Còir Buaidh

My eyes gazed over the forest that surrounded Dunscaith Castle and acted as a deterrent to most approaching the place by foot. Whatever creatures (beyond the Redcaps) existed in there, as well as whatever threat the torc warned me of whenever I moved too deep into the forest, would have to wait to be discovered. My time exploring was on hold until at least the Winter Solstice.

Turning, I took in the sight of the castle while standing on the short bridge that led from it to the grounds and nearby forest. This was my home and always would be, yet for the next seven years, I’d be spending most of my time away from here. While I was excited – almost beyond belief – to finally be attending Hogwarts, a part of me disliked having to leave my home.

Unlike most other students, I’d be able to return almost whenever I wanted, as I had leave to do so to handle Clan business. The issue was that to do that, I was meant to inform Dumbledore. As a Chief, I didn’t have to give him a reason for it, unlike an heir would have to, and while there was nothing Dumbledore could do to stop me from leaving, the fact he’d know about it was a concern. Another was that, while my mental defences were good for my age, Moire had confirmed a feeling that I’d had that the Headmaster was a Legilimens.

Now, if he tried to browse anything more than my surface thoughts, then the torc would warn me. However, even if I were aware of that, there was little to nothing I could do to stop him from forcing his way into my mind and then, in theory, altering my memories of the event so I’d not remember it.

Admittedly, that was a minor concern, but it was why I’d likely not use the logic of ‘Clan Business’ to explain why I was leaving Hogwarts when I needed to. At least not all the time. While I couldn’t be certain how he’d manage it, Dumbledore would have someone watching me, making sure I was attempting to sneak out of the castle, though I’d only begin to figure out how it was being done the first time I was caught.

The same went for returning to both spend time studying the fleshcarving tome and for observing the Ward Core. For the latter, I felt it was the key to discovering how to fully unlock Shadow Magic. I’d seen hints and mentions of it in books in the Inner Library – both regarding previous members of the Clan and from others – but I’d yet to unlock the pathway that led to it. That said, I hoped that there might be something – either in the Restricted Section or the Room of Requirement – that might offer a new insight into the magic.

As for fleshcarving, while the tome would remain at Dunscaith I had the memory of the page it had revealed to me. Some of what was there remained unknown, but I had a good idea now that the suggestion was one designed to increase my physical capacities, or at least my stamina and resilience. Those would be extremely useful, and while I planned to carve the rune into my flesh at the Winter Solstice at the latest, I was concerned that adding it while I was still growing might in some way impair my development. My ancestors couldn’t offer much help as fleshcarving didn’t generally happen until the subject was older, wiser, and prepared for what needed to be done. While I could cover two of those, it was my age that remained the issue.

As for what could be termed actual Clan business that might need my attention, there should, in theory, be little of it. While I couldn’t speak with my ancestors without actively returning, I could have Kadic deliver a message to them and return with a reply without leaving school. The Clan’s finances were seeing slow but steady growth, and while it was still a few years until the gold and oil investments I’d made would begin to pay off to the levels I was expecting, they’d already seen decent growth. Because of that, and a bet I’d made on the muggles reaching the moon this year, Ranlor was listening to my instructions to monitor certain industries in the muggle world while ensuring the accounts didn’t drop from any upkeep of Dunscaith and the various other properties under Clan – and thus my – control.

If anything came up, Ranlor would send me an owl, as would Arcturus if there was any matter in the Wizengamot that he felt I needed to be made aware of. Since I couldn’t take my seat, or even appoint someone to speak on my behalf, that was highly unlikely to happen, but the channel was there if needed.

While I did not need to be made aware of the comings and goings of the Wizengamot, Arcturus had introduced me to several Lords he was familiar with, and that, from what I could tell, held similar ideals to him. Lords Abraxas Malfoy, Ellsworth Nott, and Eldric Harcourt – along with a handful of others – had been, to varying degrees, dismissive towards me, which given my age made sense. However, since children and grandchildren of those Lords and Chiefs would be attending Hogwarts in my year, the meetings made sense, at least to open doors of friendship between the generations of their Houses that aligned with me.

Seeing the benefit of that, I’d arranged a few social gatherings of children of the Highland and Irish Clans that had children attending Hogwarts alongside me. Bar Amycus Carrow and Francis Bickerstaffe, I’d yet to meet any child that was the direct heir to their Clan or House. That said, there were a few who were firstborn children of the heir, meaning there was a good chance they would inherit their Clan or House, though Sara O’Sullivan was the only female in line to inherit.

A gentle pop to my right drew my thoughts away from politics, and turning my head I saw Kadic had apparated to my side. “Is it time?”

“Yes. Kadic has greeted the family of the MacLeod. They await near the fireplace.”

“Very well.” I walked forward, heading toward the main entrance to the castle. While Kadic could apparate me to my aunts and cousins, I wanted to take one last walk through my home before we left. “I’m going to miss this place,” I said as we reached the large oak doors that were, like much of the castle, engraved with runes to add an extra layer of protection on the chance the wards ever fell.

“The MacLeod can return when he wishes. Kadic stands ready to serve.”

I paused and turned to Kadic, placing my hand on his shoulder. “I know I can, and that you do,” I said, wondering how much longer I’d be able to do this without having to stoop. “You and Aien have my complete faith in keeping the castle maintained and secure while I’m gone.” Kadic’s chest rose, pleased at the praise.

“Kadic serves The MacLeod, from his first day until his last.”

“For both of us, I hope that day is a very, very long way away,” I responded with a chuckle.

With my piece said, I resumed walking, making my way toward the room containing the fireplace connected to the Floo. While Le Noir Domaine had the Floo in a fireplace in the foyer, one of my ancestors had decided to place the connection in a sitting room. It wasn’t the largest sitting room in the castle, but given its location near the main foyer, it was regarded as the primary sitting room.

Reaching the final door to the room, I found Xenocrates moving through the hall. “Hey there boy,” I said, stopping down. The raiju leapt up, landing on my arm. While he’d grown some since I’d first bonded with him, he was still small enough that I could hold him in my arms, though if I didn’t grow soon, that would start to be an issue. At least until he gained the ability to control his size and density.

I had considered placing Xeno in a cage – as pets were supposed to be transported – or in my chest, but had decided against it. He was my familiar, and while his being unlocked might upset some, they could get stuffed if I were going to apply the standard rules regarding pets to him.

The chest I was taking had, according to my ancestors, been in my family for several centuries. While old, it was more impressive than anything offered to prospective students in Diagon Alley. Not only was it designed to be far larger on the inside – so much so that I could, when using the right settings, enter it via a ladder – it was made specifically for the MacLeod of MacLeod, and could only be opened by pushing magic through the torc and into the chest.

