Cradling a pair of incubators, Nasrin peered over the usual Galahad Station crowd while Ariel cooed over the green-pink-white and brown-toned Eggs within, searching for-
"Harry!"
The Potter turned, accepting her greeting with a kiss, and Remus rolled his eyes as their conversation was completely derailed.
"Hi, Remus." The half-Gem chirped, which was echoed by Robin as the Rowlet fluttered onto Harry's shoulder-guard.
"We'll see you at the banquet." Harry assured, and Remus smiled as Mooney clambered onto his shoulder, waving.
"Have fun. Hello, Neville."
"Hello, Mister Lupin!" The Longbottom returned as he effectively replaced their new professor in the huddle. "Bye, Mister Lupin!"
"Going to have to get used to calling him professor." Harry reminded their friend, gently bumping fists in hello.
"Yeah, that's going to be weird." Neville agreed, reaching down to scratch Flora between the ears.
Mulan's ear-sensors twitched, humming, and Harry jerked as he peeled back petals on the Ivysaur's flower to reveal a pair of eyes blinking back.
"Oh, sorry about that!" Neville apologized, cupping his hands to pull the tiny Pokemon into view. "Puck here keeps trying to slip away."
"A Flabebe." Nasrin realized, Ariel whistling happily at the sight of a soon-to-be-fellow Fairy-type.
"I found her in the greenhouse a few weeks ago and managed to catch her." The shyer Gryffindor explained. "Gran was excited because she has the Flower Veil Ability, which protects Grass-types. She thinks her and Flora might make good Double Battle partners."
"I'd say so." Harry agreed, smiling as the squirming little Fairy was returned to Flora's blooming bulb.
"She's awesome, Neville." Nasrin added with a smile, shifting the incubators as Harry settled a hand on the back of her neck in a loose hold.
"I can't wait to show you our new Pokemon."
Neville nodded, though he hesitated a moment, unsure.
"Hey, if it isn't my place to ask, just ignore me, but…You and Remus seemed pretty heated when you were talking a moment ago. Everything okay?"
"Yeah, it's fine, Nev." Harry assured, annoyance long faded away. "Remus was just giving me the Talk."
"Oh god, right here?" Ron nearly screeched, running up with Ginny. "Right on the platform?"
"Well, yeah." The Potter replied, confused by the reaction while Nasrin blinked, sorting through the horror and tinges of embarrassment emanating from their friends. "I mean, I wish he hadn't done it in such a public place-"
"Wish?" Ginny bit out, disgusted. "If my parents try to give me The Talk in public next year, I'll throw such a fit, child services will be involved!"
"Isn't that a little extreme?" Harry protested, wide-eyed.
"Isn't talking about the Beedrill and the Spearow in the middle of a crowded train station extreme?" Ron retorted.
"No wonder you two were tense." Neville commiserated, Flora nodding along.
"What?" Harry squeaked out, feeling a tremor of laughter from the pinkette as Robin hid a smile behind both wings. "No, wait, I think you guys are confused. We didn't have The Talk, he gave me the Talk. You know, buckle down, study hard, 'I expect better grades from you, young man'? That one."
The other three Gryffindors released an 'oh' in understanding, and Nasrin finally revealed her smile.
"Considering the lack of fire, I think that makes more sense."
"Yeah, sorry." Ginny agreed, glancing over to see her own parents talking to a cowed Fred and George. "Mum and dad are giving all of us that Talk, too."
"Really?" Harry and Nasrin echoed, surprised.
"Yeah." Ron admitted. "Percy is Head Boy this year, and mum is disappointed that us four youngsters aren't doing better. Bill was also Head Boy, and Charlie barely missed out. Her and dad want us all to shape up and do better. Of course, thanks to Fred and George, the pressure is off me and Gin just a bit."
"My gran gave me the same speech." Neville admitted. "Except instead of grades, she wants me to be more outgoing. Not that she thinks you guys are terrible! She's thrilled all of you are my friends, she just wants me to do more stuff. Join some clubs, or something. She said my dad was really outgoing…"
An ache settled in Nasrin's chest, and she reached out to place a hand on his shoulder, trying to ease Neville's old pain.
He had admitted only a few months ago that Frank and Alice Longbottom were in the hospital, had been since their son was a baby, and it did not take a great leap of logic to realize they had been attacked in the dangerous aftermath of Voldemort's first defeat.
