Disclaimer: I own none of this! Much love to my editor, M!
Sorry it's been taking so long. Grad school classes keep getting in my way. I hope you all enjoy this one!
Harry Potter and the Marauder's Vendetta
Chapter 11: The Train
There should be a law against full moons, Hermione thought as she rolled over again in her bed, trying to find a cool spot. The windows in her room were all thrown open in the vain hope of catching a non-existent breeze, which unfortunately also allowed in the streaming rays of the biggest moon Hermione had ever seen. Usually, she would be fascinated by this anomaly, but tonight all she could think of was the sleep the moon was keeping from her.
Not everything about the Muggle world should be ignored by wizards, she mused, folding the pillow under her head, squirming to get comfortable. They could learn a lot about air conditioning. That could be the beginning of the strongest Human/Muggle relations since the Dark Ages: Central Air unites the world. She laughed at her own little joke. The Weasley's are close to being my family, but I'll never get used to sleeping in their house. Hermione thought back to the days before she came to Hogwarts. She thought of her bedroom. It had always been the same, no matter what city her family lived in. Every wall was stacked high with teetering bookshelves, each crammed to the breaking point with books. I always fell asleep so fast in those days, Hermione mused, shifting again, restlessly. Thirty pages and then my brain would turn off. These days, my brain won't shut off. It won't stop thinking about everything. About how I'm about to start my last year at Hogwarts, about what on earth is possibly going to come after school, about this blasted heat, this stupid, stupid moon, about Harry…
"UGH!" She sat bolt upright in bed, feeling her shirt cling to her in the humid night air.
About Harry…
She shook her head. The heat was causing her mind to spin in circles. Why can't I stop thinking about Harry? Restless, she got up and walked over to the pitcher of water she kept on the windowsill. Thank God I'm old enough to use magic outside of Hogwarts, Hermione thought as she picked up her wand from where it lay on top of a pile of clean clothesShe muttered "Frigio," and a jet of cold air shot out of her wand, forming a thin sheet of ice over the top of the water. She thought about stories her parents told her about when they were young, and it was so hot they would put their clothes in the freezer before wearing them.
Works for me, she thought, and with another flick of her wand, froze her sheets. The icy sensation caused her to shiver as she sat back down with her glass, and let the cold water trickle down her throat. The heat had been nearly unbearable the past two nights. The group had spent the days lying under the shade of the tree closest to the Weasley's house, but it had done no good; temperatures had merely gone from unbearable to intolerable. The only thing that had taken Hermione's mind off her discomfort was the fact that she was laying out there with Harry.
Harry, who had changed into his shorts. Harry, who had finally taken off his shirt in a vain attempt to cool down. Harry, whose arm and shoulder had brushed hers when he'd flopped back onto the ground next to her. Harry, who looked so handsome shirtless and a bit sweaty in the dappled shade of the tree. Harry, who with one look could make her feel like the only girl in the world…
"UGH!"
She looked back up at the moon. It was a beautiful sight, no matter how much she wished it would go away; the sort of moon that made anyone's thoughts shift to romance. Hermione rolled away, staring at the wall.
There are more important things to think about, she thought even as an image of Harry's messy black hair and bright green eyes came unbidden into her mind.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Hermione's Head Girl badge had arrived the previous morning. She had been so excited that she nearly stabbed Pigwidgeon with her quill as she wrote her parent's address on the envelope to their letter. Of course, there would be added responsibility now, but it was a small price to pay for such a great honor. She was so enthralled with her new badge it took a full five minutes to realize she was not the only recipient.
"Hermione!" Ron had cried, "You don't see Harry bouncing around like that! And he got one too!"
Hermione turned to face Ron, disbelief in her eyes. "But he was never a Prefect. How could he be Head Boy?"
Harry grinned sheepishly. "Guess it runs in the family. My Dad was passed over for the Prefect job too, but still ended up Head Boy. You don't mind that I got it, do you Ron?" He remembers Ron's reflection in the Mirror of Erised, Hermione thought, remembering the stories she heard back in her first year. But Ron looked like a weight had been lifted off his shoulders.
