Friendly Faces

The compartment door flew open with a bang, making Neville jump so violently that Trevor the toad slipped from his sweaty grasp and landed on the floor with a dull thud. Three boys swaggered in, the one in the lead with an arrogant tilt to his pointed chin and his sleek blonde hair slicked back from his pale, pointed face.

"Well, well," the blonde boy drawled in a lazy drawl that struck Lucas as trying too hard to sound sophisticated. "If it isn't the famous Harry Potter himself."

His grey eyes lingered on Lucas for a moment, sizing him up, before flicking disdainfully over the others. Neville was already flushing crimson as he fumbled to scoop up Trevor, while Hermione sat up ramrod straight as her bushy hair seemed to crackle with indignation. Justin simply looked bemused by the whole situation.

"The rumors on the train seem to be true for once," the blonde continued with a smirk. He rocked back on his polished loafers as his gaze settled on Neville again. "And you must be the Longbottom squib I've heard such lamentable things about. Do tell me, do you actually possess any magic? Or did you simply get extraordinarily lucky with that toad?"

Neville's round face burned even brighter as he opened and closed his mouth, looking every bit like a gasping fish out of water. Hermione bristled visibly.

"There's no need for insults," she said in a trembling voice, trying and failing to keep her tone even. "We're all students here to learn."

The blonde boy's smirk widened as he turned his attention back to Lucas, giving him an appraising look that Lucas found almost comically exaggerated.

"Harry Potter. The Boy Who Lived," he intoned in a tone of mock reverence. He made a show of looking Lucas up and down while his gaze lingered on the crisp white shirt and navy blazer. "I must say, you clean up rather nicely for a...half-blood."

One of the larger, thicker boys flanking him sniggered dully at the jibe, his piggy eyes crinkling with cruel amusement. Lucas had to resist the urge to roll his eyes at the childish display.

"You'll soon find out, Potter, that some wizarding families are better than others," the blonde continued, puffing out his narrow chest so the family crest on his robes was prominently displayed. "You don't want to go making friends with the wrong sort."

He thrust out a pale, unblemished hand. "I can help you there. I'm Malfoy. Draco Malfoy."

Lucas regarded the proffered hand for a moment, fighting back a smirk of his own at the blatant attempt to establish superiority. When he lifted his gaze to meet Draco's, his expression was one of polite disinterest.

"And I don't need your help, Malfoy," he said evenly. "I'm quite capable of judging people's character for myself."

Draco's hand wavered for a fraction of a second before dropping back to his side. A dull flush crept up the back of his neck as his lips thinned into a tight line, like a petulant child who'd been denied a treat.

"You're making a mistake, Potter," he said in a low voice that Lucas assumed was meant to sound threatening. "My family is one of the most influential in the wizarding world. We could open doors for you that you can't even imagine."

"I'll take my chances, thanks," Lucas replied coolly. "Now if you don't mind, we'd like to enjoy the rest of the journey without any more unpleasantness."

Draco's pale eyes flashed with anger and embarrassment as his nostrils flared. For a moment, Lucas thought the boy might actually stomp his foot like a toddler throwing a tantrum. But then, with a visible effort, Draco reined in his temper and settled for a sneer that looked more petulant than intimidating.

"Have it your way, Potter," he spat. "But mark my words, you'll regret spurning me. Come on."

Turning sharply with robes billowing dramatically, the exit from the compartment was as grand as a spurned suitor's departure in a play. His two hulking companions trundled after him as their heavy footfalls echoed dully in the corridor.

The moment the door slammed shut, Hermione let out a shaky breath. "That was brilliant, Harry! I can't believe you kept your cool like that in the face of such arrogance."

"Yes, that Malfoy is really unpleasant, isn't he?" Justin chimed in with a nervous chuckle.

Neville simply nodded mutely, still looking rather shell-shocked by the whole encounter. Lucas had to resist the urge to shake his head at how easily they'd all been riled up by the blonde boy's childish posturing.

"No need to let bullies like that get under your skin," he said mildly. "That's exactly what they want - a reaction to feed their egos."

Hermione nodded and turned to Neville with a sympathetic look. "Are you alright? Don't pay any mind to that horrid boy's words."

Neville managed a weak smile, still looking rather shaken. "I'm okay. Just...wasn't expecting that, is all."

A timid knock at the compartment door interrupted their conversation. An elderly woman poked her head in with her face wreathed in a warm smile.

"Anything off the trolley, dears?" she asked in a kindly voice.

Lucas's looked at the others thoughtfully and dug into his pocket and pulled out a generous handful of Galleons.

"I'll take an assortment, please," he said, rising from his seat.

The trolley witch beamed and began loading his arms with Pumpkin Pasties, Cauldron Cakes, Chocolate Frogs, and various other whimsically-named confections. Once his arms were full, Lucas turned back to his new friends with a grin.

