It had taken Neville all of three seconds to spot Harry's Poisonous Plants book on a seat.

It had taken him only three more to start up a conversation about them.

Harry hadn't read much past the first page, which was hardly more than tables of contents. He knew that there were magical plants - the moving blue-green stems on the front cover were proof enough - but didn't know any specifics. But as it turned out, Neville was just as knowledgeable in 'muggle' plants as he was with magical, and so while it took them a few minutes to find a common ground, they were quickly talking about plants. Neville was a bit confused about how Harry only knew about plants that were at least partially poisonous, but he was nice and didn't say anything about it. They were having a wonderful conversation about oleander when Harry remembered what was in his pocket.

"Hey! I forgot about this." Harry looked around the compartment mentally sizing it up. Each of the seats were around half a meter wide and there was another half-meter walkway, so there was plenty of room.

Harry pulled out his Terrarium, ignoring Neville's widening eyes. He set it out on his palm, the slight weight barely anything. Pulling out his wand from his pocket, he tapped it three times against the side of the glass.

With a flash of light and another loud pop, the Terrarium expanded into full size. The glass gleamed like it had just been polished, but the weight made Harry quickly set it down on the two seats, though the middle was unsupported.

"Wow! A Terrarium!" Neville said, eyes wide. He looked up at Harry. "I kind of wanted to bring mine, but I thought since there are greenhouses at Hogwarts I wouldn't need it." He shot Harry a curious look. "Why'd you bring yours?"

"Er- I wanted to take care of my own plants, and maybe get some more, you know."

Neville's brows lowered. "But there's no way you could get new plants at Hogwarts. The only plants they have there are the ones in the greenhouses." His eyes widened.

"You're going to steal?" He demanded, his shyness apparently having been thrown out of the window. "From Hogwarts?"

Harry froze. "No! I just- no, I just want to take care of them. I don't - er - trust my Guardian to not kill them."

Neville fixed him with a powerful stare, but seemingly dropped the topic. Harry took that moment to shrink his Terrarium by tapping it thrice with his wand. It was slipping into his pocket next to Abrin and his nail polish faster than Neville could blink. Harry gave Neville a sheepish grin and hurriedly cast around for a topic. His gaze landed on his book. "What do you know about Herbology?"

Herbology, as Harry learned, was the study of plants, magical or not. There were 7 greenhouses, and the first was used by the first years and the second was used by the second years, and so on. He knew that Professor Sprout taught that class, and Neville was quick to prove him correct. Neville was more than happy to talk about what he knew. His eyes were bright and his hands gestured wildly, and he looked the happiest Harry had ever seen. Herbology seemed to be what Neville was most passionate about, and it was easy to tell. Harry was quickly becoming happy to be friends with Neville, and he couldn't wait until the first Herbology class. If this was only what Neville knew, as a fellow first year, then what Professor Sprout knew would be amazing.

But, eventually, their conversation slipped into Hogwarts itself.

"So, Harry, which House do you think you're going to be?" Neville asked, cocking his head to one side. The glow on his face from talking about Herbology had faded, and his hands had settled back in his lap. But he still looked more alive and awake than he had when Harry had met him at Flourish and Blotts.

Harry bit his tongue, thinking. "I don't really know. I mean, Professor Sprout didn't really tell me much about it, but I think I know a little bit. I think I'd like either Raventalon or whatever - reading's always been fun for me." Harry paused. "But Professor Sprout didn't tell us how we're sorted, so maybe we don't get to pick? I don't really know."

Neville nodded. "It's a school secret - older siblings aren't allowed to tell and the professors never do, so I think they like to watch us first years struggle." A grin slid its way onto his face. "Let's try not to make it too entertaining."

"Probably." Harry laughed. "It makes a lot of sense." Harry peered at Neville, eyes curious. "What House do you want?"

Neville's face dropped slightly, shoulders hunching in. "Probably Hufflepuff. My parents were both Gryffindors but I'm too weak to get into that House."

Harry's eye widened. "Oh, Neville, I didn't even think of that! Our Head of House would then be the Herbology professor! What tips do you think she would tell us?"

"Oh." Neville paused, eyes wide. "I didn't think of that. Do you think that she might have plants in the common room?"

Harry grinned. "I bet she does. We might even have access to the bigger greenhouses; like 3 or 4 or something. Can you imagine that?"

Neville smiled right back, a bit more of the passion flitting back into his eyes. "I can. Do you think they might even guard the entrance?"

Harry had only opened his mouth to talk when the compartment door started to click open.

Harry's head whipped over to stare at the newcomer, bright green eyes searching. Neville turned as well, and Fox hissed softly, standing up. The cloudy glass door snicked shut on the other side, showing off a boy standing there.

The boy was definitely taller than either of them and was rather disproportionate, tall and lanky with large feet. His hair was the brightest red Harry had ever seen; it seemed to shine the sun all on its own. His eyes were a brilliant blue, outlined with a splattering of freckles. He looked rather embarrassed, cheeks a light pink that clashed with his hair.

