Being a Greengrass after all should sound pretty serene.
But being a part of "the Emeralds" should not, especially when hearts become entangled with the infamous Regulus Black.
Goodness, lawfulness, or evilness. Which path will they tread in the ti...
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September 1st, 1977
Avery finally sank into a seat, letting out a quiet sigh after wandering through the train for what felt like ages, debating which compartment felt right. She might as well make use of the one advantage of arriving early—the freedom to choose before every compartment became crowded.
A knock sounded against the glass. Looking up, she spotted Henry standing in the corridor, offering her a sheepish wave. Avery slid the compartment door open.
"Hey, Avery," Henry greeted with an easy grin. "Good to see you again. How was your summer?"
She smiled back, a little caught off guard by how naturally he always seemed to start conversations.
"Good to see you too," she replied. "And, uh... summer was alright. Pretty uneventful. I mostly stayed home."
"Quite the same," Henry admitted. "I told myself I'd be productive. Read more. Do something interesting."
"And?"
"I mostly slept in."
Avery laughed. "At least you had a plan. I just did whatever I felt like in the moment."
"Fair enough."
There was a brief pause before Henry spoke again. "By the way, what did you think of your O.W.L. results?"
Avery shifted on her spot, a small smile tugging at her lips. "Not bad, I guess. Ten Outstandings and an Acceptable in Divination." She shrugged, trying to sound casual but feeling a flicker of pride anyway.
Henry's eyebrows shot up. "Not bad? Avery, that's brilliant. Not something someone can usually brag about!"
She nodded awkwardly. "Thanks, but what about you? The results."
"Nothing too impressive. Mostly Acceptables, a couple of Exceeds Expectations. I'm just glad I passed."
Before Avery could respond, she sensed movement further down the corridor. She didn't need to look twice to know it was Regulus. As usual, one of the earliest people on the train after her. He approached the compartment carrying his luggage with one hand and raised an eyebrow in greeting. Avery offered a small smile in return.
Henry noticed the exchange immediately. "Well," he said, straightening up, "I'll let you two settle in."
His attention shifted back to Avery. "See you at the prefects' carriage later."
Avery nodded, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "Yeah. I'll be there."
"Catch you both later."
With one last wave, Henry disappeared down the corridor while Regulus stepped inside, his eyes flicking toward the Ravenclaw.
"What was he doing here?" he asked, a hint of curiosity-and maybe something else-in his voice.
