The first day of school would usually mean Ophelia met up with Regulus and the rest of her friends on the Hogwarts Express. They would catch up about how the summer went for them and share a bunch of candy they bought from the Trolley Witch. 

That was not the story for the beginning of year six, though. This year was different. Near the end of the school year, Ophelia and Regulus had a falling out of sorts, where accusations were thrown around, emotions were shattered, and the two of them had decided to distance themselves from each other for the time being. 

Though she was done with Regulus and Barty, Ophelia had nothing against Pandora, so the two of them decided to meet up on the train platform and hang out together for the train ride up to school. 

They were a few of the first students there, and through the mostly empty train platform, the two of them caught a glimpse of each other waiting by the train, and started squealing with glee in a pitch close to one that only dogs can hear. 

The two of them told each other how much they had missed them over the summer, then linked arms so they could get on the train together. 

The two of them walked onto the train, and in the direction of the cabin where they usually sit. Ophelia led her friend down the train cabin, carefully choosing a seat for them. When she reached her usual seat, Ophelia just walked right by it. 

"Oh, you missed the cabin." Pandora pointed out. 

"I know. I don't want to sit there."

"Why not?"

"You know why." Ophelia told her. "I don't want to be around Regulus."

Pandora smiled, but held it back. Like she wanted to make a joke but she knew Ophelia wouldn't like it. 

"I swear I've heard you say that before, but I can't quite recall when. Oh, that's right, you've said that every year since we were ten." Pandora joked. 

"Ha ha, very funny." Ophelia said sarcastically. "I'm done with Regulus, I swear it."

The two of them sat down in an empty train cabin, multiple train cars away from their usual spot. Ophelia didn't want to be anywhere near that cabin, or anywhere else Regulus and Barty might be. 

"You know, if you add an 'r' to the end of your name, you get 'Opheliar', like a liar. I think it suits you. Ophelia the liar." Pandora teased her friend. 

"No, I'm serious this time." Ophelia affirmed. "James and his friends graduated and moved away, so he can't bother me and tell me to ditch my friends. This year, all my thoughts are completely my own. Everything is finally my choice, and I don't have anyone to make decisions for me."

"Well that's good for you."

"Thanks. I really do think this is going to be a good year for me."

"A good year for us." Pandora added with a smile.

"Yes, of course. Us." Ophelia chuckled. "Because you have me and your boyfriend, too."

"Yes, but this is his last year at Hogwarts, so next year it'll be just the two of us. Unless you decide to go back to Regulus. Or if you find a boyfriend of your own."

Ophelia blushed, but pushed the idea away from them. "Nope, no way. Not happening. Neither one of those ideas are appealing to me at all right now."

"But someday." 

"Not in the near future."

"I think that one day, you'll find a boy you really like and you'll be with him forever." Pandora said. 

Ophelia pondered that idea for a moment. She thought about finding someone she liked, who liked her back, and being happy with them. She thought about growing old with someone, but it was hard for her to imagine a picture perfect life like that for herself. 

She tried some more, but her train of thought was interrupted by Pandora asking her a question. 

"Oh, by the way, is it alright if Xenophilius comes to sit with us? He said he'll come find us, wherever we're sitting, so he's probably on his way already."

Ophelia smiled politely. She wasn't the biggest fan of Xenophilius for a reason she couldn't quite put her finger on, but she knew how happy he made Pandora. 

"Yeah, of course." Ophelia said. "This is going to be a good year, right? Can't have a good year without all your friends."