Face flaming brighter, he asked, "Er - can I sit here?"

Harry shot a look at Neville, who simply shrugged his shoulders and looked back at his lap. The light in his eyes had disappeared again.

"Yeah - er - sure you can," Harry said. He looked wildly around before pointing at the seat next to him.

The boy nodded, relieved, before reaching behind him. With an apparent ease, he lifted a rather shoddy trunk into the air. He easily placed it into one of the wire racks, but Harry guessed from the lack of muscles on the boy's arms that it was less due to him being strong but more with the trunk not weighing much. But he also guessed that it didn't have the feather-light charm on it, it looked too old. Maybe someone had cast it for him?

He walked into the compartment, gait rather slowly and jerky like he was nervous. He dropped into the chair next to Harry slouching down. He was wearing rather faded clothing, trousers and a shirt.

The boy blushed. "I'm sorry, but every other compartment is full. I didn't have anywhere else to sit."

Harry frowned. There had been a lot of compartments, and it had seemed like the row was unending. How many students did they have here?

But the boy seemed really embarrassed, face a brilliant red and flaming. It had spread from his neck to his ears like Dudley's rash, and Harry found himself saying "What's your name?"

"Oh! Er, Ron Weasley." Ron licked his lips, looking around at them. He flicked his fingers as if he was asking their names back but didn't say anything out loud.

"I'm Neville Longbottom," Neville offered. His ears were a light pink, and his face was determinedly facing his lap.

"Harry." Harry was idly curious what they were supposed to do. Talk? Play games? This was new to him. There was a pause when Ron jerked his head in Harry's direction. The boy stared at Harry's forehead shamelessly, and Harry knew a scowl was brewing on his face. What did he think he was doing?

But suddenly, Ron's eyes went wide. "You're Harry Potter!" The boy's tone was beyond excited.

A pause.

"What?"

"Harry Potter! You're him, right?" Neville seemed to have blinked out of existence. Ron only had eyes for Harry.

"How did you know?" Harry was beyond confused. Neville, at least, had connected it with his parents and the fact he was a halfblood - Ron seemed to pull it out of nowhere.

"You've got black hair and green eyes! And your name is Harry!" He blushed slightly more, looking over at Harry. "Do you have - you know - the scar?"

Harry could only be silent for a second.

Oh, how he hated wizards.

"Does it matter?" He finally said, eyes wide. "I'm just Harry."

Ron looked confused. "Of course it matters! You're Harry Potter! You're famous!" He stuck out a hand. "I'm really happy to meet you. I've never met anyone famous before."

Harry shook it. Ron's grip was firm, but his arm had a light array of dirt over it. His clothes were worn, and Harry saw that his ankles were showing in the air. His wand, a light brown stick, was stuck into a pocket and looked rather old. Sympathy overwhelmed Harry. He knew what it was like to not have enough.

But Ron didn't seem to be that bad off. He was going to Hogwarts, he had a wand; so why was he acting this way? Harry did not like it. Not in any sort of way. It was creepy and weird, but maybe Ron was just starstruck? Harry guessed he was famous; maybe he was really, really famous.

He hoped not.

But now was the time to try and make another friend, and Harry was determined to try.

"Sure. But I'm Harry, not Harry Potter. Let's just be friends." He grinned at Ron, hair still firmly plastered over his scar. He hoped - prayed - that Hogwarts wasn't like this. He would probably explode if it was.

"But no! You're Harry Potter, the Boy-Who-Lived!" Ron seemed confused, almost desperate. He shot his eyes up to Harry's forehead again. "You defeated You-Know-Who!"

"I guess." Harry took a deep breath, and Ron seemed to get the message that Harry was a bit ticked off. His face flamed brighter.

"Sorry." Ron winced. "I guess I kind of blew that first meeting." He stuck his hand out again, ears steadily growing a brighter red.

"I'm Ron Weasley. Nice to meet you, Harry," he said this all in one breath, voice rising and falling with nerves.

But Harry reached forward, gripping his hand and shaking it again. "Nice to meet you, Ron."

They sat there in quiet, each staring around. Neville was still focused on his lap and didn't seem to want to look up. Ron looked around before he opened his mouth. He seemed the kind of person that needed a conversation going on at all times.

"What House are you going to?" Ron asked.

"But don't we get sorted? We don't really have a choice," Harry said back, cocking his head to one side.

"Er-" Ron frowned. Then his face brightened again. "What House do you want to go to?"

"I want to go to Hufflepuff, I think," Harry said. His eyes instantly picked up Ron's frown and confused expression.

Ron's brows lowered. "But - Hufflepuff is full of duffers." He pointed to Harry's chest. "You should go to Gryffindor - it's for the really brave students." He looked over at Neville, before looking back. "But anything's better than Slytherin, I guess."

"What's wrong with Slytherin?" Harry asked, ire growing back. This boy didn't seem to understand that Harry wasn't that interested in his opinions about Houses.