"Guess we're all getting the Talk." Harry voiced, hoping to divert the conversation.
"I see someone who probably didn't." Ron noted coolly. "Hermione."
Said bushy-haired girl paused a few feet away, head low and voice quiet, radiating uncertainty and guilt.
"Hello-"
"CHARLIE MURPHY!"
Nasrin blinked at the sharp THWICK of a can against her shin, glancing down in confusion as everyone else hopped in pain, and Hermione whirled on the half-Veela.
"Luna! I thought I told you not to hit them!"
"I know…" Luna replied sadly. "That was COLD-BLOODED!"
With a smile, she reached out to pat Neville's cheek.
"I'm Luna Lovegood, baby. Enjoy yourself!"
"Luna." Hermione sighed, rubbing the bridge of her nose. "I know you want them to forgive me, but they aren't if you keep hitting them!"
"Bloody hell, Luna!" Ron sputtered, half-hopping towards the half-Veela with clenched fists. "What the-"
The poor Weasley was knocked flat when a Cubone leaped onto his chest, wielding her club dangerously.
"Ronald." Luna started calmly, extended pinkie at her mouth. "Meet my new Pokemon. I call her…Mini Me."
"Luna Junior." Hermione clarified as Luna picked up the Ground-type for a cuddle.
Ariel tilted her head, fairly amused, when the Cubone twisted her hands over the bone as if strangling someone.
"She's so protective of me and my bestest best friend Hermione, so please be careful and don't say anything that might sound like a threat. Don't worry, though. Know that her violent outbursts are out of friendship!"
Robin's wings fluttered with restrained laughter when Luna Junior pointed and mimed slitting their throats.
"That means I love you!"
"I'm pretty that means I'm going to un-alive you." Nasrin noted good-naturedly as Hermione gently began to steer the Second Year away.
"We'll, uh, go find a seat on the train."
"Bye, hoes!"
Ginny tilted her head as the pair disappeared, thoughtful.
"So, I think this is the year we'll all die."
"Every year is the year I almost die." Harry muttered, resigned. "Won't be that different."
The half-Gem nodded, Ariel giggling as her trainer pulled Harry along.
"At least this time, we'll have company."
The group followed Hermione and Luna into an empty cabin, where Harry and Nasrin happily released their horde to relax during the train ride.
Mulan clambered up onto her lap with Melody, purring at the Eggs, while Dobby kept a close eye on Meeko and Togetic, who were playing some sort of game like pattycake with liberal sparks, giggling at every shock.
Eevee took hold of Pongo's ear and yanked when the Rockruff grabbed hold of his friend's tail, sending both sprawling, and Robin laughed from her safe perch on Harry's shoulder with Hedwig, knowing that Snow and Ludwig would not allow the unruly pair to disturb him while the Potter settled.
Rapunzel watched all of this with great amusement, cottony ears twitching, as Harry remembered something.
"I almost forgot. Remus upgraded the Marauder's App."
"Really?" Ron voiced, intrigued. "With what?"
"You know how each Poke Ball has its own IP code and frequency?" Nasrin offered, smiling as Ginny and the others nodded while her brother just stared blankly.
"Basically, each Poke Ball has a code that's completely unique and never reused." Harry elaborated.
"If you scan one into the Marauder's App, it'll be able to find it anywhere, just like a Pokedex."
"We've already scanned all ours in, so now it's your turn."
Perking up at the idea, their friends happily held out each of their Balls to be scanned, though Hermione held back until everyone else was done before doing the same.
"Oh, I also made this app for all of us to play!"
"What exactly is this app?" Harry wondered as Ginny wirelessly downloaded it to his Pokedex.
"Just something I put together during the summer." She answered, continuing to send the app to Nasrin, Neville, Ron, Luna and, reluctantly, Hermione. "Thought it might be a great way to pass the time. You can only play so many rounds of Electrode Explosion."
"Yeah, but that's why some of us bring other things." Neville noted, gesturing to the bushy-haired girl and the book she was clearly engrossed in.
"But this is actually going to be fun!" Ron insisted, wincing a bit when Nasrin's elbow connected with his ribs in rebuke.
Hermione may not have felt comfortable defending herself, considering the delicate nature of her position, but she did not deserve such open animosity.
"It's a Bingo app." Ginny explained quickly, clearly proud of herself. "I made the touch screen the playing screen, and created a random square generator so each board will be completely different! Best of all, all the squares are completely custom categories that apply to the train ride! All we have to do is enjoy the ride like we normally do and when something happens, check the appropriate square!"