"Shall we have a proper English tea with these?" he asked lightly.

Hermione giggled at his joke as Neville and Justin eagerly reached for the treats, their earlier discomfort seemingly forgotten in the face of such sugary temptations. Lucas settled back into his seat, tearing open a package of Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans.

"Go on, have one," he urged, proffering the package. "They really do mean every flavor."

Justin plucked out a green bean and popped it into his mouth. His brow furrowed for a moment before his expression morphed into one of delighted surprise.

"Amazing! This one tastes just like minted peas!"

Hermione looked torn between fascination and trepidation as she cautiously selected a brown bean.

"Well? What's the verdict?" Lucas prompted with an amused smile.

Hermione chewed thoughtfully before her face puckered in an expression of utmost disgust. "Ugh! Dirt flavor, I think."

Hermione swallowed hard, grimacing as she forced herself to keep the dirt-flavored bean down. "Ugh, that's dreadful! Who would want candy that tastes like dirt?"

"I know, right?" Justin chimed in, slowly recovering from his brush with a fiery pepper bean. "Wizards have a really weird sense of what makes good sweets."

Neville, who had been eyeing the remaining beans apprehensively, perked up at the chance to change the subject. "Did...did any of you ever experience accidental magic before getting your Hogwarts letters?"

Hermione's expression brightened instantly at the question. "Oh yes! All the time, though I didn't realize what it was at first, of course." She launched into an animated retelling. "Like this one time when I was about eight, I was desperate to keep reading this book after bedtime but my mum had turned off my light. And then, all of a sudden, this sort of glowing orb appeared out of nowhere, illuminating the pages perfectly!"

Justin's eyes widened with interest. "Wow, that's brilliant! For me, I remember this snowman I built when I was little. I'd spent ages on it, making sure every detail was just right. And then the next morning, I looked out the window and saw it had moved a few feet over and was waving at me!"

He let out a peal of delighted laughter at the memory. "My dad thought I was taking the mickey out of him when I told him about it."

Neville hunched his shoulders, suddenly looking rather sheepish. "Well, er, you see...I'm what they call a late bloomer. Didn't really show any signs of magic until just before my Hogwarts letter arrived."

His chubby cheeks flushed pink as he avoided meeting their curious gazes. "My uncle...well, he was convinced I was a Squib for the longest time. Kept trying to force some magic out of me in rather extreme ways. It wasn't until he, er, dropped me out of an upstairs window that I finally bounced..."

An uncomfortable silence fell over the compartment as Hermione and Justin exchanged horrified looks. Lucas arched an eyebrow while shaking his head in disapproval.

"How dreadfully irresponsible of your uncle," he said at last. "I hope you understand that nobody should ever do that to you. If someone tries to do that again, please feel free to tell me about it."

Neville gave a nervous sort of half-shrug, hunching even further into himself. Hermione's eyes filled with pity for Neville as she leaned across to pat his arm reassuringly.

"Well, you're here now, aren't you?" she said in a kind voice. "That's what matters. Oh, I can't wait to start learning everything! There's just so much to take in."

Her eyes shone with an eager, almost fevered light. "Say, Harry...you mentioned being able to control your magic from a very young age. Could you show us a bit more? If it's not too much trouble, that is?"

Justin adjusted his posture, sitting up more formally as he too attempted to steer the conversation in a new direction. "Indeed, that would be splendid!"

Lucas regarded them both with an inscrutable expression for a moment before the ghost of a smile curved his lips. "Very well, if you insist."

With a casual flick of his fingers, the bottle of pumpkin juice on the refreshment tray rose into the air and began to slowly spin in a spiral. Another twitch of his hand, and droplets of the amber liquid streamed out to orbit the whirling bottle in a shimmering ring.

Neville watched with eyes wide as saucers, forgetting his previous discomfort. Hermione had her hands clasped over her mouth, but her eyes were alight with wonder. Justin too looked impressed by the casual display of magic.

With a final flourish of his fingers, Lucas guided the pumpkin juice back into the bottle before setting it down on the tray once more, not a single drop spilled.

"Goodness, Harry!" Justin said with an impressed smile. "That was fantastic! You've got to show us how you did that."

Hermione was nodding fervently in agreement. "Yes, please! I read that wandless magic is one of the highest disciplines, requiring immense skill and focus..."

Lucas nodded thoughtfully. "I'd be happy to share some insights about wandless magic," he said. "But you have to understand, it's really difficult stuff."

He met each of their gazes seriously. "It takes years and years of constant practice, with total focus. If you don't give it your full attention, you'll probably only ever manage little tricks."

Neville's round face fell a bit at Lucas's blunt assessment, but Hermione looked undeterred as her eyes shined with determination.

