Skyler had eagerly been awaiting to start her trip to Hogwarts and had quickly said goodbye to her parents on the platform after a hapless trip through the train station and and the barrier. She found it interesting and maybe a bit counterproductive that the thing was right in the middle of a muggle train station versus being completely separate, but who was she? But still she had wondered what would happen if someday a muggle decided to just lean against that particular pillar. She was sure that it was probably that someone somewhere had already thought of this though so she didn't entertain the thought for long.

The girl amused herself with looking this way and that way as she paced down the train looking for somewhere to sit. All the way up and down the train kids were calling out to each other and trying to find their friends or a compartment like she was. Everywhere she turned people were talking about their summers or whispering about this and that. Skyler received a few odd looks which she assumed was because of her eyes. It happened from time to time but she really wished they wouldn't. Suddenly their whispers weren't so interesting and the teen finally found a compartment at the very end of the train. She quickly closed the door behind her, closing her eyes as she plopped down on the empty seat sighing and dropping her bag next to her. Her trunk had been stored with all the others in the luggage compartment.

Nyx wasted no time in making himself comfortable on her lap and she ran her fingers through his soft black fur which was comforting to both of them. Skyler's mind was racing with thoughts and ideas which had lingered and grown since that summer. Opening her purple eyes she stretched her legs out so her feet rested on the opposite seat and leaned her head against the cushion behind her. "Maybe this hasn't been such a good idea after all Nyx." She said to the kitten absently, to which she received a soft meow in reply. This pulled a grin from her like nothing else could.

Skyler glanced at her watch. She knew she'd eventually need to make her way to the prefect meeting but it didn't start for a while and she was perfectly comfortable where she was. She needed to shake herself out of this melancholy mood and fast, before it settled in to ruin her first day at Hogwarts.

That was another thing. Why was she made a prefect? It made have made her mom happy but she wasn't. Why on earth would she want to uphold rules she had every intention of breaking? This thought took up the forefront of her mind that she didn't notice when the compartment door was slid open.

Harry couldn't help feeling that he had dodged a bullet of some kind before term even started. Hermione would be a powerful enemy to have, and while he had really expected her to actually choose neutrality, he had enough powerful enemies that this would continue to be a very real concern going forward. At some point along the chain of impossible wrongs that was his life, she was going to decide to get off the ride and side up with the ones who actually retained a chance of surviving. At that point, he would need a lot of luck and probably some help to keep things where he didn't add more battles than he had the energy to fight.

Once he was sure that they were gone and not coming back, he slipped out of the compartment as well. He had a nervous energy and felt the need to move. He walked quickly through the aisle, remembering from third year where to find the witch who sold food. He had missed breakfast and walked quickly towards the idea of something to eat, head down and ignoring all of the calls from his attention from friends, enemies, and acquaintances. Then, just when he got to the trolly, he realized he wasn't actually hungry. He bought three chocolate frogs to save face with the nice witch in charge of the food, shoved two in his pocket, and headed back the way he had come, eating the third as he went.

He made it back to the back of the train and slide the door to a compartment open, letting himself behind and pulling another frog from his pocket. Suddenly he was famished now that he was too far away to reasonably deal with it. Only when the compartment door was closed behind him did he realize that he was in a different compartment than the one he had left from. He reached this realization because there happened to be a person in this one, and he knew the other one to have been quite empty. Since the person didn't seem to have moved for awhile, he figured they hadn't simply slipped into his compartment while he was out.

He was about to excuse himself and back out into the aisle again when he realized who he had intruded on. That interesting Riddle girl from the pub who he needed to chat more with anyway. Now was probably as good a time as any.

"Hey Skyler," he called to get her attention. He tosses the chocolate frog he was holding to her and pulled the last one out of his pocket for himself. "Do you mind a little bit of company?"

