The Hogwarts Express
The platform was crowded with students and their families, the air thick with steam from the scarlet train waiting to take them to Hogwarts. Severus clutched his trunk tightly, his knuckles white against the worn leather. His heart pounded in his chest, excitement and anxiety warring within him. He had dreamed of this day for years, imagined himself walking through the towering gates of the castle, learning powerful magic beyond anything he could accomplish in his small neighborhood back home.
But even now, with his long-awaited departure so close, his focus wavered. His attention had drifted to a family of four standing a short distance away. Lily’s family.
She stood between her parents and her sister, her shoulders tense, her hands clenched at her sides. Even from where he stood, Severus could see the way her face had flushed, her lips pressed together. Petunia stood opposite her, arms crossed, mouth moving rapidly—too far away for Severus to hear, but her expression said enough.
She was sneering.
Lily snapped something back, though not loud enough to understand what was being said. Her parents exchanged awkward glances, their smiles faltering, but they didn’t step in.
Severus frowned. It wasn’t unusual for the sisters to argue—he had witnessed plenty of their spats before—but this felt different. Lily looked hurt.
His fingers twitched at his side, itching to do something. To step in, to call out, to get her attention. But before he could move, Petunia let out a final sharp retort and spun on her heel, marching away through the crowd. Lily’s posture stiffened, her chin lifting as if to mask whatever had just passed between them.
Severus hesitated, watching as she turned back to her parents. As much as he wanted to go to her, this wasn’t the moment.
He’d have to ask her later.
Beside him, his mother stood in silence, having said little until now. She adjusted the collar of his coat, her touch fleeting but firm. "Remember what I told you, Severus," she murmured, her voice low but insistent. “Stay out of trouble, and be careful who you trust."
Severus nodded stiffly, swallowing the lump forming in his throat. He wanted to believe that Hogwarts would be different, that he would find others like him—others who understood him. His mother must have sensed his thoughts, because she gave his shoulder a brief squeeze before stepping back.
A whistle pierced the air, and students began hurrying onto the train, saying their goodbyes with shouts and laughter. Severus hesitated, his dark eyes scanning the platform. He caught glimpses of smiling faces, parents fussing over their children, and younger siblings waving enthusiastically. The scene felt oddly distant, as if he were watching from behind a glass pane.
"Go on, then," Eileen said, a rare hint of softness in her tone. "You don't want to miss it."
Taking a deep breath, Severus hoisted his trunk and stepped onto the train, his fingers trailing briefly against the doorframe. The corridor inside was alive with energy—students clad in black robes chattered excitedly about what awaited them at Hogwarts. Wanting to rid himself of his dreadful mismatched Muggle clothes, Severus made his way to the back of the train to change.
Once properly dressed, he hurried along the corridor as the Hogwarts Express clattered through the countryside. He passed bustling compartments filled with excited students, his eyes scanning each one in search of Lily. With every compartment he peered into, his anticipation grew.
At last, he spotted her. In a compartment filled with rowdy boys, Lily sat hunched in the corner by the window, her forehead pressed against the glass. Relief flooded him, and without hesitation, he slid open the door and stepped inside.
She glanced at him briefly as he sat opposite of her, then turned back to the window. Her eyes were red and puffy.
“I don’t want to talk to you,” she said, her voice wavering.
Severus blinked at her.
“Why not?”
“Tuney h-hates me. Because we saw that letter from Dumbledore.”
“So what?” he said dismissively.
She turned to him, her expression clouded with hurt. “So she’s my sister!”
“She’s only a—” Severus caught himself before it went any further, but Lily was too busy wiping her eyes to even notice what he’d said.
“But we’re going!” he said eagerly, quickly switching subjects. For the first time in a while, he was genuinely unable to contain his excitement. “This is it! We’re off to Hogwarts!”
Lily nodded and, despite herself, gave him a small smile. Encouraged by this, Severus grinned back. “You’d better be in Slytherin.”
“Slytherin?”
A boy sitting across from them, who had been ignoring their conversation until now, looked up at the mention of the house. Severus glanced over, stiffening slightly. The boy had messy black hair and an air of confidence Severus found instantly irritating. He was watching the both of them with a mixture of curiosity and amusement.
