Chapter 4: Hogwarts Express

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September 1 was a busy day for everyone. King's Cross station was packed as usual on a day of re-entry, and around 9 am, many families accompanied their children and caregivers crossed an invisible barrier. They met on the 9 ¾ platform and left their children until Christmas or Easter. The train was the only one that would take the students to the magical school. It departed at 11 o'clock sharp.

The Hogwarts Express was often time a tearful and stressful rendez-vous for parents, even more so for those who were running late.

Unfortunately, the Weasley family fell into the late runners category.

The morning had really been a terrible one for Ms Weasley. All of her children who should have been up at 8 were not even remotely walking. No, they had spent the night together, laughing merrily together and – without her knowing too – had partied all night. And her husband Arthur, had not deemed it necessary to say anything. Oh that man could hide behind the stove however long he wanted, he would have an earring when the children will be gone. A very serious one if what she just saw above the chimney was the trunk Percy had been looking for the past hour.

Fortunately, trunks were packed soon enough - Percy's being the last one ready, and the big family could finally hurry to the train station. Amongst the horrible traffic and the squabbling of the twins, Ms Weasley almost gave up. A single look their way and she had a prized five minutes of utter silence. What a bliss. Then Percy actually started a particularly uninteresting conversation with Ron who was trying to finish his night against the window - Molly Weasley was secretly pleased she would not have to pretend to listen to her oldest son. And since no one had told Percy he had been talking to a sleeping Ron, the soon to be prefect was currently pretending to ignore everyone. Predictably, the twins tried to make the most of the situation.

As she was running trying to get her children to hurry along with her, Molly read the timepiece hanging upon the wall. The hands of the clock shone brightly and slowly converged to the ten digit. Molly pursed her lips. She was almost ahead of time. Scurrying along the platform to reach the brick wall that separated the muggle world from the wizarding wall took unfortunately an inordinate amount of time. Ron had let his luggage fall to the ground and the trunk had opened all its content. With the numerous muggle around, Molly had to help her son put his stuff inside his trunk manually.

As she looked once again at the clock, her heart beat accelerated some. The clock read 10:30 this time.

"Hurry up, or the train will leave without any of you inside.3 admonished the mother.

Luckily, there was just enough time to put all of her children on the train, with their trunks, and bid farewell and recall the safety instructions.

"Fred George, no nonsense this year. I will pull you back home if I hear something about Filch's cat again." warned Molly. "You'll take care of your brother, right?"

"Yes mom." said the twins in chorus.

"And you know us, we would never harm the little Ronnikins," said Fred, or perhaps George.

"That's what scares me," Mrs. Weasley grumbled. "Boys. You write every day and if I ever get a letter from McGonagall because you snatched the toilet bowl ..."

"How dare you think such a thing of us!"

"We would never desecrate such a precious place!"

"Although, now that I think about it ..."

"Ginny, we just found you a great gift!" finished Fred

"George!" admonished scandalised Molly Weasley.

"No, I am Fred! And you dare say you are our mother!"

"That's outrageous Madame!" followed George

"Oh, that's enough of you two, Fred George, whatever. Get on this train and do not do anything stupid. Otherwise I'll send you a howler which you will remember. You hear me boys!"

"Yes mom. It's clear. Very clear "

And on these last words, the twins disappeared in one of the wagons of the Hogwarts Express with a Ron in a hurry to leave his mother as well. But he was stuck in his mother's vice grip.

"Mom, you're choking me! "

"Oh I'll miss you, eat well and have fun. Don't forget to study every night and ..."

"Molly you really should let him go, the train will leave without him otherwise" joked Arthur Weasley. He was waving from the dock at his other three boys inside the train.

Ron could not be happier. He practically ran towards the train to look for an empty compartment. Once in the train, he waved wildly at his parents.

Eventually after an eternally long time, 11 o'clock struck and the Hogwarts Express started.

On her way out, Molly heard the loud laugh of one Sirius Black. The wizard pulled them aside. With a tight grip on her crying daughter, Molly waited out the exchange.

"Ah Arthur, Molly! I have excellent news!"

"I don't know you." whispered Arthur embarrassed, "You should not do that."

"Nah, a friend of James, is a friend of mine." dismissively replied the wizard.

"Hello Arthur." cut a feminine voice.

Molly allowed a small smile. She knew the witch from her husband's few encounters with her.

"Andromeda!" exclaimed the red haired man. "It has been a long time since I've seen you at the Ministry. You should come by more often."

The witch smiled some.

