A/N: I don't own Harry Potter. This was written for Tangooooo14's challenge, "The Album Challenge".
Severus Snape POV:
My parents rushed off quickly, eager to get away from all of the hustle and bustle that King's Cross Station provided. With a deep breath in, I went off towards Platforms 9 and 10. Countless Muggles were racing by, all too self-absorbed in their own little bubbles to pay attention to a small, rather unnoticeable boy disappear from sight through a magical barrier.
When I got through the barrier to Platform 9 ¾, my senses were overwhelmed. There were witches and wizards of all ages, rushing around and bidding each other farewell. I saw short, plump little witches dragging their children by the hand, hurrying them onto the train. To my right, there was an extremely tall man wearing a formal button-down shirt and tuxedo, along with polka-dot flannel pajama pants. He looked around for a second, before taking out and lighting a pipe.
It was my third year at Hogwarts, so I was expecting the noise and crowds that would be at Platform 9 ¾. Suddenly, I heard someone calling my name. "Severus! Severus, over here!" I turned to see Lily Evans running over to me, a huge grin adorning her face. "How are you? I haven't seen you since last school year."
"I'm good. And you?" I asked, feeling the blush creep into my face.
"I've been great. Over the summer my parents and I went to America. It was so loud there! The streets were even more crowded than they are here in Britain. And when we visited New York City for a day, it was so huge! It was even bigger than London, by a lot. I loved all the street performers there, and one time we saw-" She cut herself off, and flushing red a bit. "Sorry, I tend to babble a lot."
"No, it's fine. I don't mind at all." I told her, and I really didn't. Actually, I love hearing her talk; loved seeing her so enthusiastic about something.
She shrugged, and grinned once more. "So what did you do over summer holiday?" She looked at me curiously, as if she actually cared about what my response was.
"Oh, um, nothing. I just stayed around the house, mostly." Actually, my summer had been pretty horrible. My parents were constantly upset with me, over the tiniest things. And whenever I apologized and promised to do better, they went on a rant about how kids never put in effort. I'm always so grateful to return to Hogwarts after uncomfortable days stuck in my room and awkward silences at the family dinner table every night.
"Well, I better be off. See you on the Hogwarts Express, then?"
I was snapped out of my train of thought, but nodded and said, "Yeah, see you."
With a wave of her fingers, Lily ran off and began to talk with a girl I recognized to be in our year at school. I dumbly waved after her, even though she had run off with her friend by that time.
After a few minutes of standing awkwardly by myself in the corner of the train station, the whistle on the Hogwarts Express blew one loud, long bell to signal that everyone needed to get on right now or be left behind. I jumped a bit from surprise at the loud noise, but quickly gathered my things to put on the train.
Once I was aboard the third car, I swept my eyes down the long corridor in search of an empty compartment to sit in. I tried to avoid most people at all costs, usually. When I was stupid enough to attempt to sit with a few students on the way to Hogwarts during my very first year, they all turned up their noses and old me to leave them alone. And I've learned to never make the same mistake twice.
After a moment, I realized every car was occupied. Realizing my error, I turned and began to leave the train to go to another car, hopefully with empty seats in it. Then, I felt someone's breath on the back of my neck. "Hello, Severus." said a low and ominous voice. I whirled around to find myself face-to-face with none other than Lucius Malfoy. "Would you care to sit with us? We saved you a seat." He stared me in the eyes menacingly, before turning around to go to the compartment he had claimed with his friends without waiting for my answer.
I had no choice but to follow him: last year I had tried to turn down Lucius's request, and came to sourly regret it. Tentatively, I follow the platinum-haired fifth year to his compartment. When I peered in his booth, I saw it filled to capacity with mean-looking, tough sixth-year students. I saw Lucius smirk happily. "Well don't just stand there, come on in." The way his voice drilled into your ear, it made even the simplest of sentences sound like a death threat.
Slowly I opened the squeaking wooden door, flinching every time one of the tough boys shifted in their leather seats. Once I was inside the compartment completely, I stood there awkwardly, realizing that there was absolutely no place for me to sit, unless you count the shelves meant for luggage-storage as a seat.
After a second, Lucius said to one of the boys. "Rookwood, don't you think that you could leave this compartment so our friend Severus here can have a place to sit?" His voice floated across the air like the hiss of a snake, a snake out for blood.
Rookwood's eyes nervously glanced side to side, seeing if any one of his friends was willing to help him out. But every other boy, like Rookwood, was scared out of his wits of Lucius Malfoy, and none dared oppose him. With a clenched jaw and balled fist, Augustus Rookwood stood up stiffly and left the compartment, softly closing the door behind him. When he closed the door, everyone in the compartment lurched forward, which meant the Hogwarts Express had started to move towards its destination.