“Who wants to be in Slytherin? I think I’d leave, wouldn’t you?” the boy said, nudging the one lounging beside him. Severus’s gaze flicked to the other boy—dark-haired as well, but with a cool detachment in his gray eyes.
“My whole family has been in Slytherin,” the second boy said, his tone neutral.
“Blimey,” said the first, grinning. “And I thought you seemed all right!”
The dark-haired boy shrugged. “Maybe I’ll break the tradition. Where are you hoping to go?”
The first boy lifted an imaginary sword with a flourish. “‘Gryffindor, where dwell the brave at heart!’ Like my dad.”
Severus couldn’t suppress a small, disdainful noise. The boy rounded on him.
“Got a problem with that?”
“No,” Severus muttered, though his sneer said otherwise. “If you’d rather be brawny than brainy—”
“Where’re you hoping to go, seeing as you’re neither?” the dark-haired boy cut in smoothly.
The first boy burst into laughter. Lily sat up straight, a flush creeping into her cheeks. She looked from one boy to the other in clear dislike.
“Come on, Severus, let’s find another compartment.”
“Oooooo…”
The boys mimicked Lily’s tone as Severus stood to follow her. One of them stuck out a foot, trying to trip him.
“See ya, Snivellus!” a voice called mockingly as the compartment door slammed shut behind them.
Severus felt his face burn with anger, his hands curling tightly into fists at his sides. Lily walked briskly down the corridor, her shoulders just as tense. He hurried to catch up with her, his heart pounding—not from exertion, but from frustration.
“Idiots,” he muttered under his breath, scowling. “They think they’re so clever.”
Lily didn’t respond right away. Her pace remained steady, and for a brief moment, he thought she might not have heard him. But then, she let out a sharp breath, her green eyes flashing as she glanced at him. “Just forget about them, Sev,” she said, though her voice wavered slightly. “They’re not worth it.”
Severus scoffed, his dark eyes narrowing. “That’s easy for you to say. They don’t—” He cut himself off, pressing his lips into a thin line. No, he wouldn’t say it. Wouldn’t admit how much it got to him, how their taunts had burrowed under his skin.
“They’re just trying to get a rise out of you,” she said, softer now. “If you ignore them, they’ll get bored.”
Severus looked away, his fists slowly unclenching. “And what if they don’t?” He muttered bitterly.
Lily sighed, and after a pause, she touched his arm gently. “Then we’ll deal with it together.”
He glanced at her from the corner of his eye, and for a moment, the anger dulled. He nodded, though he didn’t entirely believe her.
They passed compartment after compartment, most already filled with students chatting and laughing. Finally, toward the back of the train, they found a nearly empty one. Lily slid the door open and sank into the seat by the window, opposite of a girl who had already been occupying the compartment. Severus settled next to her.
The girl gave a small hum in annoyance, seeming to have liked the isolation, but her attitude shifted the moment she looked at them. Her eyes widened in recognition.
“Hey! I remember you two!” she said brightly.
Severus stiffened as he recognized the girl from the Magical Menagerie. She was perched on the seat opposite of them, her sandy brown hair tied back with that same loose bow, and a wide grin spread across her face.
Great. Just what they needed.
"You," he muttered, his gaze flicking to the lumpy satchel resting beside her. The faintest rustling sound came from within. He knew exactly what—or rather, who—was inside.
Lily, however, seemed relieved to see a familiar face. “Elenora, right?” she asked, her tense expression easing slightly.
“The one and only,” Elenora chirped. She reached into her bag and pulled out a round, furry, grey and white creature. "And this is Gus."
Severus stared.
The Puffskein cradled in her hands was noticeably larger than the ones they'd seen at the shop. Its round face held a perpetually vacant expression, its eyes blinking slowly as it regarded Lily. A gentle, warbling hum vibrated from its plump furry body.
Lily laughed, leaning over to give Gus a scratch. “He’s adorable.”
