It was my third year at Hogwarts when I really got to know Eva Partoni and Violet Longbottom. I was on the train, alone for once because Hugo and James were off, probably going to prank the prefects, and Lily was with Rose in another car, probably talking about the new girl Eva, like everyone would.

I already knew Violet a little bit from our past years—she was the Hufflepuff Keeper on the Quidditch team. Some of the announcers (cough Hugo cough) tried to hit on her and all the other girls who played Quidditch, but Headmistress McGonagall usually kept him in line when it came to that.

The girl walked into our compartment with a small trunk and a black cat following behind her. She seemed to be my age. She had wavy, jet-black hair that went halfway down her back and incredibly pale skin. Her eyes were what I noticed though—they were a light icy grey that made me think of snow clouds.

"Can I sit with you?" she asked.

"Sure. I'm Albus Potter," I said, helping her with her trunk.

"Eva Partoni. Nice owl you have there." She nodded her head in the direction of my owl, who I'd named Godric.

"Thanks, his name's Godric. Is that your cat?" I asked. The cat stared up at me with lamp-like green eyes.

"Yeah, she's mine. I originally named her Athena, but she never learned to respond to it, so I call her Dusty." The cat confirmed this by cocking its head at the name of Dusty.

"So, are you the new girl that I've heard about?" I asked, trying to sound casual when I was actually really curious.

"Oh, yes. People stared at me as I walked down the aisles. That's partially why I decided to come to a nearly empty cabin."

"I would, too. Where did you go before Hogwarts?"

"I was homeschooled by a friend. I don't have any parents to speak of . . . and I'm actually quite thankful for it," she said, and I wasn't sure if she said that last bit because it was under her breath. I ignored it.

"Yeah, well, I'm sure you'll be fine. Maybe I can help you around the castle a bit when we get there. It's really tricky."

"Thanks. So . . . your father's Harry Potter, the Man Who Lived Twice? Sorry, I'm sure you've heard that one too many times."

"You're right on both accounts. Oh, and on a side note, avoid my brother and cousin at all costs. James is a fifth year, and Hugo is a first year, and they're really big pains to anyone who knows them. Oh, and Freddie too, but he's not on the train today. He was already at the school—don't ask."

"Summer school, meaning missed detentions, right?"

"Exactly." Suddenly, there was a girl at the door, stumbling in, slightly red-faced.

"Eva! You abandoned me at that platform! I think I looked through the whole train trying to find you!" Eva smiled apologetically.

"Sorry, Violet. Dusty ran after someone's pet rat. I didn't make it in time to save the thing, though." Violet frowned, but seemed to just notice I was there, and brightened up immediately.

Violet Longbottom, the Keeper for the Hufflepuff team, was a third year like me. She had dark blonde hair that went just past her shoulders, and it was not often that you saw her without a grin on her face, usually with a lighthearted look in her eyes. That look was always on her face when she was caring for any kind of animal—and that was probably one of the reasons she was probably in Care of Magical Creatures this year.

"Oh, hi, Albus!"

"Hi, Violet. You've met Eva?"

"We've been friends for a while now; she's my neighbor. Funny thing, each of us didn't know the other was a witch until we both met in Hogsmeade over the summer. It was so shocking to see her there," Violet chuckled. Eva laughed softly, too.

"Well, we're almost there, I bet. Shall we get ready?" asked Violet after a little while.

"Might as well. See you when I get Sorted, Albus," said Eva, waving as she rolled her trunk out while she and Violet laughed at something they saw in the hall. Somehow, that thought was more exciting than the Welcoming Feast, which I usually enjoyed the most. When we got to the Feast, Hugo and Lily, with the first years, stood right next to us, so they joined in the conversation. Somehow James and Freddie managed to get me squished between them at the table I sat at.

"I heard she's been homeschooled farther than a fifth year level at home," whispered Lily. I rolled my eyes.

"I assume you're all talking about Eva Partoni?" asked Hugo, a grin that I knew too well to trust on his face.

"I actually met her on the train," said James, looking like he was going to burst with pride.

"And what did you talk about with her?" I asked, already knowing the most likely answer.

