Draco shoved a boy aside on the crowded platform to make way for Valentine and Leah. Usually, Valentine took point but Draco and Leah's ever-increasing heights compared to Valentine's virtually static state was becoming something of an issue. One couldn't exactly lead the way when you couldn't even see the way. She just tried her best to make it look like she knew where they were going.

Leah must have spotted something because she gasped so deeply Valentine thought she would pass out and scrambled off.

"Leah!" Draco shouted after her.

"Olivia! I missed you so, so, so, so, so much!"

Ah.

"Well, there's no stopping her now." Draco sighed and waited for Valentine to step up beside him.

"Can we just get on the damn train?" Valentine threw a scathing glare at anyone daring to stand too close to her.

Draco shoved the rest of his way towards the train were they saw Leah practically had Olivia pinned to it, wrapped tightly in one of her viperous hugs.

"I have so much to tell you! And I want to hear about every single thing you did starting from the first day to yesterday!"

"Leah," Olivia laughed breathlessly, "I wrote to you every day. I'm not sure I have anything left to tell."

"Hey, Olivia." Said Draco, "regretting this friendship yet?"

"Um..." Olivia flushed bright red.

"Heh. Her ribs might be." Blaze appeared in the window right above them.

"Hush up, you!" Leah stuck her tongue out at him.

Blaze frowned, reached down and touched the top of her head.

"Did you get taller?"

"Sure did!" Leah grinned triumphantly, finally releasing Olivia from her hold.

"That's not fair!" Blaze whined, "I didn't grow an inch!"

"You and Val both!" Leah snickered and then froze.

They fell silent as dread permeated the air and she spun to look at the girl in question.

"Uh." She bit her lip nervously, shoulders rigid. "Your...not feeling particularly violent today, are you? Please say no. I think I'm about to wet myself."

"Can we just get on the damn train?" Valentine growled and headed for the door.

She truly wasn't all that bitter about her height. There were more important things to think about after all. Like making sure Harry Potter made it to the train without dying. Her hopes weren't exactly high.

Draco, Leah and Olivia followed behind her and Blaze led the way.

"I already found Liam, left him in the compartment."

"Olivvvia." Leah clung to the girl with a dreamy smile. "I missed you."

"Awe. I missed you too."

"Are you going to do this every year?" Draco grimaced.

"Most likely." Said Leah.

"So, uh, Blaze." Said Olivia. "How was your holiday?"

"Hell."

"Oh."

"My family are completely nuts."

That I can relate to.

"How was yours?"

"It was alright." Olivia smiled politely. "I stayed with my cousin for a week. Oh! And I got a new friend."

"Hmm?" Leah's ear pricked up as if she was a dog.

"A cat," Olivia beamed, "his name is Tulip."

"Aweeeee." Leah clapped her hands excitedly and started looping around Olivia, patting her down. "I want to meet Tulip. Did you bring him with you? Where is he!"

"Leah, calm down." Olivia laughed, "I didn't bring him with me."

"Yeah. And what did you think?" Blaze scoffed. "That she just had a cat smuggled in her shirt or something?"

"Don't question me!"

"Your entire existence is questionable."

"Is not!"

"He's right actually." Said Draco. "Evolution has a lot to answer for."

"Olivia! They're being mean to me!"

"Already?" Liam was leaning out of a compartment door wearing a lopsided grin.

"Liam!" Leah perked up again and dragged Olivia with her to squeeze all three of them into a hug.

"Bloody hell." Blaze groaned and looked to Valentine and Draco. "What did you guys feed her this morning?"

"Not enough cyanide?" Said Draco.

"I say next time we just go with a mallet to the head." Valentine stepped into the compartment first.

"Leah," Liam croaked. "Please let go."

"Oh! Sorry, about that." Olivia gently pried the girl away.

"No, no." Liam wheezed. "It's fine. Just waiting...for my lungs to inflate again."

"You guys always overreact!" Said Leah, sticking out her thin arms. "I'm not even strong. Look at my graceful noodlage."

Blaze made a loud noise that sounded like something between a groan and a scream that startled two passing students. He let his head smack against the glass of the compartment door.

"It's too early in the day for my brain to be forced to comprehend the words 'graceful noodlage'."

"Then just don't comprehend." Said Liam.

"Oh. Right. Yeah, I can do that."

