Arry took a huge leap back and had her hand halfway to her wand when she realised she was wearing flannel pyjamas with small black cats on them and didn't actually have her wand about her person.

"Miss Morreno...we meet again,"

Arry gave a wide-eyed deer-in-headlights kind of stare while she groped her brain for something witty and charming to say.

"Yeah well so are you!"

Genius.

"Delightful as always," He smirked.

Arry stared into grey-blue eyes and platinum blonde hair and tried to decide whether the odd feeling in her stomach was her body telling her to run away or jump him, she decided instead it was her body's was of saying 'you're hung over' and asked pleasantly,

"And how can I help you Mr. Malfoy?"

Lucius smiled in a way that bordered on friendly but turned cold and mocking at the last minute. "I believe my wife is here somewhere,"

"That she is,"

"And do you know where?"

"That I do,"

There was a pause. "And are you planning to take me to her or to stand here only half-dressed for the rest of the morning,"

Arcadia's eyes opened a little wider and she glanced down at herself. Her strap top suddenly felt too small and her pyjama bottoms were very low on her hips...she yanked up her trousers faster than she would have thought possible and tried to glare at the older Malfoy only to change her mind at the last moment - for fear of incurring Satan's wrath - and gave him a nervous smile instead. "Er...this way. Although I can't say what mental state she might be in. We all know the dangers of alcohol, or I do anyway, but you're older and wiser so you should too. Not that you're old or wise. I mean obviously you're wise but not necessarily old. That is wise…ness comes when you get older and with your vast fountains of knowledge you must be of a certain age. Forty? Fifty? Then again forty and fifty aren't really old when you look at the grand scheme of things, I mean some of those scaly things that move really slow...you know...with the shells...land-turtles? Anyway, they can live to be about two-hundred so what I'm trying to say is you're not really old compared to a tortoise."

Lucius opened his mouth a fraction of an inch and then closed it again and gave her a brief, empty and somewhat tensed smile. "Narcissa?" He questioned.

"Is in the ballroom. I'll take you. You know if we were tortoises it would take us ages to get there," She brushed past him and shuffled ahead down the corridor.

The Morreno Manor was a large building and the kitchen very far away from the ballroom - obviously no guests would need to ever be anywhere near the kitchen or Sylvia would never live it down - and Arry shuffled at top speed to avoid awkward conversation.

"I understand you and my son are no longer connected romantically,"

But alas, silence is too much to hope for.

"Uh, yeah, no,"

Lucius quirked an eyebrow, "I shall assume that was an uneducated way of saying 'no, we are not',"

"My education is fine thank you. And you are correct, my good sir, that was indeed a 'no we are no longer romantically connected and although it pains me to no longer have any links to your family I feel I may recover in the near future'." Arry sighed.

Take that all you people who say I shouldn't be in Ravenclaw!

"Indeed," Lucius said with a cold sneer, "It is a dear loss, I shall lose sleep knowing that there is no way my family shall ever be connected to you or your brute brothers."

"I'm sure,"

About as sad as a shark after it eats a seagull. Which is not sad at all. In fact I'm fairly sure they say 'Ha!' while they spit out the feathers. They walked a few feet in blissful silence. They walked a few feet in blissful silence.

"Although, I was aware it wouldn't last long," Lucius said breezily.

Oh here we go

"A girl like you with my son,"

"A girl like who?"

"You,"

Arcadia opened her mouth, the words 'what about me?' on her lips but Lucius continued.

"Draco is an intelligent boy, he's gifted in many ways and it was obvious he would tire of you sooner or later. A Ravenclaw,"

Arcadia gave him a cold look. "Oddly enough it was your son who pursued me. In fact I tried to fight him off with a barge poll but he wasn't having any of it,"

You tried to fight him off? You said 'I wouldn't touch you with a barge poll' and then snogged his lights out! High standards Arry.

No one asked you.