"You kidding? This means I've got loads more free time! And besides, I'm still the King of the Gryffindor Quidditch Team!" He began conducting an invisible orchestra to the tune of "Weasley is Our King," as Hermione edged a bit closer to Harry.
"Congratulations," she muttered, allowing Ron to have his symphony. "It must feel great. You're more like your father every day."
"Yeah," said Harry, smiling quietly, "But I wonder if I can handle the responsibility."
"The responsibility? You've faced down hordes of dark creatures, Death Eaters, and you've fought Voldemort to a standstill almost single-handedly! But you don't know if you can handle this?"
"Yeah," Harry chuckled nervously. "Kid's are a lot different. Evildoers will pay attention to you."
Hermione could only grin. Then, Draco entered the room, his face scrunched up in revulsion. Ron had just hit a high falsetto note, and was holding it until his ears began to turn purple.
"I never should have made that song up," he muttered to himself. "Well, two Gryffindor Heads. There's a surprise."
"Almost as big of a surprise as you getting back into Hogwarts at all," replied Harry. "And I can't believe they're letting you keep your Prefect's badge on top of that!" Draco smiled.
"Someone's got to keep the castle in line," he said simply. "And I wouldn't trust it to you two. I honestly don't know anyone who's broken more rules than you three, and that might just include your brothers, Weasley."
Ron looked flattered. "Yeah, a new troupe of Marauders, that's what we are! Doing mischief for the greater good."
"All for one, and one for all," replied Hermione.
"Yeah, as long as that one is me," said Harry, smirking. Draco rolled his eyes.
"A lovely group of comedians. I'd love to stick around and have my fill of mediocrity, but I've got to go pack for the train. Judging from the state of your rooms, I'm guessing none of you has started yet?" The trio looked to each other, each shaking their heads.
"Typical," muttered Draco…
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Yes, yes, that's it, thought Hermione. Think of all the work you have to do to get ready to be Head Girl. You'll need to make sure all your responsibilities are taken care of before classes every morning, so naturally you'll have to write up an entirely new schedule, and coordinate it with Harry's…
"UGH!"
Hermione flung her pillow at the door, cursing her mind for straying back to Harry. Why do I keep going back to him? You know he doesn't think of you as anything but a friend, and you should be thankful for you what you've got! After all, you've got Ron…
There was a soft knock at the door. Hermione opened it, and Ron's head popped in.
"Any chance of you having a softer tantrum?" he said, sleepily.
"Did I wake you?" Hermione asked apologetically.
"Nah, it's too hot to sleep anyway. But I think you're about to wake Harry. Honestly, after sleeping in the same room as all us Weasleys, he could sleep through a thunderstorm without noticing, but you're almost enough." Ron smiled. "You want a bit of the sleeping draught my Mum keeps around? You'll still wake up in enough time to enjoy the morning."
"Maybe in a bit," said Hermione. She had never liked using potions on herself when she could help it. Turning into a humanoid cat can change a person's mind about reckless potion using, she thought.
"Then I'll leave you to your tossing and turning," said Ron. He turned to leave, but Hermione caught his arm.
"Ron, I need to know something."
Hermione felt shaky. This is uncertain ground. It could ruin your friendship, one way or another. Ron looked into her eyes and sat down. He seemed to know what was coming. He seemed to have been expecting it for a while.
"Ron, you've been so dear to me these past seven years. You and Harry have always been great friends to me, but you always seemed to be able to get past my defenses. And these past few years, when we've been fighting so hard against each other, I've wondered from time to time if-"
"If there were something more?" Ron smiled. It wasn't his usual goofy grin, but a solemn, mature smile. Hermione was amazed to see the man he was becoming shining up from underneath his usually comic demeanor. "I've been wondering it myself. We had a couple of near brushes with that line, haven't we? Even after Ginny died, we had that moment, didn't we?"
