Time to start fourth year! This one will be more canon-compliant, and the events will run more parallel to the books.

I'd also like to thank my reviewers, xLaceMeWithWindx, jadely31 and yK for their invaluable advice and comments: they give me the drive to keep writing!

With a thunk, my trunk finally slid into an overhead shelf. Willing it to stay there for the entire trip to Hogwarts, I walked down the cramped corridor, looking for a suitable compartment to spend the rest of the journey in. As a prefect, Scott would probably sit in his separate compartment, spending parts of the journey doing his duties.

The first window I peeked into revealed four young Ravenclaws, all of them studying. I recognized not a single one of them, and decided to check the next compartment. Peering in, I could see two broomsticks lying in a corner. Their owners, two Gryffindor witches were chatting. Seeing a mop of blonde hair, I tugged the door open and stepped in.

"Miles! I was just talking to Alicia about what happened at the World Cup." The Gryffindor Chaser glowed upon seeing me, but her friend kept her reaction neutral. I took a seat beside Bell, closing the distance between us. She didn't mind.

I smirked. "The part where I rescue you from Death Eaters, or the morning after?" The smugness dripping from my voice was evident to even myself. Spinnet took the latter half of my sentence the wrong way, immediately sending Bell a scandalized realization dawned on Bell, her cheeks flushed red.

"Not like that!" she squeaked. "All I did was to buy him breakfast as a courtesy." Spinnet still raised an eyebrow curiously.

"Death Eaters? You saved her from them?" Spinnet inquired.

"I did."

She nodded appreciatively. Bell started to dive back into the telling of the story: she was describing Ireland's victory when I had interrupted, and now moved on to the telling of her celebration post-game. She added in many details that made the story interesting to hear: even when she moved on to the telling of the time she, Scott and I spent in her tent, the comical narration of her inner monologues and the exaggeration of some of Scott's and my physical and verbal tendencies made the next half hour of the journey entertaining.

As Bell vividly painted a picture of the three Death Eaters who we had encountered, the door opened. The three of us turned to see the newcomer: it was Leanne, who quickly took a seat next to Spinnet opposite me. Giving us a tired half-smile, she tilted her head back and gave a sigh. "I've finally gotten rid of Emma: the sound of Exploding Snap was driving me crazy!" With half lidded eyes, she tucked her hands over her stomach. "Barely got any sleep last night. Wake me up when we reach Hogsmeade."

"I doubt us telling stories will be any quieter than her sister's carriage," whispered Spinnet.

I halfheartedly shrugged. "It's mostly just Bell speaking. Besides, we could always charm- put her to sleep with a spell, I mean."

There was a grunt from Leanne. "That'd be good," she murmured.

I pulled out my wand from my pocket with a well-rehearsed flick, but realized I couldn't put her to sleep with magic. While I was vaguely famliar with the Bewitching Sleep spell: the incantation being Condormio and the wand movement two 'Z's, I had never successfully executed one. Doubting Leanne wanted to be used as a practice dummy, I stood up. "I'm going to get the potion from my trunk."

Retrieving a vial of Dreamless Sleep potion had been easy, with my trunk magically sorted for convenience. Briefly checking the label to ascertain its identity, a wave of pride washed over me. The potion had been brewed earlier this summer, and my looping scrawl denoted it was good for four hours. It had been simple enough to brew, but this was one of the first times someone else would get to use it.

Returning to my compartment, I loudly uncorked the vial, and pressed it into Leanne's outstretched palm. She sleepily muttered her thanks, downing the potion in a gulp. I sat down. Already unconscious, Leanne's head lolled to her left. At least she doesn't snore.

Bell looked at me with wide eyes. "I didn't know you brewed potions like that."

"What do you mean?"

She cocked her head, watching me intently. Blonde strands of hair framed her face. "You said you liked Potions, but I didn't expect you to do it at home." We weren't allowed to bring back potions we had made in school.

"Doesn't help that Snape teaches the subject. How're you even still interested in the subject?" Spinnet chuckled, but her face grew serious. "He treats you better doesn't he? You and the rest of your house?"

I looked at Bell. "Snape's a good brewer and potions master, but not a good teacher. The subject as a whole is fascinating: potions can sometimes do what magic cannot." She tilted her body towards me slightly, seeming interested in what I had to say. "I can teach you how to brew some potions, if you like. Things you don't learn yet." I added quickly.

"I'll take you up on that offer in school," said Bell cheerfully. "I'd love to get better at brewing potions, since I already like Herbology."

Spinnet still looked at me blankly. "Is it just me, or are most Slytherins good at Potions?"

I pressed my lips together. "No more than Gryffindors are good at Transfiguration, or Ravenclaws at Charms."

Bell returned her attention to Spinnet. "Still want to hear about the rest of the World Cup?"

