I must have dozed off amidst my infuriated state, for my rocky emotions began to reflect in my usually turbulent dreams.

I envisioned I was walking down a corridor, a corridor I did not recognise. The hall was cold and empty, as if nobody had stepped foot inside these walls for centuries. I felt isolation like I had never felt before - even stowed away inside Malfoy Manor for the last ten years. Running my fingertips against the rough brick walls, I suddenly heard a piercing laughter echo behind me that sent a chill down my spine. Swivelling around to find the source of the cackling, I instead spot a sea of faces, all with expressionless, blank eyes. Looking around, I see that the bodies have started to close in, whispering something, their voices slowly growing louder.

" . . . You're not welcome here. You're not welcome here. You're not welcome here. YOU'RE NOT WELCOME HERE!"

I'm suddenly forced back to reality, though my eyes remain glued shut. Feeling unnerved, I can hear people around me talking, though I'm relieved that they have accents - not the hollow calls from my nightmare. I strain my ear to listen in.

"She's the monster everybody's gossiping about?" questioned a boy with a thick Irish accent. "She certainly doesn't look like any monsters I know."

"It's in the eyes, apparently. Didn't you read the paper today?" added another, in an equally heavy Scottish drawl.

"The monster can hear you," I finally say, opening my eyes, groggily. Clearing the sleep from my eyes with the palm of my hand, I survey the scene in front of me. Two unknown boys stand in the doorway, with wide eyes. Both were handsome, admittedly, in their own ways. One had a clean-shaven head, striking blue eyes, and a light dusting of freckles. The other was of Chinese descent, with sleek raven coloured hair, and eyes so dark they could have been black. The pair of them were looking at me as though I had sprouted four eyes or something in my sleep.

Running a hand through my tousled locks, I turn to my nephew and his friend, only to find another figure sat with them. James Potter II.

He grinned at me, and I couldn't help but grin back. His smile was infectious to say the least.

"Evening," he greeted me, warmly. Evening? Furrowing my eyebrows, I whip my head around to look out the window, only to see the sky pitch black.

"You've been out cold for a good few hours, Cass," Scorpius softly told me, as though reading my thoughts.

"So you're the mysterious Malfoy everybody's been talking 'bout?" the Irish boy with the buzz cut asked, his harsh tone cutting through me like a blade. He looked me up and down, arms crossed.

"Must be," I replied, then added with a wicked gleam; "Or do you think I'm the ghost of Bellatrix Lestrange?"

James seemed to be the only one who finds it funny, chuckling slightly. The two boys seem unsure whether I was joking or not, glancing between themselves and me. Albus, nose buried in a book about magical creatures, also went a little pale. Even Scorpius looks down at his hands, uncomfortable.

"Come on, Aidan, you know she's just pulling your leg," James assured his friend, reaching out to poke the boy, Aidan, in the ribs. He batted him away, scowling. "She's harmless enough."

Aidan, still skeptical, eyed me suspiciously. He looked thoroughly unconvinced. Tucking his hands into his jean pockets, he leant against the doorframe, frowning. His friend beside him also appeared a little concerned, not saying much. James sighed, as he took his glasses off to wipe them on his shirt.

"Listen, are you going to introduce yourselves, or are you just going to glare at Cassie?" he demanded, turning to the the glowering boys.

Finally after a slight uncomfortable moment, the dark-haired, taller boy gives in. "I'm Jem Tiller, and this is Aidan Finnigan," he explains, coldly, in a monotonous voice. "I'd introduce Jamie here, but he tells us you've already met. Wouldn't shut up about you, in fact."

I smile at James, thankful for his positive attitude. If it wasn't for his presence, I feared I would have more than likely launched at the two boys, who felt it socially appropriate to stare down their noses at a girl they don't know anything about, save for her name. Normally, I wouldn't be inclined to leap to violent actions without jut cause, however the newspaper article had caused a severe dent in my self-esteem. On top of that all the sneers and sly whispers in the train station didn't leave me feeling very welcome. My nightmare had left me feeling shaken and empty. Finally, two strangers referring to me as a monster only added to my already rapidly declining inner peace. James, however, was managing to piece - no pun intended - my disposition back together, merely by grinning.