Hermione nodded. She didn't have any idea where this was going. She just felt stupid keeping it all inside anymore.
"Then, I'd like to know…well, how you feel about me, Ron."
There was a long pause. Hermione heard the crickets chirping outside, filling the night with an orchestra of music. Ron was taking his time. He looked up, opened his mouth, and quickly glanced back down again, biting his lip. Finally, he began.
"I thought about you as more than a friend for ages, Hermione. When we started to get to know each other, you became one of my truest, best friends. I wouldn't have given that up for the world. Even during the times we fought, I only kept quiet because I knew you were right, and it took me forever to get up the nerve to apologize. Then, as the years went by, I knew that you were even more than a best friend. I didn't know how or where that put you in my life, but I knew you had gotten…what's the word? You had…achieved greater status in my life. And I wondered for a long time what that meant. Was I attracted to you? You were smart, and funny, and made me feel better just by being around, even when you were annoying the pants off of me. And I have to admit, you…well…you're beautiful, Hermione."
Hermione blushed. "I'm not."
"You are!" said Ron, grinning again. "But you know what happened, just in these past few weeks? I've been spinning the same questions around in my head. Only now, with Ginny gone, I finally feel like I'm beginning to understand where you fit in my life, and where I hope I can fit in yours."
Hermione had grown very still.
"I love you, Hermione. As more than a friend. As more than a girlfriend, even. I love you like I loved her. Do you remember when we were looking at the pictures of me and Ginny in her room, right before Harry walked in on us?"
Hermione nodded. "You almost kissed me."
"Right…well, I was going to stop myself. Because looking at those pictures, I figured out that you are connected to me, but in a different way. I felt that twinge I'd always felt around you, but felt that it wasn't romantic. I felt…I feel so deeply in tune with you that I don't think I could ever live without you. You are family to me, just as much as Mum or Dad. Maybe even more than Percy." He winked. Hermione felt the tension break, and laughed.
"So, we're friends?" she asked.
Ron smiled. "To put it incredibly mildly."
Hermione felt like a huge load had been lifted off of her. She hadn't quite known how she wanted Ron to respond; her own answer was still being solidified in her mind. But when she heard him say that he loved thought of her as family, it was like her own answer had become much more clear.
"I needed to clear that up, Ron. Thanks."
"No problem, Hermione. Come here." He grinned, and she hugged him as hard as she could.
"Erm…Hermione? Why does it feel like you've been doused in ice water?"
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Harry woke up at six o'clock the next morning to the sound of a light rain spattering the window, and set to work immediately to finish up his packing. It's year seven. You'd think I'd have this packing down to an ART. But nooooo, there's always the ten things that I forget right before we leave. He looked over at Ron, who was sprawled across his bed, snoring loudly, and wondered how on earth he had remembered to pack all his things. Harry sighed, and had begun rummaging around under his bed, looking for the old pair of sneakers he usually wore for Quidditch, when he heard a soft purring. It was too high pitched to be Crookshanks, and besides, it was coming from under his bed. It's coming from the sneakers! He thought, befuddled. Harry stretched out his arm and grabbed the purring shoe. When he turned it upside-down, a soft pink ball of fur plopped onto his hand, still purring constantly. He recognized it at once.