The best feature of the chest, at least beyond the insane amount of storage space it contained and that I’d yet to fill up even a tenth of no matter everything I’d brought to help gain influence and allies, was that it had a special room that, through the torc and a Gaelic incantation, allowed me access to almost every book stored in Dunscaith. The Clan spellbook and the fleshcarving tome were, sadly, two of those nooks that the room couldn’t connect to, but almost everything else was accessible. That meant I didn’t need to bring a ton of books with me and then risk having them lost if the chest was somehow stolen or destroyed.

“I hope I haven’t kept you waiting,” I said as I entered the room containing the fireplace and saw Aunts Katrina and Moire, along with their daughters waiting. My aunts were sitting in two chairs, enjoying some tea while my cousins were trying to remain calm, but it was clear the pair were desperate to go. The pair had been standing together gossiping in one corner, though when they heard my voice they spun as one and if not for Katrina holding out an arm, might’ve rushed forward and dragged me to the fireplace.

Since Adele and Iona were starting Hogwarts as well, my aunts and ancestors had insisted that we travel there together. Normally, I’d be taken by my parents, but that simply wasn’t possible. While I was generally fine with this, as it gave me someone to escort me that I had a connection to, I was uncertain if I’d enjoy the journey, or the trip on the Hogwarts Express because of my cousins.

The pair had, as was common for young girls, the tendency to gossip and prattle on about so many mundane and boring topics that I’d spent the trip fighting the urge to silence them, struggling to follow as they bounced around their discussions, and doing my absolute best to not arrive at Hogwarts with a head-shattering migraine. Those concerns were another reason why Xeno would be kept out of a cage and nearby, as his rhythmic purring was incredibly soothing.

“It’s quite alright, Dòmhnall,” Katrina responded as she and Moire looked up at me. “I remember well how life-changing it was to first attend Hogwarts, and have gone through this twice before.”

The girls’ volume increased, their excitement at going to Hogwarts starting to show even as Moire glanced at my chest, which I saw had been joined by chests for my cousins. “I see you’re using the formal chest?”

“Yes. I don’t need the space inside, but it’s always better to have and not need,” I replied, drawing a nod from both aunts.

“Indeed, it is.” Moire raised her cup slightly, showing approval of my choice. “Particularly with your status as the first student of Hogwarts to be a Chief or Lord before starting schooling in centuries.”

“I’d rather not have that pressure or focus,” I responded as I moved closer, one hand casually stroking Xeno as he curried into my chest. “And I know that my title will count for nothing with my professors.”

“As it shouldn’t,” Katrina said after taking a sip of her tea. She placed the cup down and then stood. “Now,” she continued as she gently pushed down her robes, removing the creases that had formed from sitting, “perhaps we might consider being on our way? The train isn’t due to depart for over an hour, but it’s better to be early than exactly on time.”

“And the sooner Dòmhnall is through security, the sooner Director Hawthrone might refrain from constantly asking me for an update,” Moire added, which made me grin.

My aunt projected this air of calm to most but I’d yet to see her anything but alert and aware of everything going on around her. Which, given she was a DMLE Auror Investigator, made perfect sense. It was because of her that the DMLE’s Director was in contact with her.

While there were chances that anyone would try to attack me when I headed to board the Express, it was my first confirmed in advance public appearance since being acknowledged as Chief MacLeod. Or more accurately, my first when not attending a Ministry function that already had insane levels of security. Now, the odds were very slim at best that those behind the summer Solstice Massacre might try and take me out today, but given it was when I’d be my weakest – since, officially, I didn’t know anything but the Lumos charm – it was a possibility.

The new Minister of Magic hadn’t liked it when I’d submitted my request; especially as I had the backing of Arcturus and every Highland Clan. The Wizengamot had no direct control over the Express as that was Ministry business, but the implication was that if the Minister didn’t provide increased security then those Chiefs and Lords who’d backed my request might delay and oppose any motions she and her Ministry brought before the Wizengamot had ensured she’d agreed to the request.

I had little doubt that my request, and the support I had of the various Chiefs and Lords, had cost me influence with Minister Jenkins, but given she was likely to be out of office by the time I graduated, I didn’t mind expending any political goodwill to provide myself with increased protection and make clear my loyalties lay, for now, with the Wizengamot.

“Well, I wouldn’t want to annoy the Director,” I said. While officially less powerful than the Minister, Director Hawthorn controlled the Aurors and other magical law enforcement branches. It was never wise to anger the chief of police before you’d done something to warrant such anger.

A gentle flick of my arm had Xeno leap down, and as he landed silently I pulled my school wand from its holster. My Lordly wand was secure in its holster, but that was in a quick-draw duellist holster around my wrist. The rules might be clear about me not using it at Hogwarts, but there was zero chance I wasn’t taking it with me. I shouldn’t face any threat in the first few years that might see me unarmed, but I wasn’t going to chance that I might find my school wand removed from me by someone wishing me harm. Plus, the Lordly wand was easier to use, and I’d found that casting a new spell with it first made it easier to sense how magic was shifting and behaving, which made using the spell or charm with my school wand simpler.

With a flick of the wand, my chest levitated into the air, drawing a grunt from Iona. “That’s so not fair!” She whined, once more displaying dislike that not only had I had far longer to practise my spellcasting, but that I could, at least for a handful of spells, cast them silently. Adele also disliked me having had the extra time to practise, but since she was less inclined toward needing to know as much as she could, she rarely vocalised her frustrations.

The Levitation Charm wasn’t the only spell I could cast silently, but it was the only one I’d displayed to anyone. The less people knew about what I could do, the more likely they were to underestimate me. Which was something I wanted others to do as much as possible until I felt I could trust them implicitly.

“All it takes is practice, patience and time,” I replied as I moved toward the fireplace. My chest remained where it was, though there was a slight shaking to it when Xeno leapt up onto it. So long as a Floo connection was open, almost anything could travel through it, however, those who controlled the network insisted that any object travelling through the Floo was in contact with someone. That way, when it arrived, it didn’t tumble and potentially damage itself or anything or anyone on the other side. “Something that I’ve had an abundance of for the last four years.” That was blunt, but I was fed up dealing with Iona’s dislike of me being further along in my education than she was. I’d have traded most of that to have my family back, instead of having to live in a castle with no company bar Kadic, and then Aien and Xeno.

“While the reason behind you having the time to practise so diligently is tragic, the fact you cast even one of the easiest First Year spells silently is a testament to your skill and dedication.” Katrina’s counter was valid and when I looked at her, I caught her giving her daughter a slight scowl. “While being able to cast at least the Levitation Charm silently by the end of First Year is expected of those from old families, that you can do so now says good things about your own diligence.”

