“Let's get a cabin,” Lars said, turning and going down the hall. The motion of the train caused the floor to tremble. Lars moved down without opening any of the doors. Beyond the frosted train doors, Thomas could hear happy conversations and laughter. Trailing beyond Lars, he didn't question where he was going. Lars told him about his vision during the night. When his parents were asleep.

Lars explained that if immediate action wasn't taken, what he saw would result in a fatal outcome. Thomas agreed to follow along as long as he was in the loop. He was concerned for Lars and wanted to do more to assist him, but Thomas was a people observer. When he attempted to extract more information from Lars, he reacted differently. His words were on the verge of being lies as his eyes turned cold and his shoulders tensed. Thomas would rather be by his side with incomplete responses than be elsewhere without any.

Thomas felt. No, he knew that Lars would drive him away. Stop them if that makes things better. Watching that back walk away from him. He thought he was gazing at the back of the elderly man. Lars spoke more than you could understand and knew more than he would admit. Maybe because of this, Thomas found it simpler to accept it. He was used to it.

“Here we are.” Lars opened the door on the last door.

“You don't mind sharing, do you? Everywhere else was full.” Lars smiled and addressed whoever was inside. As he entered, he noticed a boy who appeared tall even when seated. Straight, silver-blonde hair framed his pale face. His bangs were pinned back with a clip, and his honey-brown eyes looked sad, but that didn't stop him from appearing cute. Was he even a boy?

“Already in your school robes?” Lars said, getting himself a window seat.

“Uh, yes.” The blonde boy hesitated. Not looking Lars in the eyes and picking at the black slacks beneath his black robes. Pants meant he was a boy, and Thomas gave an inward sigh of relief. Lars saved him from a rather embarrassing talk. Sitting beside Lars, the boys darted up and stopped right in Lars' face.

“You're from Ireland?” The golden brown eyes looked as curious as they were timid.

“Originally, my family moved to England. That way, I could attend Hogwarts with Thomas.” Lars said. Thomas knew that they had moved to England to pick him up, but to attend Hogwarts specifically? That was never brought up.

“Hogwarts takes students from Ireland.” The boy's voice kept a soft tone but sounded confident. Lars shook his head.

“We are on the wrong side. My folks went to Durmstrang.” Lars grimaced. “It's gotten better over the years, but it's not a place my parents felt that I or Thomas should attend.”

“It does have a certain...” The blonde boy paused. “Reputation.”

“There are many good people there, but why take chances?” Lars shrugged his shoulders.

“What is wrong with Durmstrang?” Thomas asked, wanting to know more. He believed Aunt Merry would want Lars to attend her old school. He could see her getting excited and thinking back on the past.

“It's known for its focus on the dark arts.” Lars said, his eyes growing more serious.

“Hogwarts has a dark arts class.” Thomas remarked as he recalled the books on defense against the dark arts he had acquired with Uncle Liam.

“That's defense against.” The blond boy spoke up. “Durmstrang. It is renowned for dispensing it, or at the very least teaching something that approaches practicing the dark arts.”

"My parents were fortunate; they had strength, whereas others did not." Lars shook his head. "Some old habits are hard to break."

"It's hard for me to imagine using magic to harm others." The blonde boy grew a little dimmer and turned to face the window. Thomas could understand how he must have felt like he was trying to get away from it. “It's very much like Slytherin.”

“Slytherin isn't all that bad.” Thomas offered because he was confident that Lars would be there and that Lars wouldn't enter a house where bad people lived.

“Most witches and wizards who enroll in Slytherin are bad or worse.” His hands trembled as he pulled him into his robe.

“Ask the hat for another house then.” Thomas said with a shoulder shrug. He thought it would be simple to fix. After all, that is what he and Lars had intended to do.

“Malfoy's are a Slytherin family.” He folded his hands around himself. “I've prepared myself for it.” Thomas didn't know what else to say, looking at Lars. He saw him watching the other boy with a thoughtful look on his face.

“Let's change,” Lars said. Completely ignoring the atmosphere.