"Arnold!" he said, softly stroking its fur. The mini-puffskein had been Ginny's last year. Harry felt a twinge of regret. He had become used to the fact that Ginny was gone, but becoming accustomed to the truth didn't make it any less painful. Things are going to be so different this year, probably in ways I don't even know about yet. But I wish she were here to share it with all of us. Harry sighed, and gently placed Arnold on his shoulder. Maybe he would make a nice pet for the Gryffindor Common Room. We'd just better keep you away from Crookshanks, Harry thought.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
The trip to King's Cross was noticeably easier this year than in previous ones, due to the loss of Ginny's luggage, and the fact that Draco had barely anything that belonged to him since he had been disowned. It would be an interesting year for him too, thought Harry as they piled into the Ministry cars that had been graciously donated for the drive. Will Draco have the same clout he once had with the other Slytherins? Most of them are coming back, except for the ones whose parents are Death Eaters, of course. But can he still control them? Unify them? Unify them with US? Draco had been looking stoic since they had gotten in the cars. He was taking long, deep, slow breaths, and Harry had the impression he was trying to keep himself calm, and figured he was probably thinking along the same lines as Harry. A piping hoot interrupted Draco's meditation though, and he looked down to see his newly acquired owl. Since he no longer had the Eagle Owl, the Weasleys had graciously donated Pigwidgeon to him. Harry grinned. Wasn't too many years ago that he was making fun of Ron and his bird. Harry shot Draco the thumbs up. Draco rolled his eyes to the ceiling.
"This…will take some getting used to," he said.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
By the time the train headed out of Platform 9 3/4, Harry had already changed into his Hogwarts uniform. He was just about to sit down and wait for the trolley, when Hermione pulled him up out of his seat.
"Harry, we have to walk up and down the train with the prefects. It's part of being Heads."
"Can't we at least get a Cauldron Cake first?" Harry asked, imploringly. Hermione gave him a withering stare.
"We work before we play, Harry. Welcome to the world of responsibility."
Responsibility, as it turned out, was not too difficult on the Hogwarts Express. There were the usual groups of kids racing up and down the train's corridors, but nothing exceedingly dangerous was happening. Harry wondered inwardly how much worse it would have been if Crabbe, Goyle, and the rest of Malfoy's Slytherin gang had been welcomed back. Malfoy, for his part, seemed to be maintaining decorum among the returning Slytherin students. They had passed him in the back compartment, telling off a young third year Slytherin boy named Malone for bullying a Hufflepuff.
"…You would've let me turn him into a slug last year!" Malone was whispering viciously under his breath. "What happened to you?"
"More than you'll ever know, James. Now leave him alone, or else you'll have me to answer to. You're a third year. Act like it! You need to set an example for all the other Slyther…" Draco had noticed Harry watching him.
"Slytherins…And remember, you don't want that new Gryffindor Head Boy to think you're breaking any rules. He'll put you in detention for a month. I even heard he's working with Filch to bring back the old chains and whippings. He's a monster!"
"I'm NOT a monster!" said Harry, making the boy Malone jump a foot in the air, and dart out of the compartment. Harry turned to Draco. "Turning me into the Boogeyman?"
"You know, Potter, just because you decided to get all chummy with me doesn't mean I can't have a bit of fun. Now, try not to hex my chest open."
"Try not to give me a reason to!" Harry snapped back. He and Hermione continued down the train, and found Ron sitting in a compartment with Luna and Neville. Luna, wearing her regular turnip-shaped earrings and dreamy expression, was reading a copy of The Quibbler, and warning the two boys about "…The Knackerbrods that are acting up. They jump out of your toilet. And they swallow you whole!" Hermione snorted, but Ron laughed good-naturedly.
"Guess I'll really have to watch my back, next time I go to use the loo," said Ron. He turned to the pair. "Been having a good trip? Getting used to authority?"
"Never!" said Harry. "I could handle the DA, 'cause everybody was there to learn, but here, it's like babysitting a trainload of mischievous two-year-olds!"
"Oh, speaking of the DA," said Hermione, "Are you going to set up meetings again once school starts?"
Harry nodded. "Haven't given it too much thought, but it would definitely be worth it, and it sounds like its going to be a requirement for me anyway this year. I'm sure Lupin will be happy to help me out." Luna and Neville both beamed. Harry knew that they would be the two people happiest to hear of the return of Dumbledore's Army. Harry grinned at the pair. "Still got your coins?"
Simultaneously, Neville and Luna pulled out their Galleons.
"Ready when you are!" said Neville.