I lowered my head, accepting my aunt’s praise even as Moire moved to the fireplace. “Ministry of Magic, Locus Collectio,” she said after tossing the powder into the fire. The flames turned green, signifying the connection was active, and she turned back to face us. “I shall enter first. After that, Iona, Adele, and then Dòmhnall shall come through in that order.” I nodded, accepting the orders of the DMLE Investigator. My cousins did likewise, though the frown on Iona’s brow was another hint – in a litany of them – that she disliked when her mother became all business. I had no issues with it, as while not on duty today, she was in contact with the Aurors and other DMLE officials involved in today’s events.

Moire turned and then walked briskly into the flames. They swallowed her up in a swirl of green. A moment later Iona and then Adele followed her through. their chests had been levitated by Katrina and both girls, like me, kept a hand on their chest as it moved through the flames.

“Ready for this?” I asked Xeno as I moved toward the fireplace. The raiju disliked travelling through the Floo, often emerging with sparks dancing around his eyes. So far, that had been all the reaction he had, but it was clear he’d prefer to not travel through the Floo when it could contact his fur. Placing him inside the chest would’ve mitigated this issue, but I didn’t want to do that, fearing that there’d be a moment when the chest would be out of my sight. While everything inside was important, Xeno and my wands were too important to ever be so casually secured.

After Xeno confirmed he was, though I did see the beginnings of sparks within his eyes, I moved forward, bringing my chest with me. The magic of the Floo grasped me and pulled me into the flames. For a few moments, everything was the usual mess of swirling shades of green, before things cleared. When my foot touched solid ground, I continued forward, aware that not doing so would cause me to tumble when emerging from the network.

I blinked, adjusting to the brightness of the room I’d entered. However, as the muffled noise of hundreds of voices reached my ears, I saw that it wasn’t a room. This was a chamber that, in sheer size and scope, dwarfed almost everything I’d seen in the Wizarding World so far.

People were moving everywhere inside the chamber, and looking to my sides I saw rows of Floor points nearby. Each was about five metres from the next, granting those who emerged room to gather without crashing into each other. The row extended for at least three dozen Floo points each way, though there were likely more as anything further away was blocked out by the sheer number of bodies that seemed to merge into each other the further away they were. The sounds of their conversations were diluted by those of others, but I realised that some spellwork had been done to ensure that voices didn’t carry too far; otherwise, the chamber would be painful to move around with everyone present on days like today.

Taking a step aside to let Katrina emerge from the Floo, my eyes caught Moire standing with my cousins. Yet, their attention was not on her, nor on me. They stared upward, their gazes transfixed, and with a growing sense of wonder, I followed their line of sight. "Bloody hell," I breathed, the words slipping from my lips as the chamber's ceiling came into view.

It soared above, a vast expanse that seemed impossible to measure, a hundred metres or more. The entire surface was alive with movement, a tapestry of mythical creatures in perpetual motion. Everywhere I looked, magical beasts roamed, each one more captivating than the last. A herd of unicorns galloped gracefully across one section, pausing to lower their heads as though grazing on an unseen meadow. Nearby, nifflers scurried about, their noses twitching as they searched for hidden treasures. Above them, a flock of hippogriffs performed an aerial ballet, their movements fluid and intricate, far beyond the understanding of any mundane creation.

My attention was then drawn to a group of Pegasi soaring majestically above, their wings cutting through the air with effortless grace. Their flight was so smooth it seemed as if they were merely gliding through a dream. "Fuck!" I cursed, as the Pegasi scattered in all directions, making way for a colossal shape that dominated the ceiling. A dragon, but not like any I had ever encountered—its scales gleamed with a brilliant white-silver sheen, and its wings stretched wide, consuming the very essence of the chamber as it passed.

“If we’ve finished gawking.” My head snapped down at Moire’s words. While there was a hint of a smile on her face, her hand hovered near her hip; near where I believed she kept her wand. “Perhaps we might move forward so that you can head through security and arrive at Sorcerer’s Stop?” A faint chuckle slipped from behind me, though if it were because of Moire’s strictness or our reaction to the wonder of the chamber, I couldn’t say.

Moire gestured to a trolley that had appeared beside us, though as I turned toward it I saw it lacked wheels. “Place your chest on the trolley,” she said to me. I did as she asked, guiding the chest there and then cancelling the spell. While there was hazing of the air to state that I’d been controlling the chest as it levitated along, the tip of my wand glowed with a faint grey light. “The hoverboards are required to carry your chests to the Express, and once a chest is added to a board, security in the chamber is aware of it and logs the board so that the chest isn’t lost.” As Moire explained the reason for the hoverboards, Katrina added my cousins’ chests to it.

I nodded, accepting the explanation only to pause and frown. “Wait, can they see what’s inside the chest?” That shouldn’t have been possible with mine at least, as it had some powerful runes engraved into it which protected it from discovery and searching by anyone but me.

Moire’s gaze fell upon me, and I felt the gentlest of pressure brush up against my mind. Not wanting to hint at anything being wrong, I let the thoughts nearest the surface focus on mundane things regarding Hogwarts, such as which house I’d be sorted into, and how the Express worked. The resumption of Xeno’s purring, suggesting he was over the ordeal of travelling by Floo, also kept my thoughts away from my chest, and a second later I felt my aunt’s scan pull back.

“For non-magical chests, the board is runed to examine the contents. That way we can ensure that nothing muggle that might pose a threat to a student is taken to Hogwarts,” Moire replied. That made me wonder if, in the past, any muggleborns had tried to sneak guns into the school. While it was unlikely, given the – seemingly well-placed – distrust the magical world held for the muggle one, it made sense that muggleborns were more carefully monitored. “However, for most magical chests, the protections on them prevent scrying their contents.”

“Still, the fact you asked about that has me curious laddie.”

I whirled at the sound of the new voice, my wand instinctively aiming at the source but held low, cautioning against any rash action. Xeno hissed at the abrupt movement as my eyes settled on the speaker. He was a man of formidable presence, not towering in height, yet exuding a confidence that suggested he could vanquish any adversary. His age was difficult to pinpoint—witches and wizards aged more slowly than Muggles after twenty—but he appeared to be in his thirties or forties. His face was rugged, chiselled like it had been hewn from stone, with a hardness that spoke of battles fought and won.

“And you shall remain curious about that, Captain Moody,” Moire replied with a large fond smile. I looked down, pretending to be interested in Xeno as I heard the name, and understood this was Alastor Moody who stood before me. I’d not been able to recognize him as the various wounds he’d suffered in his life had seemingly yet to happen. “The contents of a chest from any family in the Wizengamot are off-limits without the approval of the Director, and as you well know, for an heir it would require the permission of Wizengamot.”

