Yours Truly Ever And After

Beginning of the New Journey

Kenna's POV (31st August, 1943)
As the hours hasten by, only a scant few remain before the Hogwarts Express departs, signifying the commencement of my journey at Hogwarts. Lost in contemplation of the swift passage of days, a knock at the door jolts me from my reverie. Tom Riddle stands there, his presence commanding yet familiar. We should depart by ten, he suggests, to arrive at the station around eleven-fifteen. His tone, assertive as ever, leaves no room for argument.
The next day we reached the station around quarter past 11 and the station held a chearful vibes being a hive of activity as usual while being filled with liveliness of people and the shrill cries of trains. We encounter Ariana Bell and Abraxas Malfoy. We greeted each other and as I observed Abraxas being a person so head over heels for Ariana was accepting everything she was saying which brought a smile on my face. We ought to board the train. I proposed, and we boarded the train and found a compartment, only to discover Tom's and Abraxas's friends in a rather delicate situation. We withdraw promptly, finding the solace in an empty compartment.
As the train sets forth, soon it started raining, battering the windows making the weather more beautiful. I open my locket, and a phoenix emerges, delighting in the downpour. After a very delightful time watching the beauty of nature, a subsequent knock on the door reveals the Head Boy and Girl, who inform us of the delay due to the storm.
They told Tom and Ariana to help them to inform everyone about the information they gave us. After listening to this I asked to volunteer my assistance as well to which they accepted and then all started to leave but I stood there and casted Expecto Patronum which attracted even Head boy, Head girl, Ariana and Tom's attention as well apart from Abraxas' attention. A splendid creature, an amalgam of Thunderbird, Hippogriff, and Phoenix, emerges from my wand, delivering the message to all.

Seeing this all 5 of them were stunned for sometime but soon came out of the shock and asked me "Which house do you belong to ? " To which my reply came Gryffindor.
They both nodded and then the Heads commend Gryffindor with a hundred points for my efforts then left, and with a yawn, I settle into my seat. Wake me when it's time to change into our uniforms, I say, succumbing to slumber.

Tom's POV
The compartment grew quiet as Kenna announced her intention to rest and promptly dozed off. We all exchanged glances, still in awe of the Patronus she had conjured, a creature as majestic as it was mysterious. The conversation naturally drifted to speculations about the nature of her magic among the three of us, while Ariana, too began to succumb to the lull of sleep. Abraxas, who is head over heels for her and can't bear to see her facing any kind of discomfort with a bit of gentle persuasion, convinced her to swap seats for a more comfortable rest against the window.
As I took up my new position next to Kenna she perhaps seeking comfort in her sleep, leaned her head against my shoulder. The surprise of her closeness soon gave way to a sense of familiarity, and before long, the steady rhythm of the train had us all in a deep slumber.
I was sleeping peacefully when I sensed some movements beside me which brought me out of my slumber and there I saw Kenna is now awake. I, in a sleepy voice asked her the time to which she replied it is Quarter past 5. Then I stretched my body and opened the door to leave to go to the lavatory when she called and asked Do you know where the girl's lavatory is? I nodded and told her Follow me We both went to our respective lavatory and did our required buisness then she asked Do you mind if we go and ask the Head boy and girl about the information related to when we are going to reach the station ? I shook my head and we both went to the head compartment and knocked on the door which was soon opened by the head boy. They greeted us with somber faces, the gravity of the situation evident in their eyes. "The storm has worsened," they informed us, as if they understood why we came there, "and it's likely we'll be spending the night aboard the train." They assured us that necessities would be provided, and requested Kenna, to deliver the message to everyone and she with her usual grace, had once again sent her Patronus to deliver the message throughout the train.
Upon our return, Kenna's pet, Sapph, had greeted us but especially her with lively affection by jumping right into her arms. She settled him on the table with some biscuits, and we relayed the news of the delay to Ariana and Abraxas who woke up the second we entered into the compartment. They both nodded and we all started to busy ourselves with something.
With the passing of time I grew impatient and I shut my book with a loud noise attracting everyone's attention on me to which Abraxas asked me in a voice filled with concern Are you alright Tom ?
The compartment's atmosphere was thick with sarcasm as I replied to Abraxas, Oh yes, I'm splendid. Truly, what could be better than being stranded in the middle of nowhere during a thunderstorm, destined to spend the night in a train compartment? It's the pinnacle of comfort, the very essence of joy of my life. My words dripped with irony, eliciting a round of weary chuckles of both Ariana and Abraxas.
But Kenna didn't withdraw her eyes from the book replied Don't fret, the storm will pass soon enough. I was about to retort, to question her unfounded certainty, when the phoenix that had emerged from her locket let out a commanding roar into the darkened sky. Its cry resonated with a power that seemed to reach the very heart of the storm.
And then, as if heeding the call of the majestic creature, the thunderstorm abated.

