Compartment 451

Part 6

Besides supporting rival football clubs, Zayn finds out that he and Elijah end up having a lot in common. The mentorship wasn't something that he was expecting going into his last year at Hogwarts, especially not with his workload, but it seems like it'll be more of a means of de-stressing than anything else. Except for the fact that having to talk so much about his past life had brought on two sleepless nights after their introductory hang out session. It wasn't the boy's fault that getting to know each other had involved Zayn having to extensively explain his past, or that his parents were as adverse to anything that wasn't 'normal' as they were, but even so. Opening up the old wounds weren't doing good for his eight hours a night.

Apparently he wasn't doing a good job at hiding it either.

"You look exhausted," Elijah notes as they walk to lunch together after bumping into each other in the corridor on the way to the Great Hall.

"I'm not sure if that's meant to be an insult or you being concerned," Zayn quips, wishing that he had a mirror to inspect the damage.

The younger boy shrugs, "both. Have you not been sleeping?"

Zayn shakes his head lightly, "nightmares." He leaves it at that, not wanting to get into the details anymore than the boy probably wants to hear about them.

When they're about to split for Zayn to pass up the Ravenclaw table, he nudges Elijah. "Come meet the guys, yeah?"

A flash of insecurity passes over Elijah's face, but it's gone as quickly as it came. "Sure, ok."

"I wouldn't be friends with them if they weren't good lads," Zayn assures him after seeing the doubtful expression.

"I know, I know," Elijah replies hastily as he follows. "From what you've told me about them they sound ace. New kid thing I guess."

Zayn gets that. Would have had to go through the whole thing himself if he had continued on to a new muggle school. Luckily he managed to avoid that then and at Hogwarts, already walking into his first day at the castle with the four that are now in front of him.

"Guys this is Elijah."

The young boy shifts in his spot at the attention being brought towards him, but he's got a confident expression that Zayn's quite proud of given the age and experience difference between him and the group.

Liam's out of his seat and standing to give the boy a proper handshake. "It's good to meet you. I'm Liam."

You're far too much of a gentleman is what you are, Zayn thinks fondly.

"Bloody Liam getting out of his seat," Louis complains, not budging from his place on the bench. "We've all got manners, Liam just likes to show his off."

Elijah bites his bottom lip to keep from smiling too wide at the slight. "Louis then?"

Zayn's laughing at the correct labeling by means of banter. He might just have to bring Elijah around more often if he's going to put Louis in his place like this.

The Slytherin's turns to Zayn with unease, "what have you told him Malik..."

"Enough, apparently," Zayn says without thinking twice about filtering his words, immune to any comeback that it might elicit from his friend by now.

"Alright, go on then." Louis points to the two that are left unintroduced. "Who are they?"

Zayn drops his book bag down on the bench, unintimidated by Louis' challenge since he knows Elijah will get it right.

"Niall and Harry," the boy answers with only mild hesitation, the badges on their robes enough for him to deduce the last two.

Louis doesn't even bother to respond and Zayn's not sure if that's because he's upset his friend didn't only talk about him, or because he's lost his authoritative test.