"Now," Uncle John said as he hauled Theodore's trunk out of the car. "Be careful this year. From all the things your aunt has told me about this Lord Voldemort—" Theodore flinched "—guy you need to be on the watch-out. You never know when danger comes creeping around the corner."

Theodore nodded and opened his mouth to speak.

His uncle cut him off, "One thing that I know for a fact is that when danger hits you it always knocks you to the floor."

"Thanks," he said as he picked up his trunk off the ground. "Um, for everything."

"No problem," Aunt Laurette replied as she hugged him and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek.

"Write to us when you get to school so we know you arrived safely and that you're okay," his Uncle said.

"I will; Goodbye."

His aunt and uncle's goodbyes were ridden with a sadness that made his stomach turn. He felt both guilty and loved at the same time. He regretted leaving them behind the moment he stepped through the barrier between platforms nine and ten.

He had forgotten what it felt like to be in a crowd. Everywhere around him, people pushed and shoved while trying to collect their things and find their friends as quickly as possible.

He felt like a first year, alone.

With a sigh of frustration, Theodore firmly gripped his trunk and began hauling it toward the massive train.

"Hey, stranger," a voice said from behind him. He turned around to face Blaise.

"God, Blaise," Theodore murmured as he dropped his trunk to the ground and took a step towards the other boy. "It feels like forever since I last saw you and even longer since I last spoke to you."

Blaise arched an eyebrow and gazed at him, "So, care to explain why you didn't write me at all?"

"I was staying with Muggles," he said flatly. "I had no owl or floo."

Blaise smirked, "You mean, the Ministry of Magic actually placed you with Muggles? You should have told me before we left and I would have had my mother make arrangements for you to stay with us."

Theodore exhaled sharply and replied, "They're, um, my relatives... apparently."

Blaise just stared at him.

He continued, "My father's sister was a squib. I stayed with her and her," he hesitated, "Mudblood husband. They would have had prevalence over whatever claim your mother filed."

Upon seeing the look on Blaise's face he added, "Look, I didn't like it. I hated it. Can we just not talk about it here?"

Blaise nodded and replied, "Yeah, but for what it's worth, I'm sorry you had to stay in a house full of such filth. No wizard should be put through that torment."

He nodded and murmured, "Come on, let's get on the train and find a compartment."

The two of them grabbed hold of their trunks and pushed their way onto the train. Unfortunately, the train seemed to be just as crowded as the platform outside.

"Ugh," Theodore whined, "we're never going to find a compartment with all these people."

"Come on," Blaise replied as he grabbed Theodore's arm and pulled him into one of the compartments. The compartment was full of Hufflepuffs. Blaise glared at them and continued to usher Theodore along by pulling him into the next compartment which, thankfully, was empty. Blaise sat down and stretched out his legs, and opened his mouth to release a stifled yawn.

"How was your summer?" Theodore asked him as he sat down opposite Blaise.

"Same as always; Mum got a new boyfriend."

Theodore smirked. "You like him?"

"Of course not, he always seems to have his head up his arse and he always fakes this annoying French accent when he speaks."

"How do you know he's faking it?"

"It takes more than a month of living somewhere to pick up the accent. I've lived in enough places to know that one," Blaise said.

The compartment door slid open and a second year stepped in. Blaise arched an eyebrow at the boy as warning but he stood his ground.

The boy said, "I was told to give this to you," as he handed Blaise a letter with a shaking hand and shuffled out of the compartment.

"What's it say?" Theodore asked.

Blaise snapped, "I haven't opened it yet," and proceeded to unfold the parchment.

Mr. Zabini,
I would be delighted if you would join me for a bite of lunch in compartment C.
Sincerely,
Professor H.E.F. Slughorn

Blaise's lips curved into a sneer as soon as he looked up from the parchment. "It's from Professor Slughorn, he taught my mum Potions back when she was at Hogwarts."

Theodore's head snapped up and he responded, "Dad told me about him. What does he want?"

Blaise stood up. "For me to have lunch with him, not that I really want to," he added upon seeing Theodore's face. "I mean, I can't really turn him down though."

"Yeah, I know," he said, moving his lips into a forced smile. "Try not to be too much of a prat."

And with that, Blaise left the compartment leaving Theodore alone with his thoughts.

He sulked, drawing his knees close to his chest and wrapping his arms around them. It was selfish to be upset with Blaise, he knew, but he couldn't help it. He had been looking forward to seeing Blaise and spending the entire train ride in an empty compartment hardly contained must interest.

Without a second thought, he reached for his trunk and grabbed a book out of the top. It was his Transfiguration textbook. He opened it and began to flip though the pages, glancing at the names of different spells and looking for pictures.

The compartment door slipped open and in came a group of Gryffindor girls. Fourth year, he guessed, but he wasn't sure. They eyed him with contempt and looked around.

A girl with long black hair stepped forward from the crowd and asked, "Mind if we sit here? Everywhere else is full?" Two of the girls behind her giggled.

He lifted his eyes up from the page and said, "Sure," then returned to skimming the pages. The girls sat down and Theodore began reading the chapter on Conjuring Spells.

Aguamenti, Avis, Ferula, Inanimatus Conjurus, Incarcerous, and Orgideoius are all incantations you should know from earlier volumes. This chapter will go more in-depth on the uses of Conjuring Spells and their uses in…

His attention broke and he looked up at the girls.

"—Potter."

"Is he really in the compartment next to ours?"

The black haired girl from before spoke, "Yeah, I saw him walk in there before."

A blonde girl giggled and said, "You should go talk to him, Romilda. Him and Cho Chang are over so you have a chance."

"I think I will," Romilda said, coolly, as she brushed a lock of hair over her shoulder and stood up.

"Good luck," one of the girls said to Romilda's retreating back. The compartment door slammed shut and Theodore turned his attention back to the book on his lap.

Conjuring Spells can be very useful in everyday life, he read and with a sigh, tilted his back to face the ceiling and closed his eyes. He couldn't concentrate anymore, there were too many thoughts crammed into his head.

The door opened again and Romilda stepped into the compartment. She had a scowl on her face and looked as though she was ready to hex the nearest person.

"What happened?" the blonde asked.

Romilda sat down and said, "I invited him to our compartment but it seems he'd rather hang out with Loony Lovegood and Longbottom."

One of the girls spoke up, "Well, he's friends with them I suppose. I read that they both were involved in that Ministry fiasco with him in the Daily Prophet. Don't take it too hard."

Romilda sighed and leaned back in her seat. "Yeah, I guess you're right." She paused and took a deep breath. "One thing's for sure – I'll have him by the end of the year."

Theodore groaned inside his mind. The last thing Hogwarts needed was another girl after Potter. At least, once he entered the Slytherin Common Room he never had to worry about girls gossiping about how he was so 'tragically sexy' and 'in need of a snog on the Astronomy Tower' to cure all of his woes.

Theodore closed his eyes, once again, and wondered how much longer it would be before the train came to a halt at Hogsmeade Station.