Chapter 2: Back Home
The Dursleys ignored Harry for the rest of the summer, due to their finical situation. Uncle Vernon's company had gone bankrupt and Aunt Petunia was forced to take a job as a clerk in a nearby store. Uncle Vernon still hadn't found a job, so most of Dudley's possessions- much to his protest- had been sold. Dudley would be forced to go to the local high school, Elliot High.
The Dursleys leaving Harry alone had its pros and cons. Pro: No one to bug Harry. Con: No one to bring him to Kings Cross Station.
Kings Cross Station was the station that had the train that took young witches and wizards to Hogwarts. It was, of course, hidden from prying Muggle eyes; to get on the train you had to run threw barrier between platforms 9 and 10, which led you to platform 9 ¾. The Dursleys had agreed to take him there this year; know what was he to do?
But the answer came in a week before the start of the Hogwarts' term (September 1st). The Weaslys said they would pick him up at 10:00 A.M the morning of September 1st. Than they would proceed to pick up Hermione.
Hermione had owled Harry a week before to tell him she had returned from her trip. So, everything was O.K.
The Weaslys picked up Harry in their brand new car- this time an old Cadillac Mr. Weasly had tinkered with. This was not allowed, of course- Mr. Weasly had made a law so (he worked at the Ministry in the Misuse of Muggle Artifacts office). He, however, had an interest in any Muggle invention. So, as they passed the streets to Hermione's house in the outskirts of London, Mr. Weasly marveled at everything that they passed, from stop signs to streetlights. In enough time, however, they had reached Hermione's house.
Hermione came out of her house dragging her trunk along with her, and her cat Crookshanks. Her trunk was bulging with books, and Crookshanks was nearly asleep. Hermione dragged herself in to the car as her Prefect badge shined. Ron moaned to hide his envy.
They drove to Kings Cross, no one talking for the rest of the trip. As they all- Harry, Ron, Hermione, Ginny- Ron's younger sister-, Fred, and George (Ron's 2 prankster brothers). Ginny was in her 4th year, and Fred and George in their 7th- their last year at Hogwarts.They all walked though the barrier, Ron and Harry second to Ginny and Hermione.
The scarlet train to Hogwarts greeted them. Hermione and Ron had small agruemnt over wheather or not Hermione would sit with them, Ron getting his way. Hermione jumped on to the train with them, the Prefects all eyeing Hermione's badge and wondering why she was not sitting with them.
Harry, Hermione and Ron all sat down in an empty compartment, Ginny joining them after having no idea where to sit. Then the train huffed and puffed it's way out of platform 9 ¾.
As the train moved on, Ron spoke.
"So, Hermione, where were you this summer?"
Hermione, whose face turned pale, obviously not wanting to tell Ron she'd been with Viktor.
"Why do you care?"
"Why does that matter?! Tell me where you were?"
"No!"
"Tell me!"
"With Viktor, all right?!"
Ron looked like he was going to explode. Hermione looked like she was going to cry, and Ginny moved further away from the trio.
At that point, Hermione burst in to tears. For once, Ron beat his sturborn pride and apoligzed to Hermione.
Hermione was surprised that Ron aplogized, but they got on with the day. They talked and talked, and were somewhat surprised when the witch with the cart came.
Harry bought some candy, mostly White Chocolate Toads, which were new candies that you could collect the Qudditich Cards from. Ron bought some White Chocolate Toads as well, but Hermione just bought a Chocolate Frog.
As soon as the witch left, Ron bought up Sirus' strange letter. Hermione asked what he was talking about, and Harry told her the whole story.
"That's really weird, Harry," she responded.
"What if Sirus' been captured?" Said Ron.
"Don't be silly, Ron, the Daily Prophet would of told of that. And, besides, the animal might of losts his way, right, Harry?"
Harry didn't answer. He was too lost in his thoughts.
"What are you guys talking about?" A voice suddenly piped up.
They all turned to see Ginny, far away, but not out of ear shot.
Harry, Ron, and Hermione turned bright red; they'd forgotten Ginny.
"Um, Er…" They all said in unison, lost for words.
"I see," said Ginny, "you ignored me." And then she walked out.
They all looked nervious. Finnaly, Ron spoke up.
"What will happen if Ginny tells what we said?" he said in a croaky voice.