"I thought that was just his natural state?" Said Draco as he sat beside Valentine and across from Liam.

"So!" Leah pulled Olivia inside with her and sat beside Liam. "Who wants to hear about Tulip!"

"Leah." Liam blinked, "did you get taller? Wait. Draco and Olivia too?"

"Just a little." Olivia held up two fingers held just a short distance apart. "You're still the tallest though."

"Hey, Val." Blaze slid the compartment door shut and slumped into the empty spot beside Draco. "Want to join me on a killing spree? We can cut them off at the knees."

"Some people just take a little longer to grow." Olivia shrugged meekly. "Just try not to worry about it."

"Yeah, Blaze." Leah waved her long arms wildly. "Just chill out. Chillllll outttttt."

Blaze slapped a hand over his eyes and sank lower.

"Right." Liam clicked his tongue. "Well, how was everyone's holiday?"

"Hell." Said Blaze.

"You already told me that."

"Just thought everyone should know. How was that death thing you guys went to?"

"You mean, the funeral?" Draco arched a brow at that.

"Yeah, the death thing."

"It was a was funeral, Blaze." Said Draco. "They're all fairly similar."

"Sorry for your loss," Olivia said softly. "My mother said she actually knew your grandfather."

"Hmm." Draco hummed non-committally.

"Um." Olivia suddenly seemed concerned like she may have said something wrong.

"Don't worry about it." Liam waved it off. "They weren't exactly broken from his loss."

"I ate a lot of bread!" Leah added abruptly. "At the funeral, I mean."

"By a lot, she means too much." Draco snickered.

"Well, I kept it down didn't I!"

"Just barely." Said Draco as he remembered something. "Blaze, did you know that your parents were invited?"

"What? Really?" Blaze blinked. "They never mentioned it."

"You know, we've never met any of your family," said Liam.

"And it's going to stay that way," Blaze's expression became comically serious. "They're all nuts."

"So you keep saying."

"The nuttiest."

"We hear you."

"Like, if you had a peanut allergy, they would kill you on sight."

"Well, other than the funeral...how have you been?" Asked Olivia.

"Average." Valentine shrugged indifferently.

"Average? AVERAGE?" Leah shrieked like someone had slammed her hands in a door. "We had the best most funnest, most greatest sleepover known to wizardkind, and you say it was AVERAGE! WE WENT TO A TEA SHOP, VAL!"

"We have very different ideas of fun, Leah."

"Okay, I think we've had enough of 'how was your summer' talk." Said Draco. "Anyone got anything actually interesting to talk about?"

"Birds?"

"No, Leah."

"What about birds with really big feet?"

"Anyone besides Leah have a suggestion?"

Good to know they're all as ridiculous as the last time I saw them.

"You still going to try out of the Quidditch team this year?" asked Blaze.

"Oh, please Blaze," Draco practically cooed, "I don't even have to try out. My father arranged everything."

"For real?"

"You haven't even seen the broom father got me yet. And the whole team! We're going to put those stupid Gryffindors in there place this year."

"Relax." Liam laughed. "You haven't won yet!"

"Not yet." Draco nodded.

"You also haven't tried out yet," Valentine added dully.

"Come on, Val. You know that's just for show. Beside's, as if I'd ever have trouble getting on the team. You've seen me fly!"

Valentine rolled her eyes at him but she knew it was true. Draco was a very talented flyer. That didn't mean she wanted him tangled up in a game she considered a death trap.

It's bad enough I have to watch Harry almost get his skull caved in by a bludger several times a year.

The train lurched forward and started to pull out of the station. Valentine's mind went immediately to Harry again.

He better be on this damn train or I'm throwing myself under it.

Valentine stared out the window as the platform disappeared and gave way to the city.

Last year I had no idea where Harry was on the train. All I had was Dumbledore's word that he would be here. Why wouldn't he be here this year? What is this feeling in the back of my mind? It's like somethings wrong. I didn't see any of the Weasley's around either. Maybe I need to take a look around. Nothing overt. I just need to make sure Harry's where he's supposed to be. It couldn't hurt.

"Hey, Val." Her name being spoken aloud caught her attention. It was Liam. "What'd the window ever do to you? You're glaring at it hard enough to break the glass."

He was trying to make a joke and Valentine scowled. She hadn't even noticed that she was glaring at all.