The rain ceased its relentless assault on the windows, and the tumultuous clouds parted. The phoenix, with its fiery plumage, had quelled the chaos, returning to the locket with a grace that left us all in silent wonder. In that moment, the impossible had occurred, and the journey to Hogwarts resumed under a now peaceful sky, guided by the soft glow of the stars.
As we disembarked from the train, the cool night air was a welcome reprieve from the confines of the compartment. Professor Dumbledore was there to meet us, his presence a reassuring beacon in the chaos. "We shall proceed to Hogwarts by carriage" he announced, a decision that brought a collective sigh of relief from the students.
I found myself unexpectedly grateful for the change; the thought of arriving at Hogwarts through the stately procession of carriages seemed fitting, almost ceremonial. It was a moment to be savored, the final stretch of our journey unfolding with a touch of tradition.
Amidst the crowd, Avery approached, his question laced with an obliviousness that grated on my already frayed nerves. "Where have you been, Riddle?" he asked, as if our absence had gone unnoticed.
My reply came not with sarcasm, but with a barely contained anger. If you had been paying any attention at all, you would have seen us. I snapped, the frustration of the night's events bleeding into my words. But I suppose that's too much to expect.
The conversation was cut short as we were ushered towards the waiting carriages. The ride through the darkened grounds of Hogwarts was silent, each of us lost in our own thoughts, the earlier storm now just a whisper in the past.

Author's POV
Soon everyone reached Hogwarts and were assembled in the Great Hall. The Great Hall which usually is a place of raucous laughter and the clinking of plates, was subdued tonight. The students, weary from their prolonged journey, gathered in silence as Headmaster Dippet took to the podium. His voice, though gentle, carried the weight of authority as he addressed the assembly.
"Greetings, young witches and wizards," he began. "The weather has indeed been unkind to us, but fear not, for we shall ensure your comfort. Professors Dumbledore and Slughorn, please escort the first years to the special dormitories prepared for them. As for the rest of you, the prefects will lead you to your respective houses. The sorting ceremony for children will be held tomorrow and classes will remain suspended till tomorrow"
The hall echoed with the shuffle of feet and the joyful murmur of voices as the students dispersed. In the shadows of the castle, a secret meeting was underway in the Room of Requirement. A group of boys, cloaked in the anonymity of the night, were engaged in a dangerous game of power. One among them, a boy with a cruel streak, wielded the Cruciatus Curse with a terrifying ease, eliciting howls of pain from his victims.
Tom, that's enough said the other boy softly, his tone firm yet devoid of harshness. We've done what's needed; any more and it could be the end of them and us. His words were a reminder of the fine line they tread, a line that could mean life or death, suspicion or trust.
The tortured students, now released from their agony, scrambled to compose themselves, their eyes wide with fear and respect for the one who had the power to both inflict and cease their pain.
As the group departed the Room of Requirement, the castle settled into an uneasy silence, the events of the night a harbinger of the darkness that was slowly seeping into the very walls of Hogwarts.
But on the other part of the castle even though the witching hour had long since passed when Kenna stepped through the portrait hole into the Gryffindor common room. The flickering firelight cast a cozy glow over the gathered students, their faces etched with both curiosity and the unmistakable signs of a day's weariness. Ariana introduced Kenna, and despite the late hour, a ripple of subdued excitement passed through the group.
They leaned in, eager to hear snippets of Kenna's life at Ilvermorny, but their enthusiasm was tempered by yawns and heavy eyelids which were the testaments to the draining journey they had all endured. The tales of American wizardry were met with nods and half-smiles, the desire to explore Kenna's past battling with the need for rest.
When Ariana and the Male Prefect finally suggested it was time to retire, there was a collective, albeit reluctant, agreement. The students rose, their movements languid, each step towards their beds a promise of much-needed sleep. Ariana's whispered excitement about sharing a dormitory with Kenna was a soft endnote to the night, a shared moment of joy before they surrendered to the call of dreams.