The Hogwarts Express Again

Earnestine sighed and took one last good look at Gryffindor Tower. It was hard to believe that their entire first year had blown by so quickly, even if the majority of it had been spent in detention with various teachers. Earnestine was glad that when they were assigned time with Professor Slughorn, the children were given snacks and told loads of great stories starring the Professor or many of his favorite students.

As all four of the children were regarded as heroes as word had spread like wildfire around the castle of their brave acts in the forbidden corridor, Professor Slughorn pounced on adding Henry and William to his little club of children as well.

The other teachers, too, were not so hard on the children. In fact, they had spent more time hitting the books in detention than they had the entire school year spent in their regular classes. All of that hard work put the students at the top of their class.

Once most of the students had heard of the brave young children, the four of them suddenly became among the most popular children attending Hogwarts. Earnestine was amazed that in traveling back to the Gryffindor common room the night after what had happened had been announced at dinner, everyone was suddenly very kind and talkative towards her. All of the attention seemed to bring back a little of the girls shy side.

All of the boys were offered a spot of the Slytherin Quidditch team promptly, but still being scorn by being turned down the first time, they stubbornly refused. Earnestine was almost sure that they were going to make the team next year.

Everything that year had turned out perfectly, a thought that had made Earnestine smile to herself. To think that a year ago she had no idea this place even existed. Now it had seemed hard to imagine life without it. What was she going to do a summer without Hogwarts?

Taking one last look around the red and gold common room, Earnestine set down her trunk and owl along with all the other students' belongings and headed for the portrait hole, both saddened and excited about the future. Before this year Earnestine never would have believed that she could have possible fit in anywhere.

The corridors and hallways of the castle were bustling with students all saying their fond goodbyes and farewells, some for the last time. The air about the place mirrored that of what the young girl felt herself knowing that she too would have to face saying goodbye to two of the three people in this world that she had grown to feel attached to.

First there was William Malfoy, that tall and lanky pale boy who had always seemed to be, at first, totally self-concerned. However he had tried to conceal it, William had a soft side for the very slim number of students that he could call his friends. Despite himself, William had demonstrated it that night on the forbidden corridor when he willingly stood between Earnestine and that leading dark wizard, despite any forlorn danger to himself.

And then there was Tom, dear old Tom Riddle. Ever since her first day here, since that fateful train ride to this mysterious place, Earnestine had felt something inside herself reach out to that quiet and mysterious young boy. Tom had not let her down in her affections either, whenever Earnestine needed his polite reassurance or his careful cheering up, Tom was loyally by her side. It was a trait that Earnestine admired in him.

As she had thought of the two of them, she had felt a lump threatening in her throat midstride. Earnestine refused to let that fear of goodbye threaten her composure, she was not going to cry in public; not when everyone here at Hogwarts regarded her as that 'strong' and 'fearless' first year.

When she had finally managed to make it to her final feast in the grand Great Hall without a tear spilling over her chocolate eyes, she let out a sigh of relief, closing it all in. This was meant to be a joyous occasion. After all, she was really going to have to say goodbye until her departure from Kings Cross station, it had at least bought her a few hours of comfort.

Earnestine had no trouble spotting her three companions easily and all three of them greeted her upon first sight with smiles. Once again she had felt that disastrous lump returning to her throat, but reminded herself that this wasn't really goodbye.

Smiling as she took her usual seat next to her brother she spoke her opening words, "Good morning, boys." Normally she would have reached for her usual breakfast toast, but that uneasy feeling in her stomach swallowed all trace of hunger. Instead she opted for a less filling glass of two percent milk.

None of the boys seemed to have a real appetite either, apart from William who still was stuffing his face as was normal of him. William noticed her empty plate and pushed a buffet tray towards her, offering her with a mouth crammed full, "Toast?"

Earnestine gave a little laugh and held up her hands shaking her dark mahogany curls, "No thank you, William. I'm not too hungry right now."

William shrugged, "What the hell is wrong with you people? There are kids in…"

Tom threw his friend a piece of bacon, stopping his cliché, "Oh just shut up and eat, would you? Spare us those phony parental pieces of sh-crap." The boys had taken to politely trying to censor their swears whenever Earnestine was around them; well, except William of course.

"What are your guys' plans for the summer?" Earnestine asked Tom and William, already aware of the uneventful and torturous summer that she and Henry were going to be subjected to.

William was first to willingly divulge his plans, "Mum and Dad have offered to take me on a full tour of France and Italy. Nothing grand, of course, only five star dining and parties in our many private mansions…." William trailed off and then his pale silver eyes brightened with hopefully questions, "Do you guys think you'll be able to join us?"

Henry sighed wishfully, "Sadly no. Our aunt and uncle aren't…well…" He looked to his sister to complete his lost worded statement.

"They aren't exactly too fond of the idea of the two of us…enjoying ourselves." Earnestine clarified gently, "Especially if we would be spending it much, much more lavishly than their means."

