Six years later, a teenage Silas Arden-Hayes stood patiently at Platform Nine and Three-Quarters, his muscular frame subtly hinting at the physical strength that had developed over the years. He was slightly taller than before, a quiet testament to the emergence of adulthood. His dark brown hair, styled with a casual yet deliberate flair, swayed gently in the crisp breeze.
Silas's grey-blue eyes, reminiscent of his father's, were fixed on the railings of the train, holding a quiet intensity that seemed to conceal a wealth of thoughts. The bustling crowd around him faded into the background as he focused on the familiar scene before him. The platform noises, the distant hum of conversations, all seemed distant as Silas waited, lost in his own thoughts.
A tall figure approached Silas from behind, his piercing grey-blue eyes studying his son's uncharacteristic behaviour. The man moved silently, purposefully, until he stood beside Silas. "Silas, a few of your friends have arrived, would you like to go and greet them?" Damian Hayes asked, his voice filled with a mix of concern and encouragement. However, his words earned only a small glance from his son.
Damian narrowed his eyes, a subtle furrow forming on his forehead as he assessed the quiet standoff. He attempted to get a response, adding, "It would be quite rude not to do so. Mrs. Crouch enjoys your presence and she has brought several gifts for you from their trip to Italy."
Silas reluctantly continued to face the front, his arms now crossed, and his right foot tapping on the hard ground of the station as he tried his best to ignore Damian. The ambient noises of the bustling platform seemed to amplify in the awkward silence between father and son.
"It's also rude to ignore everything your father is saying," Damian's stern tone cut through the air, a warning for Silas not to test his patience.
However, minutes passed without Silas offering a response, and Damian sighed, recognizing the source of his son's frustration. "Silas, it is perfectly normal for you to have a conversation with your parents about your engagement. It was bound to happen eventually, and I had mine when I was fourteen with my own father."
Silas snorted at his father's attempt to rationalise the situation, finally turning his body to face him, shooting a glare in Damian's direction. "And you think that justifies the things mother did to find me a bride during the summer? We agreed that I was not to be engaged until after I finished my education!" The frustration in Silas's voice was evident, a mixture of defiance and resentment against the pressure imposed on him, the tension between father and son hung heavy.
Damian wore an irritated expression, frustration evident not only with Silas but also directed at his own wife's actions. "Silas, you're still going to be engaged after you finish your final year. Your mother and I were still in the midst of discussions, and I had no knowledge she was actively searching for a bride until you told me about it," Damian acknowledged his wife's mistake to Silas. "However, you must understand that your mother was doing that in an attempt to gain more knowledge about your preferences, although her method is considered to be a little... unorthodox."
Before Silas could make a remark, he was abruptly cut off by the sound of horns and whistles, signalling the imminent arrival of the Hogwarts Express. The unexpected interruption shifted their attention from the tense conversation to the bustling platform, where students hurriedly gathered their belongings, eager to board the magical train.
Right on time. Silas thought to himself, a wave of relief washing over him. Without hesitation, he swiftly boarded the train as it finally came to a stop and pulled up at the station. "It was nice having this conversation with you," he waved at Damian, who looked notably unamused by his nonchalant demeanour.
"Do not think we're finished with this conversation, Silas," Damian glared at him.
"Well, I am, so goodbye for now, Father," Silas cut off any further response as he disappeared into the train, leaving Damian behind on the platform. The compartment door closed behind him and Silas vanished from his father's sight the moment he bid his goodbye.
Damian shook his head with a disapproving 'tch' sound. "I need Father to stop putting too much influence on that brat. He's acting too much like him," Damian murmured to himself, his hand in the pocket of his black coat where his wand was kept, fingers fiddling with it. A gentle tap on his shoulder alerted Damian, prompting him to swiftly take out his wand and point it at the person's throat.but his cold gaze softened as soon as he saw who it was and he put his wand back down.
