"Why do you want to do this?" Draco asks his mate. They are early to the train.

"It is what's expected. I will join you shortly."

Because of that, Draco takes Leo's trunk with him.

Before too long, Leo is joined by Ron and Ginny.

"Why didn't you come out to the Burrow this year? We always throw you a party."

"I was spending time with Remus and Sirius. They threw me a party. Your whole family was there."

"I was out of town, visiting friends."

"Mate, why was the Ferret there?"

Leo forgot that Barty Crouch, Jr. turned his mate into a ferret. How it slipped his mind, he will never know, but makes a mental note to bring it up when the two are in the same room together.

"He was there when I arrived."

"Can't you keep better company than him? Did anything happen on your birthday?" Ginny scoots closer.

"Nothing too special." Leo has to fight to keep the snarl of disgust from his face.

"You were friendly with him, the snake."

"You don't need him as a friend. You just need us." Ginny presses herself against him.

Leo stands, leaving the compartment, brushing by Hermione as she was coming in.

If it wasn't for the protection spells on his person, and the fact he is fully mated, he could have easily been susceptible to Ginny's suggestions.

"That didn't take too long."

"The two are idiots." Leo curls up on Draco. "I wanted to speak to Hermione, but couldn't bring myself to stick around after Ginny plastered herself to me like a slut. Not to mention she tried to use my submissive Inheritance to control me."

"That is where the insult to my olfactory receptors is coming from." Draco casts a simple spell to make the smell disappear. As he figured, any commands given will not be tolerated by anyone outside of the family. It comforts him to know he was right, and Leo can not be pushed around.

"I wonder what Dumbledore is going to do."

Leo opens an eye to look at her.

"You were fading from the lime light by the end of last year. He is going to want all eyes on you."

"She is right," concedes Theo.

A few hours later, they find out. They have to admit, it is a solid Slytherin plan.

After the last first year is sorted, Dumbledore stands. McGonagall has yet to move.

"The Sorting Hat has made a rare request; a Resorting. Mr. Potter, would you please come up here."

Leo stands with his head high, were he would normally bow under the gazes and whispers directed to him.

"You have two options," Draco whispers, so only Leo and their close friends can hear. "Greet us like friends or like enemies, either way, they will all turn on you."

Leo sits on the stool as the hat is placed on his head.

"I see you finally decided to go where you belong."

"I don't see how that is possible with me."

"It has nothing to do with your family, but everything to do with who you are. Have fun."

He shouts Slytherin for the Hall to hear.

Leo stands to glares and whispers as he makes his way, smiling, to the politely, if not slightly enthusiastically, clapping table.

"Now I don't have to worry about you sleeping so far away."

"We are going to have a war on our hands." Pike looks up and down the table. "And we need to win this petty fight looking like the angels."

"Beat them with your words. Snape would be pissed if we used our wands quicker than our tongues and mind," adds Blaise.

"Lets eat for now." Draco calmly slides into the conversation as Dumbledore finishes his speech.

Leo happily crawls into Draco's bed after insisting to the house-elf that an extra bed was unnecessary.

"Do you think I am ready?" He whispers into his mate's neck.

"You bested several of your Deadly Munchers at once, can hold your own with both of your Fathers, and strike deals better than anyone I have seen. The craziest witch I know adores you, as does my Mother. You are ready."

"I just don't know. Heading a revolution is a ..."

"Believe in yourself. I believe in you. Charlie believes in you. You need to stop doubting yourself. The world already follows you. Discredit the liers around you, and the world will be grateful."

"Does anyone else know how inspirational you are?"

"No, and we are going to keep it that way. I have a reputation to uphold."

Leo giggles, curling around Draco more comfortably. "I miss Charlie."

"He will be back soon. Go to sleep. Our war starts properly tomorrow."

"Indeed." Leo yawns and slowly drifts off, Draco following close behind.