"Snape!" Neville yelped loudly, eyes wide, as if he expected Severus to come swooping into their compartment that very second and start taking points from Gryffindor. Harry winced, but if he were in the same place as Neville, he probably would have reacted the same way.

"Um-" Harry started, mind racing. How could he explain how Luna knew him?

Oh yes, I met her in a dream where she kept saying that I was a Lily-child! That's not suspicious at all. Speaking of which, that was a dream and not real life! 

Luna looked like she was about to say something, blue eyes sparkling, so Harry, with a pleading look in his eyes, cut in before she could.

Don't say anything. Please don't say anything.

"Nice to meet you," he started lamely, going for a friendly smile that probably turned out to look more like a grimace, "I'm Seraphinus. Seraphinus Snape."

Neville, seeming finally to gain a hold on himself, was a little flushed.

"Sorry- it's just- I didn't expect-" he stuttered helplessly.

"S'okay Nev- I mean, never mind. You must know my father." Harry said warmly, panic of getting found out in the first 5 minutes of his ploy subsiding. It was nice to see his old roommate he knew, even if Neville didn't know him now.

"Neville Longbottom," Neville greeted finally, with a twitchy smile, "Yeah, I-I have him for potions."

"Ah," Harry said knowingly, not really knowing to say now that he was a "new person". There was an uncomfortable silence between the two. For the first time, Harry noticed that Neville was holding a potted plant.

How very like Neville.

"Go on," Neville said, still flushed red, gesturing at the seat across from him. He seemed a little embarrassed at his reaction to his name.

"So- how'd you two meet?" Neville inquired anxiously to Luna, nervously picking at the leaves of the plant in his hand.

"We met in a meadow dream, of course. It's where the nargles roam freely in the summer wind. They particularly like lilies." Luna stated matter-a-factly to Neville, who looked nonplussed. She settled back to reading her magazine, as if nothing was out of the ordinary. Harry felt like his heart had leaped to his throat.

This is it. It's all over for me. Is he going to figure it out?

Neville nodded at her, relaxing slightly, a slight smile on his face, and glanced at Harry. Somehow, he had gotten his approval. 

"Where's that then?" Neville asked, looking rather amusedly at Harry.

Neville seemed to take her odd remarks into stride. Harry looked at Neville and then at Luna, who looked up and smiled vacantly at him.

"Oh- um-" Harry started, "Diagon Alley. Getting school supplies! Isn't that right Luna?"

Harry looked at Luna desperately hoping she wouldn't correct him. She just hummed in response. 

"So- do you like Hogwarts, Neville?" Harry making a daring stab at conversation again. It wasn't until now that he realized how desperately he wanted to be friends with someone from his old life. It was weird enough being a whole new person.

"Well enough. There's loads of nice people there," Neville said with a crooked smile, apparently judging that Harry wasn't going to start belittling him for no reason or talking about all of his inadequacies.

"I'm in 6th year," Neville continued, "and in Gryffindor."

At this he froze and glanced sideways at Harry.

"Nice, house of the brave, if I remember right." Harry remarked, "I-I'm in 6th as well. I'm a transfer student from the American School of Magic."

Severus had made him regurgitate every single bit of information regarding his past "life" to him backwards and forwards almost every day of the summer. Harry nearly snorted at the memory of having so many mock "interviews" at the breakfast table with Severus, going through the many conversations and roadblocks that he would encounter. A civil conversation with Snape-- something that would seem so alien even last year.

I can do this.

"Really?" Neville leaned forward, looking excited, "I heard from my Gran that they have an amazing Herbology unit there!"

"Yeah," Harry fabricated, not really knowing if they did but agreeing anyway, "they have some cool- some cool plants."

"Eloquent as usual." Severus would say snarkily.

"Sorry, plants are kinda my thing." Neville said sheepishly, clearly picking up on his cluelessness, "Herbology is my favorite subject."

I really need to get better at lying to people.

"That's great-"

That very moment the compartment door slid open to reveal a very familiar pair: Ron and Hermione.

"Hey Nev," Ron said, plopping himself and his trunk next to Harry without a second thought, "Prefects meeting just got done, so Mione and I thought we'd come hang with you."

"Ron, Don't be rude," snapped Hermione and then spoke in a much nice tone to a rather bemused Neville, "Is anyone sitting there, Neville?"

"No, no," Neville assured them, "It's perfectly fine. You two are prefects then?"

Harry scooted a bit closer to the window, avoiding the two's gaze, and tried to focus on the trees rushing past outside the Hogwarts Express. This was taking weird to a whole new level. These were his two best friends- people he would die for, if it came to that... and they have no idea who I am.

He remembered Severus' words from earlier that summer.

"Trust no one." Severus stated firmly, dark eyes sharp, suddenly looking very much the spy he was, "Isolating yourself will help you remain an enigma. And nothing close to Harry Potter."