“He’s a bit special,” Elenora said fondly, giving the Puffskein an affectionate squeeze. “Had him since I was little. He’s not the um…brightest, but he’s the sweetest boy.” She placed him gently on the seat beside her, where he immediately flopped over onto his side with a contented sigh, his big vacant eyes settling on Severus across the way.
Severus shifted uncomfortably under the creature’s blank, unwavering stare, muttering something under his breath. His eyes drifted back to the satchel still resting on the seat beside her.
“And the other one?” he asked, suspicion lacing his voice.
Elenora’s grin widened with unmistakable mischief. “Oh, you mean Nigel?” She lifted the edge of the bag, revealing a long snout and a pair of beady eyes that gleamed with curiosity. The young Niffler peeked out, sniffing the air before scurrying up the strap of the bag.
Severus scowled. “You actually brought it?”
Elenora shrugged nonchalantly. “Yeah, why not? The letter didn’t specify what wasn’t allowed.”
Lily gaped at her. “But… you could get in trouble! And you stole him!”
“I rescued him,” Elenora corrected, lifting a finger as if to emphasize the difference. “He was all alone in that cage. And besides, he likes me, see?” She held up the satchel slightly, and Nigel hopped onto her lap, immediately starting to burrow into the folds of her sweater. “He’s a good boy.”
Severus snorted, watching with disapproval as Nigel’s tiny paws tugged at the buttons of her clothes.
“Sure,” he said flatly.
Elenora giggled. “He’s got an eye for shiny things, that’s all.”
Before Severus could respond, Nigel suddenly darted toward him, leaping across the seats with surprising speed. Severus yanked his robe away with a look of utter disdain.
“Keep that thing away from me,” he snapped.
Lily, biting back laughter, nudged Severus gently. “Oh, come on. He’s harmless—probably.”
“He’s a menace,” Severus muttered darkly, eyeing Nigel warily as Elenora pulled him off his robes. The Niffler made a tiny noise of frustration, before he curled back up in Elenora’s lap, clutching what appeared to be a loose button he nicked from her sweater.
Lily shook her head in amusement, but a hint of weariness still lingered in her expression. “At least we found somewhere kind of quiet,” she said, leaning against the window and gazing out at the rolling countryside.
Elenora tilted her head, observing Lily curiously. “Rough start to the trip?” she asked softly.
Lily gave a small, tired nod. “You could say that.”
Elenora smiled in understanding. “Well, it’ll get better. We’re on our way to Hogwarts, after all.” She leaned back into her seat, stroking Gus absentmindedly as the Puffskein let out another soft hum.
Severus kept quiet, choosing instead to gaze out the window alongside Lily. His mind still replaying the sneering faces of the two boys from earlier—the ones who’d laughed at him, who had called him Snivellus. His hands curled into fists once more as his anger flared, but he forced himself to unclench them.
“I suppose we’ll see,” he muttered, his voice low.
Elenora, ever oblivious to his brooding, beamed. “Exactly! And in the meantime, we’ve got Gus and Nigel to keep us company.” Without warning, she reached over and plopped Gus into his lap.
Severus stiffened, glaring at the round, furry creature now occupying his lap.
“What are you—?”
“Just give him a chance,” Elenora interrupted, her tone annoyingly playful. “Gus grows on people. Don’t you, sweet boy?” Gus gave an approving chirp, settling into the folds of Severus’s robes like he belonged there.
Severus groaned, casting a desperate glance at Lily, who was now giggling behind her hand.
“Get it off,” he muttered through gritted teeth.
Elenora waved a dismissive hand. “Oh, you’re fine. Gus has an excellent sense for people, you know. If he likes you, you’re a good person. Well, probably.” She leaned forward conspiratorially. “He doesn’t like everyone. Some people, he just sort of does this—” She paused to make a face of exaggerated disgust. “—and rolls away from them.”
Severus scowled, but before he could retort, the Niffler suddenly squirmed free from Elenora’s lap again and darted across the seat toward Lily.
Lily yelped in surprise as Nigel scampered up into her hair, plucking her hair pins out with impressive speed.
“Hey!” she laughed, trying to bat him away. “Get out of there!”
