Neville took one last look at his room before he swept up his heavy trunk and headed downstairs. The room wasn't much, and not very personal; but it was his. One wall was covered with sweet wrappers he'd got from his mom. His gran thought it stupid of him to keep them, but he insisted. He had accepted that this was the only thing his mother would ever be able to give him, and therefore he intended to keep all the wrappers 'til his deathday.

She would never be able to give him comfort, knowledge or advice, all because of You-Know-Who's servants.

He sighed as gran called up to him: "Come on now, Neville. Do you want to miss the train? Think of the shame..." the last sentence was muttered, but he heard it well enough.

His trunk banged against the stairs as he dragged it down behind him. It was just as heavy as his heart. Would he have anyone to hang out with this year? Sure, he had Harry, Ron and Hermione, and Ginny too, but they weren't his. They hung out with each other and included him, which was nice. But he longed after a friend he could have for himself, one that wouldn't mind hanging out with just him. Well, with his luck, that wasn't going to happen any time soon.

After stuffing the very last of her amulets into her trunk, Luna closed it. Then she called for her father to levitate it downstairs, she didn't want to break anything.

A look at her triangular clock told her that they were late.

"Hurry up, dad," she cried. "I don't want to miss the train!"

In a rush they were at the station, she was hurrying down the platform when she ran into Neville. Literally.

Her trunk fell of the trolley and popped open. A little too late she realised that she had put her knickers on top. Well, at least they were her best.

"Oh, I'm so sorry!" said Neville, who had turned bright pink at the sight of Luna's flowery underwear.

"No, don't be. It was really my fault, I was in a hurry and didn't watch out," Luna smiled at him. It made his stomach tickle in a funny way, but that was probably just because he hadn't had time for breakfast.

Luna gathered up her stuff and closed the trunk again. Then she turned towards a less pink Neville and asked: "Shall we find ourselves a compartment, then?"

Neville nodded and thought to himself that maybe this year wasn't going to be so bad after all.