The trio along with James admire the Hogwarts Express as Euphemia and Fleamont fuss over their trunks for fifth time since they had been packed last night. "So are you guys excited to be finally seeing Hogwarts?" James asks for the fifth time, his eyes alight with his own excitement.

"And for the fifth time James, it's just school. Yeah sure it's magic school, but it's still just school." Draco replies, wondering to himself how it is that Harry and Lyka had managed to survive so long with such an annoying older sibling. At least Lucius was always quiet when he visited.

James whips his head towards Draco, looking affronted for the fifth time. "How could you say that it's just a magic school?! It's Hogwarts!"

Lyka sighs as Harry just starts giggling. She knows that Harry won't try to explain things to James so she might as well, "James...we were excited until you asked us seven times last night if we were excited. Then our excitement really died when you felt the need to tell us all the good points to Hogwarts. For the second time. And then this is the fifth time since we've gotten up today that you've asked us." Lyka takes a deep breath as she sees James' face fall, "It's just we've gotten a bit tired is all. I'm sure once we're actually on the grounds we'll be excited again."

James looks contemplative for a moment before nodding. Then he looks up and sees Remus, "Hey Remus!" Glancing back at the trio for a quick moment, "I'll see you guys later!" And then he runs off with a quick goodbye to their parents.

"And there he goes," Euphemia says sadly. "Barely even a goodbye for his mother and father." She looks at her twins and smiles brightly for them, "Well at least I still have you two to hug and kiss goodbye." With this she pulls Harry and Lyka into a hug and covers their faces in kisses. "Now you two be good. Don't make the headmaster send back as many letters about your actions as he has to with James." She laughs good-naturedly.

Harry smiles up at his mother, "We'll try not to. But you never know if James will drag us into something. Especially if we end up in Gryffindor with him."

Fleamont comes over and quickly wishes them goodbye after having finished with making sure all of the trunks actually made it onto the train.

After boarding the train, the trio walks down the aisle looking for an unoccupied compartment. Passing by several already occupied compartments, and walking extremely quickly past a compartment that they heard James' laughter come from; they finally reach a compartment that at first didn't appear to have anyone inside.

The moment Lyka opens the door, she immediately notices the downtrodden boy staring out the window. Before she can even ask if they could join him, Harry and Draco press into her back causing her to fall into the compartment. "You sodding bastards!" Lyka rolls over onto her back and glares at the two before turning her attention to the other boy whose hazel eyes were now wide with shock. "'Ello! Mind if we join you?" She smiles brightly at him.

The boy in question slowly looks between the three of them. Taking in Lyka's disheveled appearance on the floor. Draco with his hair "stylishly" mussed and shirt only partially tucked. And then Harry with his forever messy hair. "I-I suppose so. Are you first years as well?" He reaches up to the back of his neck and starts nervously playing with a lock of his black hair.

Draco nods enthusiastically as he plops onto the seat next to the boy, "That we are, ol' chap! I'm Draco Malfoy and these two lovelies are my friends, Harry and Lyka Potter." Draco gestures between the two as Harry assists Lyka off the floor. The two sit on the seat across the way, Lyka sitting directly across from the boy.

The boy again glances between the trio, albeit more nervously this time. "I'm Regulus Black." He stops playing with his hair and places his hands in his lap obviously trying to stop his nervous mannerisms.

Lyka smiles brightly, trying to put Regulus at ease. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Reggie! What class are you most excited for? I personally think Transfiguration is going to be a blast."

Regulus blushes at the use of a nickname from this girl that barely knows him. He glares at Lyka slightly, "Potions. And why are you being so friendly to me? What if we end up in rival houses? I mean you are a Potter. And aren't all Potters Gryffindors? Me...I'll most likely end up in Slytherin."

Lyka blinks slowly as she notices that Regulus said the last bit sadly. She shares a look with Harry and Draco. "Well yeah I'm a Potter. But honestly I'm more of a snake than a lion. But it sounds to me like you don't really want to be a snake?"

Draco pats Regulus gently on the shoulder when Regulus looks up with a shocked and guilty expression, "It's completely fine not to live up to expectations if that's why you're planning on being in Slytherin. Hells! Lyka is basically going to break family tradition over there!"

Harry laughs as Lyka rolls her eyes. He smiles gently over at Regulus, "Plus it would be better in general to be in a House where you'll actually be able to be yourself. Instead of having to put a front up all the time."

"And that whole House rivalry shenanigans is fine and dandy for quidditch. But for every day schooling? Bunch of hogwash!" Lyka says with a scoff. "Plus it's absolutely fun to break people's stereotypes."