"I am afraid the Misuse of Muggle Artefacts office is not my top priority." apologized the witch, "I'll be sure to come by with an interesting television the next time."

"A television?" cut Arthur suddenly very excited.

Molly turned sour. This, right there, is where things usually did not end well for Arthur.

"Wait wait wait!" interrupted Sirius, "You know each other?" he questioned Andromeda. She shrugged as a way of answer. "Always so sharing." muttered Sirius, coughing a small bit.

"Your coughing still has not gotten better." the witch pinched her nose, "I told you to get checked at St-Mangoose."

"Yeah, yeah." frowned the wizard. He was looking aver Arthur's shoulders with a glee. It was surprising to see the man shifting through emotions so fast. "So, Arthur, Molly, you've sent some of your children to Hogwarts already, right?"

"Yes, 4 of my sons. Hopefully, I won't get a reprimand from their head of house to early." replied Arthur. Cheerfully, he added, "What was it that you wanted to tell us?"

Molly saw Andromeda roll her eyes.

"Nothing important."

"Not true, Andy! I was accompanying Andy and her daughter, Nymphadora, to the Hogwarts Express - you know she's going to go back to the 4th year and -"

"Sirius, focus."

Molly Weasley thought the interaction strange. Andromeda Tonks looked somewhat wary of her own cousin. The small red haired witch squinted her eyes a couple times. Andromeda Tonks, known back in the days they had been in school as Andromeda Black, had been her own shade of crazy too. It did not elude her that both witch and wizard in front of her were from the same family. Hell, if she thought that way, she supposed her husband was from the same deranged line. She thanked whatever deity out there that he did not gain the crazy Black edge the family members seemed to all have inherited.

"Yes, well if we can't even be a little proud of his family."

"Just ... keep going. And hurry, I need to see Ted in a few."

Molly did not miss the frown. She guessed to be proud of the Black family was ... complicated these days.

"Yes. Your dear Edward, right?" Sirius coughed to clear his throat. "So, on a scale of one to ten, ten being the most scandalous thing ever, how scandalous would it be for, let's say, Rodolphus Lestrange to look for his offspring?"

"Look for?" asked uncertainly Molly.

"Ah yes, it appears he lost his child on the way." quipped Sirius.

Molly tightened some more her grip on her daughter's shoulder.

"That sounds terrible." she whispered, "Why would you even joke about it?"

"I don't know." answered in a huff Andromeda. "I. Don't. Know." she repeated harshly.

"Oh well, I'm sure everything will sort itself out." merrily said Arthur, trying to diffuse the awkward vibe Sirius did not read.

The wizard then tried a truer than life imitation of Rodolphus Lestrange (and masterfully done if Molly remembered the correctly the man) in what looked like come back here brat. Andy burst out laughing at the imitation along with Ginny, but neither Arthur nor Molly seemed particularly enthusiastic.

In the Hogwarts Express, students were still trying to find a seat. Ron had failed his self imposed mission to find an empty compartment. A bit annoyed, he resolved himself to go in one with not too many people. Hopefully, he would get along nicely with the person for the rest of the train ride. Taking in a big gulp of air, Ron looked inside the compartment he had found. A lone black-haired boy was facing away, yawning. Timidly, Ron approached and knocked against the compartment door.

"Um, excuse me, but can I sit down?" All other compartments are filled" he apologized

The unknown boy sharply raised his head and gave a big smile upon seeing him.

"Heya there. Of course. Come on in." the boy greeted. "Need help with that suitcase of yours?"

"Yes, thanks." replied Ron. "It's a bit heavy, I kinda put everything I owned in there."

Ron observed that the boy had black robes, just like him. Even if he was a bit taller than him - scratch that, the other boy was a full head taller than him - he seemed to be a first year.

The boy hair shifted in color at that.

"Whoa! How did you do that?" asked Ron in wonder, "That's wicked!"

Surprised, the other student seemed a bit embarrassed.

"Ah. You've seen it. I'm a metamorphmagus ... so I can kinda change my appearance at will. I've been trying to tone it down though. People stare." he explained

"Ah sorry." apologized Ron. "But it is kind of awesome."

"Right? It's not much. I know my aunt can do pretty wicked thing at will too."

"Oh is that a family trait?"

The boy shrugged.

"Dunno."

An awkward silence followed the short conversation. Ron cleared his throat.

"So ... my name is Ron. Ron Weasley."

Trembling hair answered him. They finally changed to a dark brown color.

"Okay, this is seriously amazing." whispered Ron upon seeing the hair changing again to the original black tint Ron had seen upon walking in the compartment.