“Aye, but this here isn’t an heir, is it?” Moody replied, gesturing toward me. “I know I can’t look inside the chest, but I’ve found it's often those who quickly ask about rules that have something to hide. So, Chief MacLeod, do you have something to hide?”

I lifted my gaze, meeting his eyes. “That’s for me to know, and you to never find out.”

“Ha!” Moody barked and then shook his head. “Maybe you’re not what they say you are,” He added, which made me frown. Who was talking about me, and what were they saying? I wasn’t going to push the topic, as that might just draw Moody’s attention toward me more than I wanted, and I let him turn his focus back to Moire. “Inspector,” He said, tipping his head.

Moire returned the gesture. “I wasn’t aware that you were handling security today.”

“Normally, I’d not be. Hit wizards aren’t guard dogs after all. However, after the Wiz requested increased DMLE presence,” his eyes darted to me, “the Director handed me operational control. He didn’t give me the resources I requested,” Moire smirked, as if aware of some inside joke, “however, what we have is sufficient that only the most brain-dead wizard would attempt anything here or at the platform.” He looked down at me.” It’s also why you’re not facing any reporters in the chamber, laddie. Security risk.”

“Thanks,” I said, glad to avoid that potential issue. While I wasn’t, Thank Merlin, a major topic of public discussion for the last few years, the fact I’d be heading to Hogwarts today had meant there’d been regular articles about me in the papers and over the Wizarding Wireless Network.

“You’re welcome,” Moody replied with a grin. “Though next time don’t expect to be so lucky.” I nodded, taking the warning onboard and adding thoughts on how to handle or avoid the reporters when I returned for the Winter break to a mental list of things to do.

“We shall leave you to your work,” Moire said, ending any further conversation with Moody. “Come along,” she added without looking back.

A glance at the hoverboard confirmed that my cousins’ chests had joined mine upon it, and as we moved the board floated along beside us. In my arms, Xeno settled in, though there were a few moments where he seemed to glance elsewhere: either seeing a challenger or threat or sensing possible prey. Thankfully, he didn’t leap from my arms. Behind me, Iona and Adele started another round of their incessant whispering, and I turned my attention elsewhere, not wanting to be bored to death by whatever meaningless prattle they were spreading.

Around us other students and their parents were moving, the various DMLE officials floating around the chamber – and there were a respectable number – directing everyone to one end of the place. That was the same end the white dragon on the ceiling had flown to, and it flew by again, heading for there. I couldn’t see clearly what was there, as the mass of bodies was blocking clean sight, but I was able to determine that First-Year students – marked by their simple black robes – were being directed toward the left side while those returning for second and third year, along with their parents, were heading to the right side. That side was moving quicker though I didn’t yet know why that was.

Moire stopped as the mass of bodies grew thicker, and as she turned I saw a sign that said parents couldn’t go any further. “This is as far as we can go,” she said, speaking to her daughter more than the rest of us. “Remember what we and others had told you, and be mindful of how your behaviour reflects upon you and your family. But above all else, listen, learn, and become strong.”

I nodded at her words, though I also stepped back, letting Iona run past. She, like Adele and many other children around us, was hugging and saying goodbye to her mother. Not wanting to focus on the moment, I looked toward the gaggle of older students. A sudden wave caught my eye, and I saw Narcissa and Andromeda there. Returning the wave, I offered them a smile and then made a reluctant Xeno wave as well. That had both girls and a few others around them, grinning. Those other girls leaned closer, no doubt asking the Black sisters about Xeno. Unlike every other animal, he wasn’t caged, and I was sure that was going to be an issue with whatever security we had to pass through before boarding the Express.

Turning further around, I saw Lyra Black and Margaret Longbottom about a dozen people behind my group. They were also hugging their parents, so I let them be and looked away, not wanting to dwell on the fact that unlike probably every other kid going to Hogwarts, I didn’t have parents to say goodbye to.

The white ceiling dragon flew over again, my eyes following it as it raced toward where I was heading. At least before we’d reached the point where adults had to stop. As the crowd in front of me parted, and the parents moved to one side, I saw that the First Years were forming into three lines, each separated by barriers. At the end of each line were three adults, along with two booths.

Beyond them, against the wall, was a large archway; one marked as, rather amusingly, the mouth of the white dragon that flew on the ceiling above. The Hogwarts school motto ran above the open maw, and I chuckled as I understood the purpose of the dragon.

“Dòmhnall,” I turned at hearing Aunt Katrina’s voice and saw her and the others had ended their farewells. Or at least ended their hugs. My cousins were off to one side, near the hoverboard, hands dabbing at their faces. “I understand you feel upset, possibly even alone, but know that you’re not. While they aren’t here in body, their spirit, their spark resides within you, and wherever they are, your parents are proud of you.”

I nodded, not trusting myself to respond verbally, though that allowed Moire to speak.

“You are only beginning your journey into magic, but already you’ve done much to secure the Clan. However, remember that while you are skilled, possibly more so than any in your year, you are but a child. The road ahead is long, difficult, and full of terrors that you might not even understand yet.” She stepped toward me, with Katrina on her shoulder. “You are The MacLeod of MacLeod, but the moment you travel through that archway, none of that matters. All that does is your ability, your drive to keep getting better, and the dedication that we’ve seen you display over the last few years. You have the potential to do great things, and it is time to begin the voyage that will turn that potential into ability.” As she finished, she placed her hands on my shoulders while Katrina moved around me and gently patted my back.

“I…” I paused, licking my lips to take a moment to settle my emotions and gather my thoughts. “Thank you.”

Moire offered me a rare, honest smile, before releasing her hold. Turning, she called my cousins over. “While it is unlikely that you will be in the same house or classes, I expect you to look out for each other.” I knew we’d not be in the same houses. The girls had far different goals and drives than I did. “The same goes for your siblings and cousins who are already students at Hogwarts, or will join you in future years.”

“Yes, mother.” “Yes, Auntie.” “Yes, Aunt Moire.”

We responded as one, though each of us used different wording.

“Good,” Katrina said as she stood next to her sister,” now go.” She gestured behind us. “The first chapter of your adventure begins today. It wouldn’t do for you to be late for it.”

I smirked, wondering if any student had ever arrived late for the Express. I didn’t ask that question though. Instead, I gave my aunts a nod and then turned. After sliding my wand back into its holster, I placed the now-free hand on Xeno, drawing strength from the raiju.

Moving forward past the marker where adults had to wait, I moved to one of the lines, the hoverboard at my side while cousins stood behind me.

