The train rumbled as it lugged its way between the roughly carved mountains and tunnels, its windows were printed with pastoral designs and the chatters of eager children made the entire train lively. All the compartments were full, Posie realized, as she peeped through another window, only to be disappointed. She knew it would be better to sit with Draco and the rest of her friends, but she badly wanted time alone with her thoughts. She still had a few hours before she would be reacquainted with the halls of Hogwarts, and with every passing cloud in the sky, the queasy feeling inside her stomach intensified.

Posie couldn't help but feel as if the dreams that haunted her over the summer were only the beginning of what was to come. Sighing, she peeped through another compartment window. In the train cart sat Neville Longbottom, a rather shy, round-faced Gryffindor boy. He struggled to keep his pet toad, Trevor, in his lap as it put up a resistance. Perhaps, the toad just wanted to stretch its legs.

Posie smiled, dismissing this compartment as well. Neville seemed to have his hands full, and the last thing he needed was a Slytherin intruder to deal with. She had never had gotten a chance to converse with Neville, due to his shy personality over the course of last year, and the fact that Draco had created a bad image of Slytherins didn't help.

She sighed. She wasn't any better. It's not like she ever since created a wedge between Draco and Neville. The fact that she just sat on the sidelines watching Neville get hurt didn't paint her in a better light, she realized, as she looked through another window. However, what she saw on the other side only made her dizzy. Confined in the small space were three girls: Hermione, a newcomer with short red hair, and Dahlia. All were busy talking as Dahlia pointed to an old notebook in the red head's hands. The girl shook her head in a defiant manner before shooting up like a spring.

Her hair brush against her face as her green eyes looked straight at Posie, the others soon followed suit. It was the twinkling of Dahlia's hazel eyes that caused Posie to scurried away. Her face heated and heart threatened to burst through her ribs.

It was only then that Posie decided to sit with Draco.

•

The rest of the ride to Hogwarts was less eventful, as Posie would put it, as she found herself nodding into sleep, the chatter around her turning into white noise. Draco was the loudest as he droned on and on about his summer vacation with his family. Sure, Posie had gotten used to his endless episodes of colorful chatter filled with bragging and an additional lie here and there, owed to her parents being friends with his. Naturally, but still surprisingly to Posie, they became great friends over the years. Nevertheless, the sudden sight of her old friend Dahlia had placed her in a rather bad mood and as if that wasn't enough, it seemed that Draco become even more annoying over the break.

His ceaseless stories continued as they started to get dressed in their robes, and even to the horse-less carriages. The sight caused many of the second years to be placed in a slight state of shock. It was there that Posie was forced to confront the fact that she was no longer a first year. She spared Draco a glance, to see whether or not he was affected.

Surprisingly his face held this swaggering glow as he sneered loudly, "My father told me about this. Said they are being dragged by some invisible horses or something!"

His voice was light and carefree. Posie huffed, her heart dropping. Of course he would know. Posie couldn't helped but hope that she would eventually have a good relationship between her parents like Draco did, and without she realizing it, a bit of envy was lit inside her towards Draco. She sat rigidly between Pansy as she, along with the others, hung on every word that fell from Draco's lips. Her annoyance evolved to another level, but this time, it wasn't because of Draco. Her annoyance festered all the way to the castle, even through the bustling of the Great Hall.

Anytime Draco stressed a word or a phrase, Pansy would gasp while clutching onto Posie's robes. It was when the sorting ceremony started that Draco had found the decency to stop the chattering, and Posie's bitterness had, by then, left her. With another loud shout of "Hufflepuff" from the Sorting Hat, the long line of new students came dwindling down to the last two. Both children were visibly timid, probably due to all eyes were on them. As a scrawny boy wobbled over to the stool, Draco chose then to let his presence be known once again.

"Humph, another muggle-born." boomed Draco. His face was nonchalant as he played with a golden fork. The candlelight didn't compliment his looks, as it only made him a few shades paler.

