The Hogwarts Express was just as loud and chaotic as Harry remembered.
Students bustled through the corridors, laughing and shoving their trunks into compartments. First-years ran around excitedly, while older students greeted each other with exaggerated stories of their summer adventures.
Harry sighed, dragging his trunk down the aisle, Noctis perched firmly on his shoulder like a second shadow. The Tenebris Fox had barely moved since they'd entered the train, its silver eyes flickering watchfully.
Theo, walking beside him, smirked. "Bet you missed this."
Harry snorted. "Oh, terribly. I was just thinking about how much I love being stuck in a metal box with half the school."
Theo chuckled. "Well, at least you have me."
Harry gave him a flat look. "I don't know if that's comforting or a threat."
Theo grinned. "Both."
Harry sighed.
They had just reached their compartment—ready to settle in for the ride—when, of course, disaster struck.
And by disaster, he meant Ron Weasley.
Harry barely had time to react before Ron stormed into the aisle, shoving past a pair of second-years. His face was red, his expression furious, and the moment his eyes locked onto Harry—
"Oh, you've got to be kidding me," Harry muttered.
Ron ignored him.
Instead, he pointed a shaking finger, his voice sharp with betrayal.
"I knew you were turning Dark, Potter!" Ron spat. "You think you're better than everyone now, don't you? Walking around with your pet Death creature and your Slytherin friends—"
Noctis moved.
One moment, the fox was perched on Harry's shoulder.
The next, it was snarling—low and lethal—its sharp silver teeth bared in pure hatred.
Ron staggered back. "W-What—?"
Noctis leapt.
Harry barely managed to grab him mid-air, stopping him from tearing into Ron's face.
Theo, watching this unfold, looked deeply entertained.
"Huh," Theo murmured. "Well, that's unfortunate."
Ron, still gawking at Noctis, gathered himself. "That thing's a bloody Dark Creature!"
Harry arched an eyebrow. "And?"
Ron gaped. "And you let it attack me!"
Harry smirked. "Well, it's not my fault you have a punchable aura, Weasley."
Theo snorted.
Ron's face turned even redder. "You're pathetic, Potter! You used to be someone people could respect—"
Harry tilted his head. "You mean someone you could control?"
Ron stumbled over his words. "I—That's not—"
Harry's smirk widened. "Oh, Weasley. You should have learned by now—" He reached up, scratching Noctis's ears, watching as the fox's tail lashed aggressively in Ron's direction.
"I don't belong to you."
Ron's jaw clenched. His hands curled into fists.
Theo chuckled darkly. "And neither does his fortune."
Ron snapped.
"Shut up, Nott!"
Theo's smirk only widened. "Hit a nerve, did I?"
Ron looked ready to swing.
Noctis, still perched on Harry's shoulder, let out a low, vibrating growl.
Ron froze.
Then—without another word—he spun on his heel and stomped away, slamming a compartment door behind him.
Theo hummed. "That went well."
Harry sighed. "I hate this train."
Theo grinned. "I love this train."
Noctis snorted.
And just like that, the year was off to a fantastic start.
Hogwarts was alive with energy as students spilled from the carriages, eager to return to the castle. The air was crisp, carrying the scent of rain from the Forbidden Forest, and Harry inhaled deeply, trying to soak in the familiarity of it all.
But then—
He felt eyes on him.
Not human eyes.
Something else.
Harry turned, brow furrowing—
And there, standing just beyond the edge of the trees, were the Thestrals.
Watching.
Waiting.
Their skeletal forms blended with the darkness, their intelligent silver eyes locked onto him, heads tilting ever so slightly, like they were waiting for something.
Harry shivered.
They had never done that before.
Theo followed his gaze, arching an eyebrow. "Making new friends, Potter?"
Harry sighed. "Apparently."
Theo was unimpressed. "You're collecting far too many things that look like they belong in a funeral procession."
Harry smirked. "Jealous?"
Theo rolled his eyes. "Of the death horses? No."
Harry chuckled, turning back toward the castle, but he couldn't shake the feeling.