Skyler blinked. And blinked again. Oh! Right. She was Skyler. Her eyes settled curiously on the dark haired boy as she easily caught the treat he tossed her. Quid ditch reflexes helped in those situations amongst others. Did she know him? He knew her name is that must mean she did. Taking in the vivid green of his eyes her brain made the connection instantly and a grin burst forth on her lips even as she shook her head no to indicate she didn't mind. "Don't mind at all." She replied in a relieved sort of tone. He had no idea just how much she could appreciate the company. "And thanks!" She added, raising the hand that now held the chocolate in it.

She turned the package over curiously to see exactly what it was and found the words Chocolate Frog. She gave the boy she now remembered as Harry a skeptical look. "It's not really a frog is it?" The witch sure hoped not, because aside from it being a complete waste of perfect chocolate, there would be no way in hell she was going to eat a frog. "And you're not planning on running off mid-conversation again are you? Or is there some other red headed middle aged witch you're trying to avoid?" Skyler gave him a knowing look, her grin widening.

It was coming back to her now as if it were yesterday. She had met this boy at the Leaky Cauldron and they had chatted for a bit after her unceremonious fall on the dirty floor. And until he had ran off in a rush. Skyler also remembered maybe kind of eavesdropping on the red head lady who had come in and who Skyler was certain was the mother of the girl she had met in the joke shop. As this all came to mind she felt her curios nature taking over. The brunette wanted to piece together the puzzle now in front of her.

Harry slid into a seat, laughing, and took a bite of his own frog. "They don't have these in America, then? You've been missing out." He thought about just leaving her question hanging, but then remembered that he needed to make allies, not more wars of words like he had with Malfoy. "Not a real frog. At least that's what they tell me. I was raised by muggles so I'm not an entirely reliable source."

Her next statement hit him kind of like a punch to the stomach. "So, uh, you noticed that, huh?" He had really hoped that she had no idea why he had run off. At least she didn't know the Weasleys or anything to let them know that Harry was acting funny, again. "I very seriously doubt anyone middle aged will interrupt us this time. I don't know how long I'll be able to avoid Mrs. Weasley now, though," he added as an afterthought, more to himself than to Skyler.

In fact, he was drifting into his thoughts again. He had thought being back at his favorite place in the world, or on the way there, would fix this and get him out of his head, but perhaps he still did not quite understand how much the passing of his godfather had affected him and in what ways. It was going to be a long year, one way or another.

"Nope." Skyler replied with ease as she ripped into the chocolate. Now that was almost one hundred percent sure it wasn't a real frog she had no problem eating it. "We do have mini chocolate quidditch players on brooms made of caramel though." She advised abesently as she watched the frog come to life in the palm of her hand. Her purple eyes gazed at it in fascination. It never failed to amaze the brunet the sheer endless possibilities of magic and seeing it before her very eyes always made her that much more aware of the world she was lucky to be apart of. This feeling lasted about a ten seconds because that was when the chocolate frog pounced from her hand and onto the seat next to her. She grinned brightly. "Awesome! It's enchanted!"

Skyler had an almost childlike mentality when it came to new things she had never experienced before. When most kids her age were afraid she was curious. When the amazement if magic had worn off for those her own age Skyler continued to find a wonderment at ever new thing she saw and learned. She was like a kid in that she was easily distracted and easily entertained with the smallest of things. Her eyes shinned with delight when the frog gave another leap and this time she caught it before it could get any farther from her. She did want to eat it after all. She grinned unrepentant at her friend, she supposed she could call him that, and bit off the frogs head. Swallowing she said with a shrug, "Naturally the brain had to go first." Her tone was explanatory as if she felt she needed to explain why she would eat the frog's head first.

"And no, actually I hadn't had any idea why you ran away the other day." She told him with a slight glare, making it perfectly clear she didn't enjoy being rudely ran out on without some form of excuse atleast. She was easily distracted from that train of thought by the card she now held in her hand from the package the frog had come in. "Hey look! It's Merlin!" She exclaimed in a bit of excitement at seeing the most famous of wizards. Skyler turned the card over and read the back. "That's awesome! Ours come with cards too but ours are only quidditch players." The teen explained.

