Back to Hogwarts

After saying goodbye to father and mother I quickly grab Pansy's hand and drag her into the first empty compartment I spot on the train. She looks pleased to see me and her haughtily look is slowly fading, as if she tried to tell me: who do you think you are to drag me along like this?

"I think my dad knew," I blurt out.

Pansy looks at me like I am daft. "Knew what?"

I lean in closer to her. "About what happened at the quidditch world cup. I was so furious he did not want to go! Fudge offered him tickets. At. The. Front. Best seats in the stadium and he just said no. Just said that we'd go another time and then to make things worse we went to your mother's charity party."

"Hey," Pansy objects.

I stick out my tongue at her. "You don't like them either."

"So what if your dad knew, Draco," Pansy asks softly, "Surely you would not have wanted him to be a part of that? I can't imagine you fancy having your dad attacking muggles and muggleborns." I straighten myself uncomfortably. Of course that was not what I had wanted. I had just felt distressed he was aware of it. That he was somehow a part of it, even if he had not joined in with his old friends. "You know not everyone in Slytherin had that luck, Draco," Pansy whispers softly. I follow her gaze and spot Theo. Maybe that was why dad had dragged me so quickly away in Diagon Alley when I had wanted to say hello to him. I could not quite remember if his dad had just looked sour, or had genuinely seemed angry at dad.

The train starts moving as we sit in silence. Theo joins the compartment and quickly looks outside. His face held no expression.

A bit later Vin joined. "Greg's not coming. Probably." He announces when he comes in. I raise my eyebrow at him. "Couldn't shut up 'bout her. Hermione this, Hermione that.." I snort. "Clearly he has not been whining to you about that all summer long." Greg and Vin always spent much of the holidays together as their parents were friends. And of course, there was no way Greg could explain wanting to meet up with a muggleborn girl during the holidays. "I swear," Vin says, "It is a miracle that his parents have no idea about his crush. Had to flatten out his toes a bit to make him shut up a bit, but it's probably the lesser evil." Ginny then enters the compartment.

I smile at her. "Ready to try out for quidditch, we need better players on the team. Besides there are three empty spots this year."

"Of course," Ginny replies confidently. "Pansy, you trying out as well?"

I scoff. "Of course she is. She is great and she loves quidditch."

"Well," Pansy interrupts, "I don't know if I should."

I scoff. "Of course you should. It would be more fun with you on the team. Anyways, did your parents tell you about the grand thing that would take place this year at Hogwarts?"

"It will be interesting I guess," Theo supplies. "But it is not like we can join in, it would be exciting though."

I felt frustrated. My dad had not wanted to spoil the surprise. Maybe I could sneakily make Theo tell us what was occurring as Pansy and Ginny did not seem to have any idea as well. Theo however would not budge and the surprise came when Dumbledore announced it to us.