Checking said squares, Nasrin smiled at the flare of amusement from Harry when he read them, from 'Ariel will smack Ron upside the head' and 'Flora will take a nap' to 'A Pelipper will fly by the train' and 'The Candy Cart will sell out of Koffing Cakes'.
"I also created some for when we're at Hogwarts." Ginny continued. "During a Gauntlet match, so on and so on. We can play all year long, and no one will even know it but the six-seven of us!"
Ron glanced over, letting out a groan when no reaction came.
"Oh, come on, that was almost a guaranteed mark!"
Ariel snorted in amusement, seeing 'Hermione will tell us not to do something' as one of his squares.
"Bloody hell, mate, I-"
Hermione glanced up, checking off a box with a smile before returning to her book.
"Ron will be the first to swear."
Laughter filled the car while said Weasley shouted in frustration, though everyone soon settled down into a comfortable routine.
Hermione and Luna took up a bench, sitting back-to-back with Luna Junior polishing her club by her namesake's feet and Crookshanks snuggled into his trainer's lap, while Neville and Ginny sat opposite, the former showing how to properly prune and maintain Flora's petals.
Harry and Ron poured over the latest Gauntlet standings, debating over the Tor Town Tauros, while Nasrin laid back and basked in the feeling, happy to be a pillow and obstacle course while cradling an Egg under each arm.
Even with the regular interruptions for Ginny's Bingo game, the half-Gem found herself drifting serenely in an ocean of happiness and contentment, a dot of sand on a beach and a single star in the vastness of space…
"What are you two reading?" Neville wondered, offering a pinkie to Puck so he could move the Flabebe to a different section of Flora's bulb.
"A book about Veelas I picked up in Kalos." Hermione answered simply, though Luna beamed.
"She wants to help me with my powers. I try to study, but I get distracted when I can't find Waldo."
"Kinda like Carmen Sandiego." Nasrin agreed, smile widening when Harry clicked off another box.
"It's all really interesting." Hermione noted, warming to her topic. "The author believes that all the Pokemon Arts deal with a single aspect of human/Pokemon relations and interactions. Veelas, for example, deal with the emotional aspect of interaction, while Speakers deal with actual communication, Pokemagnuses are all about the physical, and The Dreamers deal with unconscious thoughts. Of course, Elemental Benders are a bit trickier, and no one is really quite sure what Distortion Walkers actually do, and Aura Knights just take things for a complete loop when it comes to spiritual energy…"
"I only understood every fourth word in that sentence." Ron complained, though Nasrin nodded along, eyes glazed in thought.
"No, it…it feels right."
Harry threaded their fingers, a curious glance that was answered by a smile.
"The point is that Veelas are able to sense emotions, effect and distort them." Hermione elaborated, clicking another box. "Legends about sirens can be traced back to Veela pirates who used their powers to draw men in so they could plunder their ships."
"Well…" Neville cut in, hoping to cut the new tension. "Luna, what are you reading?"
"Oh, just daddy's newspaper." She chirped, and Harry's head lifted.
"Anything interesting?"
A flash of amusement, coupled with various incredulous looks, had him blinking in confusion.
"What?"
"You've never read the Quibbler, have you?" Ron deduced.
"Uh, no, not really. I mostly just use the Holo Cast. Why?"
"The Quibbler is more like the National Enquirer than the New York Times." Nasrin explained, though this helped very little.
"Oh, yes, daddy is quite proud that everything he publishes is thought-provoking, shocking, and one-hundred-percent factual." Luna agreed. "From a certain point of view."
"From a certain point of view?" Harry parroted, Eevee and Pongo tilting their heads in confusion.
"Yes. That's such a magical phrase. It allows me to claim a relative of yours is dead when I really chopped off his legs and one of his arms and left him to burn next to a lava river. Also, be careful who you date, because it could be your twin sister who was hidden to protect you from the Emperor."
"We're more Star and Marco than Luke and Leia." Nasrin assured, biting back a smile as Togetic and Meeko snickered.
"What Emperor?" Harry asked, despite knowing better.
"The one that rules Sevii Island, of course."
"Luna, Sevii Island is ruled by a Lord, not an Emperor." Hermione informed her 'bestest best friend'.
