Felix's gaze followed the woman as she sashayed away down the carriage. His puzzled expression in part from the bizarre interview but also as to how Mrs Raspberry could afford so many different pairs of Louis Vuittons, her soles flashing the tell tale scarlet. He smiled at the glamorousness of the generally unseen administrator as he turned back to the almost empty compartment. He leant over to his only companion and scratched behind her ear, eliciting a positive purr in response. Felix grinned as his tabby made an expression of sheer satisfaction before curling back up as his hand withdrew from a noise outside. 

He looked up to see the Slytherin prefects about to enter his compartment. Wand beside him, it was quickly within his palm and pointed at the door as he gasped quickly, [b]"Colloportus"[/b]. As the prefect turned the handle it stuck fast and the prefects noticed Felix sat inside. They gave him a quick apologetic smile and then a sneering glance at one another before moving further down the carriage. He sighed in relief as he realised that he'd been holding his breath. They had been two of the bullies he'd experienced in his lower years before becoming masterful at charms and transfiguration. Whilst no one messed with him now, those two Slytherins were the best potions student and duellist in the year. But here on the train with him in a compartment and both fifth and seventh year prefects also around they wouldn't try anything. Felix stretched his legs out over to the other bench, glad for the plush cushions and more spacious cabins in the prefect carriage. 

Numerous other prefects passed his compartment and he conversed with a couple (after remembering to unlock his door) but his two closest friends still hadn't arrived. [i]Where the hell are they?[/i] He cast another glance down the passage before ducking back inside to count his change for when the Honeydukes Express trundled passed. He thought over their friendships and mused as he stared at the mass of emotional parents outside. How on earth had the three of them ended up so close? Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw prefects and a Slytherin centaur?! No one could have predicted it. Kjolmar he could kind of understand. They were practically the same person, but once they'd realised this they had become competitors. Kjolmar far exceeding him in DADA and any duel as well as becoming a star on the Quidditch team. Felix in return excelled at the more intricate and practical spells of transfiguration and charm respectively as well as taking more subjects than the Ravenclaw just to rub his hard work in. Then suddenly in fourth year it had changed. They had ended up as lab partners in potions. Neither really liking the subject but appreciating its value in the job market they suddenly stuck up a strong studying and working partnership that soon slipped into friendship, much to the surprise of their other friends. They'd head enough criticism from one to the other over the previous three years. Felix had found Kjolmar stuck up and selfish and in return Felix was a swot and a wimp. By the end of the year, bygones were bygones and they were close friends and successful potion makers. 

Then how did a Slytherin centaur get thrown into the mix? During the same year Kjolmar turned around in Felix's eyes the previously avoided and shunned centaur student had also popped up on Felix's radar. Having downright failed at Divination he was curious to learn of her incredible skill especially considering she was apparently the same standard as him in some other subjects including Ancient Runes and Astronomy, which they took together, she a natural at the latter. Finally in History of Magic, he struck up the courage to approach the centaur when the other Slytherin cronies had left the classroom. Particularly week in the subject he started with a compliment, [b]"How do you remember all those dates? You can probably see I'm struggling already."[/b] Expecting a tart reply he was suprised when he knew who he was. He beamed at the mention of his father, a Ministry of Magic member who had successfully campaigned for centaur and merpeople rights after leading up the Centaur Liason Office. Of course she had heard of him she was only the second centaur to ever enrol in Hogwarts, still pioneering for her species. From there they chatted more and found that they had a lot in common through their interest in the outdoors and his connection to the centaur community. So there you had it. Two years on and here they all were. Or weren't as the case currently was. 

Felix turned to grab his drink when the door to the compartment was flung open and a tanned blonde Ravenclaw dived on him for a hug. He embraced Kjolmar in a bear hug and smiled in return as his best friend sat down beside him. [i][b]"It is so good to see you! I can't believe mother didn't let me see anyone all summer!"[/b][/i] Felix laughed, [b]"You too! I can't believe she still does that! We start N.E.W.T.s this year, she needs to let go of her baby!"[/b] He reached out to pet Kjolmar's cheek in jest, swallowing deeply and feeling his mouth gone dry as his gaze met those dreamy eyes. Maybe this year he'd admit his crush. Or maybe not.