"Of course," Lucius smiled. "The fact of the matter is my son, intelligent, handsome and gifted as he is, can often be manipulated."

Arry paused a few feet from the ballroom door, her back still to Lucius but her attention fully on him.

"Ravenclaws are intelligent and Slytherin are, well, sly. A lot of people overlook that there is a very thin line between the two. The fact is that one particular Ravenclaw, one who may have been placed on the wrong side of this line, got there first and manipulated him before you could. Whether she changed his mind for better or for worse, all I know is my son is no longer happy. Make of that what you will,"

Lucius stepped around her and let his eyes fall on his wife, curled up next to Sylvia in the corner of the room. For a second Lucius face was warm but then the corners of his mouth fell back down and his grey eyes were cold again. He went in prepared to haul her to her feet and take her home and Arcadia stood in the doorway dumbfounded and confused.

Did Lucius Malfoy just tell me it was Rebecca's fault? Sweet Merlin did Lucius Malfoy just do a good thing??

Lucius wrapped an arm around Narcissa's waist as she yawned blearily and scrambled to her feet. She shuffled to the door beside her husband, moving around the sleeping forms, and gave Arcadia a soft smile, "Bye Arcadia," She grinned.

Arcadia watched Lucius, he looked her up and down and made an unpleasant noise similar to 'ghuf'.

"It was a pleasure as always Mr and Mrs Malfoy. Any time you want to drop by, discuss tortoises perhaps? Or any reptile? Komodo Dragons: The Hungarian Horntail of the Muggle World. That was an essay I wrote once. Anyway, you ever feel a little lonely come on over. You're like family. Reptilian family,"

"Goodbye Miss Morreno,"

"Bye Mr Malfoy. You're company was epileptic as always," She smiled giving them a wave and turning down the corridor to the stairs, she planned to hurl her remaining brothers off her bed and have a decent bit of sleep.

***
Arry skipped down the stairs cheerfully, fully dressed and ready for the day ahead as she made her way to the dining room where Haydrian, Stefan and Sylvia were sat eating the breakfast over quiet conversation. Damien and Markuz had returned to Durmstrang the day before on the fifth and today Arry was to return to Hogwarts. Stefan and Haydrian had said they weren't 'slacking off work' and would get straight back to their respective jobs as soon as Arry left for school. Although come to think of it didn't she really go back to school at the end of January? No? Oh well no harm in their work places thinking otherwise.

"Arry!" Haydrian grinned, "My favourite sister!"

"Your only sister,"

"Don't say that in front of Stafanie!"

Stefan hurled a handful of cornflakes at Haydrian making for an ineffectual and soggy defence.

"Play nice Stefan, Arry's leaves today,"

"Aww. We'll miss you Arrykins," Stefan smiled.

Breakfast was usual for the most part with an extra of having Haydrian and Stefan pretend to burst into tears every now and again and fan themselves with their hands as they pretended to try and calm down.

Arry spent a large portion of breakfast rolling her eyes as her mother got emotional for no apparent reason but thought she ought to join in with her children. Except of course the part that involved any actually effort when she begged either Stefan or Haydrian to take Arry to the station, at which point Stefan gave the 'A child is not a cheaper substitute for a slave you know mother' and the 'When are you going to grow up and learn to take responsibility for your own actions?' talk from Haydrian. Arry's only comment had been 'And tidy your bedroom, it's a disgrace'.

Goodbye's were brief as Arry pointed out she'd be back in a few months and Sylvia looked a little despairing. Then Arry was whisked off to the train station where her brother flanked her like bodyguards until they saw her get on the train and choose a carriage far, far away from Malfoy or any Slytherins, or in fact any one who looked remotely blonde and was wearing green. Needless to say Arcadia would be travelling alone on this journey to Hogwarts.

The whistle blew, the train started to rumble along, the frantic sobs of her brothers rang out through the station.