"Are we done yet?" His wife, Rue Arden-Hayes, asked him in a soft tone. It was a wonder how Damian could hear her small voice over the loud crowd that easily drowned it out. However, he guessed he had grown accustomed to it over the years, much like Silas had. Damian gently took Rue's hand into his, not wanting to lose her in the bustling crowd.
"Nearly, dear, nearly," he assured her, his gaze briefly shifting to the departing train where Silas was. "He didn't say goodbye to me, did you notice?" Rue questioned him, her voice laced with disapproval, and a hint of disgust was evident on her face in response to Silas's perceived impoliteness. It took everything in Damian's body to restrain himself from retorting, "He never said goodbye to you all these years, it took you long enough to realise that." Instead, he nodded and said, "He's not having a good day today."
She paused at his words, a contemplative silence hanging in the air before she glanced up to her left, carefully considering her response. "He's not having a good day every day then," she remarked, her words carrying a subtle bitterness, recalling the years of Silas never greeting her whenever he left for Hogwarts. Damian sighed, his gaze shifting away from her and towards the younger children nearby them. As they interacted with their parents, some exuded excitement, glancing eagerly between their parents and the train. Others were full of tears, clinging tightly to their parents and forcing them to promise that they'll write everyday. Damian observed a few children, likely under the age of eleven, tearfully expressing their concerns about not being able to go to Hogwarts or being left behind by their older siblings.
While the scene unfolded, it took Damian all his strength to refrain himself from pointing out the irony of Rue's observation. He resisted the urge to remind her of how she completely ignored Silas when he had tried to hug her before leaving for his first and second year at Hogwarts, pushing the boy away to talk with her friends who were at the station as well.
Damian didn't want to make a scene in the crowded station, so he remained silent, narrowing his eyes at her as they stood amidst the emotions of departing families.
Meanwhile, in the train, Silas grunted in annoyance as he carried his luggage and headed to the Slytherin cart. Having practically sprinted to the nearest train door to avoid further conversation with his father, he hadn't paid attention to which cart he was boarding and accidentally found himself in the Gryffindor section. Ignoring the awkward stares and death glares from the Gryffindors around him, it wasn't an uncommon situation for Silas, but it never failed to annoy him.
"Oi! Silas, wait for me!" Silas heard a familiar voice shouting behind him.
He raised an eyebrow and turned around to see one of his good friends, Barty Crouch Junior, running after him. Barty shoved aside a Gryffindor girl standing in the way, earning a glare in return. "Watch where you're going, idiot!" She yelled, but Barty gave her a dismissive middle finger and continued pursuing Silas with his enormous luggages. When Barty finally caught up, he flashed Silas a wide grin, still panting. After catching his breath, he glared at Silas. "I had been calling out for you since I saw you at the station! Hell, even your father saw me waving at you like a fucking maniac! But nooooo, you were too busy looking at the bloody railway as if it's the only available thing in the world," Barty crossed his arms against his chest. "I mean, who would want to look at some dirty old railway instead of the most handsome boy in the world?!"
"Someone who is pissed at their parents," Silas responded, his eyes narrowed at Barty. As the weight of his words settled, Barty's eyes transitioned from confusion to mischief.
"Do tell, has your daddy finally tried to play matchmaker with you?" Barty wiggled his eyebrows suggestively, teasing Silas as they strolled toward the Slytherin cart. Silas shook his head in denial.
"It was my mother," Barty's expression immediately shifted, a puzzled look replacing the mischief on his face. "Your mother? Your mother was the one who tried to find a girl for you?" He asked in disbelief, incredulous at the unexpected revelation.
Silas nodded. "She brought home over thirty-two girls. They were around my age, but I didn't think much of it since she sometimes brings her friends' daughters to our home. I was only suspicious because of the sheer number of girls she brought home, but I just assumed she was hosting a small dinner party. It wasn't until she started introducing each one to me, talking about their achievements and great beauties, that I caught on to what she was trying to do. At some point, Mother thought I was interested in men after I made some of the girls cry and wanted to introduce me to her friends' sons," Barty bursted into a fit of laughter, clutching his stomach.
