A young girl and boy were racing up and down a train trying to locate a missing pet. Not the girl's pet mind you, her parents wouldn't let her have one just yet. No, it was the shy and slightly chubby boy's pet they were searching frantically for. The boy had boarded the train early, and at the urgent urging of his grandmother, the boy was briefly reunited with his pet through the train car window when it was first noted he was missing that morning, thankfully prior to the train's departure. Then shortly after the train had left the station the girl, a hyperactive and rule abiding child, busted through the car door startling the boy and pet toad. Said toad then made his escape through the now wide open door much to the distress and embarrassment of the two eleven year olds watching the creature's hasty retreat. After the girl apologized profusely, she dragged the distraught boy out of the compartment and began to try and track down the wayward toad.

After nearly an hour of searching they reach the back of the train and were fast running out of hope and options. The boy was beginning to believe the worst about his only, if reluctant, friend.

With the girl slamming the last door open, clearly having not learned after the first time she did this, the boy inside was briefly startled and looked up from his book. His face was completely neutral and devoid of any and all emotion. Disturbed by this and the lack of further reaction the girl froze under his gaze, the boy missing his pet toad stepped forward.

"Sorry to disturb you. My names Neville Longbottom. I'm afraid I've lost my pet toad. Have you seen it by any chance?" the shy boy, Neville, asked expecting a remorseful negative, laughter and mocking, or a rude dismissal like all the other students had given.

Instead the boy calmly closed his book and stood up. He made a small bow to Neville and said "It is a pleasure to meet you Heir Longbottom. I am heir Potter. I regret that I do not have good news pertaining to your animal companion. I would suggest preforming a summoning charm or requesting the assistance of one who can successfully preform said charm." the self proclaimed heir Potter then sat back down and returned to his reading.

"Why didn't I think of that?!" the girl still standing in most of the door way exclaimed appalled at herself for her lack of insight. "Wait did you say Potter? As in Harry Potter?!" she continued no longer held by said Potter's gaze, and despite the self proclaimed heir Potter ignoring her. "I'm Hermione Granger, I've read all about you." She said thrusting her hand between the heir Potter and his reading material forcing him acknowledge her.

Looking up with still no display of emotion Harry looked at the girl's, Hermione's, offered hand. Harry blinked then looked back up at the first generation magical he knew she obviously was. "A pleasure Madam Granger. However I would advise you to take what you read, or hear, with a grain of salt and learn to develop thoughts of your own. And perhaps learning some basic etiquette while you are at it would not be amiss." He said flatly looking deep in her eyes without blinking, his voice even and seemingly hollow.

Hermione shortly removed her hand shakily, feeling as if she had just been scolded for talking in the library. She was flushed a bright red and lightly stammering before she fled back up to the compartment where she had left her trunk.

Neville watched as she fled the compartment and then turned to look at the heir Potter. "You wouldn't by any chance know the summoning charm would you?" Neville bravely asked suspecting that Harry Potter was nothing like the wizarding world expects.

"As a matter of fact, Heir Longbottom, I do." Heir Potter replied before he waived his hand in the manner one would wave a wand and said "Accio Heir Longbottom's pet toad." Not even ten seconds later a disgruntled toad soared through the open compartment door and landed in Heir Potter's waiting hand. "You Hogwart's approved animal companion, Heir Longbottom." he said handing the pet over to the awed eleven year old.

"Thank you very much Heir Potter, but please, call me Nevile. We will be attending school together for the next seven years after all." Nevile requested of Harry.

"Very well, Nevile, but I must in turn insist that you refer to me as Harry. Now, Nevile, may I inquire as to what led to you and Madam Granger scouring the express for your companion?" Harry asked while motioning for Nevile to take the seat across from him.

"Of course." Nevile said as he uncertainly took the seat. After fidgeting in it for a moment Nevile looked back up at the car's other passenger. "I was in an empty car and when Hermione abruptly opened the door, Trevor, my toad, managed to get out of my grip, and hopped out the wide open door." Nevile told Harry sadly.

"I see." Harry said dryly with the slightest bit of contempt for the girl visible in the depths of his eyes. "Perhaps it would be best to ward the car doors against such an inappropriate intrusion." Harry mused aloud.

"Could you really do such a thing?" Neville asked Harry amazed by what Harry could do even though he was just starting Hogwarts like all the other first years.
"I could. In fact, I think I shall. Would you like to remain in this compartment for the remainder of our journey?" Harry asked Neville as he stood up and prepared to preform the low level courtesy ward.

"If you wouldn't mind the company." Neville said bashfully with hopes that he wouldn't be kicked out.

"Not at all." Harry said plainly. "Accio Neville Longbottom's trunk and school supplies" Harry said while the car door was still open, to save Nevile the trip back to the front of the train just for his things.

Shortly an empty trunk zoomed into the compartment followed by clothes, books, and an assortment of other wizarding school supplies. "Oh dear." Neville said sadly as he looked upon the mess that were his school things. His Grandmother would surely be upset when she learned that almost all of his things were already ruined even before he actually made it to the school.

Harry actually frowned when he looked upon Neville's ruined things. Many of the robes were torn to shreds, the books were mysteriously stained and otherwise destroyed, his potion ingredients were all contaminated, vials shattered, anything metal had been warped and misshapen. What wasn't destroyed was defaced with words such as 'Squib'. It was very clearly sabotage, and intense bullying. As Harry's anger at this treatment of who was likely his first friend grew, the air began to violently spin through the compartment. The car door slammed shut and no one would be able to open it from the outside.

Taking a deep breath Harry calmed himself and the sudden wind storm died down. "You wouldn't happen to know who did this would you?" Harry inquired quietly.

"It's fine, they've done worse than this," Here Harry tensed further and clenched his fists. "I'm more worried about how I'm going to tell my Gran. She's going to be so disappointed." Neville said even quieter than Harry.

With a wave of his hand the slurs disappeared, the tears mended themselves, and broken vials reformed. "I would hold off on informing Lady Longbottom of your need for new supplies for now." Harry said as Neville watched in awe again. "Now, Who. Did. This." Harry repeated his magic and rage beginning to leak through into his words.

An honestly frightened Neville stuttered as he answered with his head lowered in shame. "Th-the oth-ther p-p-purebloods." He said in a very small voice.

Harry noticed Neville's discomfort and managed to bring his powers back under his control. "I apologies. It was not my intent to scare you. I was simply enraged by the atrocious actions towards my first friend."

"You want to be my friend?" Neville asked, the chance of it ever happening in anything other than his dreams had never crossed his mind.

"Well," Harry said now kind of nervous, hoping he hadn't scared Neville away with his outburst. "Only if you want to be my friend."

"Of course!" Neville exclaimed as a large grin began to take over his face. "You're my first friend too. Well, first human friend." Neville amended.

Harry smiled a small serene smile before nodding in thanks. "Since we have agreed to be friends, I think I should tell you somethings about myself." Harry said taking a seat.

Neville nodded for Harry to continue as he too took a seat.

"It was only recently that I had ever felt an emotion. And even now, it take something extreme or me to really notice, or take action on a feeling." Harry began.

Nevile seemed to not know what to say about this and just nodded his understanding. "I've always felt something I guess, I won't really know I suppose." Nevile said trying to relate.

Harry had a small soft smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. "I've never felt anything, so things like Happy and Angry made no sense to me." Harry said, the smile still on his face.

The two eleven year olds continued to talk about this and that, and nothing consequential for the remainder of the train ride. Many tried to open their car door, but neither occupant noticed.