A/N: I have edited chapters three since I last updated. The edits are minimal and do not require that you re-read it.

Thank you for your continued support, favorites, follows, and reviews. I hope that you all enjoy this newest chapter!

Chapter 11: Departures

The evening of August 31st was a warm one. Blackweald was frozen in a quiet silence today. Tomorrow was the big day, Noctis would leave for his first year at Hogwarts. Like any other young witch or wizard, Noctis had been waiting for this moment his entire life. And Arcturus had spent years preparing for it, pushing new laws through the Wizanmangot, issuing reforms through the board of governors. He had worked hard to make sure Hogwarts was ready to receive his heir and protege.

The family has spent the day saying their private goodbyes. Analise and Noctis had spent the afternoon brewing simple potions and laughing with one another, simply enjoying one another's company. Analise was going to miss the boy so much, he brought so much light and energy into her life. She was not sure what she was going to do while he was gone.

Later in the evening, Arcturus took Noctis down into the catacombs of the Black family, as was tradition to do with every heir before they left for their first year at Hogwarts. The pair had stopped at the memorial for every previous Lord Black, and several of their spouses and secondary children, so that Arcturus could explain their significance and place in their family's history. Some of them received only a few moments attention while others took several minutes. Noctis was familiar with some already, but others were completely new to him. Noctis was, of course, fascinated.

After their trip to the catacombs, Arcturus and Noctis sat in a drawing room adjacent to the library. Noctis had slowly been inserting himself and possessions into the space over the last few months, and it was slowly beginning to feel like more of a study that a drawing room. Several of the seating arrangements had been removed to make room for a large desk, a large table that Noctis used for his runes work, and had introduced several large bookshelves that spanned the walls. It looked a bit like Arcturus' own study, but less ostentatious with its haphazard-artistic look.

The pair were seated in the corner of the room, near the dormant hearth, in one of the surviving seating arrangements comprised of a few winged armchairs and a loveseat. They were both nursing a glass of elf-made mead, though Noctis' glass was considerably smaller than Arcturus'.

The two had been sitting in the room for quite some time, originally Analise had also been in attendance, but she had since left for bed after being promised by Arcturus that he would not keep Noctis up too late.

But Noctis wouldn't have been able to sleep anyway. He was too excited and too nervous. Tomorrow would begin a brand new page in his life, and he barely knew what to expect.

They had been sitting in silence for a while, both of them reading books when Arcturus finally set his book down in his lap and broke the room's silence.

"Noctis, it is time that I made you aware of some of our family's more recent history." Arcturus' abrupt statement had shaken Noctis a little bit but he did his best not to show it. Following his grandfather's lead, he too closed his book and placed it on his lap and looked up expectantly at Arcturus.

Arcturus began carefully. "As you know well, our world is divided along some very decisive political lines."

Noctis simply nodded in response.

"I know you already understand the basics of this Noctis, but please bear with me. Beyond our systems of peerage and heritage that structure our governance, there are also political allegions. As you know, we belong to and are leaders of, a group of families dedicated to the preservation of magical tradition. We call ourselves the dark not because we are evil or any such nonsense that our enemies so often spout, but because of our deep historical connection to elements of the dark. The magic of our families was born in the cosmos, in the darkness between the stars and in the stars themselves, you know this, and your grandmother has explained the basics of this to you, but we don't expect you to understand the finer points of this mysticism yet…" Arcturus chuckled slightly at the wild look in Noctis' eyes; as if he expected Noctis to already know all the finer points of the deep and complex magical history, theory, and mysticism he was referencing. "Back to the topic at hand though, I won't bore you with another lesson on the different factions of the Wizanmangot, or even of the varying groups within those particular factions, but I want to talk to you about our role in the leadership of Wizenmangot, our faction, and our the world." Arcturus finished his sentence carefully, and paused for a moment before taking another drink of his mead; an act Noctis mirrored just moments later.

"Our family, the Blacks, and your family Noctis, the Peverells, along with house Bones, have a very long history as powerful wizards and witches in magical Europe. We have been there for every deciding moment in magical history, be it Arthur and Merlin's conquest against the muggles for our safety, Canis' and Magnentius' campaigns to restore the ancient kingdom on the continent, or even in the establishing of that ancient kingdom…" Arcturus' voice trailed off for a moment at this final statement.

"I myself have been involved in one of these moment's Noctis." Noctis' eyes opened wide in surprise, as his mind instantly set to whirring to piece together what his grandfather might be talking about.

