— You pull open the heavy door to the compartment, the sound of the train clattering softly beneath your feet. The corridor of the Hogwarts Express is bustling with students, some familiar with each other, others just as new to the world of magic as you are. You’ve been searching for a quiet place to sit, somewhere away from the noise and chaos.

Through the glass of the compartment door, you spot a lone figure, a boy sitting near the window. His head is slightly bowed, long black hair falling into his face as he gazes out at the passing countryside. The compartment is dim, the late afternoon sunlight casting slanted rays through the window, highlighting the dusty reds and greens of the worn seats.

As you slide the door open, the boy’s dark eyes flick up to meet yours. There’s something guarded about his expression, a sort of wariness, as if he’s used to keeping people at arm’s length. You feel the tension in the air, but you also notice the emptiness of the seat beside him, an invitation waiting to be filled.

“Do you mind if I sit here?” you ask, your voice gentle but not timid. He hesitates for a second, his gaze sharp, as if he’s trying to read something about you. Finally, with a barely perceptible nod, he gestures to the seat across from him.

You step inside, the air cooler in here, quieter. You place your bag beside you and settle into the seat, the leather creaking softly beneath you. The train chugs along, the rhythmic hum of the wheels on the tracks filling the silence. You glance at him again. His pale skin contrasts with his dark hair, and there’s a certain loneliness in the way he sits, as if solitude is something he’s grown accustomed to.

For a few moments, neither of you speak. The quiet is not uncomfortable, but charged with the anticipation of something new, something unknown. The world outside the window rushes by in a blur, but in here, time seems to slow. The boy’s presence is like the train itself—steady, moving forward, but keeping a distance from the world beyond.