And what a wonderful grin he had too.

"I hope you only told them the nice things, James?" I queried, a smile tugging at the corner of my lips. I tuck a loose curl behind my ear, not breaking eye contact with James. His eyes were a piercing green, like the emerald leaves during summer in a forest. They twinkled when he replied.

"I haven't got a bad word to say about you. And it's Jamie, if you like."

I nod. "Jamie it is," I said, trying the name out on my tongue. It tasted like fresh air.

Albus coughed, beside Jamie, and I saw that he had finally put his book down. "Did you want something, Jamie?"

Breaking his gaze with me, I was surprised to see that Jamie's cheeks had tinged a little pink, as he cleared his throat. "No - I mean yes, I did," he splutters. "I was wondering if you had your Hogsmeade permission slip with you. Mum says you left it on the kitchen table this morning before she reminded you about it."

Rolling his eyes, I sensed that Albus and his older brother didn't often meet eye-to-eye. "Why are you all insistent on making me go Hogsmeade? Don't you understand that I don't want to go?"

Jamie sighed. "You can't stay shut up inside the castle another year, Al, it's not right."

"When did you care all of a sudden?" Albus suddenly burst, causing us all to flinch slightly. I had almost forgotten about Aidan and Jem in the doorway, until I saw them both wince.

Scorpius put a hand on Albus' shoulder, whilst I saw a slight flash of hurt in Jamie's eyes, before it disappeared. "Fine. Stay inside all year. See if I care."

Jamie got up to leave, his body tense. Though I hadn't known the pair long, I assumed their relationship was rocky, fuelled by what I believe to be Albus' self-imposed detachment from his family, and Jamie's stubbornness to address his brother's alienation. I felt as though I connected with both of them; I too was certainly guilty of sometimes being too bullheaded and relentless for my own good, and I definitely knew a thing or two about solitude.

Reaching out, I placed a hand over Albus' own. Shocked by my sudden gesture, he wasn't sure whether he should pull away, or allow me some interaction, so instead chose to remain frozen.

"I've spent the last ten years shackled up inside - figuratively and literally - and I would have given anything to have had the chance you all were given. I've lived my life through Scorpius, looking out a window prepared to give anything to join him at Hogwarts. Don't live your life through others, looking out of windows."

"But you don't understand - "

"You're right, I don't. But I understand the feeling of isolation, so I know that nobody would ever choose to feel like that."

Albus didn't reply. He was looking in my eyes, and saw what I couldn't put into words - just how lonely I've been - and I saw in his that he suffered the same. His hand slowly detached from mine, and felt for something in his pocket. He pulled out a slip of paper, and showed it to his brother, who had been watching our conversation with intense concentration, with an aura of astonishment.

"I didn't want to risk the howler mum would have sent me if I'd left it at home again," he muttered, unable to meet his brother's eyes.

Jamie didn't say anything, but instead patted his brother's shoulder. Turning to me, he still appeared at a loss for words.

"Do you . . . I mean, you don't have to stay here . . . do you want to sit with me . . . with us?"

Aidan slapped his friend's arm, as if to stop the words falling from his mouth. "What are you doing, mate?"

Despite the slight discomfort that came with knowing you're unwanted, I also felt a pang of elatedness, knowing at least Jamie wanted me to join him, even if his friends didn't. Still, I looked back to my nephew, and knew that I couldn't leave him. Not after discovering what the other kids on this train thought about him.

I shook my head. "No, it's ok. Thank you, but my brother was going to tell me about the hidden tunnels in the castle."

Jamie looked slightly downcast, which made me almost regret saying no, but then he grinned. "Well, I'll find you the train pulls into the station. We can ride up to the castle together, ok?"

Gesturing to his sour-faced friends, who were watching our exchange through narrowed eyes, I asked him; "What about your sidekicks here?"

Chuckling, Jamie dismissed them, much to their displeasure. "They'll be alright walking."

I too laugh. "Ok, it's a deal."

Smile stretching across his dashing face, he walked over to the compartment door, ushering his friends outside. "I'll look for you."

Then he closed the doors, leaving me buzzing with excitement. So what if the majority of the students didn't want me at Hogwarts? Jamie did, and that was enough for now.