"Yes, we'll always come when you call us Harry." Said Luna dreamily. Harry saw Hermione give Luna an odd look out of the corner of his eye, but when he turned to her she was looking up and down the hallway, seemingly searching for trouble.
Harry shrugged inwardly and sat down on the nearest seat. Truth be told, no matter how terrifying the thought of Lord Voldemort was, it always felt better to have his friends near him. It felt less like mortal peril and more like a supreme adventure when he had an Army fighting with him against the forces of darkness. Life certainly has been interesting. I'm going to be downright boring after I've defeated him…IF I defeat him…no, WHEN I defeat him! Might as well be positive.
"So, you excited about your last year, Neville," Harry asked casually.
"Oh yeah!" said Neville, bouncing a little in his seat. "I heard we'll be dealing with the really dangerous plants and advanced magical gardening in herbology this year, and Professor Sprout wrote me and said she may even need me to assist her in taking care of the grounds around Hogwarts."
Harry amused himself briefly with the image of Neville battling the Whomping Willow, and asked, "So is that what you want to do with your life?"
"Dunno," said Neville. "It all seems so permanent, that 'what I want to do with my life question.' I always thought of it as something way off in the future. Never thought the day would actually come when I'd be walking out of the castle and not coming back. But here we are! I suppose Herbology would keep me pretty well occupied as a career. What about you, Luna? You thinking about it at all, or are you still feeling safe in your little 6th year bubble?"
"Oh, no," said Luna. "They gave us all career advice last year, and I told Professor Flitwick right away. I want to go and work for the Quibbler. There's so much news that people need to know about, and my Dad could use the help. I'll be making sure he doesn't miss anything."
Hermione looked less than thrilled at the idea. With Luna, zealousness for "the truth" was nothing if not exponential. Harry turned to her.
"So, what will you be doing then, Professor Granger? Looking to go right into teaching?"
"Teaching? I don't know if I could teach. I'd much rather work for myself. Maybe I'll go and work at a bookstore, like Flourish and Blott's. There's so much I still don't know…"
Now it was Ron and Harry's turn to roll their eyes. Harry was sure that his heaven, if he ever saw it, would not be book filled.
"Well, I'm going to go work for my brothers, I expect (if they hire me, that is)," said Ron. "Nothing like setting off fireworks all day to keep you occupied!"
"You ought to try out for a Quidditch team," said Luna. "You're amazing when you fly!" She turned her overwide eyes back to her magazine, and began humming "Weasley is our King" softly under her breath. Ron looked startled, however.
"You know, that's not a bad idea," he said, rubbing his chin. "I reckon the Cannons might start winning if they had a decent Keeper. Wouldn't it be just fantastic, single-handedly turning the team around?" His eyes shone with the idea of being an international Quidditch star. Hermione turned to Harry.
"What about you?" she said, a small smile playing across her lips.
Harry sat, thinking about it. "Well…I don't know. I've spent all my wizard life fighting against Voldemort." Ron shuddered at the name. "But I guess, one of these days, if I beat him, then I'll have to go find a real job. Maybe I'll go sell drills, like my Uncle. Grow a really big bushy mustache, and gain about 200 pounds."
They all laughed at this.
"My life is going to be so boring without any Dark Lords to fight. I mean I've been getting ready to battle these Dark Forces for so long, what will I do when they aren't there anymore?"
"Maybe you'll go on vacation," suggested Neville.
"But that's only if you do defeat them," said Luna, speaking almost to herself. "There is always the chance that they'll defeat you." No one responded to this. It was true, Harry thought. The chances were very great that he wouldn't make it to see what awaited him on the other end of this school year. They all sat in silence, searching in vain for a new topic.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Outside the train, the wind began to howl as dark thunderclouds blew in from the West. The rain, which had been coming down in buckets, was becoming almost biblical in its deluge, and the conductor of the Hogwarts Express had cautiously slowed the train, to make sure it didn't jump the tracks. It was lucky he did, for if he hadn't he might never have seen the cloaked figure waving a red lantern. The conductor sighed. This had become quite normal procedure in the last few years. Inspections, Dementors searching the train, somebody always needed to get on for some reason. He growled to himself, not wanting the train to be delayed any longer than it had to be. And why was this idiot stopping the train on the bridge? They could've picked a better spot…
BOOM!