"Well, of course! Everyone knows that, Hermione!" Luna replied, turning to give the interregional sign for crazy while said bushy-haired girl bit her tongue. "The better question is, why is he here in Avalon?"
"An Emperor is here in Avalon?" Ron wondered, Rapunzel stretching out her ears in curiosity.
"No, he's busy getting a new groove." Nasrin drawled, sitting up.
"The Lord of Sevii is here though, according to daddy." Luna finished, wirelessly sending the article to everyone.
Lord of Sevii Roams Avalon Countryside!
By Xeno Lovegood
Terrified villagers are flooding their local Poke Shops looking to stock up on pitchforks and torches after the Lord of Sevii was spotted with his entourage of Dusknoir this past weekend. No one is quite sure why the mysterious Lord is in Avalon (though faithful readers know the Lord isn't that mysterious, as he is actually famed Rockstar/astrophysicist/heartthrob Stubby Boardman). The dark fellow, who is never spotted with his skull mask, has been seen by several Avalon residents committing vagrants acts of mopery.
"Wait, you think mopery means that?!" Exclaimed one horrified eyewitness who spotted the Lord disappearing into an alley. "What is wrong with you?"
She went on, clearly distressed to the point of sanity. Other villagers who spotted the Lord report that he was stalking through towns, watching several Gyms before using his Dusknoir as cover for his escape. None of the witnesses have been able to get close enough to the Lord of Sevii to ask him why he is in Avalon, or if it was indeed he who put the bop in the bop shoo bop. When asked about the Lord of Sevii, one villager told us, "I don't know why he was lurking around. Now, do you want fries with your burger or not?"
We here at the Quibbler suspect that there is a greater conspiracy at hand. Reaching out to officials has only caused them to throw up blockades against the pursuit of the truth.
"Xeno, what are you doing in my bathtub?" Amos Diggory told this reporter when confronted with evidence of the coverup. "Seriously, we're all worried about you. We think you might be suffering brain damage."
The Quibbler remains dedicated to solving this mystery, and will continue to follow up on this story until a famous person does something more interesting.
Click Here to read a timeline of Stubby Boardman
Click Here to find out about the long history of Mopery, the Silent Killer
Click Here for compromising photos of Amos Diggory and Xeno Lovegood together in the shower
Ar, Click Here, matey, to hear this article read by a scurvy pirate
"Wow." Harry voiced, unable to find words.
"Isn't it nice to know that there's a paper out there reporting on the truth?" Luna voiced dreamily, though Hermione noticed the others' uncertainty.
"He's actually very nice. Very smart and funny. Don't judge him by his paper."
"Yes, daddy so does hate it when people get star-struck by him." Luna agreed, diverting attention.
"So…" Ginny followed along, smiling when Melody rolled into her feet with a giggle. "Why do you think the Lord of Sevii is in Avalon?"
"You think he's really here?" Harry voiced, surprised, Robin and Hedwig turning with wide eyes.
"In every myth, there's a kernel of truth." Nasrin opined, shrugging.
"The Quibbler might go off on weird tangents, but it's never wrong when it comes to the seeds of truth." Neville agreed. "The Lord of Sevii is here in Avalon, that much is for certain."
"My theory is that he's trying to find Claire Bennett before Sylar takes her brain." Luna voiced, placing a hand on Harry's shoulder. "Save the cheerleader, save the world."
"I'll remember that."
"Yatta." The pair of Veela echoed, smiling.
"He's probably here for a meet and greet." Ron rationalized, Snow's ear twitching as Ludwig cooed. "I heard most of the Team Nocturne grunts that were captured ended up on Sevii. Makes sense he'd want to come visit and try and get more money to hold them."
"He's never done it before." Nasrin pointed out, Neville nodding along.
"Most of the meet and greets are done by Jack Kenway."
"And if he were doing a meet and greet, why would he bring the Dusknoir?" Ginny added, shivering.
"You okay?" Harry worried, Nasrin reaching out to comfort the younger Weasley.
"You aren't afraid of Ghost-types, are you?"
"You know I'm not. Ludwig's very nice, and Linus and Stumper are also cute. Dusknoir are a different story, though. I mean, have you read the analysis of them? Creepy."
The door opened with a clatter, and every head turned to take in the obnoxious Prince of Slytherin, Crabbe and Goyle forever acting as his bookends and Pansy sporting a tight-lipped smile on her puckered face.
"Well, looks like we found where to toss our trash." Draco said, tossing a crumpled chip bag onto the floor, and Meeko's cheek-sacs sparked.
