"Oh! Look, Rolf! An owl!" Luna exclaimed airily.

Rolf crawled out of the cave he'd been searching for pigmy worms in for the last hour. His bright hat was slanted on his head and dirt was smudged across his face. As he emerged into the sunlight, he turned off the light on his hat. Rolf chuckled under his breath, "Gee, I wonder who that could be from? Your penpal in London, perhaps?"

The owl dropped a letter into Luna's hands. She smiled seeing his name written in chicken-scratch handwriting across the white of the envelope. Nothing made her day like the letters he sent her. Rolf saw her eyes fixated on the envelope and decided to head back underground. Luna wasn't staring at the envelope she was holding in her slender fingers, though. She was staring at the diamond ring and the wedding band around her ring finger.

She'd last seen him at her wedding. That was only a few months ago. After the wedding she and Rolf had decided to go on a world tour. She hadn't seen her friend since, but she remembered what he'd told her at her wedding. He was excited for her... or so he said. She'd been able to tell plainly on his face that he didn't want her to get married... at least not to Rolf.

Luna sighed. She and Rolf had decided to get married not because they loved eachother, but because it would be impossible for them to ever find another person so dedicated to the study of magical creatures that seemed to fascinate them. It was a mutual agreement that they would marry for their interests, not their emotions.

The letters she received from him were her only connection to the life she'd given up so she could travel with Rolf. Ginny and Hermione were busy raising their families and didn't get many opportunities to write. So he was the only one who ever really had the time to write to her. She hastily opened the letter.

As she read the script scrawled onto the page her mouth contorted into a sad smile. She loved visiting new and exotic places, however at this moment all Luna wanted to do was return to London. Especially since the school year at Hogwarts was coming to an end. Luna clutched his letter close to her heart. So many things had occured while she was away. Rolf took one of her pale hands in his own. His sudden touch made her head whip around to face him. He smiled at her with compassion. "Luna... I care for you as deeply as two people impassioned by the undiscovered can... you do whatever it is you have to do."

She jumped into his arms and wrapped hers around his neck tightly. "Rolf, I love you!"

Harry and Ginny stood on the platform with their third child and waved as the train sped away. Suddenly, two women on a couple flying broomsticks raced after the Hogwarts Express. One girl had flowing raven locks and Slytherin robes. The other woman rode with her long moonlight hair trailing in all directions behind her. The girl in front was obviously a student, but Harry and Ginny did a double take wondering if they both saw who they thought they did riding on the broom behind the young girl.

Hermione, Ron, and Hugo hurried over to them. "Did you guys see that, too?!!" Hermione inquirred jumping around, obviously thrilled.

Usually Hermione was so serious about everything; Lily had never seen her Aunt seem so childish and... fun. A wide grin spread across Ginny's face. "Only if you saw-"

"Luna Schmander? Yes!" Hermione finished for her.

Ginny's smile faded. She remembered Luna saying something to her in one of the few letters they had exchanged that she and Rolf had decided she should keep her surname. Something about their relationship wasn't like hers and Harry's or Ron's and Hermione's.

"I think she still goes by Lovegood." Ginny corrected her sister-in-law.

"What does it matter? It was Luna!" Hermione retorted excitedly.

Harry put a hand thoughtfully to his chin. He didn't understand what Luna would be doing chasing after the train when she was supposed to be in Australia with her husband. Ron interrupted his thoughts, "Harry... is it just me, or did that other girl look like Zarina Knight?"

Potter turned to his best mate and reluctantly nodded. Zarina Rowena Lovegood, originally. She was one of Luna's cousins and a direct descendant of Rowena Ravenclaw. She and Tonks had attended Hogwarts together. Whereas Tonks had been placed into Hufflepuff, Zarina was sorted into Ravenclaw, and rightfully so. After graduating, Zarina and Tonks had then joined the Ministry as Aurors. The Ravenclaw had married one of her Slytherin classmates, Alphonse Knight. Unknown to her, he was a Deatheater.

Harry and Ron both worked at the Ministry as Aurors themselves. They had worked alongside Mrs. Knight. The two men were surprised to see this doppleganger of their co-worker because Zarina... was dead. Her death had only recently occured. Harry and Ron had been sent along with Zarina and a few others to dispose of a cult of Deatheaters that had been discovered. In their battle, Zarina had been pitted against her husband, and he did not hesitate to kill her. Alphonse had been captured and placed in Azkaban.

Ron rubbed his temples gingerly. This was going to give him one major headache... he just knew it. He and Harry were going to have to investigate this matter further. The other parents and family members of the children on their way to Hogwarts were beginning to disperse now that Luna and her cousin's strange look-alike were nearly out of sight.