The boy in front of me turned, his eyes drifting down to Xeno. “I thought pets had to be caged?”

“Xenocrates is my familiar,” I replied, drawing a loud, happy purr from the raiju. Lifting my hand from him, much to his annoyance, I extended it to the boy. “Dòmhnall MacLeod.”

The boy chuckled as he shook my hand. “Yes, I’m aware of that. Your picture was a regular feature in the Prophet for the last week.” I offered a small smile at that reminder. “Franklin Weasley, nice to meet you.”

“Nice to meet you,” I replied, wondering at the odds of running into a Weasley here. I knew the family had more members than in canon, but I had no idea if he was the son of Lord Septimus – and thus the younger brother of Arthur – or if he was from one of the various cadet branches of House Weasley. While a poor House, as an Ancient one they probably had two or more cadet branches.

If he was the son of Lord Septimus, then we shared some blood as the Lord’s wife was a former daughter of House Black. Cedrella had been struck from the family tree for marrying Septimus, as while the Weasleys remained a pureblood House, to the Blacks they were considered blood traitors for Septimus’ full support of the Ministry and closer ties with the muggle world.

We stopped shaking hands and Franklin looked down at Xeno. “What kind of cat is he?”

“A Japanese breed,” I replied, fudging the truth. This boy had no reason not to know that, nor did I want attention brought to me because of Xeno before I was on the train, if not until after I’d been sorted into a Hogwarts house.

Franklin accepted that with a nod, and then turned back to the line. We moved forward slowly but steadily, and after about ten minutes I reached the front of the line. The three people standing there – two men and a woman – all wore badges signifying they worked for the DMLE, but I doubted any of them were Aurors. This felt like a job for someone lower on the totem pole.

“Travelling together?” the man at the idle of the trio said, likely because there were three trunks on the hoverboard at my side.

“Yes. We’re all starting this year.” He nodded at that and the other two moved forward. The woman gestured for my cousins to come to her while I headed to the other man. The one who’d spoken moved toward the hoverboard, and if not for knowing he couldn’t access the chest, I’d be reluctant to let him near it while it was out of my sight.

“You head with this man,” the central man replied, gesturing to his right, “girls, one at a time, head with the lady.”

I moved as instructed, entering the booth with the male officer. Inside was, as I half-expected, larger than it appeared. Two chairs were placed on either side of a decent-sized desk. On the desk was a container about the size of A4 paper, while in the air a clipboard and quill floated. “Have a seat,” the officer said as he moved around the desk.

I sat opposite him, unfazed by the fact that even sitting down he towered over me. It was a simple psychological trick, but I couldn’t understand why the Ministry felt it appropriate to use it against eleven-year-olds. That said, it aligned with the warnings that I’d received from Melania Black and my ancestors, even though Moire had defended the Ministry for needing to carry out checks on new and returning students. While Hogwarts itself was under the control of the Headmaster, the surrounding area – which included Hogsmeade, the Forbidden Forest, and a handful of other locations nearby – was Ministry territory.

The Ministry and the Wizengamot generally tolerated each other, but there was always friction between them. The general handling of how students could attend Hogwarts and the method of getting there was one such area that caused tension. Most of the tension relating to Hogwarts had come when the Express had been created. There’d been an uproar among almost every Ancient or older Clan and House at the need to use a muggle creation to transport students to Hogwarts. The Ministry had defended themselves by saying that muggleborns didn’t have easy access to the castle, and so the Express was needed. Since education was a matter controlled by the Ministry there was little the Wizengamot could do beyond making it difficult for the Ministry to pass any law that required their approval.

Things took a turn for the worse when, about a decade later, the Ministry established a new rule that only students who took the Express could attend Hogwarts. This resulted in many witches and wizards born in the magical world not attending school for several years. In the end, the Wizengamot, even after taking the matter to the International Confederation of Wizards, had to relent as education was the purview of the Ministry; a relic of when the Ministry had been a section of the muggle government. With that victory in hand, and after a rash of self-proclaimed Dark Lords and Ladies rose to challenge them, the Ministry brought in the chamber where I now was, along with the security checks to ensure the safety of students.

“All pets should be secured in a cage or inside your trunk,” the man said, his eyes locking on Xeno once I was seated.

“Xeno isn’t a pet. He is my familiar,” I replied calmly, warned by Moire that this would come up. “Both the Headmaster and Deputy Headmistress are aware of him, and provisions have been made for his presence at Hogwarts.”

As we spoke, the quill moved, noting what was said. I could only hope that it was recording everything fully as I couldn’t see what was being written.

“It appears to be an unsanctioned animal to take to Hogwarts,” the officer responded dismissively. “Without a thorough examination of the creature, I cannot allow it to enter the platform or board the Express.”

“Xenocrates is my familiar,” I shot back as calmly as I could. “As a familiar, and one that has only recently bonded to me, he cannot spend any significant time out of my presence. As I stated, Headmaster Dumbledore is already aware of the Xenocrates, and has made arrangements for Xenocrates’ presence within the castle.”

The officer frowned, not liking me challenging him. “What species is your familiar?”

“The familiar of any witch or wizard is outside the purview of the Ministry,” I drawled, drawing on what I’d been told to say when this matter arose. “If you wish to learn more, then you can file a request with the Wizengamot for permission to categorise him.” The officer’s expression darkened, and I knew he knew such requests were very rarely granted. “Also, as Chief of the Ancient Clan MacLeod, even if the matter was brought before the Wizengamot, they would never permit the request.” As I spoke, I held out my arm, willing the torc to reveal itself for a moment. After the officer saw it, I willed it to vanish. “The species and details of my familiar are a private matter for Clan MacLeod, and not for any Ministry official.”

The man glared at me; one eye twitching. “Very well,” he said slowly, his tone deep; almost guttural. “Please place your wand in the tray.” I did as asked, though only with my school wand. This man had no right to even consider asking for my Lordly wand, though he might well not realise that I had such a wand. “Thank you,” he said after about five seconds, though there was no warmth in his tone, and I picked up my school wand from the tray. “That will be all.”

He stood and gestured to the back of the tent. I moved that way, emerging behind it and away from the checkpoint. The hoverboard with the chests was waiting there, along with Iona. “Everything ok?” I asked as I moved closer.

“They’re so rude,” she replied, glancing at the booth she’d emerged from. She didn’t attempt to lower her voice, ensuring the two male officers heard her though neither reacted to her comment.

“They’re just doing their job,” I said with a slight smile to help put her at ease. “Still, it would help if they remembered they were talking to children and not prisoners bound for Azkaban.” I looked at the men, letting a smile slip onto my face. “And you know this lot are probably the lowest rung in the DMLE. Merlin, I bet they only finished DMLE training yesterday.”