"I'm not going to give you all the details tonight my boy, but listen closely, because I am telling you this to teach you a valuable lesson that I had to learn by making mistakes." Noctis still didn't speak, but simply nodded, scooting forward in his chair a bit almost as if he wanted to be closer to the story.

"When I was a boy, just a year or two older than you are now, I met someone, another boy just a few years older than I was then, who promised me greatness, and to make my dreams a reality." Arcturus began the story with a careful tone.

"Marus was a little unsettled by the older boy at first, but eventually between the older boy's efforts and my own growing devotion, Marus soon caved in as well and became just as devoted as I was." Arcturus paused, his brow furrowed as he looked up at no particular spot on the ceiling. "Marus and I remained a close friend of this other boy as we went through Hogwarts. He had many other friends like us, but he knew what Marus and I were capable of, who our families were and what our lineages represented, and so he kept us close." Arcturus paused again for a few moments while staring at the ceiling.

"Once Marus and I had finished Hogwarts, we left England to adventure around the continent. Our fathers were still alive and we didn't have the same level of responsibilities that we do now. We traveled all over the old world Noctis, chasing legends and myths, searching for ancient ruins and relics. We were idealists, we wanted to change the world and we were gathering the tools and knowledge to do so, lead by our friend who had promised us power as his equals while constructing this new world we all craved."

"Many years passed, Noctis. Your grandmother and I got married, and life went on, but Marus and I found ourselves as committed as ever. We were still hell-bent on changing the world, but somehow our friend had changed. He no longer saw us as equals, and the more he learned about our history, and our place in the world, the more he viewed us with suspicion. He was uneasy at the idea of our power, of our heritage, and what it might mean for him and the world he wanted to construct. We didn't realize it Noctis, but he played us, ever so carefully, so that Marus and I looked to him as our leader." Arcturus' face had a dark cast to it as he recounted his story. His brow was pulled into a furrow while he continued to stare at the ceiling.

"Some years later we found ourselves fighting his war. It was a bloody, vicious ordeal Noctis. Thousands died, and for what? What did we accomplish? What did we gain? Our once friend had named us generals, but he was working to name himself king. We accepted it as the young fools we were, intoxicated by the glory of our ideas, and the future he promised us."

"Marus and I experienced this together, and I expect he is giving Aimus this very same talk this very moment. I know you are both the closest of friends, and I hope it remains that way. He is the most invaluable ally you can ever have Noctis; Aimus will understand and undergo the very same pressures and obligations that you will. He will understand in ways that no one else will, or can."

"I suspect you know who our friend, was Noctis, but I will leave speaking his name aloud for when you are older, and when I can share the finer details of my youth with you. For now, know this. If we hadn't had one another, and if it wasn't for the constant efforts and guidance of our parents, Marus and I might have gone down a path neither of us could return from, much like our friend did." Arcturus' face was still cast in darkness at the painful memories.

"Noctis, I am telling you this story to teach you about who you must be, and what responsibilities you have. You have an obligation as the eventual heir of the Black family, and as the sole remaining Peverell, to never let another control you, ensnare you, or sway you from your course. No matter how powerful their magic, how grand their ideas, how wonderful their promises, Noctis, you are a Black, you are a Peverell, and the combined magic that flows through your veins is as old as the stars and darkness that separates them." Arcturus paused and took in a deep breath. When he released it much of the tension and darkness that has haunted his face seemed to go with it. "I am not saying that we are superior to other people, Noctis. In many ways, it is quite the opposite. We are destined for lives fighting to restore and maintain a sacred balance, while they can live jovially, relatively carefree. Because of the ancient magic that flows through our veins. We have an obligation to the world, our ancestors, and that same magic that graces us, that obligates us to be its careful stewards. You cannot forget that Noctis, do not become swayed by the ideas, quests, and campaigns of lesser witches and wizards. Remember always that greatness rests within us, and that it is a dangerous thing when corrupted, co-opted, or misguided."

"I will do my best to honor our ancestors, Grandfather," Noctis spoke carefully, considering everything his grandfather had shared with him. Noctis was a little taken aback. He knew that he had many political obligations as part of his role as the eventual heir to the Black family, but he had never given much thought to his inheritance of the Peverell magic, or his inheritance of any magic really, and what that might mean. He barely knew anything about the Peverell family, and his grandparents had always reassured him that they would tell him what they knew when it was time.

