"Now you run through the wall," Mrs. Tonks said, almost as if doubting herself.

"You expect me to run through there?"

"Yes…I think. Harry said that you had to run through the wall between Platforms Nine and Ten."

"I dunno, Gran. Doesn't seem safe."

"It's the Wizarding World. Nothing is safe. Now go, and do that," she flung her arm hastily in the direction of the brick barrier.

He took a deep breath, then stopped when he heard a cry.

"WAIT! I am 'ere with our Victoire!"

Ted turned around to see Fleur Weasley running, her long, silver hair flowing behind her as her three children tailed her.

"You two walk, 'ow do I zay it? Too fast!"

"Bonjour, Teddy!" Dominique said, grinning.

"Ignore her. She has a crush on you." Victoire said. "Even though you're two years older than her."

"Victoire!" Dominique squealed, "Mum, Victoire is telling lies!"

"You two, you need to be a leetle more quiet!! Incroyable!" she said, throwing her hands up. "We finally made it. Ze people traffic was impossibly infinite at ze entrance."

"What are you doing here?" Mrs. Tonks demanded.

"My leetle Victoire here wouldn't stop badgering me about bringing 'er to ze Nine and Three-Quarters to say adieu to 'er leetle mon ami here."

"How nice of her!" Mrs. Tonks beamed. "Now, through the wall."

Ted looked at Victoire, catching her eyes. Her eyes twinkle, a hint of a smirk on her lips. He took a deep breath, then ran through the wall with his trolley. Adelk hooted mournfully.

He looked behind him, where his grandmother and Victoire's family appeared.

"Ah, magnifique!" Fleur breathed. "Ze "'Ogwarts Express!"

"Wow, look, Victoire, you'll be here next year!" Dominique said.

"Don't be so sure about zat, Dominique, your father and I are still debating over whether ze 'Ogwarts or Beauxbatons is best for 'er."

"NO!" Victoire bellowed, looking positively furious. "I'M GOING TO HOGWARTS!"

"Relax, we still have ze time." Fleur said airily.

Victoire glared at her mother.

Louis tugged on his mother's sleeve, pointing at the chorus of owls, meows, and conversations echoing throughout the platform.

"Well, the train looks like it's about to leave," Mrs. Tonks said. "Bye, dear. Make sure to write. And behave!"

"Thanks, Gran." Ted hugged her, "Bye, Fleur, Dom, Louis."

Mrs. Tonks suddenly engaged in conversation with Fleur.

"Victoire."

"I better be going to Hogwarts. If I don't, I'll move in with you! I am going to Hogwarts!"

"Victoire, listen to me. I'm saying goodbye. Until the holidays."

She looked at him under her long lashes, "I really will miss you."

"Er, me too." Ted could feel heat crawling onto his cheeks.

"I…" she trailed off.

"Make sure to stay mischievous for me. Keep the grown-ups on their toes," he said finally.

"Yes, I promise. And make sure to…not make Slytherin."

"Gee, thanks."

"I mean, just make us proud. Make me proud."

"Er, sure."

"And don't snog any girls! If you do…I'll make sure to send you a curse!"

He laughed. "No promises."

"Bye, Teddy." Her eyes dimmed.

"Bye, Victoire."

He stepped around her, heading towards the train, when Victoire flung her arms around him.

"Teddy, I don't know what I'll do without you!"

"Um, Victoire, I really need to go."

"Just make sure…don't forget about me." she whispered into his ear, then running off. He hopped onto the train, still somewhat dazed from her last words.

As if to test him, a pretty, blonde girl approached him. "I'm a first-year, do you know where we're supposed to go?" She frowned.

"I'm a first-year too. I dunno, though."

"In a compartment," a towering boy said gruffly, "Go on, now."

She smiled nervously, walking quickly down the hall into the last compartment. Ted followed after her.

"Oh, hello, it's you. I'm Lyra Lorne." she bit her lip.

"I'm Ted. Ted Lupin," he place his trunk under the seat, feeling the sack of coins Mrs. Tonks had given him in his pocket.

"Ted," she seemed to consider this, "Okay, Ted. Just to let you know, I'm Muggle-born."

"Oh."

"That doesn't, you know, bother you?"

"Not really. My whole family's practically blood traitors!" He didn't mention that his family consisted of only him and his grandmother, but he considered the Weasleys family, as well as the Potters.

"What does that mean?"

"Well, that they didn't exactly marry into purebloods. How did you get your supplies if you're Muggle-born?"

"The deputy headmaster, Professor McFyd told my parents about what I was once we got the letter, and he took me to Diamond Alley."

"Diagon Alley."

"I meant that." she blushed slightly. "It's all so strange! He warned me that some still have problems with Muggle-borns. Murkybloods, he said they call them." Lyra shuddered.

"Mudbloods."

"Yes, that. I wouldn't know why, though."

"Some are still hateful to non-purebloods. Ever since Voldemort was killed, his followers have remained quiet, but there's still some of his people left about."

"Voldemort?"

"Yes." Ted thought of how Harry had told him to not fear the name, "He was the Dark Lord, the regime of fear eleven years back, give or take a few."