The officer who’d I’d dealt with paused. He didn’t turn, but the tensing of his shoulders made clear he’d heard my remark and not liked it.

Before Iona could respond, the other booth opened, and Adele walked out with the female officer. She walked over to us, and for the first time, I saw one of the DMLE workers smile. “Thank you for your cooperation.” She raised her arm and pointed at the archway. “Head through there and you’ll emerge at the platform.” While her tone was blunt, she was at least trying to be polite, and so I nodded in thanks.

After checking Adele and Iona were ready, I pivoted and moved toward the archway. There were no First Years in front of us, though glancing to my right I saw a group of Second Years – a mix of Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws – step up to the archway. As they touched it, it shimmered like liquid, and they walked through it entirely unconcerned. A few still in conversation as they did so.

Stepping up to it, I placed my hand near the surface. I felt the magic shift around me – along with confirmation of that from the torc as it warmed slightly – as faint ripples appeared around the outline of my hand. A smile spread over my face as I moved forward. “Allons-y,” I said before closing my eyes and entering the archway.

When I opened my eyes a step later, I found myself in a large area. This was a train station, though it appeared to be styled on one from at least a century ago, and critically wasn’t King’s Cross. Now, I’d already known that the Express didn’t use the main muggle train station in London – not least as that was built after the Express was created – but until now I’d wondered where the station was.

Moving forward and looking around, I looked out the windows. While none allowed me to see the ground outside the station, the tops of trees could be seen, along with a handful of birds flying around. The sky was clear, though since most of the UK was enjoying a sunny day, that didn’t help narrow down where the station was.

A few more steps took me to the edge of the area I’d emerged into, and down below, at the bottom of several flights of stairs, were several platforms, though only one had a train waiting. “Wicked,” I muttered as I saw the brilliant red of the Hogwarts Express, and spotted the name of the engine along with the school’s crest on the train. Behind it were four carriages, which while appearing too small to handle the over a thousand students due to board, I knew magic was involved so the outward size wouldn’t be an issue.

A screech from behind snapped out of the moment, and I barely had time to brace before my cousins were at my side screaming in delight.

“We’re going!”

“YES!” Adele shouted in agreement with Iona. “So excited!”

The pair backed off abruptly when Xeno, bless his soul, hissed angrily as he pulled his ears right back, flattening them into his body.

“Whoops! Sorry,” Iona said, holding out a hand toward the raiju while Adele nodded in agreement. Xeno looked at the hand for a moment, and after a glance up at me – to which I nodded – he relaxed and leaned his head forward, letting Iona give him a quick scratch under the chin. “We’ll try to stay quiet.”

“It’s not you I’m worried about,” I said, gesturing with my head toward the train down below. Students were gathered on the platform, and while their voices weren’t reaching us – no doubt due to magic – it was clear they were all extremely excited. Understandable, and something I was as well, though I was keeping greater control of my emotions than most students, because of my training in Occlumency, the fact I part of my mind was that of someone far older, and because I was concerned for Xeno.

“You can’t linger here.”

The voice caught us by surprise. The girls both leapt, short, sharp screams slipping from their lips while Xeno hissed again. The speaker, a Hufflepuff boy in robes that marked him as a Fifth Year and who wore a bronze badge over his heart, was focused on me. Or more accurately, the wand that was now in my hand. “Impressive,” he said, totally unconcerned that I was pointing my wand at him. “You may do well in the Dueling Club, though given who you are that’s not a surprise.” While I’d been in the papers recently, I’d not expected a student to recognize that quickly. “Shawn MacDuncan at your service, Chief MacLeod,” He said while giving me a slight nod.

I looked at him carefully, my wand still in hand. “Chief William’s son?'' The MacDuncan’s were the smallest of the four septs sworn to Clan MacLeod, and the only one yet to be granted a seat in the Wizengamot. That wouldn’t happen for at least two generations, but given the Clan was only four members strong, it was possible they’d not make it that far. That was true of many other smaller Clans and Houses that didn’t have seats in the Wizengamot, especially those not taken on as septs or vassals of older Clans and Houses. “I hadn’t realised you’d been made a prefect.”

“It was only confirmed a few weeks ago by McGonagall,” Shawn replied as I slowly re-holstered my wand. “My father considered informing you, but I didn’t know where I’d be assigned today so we decided against it.” His smile widened slightly. “Yet, when we arrived this morning, the Deputy Headmistress insisted I be assigned here on the chance I might catch you once you’d cleared the Ministry’s security.”

“That is something she also did for me.”

I didn’t turn at the new but familiar voice, not wanting to give the speaker the wrong impression. “I’m reasonably sure you can’t hex students for breaking a rule before they’ve been assigned to a house.” Turning there, I saw Bellatrix standing nearby, her wand in hand but not pointed toward me.

Bellatrix’s eyes narrowed, and a thin, slightly concerning smile crept onto her face as she stepped forward. “Perhaps, but you’re far from the average First Year.” She took a step closer, twirling the wand around between her fingers. “Did you really think I’d hex you from behind?” She asked as she slid it into her holster, which was disillusioned on her hip.

“…” My mouth opened but I stopped myself from snapping off an answer. “Er,” I started, after taking a moment to consider my response. “I’d rather not answer that.”

Bellatrix’s smile grew wider as she approached. “And why is that?”

Shawn moved to slightly block her approach, but a glance accompanied by her narrowing her eyes at the half-blood ensured he didn’t move further and fully obscure me from her sight. For myself, I stayed still. While the number of interactions I’d had with Bellatrix had decreased ever since the Ministry ball not long after I’d been recognized as Chief MacLeod, the exchanges we’d had at Le Noir Domaine often resulted in me getting hexed or jinxed.

Now, I wasn’t her primary target – that honour went to Sirius and Regulus – but she didn’t avoid taking a shot against me when one presented itself. I’d not brought the matter up with Arcturus, as I knew that if she went too far he’d step in, but it meant that every holiday when I visited I was on edge.

“Because no matter how I respond, you can turn it into an insult,” I replied, ignoring the way she was approaching me. It was intimidating and reminded me of a lioness stalking its prey.

“He’s got you there, Bella.” The new voice had Bellatrix stopping, and as she turned to face the speaker, I looked around her. Like Bellatrix, the speaker wore Fifth Year Slytherin and had the same bronze badge as my distant cousin and Shawn.

I was eternally glad that puberty had not hit me yet though as while Bellatrix was attractive, this new girl was stunning. Her hair was a brilliant red and pulled back into two braids that ran down over her shoulders – there might well be a third at the back of her head – while her eyes were a deep blue that seemed to burn with cold flames.