Silas shook his head. "I knew you would react this way."
"You know me so well," Barty placed a hand over his chest dramatically. "So, what happened next? Did you make her friends' sons cry too?"
"She didn't get the chance to after I threatened to burn all of her gowns down if she tries to even bring one boy home to meet with me," Silas answered, prompting Barty to burst into another fit of laughter.
"Why are you ignoring your father too then? Did he agree with his wife's plan to find a future bride or groom for you?" Barty wiggled his eyebrows suggestively again, still laughing a little.
Silas wore an annoyed expression as he recalled his father's response. "Father didn't agree with Mother's actions because we had an understanding that anything related to my engagement would only be done after I finish my education at Hogwarts. Despite this, he still tried to get me to understand Mother's perspective."
"They have to get in line because I've been trying to hook you up with girls forever now," Barty snorted, shaking his head. "I even had a list ready to see who you're most compatible with." He added with a mischievous twinkle in his eyes, emphasising the playful nature of his matchmaking endeavours.
"Most of them ended up being my flings, not someone I'm actually interested in dating," Silas retorted back.
"But what made my mother suddenly so interested in my engagement?" Silas furrowed his eyebrows, his mind wandering back to the previous topic. "Father had to bribe Mother in the beginning just for her to think of a suitable fiancée for me."
Silas was well aware of how ignorant and careless his mother could be when it came to him. If someone had suggested that his father was the one who brought home thirty-two girls to try and pair him with one of them, he might have been more inclined to believe it than his mother being the one to set it all up.
"I blame it on the many recent engagements. It made all the mothers grow even more restless, especially after Narcissa announced her engagement to Lucius Malfoy. Merlin, they became the talk of the Wizarding world for weeks over the summer, even when I was in Italy," Barty groaned in annoyance.
A grimace took over Silas's face, nodding in agreement. "I still remember the letters Regulus wrote to me about those two as well. He said Narcissa wouldn't stop talking about Malfoy for months, and it only got worse after Malfoy had proposed to her."
"Poor Regulus," Barty shook his head before returning to their previous topic.
"But still, you've got to admit, it would be interesting if your father agrees to find a girl for your engagement now. Knowing him, he wouldn't bother you with the same girl if you don't like her. But there's literally no girl at Hogwarts you enjoy being around with!" Barty exclaimed. "Not even Eustacia— well, if I remember your letters correctly. You did say something about finding her interesting in a way."
"No girl in Slytherin," Silas corrected Barty, shooting him a sharp look as the younger wizard wore a suggestive smile when Eustacia Zabini was mentioned. "And I'm not just looking for someone for a fling. I want to be genuinely interested in my future fiancée, not just as a partner, but as a person. She will be the one I spend my whole life with and become the mother of my children. It's far more complex than a passing fling, Junior," Silas sighed, using the beloved nickname he had picked out for Barty since he first came to Hogwarts. Barty stayed silent for a few moments, thinking about his next words.
"Finding a girl Silas Arden-Hayes will genuinely be interested in? That's harder than getting Cupid to find the love of my life," Barty remarked. He was well aware that this task would be exceptionally challenging. Silas had never shown interest in any of the girls he had encountered over the years, unless it was for a fling. It would be a big challenge for Barty, but he loves big challenges, and besides, it wouldn't hurt to try.
Right?
"I will help Cupid get you a girl when you actually start caring about the word 'love'," Silas pointed out, Barty's carefree, playboy lifestyle coming to his mind.
Barty only laughed at that. "Touché."
"However, you should focus more on your studies, Junior. All this talk about marriage and love will come to you someday if you wish for it, but your grades and knowledge in the present will determine your future," Silas sternly told Barty, "especially if you want to cut ties with your father."