"Ah..." Liam paled, "that was funnier in my head, I swear."

"I'm hungry!" Leah whined. "Breakfast feels like it was three years ago!"

"The lady with the trolley, should come by soon, right?" Said Olivia.

"But I'm hungry now!"

"Do you have to scream about everything?" Blaze rubbed at his ears.

"I'm NOT!"

"Leah." Valentine snapped darkly, "shut the hell up."

"But...but..." Leah's bottom lip drip pitifully. "I'm hungry."

"I'll go find the trolley lady." Liam stood. "My treat."

"Liam!" Leah's eyes filled with grateful tears as she clasped her hands under her chin. "The gaping hole in my stomach thanks you!"

"No problem." Liam snorted lightly. "Anyone else want something?"

"I'm fine, thank you." Said Olivia.

"Liquorice Wand!" Said Blaze.

"Chocolate Frog!" Said Draco.

"Val?" Liam looked at her expectantly.

"I just come with you." She stood.

"Okay, then." Liam seemed a little surprised.

"Oh! I want to come to!" Leah started bouncing side to side.

"Not a chance." Valentine kicked at her shin.

"Ouch!"

"I'm going to escape your constant screaming." Valentine started pushing Liam towards the compartment door.

"See?" Said Blaze.

Valentine and Liam stepped out into the narrow corridor as Leah and Blaze immediately burst into an argument behind them.

This was the perfect opportunity to take a look inside the other compartments. If she saw Harry then she could stop worrying.

"Are you excited for this year?" Liam asked cordially.

"Not particularly." Valentine sighed.

"Guess I'm just full of dumb questions today. After all, you're not exactly the excitable type." Liam laughed somewhat awkwardly. "I'm looking forward to it actually. Much more fun than lying around at home."

"Hmm." Valentine hummed
absently, as she peeked into compartments as they passed them.

"Are you looking for someone?"

Valentine blinked and then gave a cruel laugh.

"I'm scoping out the first years." She said. "Not a particularly bright bunch by the looks of things."

"I don't really know if you can compare them to yourself," Liam said pointedly. "I mean, you're probably the smartest person I've ever met. I told my grandfather about you and he even said he thinks you'll be a really important person in the future."

"Is that so?" Valentine answered vaguely, peering at two students as they slipped out of their compartment.

Where the hell is Harry?

"You must be looking forward to something though. New school year, new lessons. New opportunities to make Snape wish he was never born."

"You may actually have a point," Valentine almost laughed.

"I knew that would get you. It's like from that very first class two arch-enemies were born." Liam grinned, "I can still hear you telling Snape that you could never learn anything from him clear as day."

"And I still haven't," Valentine scoffed.

"Oh, hey. The trolley lady is just ahead." Liam nodded and walked on ahead.

Valentine continued on her search hoping to catch a glimpse of messy dark hair, circle lense glasses and a lightning scar. But luck didn't appear to be on her side. As if it ever was.

The urge to storm about the train screaming Harry's name was definitely there. Maybe hunt down a Weasley and shake the information out of them. But that would never do. She Valentine was stuck with tapping her foot impatiently and crossing her arms over her chest as Liam gave his money to the trolley lady.

Liam returned with an armful of candy, hopefully enough to shut Leah up for the next hour. Leah's non-stop chatter almost seemed to somehow make the time pass slower.

"You ready to head back?"

"Yes." Valentine turned on her heel and started back towards their compartment. Her facade was smoothly worn, the perfect disguise for the screaming in her head.

They had covered nearly the entirety of the train and hadn't seen Harry or even more baffling, a single Weasley.

Where did they all go? And more importantly, where the hell is Harry Potter?

-----Pretending To Hate-----

This was bad. This was very bad. They'd made it to school, then The Great Hall, then the sorting commenced and through it all, Harry Potter was not to be seen. And for the matter, neither was Ron Weasley. It had Valentine's chest tied in knots. She stamped a foot down on her nerves and scolded herself.

Panicking is the last thing I need to do. I need to figure out what happened, where they are and how to get them back. Getting anxious and concerned will not bring that about any quicker.

That threat of failure was there but she ignored it. She hadn't failed until she saw Harry's body lying dead.

She ate her food at a calm pace as usual and again, as usual, hung around the fringes of the main conversation. Olivia had finally had her chance to tell them all about her new cat Tulip and Leah was ecstatic.