Harry watched with a small and private sort of smile on his face. Skyler's first reaction to chocolate frogs mirrored his own, five years ago to the day, so much that it was almost scary. It made him glad that someone well into her teens could still feel such a childlike joy in the simple things. It was exactly the sort of thing that he was fighting this war for. To keep moments like this one going.

It also made him think. Skyler's reflexes were excellent once she set her mind to capturing the frog, and Harry had received notice near the end of the summer that he was being asked to captain the Gryffindor team this year. Sure, the one she had just shown was best suited to a Seeker, or maybe a Keeper, but it would help a Chaser to an extent, and more importantly, it showed off an athleticism that he would need to replace with Angelina, the most talented Chaser he had known in any of the four Houses, having graduated.

His mind wandered back to last month's quick conversation as he finished the Manifesto. They had certainly talked Quidditch, but he didn't remember her mentioning a position, and he was certain she hadn't gotten around to telling her what House she called home, any more than he had revealed his own. That meant that there was hope. With any luck he would arrive at school only needing new Beaters. Admittedly he would never find a pair as smart and strong, or that worked together as well as Fred and George, but if he got even close and was strong everywhere else he was sure it would work out.

"Hey Skyler," he said, munching on one of his frog's legs and trying to sound offhand and nonchalant, "What House did you say you were in? I'm sure there's a Quidditch team that would love to have you." He didn't add that he hoped that team was his own. He didn't feel he needed to.

Skyler looked up from the card which had captured her full attention to give it to Harry. For a moment she just watched him. She thought he looked sort of relaxed just sitting there munching on his chocolate frog. It was a rather stark contrast to the first time she had met him in the Leaky Cauldron. Then he hadn't seemed so comfortable. In fact he had seemed stressed, almost to the point of irritated. Not to mention demanding. Skyler found herself experiencing a strange sort of happiness that the boy she had only met once before now seemed so comfortable around her. Though she was sure there were many contributing factors to his stress relief.

"Dare I detect a bit of hope there Harry?" She finally responded in a light tone, teasing grin on her face. "Well if you're in Slytherin then have no fear 'cause I'll be playing for them." The teen said this so assuredly, as if there was no doubt in her mind that she would, in fact, be playing for her house's Quidditch team. Truthfully Skyler didn't have any doubts about that. She was a damn good flyer and knew it. "You are in the same house aren't you Harry?"

Skyler looked at him with furrowed, worried brows and pleading eyes. She really couldn't help it and didn't really care. He was one of the few people she could now consider a friend and the only other person she knew she could count as one Skyler knew was in another house. She hadn't realized until that moment just how much she had counted on having the dark haired boy in the same house as her. If he wasn't that would mean she would enter the house completely alone, and while Skyler wasn't afraid, she would much rather not have to be fed to the sharks on her ownsome.

Harry's face immediately fell a little bit and it was all he could do to keep from sneering. He had spent the last five years, after all, basically at war with the entire Slytherin house, and quidditch was decidedly at the center of that war. Now he was on a second friendly conversation in a row with a girl who aspired to the Slytherin quidditch team. He knew this year would be different than his other time at the school, but was he really ready to go this far?

Well, according to the Manifesto he should be, since he was supposed to judge everyone on their merits and not on superficial things, exactly like what House they ended up in. He knew there were Gryffindor Death Eaters, he could only assume the reverse was possible as well. Time to see just how committed he was to his new way. Merlin, Ron and Hermione were going to kill him, and he had only just made up with them a few minutes ago.

"You're not like any Slytherin I know, anyway," he said, half to himself and half to the dark haired girl. "No, I'm a Gryffindor," he said with a sigh, "so I suppose we're supposed to be natural enemies or something." He flashed her a smile. "Doesn't seem to be working out that way, does it?"

Harry could feel himself slipping back into his thoughts again, and he really didn't want to do that, especially directly after a joke about becoming Skyler's enemy. "Well, I hope Malfoy finally relaxes the rule and lets a girl on the Slytherin team this year. You seem like you might actually be a challenge." The same letter that told him he had received the Gryffindor captain position told him the other captains, but he had only been interested in one. Yet another way to beat Malfoy and prove how much better than the blonde whiner he was.