The conductor was thrown back by the blast of the explosion in front of him. He had barely stumbled to his feet when another explosion rocked the bridge, this time from behind the train. He waited for the train to fall, but there was no sound save the screams of the children in the compartments behind him. They've blown up the track in front and behind us! He realized the train and its cars must all still be in between two supports; that's why they hadn't fallen. The Conductor breathed a sigh of relief.
It was the last breath he ever took.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
In their own compartment, Harry and his friends were thrown to the floor by the concussive blasts as well. But unlike the conductor, Harry was on his feet and moving as quickly as he could. He had wondered if something like this might happen. It's where we're most vulnerable, he thought. A dark blur whizzed by the window, followed by another, and another. A flash of a mask among the dark blurs confirmed Harry's worst fear. Death Eaters! I thought they might attack the train, but I didn't think they'd trap us, he thought, sliding away the door The hallway was full of panicked voices, and Harry heard loud screams as the lights in the corridor suddenly blew out.
"Stop it! Stop pushing! LUMOS!" Harry's wand illuminated the pale, scared faces of his friends and fellow students. They were all looking to him. They wanted him to lead. Harry took a deep breath.
"DA, this compartment! Everyone else, into the last compartment! Keep your wands out!" Harry turned to see Hermione, Ron, Luna, and Neville, all with their wands out, and all awaiting his command.
"We need to get the students off this train!" Said Hermione. "There are kids here who've never used magic before in their lives."
Harry nodded. "Ron, when the DA gets in here, take all the Quidditch players, tell them to get their teams together and to get on their brooms. Get as many of the first years off of this train as possible! Hermione, separate the rest of the DA up, and have them guard every entrance and exit to that last compartment. Neville, Luna, you're going to be in charge of the first years until they get onto a broom. We've got to move fast, and I'll bet we don't have much time, now MOVE!"
Harry quickly turned away, but felt a familiar tug on his shoulder. Hermione was clasping onto his sleeve, keeping him from breaking away.
"Harry," she whispered. "Please…" The dim light from his wand glittered in her overbright eyes. Harry wanted to stay there, to hold her, he suddenly felt all the feelings he'd been ignoring for her burst into his chest At the moment the strongest was the need to protect her.
"Go," he whispered, pulling her hand off.
Harry heard boots coming from the opposite direction, thick, heavy boots running up behind the students. He knew there were still people in the cars up ahead of him, so he grabbed his wand and set off down the hallway. Suddenly, from his left, Harry heard a shout of "STUPEFY!" Instinctively, he ducked, and the curse went far over his head, connecting with a Death Eater who had been hiding in the shadows. Harry pulled his wand on the spellcaster, and saw it was Seamus.
"You owe me!" he said with a smile, raising his wand in salute. Unfortunately, he didn't see the death Eater coming up the side of the window on his broom.
"Seamus, look out!" Harry yelled. He saw Seamus turn toward the window, saw the look of triumph on his face change to anger, and then he was hit by a spell. Harry didn't immediately see the effect, but as soon as Seamus moved, he began screaming, writhing on the floor. Harry began to see lines of blood drawn along his flesh, as if someone had begun to skin him. Seamus began convulsing, unable to move, and the Death Eater in the window swooped in for the kill.
"That was just a taste," he whispered in a voice Harry didn't recognize. "More shall come, before the end." The Death Eater picked Seamus up, saw Harry, and ran for his broom. Harry started firing off hexes, but the Death Eater had made it to his broom with Seamus before Harry could stop him. But suddenly, a bright flash filled the sky, and Harry saw the Death Eater drop off his broom. From another direction, he saw Ron fly in and pick up the falling Seamus. Ron met his eyes and Harry nodded, turned, and ran off down the train.
