First time on the Hogwarts Express.

A few weeks passed, and the day when classes would begin had finally arrived. At Drachen Manor, Eric stood ready with his trunk in the entrance hall of the house, waiting for Elizabeth to be ready to travel by joint appearance.

-Come on Elizabeth, it's time! We'll be late! If the train leaves me you'll be the only one responsible!

-Okay~ and you don't have to worry about being late, if you miss the train I'll take you to Hogsmade with the apparition.

-But I want to go by train... The Hogwarts Express is a magical train like you can't find anywhere else in England, and the first years we're supposed to cross the Black Lake by boat... I don't want to miss anything... Besides, they say that the lady with the candy cart is some kind of magical being linked to the train....

-Elizabeth entered the lobby, wearing a violet dress the same shade as her eyes, and carrying a small purse. - Do you think I'll pass as a Muggle in public?

-Who knows... but it's late anyway. Let's go!

-Oops... how annoying you get sometimes..." Elizabeth then grabbed Eric's trunk, and took the boy's hand. Moments later, and after what felt like being spun in a centrifuge, they appeared in one of the less crowded areas near King Cross Station. -Well, here we are. Have you got your ticket?

-Yes, I have it. Ugh... I think I'm going to throw up..." said Eric with a pale face.

-Yeah, that's what joint appearance feels like. I'm dragging you along after all.

The child and guardian pair walked into the station until they reached the pillar separating platforms 9 and 10, after which they moved quickly forward to enter platform 9 3/4.

-Well, here we are, and that's the Hogwarts Express over there," said Elizabeth, pointing to the scarlet-colored steam train in front of them at the station. -You should get on. Look for an empty carriage. And don't be nervous at the sorting ceremony, but just in case, don't let the stupid hat put you in Griffindor next to that brat Potter. And the farther away you are from that old white beard the better. -she said quickly.

-Until Christmas!

-Oh, yeah... about that... I'm sorry, but you'll have to stay at Hogwarts this Christmas.

-Eh... it's okay... I guess," Eric replied as he boarded the train. After boarding, he walked down the corridor looking for an empty compartment. It was a few minutes before he found one, and after entering, he pulled down the shutter on the door, and sat down.

The train departed, leaving the station behind. Eric was getting ready to have a quiet trip, and enjoy the peace that solitude brought him... when the compartment door opened, and a pale girl with blonde hair and blue-gray eyes came into sight.

She did not speak, and stared silently for a few seconds, finally stepping away from the doorway, leaving a second girl with brown hair and green eyes to replace her.

This girl, who seemed to be much more sociable than the previous one, asked.

-Hi. The train is full, and your compartment has plenty of room... so... could we stay here?

Eric, not knowing exactly how to interact with individuals his own age, froze for a moment....

-Yes... sure, no problem," Eric whispered back.

-Thank you, I'm Tracey Davis, and the girl behind me is Daphne Greengrass. And you are?

-Oh... I'm Eric Drachen... it's a pleasure. -Eric replied shyly.

-Drachen? I've never heard of such a family, but... are you a Pureblood? -The blonde girl, who had remained silent until that moment, asked.

-Pureblood?

-Don't tell me you don't know... Then you must be a Muggleborn... right? -said the Greengrass girl with a slightly contemptuous tone. Tracey, who up to that point had been being quite friendly, looked at Eric nervously, as if she didn't know how to interact with him anymore.

-Oh, that... no my family has only had wizards in the family tree for over three thousand years. -Eric replied, tilting his head in confusion - Does that make me a Pureblood?

-Yes, exactly, that's exactly what a Pureblood is... but it's surprising, I don't think there's a Pureblood family that old with that background in England... -Daphne answered confidently, but in the second half she seemed to be somewhat confused -if there was, there's no way I wouldn't be part of the Holy Twenty-Eight.

-Oh, that... My family is from Northern Europe, my surname was created in the 3rd century in one of the Germanic tribes.

-I see... -the blonde girl seemed to accept the explanation and after managing to put her trunk on the luggage rack she sat down -come on Tracey, it's Pureblood, staying here won't cause us any trouble.

-Great, Eric, it's nice to meet you.

After that interaction, Daphne remained as she read a book in silence.

Tracey didn't know how to deal with Eric's shyness, so the conversation didn't progress.

They remained like that, silent, until the compartment door was opened unexpectedly, startling the three occupants, a girl with a large tangle of brown hair, and slightly long teeth.

-Has anyone seen a toad? Neville lost his. -She said in a bossy tone of voice. Only after saying this, Eric noticed that there was a round-faced boy standing nervously behind her.

-We haven't seen him. -Eric replied in a somewhat curt manner, although this was mainly because of his problems communicating with people his own age.

-They could at least make the effort to look in his compartment. -The brown girl at the door spoke annoyingly, with her same bossy tone.

Eric didn't know how to respond to get rid of that nasty girl. But while he was speechless, Daphne, the cold and unsociable girl was the one who spoke.

-The toad is not in this compartment. If he was we would have noticed him. -She said with an expressionless face, as she lowered her book, "Besides, they don't even know who we are, I don't think they'd want to make trouble with us if they did... There are two purebloods here, and a half-blood friend of mine. So, if that Longbottom is looking for his toad, he should ask for himself, or does belonging to the Sacred Twenty-Eight fit him?

The girl at the door swallowed loudly.

-I just wanted to help..." she muttered, "But, the Sacred Twenty-Eight? Aren't those the oldest and most important Wizarding Families in England...-her eyes sparkled as she looked at them.

Neville, who was already nervous, became even more uneasy and even looked scared, from behind the brown girl he could only manage to say: "I'm sorry... I didn't mean to disturb you.

-Well, you know that the toad is not here. -Greengrass said, looking contemptuously at the boy he called Longbottom. And then looking at the brown girl he added, "Exactly, those Holy Twenty-eight. Besides, if you break into a place, before anything else you should introduce yourself.

-Oh... yes, I'm sorry. I'm Hermione Granger, it's a pleasure. -The girl introduced herself, Hermione.

-I'm Tracey Davis, and the blonde girl is Daphne Greengrass.

-I'm... Eric Drachen. It's a pleasure to meet you.

-The boy behind me is Neville Longbottom. Anyway, we're almost there, you should put on your school robes now.

After saying that, Hermione and Neville walked away after closing the compartment door again.