"We'll be having classes and homework and all that at Hogwarts," Lucas went on. "Finding enough time and energy to really master wandless magic...it won't be easy."

Justin's earlier eagerness dimmed somewhat, though he still looked interested. Hermione, however, didn't seem fazed at all.

"But you'll teach us, won't you, Harry?" she pressed. "Even if it's just little tricks at first? Just imagine being able to summon a pen or book without your wand!"

Neville and Justin looked at Lucas hopefully as well.

Lucas couldn't help but smile at their endearing enthusiasm. "Alright, I can give you all some pointers once we're settled at Hogwarts," he relented. "But you have to approach it patiently and understand true mastery may never happen."

"We will, we promise!" they chorused.

Justin straightened up, suddenly looking interested.

"Oh, that's right, we never did discuss the houses with Hermione and Neville, did we?" he said. "You mentioned earlier you thought Hufflepuff might suit you best, Harry?"

Lucas nodded. "Yes, from what I know, it seems the most drama-free option. I'd like to avoid any house rivalries if possible."

"I've been reading about the houses too," Hermione piped up. "I think I might like Gryffindor, since that was Albus Dumbledore's house. Though I suppose Ravenclaw could be good for academics..."

She trailed off as she noticed the boys exchanging looks. "What? Did I miss something?"

"Well..." Justin hedged. "From what I've heard from Harry, there's a pretty intense rivalry between Gryffindor and Slytherin. Apparently it goes back centuries."

Hermione frowned. "A rivalry? Between the houses? But...that seems rather silly, doesn't it?"

She looked towards Lucas for confirmation and her expression turned crestfallen when he gave a nod.

"Unfortunately, it's quite real," he said while shaking his head in disappointment. "The rivalry between Gryffindors and Slytherins is deeply entrenched in the Wizarding culture. You'll have to decide for yourself if you want to get caught up in all that."

An uneasy silence fell over the compartment as Hermione mulled this over, the implications sinking in. The carefree atmosphere from just moments ago had taken on a more pensive tone.

Finally, Neville spoke up in a small voice. "W-well, I suppose we'll just have to wait and see, yeah?"

He managed a tremulous smile at his new friends. "No sense worrying over it until then."

The momentary tension in the compartment quickly faded as Neville's words seemed to reset the tone. Hermione took a deep, steadying breath and mustered up a smile.

"You're absolutely right, Neville," she said, sounding more like her usual self. "No sense fretting over the houses until we actually get sorted."

Justin nodded vigorously. "Precisely! For now, we ought to just enjoy the journey and prepare for whatever comes next."

He reached into the pocket of his robes and pulled out a paperback book. "Say, any of you read the Hogwarts handbook? It's got loads of fascinating history and details about the castle itself."

As Justin eagerly launched into recounting some of the more colorful tales from its pages, the conversation drifted to lighter topics more befitting an energetic group of eleven-year-olds about to attend a school of magic. Neville, seeming to overcome his earlier shyness, even piped up to share a few interesting facts about magical plants - a passion of his back home.

Before long, the golden summer sun began its descent towards the horizon, painting the rolling hills and quaint villages in rich swathes of orange and deep purple. Hermione glanced out the window and gave a little start.

"Oh gosh, look how late it's getting!" she exclaimed, rising anxiously to her feet. "We'll be arriving at Hogwarts before too long. I'd better get changed into my robes."

She began gathering her belongings, carefully stacking her books and supplies, when a small crease furrowed her brow. Pausing, she looked around the compartment with a puzzled expression.

"Um...Harry? I don't see your trunk anywhere. Where are you keeping your school things?"

Lucas offered her a mild smile and pulled aside his crisp blazer to reveal a small, unassuming pouch affixed there. "No need to worry, Hermione. I've got everything I need right here."

At her confused look, he went on with a casual shrug. "It's an expanded bag - enchanted to have far more space on the inside than it appears from the outside. Cost me a fair number of Galleons, but well worth the investment in my opinion."

Hermione's eyes widened with amazement and just the barest hint of envy crept into her voice. "A expanded bag? That sounds utterly amazing! I wonder if I might be able to get my parents to purchase one for me next time..."

She trailed off, giving a sheepish look as she gathered her robes in her arms. "Um, would you all mind...stepping out for just a moment while I get changed?"

"Of course, of course," Lucas replied with an easy smile. He rose fluidly to his feet and the others quickly followed suit.

Justin shot Hermione a small grin as he stepped past her into the corridor. "We'll just be right outside, yeah?"

Neville gave her an awkward little wave before shuffling out after Justin. Lucas was the last to leave, pausing in the doorway to sweep his gaze around the compartment one final time, as though committing every detail to his eidetic memory.

"Take your time," he said simply. "We've got some time still before our arrival."

Then, with a casual flick of his fingers, the door slid closed behind him.