"Malfoy, how horrible to see you again." Harry drawled, Nasrin matching his unimpressed expression while Ginny kept her brother quiet. "Could you please tell your father that I'm absolutely loving Dobby, and I'm very thankful for the trade. I hope he's enjoying the Pokemon I sent him."
Draco's face flushed an outraged red, though it was Pansy that spoke up.
"You're nothing more than a liar, Potter! Mister Malfoy came to you, wanting to help you, and you betrayed him!"
"Like he tried to help Hermione by accusing her of petrifying everyone?" Nasrin responded coolly, Ariel humming unhappily. "We would prefer living without that help, thank you."
"Also, you should show Harry more respect." Luna added.
"Shut it, Looney." Goyle snapped back, yelping when not only Flora and Luna Junior sprung up, but Ariel, Meeko, Pongo, Snow, Melody and Mulan as well.
"Control your pests, Longbottom." Draco warned, regaining control of his temper. "We wouldn't want me having to tell my father that you can't control them. He'd be forced to put them down."
"You know, I've been thinking the same about that Servine of yours." Nasrin countered coolly, and his face went pale. "A Pokemon that doesn't respect her trainer is so very dangerous, you know."
"There's no need to be rude or violent." Luna agreed. "I was merely pointing out that Harry is the descendant of your House's founder. That means he's sort of your lord and master."
"Don't you dare disgrace the great Salazar Slytherin by claiming Potter here is his Heir." Draco hissed, jaw clenched so tight his teeth audibly ground together.
"Claim nothing." Harry retorted, standing calmly as Robin and Hedwig fixed the Slytherin with imperious glares. "I am the Heir of Slytherin, Malfoy."
"Then maybe it's time to wipe that line out."
Crabbe and Goyle flinched back at the deep snarls that escaped Eevee and Pongo, though Harry just closed the distance, shoulders straight with Nasrin at his back.
"Maybe. But not by you." He replied icily. "It'll take someone that can actually battle to beat me."
"Watch your mouth, Potter." Pansy warned, reaching for a Poke Ball.
"Funny." Nasrin quipped, Rapunzel's ears tightly coiled. "I was going to suggest you do just that."
Hermione and Ginny wisely moved to shield Luna, hands hovering at their belts, as Neville stood up with that same stern expression from the Honor Battle.
"You've insulted my betrothed. If I ever hear you or one of your goons call Luna that name again, I'll declare a Blood Feud between House Longbottom and House Malfoy."
"You might want to ask the Ravenclaws what the consequences are for calling people names." Nasrin added, deadly sweet. "I promise, you won't enjoy it."
"And I'll be right behind them." Harry swore, leaning in. "You and I both know it wasn't Cho that unleashed Zygarde. I remember who the blame lies with, and I'm not going to forget anytime soon."
"And I'm not going to forget who cost my family all that we've lost." Draco retorted.
"We're stopping."
It took a moment for everyone to realize Hermione was not talking about the fight when the train decelerated under their feet, and Snow wrapped her tails around the Eggs while Dobby gathered up Mulan and Melody, Ludwig hovering in front of Togetic and Meeko with a flashing flame.
"Why are we stopping? We're still an hour away from Hogwarts."
Draco opened his mouth to speak, but spotted something in his peripheral and merely glared before stalking off with his entourage, Rapunzel chittering softly in confusion.
Remus' sudden appearance in the cabin explained why, expression stern, and Ron reacted immediately.
"We didn't start it."
"What is it?" Harry asked, Robin and Hedwig cooing curiously.
"Why did the train stop?" Nasrin added, Ariel twisting around.
"Dusknoir have surrounded the train."
Ginny whimpered as Harry and Nasrin turned to the window, looking out at the grassy fields beyond-
And suddenly, there was a glowing red eye filling the glass, surrounded by the dull gray face of a Dusknoir, before the Ghost floated past.
Luna Junior growled, leaping onto her trainer's lap, as the half-Gem felt a rush of surpriseprotectivenessfear tingle over every nerve.
"Why are they here?" Ron asked shakily.
"The Lord of Sevii has commanded the train to stop." Remus explained evenly. "He's stated that he won't let us pass until his demand is met."
"And what's his demand?" Hermione wondered, hugging Crookshanks tight.
The professor looked to Harry and Nasrin then, resigned.
"He wants to talk to you. Alone."