I am not JK Rowling, I don't own these characters and I am not making any money here. I wish.
Chapter 4: It begins
Hermione stood on the platform of 9, watching the Hogwarts Express puffing steam. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Malfoy who nodded imperceptibly, accompanied by his usual group of Slytherins. She glanced around the platform, watching as Ron came up to join her, Harry not far behind as they had planned.
Hermione hid her smile; if all went according to her plan, both Dumbledore and the Wizarding World would have no idea what hit them. Harry and Ron joined her, and Hermione tried to quell her dark thoughts.
"Hermione! We missed you over the summer. Although Harry didn't actually get there until about a week ago. How was France?" said Ron.
"Very nice. My parents and I had a nice time. What about you Harry?" said Hermione.
"Dumbledore fetched me to convince an old teacher out of retirement. I guess it worked." said Harry as they lugged their trunks onto the train and settled in a compartment in the middle of the train.
"I actually spent the summer learning more defense spells." said Harry.
Had Ron been paying more attention, he might have noticed the lack of details in his friends summer.
Further down the train, in a compartment filled with Slytherins, Draco Malfoy was doing his best pureblood act. Inside, he was smiling. Voldemort believed he was loyal and had given him a job. A job that actually worked in perfectly with Hermione's plan. Across from him, Pansy Parkinson was hanging on his every word, phsycophant that she was. Crabbe and Goyle were doing their usual job of looking stupid. Among the other Slytherins, Theodore Nott, Blaise Zabini, Dirk Macnair and Aurora Lestrange. Of all of them, Draco truly only trusted Theo and Blaise. He had plans to recruit them to Hermione's growing numbers. Draco glanced at his watch, calculating the time until Hermione made her first move.
Standing, Draco gestured at Crabbe and Goyle, saying "Time to terrorize the Lions. "
Crabbe, actually a little more intelligent than Goyle, picked up on his meaning. "Okay Malfoy. I'm bored."
It didn't take them long to find Potter, Weasley and Hermione, with them was Neville and Luna. At first glance, everything appeared normal; everyone in their seats, until Draco looked more closely at the Weasel.
"He's been stunned, Draco." said Hermione. Neither Luna nor Neville showed reaction to her using his first name, but Crabbe did, Goyle just looked gormless and stupid.
"Filthy Mudblood! You dare speak to him!" said Crabbe, reaching for his wand, which was rather short and stumpy. Draco had wondered before if it was indicative of something.
Before he could even raise his wand, Luna had raised hers and said, "Brazius Sol!" causing Crabbe's wand to be incinerated to ash. Crabbe lept back in surprise as Goyle finally picked up on the situation. There actually wasn't anything wrong with his mind, but generations of Dark paths and magic had turned the Goyles into little more than obedient drones. Goyle raised his wand and shouted "Crucio!
This time Potter struck back, shouting "Sectumsempra!" So strong was the spell, it literally sliced Goyle in half in a spray of blood. Crabbe stood in stunned silence and looked at Draco.
"Malfoy? What do I do?"
"Die." said Draco, flicking his wand, casting a non-verbal curse that caused Crabbe to burn from the inside. The effect was quick, silent and undetectable.
Hermione looked on as Draco killed Crabbe with a satisfied smile. Then she looked at Harry, Malfoy, Luna and Neville and said, "It begins."