Skyler could tell the answer to her question from the look on his face without the aid of his words. Her own face fell into a disappointed frown. So she would have to go it alone. She sighed softly and shrugged her shoulders in a move that said 'oh well' and grinned at his muttered words. "Well I do like to stand out." She assured him. Skyler was sure she would be an oddity at Hogwarts and would probably stand out more than she needed or wanted to.

"Oh. Right. That whole rivalry thing." Skyler had thought it was kind of ridiculous when Ginny had told her about it. Why would anyone with a brain let some schoolyard rivalry keep them from making friends? Skyler didn't tend to like people who went with the status quo and she almost never did so she wouldn't be the one to let houses get in the way of being friends with Harry or anyone else. She liked who she liked and was friends with who she wanted to be friends with and that was that. There was no deviating on that particular road. She chuckled lightly at his joke, rolling her eyes at him as if to say 'obviously'. "You could always teach me how to be like the other Slytherins if not being enemies is a problem for you." She offered with a cheeky grin and playful eyes.

Skyler might have groaned at the mention of the Malfoy boy being a complete sexist in regards to quidditch if she hadn't been forewarned by Ginny about him. She hadn't mentioned he was the quidditch captain though. Then again, maybe she hadn't known. "Ginny told me about him. Do you know her by the way? She's in Gryffindor too...anyways, if this Malfoy knows what's good for him he will allow girls to play." The devious smirk on her lips and defiant look in her eyes made it clear that she would not be stopped or held back in any way by some boy who probably needed a good hexing by the sounds of it.

"And you have no idea just how much of a challenge I can be." Skyler added on with her patented Riddle smirk. She was sure this could be misconstrued as flirting but really she was just having fun playing with him. It was then she happened to glance down at the her watch and noticed the time. This time she did groan. She was late! She rose to her feet with Nyx in her hands, turning this way and that way looking for something to do with him. Should she leave him? Should she take him? Curse whoever decided to make her a prefect!

Spotting Harry as if she had had no idea he was even there, Skyler grinned triumphantly and dropped Nyx unceremoniously in his lap. "Watch him for me will ya? His name is Nyx. Prefect meeting." Skyler turned, not waiting for an answer, and then paused mid step and turned back. She cocked her head to the right a bit where her wand was tucked behind her ear and observed the boy for a split second before she reached forward and ruffled his hair.

She stepped back and admired her handiwork for a moment with the same smirk. "You should wear your hair like that. You've got that 'just got laid' look. It's very appealing." With a final smirk and a wink, Skyler exited the compartment and made her way to the prefect meeting a leisurely pace. Just because she was late didn't mean she had to hurry. She wasn't in any hurry to start making people follow rules anyways.

Harry couldn't help but smile at her reaction. Yes, she was definitely worth keeping around and getting to know, all House business aside. "You could say that I know Ginny pretty well, yeah." That was a level of story and explanation that he didn't really feel like getting into just now. Especially when he didn't really know how Ron and Hermione not deserting him would affect how things went between he and Ginny this year. He did make a note to ask Ginny about Skyler, though. Maybe she knew more about her than he did so far.

Was she flirting with him? Between the smirks and the comments, Harry was beginning to think she was, and he was rarely good when an attractive girl was showing an interest in him and he knew about it. He kind of fumbled for something to say until suddenly there was a cat flying at him.

Experience with Crookshanks allowed him to catch Nyx in a way that didn't fill his lap with claws. "'Kay," he said, a little bit indifferently. Wait, his brain half exploded at him, you are now befriending a Slythern prefect. This year just kept getting more and more interesting.

And then she was ruffling his hair into a certain windswept, post broom ride look that had haunted his nightmares for a while last year. She was definitely flirting if she was playing with his hair, and apparently his dad had been on to something after all. "See you round, then." He called after her, finally finding his voice.