Noctis, of course, knew a bit about the origin of the ancient family's magic, bits and pieces he had picked up from the conversations around him. But now, he decided, it was time to learn more. He would look while he was at Hogwarts, and if nothing could be found there, he would spend all of next summer investigating it. His grandmother, he knew, would be the best place to start. As a priestess, she was as much of an expert on these things as anyone could be.

The two settled back into comfortable conversation as Noctis questioned his grandfather about his past. His grandfather didn't reveal much, save that he and Marus had fought side by side in a long bloody war. It was obvious to Noctis what war he was speaking about, and even who this mysterious friend of theirs was, but of course, Noctis would never speak it aloud until his grandfather was ready.

-o-O-o-

September first greeted them with a blazing sun, even hotter than the day before. Autumn might be quickly approaching but the summer wasn't ready to let go yet. But there were signs that autumn was approaching if you knew where to look. Many of the flowering summer plants in the gardens of Blackweald were in their final, most spectacular, bloom - and the sprites that lived in them were starting to break their playful and lazy habits of summer to build food stockpiles for the upcoming winter.

The most obvious sign of autumn's quick approach, however, was an eleven-year-old wizard darting through the halls of Blackweald, triple checking that he had not forgotten anything. It was already getting near 10 o'clock and if they didn't leave soon they would not get the chance for a traditional goodbye at the platform.

"Noctis it is time to leave. If you have forgotten anything we'll send it in the owl post! Don't worry!" Analise called to Noctis, who she had just spotted sprinting down the hall between his makeshift study next to the library and his bedchambers.

The boy froze in his tracks, nearly falling over and dropping the thick book he was carrying. "I promise we will send anything you forget. And occasional books, so long as you keep up your official studies the way we expect you to." Analise said the last comment with a smile playing on the corner of her mouth.

Noctis, still frozen in place, took a moment and then simply nodded. "Okay, just let me pack this last book and I will be right down," he replied, seemingly placated that he would not be stuck without any of the books he wanted that might not be available at Hogwarts.

Without another word he left again, sprinting down the hall to pack this last book, much to Analise' amusement.

Ten minutes or so later found Noctis running down the stairs and into the entry hall, his black trunk gilded with copper trim following politely behind him, courtesy of Dobby's magic. The trunk was on the larger side and its cover was adorned with both the obsidian raven of the Black family and the silver thestral of the Peverells on either side of large decorative N.V.B.P., Noctis' initials, made out of the same copper as the trunk's trim.

"All ready to go Noctis?" His grandmother asked. She was dressed in smart silver robes that she favored in the summer months, with a thin black traveling cloak trimmed with black fur so that she looked more formal.

Noctis nodded and shrugged into a similar traveling cloak that his grandfather had handed him. His robes were the normal ones he would wear in public, black trimmed with bronze, but they too were made of a lighter material and enchanted with cooling charms to account for the summer's heat.

"Sirius said he will meet us at the platform, Noctis," Arcturus said, his tone careful. Noctis had been reacting unpredictably at any mention of Sirius ever since Marlene had so rudely interrupted his celebrations to announce that she and Sirius would be getting married.

Animosity seemingly forgotten, at least temporarily, Noctis nodded with a cautious smile but chose not to reply.

Only time would tell what was in store for Noctis and Sirius.

-o-O-o-

September first was not the same where the Potters were concerned. Eleven-year-old Jamie potter was running around his family's home collecting his belongings that he had neglected to pack until now - much to his mother's chagrin.

His father, however, had suddenly been called into work and left not long after breakfast but promised to meet them at the platform before the train left.

Jamie was wearing his first year Hogwarts robes already, it was his mother's idea. She said that she had worn hers for her first train ride because, as a muggleborn, she was not sure what else to wear. She suggested to Jamie that it might be good for magical children to do the same so that the muggleborns would not feel so alienated.

Jamie had, of course, agreed, and talked Ron into it also.

But today his robes were not the issue. After getting his wand, a rather short combination of blackthorn and unicorn hair, he had promptly forgotten about it, thinking he was unable to use it to cast magic yet. Neither of his parents bothered to correct him, perhaps they themselves didn't know.

He had already torn apart all of the rooms he frequented, including his father's study, the kitchen and the couch near the quidditch section in the family library - but he had had no luck yet. He was just on his way back to his bedroom to turn it over again when he was cornered by his mother, who was marching down the hall toward him, one hand on her hip, the other grasping his wand.

"It was under your bed. I swear, if you ever lose this again I will cast a permanent sticking charm so that it will never leave your hand again!" Lilly's famous temper was flaring, she had been lecturing Jamie about taking proper care of his wand long before he had even gotten the damn thing.