The Thestrals weren't just watching him.
They were following him.
And Harry had the sinking suspicion that it meant something.
Something big.
The Great Hall: Where Chaos Thrives
The moment Harry and Theo entered the Great Hall, they were immediately ambushed.
Girls flocked to them, giggling, whispering, sneaking glances in Harry's direction.
Harry sighed, barely managing to sit down before someone tried to slide in next to him.
"Harry," a Ravenclaw girl breathed, batting her lashes. "It's so good to see you again."
Before Harry could respond, Theo moved.
Not dramatically.
Not aggressively.
But deliberately.
He simply placed a hand on Harry's thigh under the table and stared the girl down.
Cold. Blank. Unimpressed.
She flushed, stammering an excuse before scurrying away.
Harry sighed. "Theo, you can't just—"
Theo didn't look away. "I absolutely can."
Blaise, sitting across from them, snorted. "You're going to make him completely unapproachable by Christmas."
Theo smirked. "That's the goal."
Harry groaned. "You're insufferable."
Theo leaned in, lips brushing against his ear.
"And you love it."
Harry hated that his breath caught.
Blaise just laughed.
And Then There Was Ginny.
The Sorting Hat's song finished, and McGonagall began calling names.
Harry wasn't paying attention—too busy shoving Theo's hand off his leg—until the name "Weasley, Ginevra" rang through the hall.
Silence fell.
All the Weasleys had gone to Gryffindor.
All of them.
There was no question about where she would end up.
But as McGonagall lowered the hat onto Ginny's head—
Harry felt it.
A pulse of magic.
A whisper of something trying to change.
Ginny sat, eyes squeezed shut, lips moving slightly—murmuring something.
Harry narrowed his eyes.
"She's pleading with the hat," Theo murmured, amused.
Harry frowned. "What?"
"She's trying to get into Slytherin," Blaise added, smirking.
Harry blinked.
Ginny, in Slytherin?
Oh, Merlin, no.
The hat sat on her head for a moment longer, then—
"GRYFFINDOR!"
Ginny's eyes snapped open.
And immediately, she looked furious.
The Gryffindor table erupted into cheers, but Ginny didn't move.
Didn't smile.
Didn't react at all.
Until she turned—locking eyes with Harry across the hall.
Her face twisted.
And then—
She threw a bloody tantrum.
"NO!" Ginny shouted, ripping the Sorting Hat off her head and slamming it onto the stool.
The hall fell silent.
"I was supposed to be in Slytherin!" Ginny shouted, her voice shrill. "I was supposed to be with Harry!"
Harry sighed. "Oh, for Salazar's sake."
Theo looked positively delighted.
Blaise covered his mouth, choking back laughter.
McGonagall, who had clearly never dealt with a public Sorting tantrum before, stared in shock.
"Miss Weasley," she said sharply, "you will take your seat in Gryffindor. Now."
Ginny whipped around, glaring. "No! The Hat made a mistake!"
Dumbledore, calm as ever, simply smiled. "The Hat's decisions are final, Miss Weasley."
Ginny's face crumpled.
Harry felt a headache forming.
Across the hall, Ron looked absolutely horrified.
"Ginny," he hissed, face red with embarrassment, "just sit down!"
Ginny whirled on him. "SHUT UP, RON!"
Ron flinched.
Theo snorted. "Oh, this is spectacular."
Ginny took a deep breath, her hands clenched into fists, then stormed toward the Gryffindor table.
The moment she sat, her shoulders stiff, her furious gaze found Harry again.
Harry sighed, rubbing his temple. "I'm so done with today."
Theo smirked. "On the bright side, she's not in Slytherin."
Harry snorted. "Oh, I'd have left."
Blaise laughed. "Imagine the scandal."
Harry shook his head, glancing back toward Ginny, whose death glare had not let up.
Great.
Just what he needed.
A Weasley with a personal vendetta.
Theo leaned in again, voice silk and amusement.
"Looks like you've got a new stalker, Harry."
Harry groaned, dropping his head onto the table.
He was too tired for this.