No matter if it was summer or winter, returning to Hogwarts always had the same routine, seeing the same people and asking the same kind of questions to your friends, gossiping about the same subject of different people. As much as it was the same old thing all over again, it kinda had something bittersweet this time. It always felt like a fresh start. As the train started to go off, with my parents seeing me off for the very last time, I was still by myself in the cabin. I never looked for any of my friends, they'd always come to me sooner or later.

As a matter of fact, I never minded the silent moments before that was to happen, it made the ride authentic. Staring at the black ink on the heavy pages of this book I had in my hands – called "An abyss of forgotten magical energy" it was a very theoretical book. Build on facts and moments in history.

While having my eyes slide over the words written, they tend to wander off to my finger each time the sun made it shine a little too bright. I heard the door being shoved and I looked up, expecting to see a fragile looking brunette with freckles in the door opening. Instead, there was black liveless hair and a pale skin. I looked at him in confusion, this was unexpected. I thought it was clear we wouldn't cling together, especially since we both don't really feel the need to.

'What are you doing here?' I asked him, he sat down across me nervously.

'I can't go anywhere else, if Potter and the rest of his brainless group finds me this soon and bother me this soon this stupid ring might fall out out of my stuff,' he mumbled. I raised my eyebrows to my surprise.

'You're scared of them?'

'Of course not. After all these years, I'd almost miss them if their whole existance wouldn't be a disgrace to us wizards. But for this protection thing to work, it's best to keep it far from students their ears, until this year is over,' That made sense, I thought. Still not wanting to remove the old ring that I inherited from my family from my finger. I saw him look at it, for a moment I believed to see disgust, but there was none when he looked back at me.

'You think you will manage?' he asked me, I smiled.

'Oh, Severus... Of course I will. I'll make you sound so charming, you'd be the last person my dear friends would guess,' As unfriendly as it sounded, he nodded agreeing. You know, he didn't have to look as horrible as everyone would joke about. He could be quite handsome, at least better looking with the hair cut my family would make him get. It would have been a lot shorter and at least looked less sticky with this length. But he denied the proposal of changing anything, and either way, we don't want to draw too much attention by adding obvious changes that everyone would talk about.

'If you believe it's too much of a hassle, I will keep it safe for you,' I offered, he didn't have to think twice about it and handed me the little pooch the engagement ring was in.

'Now you can peacefully go back to being teased without any embarrassing secrets to be revealed,' I smiled. I could see by his body language that something was still keeping him here, but he had a hard time saying whatever it was.

'What exactly is it that made you believe I was the safest bet? The allegiance sure, but why not anyone else in Slytherin and how are you sure your family won't be pressured into it still?' he curiously asked.

'Because, dear Severus...' I closed the book and put it next to me before looking him in his eyes with a confident, amused smile.

'When you broke your little friendship with Gryffindor's favorite redhead it wasn't because you believed in his ideal world. You didn't really believe in the word 'mudblood' and definitely not her being such a thing. You broke her heart and faith in you so that she would be safe, so that she wouldn't chase after you to be a better man when you were about to accept your destiny. You believed this was the reason all along why the sorting hat decided to keep you apart. You think that once He has a plan against her, you can outsmart him. I'm not looking for a pawn, so that I don't become a pawn, I chose you because your lack of having somewhere to belong,' I didn't shy away once, analyzed him as I spoke, interested into knowing what he was thinking when hearing I got him all figured out. He seemed to be more confused than ever and he tried to pick his next words carefully. He was about to speak but held his breath when someone passed by the door, freezing on the spot by the idea popping into his head it might've been once of my girls. Whoever it was didn't stop by this cabin and his muscles relaxed again.

'Still don't know how that determines your role?'

'For centuries my family has done arranged marriage, even after my ancestors moved from Italy to the United Kingdom. It is well known by anyone in the wizarding world. We will play this off as an arranged marriage when this school year ends, based on your excellent grades and my parents wanting to have me keep track of every available candidate throughout the years by sending them letters. I will live my life peacefully, not ever expecting you to be part of the movement considering your ongoing application to teach at Hogwarts – Yes, I know about that, and your many conversations with Slughorn about it too,' I explained, he seemed to be dumbfounded and was trying to fit all the pieces of the puzzles to figure out when I could ever obtained all this information.

'I see, some wicked plan you have made for yourself, Morgan' His words sounded to have some praise in them.

'I should go now,' And with that, our conversation concluded. He got up from his seat, nodded at me once more before disappearing out of the cabin, trying to not be seen with me.