Lucius smirked, and gestured to the now-empty seat. "Sit down, my friend. We have a lot to talk about." I cautiously sat down, the chair magically shifting to fit my body. I glanced around at all of the other boys, some of which were three times as big and muscular as I was. "So, Severus how was your summer?" Lucius laced his fingers together and leaned forward in his chair, his grey eyes boring into mine, like tiny daggers.
"Um, it was fine." My voice caught in my throat, and my hands were shaking violently. What did he want with me, I thought, I haven't spoken to him in almost a year and now he invites me to sit with him and his band of thugs, and then asks me about my summer holiday?
"Well that's good to hear." he said, still intrigued by me for some reason.
I sat there silently, the awkwardness building in the air by the second. The scenery out the window flew by, all a blur of greens and browns. After a moment, Lucius said, "And how do you feel about starting school? Are there any classes you are eager to take?" He still stared at me with such intensity that I needed to look away.
"Uh, well, I don't, um, really know." Insert awkward pause here, "I'm looking forward to Defense Against the Dark Arts, I guess. Maybe the teacher will be good."
"Yes, yes indeed." Lucius replied, but something changed. His eyes flickered away from mine, and they narrowed as if I had said something to put him off. There was a look about his face as if he was deeply contemplating something. Then, as quickly as it had changed before, he returned to the intensely staring, ever probing Lucius Malfoy he had been just minutes ago. "Well, I personally can't wait to see what the new headmaster is like. His name is Dumbledore, correct?"
"Um, yeah. He used to be a transfiguration teacher." I said, the quiver in my voice audible.
"Yes, he was, wasn't he?" Lucius mused.
I didn't know what to say, so I nodded once, stiffly, and returned to my mute façade.
The next hour was an uncomfortable one, at best. It was filled with long silences, broken by passing comments made by Lucius, to which his band of burly bodyguards nodded quickly, eager to please their leader. I sat in the corner of the compartment, dwarfed in comparison to everyone else save Lucius. I managed to ignore everyone for the most part, drifting off into my own cloud of thought.
One topic that entertained my thoughts for some time was that of Lily Evans. It had been astounding for me to have her in my presence for those few minutes. She had grown slightly tanner since I saw her last during the final day of school last year, but still held the iconic luminescent glow she had carried around since we were young. The girl seemed to radiate light and warmth, like some kind of otherworldly being. I loved her quick, nimble fingers brushing back stray hair from her eyes on windy days. The way that, when you spoke to her, her head tilted to the left as if she was completely absorbed and intrigued by what you were saying. It felt amazing to finally have someone to talk to for once.
After what felt like minutes but must've been an hour, the Hogwarts Express pulled to a screeching stop, the brakes whining in protest. The steady sound of the train's motor slowly faded, growing softer and softer, until it could be heard no more. The five boys around me stood and stretched when the train halted completely. I grimaced when a few cracked their backs, and Lucius must've noticed because he snickered at me quickly before returning to silence.
"Everybody off." Lucius said, more to himself than anyone else.
The door to the compartment opened magically, and everyone in the booth stepped outside into the train's hall, dragging their luggage along with them. The four brutes bushed past me, eager to leave the stuffy booth as soon as possible. Lucius then stood, and in a way I couldn't describe except for daintily, strode out of the compartment, his head held high with the regality of a peacock. "See you in school." he said, nodding at me curtly, before swiftly walking away.
I stood in the compartment for a moment, still in a dizzy stupor that my daydreaming provided for me. After a second, I reached up to grab my trunk, which fell to the floor with a thud. As I struggled to pick it up, a soft voice spoke behind me. "Do you need help?" said the female voice. I turned on the spot to see Lily Evans, standing in the doorway with a concerned expression on her face.
"Um, no, I-I've got it." I mumble, the blush creeping into my cheeks again.
"Are you sure?" She looked at me skeptically, obviously not convinced.
"Yeah, I can carry it." I assured her. Then, I surprised myself by picking the trunk up by the handle and hefting it over my shoulder. She smiled warmly, and then turned to leave before gesturing for me to follow her.
I ran after the red-haired girl, until we approached the exit to the train.
Lily inhaled deeply, and it sounded like she was sighing. "Well, this is it. Time for another year at Hogwarts. I don't know, but somehow, I feel like this year will be special. Like something great will happen. I jus don't know what yet."
"Who knows? Maybe it'll be the best year of our lives." I said, peering over at her.
"Yeah, maybe. Ready to jump in?" She smiled at me, and held out her hand.
I took her outstretched hand and grinned back at her. "Let's go."
And with that, he two of us stepped out of the warm confines of the Hogwarts Express into the night, the cool air wrapping around us like a blanket.
Yeah, this year might be something special.