“Okay.” Thomas did not see anything else he could do here. He looked at his ring, pulling the robes from their depths. He noticed that Lars didn't need to look at his ring to get his robes, but that didn't surprise Thomas one bit. Changing without a care for who was around him. He finally got around to donning the robe when he heard a whimper coming from the window seat.

“You're the vampire.” The blond boy took a sharp breath; his body was wavering in his seat. Thomas gave Lars a sharp glance. How did he know? Thomas's reach for his hair—the braid that covered one ear—got caught behind his ear. Revealing the pointed tip. The other? Covered in his thick black hair.

“The school knows.” Lars shrugged, leaning back; his brogue didn't seem to have any sort of soothing effect on the boy as it did on Thomas. Instead, his legs trembled. “Hogwarts is working with S.T.V. A vampire like Thomas can attend school.”

“S.T.V. ?” Thomas asked, sitting beside the relaxed Lars. Ignoring the boy's reaction to him

“Society for the Tolerance of Vampires. The S.T.V. is an organization that supports the mainstreaming of vampires into polite wizarding society.” Lars nodded and offered Thomas a smile.

“They tinkled when you chose to go to Hogwarts.” Thomas' eyes widened in awe. A society that liked vampires? That sounded...good.

“Did my father work with them?” Thomas asked Lars. It sounded like they shared similar goals, at least from what little he knew about his father.

“Not sure.” Lars continued while shrugging and tapping his bottom lip. “At the very least, they have the same ideals, wanting an interrogation of vampires and witches. They used to be viewed as crackpots; your kind of validation of their work 'til now," Lars continued, tilting his head back and forth.

Without knowing what else to say, Thomas merely said, "Oh." It was a little off-putting and didn't seem to fit with his life up until this point.

“Should I do anything?” Thomas wasn't certain whether this group was at the school.

“I wouldn't worry about it.” Lars stretched his arms in the air. Looking very relaxed. “If anyone bothers you about it, send them to me.”

“Thanks.” Thomas was confident that Lars would support him. It made the overwhelming situation manageable. “It's good to have a friend.” Thomas grinned and leaned back, relishing the knowledge that he was no longer by himself.

“You're not afraid?” The blond boy broke in, looking around with a whisper. Thomas put his hands back on his lap. Was the boy scared of him?

“Of what?” Thomas asked, confused.

“Reactions.” His brown eyes were shaking but firm as he looked up.

“I've got Lars,” Thomas shrugged; he wasn't particularly concerned with other people. He had no intention of socializing with others. Let alone those who would criticize him because of his vampire heritage. Like the Rows, by his ears.

“Oh,” he said, turning away. Looking at the speeding trees rushing past the window. Lars only shrugged his shoulders when Thomas turned to look at him.

“Where's the vampire?” The door slammed open. Thomas recognized the girl from the tailor shop a month ago. She left an impression on him with her sparkling brown eyes. Thomas didn't think eyes could sparkle, but there they were. “Do you bite?”

“Um, no.” Thomas shook his head.

“Drink blood?” She asked again, placing her chin in her hands and staring at him. With eagerness, Thomas thought she was like a puppy. Thomas shook his head. “Garlic?” Thomas paused and nodded. He came across it a few times in Row's attempt to cleanse him.

“I didn't know that garlic affected you.” Lars said, not bothered by the girl at all.

“Well, he is a vampire.” The girl nodded with her eyes closed, like she knew.

“It makes my eyes burn, and my skin breaks out in a nasty rash.” Thomas explained to the pair. Feeling more relaxed since Lars joined in.

“Like an allergy.” Lars mused. Thomas nodded, agreeing with the assessment.

“So no blood?” The girl slumped her shoulders, looking very disappointed.

“I'm not old enough yet.” Thomas said with a pause. “I think.” He muttered more to himself than to her.

“When you get older, can I see your fangs?” She perked back up. Thomas nodded and shrugged. Why not?

“It's agreed, then.” Lars clapped his hands. “Would you like to sit? On a train seat.” Lars pointed to the seat behind her.

“I'm wearing shorts under my skirt.” She gave Lars two thumbs up, like all was well. Thomas shook his head, unable to stop the smile from forming on his lips. She was an odd girl, but he couldn't stop himself from liking her. At least a little bit.