Platform nine and three quarters was bursting with life. Jinxed paper aeroplanes zoomed through the air, chocolate frogs hopping across the floor as children scurried behind to catch them. Wide smiles decorated the hall, giggles echoing against the walls as parents gave final kisses and hugs to their dearest ones.

Madeline Ross was crouched to the floor, the ends of her long skirt brushing against the cool concrete. She cupped a long fingered hand around her daughters pale cheek, and gave her a warm motherly smile.

"You'll do your best to not cause trouble, won't you darling?" she asked. The small girl gave a stunning grin no one could see past, her glossy black hair shimmering in it's natural waves as she nodded her head.

"I'm my mothers daughter." she told her mother sweetly. Her mother looked at her with newly shinning blue eyes and pushed a blond hair off her now sticky cheek.

"Yes my darling." said her mother. She pulled her daughter to her chest almost roughly and gave her a squeeze almost too tight. "I'm going to miss you so much."

"I'll miss you too." she said, squeezing back, though as the hug continued she grew impatient and wiggled from her mothers embrace. "Mum," she said in an exasperated tone, "I've got to get on the train." The woman let out a shaky laugh and released her.

"Make lots of friends alright?" she said, her voice watery.

"I will." she said. "I'll send you an owl as soon as I'm settled. Seeley needs a chance to stretch his wings. He hasn't flown in ages." Her mum smiled at that. The train whistle blew and the voices around them grew louder, all echoing different good byes as children who were already seated stretched their arms out the windows of the train, waving wildly. "I've got to go." Madeline pulled her daughter close once more and pressed a kiss to the top of her head. The girl hopped into the cart of the train and gave her mother a final wave, a breath taking smile taking over her face.

Madeline Ross stared after her daughter as the Hogwarts Express pulled away. Her thoughts on that smile, and how perfect it was. That same smile she'd once seen on a boy in a photograph. A handsome boy with glossy black hair and a pale face. A boy who later became something much different than handsome. Something that's smile was much different, but was full of that same emptiness no one but him knew was there.

And young, beautiful, Thayer Ross, just gave her mother that same smile. The same as the boy in the photo. But all Madeline Ross could see was how beautiful it was, she knew nothing of exactly how much of that boy was in that smile.

Thayer Ross was eleven years old and on her way to her first year at Hogwarts school of Witch Craft and Wizardry. Her large trunk was already stored in her carriage, when she found her seat she saw that other first years had taken camp in it as well. She slipped onto her seat by the window, and grabbed her crumpled black jumper from her seat. She crumpled it into an even bigger mess and tucked it between her head and the wall. She had yet to spare a glance at the other children, but she felt their presence warming the air around her. She wished they'd leave.

Her black school robes were already on, and acting as a warm blanket around her. She tucked her feet beneath her and snuggled deeper into the fabric of her jumper. Sleep found her quickly as the train led them further and further away from London.

The train jolted to a stop and shook Thayer awake. She gazed out the window and saw a castle in the distance across a large expanse of water. It glowed in the dark of newly fallen night.

She had found in her few years that little impressed her. Her family manor was grand and lavish, but the castle... was truly magical. This was the first time she could say she was truly impressed.

When she stepped off the train, she followed the voice that called for first years and saw a man with a large bushy black beard and hands the size of dust bin lids. Most of his face was hidden beneath his beard, but his beetle black eyes crinkled with happiness.

When they came to the docks, little boats were gathered in the water. The first years scrambled onto the boats, which teetered with new weight as four took each raft. When all the children were situated, the boats were pulled forward by magic and carried them across the water to the castle.

Thayer watched with wide eyes as she clambered off her boat, scurrying along with the short crowd as they followed behind the large man. When they reached the castle, tall wide doors revealed beautiful stone walls. A tall witch in emerald robes led them to the grand hall, where four large tables were decorated in different house colours. The first years stood in front of the teachers table, waiting for the hat to sort them into one of the four houses of Hogwarts. Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin.

She looked up at the ceiling and saw it was bewitched to look like the night sky. It reminded her of late nights at home, lying on her back in the field behind her house, counting the stars with the tip of her finger.

Thayer watched with intrigued dark eyes as students were called up alphabetically to try on the hat. A girl with blond pigtails was named into Hufflepuff, a girl with bushy brown hair was in Gryffindor, and a boy, with pale hair and easy grace, swaggered up to the sorting hat with a smirk on his face.

The hat was on his head for less than a second, before the hat bellowed "Slytherin!"

More were sorted, two twins who were put into different houses, a pug faced girl was of Slytherin and then, his name was called.

"Potter, Harry!" A hush exploded across the room as a skinny boy with untidy black hair and round rimmed glasses stepped forward. Her mother had told her bed time stories about that boy.

He was the undoing to the most powerful wizard ever known.

A wizard who put pure fear into the hearts of many, who brought death wherever he went.

A wizard my mother once admired, but now shook violently at the thought of him.

Her father, Tom Riddle.