"M'sorry Mum," Jamie muttered, before running off back to his bedroom to haul his trunk down to so they could leave.

"Show me with your actions, not your words. Now go get your trunk and be downstairs in ten minutes!" Lilly called down the hall after him, her tone was still harsh but it did not carry the same bite of anger that it did a moment ago.

A few moments later Jamie could be seen running from his room hauling his trunk behind him. It was made of a simple dark wood with black iron fittings, it was definitely an expensive piece of craftsmanship, but it was considerably more humble than many of the chests used by the other children of the Ancient houses, even most of the lower noble houses.

The trunk thumped down the stairs ahead of Jamie, who had lost control of it while trying to haul it down the stairs. It arrived at the bottom of the stairs just a few seconds before he did, toppling over and spilling its contents all over the floor.

Lilly just sighed and waved her wand over the mess, causing the contents to sort themselves back into the trunk, probably much neater than Jamie had done.

"Don't forget to lock the trunk, Jamie, so that that does not happen again." Lilly's anger had completely faded now. She was now wearing a long beige jacket over her muggle blue jeans and a knitted jumper - a far cry from what was typically worn by a woman of her station.

Jamie nodded, a sheepish smile gracing his face. He retrieved his wand from his pocket and tapped it against the metal plate on the front of the trunk, locking it closed.

"Right, are you ready hon?" Lilly asked as she fussed over his robes and hair, straightening them both from their usual disheveled condition.

"Yes, mum," Jamie said, squirming to try and escape his mother's fussing.

Lilly took a step back and pursed her lips at her son's rejection of her grooming, but it quickly bled away into a smile. "I'm so excited for you Jamie love, your first day of Hogwarts. It is such an important day for you, a new chapter of your life."

Lilly wiped away a couple sentimental tears and stepped toward the fire, he hand behind her son's back, and his trunk now following behind them thanks to a nonverbal spell she had quickly cast with a flick of her wand.

"Now, let's get you to the platform young man."

-o-O-o-

It was a was quarter past ten, and Platform Nine and Three Quarters was just starting to become a flurry of activity. People were bursting out through the fires every few seconds, followed by trunks and pet carriers. The portal wall was starting to get busy too, with people streaming in through it near constantly. It was a wonder the muggles didn't notice such a long line of people disappearing into a wall.

The Longbottoms had arrived a few minutes ago, and the small family unit was fussing over Neville as he prepared to leave for his first year of school. The boy was thin and tall, much like his father, but with his mother's soft features. HIs grandfather, Brontus, was also there. He stood tall over his family, his broad frame dressed in the same traditions robes befitting of his station, but he had forgone the traditional travel cloak, likely because of the heat.

The Weasley family was just starting to pour in through the portal, it was unusual for a pureblood family to enter the platform that way but they had always been a little strange. Arthur entered first, he was wearing nice formal robes and it appeared he had come straight from work. He was fledged by his two oldest sons, both of whom were dressed in the traditional robes expected of the of-age members of an Ancient family. They were finished Hogwarts now but they had come to see their siblings off, and both their youngest siblings would be starting Hogwarts this year. It was unusual for the Weasleys to be so early for the train, but grander miracles happened every day.

They Weasleys were just sorting themselves out and gathering in a cluster not far from the Longbottoms when the Potters were spat out of the fire. Lily came out in a stride, her long jacket and hair flowing behind her while she walked off the added speed of being spit out by the floo.

Jamie, however, was not as graceful and was only spared the embarrassment of falling flat on his face because Lily knew to reach out an arm and steady him.

Ron wasted no time running over to greet his best friend, and before Jamie really had a chance to collect his bearing, Ron was dragging him over to his family by the hem of his robes. Lily followed behind them at her own pace, her eyes searching the crowd to find her husband, it appeared that he was yet to arrive.

The fires flared behind them, and the floo spat out the Malfoy family. They dusted themselves off and made their way over to an area where other members of the lower nobility were standing. It was lucky that they didn't linger, because seconds after them the Marus Bones erupted from the fire, followed closely by his wife and two grandchildren, Susan and Aimus. Marus, Aimus, and Susan were all pale-skinned, enough so that Marus' wife Alena seemed pale in comparison, even though she was quite fair skinned herself.

Lord Ollivander was quick to greet the Bones family, as he met the heads of the other ancient families. Normally he made less of a show of it, but Marus was married to his sister after all, and so the pair had always been amicable.