Ah, all the familiar sights and sounds of going back to school

The train trundled along and Arry was impressed that even though her brothers were at a range where they were now unable to do anybody that entered Arry's compartment any physical damage people were still veering clear and Arcadia watched the window in the compartment door with a slight pang of loneliness.

Where is Reanne? And Lisa? Why is Lisa never here when I want her to be? I don't care if she bores me with every detail of her holiday I don't want to be alone! Anyone! Come on someone pick up my mental brainwaves!...As long as it isn't Terry Boot.

A figure passed the compartment door got a short way past, stopped, turned back and stared at Arry through the window.

Arry stared at him, he stared at Arry.

Both pairs of eyes dropped to the handle of the door.

No!

Arry lurched across the room, slammed the lock on and dropped to the ground out of sight - or so she liked to believe - of Draco as he rattled the door handle furiously.

Ha! Take that P.E! 'I am afraid Arry would be unable to leap clear across a train compartment, lock the door and execute a stop drop and roll in less than three seconds'. Yeah well you were wrong!...although I don't know who is wrong as no one ever actually said that...

"Arcadia open the door!"

"Arry isn't here!"

Idiot.

"Arcadia!"

Come to think of it Terry isn't actually that bad, yes he mumbles and bumbles and does stupid stuff sometimes but compared to Malfoy he's a joy to be around!

"Would you just open the door!"

And I promise if you just make Malfoy go away I will be a good and honest, hard-working Christian...ok Merlin you've got me! I wasn't paying attention that day and I don't know what a Christian is!

"Morreno, for Merlin's sake just open it!"

Merlin I promise if you get rid of him I will do my potions homework for the rest of the year! And maybe next year! And I will respect Snape's authority and not just mix anything I find!

Draco sighed on the other side of the door and stopped rattling the handle. "Arry, I'm getting tired of this,"

"Yeah well I could sit here all day!" Arry snapped back.

Shut up you fool he doesn't know you're here!

"I don't mean this, I mean this. This whole thing in general, I'm tired of trying to make things better..." Draco said in a tone that Arry could tell he was clenching his teeth.

"Yes because two minutes of rattling a door handle apologetically is just exhausting!"

"I won't bother anymore then. Do what you like, see who you like. Snog Harry flaming Potter for all I care."

There was a few beats silence where Arry expected something to happen. Anything. But when she finally sat up she was alone and Draco was gone, she stood, straightened herself up and sat back down glaring out of the window.

When I said 'year' you know I meant 'week' or possibly even 'day' right Merlin? And that whole thing about 'respecting Snape's authority'...

Arcadia sat silently and angrily staring out of the window the rest of the train journey, when the train stopped she tumbled upon Reanne who somehow got Arry into a carriage and up to the castle despite the fact that Arry was paying no attention to her surroundings - or to Lisa who was prattling on about her holiday. Their luggage was taken and they made their way to the Great Hall for dinner where Arry sat and glared across the room at Draco who glared right back and Rebecca sat a little way away from Arry talking loudly about her latest conquest 'Falcon' and how she had slept with his handsome and somewhat famous cousin, come to think of it did anybody know Draco Malfoy?

Reanne played the role of best friend well by hexing various items on Rebecca's plate.

"...and I really loved the sun but I think it's just lovely to be back. And I think this summer will probably be the best summer ever. Don't you think so Arry?" Lisa smiled dreamily.

"Sure. If we can all survive Spring." She smiled pleasantly back and Lisa laughed cheerfully as she made eyes at her Hufflepuff boyfriend.

"Do you think there is anyway to sneak a Hufflepuff into the Ravenclaw common room? Arry did you ever get Draco in?" Lisa asked without actually pausing for a reply before she started listing possibilities.

"Kill me now," Arry hissed.

"Sorry Arry, I think we just entered the 'every witch for herself' stage of school." Reanne sighed back.

Joyous days, what fun this year shall be. Yeah…right.