Hugo and Lily were beginning to get antsy as well. As they began to walk away Hermione and Ginny were all ready planning out a letter to write to Luna asking about her broom ride.

***

Albus pretty much clung to his older brother like glue. He didn't know what else to do. This was his first time on the Hogwarts Express, afterall. James opened a compartment to find only one other occupant... "Professor Longbottom?"

Neville, who had previously been staring out the window as the rolling hills passed by, turned to face the young children at the door. He smiled. "Hello, James... Albus."

"Are these seats open?" James asked the professor.

"Of course." Neville informed him.

"There, go take a seat." James told his brother, pointing to the other window seat.

Albus obediently took the window seat opposite Neville. He noticed his brother wasn't making any moves suggesting he was also going to take a seat. "James, aren't you going to sit with me?"

"Uh... yeah, sure." Quickly he changed the subject, "Oh, Professor Longbottom, my mother sends her love... but you didn't hear it from me."

Neville chuckled, "All right, then."

"Jaaaames!" Albus wimpered.

"Just chill, Al. I'll be back." With that James sped off down the corridor, leaving his brother with the Herbology Professor.

Rose and Victoire found their way to the same compartment. Victoire sat beside Neville and Rose beside Albus. The Potter pouted. His brother wasn't coming back to sit with him... James lied. For a long time Albus refused to converse with the other three people in his compartment. The door slid open again. Albus whipped his head around hopefully, thinking his brother might have kept to his word and returned to the compartment to sit with him. Sadly, his spark of hope had been thoroughly doused when he saw who was standing in the doorway.

Platinum hair and pale skin. He smiled at the four people all ready in the compartment. Rose's ears turned the traditional Weasley red to match her traditional Weasley hair. "All the other compartments are completely full. Is there any room to fit one more in here?" he asked hopefully.

Victoire nodded, motioning to the seat beside Rose. "You can sit there. Rose doesn't mind." Victoire said with a playful smile.

"Great. Thank you so much!" The pale boy grunted as he took his seat, "My name's Scorpius Malfoy, by the way."

"Ahh. So your father is Draco, then, yes?" Neville asked.

Scorpius nodded. Neville smiled to himself. "Thought so. You're hoping to get in the Slytherin House, then?" The professor asked curiously.

"Actually, I think it might be cool to get into Ravenclaw."

Neville found himself smiling at the boy's response, "Well, there's got to be a first for everything."

"Yeah, but... my dad thinks I can only succeed if I get in Slytherin... it's a family tradition or something, I guess."

"Tch. Well at least your dad didn't threaten to disinherit you if you didn't get Slytherin." Rose spat.

Scorpius laughed at her comment. "So, your dad will disown you if you don't get in Slytherin... supposedly?" Malfoy asked.

"Gryffindor." Rose corrected him.

"Ah."

Albus blinked. He wasn't in the slightest paying attention to the conversation at hand, but something out the window had caught his eye. A woman in Slytherin robes was speeding through the air on a broomstick. It looked like a Skybrid Firehawk, supposedly one of the fastest modern broomsticks in the whole wizarding world. Not to mention they cost a fortune!

"Guys! Look! Look out the window!! Who is that??!" Albus asked them.

The first years pressed their faces against the window, watching in awe as the woman gracefully rode her broom through the air. She got closer to the window of their compartment until she was literally touching distance away from them had the glass been non-existent. Radish earrings dangled from her ears and her green eyes were bright and cheerful as she smiled at them. She waved before soaring above the train.

"Who was that?!" Albus asked Neville.

Victoire answered with a smile. "Veare Knight. She's a good friend of mine." Victoire suddenly became serious, "Veare told me her mother died over the summer... and her father... she won't tell me what happened to him. All she'd said was she didn't want it getting around the school. She's got a bad reputation as it is because the Slytherins just eat her alive for befriending anyone who isn't "Of House". They like torchering her just because her ego doesn't rule her... and yet Veare doesn't let any of it stop her from being herself. She doesn't deserve all the ridicule she gets from her classmates. Veare's a true inspiration... at least I think so."

A different woman was at the window now. She tapped on the glass to get Neville's attention. He jumped when he saw her at the window. She looked at him with pools of dreamy blue eyes and smiled; her long, wild silvery hair flew behind her as she rode her own broom. Veare joined her side.

"Whoa!! She's riding a Skybrid Starfalcon!" Albus exclaimed.

"Seriously??!" Scorpius asked, checking the engraved label on the broom's neck to confirm Albus's observation, "That's bloody brilliant! Those aren't even available in Europe yet! I wonder where she got that from?"