"Marus old friend, well met." The old wizard said, extending his arm.

Marus extended his own and the two men gripped one another's forearms firmly. "Well met brother. We appreciate your presence today, Garrick."

"Nonsense, it is tradition. There are many new amongst our families this year. My family may not be sending children to Hogwarts this year, but tradition dictates that we stand guard together, to see them off."

Marus nodded in agreement, but before he could form a verbal response the fires flared behind them and they rushed out of the way.

Green floo flames crawled over the Black family as they exited the large arched hearths that contained the magical gateways. They were not spat unceremoniously from the flames like so many others. Instead, they walked from the flames at a measured and leisurely pace. The picture of grace, as always.

Noctis emerged just behind his grandfather, his trunk floated behind obediently, with a copper-colored cage for Noctis' owl, that he had named Huginn, in dedication to the norse mythology he loved so dearly, attached securely atop it.

Arcturus and Marus greeted one another almost instantly with the same grasped forearms that Marus had exchanged with Garrick. They didn't speak and they didn't really need to. The two were as close as anyone could be, and the wizarding world knew and respected it.

After greeting Arcturus, however, Marus marched over to Noctis. "Well met, young thestral." Marus extended his arm to repeat again the traditional greeting of ancient houses, something that was normally limited to the Lords of the houses while in public. Marus extending the courtesy to Noctis was quite symbolic, and it set a clear precedent for all to see, that Noctis was to be respected just as he, Arcturus, and the other Lords of the ancient houses were.

Aimus greeted Noctis just moments later with a quick handshake and toothy grin. The two boys were ecstatic to start Hogwarts.

Fortunately for Noctis, Jamie and Lily seemed, as of yet, ignorant of his arrival. And he himself was also ignorant of their presence, especially since he was busy being greeted by several of the lesser noble families.

Bill seemed to be the only person in their group that had noticed the arrival of the Black's. Knowing that his father would never extend the courtesy expected of him in his role as Lord of the Weasley family, Bill excused himself quietly and made his way over to the small congregation that surrounded Noctis.

"Well met Hier Weasley," Marus stated in an even tone, alerting the group to the red-headed man's presence.

"Well met Lord Bones." Was Bill's even reply. "And you as well, Lord Black." Bill nodded at the two men, just deep enough that it verged on a bow. "And Lord Ollivander, thank you for coming."

Garrick nodded in response with a simple smile. "Tradition and honor demand no less."

Bill nodded dutifully, shooting a wary look in his father's direction at the same time. "But I remain grateful on behalf of my family, nonetheless."

The three lords all understood what Bill was leaving unsaid. It was incredibly rude of Arthur not to greet them himself. And while Arthur still had time to do so, past experience told them it was incredibly unlikely that he would even look in their direction without sneering.

Before long two cracks, typical of apparition, could be heard on the platform. Technically apparition was banned on the platform for security reasons, but the Aurors all wore an enchanted pendant that allowed them to bypass the anti-apparition wards that protected the platform, and other areas like St. Mungos and the main stretch of Diagon Alley.

The Aurors, two of them, had appeared with their backs facing most of the crowd, but they appeared to be two men with Black hair. Noctis and Jamie didn't need the men to turn around to know who the aurors were. Both sprouted large smiles when they realized who had arrived, though for slightly different reasons.

The pair of aurors turned around, revealing Sirius Black and James Potter dressed in their auror uniforms.

Arcturus shared none of Noctis' joy at Sirius' arrival. His face was shadowed with approaching thunderclouds. Unlike Noctis, Arcturus took notice of who Sirius had arrived with, and he was anything but happy with the man's choice of company.

The two men split apart to go join their families, but not before Arcturus and James locked eyes. Arcturus' face was coached into a stony glare. The storm clouds that hid behind his eyes and cast shadows around his face only intensified after seeing Sirius with the man.

If Arcuturs was doing a relatively good job at hiding his anger, James was a complete abject failure. His face was contorted into an ugly sneer that revealed his teeth - now barred at the old Lord. While Arcturus' anger was stone cold and barely restrain, James' was a hot rage that threatened to consume everything around it.

James didn't dare actually approach them. Instead, he continued forward toward his family, keeping a hostile and suspicious eye turned toward Arcturus all the while.

Noctis did not mirror his grandfather's anger. No, Noctis was just fundamentally confused. They did not talk about his birth family much, if ever, really. He knew who they are, and he had a rough idea of why they tossed him out of their home, not that he understood it. He had, of course, seen Lily and James Potter before, at events when they actually bothered to show up.

