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The sound of the train's engines filled platform 9 and three quarters. Avery Flint stood with her family, scanning the platform. Her eyes met with a pair of grey ones and she smiled and waved.
Draco Malfoy gave a small awkward wave back. "The Flint family." Draco looked back to see his father looking in the direction he was waving at. "I heard their daughter is joining Hogwarts this year," Lucius Malfoy said to his wife. His father was such a gossip.
"She doesn't look like a first-year." Now Narcissa Malfoy was looking over at the family too.
"Oh no, she was homeschooled for three years. Her parents thought Hogwart's education standards did not reach their expectations, which I agree."
"Then why send her here now?"
Draco shifted uncomfortable, trying to find something else to focus on.
"Marcus told them the teachers there weren't great. However, they thought their daughter could use some friends in her teenage years, I suppose."
Draco looked up to see his parents staring intensely at the Flint family. He sighed before clearing his throat.
"Oh yes, Draco dear, have you got everything you need?" Narcissa asked, both his parents adverting their attention back to their son.
"You better behave yourselves," Mrs Flint warned, adjusting Marcus's sleeves. "Take care of your sister and make sure she doesn't get in trouble, Marcus." The boy nodded, glancing at his sister.
Mr Flint focused his attention on his daughter. "It's alright Avery, I'm sure you'll make friends this year. Besides, the tournament is happening, you might even make friends all the way from Drumstrang or Beauxbaton," he reassured his worried-looking daughter.
"Right." Avery wasn't really worried about making friends, she was frightened. Friends can betray you, lie to you...
"Well, go on now you two, or you won't be able to find a compartment to sit in," Mrs Flint said sternly, hugging her children one last time
⊱- - - - -⊰
"Candy from the trolley, dears?" Avery looked up to see a middle-aged woman with a trolley filled with all sorts of candy.
"Do you want to share?" Tracey Davis asked. Tracey had knocked on the compartment door and asked to sit. Since then, both of them have had quite a splendid time getting to know each other.
"Sure."
And with that, five chocolate frogs, two packs of cookies, three bags of Roasted Chimera Potato Crisps and a jar of candy lay on the empty seats beside the two girls.
"So you haven't spoken to anyone since your first year?"
Avery nodded.
"That's cruel. Why would your parents do that?" Tracey asked, munching on her crips.