No one said anything; they were all speechless.
At that point, some one came whom they didn't want to see at that time, at that moment: Malfoy.
"Mudblood," he said to Hermione, "Why aren't you with all the other Prefects? Might as well be with your own kind. Know-it-alls."
Malfoy said this with a sneer and a look of jealousy on his face while staring at Hermione's perfect badge.
"I don't see you with a Prefect badge, Malfoy," Ron said quickly.
Before Malfoy could respond, in came something that- for once- left him speechless.
It was a girl, 15 years old, passing by. She had sandy-blond hair down to her elbows, blue-green eyes, a square-shaped face, and a skinny almost-averge figure.
"What house are you in?" Ron asked, hoping to start a converstation with this mysterious stranger.
The girl looked at him with terror, and then ran out the door.
"Probaly in Hufflepuff," Said Hermione, "so scared and shy."
Before Malfoy could stop himself, he blurted out "is not!" and ran out the door.
Ron and Harry were stunned, but Hermione burst in to giggles.
"What is it?"
"Malfoy-" she croaked, "has a crush- a crush on that girl!" She said inbewteen giggles, and then burst again into unstopable laughter.
"Malfoy!" Ron and Harry said toghther, in shock, but then bursted out into laughter as well.
After a while, another 15-year-old girl came though the door, though not as welcome.
"Icicle!" Ron cried, in total shock.
"Good for you to remember me Ron," the girl responded in an cold tone.
The girl- apparently named Icicle- had long veela-like sliver hair, and her eyes were an icy blue. Her face was oval-shaped, and she had a very slim figure.
"I thought you were in Durmstrung!" Ron cried.
"It was getting boring there, so I came here," she said in the same chilly tone, showing no sign of a Bulgarian accent.
At this point, Icicle held up her wand, as Ron did the same.
"Don't make a move, Icicle. No one is hurting me or my friends."
Icicle looked at him.
"I'll let you pass this time, but be warned- don't try that again, or you'll be dead," she said, and left.
Ron gave a shiver, and Hermione and Harry looked at him.
"What is it? Who's she?" Harry asked.
"She's Icicle, my cousin."
"Your cousin? She doesn't look at all like you!" Said Hermione.
"Of course, Icicle didn't inherit the Weaslys' good looks."
At this both Hermione and Harry gave a snort, but Ron ignored them and moved on.
"Her father was a veela, her mother my mom's sister. She was orphaned at the age of 5- her parents both dead by disease- and was found and raised by a dark wizard- probably a death eater. Nott, I think his name is. Anyway, when she was 11 she went to Drunmstrung, and fashioned her own last name- Reredrum, which spells murderer backwards.
"Anyway, she went to Drumstung and everyone called her the next dark witch. She loved the title. She learned all of the unforgivables, and that's all I know of Icicle's story."
Harry and Hermione looked at Ron in complete and udder horror; what a terrible girl to have as a cousin!
"Ron, how horrible-" Started Hermione, but Ron stopped her.
"I know, I know," Ron replied.
They all fell into complete and udder silence, lost in there own thoughts. Harry thought of all that had happened today, and finally he spoke up.
"What about Ginny? Know that she knows that we know something about Sirus-"
Hermione and Ron looked at Harry with looks of horror.
"Um, let's just keep quiet about that, O.K?" Ron finally said.
"O.K" They all agreed, and said nothing for the rest of the trip. Harry looked at his new Qudditich cards, and as Nikity Split, the Russian seeker, smiled and waved at him, he got lost in his own thoughts. The train slowed down as they arrived at Hogwarts.
The trio walked off the train and in to the horse-less carriages that pulled them to Hogwarts. They could quite clearly see Hagrid waving all the 1st years towards him. He didn't see him, although they tried to catch his eye as the carriage went by.
Finally, the carriage arrived at Hogwarts, and the huge, heavy doors swinged open. Finally, Harry was back home.
Disclaimer: It all belongs to J.K Rowling, the greatest writer, except for the sandy-haired girl, whom belongs to me, and Icicle (since I introduced her) which belongs to partly me and partly J.K (?).
A/N: Not much to say here, except that this was shorter than before… O' well. The chapters will get longer, as soon as they're back at Hogwarts… I mean- well, you know what I mean. J