"I told you, this is confusing!" she put her face in her hands.

"I live around it, so I would know. It's all right, though. My godfather had to live like that."

"So I'm not the only one?"

"Nope."

"Good," she sighed. "What are you?"

"What do you mean?"

"Your hair's purple. You can't be just a wizard. Right?" she said. "Oh, I dunno!"

"You're right. I'm a Metamorphagus wizard. My Mum was one."

"What's that?"

"I can change my features."

"Can I do that?"

"No, you have to be born like that."

"I can't believe this," Lyra shook her head furiously. "I'm a witch."

"So?"

"It's so abnormal! Buggles---"

"You mean Muggles?"

She glared at him, which seemed unusual on her gentle face. "Yes, Ted. Muggles

grow up with the image of witches being green with warts and black capes and broomstick-flying. And wizards being old men wearing blue robes and a long cone hat and a wand with a star at the end!"

"Blimey, that's off."

"And I even have a wand!" She pulled out a long, wooden stick. "Unicorn hair. Which means unicorns exist!"

Ted shrugged. "Mine's Thestral hair."

She looked confused. "Er, okay."

There was a sharp rap at the door. It was a lady with the food trolley.

"I'll have Chocolate Frogs, Levitating Lemon Sherbets, and Bernie Bott's. Thanks." He paid the lady.

When the door shuddered shut, he looked up to find Lyra gaping at him. "What?" he said, through a mouthful of chocolate.

"Is that your candy?"

"Yeah, I suppose so."

She still stared at him. He was becoming uncomfortable so he offered her some.

"I'll have the jelly beans."

"Be careful, though."

"Careful? What do you mean?"

"You could get a rotten flavour. Like bogeys or snot-flavoured, or something like that."

"That's revolting!" she through back the sack of beans to him. "On second thought, I want the chocolate.

"Here," he handed it to her, "do you mind giving me the card? I collect them."

"Sure." she then gasped, dropping the card as if it had electrocuted her. "Oh my goodness!"

"Lyra?" Ted leaned over her, where she sat down, pale. "Are you alright?"

"Th---the picture moved!"

"That's normal," he began to laugh. She smiled nervously. "What about your lot? What are the pictures like?"

"They don't move. They're still."

"Then they can't be any fun. Must be boring staring at a single image, right?"

She didn't answer; she was gazing at the scenery outside, the flashing scenery of emerald green trees.

Ted lifted the card off from the floor. It was of Epyks Tyme. He knew him; Tyme was a famous discoverer in Potions. He pocketed it.

"Ted, I'll probably fail." Lyra said. "How am I supposed to catch up on what everyone else knows?"

"You learn. That's the point of attending Hogwarts." he said.

"Can you perform a spell for me?" she said in a low voice.

"Sure. Take this jelly bean," he looked at it, concentrating, pulling out his own wand, "Engorgio."

The Bernie Bott's hot pink bean began to enlarge, swelling. He tapped it to make it stop.

"Wow!"

"I dunno. I'm not that good."

"No, that was incredible!" she looked at him with wondering eyes.

Adelk hooted, calling attention to himself.

"Professor McFyd said you keep owls as pets. Guess he was being serious."

"Yeah, this here is Adelk." he opened the cage.

Adelk flew out, landing on Ted's lap.

"He's so small!"

His owl ruffled his feathers, pecking Ted's stomach, as if demanding why he didn't defend him.

She put her hands up in front of her, "Sorry, Addy. No offense."

Adelk seemed to like the nickname.

The tall boy that they had seen before poked his head through the door, "Robes, put on your robes."

Ted pulled out his new set of school robes from his trunk, placing them awkwardly on his lap, where Adelk fluttered back into his cage.

Lyra blushed. "I suppose I ought to, er, turn around."

"Yeah." He changed as soon as her back was turned around, and did the same to her.

The train came to a sudden stop.

"What do we do?" Lyra seemed to return to her anxious state.

"I reckon we just got there." Ted gathered the trunk and cage, where Adelk twittered happily. "Let's go.

It was as if a current flowed in the hallway of compartments; the students stampeded past each other in one solitary direction.

"Lyra," Ted turned, and she was also with her trunk, looking awfully frightened. "Come on,"

In a flash of a second, Lyra's hand was in his. Ted's eyes widened.

He pulled her through the congested hall, then arriving outside. It was a dark night filled with startling stars.

"Firs' years! Firs' years this way!" a familiar gruff voice called.

"Hagrid!" Ted let go of Lyra, rushing forward to greet him.

"Ted! Yeh're here this year, I almos' forgot!"

"I know."

"You can come o'er by my place for a cup o' tea!" he bellowed.

"Thanks, Hagrid!" He couldn't help but grin. Ted had known Hagrid since he could remember.

"Who's that little girl by your side, eh?"

"Oh, that's Lyra Lorne."

"Well, happy to meet ya, Lyra!" He winked at Ted. "Lucky Victoire isn't here."

Lyra looked at Ted, cocking an eyebrow. Ted stared up at him in disbelief.

"Firs' years, this way!" he continued, as if he hadn't made the last comment.