"Good afternoon, Severus."
Severus looked up from his lesson plans. "Perhaps for those who actually enjoy having their peaceful lives invaded by barbarian children. Certainly not for anyone else."
Dumbledore smiled benignly—his happiness and light version of a smirk—and sat in one of the office chairs. "I've been meaning to have a chat with you about your new research projects. How are they progressing?"
"Slowly. Certain things take time, just as certain potions take time to reach potency. "
"Ah, well, it's a good thing you'll be teaching less this year. You'll have plenty of time to devote to your research."
"I've been meaning to speak with you about that," Severus said. "You've made a unilateral decision—"
"You'll thank me later."
"I very much doubt it."
"Care to place a small wager on it?"
Severus narrowed his eyes. "What stakes?"
"Complete freedom to update potions stores with any items you wish against a pair of warm socks."
No budget? "Agreed, but the odds and prizes appear heavily in my favour."
"Appearances are deceiving."
Dumbledore's smile made Severus wonder what the wily old bastard knew that made him so confident of winning.
.
.
Concealed by the Invisibility Cloak, Lorelei made her way across Platform 9 and 3/4 to the Hogwarts Express. A sudden burst of laughter drew her attention to a large group trying to gather up luggage from an overturned trolley. A mother picked up an owl cage while scolding her red-headed brood for their carelessness. One of the woman's fiery haired children picked up a trunk. His movement revealed the two non red-heads of the group: a slender girl with exuberant brown locks and a slim boy with untidy black hair and glasses. The boy's face and glasses were instantly recognisable. As Lorelei turned and boarded the train, she smiled. So that's the Famous Harry Potter!
She strode toward the last compartment of the last carriage, hoping to have the space to herself. At the second to last compartment, she paused a moment to observe the teenaged girls seated inside. Four of the girls were talking and laughing together while a fifth girl looked out the window. The girl's long dirty-blonde hair was a contrast to the others' trendy hairstyles. Abruptly, the girl turned from the window. She stared through the glass-panelled door with an eerie intensity.
"What are you staring at, Luna?" one of the girls asked, barely audible to the watcher in the corridor. The teens nudged each other and giggled.
"I'm not sure," Luna said vaguely, continuing to peer unblinkingly through the door. "But I think there's something... maybe…"
Lorelei moved on, and inside the last compartment removed the Invisibility Cloak and placed it her pocket alongside her miniaturised box. She gingerly touched the lump at the back of her head. Knocked out by a groupie with a bottle of champagne. Piper would never let her live it down. She sighed and performed a charm to ensure a comfortable rest against the seat and window.
.
.
Harry Potter pushed his way through the crowded corridors with his friends Neville and Ginny following close behind. His best friends Ron and Hermione had sixth year prefect duties to attend to. They would meet up later in the last compartment of the last carriage.
Harry was happy to be returning to Hogwarts. He felt that the worst day there was better than the best day in the house on Privet Drive.
He heard a dreamy voice call a greeting and looked up. "Oh. Hello, Luna," he replied.
As Luna continued to stare at the trio with her otherworldly eyes, Ginny asked, "Was there something you wanted? We'd really like to go put up our stuff."
"Oh yes. I remember." Luna gave a slight smile. "I think there's something in your compartment."
"Wh—what is it?" Neville asked.
"She doesn't know," Padma called from Luna's compartment. "Luna felt something was in the corridor earlier, but we never saw a thing."
Harry glanced at Luna, who looked calmly back at him.
"Well . . . thanks for telling us," Harry said.
"You're welcome," Luna replied, sliding her door closed.
Harry, Ginny, and Neville moved to the last compartment. A hooded figure sat by the window.
"Luna was right," Neville said.
"Do you think it's a new teacher?" Ginny asked Harry.
"Could be," Harry said. "When we first met Professor Lupin he was sleeping on the train."
They dragged their trunks and pets inside and stored them in the overhead compartments. By unspoken agreement, the trio sat together on one side. Ginny sat in the middle with Harry opposite the stranger. They tried to talk about Quidditch and the upcoming feast, but found themselves losing track of conversations. Their attention was continually drawn back to the mysterious figure.
The Tea Lady's entrance was a welcome distraction. They eagerly bought Cauldron Cakes, iced pumpkin juice, and loads of Chocolate Frogs. Afterwards, Ginny finished her pumpkin juice while Harry and Neville opened chocolate frogs to see which wizard or witch was on the card inside.