His statement draw few looks from the others. Pansy was right at his side as always, her eyes now more jubilant than ever before. Posie looked over to Draco, only to see Dahlia staring disappointingly at him before turning to the Gryffindor table. She followed her eyes as it landed on a unimaginably bushy-haired girl, Hermione. The Gryffindor girl looked rather concerned, her head swiveling swiftly as though searching for something. Posie's heart swelled in indignation before she glared at Draco, who was oblivious to her newfound anger.

"If it wasn't for my mother, I would be at Durmstrang, surrounded by people who have a greater understanding of standards. Unlike what we have at Hogwarts, a mental prune for a headmaster!" spat Draco.

Posie clutched at the table cloth as she focused on the thought of Draco actually being transferred to Dumstrang. A blank smile was now on her face as she giggled softly to herself.

Too bad Narcissa loved her son too much to send him that far away.

The sorting was finally over when Dumbledore introduced the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, which caused quite an outburst from the female population. Everyone except Posie, that is, whose stomach ache captured all of her attention. If she thought back to earlier that day, the only thing she ate was toast with tea and a couple of sweets on the train. She tapped her feet impatiently during Lockhart's lengthy speech.

If it wasn't for Professor McGonagall cutting the speech short with small cough, Posie would surely have starved to death.

Soon, the hall was filled with the beautiful aroma of beef, pork, roast ham, and baked chicken. Posie sighed in relief as she filled her mouth with mashed potatoes. A few conversations were exchanged over the Slytherin table, however, the main noises came from the dishes and forks. In short time, every plate sparkled, and everyone wore a satisfied smile, their hunger satiated. However, this didn't hinder Crabbe and Goyle's glutinous behaviours as they fought the immense cramps that rippled through their abdomens and devoured two bowls of fudge, skillfully filling their already bursting pockets with more foods. Their robes, as a result, were saturated with oil. Soon they were escorted out by a sixth-year prefect.

It was there that Posie gotten a glimpse of Dahlia trotting towards Hermione and the ginger, who she had learned to be Ginny Weasely. She stretched her neck, peering over the many shoulders and heads in the sea of students, but to her dismay, the trio was gone by the time there was an opening. An inexplicable chill rose in her bones.

During the walk to the Slytherin common room Posie had overheard that Harry Potter and his ginger friend had arrived in a flying muggle contraption called a car. This somehow causes Draco to smile, but she only understood why once she heard the blond utter a single word: 'expelled'.

"Felix Felicis." said the prefect, and mechanically, the murky portrait - containing a rather proud looking man - sneered before flinging itself open to reveal an intricately designed foyer and a circular cozy room. It was warmed by the crackling of fire and emerald arm chairs posed boastfully beside the handsome fireplace. Soon enough, the once quiet common room was filled with murmurs. Posie, however, found herself to be too drowsy, and honestly couldn't take another session of Draco's babbling without breaking his arm.

She trotted down the dim basement, surrounded by stone snake's jaws, which carved into the walls and acted as candle stands. The walls flashed silver while the emerald eyes of the faux snakes stared eerily at her as she sank further down in the darkness. She was soon greeted by the entrance to the second-year girls dormitory, just above the boys dormitory. The familiar wooden door now had the words "second years" in place of "first years."

A stiff smile makes its way onto Posie's face as the door creaked open, and she quickly scrambled to her four-poster bed. Kicking off her shoes, she plopped herself onto the bed while snuggling into her pillow. A sigh left her lips; she had almost forgotten the warmth of this bed, which was strangely more welcoming than the one at home.

Smiling, she stared down at her wiggling toes, but not before she caught the sight of the bed opposite hers. It's silver curtains were drawn closed, but Posie could see the faint silhouette of a girl behind it. Her heart plummeted as she watched the silhouette anxiously. It felt as if a cold wind was blowing inside her stomach.

She had forgotten that she shared the dormitory with Dahlia.

Edited by a dear friend.