Approaching Hogsmeade Station

Moran's POV

There was a leaden feeling in my stomach as I stared down at my master's sleeping form beside me, in the rapidly fading light. I had always known things would change when Aerik's time came to attend Hogwarts, but knowing that time was now at hand made it seem all the more real. Now he's here, and the Hogwarts I know and love is about to fall apart. And I'll be to blame. I'll be a helpless instrument of Hogwarts' destruction, whether I like it or not. I have to follow Master Aerik. I have no choice…

If I was honest with myself, I didn't completely understand why I stood by Aerik's side and obeyed his commands like a dog. Part of me hated him with a passion, but despite that, I couldn't help caring deeply for him, the child he used to be. Once upon a time, Aerik had been the epitome of kindness and innocence, before everything changed. His mother's death was terrible, to be sure, but privately, I felt losing his father to insanity was what truly drove him to become the withdrawn, hateful soul he now was. The boy was traumatised, through no fault of his own, and taking it out on the world. I could not hold that against him.

"Umm... w-w-will he b-be al-r-right?" stammered Rowena, pulling me out of my murky thoughts.

Before I could respond, a quiet voice spoke up from the corner.

"I read the wrapper." It was Carey, the other boy in the compartment. "It's a magic sweet. He'll wake up as soon as he gets the antidote… which we should give him soon. We're only a few miles away now, right?" He glanced at me questioningly, and despite his calm tone, I detected a hint of excitement.

I nodded. "Yes. We always arrive just after dark, so we should be stopping any minute now." Carey nodded, gripping one hand in the other as if to contain his nervous energy. Rowena was more obvious about it: her green eyes lit up and she shifted in her seat as if readying herself to bolt off the train as soon as we pulled up.

As if it somehow knew what we were saying, the compartment suddenly lurched slightly: the train was slowing down, gradually, to a stop. Aerik needed to wake up now. I stared at the table full of candy, searching for the Minty Doze antidote that was supposed to be included with the packet. "Where is it? Come on…"

The train stopped and I began to hear movement in the adjoining compartments. Oh, well, I thought. He's the one who ate the sweet, he can't complain. Maybe if we leave him on the train and he gets sent back to Kings Cross… Against my will, I found myself laughing at how dark and desperate my thoughts had become. The laugh died in my throats and saw the two first years across from me blinking perplexedly at me.

Rowena waved her wand. Are you OK, Moran?

I nodded, but it was a lie. No, Rowena, I wanted to say. I think I'm completely losing it.

Finally, I spotted the little spray bottle with the Minty Doze label. I quickly sprayed my master in the face, hoping traitorously that the spray was defective somehow and he would stay unconscious. But my hopes were in vain: Master Aerik woke up instantly, yawning. He immediately gazed at me, his eyes as cold as ice, and I instinctively avoided looking into them. Then that pretentious smile was back, and I felt the familiar feeling of sheer panic well up in me. What'll he do to me now? I messed up. I messed up. I…

Forcing back my feelings, I stood up and painted yet another fake smile on my face.

"Alright, it's time to go!" I said to the first years. "They have to make a big fuss and take you to the docks, where you'll ride a boat across the lake to Hogwarts. It's an experience you'll never forget!"

I directed Rowena and Carey to take their leave before I had the tiniest pinprick of courage to look in my master's direction. He was already on his feet, clutching a black leather book tattered at the sides. I had seen him carry the book around the mansion many times; thinking about it, I couldn't remember the last time I'd seen him without it. I avoided looking at him as he passed me, and nearly stumbled from shock when he clapped a hand on my back briefly before leaving the compartment without looking back.

Finally alone with my jumbled thoughts and emotions, I clenched my fist and punched the open sliding door. Why do you have to be this way, Aerik? I thought despairingly. So cold and mysterious, more than anyone your age has a right to be. If you're just gonna kill me after you've burned everything, why can't you tell me and get it over with? Just say it!

"Hey, moron!"

I jolted as I heard a familiar voice, albeit one I never expected to even talk to me again. Not after her…

But it was him, a face I knew all too well. Curly black hair parted in the middle, three piercings - two on his left ear and one on his right, and delicate, rounded features that would be better described as beautiful rather than handsome: an opinion I certainly shared.

"Hey, Blake," I greeted the boy cautiously.

As I spoke, a girl with soft curves, delicate skin, and cute freckles emerged from the doorway behind Blake. She punched his shoulder, snickering – a tender, beautiful sound. "It's Moran, silly," she said playfully. "Get it right!"

I stared at the girl, feeling my cheeks heat up. I recognised this girl possibly even more than Blake; there was no way I would ever forget Kasumi. Her wavy inky black hair moved as she laughed, falling gently upon her shoulders. Her slanted obsidian eyes smiled at me and, for a moment, I felt as though she acknowledged my feelings, possibly even returned them.

Blake gave me a strange look, and then turned back to Kasumi, "Nah," he said abruptly. "He's a moron." With that, he turned in the other direction and hopped off the train. Kasumi glanced at me for one last moment, her choppy bangs hanging over her eyes, then shook her head and followed Blake.

I shook my head. Yep… Blake still hates me. As if I can control what I feel for her. Like I can help the way my heart pounds like crazy whenever she's close to me.

Although, I added mentally as I too departed the train, this really should be the least of my worries right now.

Carey's POV

On the walk down to the lake, I stuck close to Rowena. Even though I hadn't met her before today, I felt more comfortable with her than anyone else here. Rowena had been the one person who noticed how completely lost and bewildered I was at the train station. Besides, being a Muggle-born, I knew I needed all the friends I could get, and the train ride with those other two boys hadn't made me feel any better about fitting in. The older one, Moran, was nice enough, but there was something very odd about the other…

Shaking my head, I told myself sternly not to dwell on such things. The only thing that mattered was doing well at this new school, this magic school. I was doing this to make my parents proud, to pay them back for all their sacrifices and support. I had to excel; nothing less than the best was good enough.

My determination renewed, I sped up my walking pace, the better to keep up with Rowena, who was surprisingly fit. Suddenly, something shoved me roughly in the back and I fell to the ground. Spitting mud, I looked up and saw the younger boy from the train compartment. Aerik. He was standing above me with a haunting, dead look in his eyes. Then as if it was only a trick of the mind, that expression was gone, replaced by an apologetic smile.

"Sorry," said Aerik, the picture of innocence as he extended his hand to help me up.

I took his hand, trying not to show how alarmed and disconcerted I felt. Yes, something was definitely off about this boy.

"It's alright," I said coolly, and then strode off as quickly as I dared, once more trying to catch up with Rowena, who I could barely see in the darkness.

As I finally drew level with the girl, the back of my neck prickled, and I knew without needing to turn around that Aerik's black, soulless eyes were boring into the small of the back where he had just pushed me over a minute before. Even though I prided myself on staying calm no matter what, I couldn't quite suppress a shiver, and instinctively I shifted closer to Rowena so that our arms were almost touching.

Have I just entered a world of monsters?