"I've never seen this witch before," Harry said. "I must have ten Morganas, but I never got a Marina before!"
"Marina!" Ginny grabbed the card. "My dad fancies her." She giggled. "Poor Dad. Every time Ron finds him one, Mum loses it accidentally."
Three heads bent close to examine the card. Above her name, the face of a beautiful older woman with spirals of light brown hair and fathomless dark eyes smiled charmingly.
"My Gran would lose that card too." Neville blushed as Harry and Ginny laughed.
Ginny turned the card over and read aloud, "Marina: Currently Head of Research & Development at Siren Cosmetics. Considered by many the greatest Muse of modern times, Marina is particularly famous for inspiring Dumbledore's discovery of the twelve uses of dragon's blood."
"Blimey," Neville said. "I wonder how she inspired Dumbledore?"
Ginny giggled. "Why don't you ask him, Neville?"
Harry slid the card into his pocket and threw a chocolate frog at Neville. They returned to eating and comparing cards of famous witches and wizards.
A short while later, Ron and Hermione entered the compartment.
Ron pointed to the stranger. "Who's that?"
"Honestly," Hermione said. "The person is cloaked, sleeping, and there's no luggage overhead with a nametag to read. How could anyone possibly know who that is?"
"Are you trying to wake him up?" Harry asked as he rose and helped store Ron and Hermione's pets and luggage overhead. He laughed as Ron widened his eyes and shook his head sideways in exaggerated terror.
Harry let Hermione have his former seat and turned to see Ron sitting next to the door.
"I suppose I should be grateful he isn't fat," Harry grumbled as he sat next to the mysterious figure.
"I don't think he's a he," Ginny said. "Look at those boots."
All eyes focused downward.
"I've been asking mum for a pair like that since I saw them in Witch Weekly," Ginny said, "Unfortunately for me, that lovely black leather is too expensive." She grinned. "Maybe she'll let me borrow them."
"Why don't you ask her, Ginny?" Neville said.
Ginny elbowed him playfully before handing Ron a saved Cauldron Cake.
"You're my favourite sister." He took a huge bite.
"Thanks for nothing!" Ginny tossed him a bottle of pumpkin juice before handing another bottle and a chocolate frog to Hermione.
The Express sped onward. Hermione raised her eyebrows at Ginny's Teen Witch Magazine, and Ginny wrinkled her nose at Hermione's choice: Hogwarts, A History. The boys passed the time playing hot potato. As the game progressed, the charmed ball known as the 'potato' rose in temperature. Finally, Neville dropped the ball on the floor, ending the game.
Ron put the ball into his pocket. "Fred and George have made a bundle on this."
"Maybe they'll buy you a new personality, Weasel," a voice drawled from the doorway. Draco Malfoy stood sneering at the group, Crabbe and Goyle lurking behind him.
"When we want your opinion we'll give it to you, Malfoy," Harry said. "Since we don't, take your goons and get, you git."
"Touchy, are we? Are you showing off for your new girlfriend?" Malfoy laughed shortly. "Is she so ugly you make her wear a hood? This I've got to see." He stretched a pale hand toward the woman leaning against the window.
Before Harry could react, the woman said, "You don't need to see me." Her voice was low and beguiling.
"I don't need to see her," Malfoy said.
"You have better things to do."
"I have better things to do," he said with a dazed look.
"You can go about your business."
Malfoy turned to his friends. "You can go about your business."
"Move along," said the smooth, magnetic voice.
Malfoy closed the door and walked away with the larger boys following.
All eyes were upon the woman who had never moved from her position at the window.
Harry finally broke the silence. "Are you a Jedi?"
The woman's shoulders shook in silent laughter. Amusement laced her words as she replied, "A Star Wars fan, I am. A Jedi, I am not. The Irresistible Voice is something you won't find in a Book of Spells. It's a hereditary ability, harming none and used only for defense." She sighed. "I need to rest now and everyone else needs to get their things together. We'll be at Hogwarts soon." Her voice had trailed to a whisper as she appeared to fall back to sleep.
The friends slowly rose to open trunks and change into their school robes. The train pulled into the station.
As they left the compartment, Ron asked Harry, "What's a Jedi?"