"Hum." The boy hesitated. Ron wondered why. "The name's Xerxès Black Lestrange. But, I go by Bael."

Ron tensed.

"You're ... a Lestrange. This kind of people ..." he repeated.

Xerxès squinted his eyes.

"You've got a problem with that?" It almost seemed as if Xerxès had been about to add something.

"No! Sorry. I did not mean to offend you!" apologized Ron quickly. He gulped. He seriously hoped he had not made an enemy on his first day at Hogwarts. He was not even in the castle yet.

Xerxès shrugged.

"Whatever. Don't sweat it anymore."

"Sorry."

"I said it's fine, dude."

A silence filled the compartment. Not at ease, Ron tried once again to start a conversation. The Lestrange in front of him looked overtly disinterested though.

"So, you go by Bael. Does that have anything to do with your two last names?"

Xerxès, or Bael, turned to look at him, curious.

"Er ... no. Why would you think that?"

"I don't know, Black and Lestrange mixed up with the first vowels kinda makes Bael ..."

Bael laughed a full laugh.

"Ah! No! Bael is just my second name. I don't really like my first one, it can be too much of a mouthful so I like to go by that. And as for the two names, my father lost a bet against my mother about whose last name I would get to put first on my Hogwarts acceptance letter. End of story is I will go to Hogwarts as a Black."

"Oh sorry."

Bael just smiled at him.

"So ... what kind of bet was it?"

Bael's hair color changed to a vivid orange hue.

"Oh, it's a pretty funny one."

The trip to Hogwarts was a long one. The train would stop in roughly 7 hours. In other words, the students would stay in the train practically the whole day. As Ron and Bael exchanged their own funy stories - Ron had ample stories about his brothers's craziness, a few people came by their door. The first one to knock was a seemingly lost boy with hair long enough to hide his eyes.

"Hello, sorry to bother you, but have any of you seen my toad?"

Bael and Ron exchanged a weirded look.

"A toad?" repeated Bael, "You know, you don't have to keep looking for him. At the end of the trip, Hogwarts people come in and swoop all of our things to have them in our dorms. or so I heard from the prefects."

"Really?!" The newcomer shouted relieved. "Oh that would be grand. My gran insisted I take it with me, but Trevor usually likes to .. hop away." he explained.

"Have anywhere to sit?" proposed Ron when he saw the anxious boy. "We have the place if you want."

The boy smiled hesitantly.

"Thanks, I'd like that."

"So, what's your name?" asked Bael, "Mine's Xerxès Black Lestrange. But you can call me Bael."

"Oh, okay. I'm Neville Longbottom." he whispered.

"Cool." replied Bael as if Neville had just talked about the weather.

Ron almost choke.

"Neville Longbottom?! As in the Boy-Who-Lived?!"

Neville looked ready to bolt out.

"The one an only." he mumbled uncomfortably.

"Like ... do you have it?"

"Have what?"

"The ... the scar?"

Neville bit his lips.

"Yeah ... but there's nothing amazing about it." Upon seeing Ron starry eyes, Neville lifted some hair to reveal the lightning bolt shaped scar.

"Bloody hell." finally relented Ron.

"That's a funny shape for sure." quipped Bael, not impressed by Neville's fame.

Neville smiled gratefully.

"I think it looks a bit dumb honestly." His eyes widened when he saw Bael's hair change a bit color, "I knew it! I thought I was being crazy when I saw it first. Your hair just changed from black to orange for a second!"

Bael's ears turned red for a second, his hair changing with him.

"That's because I'm a metamorphmagus." Suddenly uncomfortable at the attention he was given, Bael diverted the conversation on another hot choice topic. With a mischievous smile and deep blue eyes, he asked innocently:

"Which house do you think you will be sorted in? And do you know how you get to be chosen?"

"Gryffindor!" answered with gusto Ron "My whole family has been there, I want to go there too."

"Me too." answered Neville, "My father said it was amazing there. And you?"

"I don't really have a preference. I just know I don't want to end up in Ravenclaw."

"I mean, had you ask for me, it's Slytherin I want to avoid." mumbled Ron.

"Nah, Slytherin is the house of the cunning. Sounds plenty fun there. Ravenclaw is the house for the smart guy, and I don't want to be around too many smart people, so ... yeah. Also my whole family has been sorted in Slytherin for ages. I might end up there. And they can be a fun bunch, you know!"

