He had heard stories of the Hogwarts express, first from Albus and more recently from Hermione and her friends. The trio wheeled their trunks on trolleys down the crowded platform (why they didn't just shrink them was a mystery to him), weaving between sobbing families and excited friends.
Then again, there was a lot he still didn't understand about the Weasley family. His father would have crucio'd him if he'd failed to levitate his trunk downstairs. They hadn't been able to apparate to the station and had to walk there. He'd point blank refused to let the Auror apparate his own luggage; did he look stupid enough to leave an auror with his belongings?
With little time to spare they clambered onto the first carriage and he thought they were finally able to go when Mrs. Weasley wrapped him into a hug. He stood, stiff as a board and wondered when he'd even hinted that he needed looking after until the woman finally let him go, then he bounded onto the train before the woman could kiss him like she had done to all the other children.
Not a moment after the last one of their party had climbed onboard, the train began to move, pickup up speed as they left the station and headed out through the city.
'Well, we're not hanging around. Stuff to sell.' The twins decided, heading off down the corridor with their trunks in tow. At least they had the sense to levitate them.
'Let's go find a compartment.' Harry began wandering off down the corridor.
'Er, actually, Gellert and I have to go to a prefect briefing.' Hermione explained and Gellert winced. After a morning of frantic Mrs. Weasley, he really didn't want to sit through a silly school child meeting. Hermione took his arm as if sensing his reticence and marched them off in the opposite direction.
The prefect meeting was in the front compartment and they were the last to arrive. The small room was packed – a blond that could only be a Malfoy, with a black haired girl that looked like a Parkinson hanging off his arm. There was another boy that looked familiar but Gellert couldn't pin him down. His entrance provoked immediate interest, and the Malfoy stood up.
'This carriage is for Prefects only.' He drawled, puffing out his chest to show off the green and silver badge on it.
'I'm aware.' He sneered back with an expression that would put the child's smirk to shame. The Slytherin looked him up and down, taking in his clothes and posture. Gellert waited patiently as the boy judged him, hoping that a confrontation would occur so that he could put the boy in his place. Unfortunately, before anything could happen, the head boy and girl arrived. The two were clearly an item, but they called everyone to order easily and they all took a seat.
'Ah, you must be Gellert Abernathy, Professor McGonagall told us that you'd be a prefect this year.' The girl said. She was already wearing her blue trimmed robes with the badge pinned to her chest. In fact, now that he noticed it, all the prefects had their badges already on their clothes, be they muggle or wizarding.
'Everyone, I'd like you to meet Gellert, he's transferred from Durmstrang this year but Dumbledore believes that he'd be a prefect at Durmstrang if he'd stayed. He seemed to think it was fair to award him the position here. I hope you'll all help him settle in and explain to him his role.' The yellow-wearing head boy explained with a kind smile in his direction. It was almost satisfying seeing the shocked expression on Malfoy's face.
For several minutes the head droned on and Gellert listened without taking his eyes off the boy opposite him. They said something about points and detentions, patrols and passwords, which he would examine at a later date but he was more interested in the boy. He was more bark than bite – he'd backed down as soon as the heads came in. If he was as scary as he acted, students two years older wouldn't have made him back down.
They were each handed a sheet of parchment and he glanced down to see a roster. He had a patrol with Hermione once per week, but his name was otherwise conspicoiusly absent from the table, not that he was going to complain. Every night spent patrolling for students was one wasted. Of course the head boy and girl seemed to think otherwise because they asked him to stay behind after the meeting. The Malfoy boy smirked as he brushed past him and Hermione sent him a worried look as she followed.
'McGonagall said you wouldn't struggle in class but we wanted to make sure you had time to adjust.' The head boy said, he looked apologetic but he could feel the girl judging him, clearly she, like Hermione believed that Gellert hadn't earned his position.
'If you're struggling with the workload at any point, feel free to let us know and we can roster you out entirely.' She looked at him condescendingly. He nodded calmly and left without another word, he didn't like her already.
Hermione lead him back down the train of excited children until they found Harry and Ron, who were sharing a compartment with a dreamy looking girl with hair down to her waist and a chubby boy holding a cactus. Hermione greeted them brightly, dropping into a seat and Gellert sat opposite her with far more dignity. Unfortunately he then discovered exactly why the remaining spot had been next to the chubby boy as he poked his cactus and a squirt of greenish stink sap sprayed in his direction. Gellert leapt out of the way and scowled at him, the boy shrunk back into his seat and tucked the cactus into his bag.
'Guess who's Slytherin's prefect?' Hermione was saying, and both boys groaned, then suddenly Ron brightened.
'I can't wait to see him try something with Grin..'
'Ron!' Hermione hissed and the boy looked sheepish.
'I mean, I can't wait until they meet Gellert.' He corrected, casting a look at the dark wizard. Of course, his wish was then granted almost immediately as the compartment door slid open and the blond stepped through. He was flanked by massive boys, who stood looking menacing with short, stubby wands in their hands.
'What?' Harry snapped before either of the trio could open their mouths.
'Manners, Potter, or I might have to give you a detention.' He drawled, taking in the other occupants in the compartment. He brushed over Harry's two friends, sneered at the two girls and leered at the tubby idiot. 'How does it feel to know Dumbledore was so desperate that he picked a new boy as a prefect?'
'Get out.' Ron snapped.
'You heard him.' Gellert said breezily from his seat and the three Slytherins snapped their attention to him. 'Get out.'
'Or what?' Malfoy's goons laughed and he waved his hand dismissively at them.
It took more effort than he would like to admit but he did a masterful job of hiding it, as their bodies were thrown backwards in the same motion as his hand. A finger flick later and the compartment door snapped shut. They then had the pleasure of watching a confused and slightly afraid group of Slytherins right themselves and what remained of their dignity and hurry off down the corridor.
For a moment there was silence in the corridor, then Ron let out a guffaw of laughter. Then suddenly the blonde was in hysterics and the remainder of the compartment followed with peals of amusement.