"I will always do good in my studies," Barty affirmed, nodding in agreement with Silas's words. "And I'm a watcher, not an entertainer. It's messier to get involved in that crap."
Silas nodded, satisfied with Barty's answer.
As they finally reached the Slytherin cart, Silas heard a 'meow' behind him. He turned around to check if there was any movement near Barty and him, uncertain if he was hearing things, but found none. The only living being nearby was a second-year Gryffindor who cast nervous glances at Barty and Silas. Silas ignored the boy and turned back to the front, but just as he did, the small sound echoed again. Glancing down at his feet, Silas discovered a kitten. The feline, around three months old, sat near Silas's right foot, persistently meowing to capture his attention, yet maintaining a cautious distance. The kitten possessed beautiful black and white fur, complemented by adorable green eyes. A perfectly fitted red collar adorned its small neck, neither too tight nor too loose.
Silas descended to the ground, squatting on his heels. He extended his hand toward the kitten but refrained from touching it immediately, understanding that any sudden movement might startle the feline further. The kitten, cautious yet curious, took a few steps back and emitted another 'meow,' its eyes fixed on Silas's outstretched hand. Barty, noticing Silas's sudden change in posture, turned his attention to the unfolding scene.
Silas made a gentle attempt to interact with the frightened kitten. After a brief period of staring and sniffing at Silas's hand, the kitten tentatively touched Silas's hand with its paw, still maintaining a degree of wariness. However, as Silas began to delicately pet the kitten's head, the feline closed its eyes in contentment, emitting a soft meow of delight. It seemed to relish the affection and attention Silas was offering.
"You do know that's not your kitten, right?" Barty asked, observing as Silas gently placed the kitten into his arms after ensuring the feline was comfortable.
"Yes, Junior, I know that," Silas responded back, not seeming to care about that fact.
"Then, you would also know that the owner must be worried sick about their poor kitten and trying to find it right now. So, you should put the kitty back down where you saw it and let it be," Barty advised. However, Silas shook his head, refusing to comply.
"If the owner of this beautiful kitten is responsible, then they wouldn't have lost him in the first place, and yes, the kitten is a male," Silas said matter-of-factly, prompting Barty to scrunch his nose.
"How do you know the kitten is a male?" Silas gave Barty a pointed look, and Barty glanced down at the kitten with a look of realisation. "Oh, right."
After concluding their conversation, Barty swung open the door to the nearest empty compartment, hauling his luggage inside. Silas followed suit, carefully cradling the kitten in one arm while gripping the handle of his sizable suitcase with the other.
Once comfortably settled in the vacant compartment, and after stowing their luggage, Barty attempted to dissuade Silas from bringing the kitten along. "Isn't Rosier allergic to cats, though?" Barty brought up the concern.
Silas arched an eyebrow at Barty, placing the kitten on his lap. "And since when did you start caring about Rosier, Junior?"
Barty rolled his eyes. "I'll start caring about Rosier after I get tortured with the Cruciatus Curse," he retorted, sarcasm dripping from his words.
Silas rolled his eyes at Barty's words, his fingers gently massaging the kitten's head, who purred contentedly. "You know," Silas began in a casual tone, "I heard from a little birdie that you were appointed as Prefect."
It took a few seconds for Barty to register Silas's words before he whipped his head in Silas's direction, eyes widened in disbelief. "How did you-" Barty started, his confusion evident.
"Junior, I know everything," Silas simply said. Barty was about to make a response, but Silas interjected, "Do well as Prefect, don't get into trouble and for Merlin's sake, don't flirt with the other Prefects or Head Girls."
Barty shook his head. "It's in my nature to flirt with whoever I want, but give me one reason why the hell I should accept this blasted role," he demanded, emphasising his words with an uplifted index finger.