Neville shoved his remark down his throat. He personally thought that Lestrange and fun bunch were not words to be associated together. Lestrange and murderous fun bunch sounded better.

"Gryffindor is the house of the brave!" Ron imitated a sword in his hand, "Who does not want to go there?"

The journey continued and the three boys tightened their newly formed bonds of friendship in front of a large pile of sweets. They saw many people pass by in front of their compartment door (a girl know-it-all called Hermione - "you're Neville Longbottom! I know everything about you, I've read all the books!"). The highlight of the train trip happened almost at the end. Ten door opened again and Bael spoke up before the new addition could speak.

"You sure took your sweet time in coming here." he greeted with an arrogant smile.

Ron's mouth went agape.

In front of him stood Draco Malfoy, the blond boy he had had the displeasure of meeting at Diagon Alley at the beginning of the summer. His blonde hair was gelled back and a proud smirk appeared.

"Yes well, I did not have time for your stupid games. Where did you end up again?" Draco sneered when he looked at Ron. The red-haired boy fumed, daring the evil wizard to say something wrong. "Your company keeps getting worse and worse, cousin."

"You know me, the garbage of the family. The trash. So, nothing new under the sun." Bael yawned and ended his smile with an arrogant smile.

"Don't be proud of it, you idiot." mumbled Draco rolling his eyes.

"I know, I am my own hero too." Bael actually grinned.

"You are mad."

Neville secretly agreed with the newcomer.

"Hey, what do you want?" rudely interrupted Ron.

Draco turned back to him. He clenched his jaw.

"Nothing from you." Draco turned once more toward Bael. "Bael I'll see you tonight anyway. You've seen Longbottom? People say he's in the train."

Bael shrugged.

"Nope." he popped the p sound.

Draco squinted his eyes, looking at the shifting hair of his cousin.

"Fine. Bye." he left without a glance at Ron and a curious one at Neville.

Once the boy had finally left the compartment, Ron pounded.

"How can you act civilly around him?! He's a prick!"

Bael seemed embarrassed.

"Well, he's my cousin and we practically grew up together. He is nice enough if you don't take his insults to heart. I never do and he's fine." he quipped. "I'll admit he is a bit of a brat, but he's fun."

"He's not fun, he's mean. The very definition of mean." sniffed Ron. "He's a Malfoy." he said as if it explained everything.

"Huh, you've met him before?" asked Neville confused. "And what did he want with me anyway?"

"I would say the pompous brat wanted to introduce himself to you." grinned Bael, "His father is a bit of a stuck up."

Neville shuddered at the thought.

"I met him at Diagon Alley this summer. My dad says his father is an evil Death-Eater." spat Ron, taking his load of sweets.

Neville uncomfortably stared at Bael.

"If he is your cousin, you don't act like him at all." cut Neville trying to avoid a confrontation. Bael did not seem eager to defend Draco Malfoy's father though. He guessed the man was undefendable anyway.

"Really?" The boy was unreadable. Bael sniffed and a smile broke on his face, no doubt remmebering something about old encounters with his cousin. "Get to know him, he can be somewhat of a comic."

"How can you defend the prick?" mumbled Ron with a red shade coloring his cheeks. "He is evil. Like his father!"

"Hey! No one is inherently evil!" defended Bael with a pout. " Besides, I like to think that if Weasleys and Malfoys don't get along, this is entirely because of some small old rivalry. Like, you know .. France and England!" explained Bael, "Not that I actually know about that one, I do have both nationality."

Neville cracked a smile.

"So, I wonder which team you support between England and France for Quidditch." asked the Boy-Who-Lived.

"France." instantly replied Bael, "Their team is a joyous disaster, but you've got to admit: they have this flair and watching them play is always a big drama waiting to unfold!" the metamorphmagus's hair changed colors brightly. His eyes even sparkled.

Immediately, Ron was pulled in.

"What?!" he almost choked.

"I mean, Seville 82 was caviar." Bael had stars in his eyes.

"Er ... I was two in 1982." mumbled Neville. "I never watched that game."

"Stop it!" Ron interrupted. "You can't support France! England is way better and France players are sore losers!"

"How can you say that?! You support the Chudley Cannons and they always lose!" hollered Bael.

Neville laughed out loud at the brewing quidditch supporter fight happening.

As the night began to fall and the train was scheduled to arrive at the station at any given time, the three boys changed in their official Hogwarts robes. With excited shouts they left their compartment to look at the windows the castle shadow.

Finally, the train arrived at the pier and the students went out on the quay.

