Chapter 1

By Olivia Schwartz

Bellatrix carefully moved into position, flying high over the tracks of the Hogwarts Express a few miles into the ride. She checked the time, 10:59. The others flew in behind her: Crabbe, Avery, Rookwood, Travers, Amycus and Alecto Carrow, Nott, and Dolohov, the sorry remnants of what had once been a vast, proud order.

She reached onto the pocket of her robes and withdrew a sleek, new Muggle cellphone. Bellatrix detested using Muggle technology, but some of it would help her plot quite a bit, and anyways, it was unexpected. At exactly 11:00, it rang, she took the call. "Where are they?"

"Car 3, Compartment 7," answered the rough voice of her husband, Rodolphus Lestrange from inside King's Cross Station.

"Great. Is Tom in position?"

"Yes."

"Perfect. See you soon."

"Bye.'

Bellatrix

hung up and laughed, a shrill, evil, haunting sound. She flew in towards the tracks and drew her wand. "Comminuet!" she used the spell twice, breaking away a large section of track hanging over a steep cliff. Travers and Dolohov flew forward towards the rapidly falling piece of track.

"Wingardium Leviosa," they said in unison, guiding the piece gently towards the ground, landing it as sofltly as possible so as not to be discovered by the sound, then flew back up into formation.

~~Page Break~~

The reven-haired, green-eyed, third-year boy walked through the Hogwarts Express. He glanced in a compartment and saw exactly what he wanted to see. Two second-year students, a boy and a girl, sat inside. The girl had reddish-brown hair and blue eyes, and was reading a thick textbook. The boy had black hair like his father, and he had the eyes. Her eyes. Lily Evan's eyes. He opened the door to tha compartment and adressed the bot," Mind if I sit here?" It was time to make his parents proud.

"Sure," replied the boy,"I'm Albus, but you can call me Al. This is Rose. What's your name?"

"Tom."

"Haven't seen you befor. What House are you in?"

"Hufflepuff."

"Gryffindor."

Tom would have liked to introduce himself as a Slytherin, but his mother had instructed him to make them like him first. And since he didn't actually go to Hogwarts, he could really introduce himself as from any House. The train came to an abrupt stop, and Tom knew what was going on. He grabbed Rose and pulled her towards him, pulling out a knife and holding it to her throat.

"Hold still or she dies," he said in a threatening voice. Albus pulled out his wand, and Tom pushed the knife further into Rose's neck.

"I wouldn't do that," he said as blood trickled down her neck,"I can cut faster than you can use a spell. And I don't need her alive. I will hurt her. Filthy half-blood," he spat out threateningly.

Albus looked at Rose, and slowly lowered his wand.

"Good," said Tom slowly. "Now hand it over."

Albus hesitated, gripping his wand tightly. Tom adjusted the knife and made another shallow cut on Rose's neck. She thrashed weakly in his arms, a steady rivulet of blood trickling down her neck. "Now!" he commanded.

"Albus," whispered Rose, then slumped unconscious in Tom's arms.

Hand shaking, Albus handed over his wand.

A/N: Sorry if I don't update regularly...life is hectic for me...thanks to my reviewer (the other was my friend who I am helping write this fanfic.)

Please R&R! P.S. If you can guess why it is Car 3 and Compartment 7...you get a virtual cookie! (::)