Ron frowned at him, looking taken aback. "You don't know? Slytherin is the worst House! Every Dark Lord ever has come from Slytherin. They probably teach dark magic or something - they even sleep down in the dungeons! All of them are evil, you know?"

Neville muttered something. Harry turned toward him, hoping for a voice of reason from the quiet boy. "What was that, Neville?"

"Merlin was in Slytherin, Ron." Neville raised his head, looking the taller boy straight in the eyes. "Are you saying he was evil?"

Ron instantly started to splutter. "Well- that's Merlin, you can't say he's evil-"

"But that's just what you said, wasn't it? That every Slytherin was evil?" Neville's voice never rose above a soft tone, but it seemed stronger than it had been when Harry had first met him. "Even Merlin, apparently."

"No! Merlin wasn't evil!" Ron declared hotly, but he seemed to flounder in the conversation.

"Really?" Neville asked quietly.

Ron stood up suddenly. "I have to go." He said loudly, before just about running to the door and pulling the switch down. The door started to open but Ron was already gone, bolting down the corridor.

They waited a second in silence before Harry stood up, walking over to the door. He flipped the switch up and watched the door shut, shutting off Ron's pounding footsteps. He headed back to his seat, Fox slinking by his feet, yellow eyes bright.

"Thanks for that," he said to Neville. The boy looked up, surprised before he grinned rather sheepishly.

"It was nothing." His face flushed softly.

Harry smiled at him, and then they sat in silence for the next minutes. Fox jumped neatly onto the seat, crawling over to Harry and sliding her head under his palm. He chuckled at the pushy cat but started to pet her, scratching her right behind the ears. She purred, the sound nearly as loud as the train engine itself.

But it seemed only a few moments when the door began to slide open. Harry turned, ready to confront Ron again, but instead, a kindly face poked its way into the compartment.

The woman had a large mane of bright white hair which fell around her face. She had rather pale skin but giant, bright brown eyes. She smiled at them with neat white teeth. "Anything off the trolley, dears?"

She moved back and exposed a cart full of brightly colored packages. Electric blue bags that shuffled slightly, bright red sticks that looked like wands, boxes full of tiny colored pellets. Harry's mouth dropped open.

His hand flew to his pocket and he had his moleskine in his hand. He still had 4 more Galleons - he had spent 3 more on a small collar for Fox he wasn't quite ready to try to put on her - and he wanted candy.

Neville stood with him, 5 silver coins - Sickles, Harry idly remembered - held in his hand. He gestured, smiling, to the cart. "Ladies first."

Harry laughed, smacked him on the shoulder, and stepped forward.

The bright red wand-shaped things stood out to him, so he grabbed four of them - Liquorice Wands, the package said - but then he just snatched up some of everything. He was particularly attracted to the Ice Mice, so he grabbed a few of them. He plucked a few bright green lollipops as his last candy and offered them to the woman.

She smiled at him and flicked a short black wand, sending off his candy floating behind him and into the compartment. "That'll be two Galleons, dear." Harry grinned and handed her two of his gold coins, before heading back to his seat.

Neville reappeared only seconds later with a smaller armful of candy. But Harry was already unwrapping one of the Liquorice Wands, and he popped the end into his mouth. It was delicious.

"Never had wizard candy before, Harry?" Neville asked, amusement clear in his voice.

Harry shook his head. "Raised by muggles. This is wonderful!" He said, grinning with glee as he unwrapped a Ice Mice. But the tiny white mouse only got about two steps away before a gray shape pounced.

Fox licked her lips, the Ice Mice missing. Harry grinned and unwrapped another one, letting it run around around the compartment. Fox's yellow eyes tracked it and she started to stalk it, crouching low on the seat. Her tail flicked against the wall before she dashed forward. The Ice Mice didn't stand a chance.

Harry laughed, tossing a few to Neville so he could unwrap them. Guess he wouldn't be getting any Ice Mice today.

Inspiration struck him as he watched Fox pounce again.

Harry reached up to the wire racks, ignoring Ron's trunk. He pulled his down, reaching inside as soon as it was open. He pulled out a thin book with a snarling cat on the front.

"I'll find out what you are, Fox," he promised, sitting back down. He stood back up a second later and shoved the trunk back into the wire racks.

His back leaning against a comfortable seat, his cat running around his feet, a friend across from him - Harry grinned. Hogzits wasn't that bad yet.

He grabbed for one of the bright green lollipops that he had bought, unwrapping it. He threw the wrapper to the floor and popped it in his mouth.

Too bad he didn't read the label.

Acid Pops!

"OW!"

Hey! Another chapter! But today I reach 125 reviews! You don't realize how happy this makes me - I love reviews beyond anything else!

And, also, hey… so like, I was supposed to tell what Fox was...

Okay! So I have decided, though. Even better, it is a canon creature, so someone can always correct me when I get my facts wrong. I'm sorry Cactus Cat, Tigercat of the Tundra, Strega cats, and unnamed Loki/Kneazle cat, you were all my close choices. But I'm sticking with what I got.

Which I won't tell you guys yet ;)

Anyway! Please read and review!

Frost OUT!