"You'd be surprised at what you can find as Prefect. Other than taking away points from the houses, I found many secrets from other students when I became one last year," Silas revealed, capturing Barty's attention. "Secrets? What kind of secrets?"
Silas looked at him for a moment before moving his face close to Barty's ear, whispering confidentially. The annoyance in Barty's eyes changed into shock and disbelief with each hushed revelation. When Silas pulled away, Barty had many questions swirling in his mind. "You're saying that you-" Silas nodded. "And you saw them actually-" Silas nodded again. "In the broom cupboards?!"
Barty grimaced, a tinge of disgust evident on his face. "My broom has been there a few times..." Barty murmured, recalling the times when he didn't want to take his broom back with him to the dormitory and left it in the cupboard for some time.
"Unfortunately yes," Silas shared in the grimace. "Mulciber couldn't look at me without apologising for a week and kept on begging for me to keep it a secret."
"Well, now it makes sense why Mulciber is so damn protective over her," Barty remarked with a thoughtful expression, his mind connecting the dots. Meanwhile, Silas continued to lavish affection on the kitten, his fingers gently stroking its fur.
The younger Slytherin noticed this and observed the kitten on Silas's lap for a moment before he spoke up, "I'm not joking when I say Rosier will be pissed about this."
"And I'm not joking either when I asked you how long you started to care about Evan," Silas responded, giving Barty a look.
Barty rolled his eyes and huffed, shifting to find a more comfortable seating position. "Rosier's parents want me to look after him for some ridiculous reasons," he explained.
"And you decided to obey them?" Silas narrowed his eyes at Barty, well aware that Barty hated taking orders from others.
"They agreed to pay me for it, and I'm doing it out of curiosity too," Barty quickly said, trying to get rid of any unwanted thoughts in Silas's mind. Silas raised an eyebrow at that and gestured for Barty to continue. However, Barty stayed silent, meeting Silas's gaze, allowing the air between them to be filled with nothing but silence. After a few moments passed, Barty began tapping his foot on the floor, a subtle sign of his restlessness.
Silas smirked to himself, though concealed it from the younger wizard. Over the years of their friendship, Silas had come to know a lot about Barty, perhaps even more than Barty knew about himself. Whether it was a good or bad thing remained unclear, but in this particular situation, it undoubtedly gave Silas an advantage.
One of the things Silas learned early on during their friendship is how Barty despised what Silas considered the sweet, sweet sound of silence. Barty hadn't actually told this to Silas, but the observant elder wizard noticed how Barty couldn't endure even five minutes of pure silence.
"If Rosier's parents are asking you to do this, then I want you to be careful. They dislike you for your father, and it's quite odd for them to entrust their only son to the hands of someone they consider as a blood traitor's son," Silas decided to advise Barty, tilting his head to the side.
Barty grumbled. "Then are they trying to trick me?"
"They wouldn't waste their time on something like that and they prefer to avoid your family," Silas disagreed. "They could have asked me or even Regulus, but you would have been the last person on their mind to ask." Silas stated, furrowing his eyebrows slightly.
This prompted an idea to pop into both Silas's and Barty's minds, and when they looked at each other, they knew they were thinking of the same thing. "You don't think Regulus might have-" Barty started slowly.
Silas leaned back against his seat, wearing a pensive expression that Barty recognized when he was deep in thought. "It's not possible for them to stay out of contact for a very long time, but it doesn't mean that their friendship couldn't have ended," he informed Barty. "They have to stay in contact for the sake of their families, you see. A pureblood family needs to associate with other pureblood families to have a strong bond between their families. That way, if one of the family members wanted to propose an arranged marriage between the family member from the other pureblood family, then it would most likely happen, and it would also strengthen the bond between the two families even more."
Barty processed Silas's words, then asked, "Is there any chance that Rosier's parents want him and Regulus to get engaged then?" If Silas had been drinking water when he heard this question, he would have been spitting it out at that very moment.
