A new year. Another train ride. Would this year be better than the last? Benji certainly hoped so.

All in all, he was hesitant. Apprehensive. After all, he'd expected last year to be good, and it had been... Well, what it was.

What if something went wrong again this term? Another new regime of terror? More scary dark creatures roaming about? There was much to be anxious about, it seemed, but Benji did his best to push those thoughts out of his mind.

After all, last year he'd made it through for one reason: Penny Lane Goodman. She had been like an anchor for him through the crazy.

They'd spent time together over the summer -- and it had been wonderful, of course -- but he had to admit that he was looking forward to a school year where they wouldn't have to hide out. He was a little bit elated at the idea of holding her hand through the corridor where everybody could see. And sitting with her at meals. Yes please.

But right now, what he was most worried about was sitting with her on the train. They'd agreed that whoever boarded first would try to snag something in the back. He hadn't seen her yet, so he figured it was up to him to pick a car. He crept through the long corridor, searching for an empty compartment. A few first-years seemed like they were heading in the direction of one of the only ones that didn't have anyone in it, so he kind of just... Swooped in before they got there and slid the door shut. Heh. It wasn't his fault that, at 5'10", his legs were, like, two feet longer than theirs. (You'd probably be hard-pressed to find another 14-year-old his height, and he knew logically that he'd more than likely just hit his final growth spurt early, but a part of him refused to believe he was done growing.)

He settled into the comfy seat, spreading his things out across from him and propping his feet up. Ha. Now there was only room for Penny, so those first years couldn't get any bright ideas about trying to squeeze in with him.

It was brilliant.