In the next compartment, Harry was stunned. First years, too frightened to move, had sought shelter in their compartments, and the Death Eaters were now making sport of them, levitating them, and throwing them up against the walls. Harry heard one shout, "Look! This one is from that filthy half-blood family! Let's show him what we think of that!"
Harry knew he couldn't defeat them all. Panicking, he reached inside his robes, looking for anything.
He found Weasley's Wizard Wheezes.
The Death Eater began laughing as he watched the helpless Half-Blood boy struggle against his magic. He was so engrossed he didn't duck (As many of his comrades did) as the first of the Racing Rockets streaked towards his face. Sparks flew as his robe ignited, and he ran screaming off down the corridor. Unfortunately, Harry now knew he had their undivided attention. He felt around in his bag, and felt the top of a smoke bomb. Brilliant! He thought, and pulled the top. Immediately, toxic brown clouds of putrid fog wiped over the compartment. Stink Cloud! I'll have to remember to "Thank" Fred and George for making it a Stink Cloud! Many of the students began to panic along with the confused Death Eaters, and Harry pushed his way through the room, stunning anything that was bigger than he was.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
In the farthest compartment, next to the engine, Draco was pushing first years through the doors, moving them back toward where Harry was. He had heard the explosions, and even worse, seen the brilliant flash of green light. Anywhere's better than here, he thought, pushing his fellow Slytherins towards the door. He knew all of them. He knew they would be just as terrified of the Death Eaters as any Gryffindor. These were just kids; kids who were from good families and Draco knew that the wrath the Death Eaters felt would be especially heinous towards the Slytherins, who would be considered traitors for ever coming back to Hogwarts.
"Blaise!" shouted Draco, calling to the tall boy crouching in his compartment, "Get them out of here!"
"I can't!" Whispered Blaise Zabini, cowering even further down in the darkness. "They'll kill me! They'll kill me! I'm too young to die!"
"Then it'll be a shame when I kill you! Now get going, and keep down!"
The door to the engineer's room exploded, and Draco could see his body, along with the body of the lady who pushed the cart. He felt repulsed, knowing he would have been with these Death Eaters only a few months ago. Draco drew his wand, pushing Blaise and the last of the Slytherins out of the compartment.
"Don't! D-Don't move!" said Draco. His eyes were wide. He knew he looked terrified. Unfortunately, he was terrified. A roll of laughter filled the lonely compartment.
"Draco, Draco," came a silky voice from the Death Eaters, "You won't stop us. If you were any son of mine, I'd be dead by now." Draco paled even more than usual. Father?
"However, if you let us pass, I might let you live. If you keep standing there, I will have to kill you…" Draco took a step back. I can't! He thought. I can't fight him! He thought of the years he spent being trained as his father's successor, as a worthy heir to the Malfoy name. Draco felt his hand trembling. He clamped his other hand against his wand, brandishing it at his father. Lucius Malfoy sounded amused.
"You would strike down your own father?" he asked, chuckling lazily.
"Y-YES!" cried Draco, pushing his wand forward. I can't! His brain said. He remembered the past few weeks, the kindness and trust he had been shown by Harry, Hermione, and the Weasleys. They had trusted him when no one else would have, took him in when they had no reason…
Lucius Malfoy laughed, a cold sneering blast of laughter. "I don't think you will! Crucio!"
Draco had not expected it, but jumped out of the way before the curse hit him. Quickly, he scrambled back up to his feet, once again blocking the door. The laughter had gone out of the Death Eaters now. One of them muttered, "Just kill him and get it over with!"
"Shut your mouth, Crabbe!" shouted Lucius, looking momentarily perplexed. Draco was stunned. The father of one of his best friends. His son would do the same, he thought. Anything for the Dark Lord. Draco stood up as tall as he could, once again brandishing his wand.