"Regulus thinks of Rosier as a brother," Silas began, his grey-blue eyes widened from shock, "and given how homophobic his parents are, along with Regulus's own parents, I highly doubt that is ever going to happen."
Barty hummed, a thoughtful look on his face, processing Silas's information again. His thoughts were abruptly interrupted by a knock on the compartment door, and he scowled in annoyance, displeased with yet another interruption.
His eyes widened in horror when a girl with long red hair opened the compartment door with a polite smile, but it turned into a scowl when she saw the two Slytherins in the compartment. Barty glanced at Silas, expecting an explanation for the Muggleborn's presence, but it only took him a moment to realise that they were still in the Gryffindor cart.
Lily Evans looked back and forth at the two boys, unsure of what was going on, but nonetheless gave them both a glare. "And what the bloody hell are you two doing here?" she demanded, wanting an answer from one of them.
Silas didn't back down. Instead, he narrowed his eyes back at her and responded, "The real question is, what are you doing here in our compartment?"
"Excuse me?" Lily furrowed her eyebrows in confusion.
"Well, we got here first, which makes this our compartment. So, what are you doing here in our compartment, Biche? I don't remember giving an invitation for you to come here or did you just miss me too much that you couldn't go another day without seeing me?" Silas added with a cocky smirk, earning an eye roll from Lily.
"I was wondering if you've seen my cat. He has black and white fur, beautiful green eyes, and he also has this red collar around his neck. I lost him when I put him down for a few minutes to bring my suitcase into my compartment," Lily inquired, shooting a sharp look at Silas for calling her 'Biche,' a special nickname he had made for her over the years.
Lily never quite grasped the meaning of the nickname, often thinking that Silas was perhaps cursing at her. Being a non-speaker of French, Barty shared the same thoughts as Lily.
At the mention of a kitten, Barty glanced at Silas. He returned a look that told Barty to shut up and covered the kitten on his lap with his hands, hiding it from Lily's view.
"I don't think we've come across a three-month old kitten with that description. We'll let you know if we have though," Barty told her, giving Silas a "you owe me" look, but Silas glared at Barty when he gave his response to Lily, and she narrowed her eyes at him as well.
"I never said how old he is," she stated, her arms crossed. Turning towards Silas, her eyes bore into him with a silent demand, a subtle threat beneath the surface. Despite her unspoken warning, Silas remained stoic, unfazed by the pressure. "Even if we have your cat, where would we hide him? And why would we stay in the Gryffindor cart when we can stay in the compartment in the Slytherin cart if we did have your cat?" Silas questioned with a hint of sarcasm, challenging Lily's assumptions about the whereabouts of her feline friend.
"Innocent until proven guilty," Barty nodded along with Silas.
Lily opened her mouth to respond to them, but her retort was interrupted by a soft 'meow.' The atmosphere seemed to embrace a sudden hush, amplifying the significance of the unexpected sound. Barty struggled to stifle a laugh as he looked at the priceless expressions on both Silas's and Lily's faces. Placing her hands on her hips, Lily wore a stern look, resembling a mother who had just discovered her child had done something mischievous.
"Give me back my kitten," Lily ordered, and Silas prepared to respond. However, he paused when he felt a gentle touch on his hand. Both Lily and Silas directed their attention downward, discovering the kitten exploring the compartment. Emitting another 'meow,' the kitten moved from Silas's lap to the seat beside him. Lily initially wore an expression of disapproval, but it quickly shifted when she shifted her focus to the kitten.
"Come here, Sushi," Lily cooed, extending her hands toward the kitten. However, the feline returned to Silas, snuggling by his side. Silas gave her a smug look, but it wavered slightly when Lily took a few treats. Displaying them to the kitten, Lily lured him to her side. Almost instantly, the kitten obliged, and Lily cradled him in her arms while feeding him treats. The contented meows of the kitten filled the compartment, and Lily cast a triumphant glance at Silas, who responded with a subtle eye roll.
