The Hogwarts Express hissed with steam, the great red engine preparing for its long journey south. The platform at Hogsmeade Station buzzed with the familiar end-of-term excitement—students in cloaks, trunks piled high, and owls hooting from their cages as they were loaded into the luggage compartments.
Elias Blackthorn stood calmly near the first-class carriage, his trunk already loaded with the help of a house-elf that had silently appeared and disappeared under a Disillusionment Charm. The morning was overcast, the sky a dull silver that reflected Elias's mood—not unhappy, not entirely satisfied either. The year had ended well, but his ambitions were just beginning to unfold.
"Elias," a cool, composed voice called from behind. He turned to see Daphne Greengrass approaching, her platinum-blonde hair tucked into a soft green scarf that matched her Slytherin robes. "I saved us a compartment."
"Good," Elias said with a polite nod. Draco Malfoy followed behind her, his usual smugness slightly tempered after the drama of the final feast.
As the train whistled, they boarded together and took their seats in a secluded compartment, the door sliding shut behind them with a quiet click. Elias leaned back against the cushioned seat, gazing out the window as the countryside began to roll past.
"You really stirred things up at the feast," Draco said, smirking slightly. "Father will be pleased. He always says someone needs to keep Dumbledore in check."
Daphne gave Elias a sidelong look. "You didn't just stir things up—you embarrassed Dumbledore in front of the entire school. That's… impressive."
Elias gave a faint smile. "He needed to be reminded that power does not place one above fairness."
Draco chuckled. "Still, seeing Gryffindor lose those points… priceless."
They fell into silence for a while, broken only by the soft clack of the train on the rails. Elias's thoughts turned inward. Now that he was returning home, he would resume the training his father had arranged—the core strengthening, spell refinement, and strategic planning that would elevate him far beyond his current capabilities.
The rest of the journey was filled with quiet conversation, musings about their holiday plans, and the occasional complaint from Draco about how loud the Weasleys were in the neighboring carriage. Elias, however, remained mostly quiet, his mind already planning for the summer ahead.
As the train neared King's Cross, his fingers brushed the ring on his finger—the one that kept his true magic concealed. Soon, the training would begin in earnest.
And come next year… Hogwarts would feel the shift.
The train gave its final whistle as it pulled into King's Cross Station. The platform was alive with movement and chatter, students leaning out of windows to wave at parents, trunks being levitated off carriages, and house-elves scurrying discreetly about under Invisibility Charms.
Elias stepped off the train smoothly, dressed in his elegantly tailored school robes with the Blackthorn family crest—black thorns twisting around a silver phoenix—embroidered subtly over his chest. He looked calm, composed, and sharper than most of the older students walking past.
Waiting not far from the barrier to the Muggle world stood Lucius Malfoy, a tall man with pale blond hair and a walking cane tipped in silver. His sharp grey eyes swept the crowd with indifference until they landed on Draco. A smile—faint but approving—touched his lips.
"Father," Draco greeted with a short nod, standing a little straighter.
Lucius's gaze shifted to Elias. "Young Blackthorn." He gave a polite, calculating nod. "You handled yourself impressively this year."
Elias returned the gesture. "Thank you, Lord Malfoy. I hope your winter was prosperous."
Lucius's smile deepened slightly at the formality. "As always. I imagine your father will be most pleased with your performance."
Just then, a few steps away, Lord Greengrass arrived—tall, dark-haired, with a more relaxed yet dignified air than Lucius. Beside him, a younger daughter clung to his hand, looking curious about everything.
"Daphne," Lord Greengrass said with warm pride as his eldest daughter stepped forward. "Another year complete, hmm?"
"Flawlessly," Daphne replied with a soft smile, then turned to Elias. "Elias, you should say hello. My father will want to know the name behind the whispers in the common room."
Elias inclined his head and stepped forward. "Lord Greengrass. A pleasure."
"And you must be Lucian's boy," Lord Greengrass replied with an assessing glance. "You've certainly made an impression. I've heard a great deal about your… subtle approach to things."
Before Elias could answer, a shift in magic tickled his senses. A familiar, powerful presence was approaching—one that always commanded quiet reverence.
Lucian Blackthorn emerged through the crowd like a ghost from ancient history. Dressed in dark formal robes lined with silver threads, his black hair was touched faintly with frost at the temples, though his eyes remained as cutting as a blade drawn in moonlight. The crowd around him instinctively parted, giving him a clear path to his son.
"Father," Elias said, stepping forward respectfully.
Lucian's sharp eyes examined him once—shoulders squared, expression calm, aura sealed. A single nod. "You've grown. I can feel it even through the ring."
Lucian's gaze drifted to the others. "Lucius. It's been some time."
"Lucian," Lucius Malfoy replied, his usual arrogance replaced by a degree of wariness. "Always a pleasure."
"And Arcturus," Lucian said to Lord Greengrass with a cool smile. "You've been keeping quiet. Not like you."
"Quiet, but never idle," Lord Greengrass returned with a chuckle. "You know how things are. These are interesting times."
Lucian's lips curved slightly. "Aren't they always?"
For a few moments, the three patriarchs of some of the oldest pure-blood families in Britain stood together—a silent, potent symbol of power, legacy, and ambition. Elias could feel the weight of it settling in the air. This was his world—one foot in ancient tradition, the other in whatever future he would carve out for himself.
Daphne leaned close to Elias, whispering lightly, "You know, you're the only one who makes my father this alert when he talks."
Elias gave her a half-smile. "I imagine we all put each other on guard."
Before the moment stretched too long, Lucian gently touched Elias's shoulder. "Come. The car is waiting. We have much to discuss before your training resumes."
Elias offered brief farewells to Daphne and Draco, both of whom seemed just a little reluctant to part. Then he turned and followed his father through the invisible line between childhood and the world that truly waited for him—the one of secrets, legacy, and power.
As they disappeared into the crowd, Lucius Malfoy watched silently, his expression unreadable.
"He's going to be dangerous," Lord Greengrass murmured quietly, watching the pair go.
Lucius nodded once. "Yes. But perhaps not in the way most suspect."