The Prophecy

Chapter Eleven

The Hogwarts Express was a wonderful way to travel, the boys decided. Of course, when it came to all their travels and the cases they'd solved, they'd ridden on many trains, but none were quite as fantastic as this. The train plowed along in a steady rhythm, seeming to float more than chug, without a bump or jolt. Frank and Joe were feeling a bit nervous, for although they could tackle the mystery and danger without a second thought, they had a feeling that they might be out of place, not knowing much about the wizard world, and being American. However, they had a job to do, and there was no way they were going to shy away from it. The boys had only been in their compartment with Harry, Ron, and Hermione for a few minutes when the door slid open and three boys walked in, grinning from ear to ear, talking and laughing happily.

"Oi, Harry!" the chubby one toting a wiggling toad grinned. "Have a nice summer?"

"It was...interesting, Neville."

"Who are the new blokes?" the taller, skinnier boy with brown hair and freckles asked.

"This is Frank and Joe Hardy," Hermione introduced them. "They were transferred here from a wizarding school in America. Guys, this is Seamus Finnagin, Dean Thomas, and Neville Longbottom."

The boys exchanged greetings, sat down, and the group began to converse. "The states, huh?" Dean said, whistling. "Mite of a bit away from London, isn't it?"

"Yeah," Joe said distractedly. He was busy watching Neville struggle to keep his toad from scampering away.

"So, who's the new DADA teacher this year, I wonder?" Ron said to no one in particular.

"I heard it's going to be a vampire," Neville said fearfully.

"There's no way," Frank said.

"Frank's right," Hermione answered. "It would be dangerous and unethical."

"Dumbledore hired Lupin, remember?" Ron snapped.

"What about Lupin?" Joe asked.

"Didn't you hear, Mate?" Seamus said, eyes wide. "Bloke's a werewolf."

"Better than being a nargle," came a soft, dreamy voice from the compartment door. The Hardys looked up to see a pretty, blonde girl with misty gray eyes and a faraway smile standing there. She wasn't wearing any shoes.

"What's a nargle?" Joe wanted to know.

"Frank, Joe, this is Looney-er, I mean, Luna Lovegood," Ron supplied helpfully, blushing crimson.

"Hi, I'm Joe Hardy," Joe introduced himself, extending his hand. Instead of taking it, Luna stared at him eerily and remarked, "You have a dangerous aura about you, Joseph. Are you ever attacked by Flipsos?"

"Uhhh...what?"

"My dad writes for the newspaper The Quibbler," Luna went on, unphased by Frank's question.

Frank exchanged looks with Hermione, who shrugged. Joe ventured, "Where are your shoes, Luna?"

"I don't know," the girl replied slowly, a dazed look on her face. "The gargles probably took them, but I suspect they'll turn out soon. They always do."

"Errr...do you lose your shoes often?" Frank wanted to know.

"Increasingly...today," Luna replied, then spun around and almost floated out of the compartment.

"Well, that was weird," Joe said.

"Not as out there as usual," Harry admitted.

"So...you're friends are pretty...interesting," Joe said, eyeing Neville's pudgy bottom stuck out from under the seat as he searched for his toad, who he had learned was named Trevor.

"Wait until you meet Hagrid," Ron grinned.

"Uh-oh," Neville breathed as the compartment swung open again. "Here comes trouble."

"Just remembered, we have to uh...go to the Snack Trolley," Dean invented as the three boys slipped past the other boys in the doorway, leaving Harry, Ron, Hermione, Frank, and Joe alone with them.

The three boys, two big, beefy, and stupid, and the other, who seemed to be the leader, with sleek blonde hair and cruel gray eyes entered the compartment. Joe took one look at the middle boy's eyes and was instantly transported back in time...

Lucius Malfoy stood over Joe's bound form and hissed, "How dare you try and escape? I'll show you what it means to feel pain..." He muttered some words, and Joe fell into darkness with a horrible racking of pain...

"What do you want, Malfoy?" Harry snapped.

Draco Malfoy, the only son of Lucius Malfoy, sneered at the group, then his eyes narrowed when he saw Frank and Joe. His icy gaze lingered on Joe. He laughed hollowly. "Father said you might come around and start poking your nose into things," he taunted. "Dumbledore, the old coot, is so predictable. Won't do you any good." He paused. "Joe, right? How's your little girlfriend doing? Oh, yeah, I forgot...she's dead...you killed her..."

Joe growled and lunged for Malfoy, murder in his eyes.


~Emachinescat ^..^