Elenora lunged to retrieve him, but Nigel was quick, leaping back onto Severus’s side, clinging to the edge of his cloak like a lifeline. Severus recoiled instantly, his patience wearing exceedingly thin now.
“Oh, for Merlin’s sake!” he snapped, trying to shake the tiny creature off.
With an eager squeak, Nigel scaled the side of his robes, shoving his long snout into Severus’s pocket where he rooted around with alarming determination.
Lily’s eyes widened. “Sev—your pocket—”
Too late. The Niffler triumphantly emerged with a galleon clutched tightly in its paws—the last of the money his mother had given him. The creature held it up like a prized treasure before scampering straight back into Elenora’s arms. She pried the coin from him, smirking as she casually examined it. “Told you he’s got an eye for shiny things.”
Severus leapt to his feet, his sudden movement sending Gus tumbling onto the floor.
“Give that back,” he demanded, his usually pale face now tinged red with frustration.
Elenora, still grinning, tossed it back to Severus. “Relax, it’s just a bit of fun,” she said, scratching Nigel under his chin—who seemed to be just as upset that she’d taken his treasure. “You need to lighten up a bit.”
Severus snatched the coin from the air, fixing her with a withering glare before stuffing it back into his pocket and sinking into his seat.
“You’re going to get expelled before you even get sorted.”
Elenora just shrugged, completely unbothered. “What’s life without a little excitement?”
Lily giggled, shaking her head. “Well, it’s definitely not going to be boring with you around.”
Severus gave Lily a pained look, shifting awkwardly as the Puffskein jumped back up into his lap. He resisted the urge to shove it off, but only because Lily would probably scold him for it. Instead, he scowled down at the creature, who simply stared up at him with a vacant expression.
Lily tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and leaned in slightly to give Gus a quick pat.
“Oh, come on, Sev. They’re not so bad.”
Severus shot her a sideways glance, unimpressed. She might have found Elenora and her little menagerie’s antics charming, but he wasn’t convinced. The girl was trouble—yet Lily seemed to have taken a liking to her, and that meant she wasn’t going away anytime soon.
Elenora, oblivious or simply unfazed by his sour mood, grinned at him. “He really does like you, you know,” she said, nodding at the Puffskein cuddling against him.
“Lucky me,” he said dryly, staring down at the creature in distaste.
“You’ll get used to him. He’s basically a furry pillow with a heartbeat.”
Severus gave her a flat look. “I don’t want to get used to him.”
Lily rolled her eyes, nudging him lightly. “Sev, you’re acting like he’s going to bite or something.”
“I’d prefer it if he did,” Severus muttered. At least then he’d have a reason to get rid of it. But instead, Gus simply flattened out across his lap, as if sensing his reluctance and decided to make himself at home.
Severus scowled and turned to look out the window again. He tried to focus on the rolling countryside, but he could still hear the girls as they turned to whisper to each other.
“He’s not bad, your friend,” Elenora said, her whisper hardly any quieter than her usual voice. “A bit of a stick in the mud, though.”
“He’s alright once you get to know him,” Lily replied softly. “He’s brilliant.”
“I’ll take your word for it.” Elenora nodded. “You’re both lucky, you know—having each other.” She leaned back, stretching her arms with a sigh. “I don’t have anyone back home. Just Gus and now Nigel.”
Severus glanced at her then, his dark eyes assessing. There was something in the way she said it—too casual, too offhanded—that made him wonder if there was more to it. She was still smiling, still radiating that relentless cheerfulness, but he recognized the deflection. He knew what it was like to hide behind words that made everything seem fine when it wasn’t.
He looked away quickly, shifting in his seat.
“Well, Hogwarts isn’t home,” he said after a pause, almost grudgingly. “It’s… different.”
Elenora’s eyes flickered, like he’d struck something.
“Yeah,” she said quietly, “I’m counting on that.”
The compartment fell into a rare moment of silence, broken only by the rhythmic thrum of the train and Gus’s occasional happy warbling.
Severus found himself glancing at Elenora again, watching as she kept Nigel occupied with her bracelets. There was something about her that unsettled him—her strange mix of rule-breaking recklessness and easy warmth. It was unfamiliar, and he wasn’t sure if he liked it.
