19. Anger
It was the morning of the Hogwarts Express departure. Every attending Weasley and Harry boarded a flying car of all things and went to the station. It took little over half an hour for Harry, Ron, and Hermione to settle down.
"Did you two finish your summer assignments?" Hermione, ever studious, questioned her friends.
"Most of it and it was downright horrible. Teachers give us homework just to torture us", Ron grumbled.
Hermione looked scandalized at the thought. "Those assignments are for your own good, Ronald Weasley."
Harry sighed as the pair began to get into an argument. Harry for his part was working on the stone sculpture. He had gotten the general shape down and was working on etching the finer details. If he kept this pace up, he would be finished by the time Christmas came. It was later that he had hoped, but it would have to do. When he noticed that neither of his friends were shouting at each other, he looked up to see them staring at him. "Sorry, Hermione, but I think the homework is boring. I would rather do other things, really", he added with a shrug.
She huffed and dropped the subject and moved to another, "What is that Harry? I've seen you working on that a lot as of late."
Harry paused and coughed nervously, "Just a hobby to waste time. I think I'm doing a pretty decent job."
"It's more than decent, Harry. I say it's very well done. It'll be beautiful when you finish."
"It looks boring. I couldn't spend all that time doing it. I say we play wizard chess instead", Ron added in as he opened a wrapped homemade sandwich. He nearly chocked when Hermione smacked him in the arm.
"Don't be rude, Ronald. Harry's worked hard on it. As a matter of fact, it would do you some good to find something extra to spend your time. Quidditch just isn't suitable." Hermione had her arms crossed.
Swallowing, the youngest male Weasley glared at her, "There's nothing wrong with Quidditch; you just don't get it. Maybe you should learn to live a little. Reading is work not fun."
Once again his two friends went back to their verbal match, not that Harry minded. It suited him fine as he continued to work.
Unfortunately, this was not to last, "Well, well, we have the Potter posse." At the door of their compartment was Draco Malfoy and his group, Crabbe and Goyle. Draco was wearing the typical sneer that he used to address the trio.
Harry sighed in annoyance, "Hello, Malfoy, it's a pleasure to see you too", he said sarcastically. "For the last time, they're my friends not fans."
The Malfoy scion scoffed at the notion, as though befriending Ron and Hermione was far too beneath him to comment. "Tsk, tsk, tsk, Potter still haven't learned about hanging around these rabbles, the lowly Weasley family and your pet mudblood."
At the word mudblood, Hermione went from disdain, to shock and then to hurt. Ron face flushed red with fury as he got right up. "You take that back or you'll be sorry", he threatened as he pulled out his wand.
Crabbe and Goyle pulled out theirs in return. It was enough to get Malfoy so smirk confidently. His sights then turned to Harry, "What's this Potter, playing with rocks now? Didn't mommy and daddy dearest leave you enough to buy proper entertainment? Or is that something you picked up from your mudblood 'friend'?"
"You've gone too far Malfoy! Locomotor Wibbly!" Ron fired the Jelly Legs Jinx at Malfoy. The spell failed to hit them, instead it rebounded at hit Ron right in the chest. His legs quickly collapsed and he fell to his seat in shame.
"Leave it to a Weasley to fail at the simplest tasks."
Harry had heard enough. They had intruded into their conversation, insulted Ron and Hermione multiple times, and attempted to pilfer the Pale Lady's gift, Harry's patience had officially run out. Jumping out of his seat, Harry continued Ron's assault.
"Expelliarmus! Expelliarmus!" Harry casted the disarming charm twice, hitting both Crabbe and Goyle's hands. Both immediately had their wand fling from their hands to the ground. Before either of them could pick them up, Harry chanted, "Wingardium Leviosa", he levitated Crabbe's shoe so that it, and the rest of his body, slammed into the other two and sent them sprawling out of the compartment.
"Colloportus", Harry finished, pointing his wand at the compartment door. It shut and locked itself.
His friends looked at him amazed. Ron was the first to speak, "That was awesome! You showed Malfoy and them a thing or two. You shot those four spells like you were in a duel!"
Harry nodded in thanks to the compliments, but looked at Hermione. He just noticed that she had been crying.
Harry looked at a loss. Malfoy said a lot of things, but this was the first time it had brought her to tears. Ron answered the unasked question, "Mudblood is a nasty way of saying someone who's a first generation witch or wizard."
"Don't listen to Malfoy, Hermione. Even though Ron and I come from two magical parents, you're still way smarter than the both of us combined. Malfoy isn't worth the tears."
"Yeah, Harry's right. I bet they're feeling sorry coming in here now."
Hermione was sullen all throughout the trip.