This sentiment from Severus was one of the hardest things to grasp for Harry, because he'd always had his friends to rely on, at least when he'd entered Hogwarts. 

Well, he was definitely failing miserably at being far from Harry Potter when he was so close to his old friends. Harry wondered if he could just not say anything and  disappear for the rest of the train ride...

He conjured up an image of when he was small, in Dudley's hand-me-downs, fending for himself against all his other primary school classmates. He definitely didn't want to repeat that. 

But Severus had insisted- alone protects you.

"Hello Ronald Weasley and Hermione Granger." Luna said dreamily.

"Hello, Luna," Hermione said, looking apprehensively at the front cover of her magazine, lips thin, "Is that the Quibbler?" 

With that, Luna launched into a summary of latest issue to Hermione, who seemed to be physically restraining herself from correcting Luna in her quirky ramblings. Ron was eating a roast beef sandwhich with gusto, and Hermione was levitating the trunks into the shelf above. Just like it was before.

I don't know if I can handle this anymore. Everything is the same-- except for me.

"Where's Harry?" Neville asked them, leaning back in his seat again, "I haven't seen him at all."

Ron and Hermione shared a glance. Harry pointedly looked away, picking at his sleeve.

Don't notice me, please don't notice me.

"He's being homeschooled with a few different professors. Might be in danger now that you-know-who's back and all." Ron said finally.

So that's the excuse they came up with, Harry thought wonderingly, fighting the unexpected urge to laugh. If only they knew who he was now. 

"Oh, we'll miss him then," Neville said sincerely, and Harry felt a rush of affection towards him.

"This is Seraphinus by the way," Neville announced, motioning at Harry, looking a bit uncertain again. Harry's heart dropped with a pang. My turn to enter the conversation.

"Oh, we've been so rude!" Hermione exclaimed suddenly noticing Harry again, "I'm Hermione, and this is Ron. Are you new here? I don't think that I've seen you around. It's lovely to meet you."

"Hi!" Harry said with a tremulous smile. Hermione was exactly the same.

"I'm Seraphinus," Harry hesitated, glancing at Ron quickly before saying, "Snape."

"Oh!" Hermione said, seemingly at a loss for words.

"You must know my father, he's a professor here."

"Snape." Ron replied dumbly.

"Well!" Hermione said in a shrill voice, after shooting Ron a warning look, "If you need any help at all, Ron and I and prefects."

"Thank you." Harry said politely. How did Severus manage all of this as a spy? Making everyone jump and cower away with fear? All the other houses hating him?

"I-I know my father can be very strict and all," Harry said carefully, with a slight smile directed at Ron's shocked expression, strangely reminiscent of the first time he had met Harry Potter.

"Yeah," Ron laughed, "no kidding. I always thought that he lived in the dungeons to make our lives miserable." 

Hermione elbowed Ron in the stomach.

"Sorry mate, we just didn't know he had a son!" Ron said with a grimace, ears flushed red.

Harry chucked awkwardly, and tucked a piece of stray hair behind his ear. 

"Seraphinus is an awfully long name," Luna chimed in, suddenly looking very attentively at Harry. Harry swallowed, wondering what on earth she would say next. She was right of course- it was awfully long, but Severus had insisted. It had sounded rather ridiculous to Harry though. 

"We need to get as far away from Harry Potter as possible."

"It- It is." Harry said, struck by the uncanny feeling that Luna could read his mind.

Before any of them could say anything else, the train shuddered to a stop.

They all stood up, not really knowing what to say.

"Well, looks like we're here!" Neville said, slinging his bag over his shoulder and clinging his plant closer to his chest.

"Good luck, and remember, if you need any help, let Ron and I know." Hermione said kindly, Ron trailing behind her warily. Harry nodded at her.

I wish I could take you up on that,  Harry thought sadly as Neville, Ron and Hermione all gathered their things and left the compartment, chattering with one another. He knew that he would have to keep his distance from the two.

"Secrets surround us, as do old faces." a soft voice came from behind him.

Harry whirled around. Luna was still in the compartment, smiling softly at him. She was small and slight, Harry noticed, now that she was standing up he noticed it more than ever. She seemed innocent and light with her converse sneakers and ruffled tweed jacket.

"Don't worry, Harry. Your secret is safe with me." Luna assured him. Her eyes were clear and sincere, and she seemed more grounded, more real than he had ever seen her. Harry felt obliged to believe her, but found himself still in doubt.

"Luna, how did you know that it was me?" he asked quietly, looking back to make sure that nobody was listening.

Trust no one, Severus had said.

"You're the same person as before, Lily-child," Luna replied earnestly, "and the nargles are swarming around your head. Can't you see them too?"

And without waiting for a reply, she whisked away, leaving Harry to stare after her, mouth agape.

I haven't even stepped off the train yet and my new life is more complicated than I thought it would be.

"Okay." Harry said numbly, "Okay."

Here's to a new life.