At all of this, Regulus feels his breath hitch and tears start to run down his face. "Wh-why are y-you being so nice to m-m-me?" He chokes out between sobs as full waterworks start up.

'Oh hells...he's actually a fucking Hufflepuff.' Goes through the trio's heads.

Lyka jumps seats to sit next to Regulus as Draco drags the poor boy into a one-armed hug, "Because Reggie, it's called friendship. Which by the looks of it is something you desperately need." She then proceeds to join in on the hugging of the crying boy.

One hour and a major buy-out of the candy trolley later, Regulus was no longer crying. He also felt better after explaining that he was scared about being treated differently by his parents and hearing such kind words from others about how if his parents actually loved him they wouldn't care if he wasn't Slytherin.

Lyka was still sitting on the same side as Regulus and Draco, much to Draco's annoyance. He'd already told her three times that she was causing Regulus' lovely self to crush him. And three times she had told him to sod off. Regulus and Harry on the other hand were happily chatting about the chocolate frog cards they had gotten, whilst ignoring their chocolate covered faces.

Just as Regulus opens yet another chocolate frog the compartment door opens, startling the quartet. Everyone looks up to the young girl with radish earrings and a dreamy look on her serene face. Regulus stares at the girl before looking around at the looks of shock and recognition on his three new friends faces. Before he could even question his friends, the girl takes a seat by Harry and picks up a cauldron cake.

"Thank Lady Magic I finally found you three. I was beginning to think I was on the wrong train." The girl states in greeting. She brushes some strands of her blonde hair out of the way before taking a bite of her cake.

Regulus finally speaks up, deciding to just go with the situation. "Uh...hello. I'm Regulus Black. Are you a friend of theirs?" Then he pauses and looks at the girl for a moment as he processes what she had just said. "How could you have been on the wrong train? There's only one Hogwarts Express."

The girl smiles prettily, her silvery eyes sparkling with mirth. "Luna Lovegood. And there's many Hogwarts Expresses. This just happens to be the one we're all on and get to meet on." She pops the last bit of cauldron cake into her mouth. "And yes we're friends. We go back a long, long time."

As Regulus' face screws up in confusion, Draco quickly speaks up. "But Luna...weren't you planning on going to school outside of the country? Or at least that is what you had told me in your last letter."

"Hmm...yes. But father arranged it so that I could attend Hogwarts with you. Plus you three are so prone to trouble." Luna blinks dreamily before looking towards the compartment door, "Oh...Severus is coming by."

Everyone shares a look before Lyka hops up out of her seat. She opens the compartment door just as Severus storms past. Lyka reaches out and just barely manages to grab hold of his robe. He turns quickly, wand at the ready, but lowers it the moment he notices that it's Lyka holding onto him. Lyka looks him over, taking note that he was holding back tears. "If you want...we have a lot of sweets in our compartment. And I'm fully willing to hex my older brother and his friends if they come by. Plus we kind of have a warning system for them." She whispers to Severus. He simply nods and follows her inside.

Once inside, Severus hesitates when he sees Luna and Regulus. Feeling uncomfortable, he tries to back out of the compartment. But Luna gently takes his hand, "Don't worry, Severus. You're safe here."

The compartment is silent for a moment before Harry speaks up. "Merlin Luna. You can't just start calling people by their names when you haven't even been introduced yet!" The group devolves into laughter at Harry's outburst, even causing Severus to smile.

After introductions had been made and several rounds of exploding snap were played, Harry asks: "So Severus...what did our idiot brother do this time?"

Severus sighs, distractedly playing with a pumpkin pasty. "Just his group's usual of making fun of my hair and nose. Calling me a slimy git. Referring to me as 'Snivellus'. Causing my friend to get tired of being in the same compartment as me and thus her leaving me with them alone." He appears to deflate as he leans back against the seat. "I just...couldn't handle it...anymore."

Harry and Draco glance towards Lyka, sensing her rising anger. Draco reaches over and gives Severus a reassuring pat to the knee. "Well I'm sure with our combined talents, we'll be able to get them back this year." Draco laughs dramatically, "I say we-"

Lyka reaches across Regulus and covers Draco's mouth, "No Draco. Whatever you just thought, just no." More laughter echoes through the compartment.

The six continue to chat and in general have fun until they notice that Hogwarts was quickly coming into view. They all stare in silence as the castle approaches. Various thoughts echo through their heads. But the main one Luna voices, "This year sure will be interesting."