The problem with walking mindlessly through cramped hallways on a train, is the fact that you never know who you might run into. If you're trying to contain your despair, and focusing mostly inward, the chances of you literally running into someone increase greatly. For one the few times in the past several years, Jim was completely focused inward, and not aware of his surroundings at all. Thus, when he ran full tilt into another student, it took him a few moments to realize what happened.

As Jim was jolted out of his own mind, he found himself standing and staring at Draco Malfoy sitting on the ground and glaring up at him. Crabbe and Goyle, Draco's 'bodyguards', were both looking back and forth at Draco and Jim, dumbfounded expressions clear on their faces.

Jim knew his own face was probably mirroring that of Malfoy's bookends; that, more than anything, broke him out of his reverie.

"Oh Merlin," Jim said, "I am so sorry. I wasn't paying attention to where I was going."

Jim reached down, and caught Draco under his arm, not giving the other boy the chance to pull away, and lifted the blonde to his feet. Jim proceeded to brush imaginary lint from the boys' chest as he stepped closer, pretending to try to straighten Draco's robes out for him.

"You know how it is right?" Jim asked, "you spend every waking moment perfecting your mask, then you get an entire summer without having to be the perfect pureblood anything, only to have to readjust your mask when you return. Then someone comes along and just manages to find the one crack you hadn't sealed up yet, but then you're stuck on a train with hundreds of other kids, and there's nowhere for you to fix your mistake."

Draco's glare had become a singularly confused expression as he backed away from Jim, straightening his robes even more, and batting the other boys' hand away. Draco looked around for anyone else nearby, but luckily, at least in the car they were in at the moment, they were the only ones in the hallway.

"Yes, well, your mask is slipping even more right now. You're babbling." Draco said politely, while gesturing to an empty compartment, conveniently close to where they were standing. "Step in there and fix it."

Jim had to fight to keep the stupefied expression from his face as he nodded and entered the compartment. Draco followed close behind, saying a few quiet words to Crabbe and Goyle before leaving them to guard the compartment as he closed the door.

Jim sat on the bench close to the window and took up staring blankly at the wall opposite him. Rather than saying anything, Draco took the bench across from him and waited pleasantly.

While hiding out in Hogwarts-before the fall, but after the Horcrux hunt and subsequent temporary defeat of Voldemort-Jim had spent a good amount of time learning about the pureblood way of life. Every pureblood child, at least the ones from influential families, was taught early on about the mask. The only time a pureblood, child or adult, could not wear their mask was with close family members. Fathers, mothers, brother, and sisters could show each other how they truly were with no fear of reprisal. Cousins, aunts and uncles, and in some cases grandparents would only come to know the mask, unless they were truly and fully trusted.

Children like Draco Malfoy and Daphne Greengrass, would have been taught to wear their mask from birth, the fact that he was referencing such an act would immediately have them figure Jim to be a pureblood as well.

Walburga had done her best to help Jim get ready for entering Hogwarts as a 'pureblood'. Together, they learned early on that arrogant, like Draco, would not be a good fit for Jim's mask. Neither would aloof like Daphne's mask. Amiability would be the basis of Jim's mask. While not a huge change from his normal behavior, it would still be more pronounced than other traits.

Therefore, once enough time had passed for him to fully rein in his emotions, Jim gave Malfoy a small smile.

"Thank you," Jim said, "I appreciate your help."

Malfoy nodded, glancing at the door as he did so, "Let's call it one and that will be the end of it."

Jim grimaced, knowing that he was not in any position to negotiate at the moment, and Malfoy really was letting him off easily. Not even at Hogwarts yet, and he already owed three favors.

After a moment, Jim nodded, "So long as it does not harm anyone, or go against my own beliefs, that is more than fair."

Draco grinned and held his hand out to shake, which Jim gladly took.

"Now that our masks are in place," Draco said, "let us get to know one another, judging from the lack of trim on your robes, I feel safe in saying that you are new to Hogwarts. Perhaps a transfer student?"

Jim nodded, sitting up straight and preparing for the problem that he knew would come once he introduced himself by his new name. Walburga had been adamant that he would introduce himself using only his Black name from his 'adoption' onward. Jim however, liked his new name, and felt that it would be dishonorable of him to just shuck the name Hermione and Luna had chosen for him. They had finally come to an agreement that he would introduce himself to Black family members (such as the Malfoy's and Tonks families) using his new name. For anyone else he would introduce himself with the Locke name. Walburga was fine with Jim keeping James as his middle name in either case.

"I was homeschooled up until this year," Jim said, "I'm transferring to Hogwarts to finish everything up."

Malfoy nodded, "Yes," he said, "I can see that. Anyway, my name is Draco Malfoy."

Jim grinned and leaned forward to shake the other boys' hand again.

"My name," Jim said, cringing internally as he prepared for the coming explosion, "is Corvus Black."

Malfoy dropped Jim's hand and reared back.

"How?" he asked after a moment.

"My father… well actually he's my godfather, adopted me into the family." Jim said, secretly wondering to himself once again how he let the portrait of Walburga Black of all people convince him to be adopted into the family, no matter that her attitude had done a one-eighty after learning how Regulus had died.

"Your godfather?" Malfoy asked.