Gus gave a sleepy little snuffle, and before Severus could stop himself, his hand moved to lightly pet the Puffskein. It was softer than he expected.
Both girls noticed immediately, exchanging knowing grins—Lily’s amused and a little smug, while Elenora’s was alight with quiet triumph, as if Severus had just passed some unspoken test.
Realizing what he'd done, Severus scowled and withdrew his hand as if he’d been burned. Lily leaned in, her green eyes twinkling with barely contained amusement. “See? Not so bad, is he?”
Severus crossed his arms, fixing her with a glare. “It was an accident.”
Elenora snorted. “Sure it was.” She tilted her head thoughtfully. “You know, Sev, I think you’re a softie deep down.”
He stiffened instantly.
“It’s Severus,” he snapped.
Shifting uncomfortably, he adjusted his position as if the weight of Gus on his lap had suddenly become unbearable. “I just don’t see the point of... things like this,” he muttered, gesturing vaguely at the Puffskein.
Elenora shrugged. “Well, Severus, not everything has to have a point. Some things are just nice.”
Severus didn’t respond to that, but the words stuck with him in a way he didn’t like.
The train gave a slight lurch, and the sky outside the window was darkening, the rolling hills giving way to thicker forests. Hogwarts was getting closer.
Lily glanced at the door. “We should probably get changed. We’ll be there soon.”
Severus nodded, glad for the change in topic. “I’m already ready,” he said, tugging at the edge of his robes pointedly. “Unlike you.”
Lily wrinkled her nose at him. “Well I wanted to wait a bit, that’s all.” She turned to Elenora. “Come on, Len. Let’s change.”
Elenora paused, tilting her head at Lily. “Len…That’s a new one,” she noted. “I like it.” She gathered the Niffler carefully, letting him burrow back into her bag. There was a smile on her face now, one that wasn’t like any of the other’s he’d seen previously. This one held fondness.
The girls left, leaving Severus alone with his thoughts. Gus shifted slightly on his lap, nuzzling gently against his hand. He glanced down at the creature, who blinked at him sleepily. With a sigh, he began petting him again, his fingers trailing through its soft fur.
“You’re ridiculously needy,” he muttered, though his voice had lost its sharpness. Gus only purred in response.
When the girls returned, Severus was still petting Gus, though he quickly straightened and cleared his throat, as if he’d been caught doing something embarrassing. Lily glanced at him, her lips twitching, but she didn’t say anything. Elenora’s smile was far more knowing, like she wanted to say something but—to his surprise—she also remained silent.
The train began to slow, and the conductor’s voice echoed through the corridor: “We will be reaching Hogwarts in five minutes’ time. Please leave your luggage on the train, it will be taken to the school separately.”
The three of them exchanged glances.
This was it.
Severus stood first, carefully picking up Gus and tucking the Puffskein against his chest with casual ease. Gus gave another contented hum, and Severus glanced at the girls, daring them to comment.
“What?”
“Nothing,” Lily said innocently, though the corners of her mouth twitched again.
Elenora just hummed, falling into step beside him.
As they stepped onto the platform, the towering silhouette of Hogwarts loomed in the distance, its windows glowing warmly against the darkening sky. The cool evening air was filled with the sound of excited chatter and the occasional hoot of an owl.
Lily gasped, her eyes wide with wonder. “It’s beautiful,” she whispered.
Elenora didn’t say anything. For once, her playfulness was gone, replaced by something quieter, almost reverent.
Severus shifted Gus slightly, holding him more securely as the Puffskein nuzzled into his robes. He glanced at Elenora and Lily out of the corner of his eye, catching the way they both seemed utterly captivated by the sight of the castle.
He didn’t know why, but it made him feel... steadier. As if, somehow, having them here made the enormity of what lay ahead a little less daunting.
"Come on," he ushered, leading the way toward the waiting boats.
He told himself he was only holding onto Gus because it was easier than handing him back—but when Lily and Elenora fell in step beside him, neither questioning nor insisting, the thought of letting go didn’t seem so important anymore.