"I said absolutely nothing. I showed her the box of stuff I got from Weasley's Wizard Wheezes, and she said, and I quote, 'that's a great bunch of pranks you got there. Good luck trying to pull one on me.' Then she walked away from the cabin without a word, a black cat strutting behind her."

"Well, I actually had a conversation with her and Violet Longbottom while you guys were swooning over a new third year," I said. Hugo laughed at my jab at them, and James looked shocked.

"You talked to her? And she responded? I didn't know you had it in you, Albus!"

"Oh, come off it, James. She's as normal as the next third year. The only real difference is that a: She's going to be sorted tonight, and b: she's going to be really lost in the next few weeks."

"And c: She's supermegafoxyawesomehot," (avpm reference!) said Hugo and James spit out his water laughing.

"I didn't happen to notice," I said, although in my head I was thinking of those grey eyes, like cold silver. For some reason, those eyes always made me think of the cold, like Christmas time . . .

"Welcome, students, new and old," called out the Headmistress, and everyone was silent.

"We will start the House Sorting with the First Years, and we will end it with our new student Eva Partoni. Then we will have the Welcoming Feast and final announcements before the prefects lead their houses to the dorms." McGonagall put the Sorting Hat on the old stool, and it sang.

"Years have passed and come

However, still the same

I have been brought to Sort you

Oh yes, yet again

The task is simple: put me on

I'll decide what House you're in

Whether it be Gryffindor, Hufflepuff,

Ravenclaw or Slytherin.

Should you be a Gryffindor

The bravest of them all

Or in loyal Hufflepuff

Where friendship is your call

Or Ravenclaw may be your house

Where there are those of clever minds

Or perhaps in Slytherin

Where the ambitious find their kind

So put me on, don't be afraid

I know what just to do

I, the Sorting Hat will do my job

Come and I'll Sort you."

I clapped, as did the others, and the Sorting went along. Each house cheered when they got a new member, but people were really just waiting for the first years to be over and done with. Hugo and Lily were both Gryffindors—no surprise there.

"Partoni, Eva." Eva stood, head held high as the whispers began, and sat very still on the stool as the Sorting Hat fell over her head. It took much longer for her than most of the first years, but finally, it yelled out.

"RAVENCLAW!" and the Ravenclaw table burst into cheers. My heart sank slightly; I'd sort of hoped that she would be in Gryffindor.

"Aw, darn. Oh, well. I think we can still catch her eye on the Quidditch pitch, eh, Hugo?" asked James. I rolled my eyes, ignoring them, and watched Eva. She looked relieved as she sat down with the Ravenclaws, though I couldn't imagine what had bothered her. Maybe she didn't want to be in another house and was happy about it.

I had three classes with Eva. One was Defense Against the Dark Arts, one was Potions, and the third was Transfiguration. I also had Violet in Care of Magical Creatures and Herbology. I had Charms for the last class on Monday, and I had that with the Slytherins. After classes on the first day, I hurried to catch up with Eva, who looked worried.

"Eva! Wait up!" I said, and she turned, and waited for me.

"Hi, Albus."

"What's up?" I asked. She sighed.

"I should have taken your advice with Hugo and James. I really should have. Now James is constantly sending me chocolates, thinking I'll not know it's him, and Hugo is helping. It's a pure nightmare, since I don't fancy either one. What does a fifth year want with me?"

"I believe what Hugo said before the Sorting was something along the lines of 'supermegafoxyawesomehot," I said dryly. Her eyes widened, and then she looked down, blushing a deep scarlet. Then she muttered something that I probably shouldn't have heard:

It was a strange hissing noise that I'd heard my dad use so no one knew what he was saying—usually it was probably when he swore. I didn't expect to hear it coming from her mouth, though. I nearly tripped over my own feet.

"What was that?" I yelped. She turned to look at me, and bit her lip.

"Uh . . . you weren't supposed to have heard that. But I'm a Parseltongue, in case that's what you meant."

"Oh! So is my dad. When he doesn't want people knowing what he's saying, he usually speaks like that. None of us got the ability, but Dad read somewhere that it might happen when we're older."

"I'm glad you didn't understand that, all the same. I hope no one finds out . . ."

"Finds out what?"

"Let's just say that normally, that ability runs in the family."