William made a rude noise with his tongue instead of voicing his distaste. Afterwards of gathering up his manners again, he turned to Tom. "What about you?"

Tom answered after a moment of cool deliberation. "Actually I have my own plans for the summer." As he had looked up to meet three pairs of curious eyes, he elaborated a little more. "I have given some thought to possibly finding my father."

William's face scrunched up in obvious disagreement, rudely he asked, "Why in Merlin's name would you want to do that? The filthy muggle."

Tom glared at him coldly, his dark brown eyes being swallowed up in a deep loathing, "The only filthy one here is you. You and your pureblood disgusting prejudice."

"Ha." William snorted haughtily. "Tell me, Tom, where has your father been these last twelve years of your life, eh? The bloody prat wanted nothing to do with you or your filthy mother, did he?"

Tom stood up and drew his wand menacingly, "Don't you dare say another damn word about him or my mother, Malfoy. You know nothing more of them than I do, and if you say another derogatory thing about my blood status, I'll hex you to the next century."

William looked as if he was about to test the waters on Tom's threat, however Earnestine stepped in, "Guys, this is our last meal together until September. Can we please enjoy it without any bickering? I don't want this to be our last memory of each other."

William went back to his food grumbling. Tom still stood with his wand drawn, a dark look in his eyes. Earnestine stared at him gently, "Tom…please…"

Tom finally caught hold of the pleaded in her chocolate brown pools and sighed, slowly lowering his wand and rejoining the table. Now, however, there was a very pregnant pause among the friends.

Growing tired of the awkwardness, Earnestine finally managed to word a question. "Where do you believe your father is, Tom?"

Tom glanced up from his untouched food; his voice was very unconcerned when he answered. "I don't know yet, exactly. I've asked Dumbledore for permission to borrow some books on wizarding families and their histories, and he said he'd allow it. I'm hoping there are some clues in there somewhere."

Earnestine's eyes lit up at the idea. "Do you think there would be something about our family in those books too?"

Tom looked into her excited eyes and couldn't hide a small smile from appearing briefly on his pale face. "Yeah, I'd suppose so."

"You'll write to us about it, won't you?" Earnestine asked gleefully, "I mean not just about us and our history, but if you find anything out about your own?"

Once again, Tom gave the girl another fleeting smile and a small promise, unable to remain angry around the typically bubbly girl. "Of course."

After a few minutes more of breakfast, the food had magically cleared signaling that it was indeed time for the students to begin their walk to Hogsmeade to board the train and return home. That teasing lump had again appeared into her throat. At seeing the look in his sister's eyes, Henry took her small hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze.

William didn't seem at all saddened by his departure. He was the first to leap up from the table, straightening his clothes and saying as he strode off confidently. "I get to pick our seats."

Henry chuckled at stood up, ready to go after him. "And I better rein him in before he gets into a fight with a prefect and earns us all another years' worth of detention before we even make it off the platform."

Earnestine and Tom both laughed a little as they exchanged temporary farewells with the boy, both lingering a little at the table. Tom's life, too, was nothing that he was incredibly eager to get back to. If anyone knew what Earnestine was feeling in this moment, it was Tom.

Earnestine was too busy swallowing that nauseous feeling that she hadn't noticed when Tom had appeared right next to her. Slowly he took hold of her hand and smiled reassuringly when she jumped a little at the sudden, mind jolting, contact. "I was dreading this day, you know. Summer." Tom's voice was quiet and careful.

It was a moment before he spoke again, "It sounds crazy, hating the idea of being away from school, abnormal even. But it is nice knowing that someone understands that."

Earnestine muttered, "Tell me about it." And just as those words escaped her lips, Tom lifted her to her feet and away from the Slytherin dining table. Earnestine finished her statement as Tom's dark eyes dove into hers. "Mr. and Mrs. Monte aren't exactly the kind of people you want to spend day in and day out with. It is kind of hard to believe that I never knew any different before this year….I had thought I was doomed to that attic forever."

Earnestine had looked down at their innocently intertwined hands. Tom and her had ever been the same since that night of battle, and it was something that she couldn't quite put her finger on. Whatever it was between them that had ignited, she liked the way it had made her feel. Safe. At the thought, Earnestine smiled a little and she felt that prickling in her eyes that only gravity had pulled out, exposing her emotional moment.

Earnestine didn't have to meet Tom's eyes to see that fond smile spread across his mouth. Unable to help herself, Earnestine flung her arms around him and squeezed him into a tight desperate hung. When Tom finally gave in and enclosed the girl fully into his arms, was the point when Earnestine had willingly given way to her tears.

If anything would change this summer, anything at all. Earnestine only hoped that one thing would stay the same, and that was the way she was beginning to feel about that mysterious handsome boy Tom Riddle.

Authors Note: Okay, so that is the end of the first year. This is a great time to leave a review and let me know how I am doing and perhaps give me a few good ideas for the next year at Hogwarts. Anyways, if you are loyally reading this story, I'd love to hear what you think about it. Thankies, Shelby.