Chapter Text
The train whistled loudly, its whistle piercing the conversations between friends and new first years who would have most likely never tell the difference between the old Hogwarts and the pieces of it which had been rebuilt.
He walked his way towards the train, handing the trunk he had in his hands to the compartment keeper which would take their trunks all the way to their Hogwarts dorms so they wouldn't have to worry about the inconvenience of carrying the heavy trunks around campus.
He stepped on to the train walking down its familiar hall, the brownish black wooden flooring creaking slightly as he walked, his eyes grazing the inside of the compartments, a snicker falling on his expression as he saw them again, ‘the golden trio’ laughing and chatting as if nothing had changed , after all these years you would normally be right to think their excitement to be going back to hogwarts would have calmed, but they remained as excited as they were every year since their first.
He contented walking down the trains long hallway, the regular compartments turning into the darkened muted colors as he was close to reaching the end of the trains long hallway, his eyes noticed the familiar pair of faces in front of him sitting in one of the open booth like compartments..
“Draco!” Parkinson called, waving her hand in the air
“Draco, come take a seat with us ”. Pansy stated, her familiar smile shining brightly at him as it had in their first years at hogwarts.
He took a seat next to Blaise, the cushion he sat on shifting slightly as it adjusted to his weight on it, Draco could feel his hip bones digging into the seat they all sat in silence briefly, “
Good to see you both” he spoke,he suddenly could feel himself breathing again as his eyes moved between to the two.,
“Come on Draco! You’d think you would be more happy to see your best friends again!” Blaise joked as he ruffled his hair slightly,
He couldn't stop the slight smile creeping on his face, “Who said I didn't Blaise” He joked back. He was truly happy for the first time since he had joined the Dark Lord's cause,
Even with the war over, a dark presence in the back of his head would never to be fully scrubbed away, his mind quickly snapping back to the moment he was currently in, not the thoughts that still slightly lingered in his mind.
They all joked, and laughed for the first time since the days of their 6h year,
The Dark Mark the trio bore had taken over their lives since then, their friendship turning into one of meer convenience, not like the one it had began to reform itself as they sat on the train as it had been years ago,
As suddenly as he felt like he had stepped on the train, the train ride was over , even if he briefly looked at the changing landscape as they headed toward Hogwarts ,The loud screaming whistle of the train yelled announcing their arrival at Hogwarts, breaking the conversation between the trio,
They were greeted by the booming voice of the Hogwarts Groundskeeper who had also come back this year as their Care Of Magical Creatures professor,
&ldquo
;Firs’ years!” Hagrid's voice boomed
“Firs’ years over here!”, he repeated,
He made his way threw the crowd of first years and made his way to the Thestral Carriages, their blackish-blue skin shining in the light, almost all who had been in the war who were returning, were able to see them and the few who were not able to see them where the First Years in the boats talking the longer, slightly more calming view of the boat ride to the Hogwarts Grounds, His mind shackled back to the moment, the students sitting in silence on the carriages, nasty glares occasionally thrown at people who were on the other side of the war,which he didn't pay any mind, but the chill down his spine under the thick black coat he was wearing, a subject of his thin frame, where enough to keep him from sending glares and falling asleep,
The stomping of the hoved feed of the Thestrals landing and the descent off the carriages came, They were now making their way in a general formation to the Great Hall, passing by through the stone walls of Hogwarts, with old and new portraits greeting them on their return to hogwarts, After their long walk threw the Castle Grounds they arrived in the great hall and all promptly made their way to their Houses table, the loud sounds of footsteps present as they all looked at the new teachers until the first years arrived to get sorted,
Hagrids seat empty as helped walk the 1st years to the great hall,
his eyes glazing over briefly where his godfather would sit, Snape, sure others thought of him as a cold ,slimy, dungeon bat,the Slytherins would always think of him as the Professor who helped solve many a stupid argument, and gave books to people when they seemed to struggle in potions class, was now filled with Professor Slughorn,
Defense against the Dark arts seat was filled with a man ,Draco didn't bother to linger on the mans features for to long, only catching a glimpse of his dark brown hair
And in the headmaster's chair was the new headmistress Professor McGonagall,he had still expected Professor Dumbledore to be there, his eyes twinkling, his eyes met with Professor McGonagall, she gave him a small smile as he walked by, she was wearing her usual emerald-green robes, Draco had never had many problems with her (besides the incidents with Potter which always ended up in her office) and hoped he didnt have more problems this year,
And Professor Sprout ,as always sitting in the chair as normal.
And then the loud almost stomping footsteps came, almost sounding like a stampede was coming towards them The first years he assumed, and soon after Hagrid came into the great hall as he guided the First years into the great hall.
Professor McGonagall began the introduction to Hogwarts speech, in which he would admit began to feel drowsy half way through, his eyes wandered until they landed at the golden trio, specifically Potter, his eyes regained their focus ,
as the sorting ceremony ended, which concluded in a decent amount of new Slytherins which were promptly either pureblood or half-bloods, besides the occasional muggleborn which looked absolutely terrified as they sat down, he presumed the rumors about how their house treated 'mudbloods' hadn't gotten any better after the war
He found himself just staring at his empty plate and felt his hand tremble just enough for him to make him grab some food, he slowly put a apple and a piece of toast on his plate, he took a few bites and left the great hall, Pansy and Blaise giving him a sympathetic look After all their first classes of the day were starting soon anyway, he would have lunch later.
Draco Malfoy thinks this going to be a decent year