Barty snorted at the mention of the kitten's name. "Who names their pet Sushi?" He remarked with a bemused expression.
"Little shit, you named your childhood dog Tiger," Silas reminded him before Lily could defend herself. "I remember because whenever that dog fucking bit you, you would always come crying to me, shouting, 'Tiger bit me!' If I didn't know any better back then, I would have been panicking all the time."
"Tiger is a better name than Sushi because at least I know the difference between a food and a predator," He defended himself, giving Silas a small glare.
"Said by the boy who once ate a snake without knowing," Silas muttered, causing Barty's small glare to turn annoyed. "Mother forced me to try it! But she didn't know what it was either..." He murmured the last part, sounding slightly defeated.
"What did the snake taste like?" Lily asked with genuine curiosity, her green eyes sparkling with interest. She leaned against the compartment door, waiting for Barty's response. The boys turned to her, momentarily forgetting that she was still there. Silas's eyes softened slightly when he noticed the curious spark in her eyes, reminding him of a doe.
Barty raised an eyebrow at her, a mixture of surprise and annoyance on his face. "What are you still doing here? Don't you have your cat with you already?" He questioned, a tinge of rudeness in his tone.
Lily's curiosity seemed to disappear, and she cleared her throat in response to Barty's somewhat rude tone. "I was just leaving," she simply replied, opening the compartment door. The door creaked as it swung open, and a corridor filled with students and the occasional trolley carrying snacks came into view.
As she moved to exit, Lily paused halfway and glanced back at Silas and Barty. "Word of advice to the both of you, get out of here while you still can. The other Gryffindors won't be pleased with two Slytherins here, especially the Marauders." With that cautionary note, she gracefully stepped out into the bustling corridor, leaving the two boys alone in their compartment.
Silas immediately moved to gather his belongings. "She's not wrong. We won't be greeted warmly by the other Gryffindors if we continue to stay here," he remarked, efficiently gathering their baggage and handing Barty his share. Barty nodded hesitantly, not thrilled about following advice from a muggleborn Gryffindor like Lily Evans, but he begrudgingly agreed since it held some truth, even if he wouldn't admit it aloud.
They left the compartment, navigating through the narrow corridors of the Hogwarts Express, avoiding the glares and stares from the Gryffindors. Making their way back to the Slytherin cart, Silas told Barty, "I want a kitten."
Barty nodded. "I know, and I want a pumpkin pasty too, but that's not happening either," he quipped, casting a playful look at him. Silas glanced beyond Barty's shoulders and spotted the Trolley witch making her way toward them. As they reached the Slytherin cart, Barty opened the closest empty compartment to them and stepped inside with his luggage.
Silas didn't follow him. Instead, he stowed his suitcase in the compartment and approached the Trolley witch. "Anything from the trolley, dear?" She asked him kindly. Silas nodded and responded, "Could I have four pumpkin pasties and two chocolate frogs?"
The old lady nodded and handed him four packets of pumpkin pasties and two chocolate frogs. Silas paid for the sweets and thanked her, before making his way back to the compartment Barty had chosen. Upon entering, Barty's eyes lit up at the sight of the sweets Silas brought back.
Silas handed two pumpkin pasties and chocolate frogs to Barty. "Don't eat the pasties now. I know how hungry you can get during the journey," he told Barty.
Barty nodded eagerly and thanked him. He tucked the two pumpkin pasties into the pocket of his jacket. Meanwhile, Silas opened one of the packets and savoured the pumpkin pasty. The two Slytherins gazed out the window, absorbed in the view. Barty, driven by boredom as they awaited the arrival of other Slytherins, and Silas, cherishing the moments at the beginning of his final year at Hogwarts, uncertain of what the future held for him.
• • •
Author's Note: Hello everyone! Apologies for the very late chapter, I was busy taking care of a stinky ball because my baby daddy was busy with his wife aka his work, so shame on him.