"Jahmil, dear, please be careful this year," Kelly-Anne Walker, Jahmil Walker's mother, said. She hugged him again as the Hogwarts Express blew its whistle the final time.

Once she let go, Jahmil's father, Adair Walker, gave him a reproachful look. "As a Fourth Year, you had better have more common sense than last year," he said, forcing Jahmil's rat into his hand. Jahmil struggled to keep Quillter, his rat, from hitting the ground. "I do not want to hear of dueling in the middle of the night, of detentions or bad marks. I swear to Merlin that you won't get a cent for Hogsmeade trips if I find out you did anything."

"Yes Father," Jahmil said. The father and son shook hands formally. "Goodbye Sir, Mum."

His mum smiled sadly, tears in her brown eyes. "Oh sweetheart, I miss you already," she said, kissing both his cheeks. He wiped her kisses off, grabbed his trunk, and leapt onto the train, not looking back.

"Jahmil!" called Andrew Drubnull, Jahmil's good friend. "Come sit in my compartment." Jahmil heaved his trunk into the compartment to find is best friends plus two more kids he didn't recognize.

There was Andrew Drubnull – Slytherin Beater with a head full of bricks. He had an always-blank look on his face, auburn hair and exceptionally large ears that didn't help him hear any better. Standing at six foot five with wide shoulders and short arms, he looked just like a Drubnull man, save for his mother's upturned nose.

Then there was Drew Vanhoove, who was second cousins with the Malfoy family. He had dark blonde hair and was pale as one of the many ghosts who haunted Hogwarts castle. He had dark brown eyes with lanky arms. Although he was rude and mean to many, he was loyal to his friends and family - who wasn't as pure as the Walkers, the Drubnulls, the Drumwards or the Malfoys, but still exceptionally Slytherin-esque.

The oldest one in the compartment was Victoria Drumward. She was average height with a sinister look about her. Maybe it was because of her close relation to Bellatrix LeStrange that she had the same dark curls. That was the only feature that resembled the Black side of her family, as she had blue-green-brown eyes that turned exceptionally green when she was angry. She was cunning and conniving – so much so that convinced Madame Rosmerta that she was over seventeen the year before and had gotten them all enough Firewhiskey to last a month.

The first kid Jahmil didn't recognize looked terrified. He was pale white with light brown hair cut in a business-like style. He was small and sat in a corner.

The other kid, Jahmil knew almost immediately. She looked too much like Victoria not to be her sister. He had heard about Danielle – or, as many called her, the nicer version of Victoria. She had straight black hair and the same blue-green-brown eyes. Victoria had told the boys that she was feisty and cunning, but charming as well. She could talk her way out of any situation, and when she couldn't talk, she could get off by her looks.

"H-hi Mr. Walker, sir," said the terrified kid. "I-I'm Xander White. My mother w-works for Mr. Vanhoove's parents a-and she said that I am to help him and his friends this year."

Jahmil looked to Drew. "So we have a First Year slave this year?" he asked. Drew nodded.

"Yes, but he offered. There is nothing illegal about it and the Ministry need not know," Drew explained. Jahmil couldn't help but think about what his father would say to him owning a human slave (after all, his father was Pro Free-House-Elves. Of course he would be mad if he heard his son was sending an eleven-year-old boy into slavery?)

"No, this is wrong," Jahmil said.

Victoria snorted. "You're just too scared that your daddy is going to find out," she teased.

"No, I just think it's wrong," Jahmil said.

"Yeah, I'm with Jahmil!" Andrew chimed in. "It's not right."

"Well, if they're in, then so am I," Victoria's little sister said.

Victoria rolled her eyes and pet Xander like a dog. "Oh, don't be like that, Dani," Victoria purred. "Jahmil and Andrew don't know what's good for them half the time."

There was a knock on the compartment door and everyone turned silent. What if someone had heard their conversation? They'd all be in humongous trouble.

The door slid open to reveal the face of the candy trolley lady. "Candy from the trolley, dearies?" she asked.

Everyone began turning their pockets over to find money for all their snacks. Jahmil lent some money to Xander to get a few Chocolate Frogs. Drew looked at Jahmil reproachfully.

"Have a safe trip, dears," the trolley lady said, sliding the compartment door closed. The rest of the trip was silent as everyone stared each other down, trying to get the others to crack.

Poor Xander! Tell me what I should do with the poor soul please!