Hello everyone,

I'm excited to begin this writing journey, and I hope you enjoy the story. If you have any feedback on my writing or anything related to the story, feel free to leave a comment. As I mentioned earlier, I truly hope you enjoy what I've written!

CHAPTER 1

He stood on the platform, waiting for the train that would take him to Hogwarts. Beside him, his cousin—a sparkling, excitable presence—chattered incessantly about the school, the houses, and her hopes for the year ahead. He nodded occasionally, offering a hum or a monosyllabic response to maintain the pretense of engagement.

In truth, his mind was elsewhere. One event had dug its hook deep into his thoughts: the death of his uncle, the family patriarch.

A sharp tug at his sleeve snapped him back. His cousin had stopped talking. Her eyes, sharp and bright, were fixed on him with an expression somewhere between irritation and concern. He realized, with a jolt of guilt, that she had been trying to get his attention for quite some time.

How long had the silence stretched between them?

He turned to face her, scrambling for a way to smooth things over. Her gaze held a flicker of hurt, but her lips curved into a faint, knowing smile.

"Oh, so now I'm worth listening to?" she teased, her tone sharp yet playful.

He couldn't help but chuckle. "I never stopped. I was just… captivated by the view."

"Sure, you were," she replied, rolling her eyes. But her smile softened, and the tension melted—at least for now.

The platform bustled around them. The smoke from the Hogwarts Express swirled in the air, mingling with the chaos of goodbyes. Parents—Muggle and pureblood alike—hugged their children, some with tears, others with beaming smiles. It was a sea of emotion, but Thaddeus felt separate, adrift in his own thoughts.

A sudden voice cut through the noise.

"Elysia!"

The boy turned his head to see a girl, around his age, waving enthusiastically as she made her way through the crowd.

"Andromeda!" Elysia called back, her mood lifting visibly as she turned to greet her friend.

As Andromeda approached, her gaze flicked to Thaddeus. He caught the brief hesitation in her eyes before she spoke.

"Who's this?"

"That's my cousin, Don't worry about him," Elysia said breezily, flashing a grin. "He doesn't bite—he's just a bit lost."

Andromeda's brows arched in surprise. "Since when do you have a cousin?"

"For fourteen years, two months, and twelve days, to be precise. His name's Thaddeus," Elysia said with mock gravity, her tone teasing.

"Hmm… since your birth, then?" Andromeda asked, skeptical.

"Technically, yes," Elysia replied, shrugging. "But I don't remember much from those early years, so let's say I've only known him properly for less than that."

Thaddeus marveled at how effortlessly she spoke, her words measured, her emotions concealed behind a polished façade in public.

"Pleasure to meet you, Andromeda," he said, inclining his head politely.

"Andromeda…?" Elysia prompted, her voice lilting with interest.

He glanced at Andromeda, catching the faintest flicker of expectation in her eyes. Hopeful of what? he wondered, his mind scrambling to recall something Elysia might have mentioned earlier. But the harder he tried to remember, the more elusive the answer became.

"Black," Elysia finally supplied, her voice cool but not unkind.

Thaddeus felt a weight lift off his shoulders. "A woman's anger is the bane of all men," his father had once told him after being thoroughly chastised by Thaddeus' grandmother. Now, those words rang truer than ever.

Even so, Elysia's gaze lingered, pinning him in place as though she could see through his feigned composure. The world around them seemed to slow, the noise of the platform fading into a distant hum.

Then, mercifully, the shrill whistle of the train cut through the tension like a blade.

"Boys, honestly," Elysia muttered, finally breaking her stare. She turned her attention back to Andromeda, her expression softening. "How were your holidays, my dear?"

Hours later, the train rumbled steadily through the countryside. Thaddeus leaned against the window, his gaze fixed on the blur of fields and forests rushing past. The rhythmic clatter of the train was a soothing backdrop to the lively chatter between the two girls in the compartment.

Suddenly, a loud commotion erupted from the compartment next door. The sharp cry of "Black!" pierced the air, cutting through the usual hum of conversation and laughter.

Elysia perked up immediately. "Oh, it seems your cousin is at it again," she said, already rising from her seat to investigate.

Andromeda, less enthusiastic, barely glanced toward the door. "Seems so," she muttered, stretching out on the seat instead. She cast a quick look at Thaddeus before adding, "Wake me up when we're about an hour away from Hogwarts." With that, she closed her eyes and let out a long, deliberate sigh.

"You're no fun," Elysia complained, crossing her arms. "We could at least check out what's going on."

Andromeda didn't even bother to respond, her steady breathing a clear dismissal.

"Usually, your cousin and his friends don't start trouble this early," Elysia continued, undeterred. "He likes to wait until we're actually at Hogwarts. But pranking a prefect before the term even starts? That's bold."

At this, Andromeda cracked one eye open, her lips curling into a faint smirk. "That might actually be worth seeing," she admitted, sitting up and stretching lazily. A soft giggle escaped her as she stood and smoothed down her skirt.

"Don't forget to put your robes on," Elysia called after Thaddeus, not bothering to look back as she stepped through the door to join the growing chaos in the corridor.

Thaddeus, still leaning against the window, barely registered their departure. The faint sounds of scuffling and raised voices filtered through the wall, but he let them drift by, his thoughts elsewhere.