"He sounds super adorable! Why couldn't you bring him?" Leah pouted. "I want a new friend too!"

Olivia seemed almost sad for a moment and had to clear her voice.

"I fell behind in my studies and my mother said bringing him with me would only distract me further."

"Studies? But this was over the holidays." Draco frowned.

"My mother takes my education very seriously."

"Sounds like torture." Said Blaze.

"I really don't mind studying at all," Olivia said quickly. "But...well, my mother just has very high expectations of me."

"I really don't think you have to worry." Liam spared her a smile. "I mean, you're still smarter than all of us. You know. Except for Val, obviously."

"Val's like a freaky, super genius though." Said Leah. "I don't even know how she manages to keep her all that brain in such an itty bitty skull."

"Yeah, not exactly a fair comparison when she could probably teach the classes we're learning." Draco scoffed.

At that point, Valentine tuned out again. Her eyes wavered over to the Gryffindor table. Hermione was there, sitting with Neville and Ginny, the youngest and newly sorted Weasley. Hermione didn't seem all that calm herself and that certainly didn't help Valentine.

Just great. If Hermione doesn't even know where they are then this is really bad.

She peeked up at the staff table. Dumbledore was in deep conversation with Professor Sprout and Flitwick and Snape was sitting by an empty chair.

A new year, a new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. And yet they had yet to appear. Dumbledore had informed earlier on that they must have been running late and it that everything was fine.

Valentine was as clueless as anyone in this and had no idea who this new Professor might have been. She supposed that no one could be worse than Quirrell with whatever was left of Voldemort attached to the back of his head.

Then the doors opened with a clang and a flourish and Gilderoy Lockhart stepped in.

Valentine stopped eating so she wouldn't choke.

Why? What did I do to deserve this? Why must my life consist of endless suffering? And more importantly, what the actual hell was Dumbledore thinking?

"Sorry, I was late. But never fear. I'm here now."

And what I would give for you not to be.

Lockhart gave the crowd of students a wink and a smirk that Valentine assumed he thought would be charming.

The students immediately turned to whisper to one another. Some excited, others confused.

"Is that Gilderoy Lockhart?" Liam was frowning deeply.

"Why is he here?" Asked Blaze.

"Dumbledore said the new Defense Against the Dark Arts was running late." Said Olivia.

"No." Draco shook his head at her and glances at Lockhart as he walked up the centre of the aisle to greet Dumbledore. Lockhart blew a kiss and Draco made a face. "Him?"

"Well, I guess this is it, guys." Said Liam. "Dumbledore's officially lost it."

"He doesn't look like a teacher." Leah stared at the man, mouth half-open in concentration.

"Well, I supposed he's qualified?" Blaze's brain scrambled to justify this. "You know, he's done all that stuff in his books and whatever."

"Nothing about that man is qualified," Valentine spoke with such sudden ferocity that the student's around them started to inch away.

"Ah, right." Draco nodded. "I should probably mention. Val hate's him. As in loathes his existence."

"I thought girls were his main audience?" Said Liam. "Don't women go crazy for him or something?"

"That's revolting," Valentine said immediately.

"Hmm." Olivia hummed in thought. "I don't think I really see what's so exciting about him. I've read his books, and yes, they're very impressive, but the man himself..."

"Yeah..." Leah sniffed at the air. "Something about him doesn't smell right to me."

"You can't smell him from here, Leah." Blaze scoffed.

"Can too!"

"Don't even bother." Draco cut them off before they could erupt into another of their never-ending arguments.

"He'll regret taking the job," Valentine said darkly. "I'll be certain of that."

"Ohhhhh." Blaze leaned into the others and whispered. "A storms a-brewing.

"Val, please." Draco sighed. "No bloodshed."

"I won't accept being taught by such a man. I could learn more from a brick wall."

"That doesn't mean you have to cause trouble."

"I'm not causing trouble, Draco." The atmosphere suddenly shifted and they all felt it. This wasn't some joke and the sinister glow in Valentine's gaze said it all. "I'm simply not willing to waste my time without question. You should know better than to do the same."

"That's not the point." Draco swallowed.

"No. The point is you still haven't gotten it through your thick skull that your father can't reach is here."

"Draco was only joking," Liam added quickly,