Noctis had never, however, seen his brother until this very moment.

Jamie Potter looked almost nothing like him. Where Noctis was tall and narrow, Jamie was of average height and build. Instead of Noctis' sharp aristocratic features, Jamie's face was slightly rounded and warm, like their mothers. His hair had also lightened since birth, and unlike Noctis' black hair, Jamie's was a dark brown. Two brothers really couldn't look less similar.

Noctis has no idea how he felt about the other boy. And he had no idea how to act around him either. He hoped that they wouldn't be in the same house and that they'd have as few classes together as possible. He would have to be careful where he sat, to never get paired with the boy.

By now several people had noticed Noctis' staring, including Analise and Aimus. Analise smiled pitifully and placed her hand on the boy's shoulder to give it a reassuring squeeze. Noctis didn't react aside from giving a small smile that was almost a grimace.

Aimus, however, narrowed his eyes at the other boy. He knew who the boy was. It was a poorly kept secret that Noctis and Jamie were born siblings. But those things were not really spoken about. The magical word, those who still attended to tradition at least, determined the heritage of a witch or wizard by who raised them, who taught them magic, and whose customs they were brought up using - not who gave birth to them. Quite idiosyncratically, blood meant very little to "pureblooded" wizards; family, magic, and tradition, that is what they cared about. Why the light believed they were so obsessed with 'blood' was beyond them.

Aimus made a mental note to keep Noctis away from the other boy. He doubted that Noctis and Jamie would be sorted together, they seemed to have nothing in common from a glance.

Jamie was too busy being fawned over by his father to notice Noctis.

"Sirius" Arcturus greeted when the younger man finally found and reached their group. Arcturus' tone was surprisingly even, given the anger that shone from behind his eyes.

"Grandfather" Sirius replied, a bit sheepishly. He knew he was in trouble for showing up with James. He had sworn off the man's friendship years ago, and Arcturus was glad for it. Nothing good had ever come of his friendship with the Potters. He had broken his mother's heart, he had alienated himself from many ancient families, and his own. The Potters had brought Dumbledore into his life, for Merlin's sake. Why was Sirius so willing to forgive them?

"We'll talk about this later," Arcturus said, putting an end to any discussion on the topic. But anger still shone from the wizened old wizard's eyes.

Sirius tried to swallow the heavy lump that formed in his throat to no avail while trying to anticipate what his grandfather would do to him. He had a good idea.

But Sirius put those thoughts away for a moment. At least, as much as he could. "Where's our little fledgling wizard at!?" he asked the group, pretending not to see Noctis for a few moments. "Aha! There he is!" Sirius swooped in and scooped Noctis up into a bear hug, squeezing the air out of him, along with a few laughs also. Before letting him go Sirius tucked something into Noctis' pocket without explanation. He set the boy down and answered his inquisitive look with a wink.

Troubles forgotten, Noctis went back to the bubbling excitement that he felt before the Potters arrived.

-o-O-o-

"Be good, grandson" his grandparents spoke simultaneously. It was a little scary how they could do that sometimes.

"Be sure to write, Noctis!" his grandmother called as she finally left him with a kiss on his forehead.

"Make us proud Noctis" were his grandfather's parting words has Noctis disappeared into the Hogwarts express, tailed by Aimus who was receiving similar goodbyes from his own family.

Noctis and Aimus waited a few moments for Aimus' cousin Susan to follow behind them. They wandered up the corridor of the train a small way before they finally found an empty compartment.

The three of them settled into the compartment comfortably. They helped each other lift their trunks up to the luggage racks without trouble before sorting themselves out. They each took up a corner seat, with the remaining corner playing host to Susan's pet kneazle, Artemis.

The three children sat together in an excited silence for a few moments. Each of them wore wide grins on their face. They had been waiting for this moment their entire lives.

A few moments passed and they heard the steam engine's whistle screech loudly.

"And we're off to Hogwarts," Noctis said, grinning from ear to ear.

A/N: Longest chapter yet, wow! You'll have to wait for the next chapter for the sorting, sorry!

As you can see I've taken some minor liberties with the ages of the Weasley children. Recently I have been (re-)reading the incredible "Saving Connor" series by Lightning On the Wave. I really like their style of including interludes that contain letters between characters; so I am going to copy them and do that.

Hope you all enjoyed! Please review! I read and appreciate them all, and reply to everyone via PM when possible.