"Yes," Jim said, "Regulus Black? He adopted me after learning that my own mother and father were more interested in their potions business than taking care of their son."

Again, this was a gamble. Despite how well their potions business had flourished, not much was known about the personal lives of Warner and Jewell Locke. If Jim claimed that they were more into their business than their family, there was a good chance that most people would believe that without needing confirmation.

"Who…" Malfoy began, "Who were your mother and father?"

"Did you know the husband and wife due who owned Practical Potions just off Vertic Alley?" Jim asked.

Malfoy nodded, "Yes, they didn't often have the kind of potions that father needed, but we have been by there before."

"Warner and Jewell Locke," Jim said, "they died in their laboratory two months ago."

"Did you know them very well?" Malfoy asked, sounding so concerned that Jim had to look to make sure he was talking to the boy who had been his main rival in the original timeline.

"They were kind to me," Jim said, "more like a distant aunt and uncle than actual parents; but they recognized their own faults and felt that my godfather was a better choice for my raising. I've actually been alone at Grimmauld for the last couple years since my godfather disappeared. I've had a live-in tutor since I was around six, but when my parents died, it was felt by everyone that I would do better go to Hogwarts and interacting with others my age. Especially since Shelly, my tutor, got married and moved to the states."

Jim felt as though he could see the gears turning in Malfoy's head. The appearance of an heir to the Black family would change a lot of the plans the Malfoy's had for the future. Sure, the Malfoy family was rich in their own right, but adding the Black family gold, and political prestige would open more doors for the family than ever before.

Before Malfoy could ask another question, the train began slowing down. Jim peeked out the window and saw that they were close to Hogsmeade.

"Well," Jim said, standing and reaching to shake the other boys' hand for the third time, "I really do appreciate your help. I need to go and gather my belongings before getting off the train. I hope we have time to speak with one another again during the school year."

Malfoy seemed to snap out of his thoughts as he shook Jim's hand. "Yes," he said, "I think we should speak more."

Jim offered Malfoy a smile as he opened the door and stepped between Crabbe and Goyle.

"I look forward to it then," he said. Then walked away.

-LINE BREAK-

Draco Malfoy, heir apparent to the Noble House of Malfoy, stared through the open compartment door long after his supposedly adopted cousin had gone. Indeed, Draco found that the train had stopped and Crabbe and Goyle were both shuffling around uncomfortably while waiting for Draco to get up.

Despite how it may have seemed, Draco had been aware of Corvus Black since boarding the train. Not that he knew what the boy's name was, but anyone coming onto the Hogwart's Express dressed in such a fashion would receive Draco's attention. It was no accident that found Draco and his tag-a-longs in the compartment that the other boy had been in. He had planned on being there when Corvus returned. If he hadn't been distracted by those wonderful pastries that had been left on the bench seat, he would have seen when Corvus and the others had passed by.

It wasn't until he realized that the other boy would not be returning to the compartment, that Draco decided to head down and look for the boy himself. Having not seen the boy pass, he assumed that he would be further back in the train, not near the front with Greengrass.

Draco and his minions made it all the way to the back of the train without once seeing the boy. After stopping in Potter's compartment and having a rather unsatisfactory confrontation with the ignorant Potter heir and his two bookends, Draco returned to compartment number seven to wait until later in the train ride to find the boy who had so piqued his interest.

Finally, as the time to depart drew closer, Draco stepped out into the hallway again; just in time, it seemed, to see the boy exit a compartment closer to the front of train, and barrel down the hallway. It was obvious that the boy was upset, so Draco didn't think twice about putting himself directly in the other boys' path.

It was a simple matter after that to direct the boy into an empty compartment where Draco could get a better look while the other boy regained his mask. Thus, began a conversation that would confuse Draco to the point that he knew he would be writing to his mother before the day was out.

Corvus Black, the heir apparent to the Most ancient and Noble House of Black. Supposedly adopted, and half raised by Uncle Regulus, who had not been seen since before the Dark Lord was vanquished by Potter.

Draco was momentarily enraged at the news that the Lordship of the House of Black would not be his. Until Corvus told his story. Despite the rumors regarding his mother and father, Draco had been raised knowing that he was loved by them. The idea, that Corvus' mother and father were just too into their potions to even care about their son was upsetting to Draco, and he found himself showing concern to a stranger. Not that he allowed his mask to slip too much though.

Now Corvus was gone, and Draco had spent entirely too much time thinking about this new development. He stood and straightened his robes as he turned to Crabbe and Goyle; already composing his letter to his mother and father in his head.

A/N: Really been looking forward to getting off this train! Every time I think I can finally have the train arrive in Hogsmeade, I think there's something else that I should add. Not sure where this scene came from, didn't expect to have Malfoy be anyone other than an annoying brat, but then I got to thinking about the whole mask thing, and the fact that Malfoy is also a teenager who's having to live up to his father's legacy. So yeah, the whole thinking everyone is human, and just maybe not manipulative or evil as teenagers.

Fixed the part in the last couple of chapters where Jim's features change. Kind of dumb of me not to think of that in the first place. As for the fact that Jim has white in his hair, despite the whole dark haired Black family; I do have a direction I am wanting to take that in. There has to be something more for Jim than just fixing Harry's life from here on out right?