Amongst the hustle, Ron, Bael and Neville pushed themselves against other overexcited students. In the black mass, they heard a loud voice calling for the first years.

"Through here the first years! This way!"

A giant stood with a lantern, a group of small first years gathering at his knees. He had a bushy beard and thick hair. Underneath the black mass, a happy smile could be seen.

"This is Hagrid, the groundkeeper." whispered Ron to Bael. "I heard from my brothers his cooking is awful."

As the first years were gathering and waiting for the other students to leave the train, Hagrid made wild gestures to welcome the curious students. Once he was sure everyone was gathered, he led the group away from the dock, toward a lake. Many small bots were waiting there.

"No more than 3 people per boat!" roared the giant.

Not listening to the half giant, the three friends were rather occupied at staring at some white floating lights.

"Do you reckon those are fairies?" asked Ron, poking one light with his finger. It did not respond.

"Those don't exist." whispered Bael. He was watching the lights intently.

"Trevor!" suddenly exclaimed Neville, sitting down to grab a fat toad in his hands.

Bael and Ron started. The latter made a disgusting face at the fat amphibian.

"What sound do you think it would make if we were to throw him in the air?" wondered Bael as he mentioned to hs friends to mount in a small boat. he made a rude gesture at some other unknown students. Ron thought it had to be the mean cousin.

An affronted gasp from Neville sent the two other friends laughing.

"What is wrong with you, Bael?"

"It was a joke." apologized the metamorphmagus, his front hands forming a small prayer.

"I'll believe it when you stop eyeing my toad." For good measure, Neville bared his non existent fangs and turned his hands holding Trevor away from the wizard.

Bael laughed once more when he saw Trevor jump out of Neville's outstretched hands in the lake.

"No! Come back!", Neville panicked, "Stop laughing. It's a toad! And toads can't swim."

Bael pointed at the ripples in the lake.

"It's the coast, trevor should be fine. Come on, mate, leave him be for now."

The giggles did not stop until the three boys had set sail and followed the procession of first years. They followed the instruction with one ear, mostly ignoring the glares other first years were sending their way. Finally, as the boats slipped slowly on the surface of the lake, Hagrid mentioned to bow down to avoid foliage. Neville followed right after the instruction, pulling Bael with him. His friend had been too busy pulling faces at another boat.

"Do you know these people?" Ron asked

"Er ... no, why the question?"

"Don't pull faces at people you don't know!" screamed exasperated Neville. "And I thought your cousin was in there."

"Not every blonde ponce has to be my cousin, you know. I knwo I have a very extended family, but still."

Neville's reply was cut short by Hagrid's booming voice.

"Look. We can now see the castle!"

Every gaze stopped to see the high towers of the magical school. A strange lull comforted the students and bewitched them. the castle shone with a thousand lights that night, blowing everyone's mnid away.

Neville heard Hermione from another boat wondering if the castle was as old on the outside as it was inside. And she began to enumerate all the possible problems that this could pose. Some unnamed students simply replied.

"Magic."

Hermione blushed to the root of her hair and was silent as she looked at the castle with stars in her eyes.

Ron still seemed to sigh a "What's her problem?" but a nudge from Neville reminded him that Hermione was a Muggle born and that obviously seeing a medieval castle where one could live in was unreal for her. Not that it was not for Neville, Bael and Ron either.

"I heard the castle was actualy a living entity and you should be careful not to anger him." mumbled Bael. "I wonder how that works. Living rocks."

"No way. You're joking." laughed Ron.

"No. This is very much true." calmy answered Bael. His hair color shifted to accomodate his melancholic humor. "Dad told me the castle favored girls too."

"That's not what I herad from my mum."

"Oh? Then I guess the castle liked my mom and my aunts!" cheerfully bragged Bael, puffing his chest. "I can totally see that."

"You have too many family members to keep track of." complained Neville half heartedly.

"What? No! It's simple really, my mother has two sisters, and everyone had a child. Also my father has a brother." Bael enumerated. His hair suddenly turned red. "And what the hell are you questioning me for? Ron has like 7 brothers?!"

"Hey! I only have 5. And I've got 1 sister." Ron stepped out of the boat they were in. "Don't drag me in that ... thing the two of you got into."

Finally after 11 years of waiting, they would be able to penetrate the places their parents had studied many generations before. It was very exciting. And the excited grins of the first year group betrayed nothing else. They all stood in front of a finely crafted door, a torch lit right next to it. Admiring the hypnotising patterns on the door, Bael had to be dragged down by his two new friends to get inside and follow the groundkeeper to their next great adventure.