“I still remember the hex you used on Ernie Thornheart.”

Bellatrix scoffed at that. “He had it coming.”

“So that’s who it was.”

Shawn’s whispered comment was ignored by the girls, though it had me wondering what this Ernie had done to anger Bellatrix enough that her hex was known throughout their year.

“Dòmhnall here hasn’t done anything to earn that, Ali,” Bellatrix added.

“Thank Merlin,” I said loud enough for everyone to hear me. The now-named Ali, smiled at my response though Bella remained focused on her fellow Slytherin.

Ali moved closer, her eyes on me. “So, you’re Dòmhnall MacLeod,” she said slowly, “I wonder if you’re how they… how Bella describes you.”

“Ali,” Bellatrix said, stepping between me and Ali much as Shawn had attempted to do to her a few moments earlier. Bellatrix’s tone was low, much of the amusement gone as she faced off with her housemate.

“Relax Bella,” Ali said, stopping and turning her attention to the other girl. “I only want to get to know the young Chief.”

“Hey!” I blinked, having all but forgotten Adele was there as I’d been engrossed in the interaction between the two Slytherins. “Leave him alone!” As she spoke, she stepped in front of me. While cute, that would do nothing to deter anyone from coming closer.

“How sweet,” Ali said, giving Adele a smile that might freeze the blood of a dragon. She turned her gaze to Shawn. “Looks like this might be one of yours, MacDuncan.”

“We’ll see at the sorting.” A look at Shawn showed he’d drawn his wand, adding to my belief that this Ali was dangerous as well as attractive. Shawn placed a hand on Adele’s shoulder. “Now off you go firsties,” he said as I saw that others had come through the archway, with most having stopped to watch whatever was going on. “Head to the platform.”

I took his advice and backed away quickly. After a few steps, I turned and walked toward the nearest set of stairs leading down to the platform for the Hogwarts Express.

“What was that?” Iona asked once she and Adele caught up with us. Nearby other students were moving, heading toward the platform though I wasn’t paying much attention to them. My focus was on the stairs, and making sure the hoverboard didn’t slant and thus drop our chests onto the steps.

“Don’t know, don’t care,” I replied before sighing in relief. While the hoverboard came down the stairs with me, it remained horizontal. In retrospect, I should’ve known it wouldn’t tip over, but with my thoughts distracted by the run-in with Bellatrix and her friend – or possible adversary – I’d not considered the matter. “What I do care about is getting on the train,” I added, giving Xeno another pet to reassure him.

He’d not been around so many people before, and with everyone moving around excitedly, I didn’t want anyone bumping into me and thus scaring the raiju. While he’d yet to display much of the magic of his species, the crackles of magic that formed around his skull when angry might have others mistaking his annoyance for a threat.

Reaching the platform, I looked around again, my excitement about our upcoming departure growing, but not distracting me from observing every one of the other students. Returning students were boarding the middle two carriages, while I saw several older students – easy to differentiate by their robes – gathered at the front carriage.

The prefects were directing the new students to form a line for the rear carriage. My gaze drifted upwards, to the clock that hung above the Express. We still had over half an hour to go before the train left, so we had plenty of time to board and find a cabin. Hopefully, one without too many people so I could enjoy the journey in peace.

“Come on!” Adele called, grasping my arm as I dallied too long and pulled me toward the rear of the First-Year line.

As we moved forward slowly, my thoughts turned to Hogwarts. The Sorting should still be handled by the Hat, but as no one would confirm how the Sorting was handled, I couldn’t be certain that this little detail remained unaffected by the altered world. If it was, then I already knew which house I would be joining, and while my choice would create issues, the same was true regardless of where I ended up.

I then wondered about the castle itself. There had been pictures in books and the papers, but all were taken from the same angle, and thus it was impossible to be certain if the castle was closer to the book’s description, or if the movies or games held more accurate representations of my home away from home for the next seven years. I was hoping it was more akin to that of Hogwarts Legacy, as that would mean far more locations for me to explore and use, but even if it weren’t, I knew I’d be searching the place as fully as I could during my first week. At least when not in a class or given tours of the grounds, if they even did that.

My gaze and thoughts returned to the carriage in front of us. While much of it was blocked by my fellow First Years and their chests on hoverboards, enough remained that the windows were visible. Interestingly, some of them were hazed out. That meant there was a way to prevent those outside from seeing what was going on inside. For the younger years, it would be nice if they didn’t want to be seen by others, but I could see ways the older years might exploit that for less civil reasons.

“Shame it can’t time travel,” I muttered as, from the windows that I could look into, the cabins inside were bigger on the inside than the carriage was on the outside.

In front of me, Iona and Adele were talking excitedly with each other, a scene repeated further forward in the queue and behind, yet I kept my emotions in check. While my title might not carry weight at Hogwarts, I wasn’t going to allow myself to act my age all the time, and showing maturity might help open doors with older students that would otherwise remain closed. Plus, with Xeno in my arms, I was conscious of those around me so that they didn’t disturb my familiar.

The line moved quickly, and soon a group of eight prefects, their robes similar to those worn by Shawn and Bellatrix though with gold trimming, came into sight. There were two prefects from each house, and amusingly the Slytherin and Gryffindor prefects were standing next to each other. No hint of animosity showed in their expressions or postures, but given these were likely Sixth or Seventh-Year students, they should be mature enough to keep their rivalries hidden and focus on the task at hand.

“Please remove your chests from the hoverboards.” That came from one of the Ravenclaws, a boy with cropped blond hair and brown eyes. “If you need help lifting your chest onto the Express, please raise your hand.”

“There’s nothing wrong if you need help. The Levitation Charm is one of the first you’ll learn, so come the Winter Break you’ll be expected to lift your chests by yourselves.”

About half the students in front of us raised their hands, though my cousins didn’t. Instead, they turned to me and gave me pleading looks. “Fine,” I muttered as I pulled my wand from its holster. “I could’ve sworn someone complained about me being able to cast this,” my chest floated off the hoverboard as I spoke, “earlier today.”

Iona blinked and rubbed her chin. “Did that happen, Adele?”

Adele scrunched up her face as if trying desperately to remember something that happened less than two hours ago. “No. I don’t remember it.” The pair looked at each other, nodding. They were pleased with their denial, and when they turned back to me, they wore matching innocent smiles. “Won’t you help us cousin?”

“On one condition,” I said, seeing a way to turn this to my advantage. “When we find a cabin, neither of you nor anyone with you, is allowed to disturb me until we reach Hogwarts station. If you do, then I won’t help you with getting your chests off the Express.”