Neville couldn't stop smiling. She was the most beautiful and perfect thing in the world to him. She backed away from the window and said something to Veare, who nodded in response. The two women began to perform several complicated arial stunts for their young audience within the train. Albus's eyes were wide with admiration for the lovely Slytherin woman. According to Victoire, Veare was one Slytherin who didn't follow the traditional pattern of cruelty that the Slytherin House members were known to have.

Perhaps being sorted Slytherin wasn't such a bad thing, afterall.

***

As they exited the train they parted with the Professor who seemed eager to get somewhere. Many students crowded around Veare, who was atempting to gather Third years to lead them to their carriages. Scorpius, Rose, and Albus all followed Victoire as she weeded her way through the crowd that had gathered around Veare. She patted her friend's shoulder. "Nice show, Veare." Victoire giggled.

Veare laughed. "Maybe... ya think it's obvious I missed the train?"

Victoire put a finger to her chin in mock thought. "Hm..." she paused for a moment before saying, "Nah! You might consider controlling your Third years, though."

"Yeah, thanks for the tip."

With that the four moved on and Victoire gathered the rest of the First years to the lake. Two to a boat. Those were the rules. Albus clung to Victoire, so Scorpius volunteered to share a boat with Rose.

"I'd sooner jump in the lake than ride with you!" she argued.

"Really? Because I can arrange that." he told her with a witty smile.

"Hmph! You just hold the lantern, Malfoy!"

He raised a brow, "Since when are you captain of this vessel?"

Rose climbed into a boat and Scorpius followed suit. "Since I have a higher I.Q. than you."

"Oh? Is that so?"

"Absolutely."

"Hm... I guess we'll just have to see about that then, huh? You up for it? A duel of wits. Wizard with the highest scores wins."

"Witch with the highest scores, you mean?" she corrected him, "You're on!"

He smiled in the lantern light and the two shook hands. "Okay... until then... Aye, aye, Captain... I guess I'm on lantern duty." Scorpius chuckled and Rose giggled at his joke.

Once everyone had made it across the lake in the boats moving of their own accord, Victoire led them to the Great Hall. Neville greeted them at the stairs and thanked Victoire before she elegantly strode to the Hufflepuff House table where she belonged. Albus's gaze fell upon the Slytherin table. He saw Veare enchant a bird formed from folded paper to fly around the ceiling that had candles suspended in mid-air.

A couple Slytherin girls with red hair shot lightening at the bird and watched the paper disperse into flames and disappear into the air. Albus felt rage toward the twin girls who'd shot down Veare's creation. How could they destroy something so pure and beautiful?! He saw his brother at the Gryffindor table laughing at Veare's crestfallen face. Albus turned his head to the head table where the Professors sat. Would they do nothing to stop this evil from occuring??!

Only one Professor seemed even remotely distressed at the sight of the Slytherin students harsh pranks and tricks... it was the woman he had seen riding her broom with Veare. She looked as though she were almost ready to jump out of her seat. "Albus Potter!"

Lost in his thoughts, Albus hadn't even realized that Scorpius had all ready been sent to the Ravenclaw House. Scorpius watched Albus from his seat at the table. Rose turned toward her cousin. She pushed him forward, "Go on!"

Albus tripped on his way up the stairs, causing the first years to laugh at him. Neville placed the Sorting Hat on Albus's Head. The hat seemed to be sifting through Albus's mind in order to find the right House for him. Albus remembered what his father had said about the Sorting Hat taking into consideration which House he wanted to be in. The hat muttered a few things, but Albus couldn't make them out.

"Yes Slytherin... no Slytherin... you could be great in Gryffindor... but... I think I should put you in... SLYTHERIN!!!"

Neville removed the hat from Albus's head with a smile. The Slytherins cheered for their newest member, and Albus smiled, glancing at his brother's face at the Gryffindor table as he took his seat at the table of his enemy. James was in utter shock, and Albus turned around to stick his tongue out at his brother. The other Slytherins clapped Albus on the back and welcomed him warmly to their table. He'd taken a seat beside Veare.

Albus heard Neville call Rose's name. He had a feeling he knew which house she would be put in even before the Sorting Hat called it out. "GRYFFINDOR!!!"

She sat beside James. Albus could have sat at the table both of his parents and his brother had, had the opportunity to sit at... as well as all of his grandparents. When he boarded the Hogwarts Express he'd wanted to be another Gryffindor just like the rest of them... but then, seeing Veare for the first time on her broom... Albus had realized something. He didn't really want to be just like everyone else. He wanted to do the exact opposite of what everyone expected.

Albus wanted to be in Slytherin... and he wanted to prove that not all Slytherins were bad.

Thank you very much for reading! I hope you will review as well so I may continue!