling. "I'd even bring you a ladder."
Her eyes narrowed, her face remaining an unreadable mask, though he could swear he caught the hint of a smile threatening to break through. "I'm not in the habit of climbing ladders. They're usually for people who can't manage stairs."
"Ah, but you see," Solace said, leaning in slightly, "the fun's not in the climb—it's in the fall."
The words were out before he realized it, and he saw her stiffen just slightly, her composure slipping for a fraction of a second. A moment of vulnerability, so faint it was almost imperceptible.
"Are you trying to be clever?" she asked, her voice still cold but with a hint of something else, a flicker of amusement.
Solace straightened again, feigning innocence. "Trying? Selena, I am clever. But don't worry, I'll let you catch up."
Selena's lip curled, her eyes narrowing, but this time, she didn't retreat—no, she leaned in just slightly, tilting her head as if measuring him up.
"I'm not impressed, you know," she said, the words floating lazily between them.
"Not yet," Solace countered, "but I'm working on it. I'll wear you down, slowly but surely." He grinned, enjoying the playful banter. "It's all about subtlety, really."
She chuckled lightly, almost to herself, and the sound was like an unexpected crack in the ice, warming the otherwise cool atmosphere. "You think too much of yourself."
"Just enough," he quipped. "But here's the real question: Do you really think you can resist me forever?"
She raised an eyebrow, the challenge clear in her gaze. "I'm not resisting you. I'm just... ignoring you."
"Ah, classic mistake," Solace said with a sly smile. "Ignoring me only makes me more interesting."
Selena's lips twitched, and he could see the faintest hint of a smile fighting its way through her cold mask. It wasn't much, but it was enough.
"Well, I'm glad I'm entertaining you, but you'd do well not to get too comfortable." She took a step back, clearly trying to regain control of the situation. "I don't make a habit of indulging in nonsense."
"Oh, but I'm always nonsense," Solace said, taking a mock bow. "Nonsense with style, of course. You might just learn to love it."
She rolled her eyes, her expression unreadable again as she shifted her weight, her aloofness sliding back into place. "I'm sure I'll survive."
"Ah, yes. Survival. That's all you're about, isn't it?" Solace said, tapping his chin. "But there's more to life than survival, Selena. You should try living a little."
She looked at him with that same cool gaze, but he noticed something in her eyes—just a flicker of uncertainty, hidden quickly behind the barrier she'd so carefully built.
"Maybe," she said with a small, almost reluctant smile. "But not today, Antigonus. Not today."
With that, she finally stepped back into her compartment, leaving him with a satisfied grin. He hadn't fully cracked her—yet—but she was no longer the cold, untouchable figure she'd been when he first approached her. She was interesting now. Human. And that was exactly what Solace wanted.