Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters about which I write.

(A/N This story is written in collaboration between myself and evilteddyboy, I'm putting it here as it's easier to manage so any apologies to those who have already read these chapters. The story is all planned out, there will be approximately ten chapters when we have finished writing them all. It is roughly based on Agatha Christies 'Murder on the Orient Express, with a Harry Potter twist. I am placing a warning on this to be on the safe side, there will be a character death, and implied slash. Enjoy reading!)

Murder on the Hogwarts Express

Harry stepped onto Platform nine and three quarters on September the first, ready to finish his final year at Hogwarts. The scarlet steam engine was waiting there as usual. It was nice to know, that despite the war some things had not changed.

Originally, following the death of Albus Dumbledore at the end of the previous year, he had not planned on returning to Hogwarts, intending on spending the year searching for the Horcruxs. However, circumstances over the summer had changed his priorities.

He glanced around the platform. It did not seem as busy as it usually was; he guessed that after Voldemort's return and the events of last year, parents would want to keep their families together as much as possible. All the Slytherins seemed to have returned, even Draco Malfoy. Well, Hogwarts was just as safe for the pureblood followers of Voldemort as anywhere else. Muggle borns from the other houses were few and far between, the further from Hogwarts the better for them. Then there were his friends. Most of the remaining D.A members had returned, those who had not been too badly affected by the war.

"Harry!" A shrill voice called out from behind him, bringing him out of his musings. He turned around to be ambushed by a mop of brown bushy hair.

"Hiya Hermione," he said patting the girl on her head. He noticed Ron and Ginny were stood several feet behind her. "How've you been?"

"Do not play games with me Harry James Potter, where have you been all holiday? We have tried contacting you, but none of our letters have been able to reach you, and when we contacted the Dursleys they said you had left after about a week. What happened to staying until your birthday?"

Harry smiled at her. If only they could understand. "You know that job Dumbledore gave me? I just got started on it early. I spent the summer at Grimmauld researching, the sooner the better you know." He looked at the three of them apologetically. "I would have invited you guys over, but I thought it would be safer and quicker if I was on my own, and you guys had the wedding, sorry I missed it. You'll be surprised what I discovered at Grimmauld Place during my search."

Whatever Hermione was going to say next was cut off by Mrs Weasley's arrival. "Oh Harry dear, you're OK. We were all worried something had happened to you when we couldn't get in contact with you." She pulled him into a hug before releasing him at arms length. "Now, how are you, seriously? Have you been eating properly and taking care of yourself? You're still far too thin." She regarded him with close scrutiny, as if checking for damage.

"I'm fine Mrs Weasley. I just had a few things that needed taking care of. Kreacher has been taking care of everything for me while I have been away, I wouldn't have coped without him."

Mrs Weasley pursed her lips at the mention of the house elf, however it was Ron who interrupted this time. "Why Grimmauld Place Harry, I thought you hated it there, especially after all that Sirius went through? And how on earth did you get Kreacher to obey you?"

Harry felt torn. He could not tell them the real reasons he had gone to stay at Grimmauld place, especially not with Mrs Weasley and Ginny being there. "Kreacher's always obeyed me, I am his master after all," he said ignoring Hermione's scowl at the word master. "But he's just never liked doing so. I took Dumbledore's advice in being nice to Kreacher; I gave him something that he treasured. I was nice to him and he was nice to me."

"Oh Harry," Hermione gushed and was about to throw herself at Harry again when Mrs Weasley spoke up. "I think you all should be getting on the train now, it will be leaving shortly. Hermione, Ron, you two need to get to the prefect carriage. Did Hermione tell you Harry, she's Head Girl now." Hermione blushed as the four of them were shepherded onto the train by Mrs Weasley.

This time Harry threw his arms around the girl. "Congratulations Hermione, you deserve this. You'll have to tell us who gets to share your wrath, as Head Boy this year." Harry joked lightly, taking care to make sure Mrs Weasley did not hear, knowing she could take insult having had two Head Boys in her family.

"You mean Professor McGonagall didn't make her favourite student, the Golden Boy of Gryffindor, Head Boy, following in the steps of his ever so famous father," Hermione teased.

Harry laughed. "I think being the Chosen One is enough responsibility for the moment Hermione, and personally I prefer having to be the one to do Voldemort in, than to cope with all the stress that being Head Boy entails."

Hermione shook her head as she and Ron left for the prefect's carriage, leaving Harry and Ginny alone. Harry had not seen Ginny since he had broken up with her after Dumbledore's funeral and he still felt awkward about it around her, especially considering what he had accomplished over the summer.

"Shall we go find a compartment," she asked him smiling up at him. "Luna and Neville should be around and might have saved us one." She slipped her warm hand into Harry's and pulled him along the corridor looking for an empty compartment, or Luna and Neville, and all Harry could do in reply was nod.