Behind me, I heard a light chuckle, though I didn’t know if that was because of my statement or not, nor did I care. My gaze remained on my cousins. I’d promised my aunts that we’d share a cabin today, and this gave me a chance to manipulate that into something useful, at least for me. The idea of spending several hours all but trapped in a room with those two, and whoever else was there, as they engaged in whatever mindless prattle they thought of was something I considered more terrifying than any tutoring or training session I’d endured to date. Given how aggressive Moire had been in our last few Occlumency sessions, that was saying something as if not for recovery potions, the migraines those sessions had brought on would still be with me today.

While I knew charms for preventing sound from reaching me, or my words from reaching others, since the cabins likely weren’t massive, I wasn’t sure if I could use them without trapping others inside a cone of silence. This vow I was extracting from my cousins might help mitigate that issue.

“We promise.” The pair spoke together, and while their tone was soft there was a look in their eyes that made clear they didn’t intend to keep their word.

“Swear it.”

Iona blinked, understanding what I was demanding. While I wasn’t pushing for an unbreakable vow, by swearing to my terms, they’d be duty-bound to honour them. Since we were children and they weren’t heirs to their Houses, nothing would happen if they broke their vow, but it would prove they couldn’t be trusted to honour their word. That was something that might if I chose to use it, cost them their position in the magical world.

“Fine,” Iona finally said when I refused to lift their chests from the hoverboard, even moving to one side to let other students pass. “We swear we won’t disturb you.” Adele nodded in agreement.

Ideally, I’d have liked them to swear others wouldn’t also, but that was something that would be hard to control. Thus, I took my small victory and with another swish of my wand, their chests rose from the hoverboard. As the trio of chests floated calmly near my head, the hoverboard moved away, heading to a pile that rested at the back of the platform.

Around us several other students, including a few of the prefects, had taken note of the interaction with my cousins, and then me casting silently the Levitation charm. I ignored them and moved forward, Xeno resting on my arm and my cousins just behind us.

It only took about five minutes for us to reach the front of the line and step up into the carriage. As we passed over the barrier, I felt another familiar tingle from the torc, alerting me to the presence of magic as I entered. My focus, however, was on the carriage.

While the gap we’d stepped through was about the standard size for a train door, the area I was now in was on par with the sitting room at Dunscaith that contained the Floor connection. About a dozen First-Year students were moving around, talking excitedly to each other, while a few prefects moved with them, levitating chests above everyone’s heads. As we boarded at the back of the carriage, there was only one way to head, and standing between the small area and the corridor that ran down the carriage two students stood.

Unlike those outside, their prefect badges were gold and their robes, unlike everyone else’s, were fully in their house colours. The pair, one Slytherin and one Hufflepuff offered everyone wide smiles, gesturing down the corridor.

“Please don’t linger,” the Slytherin girl said politely to one group of students – muggleborns if I had to guess – pointed at literally everything while talking animatedly. “Head down the corridor and either find a cabin with friends inside, or an empty one to occupy.”

“Students are expected to mingle in the cabins,” the Ravenclaw boy added, “though once the Express is underway, you are expected to remain in the cabin unless you need the toilet.”

“Why are your robes different?” The question came from the group of muggleborns, and the pair of prefects exchanged a look suggesting they were sick of that query.

“It is because we are the Head Boy and Head Girl of Hogwarts,” the girl replied. “My name is Serena Rowel, while my companion is Augustus Rackham. These robes are those worn by any Seventh-Year, of which the other prefects are in the corridor.”

“The gold of our badges indicates our status as Heads,” Augustus added, tapping his robes next to the badge. “Perhaps, if you do well at school, stay out of trouble, and impress your professors, you might become a prefect. If you’re really good, you might even become Head Boy or Girl.”

I rolled my eyes at the remark even as several students resumed animated discussions. I sure as Merlin didn’t want to be the Head Boy. That would take away from time both preparing for exams and whatever else I might be getting up to in my final year of study. Being a prefect was something I was less certain of, as while it would carry extra work, it would give me access to areas restricted to all other students.

Serena smirked, having caught me rolling my eyes, and there was a hint of recognition in her gaze. House Rowle was an Established house with the current lord having similar leanings as Arcturus, and, as my memory confirmed, at least one of the House had been a Death Eater.

Before I could think on the matter any further – or anything else for that matter – Xeno hissed as Iona pulled at my sleeve. “Come on!” She called as she and Adele moved in front of me. “I see Rowena up ahead!”

I didn’t even attempt to hold back a growl of annoyance at that. Rowena Wheatcroft was, without challenge, the most annoying child I’d met in this world. That girl had an ability to talk that would drive even a saint to consider suicide simply to get away from her. What she spewed would, if I were charitable, be considered drivel, and her inane prattling made my cousins sound like distinguished statesmen in comparison.

The idea of spending the entire trip stuck in a cabin with her was as close to the bottom of the list of things I wanted to do, as the only thing below it might be attending a Ministry ball as Dumbledore’s companion.

“Iona!” Rowena screeched, making Xeno wince. “Over here! I’ve saved you some seats!”

As I was dragged down the corridor of the carriage, one of the Seventh-Year prefects giving me a sympathetic look, I wondered which of the various hexes and jinxes I could cast on her without getting caught. Sadly, since I’d be in the cabin with her, most of the more amusing ones weren’t doable, but a few ideas came to mind even as Iona pulled me toward the cabin of doom.

Once we arrived, the pair started jumping and chattering like hyenas. Not wanting to deal with that, but knowing I had to endure It, I stepped in. I breathed a sigh of relief to see that Rowena’s twin brother, Linden, was present. While the boy was far too bookish to be a great conversationalist, he was as different from his sister as magically possible as was capable. No doubt he was looking forward to Hogwarts simply because, unlike him, Rowena wasn’t going to be in the same house. Linden was a born and bred Ravenclaw whereas Rowena was bound, I assumed, for either Hufflepuff or Gryffindor.

Giving him a nod, which he barely returned – the book he was reading proved too engrossing – I moved forward and then lifted the chests into one of the racks designed for them. Like much of the train, that was bigger on the inside and a space that only looked big enough for a single chest took all three with room to spare. The rack then closed itself, ensuring the chests wouldn’t fall while the train was in motion.

With that handled, and the trio of girls still outside chatting, I took the seat opposite Linden and gazed out of the window. There were far fewer students outside now, and as Xeno shifted and Rowena laughed at a pitch that would shatter muggle glass, getting comfortable in my lap, I prayed to magic itself that the trip wouldn’t be as long as it was in canon and that I arrived at Hogwarts without having committed my first murder.

… …

… …