"I won't let you pass!" he yelled, praying he wouldn't have to fight all of them alone. Crabbe guffawed.
"Then you'll pay! Avarda…" The one Lucius had called Crabbe lifted his wand.
"Expelliarmus!"
Crabbe's wand went flying from his hand. Draco knew they wouldn't wait for him to get another curse off. With one last glance at his father, Draco tore up the empty compartment and slammed the door.
"Draco!" He saw Harry and Hermione racing up the cabin towards him. Draco braced his shoulder against the door.
"We've got a lot of trouble on the other side!" Draco yelled, and Harry and Hermione saw the door buckle as one of the Death Eaters slammed up against it.
"Move," said Hermione, pulling Draco aside. She drew her wand, and pointing at the door, said "Pactum" Harry heard the door click and lock. But Hermione wasn't done. She touched her wand to the door itself and muttered "Caementum!" Harry was stunned to see the door turned to stone!
"I've been studying," said Hermione, shrugging under the stunned stares of the two boys. "Come on, we need your help, Draco!"
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Ron had been moving students off of the train and onto solid ground two at a time, even though the brooms were not meant to carry that many. Every time he made the trip, the broom dipped dangerously. He could see the other Quidditch players struggling to remove students too. Ron had put Zacharias Smith and Neville on patrol for any Death eaters on broomsticks, and occasionally heard a shouted curse and a scream. He didn't envy the Death Eater's fall; it was nearly two hundred feet to the bottom of the canyon, and then there was the river.
By the time Draco, Harry, and Hermione showed up, the last of the students were being ferried across the crevice. Draco took two of the Slytherin second years, and leapt onto a waiting broom. That left only Harry and Hermione.
"Get on a broom, Hermione!" Hermione, however, had turned a sickly shade of green.
"It's so far to the bottom," she muttered. Harry knew she had been afraid of heights and flying, but he thought she could get past it in this situation!
"Hermione, we need to get out of here! Any second…"
And then Harry felt a terrifying lurch from the train. One of the supports that had been holding up the bridge had taken damage in the explosion, and began to give way. Harry and Hermione were suddenly tipped vertically, as the tracks beneath them gave way. Harry knew they were done for.
Then, with a lurch and the scraping of metal, the train stopped falling. Harry and Hermione landed near the exit, and Harry heard a sickening snap from Hermione's leg and a small cry of pain from her. He groaned, knowing the connectors that were keeping them from falling wouldn't last long. In desperation, he grabbed Hermione's hand and scrambled over to his Firebolt.
"Listen Hermione, I know it's scary, I know you don't want to, but we have to go!" Hermione looked up and nodded, looking terrified.
"Just hold on to me, ok? Don't look anywhere else, don't look down, and just hold on to me! Tight!" Harry mounted his broom, and as he did, felt the train begin to sway. One of the connectors cracked, and the train fell another few feet. Tentatively, Hermione hobbled over to the broom, and put her arms around Harry. Harry felt her bury her face into his back, and put one of his hands around hers, to keep her steady and comfort her.
"Ready? Here we…"
But just then, Harry felt the last connector give way, and the compartment begin to fall around them. Hermione screamed, but grabbed him as tightly as she could, too terrified to let go. Harry pushed off, and at the same time drew his wand. I can't catch up with the door, he thought, so I'll have to make a new one. He pointed his wand at the ceiling, rapidly closing in on them, and yelled "REDUCTO!" The spell broke through the closed door, and Harry saw the dark night sky above them, flashing with lightning, and then with a burst of fresh air, they were out.
Hermione screamed again, and Harry looked behind him to see what was wrong. Hermione was staring straight down, watching the compartment they were just in crash into the river beneath them. Harry clasped her hands even tighter.
"I told you," he yelled above the storm, and aiming for the land a few yards away, "DON'T! LOOK! DOWN!"
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
I'd really appreciate it if you guys would review this: )