The two witches began to discuss the events of the World Cup again, with Spinnet contributing her version of events from another campsite. I decided to leave the compartment momentarily, and stretch my legs. Nearly tripping over Leanne's outstretched legs, I awkwardly pushed the door open.

Moving towards the back of the train slowly, I glanced through each window, occasionally recognizing its occupants. One door down, I spotted Lucian Bole, who returned my nod. As I headed towards the next carriage, a door burst open behind me. Fred and George Weasley made a mad dash towards the front of the Express, their excited chatter echoing through the narrow passageway. Lee Jordan and a female Gryffindor I did not recognize followed suit, angrily yelling at them. I quickly hurried into the next carriage, wanting to avoid the trail of mayhem associated with the twins.

An icy voice drifted down the aisle, slightly muffled. "-tournament, if Fudge is to be believed... Heard there's going to be danger and money..." I halted in my footsteps, quickly positioning myself outside the compartment where the snippet of conversation had taken place. That voice sounded familiar. Malfoy?

The speaker took on a more snooty tone, his voice drowning out the murmurs in the carriage. "Winning is for the smart, Goyle-" It had to be Malfoy. I contemplated entering the compartment, but quickly reminded myself Malfoy and I weren't on the friendliest terms. If Fudge was involved, it was probably a major event: an announcement would probably be made at Hogwarts. Malfoy also seemed to have shut up, beginning to recount an encounter with a Weasley, to derisive hoots of laughter from his companions. My eavesdropping would likely yield nothing more of value, and I decided to keep walking.

A older Ravenclaw strode down the aisle purposefully, glasses slightly askew on his nose. He blinked open seeing me. "Miles Bletchley?"

"That'd be me."

His black eyes darted around."Scott- Scott Vaisey's looking for you." He motioned to a door on his left. "He's in that compartment."

"Why?"

"I don't know. He just passed the message to me in the prefect's compartment." It was then that I noticed his blue prefect's badge pinned to his robes.

"Alright." I stepped past him, and opened the door. From his seat, Scott quickly rose to his feet. Celia Runcorn and Earl Urquhart also occupied the carriage, the latter flipping through a leatherbound notebook.

"Miles! Didn't see you on the train earlier." He quickly patted his school robes, which were crumpled from sitting down. "Celia's been made a prefect too."

Runcorn barely glanced up, her blue eyes glazed over with boredom. I had a vague recollection of Scott admitting his one-sided affections with her in third year, and I silently wished him luck with his nightly patrols with her this year.

"That's...great. Congratulations." Scott regarded me, bemused, while Runcorn turned back to stare outside the window. "Don't you have duties to do?"

Scott fiddled with his badge. "Yeah, later. Got to go up and down the train to remind people to check if their things are packed." He cast a quick glance at Runcorn.

"Anyway, did you want to see me?"

His voice was sheepish. "I got a little bored. Celia doesn't really want to talk, and Earl's a little busy."

"You could always come to our compartment. Bell's telling Spinnet about the World Cup."

"Ah. My duties start in a few minutes though." He paused for a moment. "I actually told Robert to pass the message if he saw you about an hour and a half ago."

"Robert?" Was that the Ravenclaw I saw just outside?

"Robert Kiddell. Ravenclaw prefect. He's in sixth year."

I chuckled. "Tell him he isn't doing a good job of finding me."

Before Scott could reply, there was the soft chime of bells outside the compartment. Urquhart set his book down. "Anything from the trolley?" croaked the sweets vendor. Answer forgotten, Scott eagerly scrambled out, and I followed.

Greedily eyeing the assortment of sweets, Scott unzipped his coin pouch. With all the willpower of a child before a candy cart, he pulled out a handful of Chocolate Frogs, and a box of Every Flavor Beans. Turning to me, he selected a box of Cauldron Cakes: my preferred snack. He quickly paid for the confectioneries, and returned to the compartment. I picked up a bag of Jelly Slugs, depositing 15 Knuts into the witch's coin bag.

I took a seat beside Scott, watching as he swiftly opened the box of beans. He popped one into his mouth, flinching. "I need to do my duties now," he said apologetically.

Wistfully looking at his sweets, he stood up again. "Let's go, Celia." He waved goodbye, and left the small room. Urquhart paid me no attention, sucking noisily on a Mice Pop.

Seeing no point in staying, I left the compartment too, scooping up the Cauldron Cakes. I watched as Scott trudged further back into the train, knocking on each door. Runcorn and I walked in the same direction, but she paid no mind to me. I did not strike up conversation.

I returned to my compartment quickly, reclining in my seat to watch the scenery. In a few hours, we would be back at Hogwarts, to start our fifth year. I wonder what the competition's going to be. The rest of the journey was spent in the companionable comfort of Bell and Spinnet.

You'll be seeing Durmstrang and Beauxbatons soon enough!