Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter
Blake was early as usual and now she was left waiting on the lonely platform for the train to arrive. The wind ruffled her hair, blowing short brown strands across her pale, freckled face. Turning around, she checked her luggage again, counting out every book that she needed for her classes, nothing would go wrong. Carefully, she lifted out her tiny elf owl from her pocket. He was no bigger than a tennis ball, but still he puffed up his feathers and looked up indignantly into her grey eyes, annoyed at being woken up from his peaceful sleep.
"Come on Pickles, its time to go into your cage. You can't nest in there forever."
The owl curled up into a ball in her hand, refusing to leave.
"Look, I'm sorry, if it were up to me, you could stay there, but the rules state that all animals must be secured in cages, boxes or on leads for the whole journey. They had too many pets go missing last year, just count yourself lucky that I didn't poke holes in the suitcase and stuff you in there with everything else."
Reluctantly Pickles flew off her hand, obeying Blake's command. Nevertheless he continued to stare at her angrily for making him leave his comfy home in her pocket, full of soft tissues and owl treats. He eventually perked up later when the train pulled slowly into the station, he, like his owner, was full of excitement. It was, of course, the Hogwart's Express. He flew around in circles, trying to get a better look at the grand engine, so fast however, that he soon became dizzy and had to lie at the bottom of the cage to stop his head from spinning.
"Daft Owl" said Blake, looking down at him, "We better get on board then, find a good seat." With that, she lifted up the cage and her one small suitcase and climbed up the set of steps leading up to the first carriage. After looking around at its lovely, lush furnishings, she decided that she should really, being a new student at the school, leave this carriage to the others and so she proceeded to the last compartment and took a seat by the window.
In half an hour the train began to fill up, groups of friends met on platform nine and three quarters and started to take their seats. Occasionally someone would look into Blake's compartment to see if it was empty, before moving on up the train with their friends. She began to think she would be left for the whole journey with just her sleeping owl for company.
After a while, there were just one group of three left outside, seeming to be waiting for someone. The group consisted of two boys and girl. One of the boys, she could see had astonishing red hair and freckles, the other, she couldn't make out as well, for he had his back to her, though she did notice he had somehow tucked his coat into his suitcase. The bushy haired girl was looking around with a worried expression on her face and was constantly checking her watch. Finally, Blake saw a boy with jet black, untidy hair running hurriedly through the wall and joining his friends. The girl looked relieved and began to speak, but the red haired boy rushed her along onto the train before she could finish.
Blake sat back and hoped the train would leave now, she couldn't wait to see what her new school was like. Suddenly, the four students she had seen on the platform burst into her compartment, laughing wildly at something. As they turned round and saw her staring, they subdued their giggles and looked around sheepishly.
"Would you mind if we shared this compartment, only, there's nowhere else on the train?" spoke the boy with ginger hair.
"No, that's fine" Blake replied, moving her luggage so they could sit down.
"Thanks, I'm Ron Weasley by the way, and this is Hermione Granger, Neville Longbottom and err....." Ron suddenly burst into a small coughing fit, in which his words were lost, they sounded something like 'Barry Snotter' but she couldn't be sure.
"I um, didn't quite catch that Ron. Do you think you could repeat it?" Ron looked exasperatedly at the unnamed boy.
"It's OK Ron, she'll find out sooner or later. I'm Harry Potter." Blake looked round at the others. Obviously her mum had told her about him, but she didn't want to act too strange, the boy had probably been through too much without her acting like a crazed Chudley Cannons supporter.
"Hi, pleased to meet you, I'm Blake Kellan." There was an odd silence and Blake waited to see whether any of them could tell that secretly, she was dying to get the boy's autograph.
"So... I guess you're new here then." said Hermione, stating the obvious. "What school did you go to before?"
"I, um went to err, this school in Ireland, not many people know about it. It's kind of hidden... yeah, it's a secret school."
"Are you sure?" Hermione asked suspiciously, "I've read loads of books and I've never heard..." She was suddenly interrupted by a loud screech and several hoots. A small owl, hardly bigger than Pickles flew out of Ron's pocket and was trying to attack Pickles' cage. They began hooting at each other and soon afterwards, a large white snowy owl next to Harry joined in with the screeching.
"Sorry about Pig" said Ron, forcing his owl back into his pocket, "He gets a bit excited."
"That's OK" Blake replied, glad that she no longer had to answer Hermione's question. "So...... what's it like at Hogwarts, any gossip I need to know? Tell me, which teachers do I need to avoid?"
"Well, there's Snape, you definitely need to steer clear of him, especially if you're sorted into Gryffindor, he hates us, it's torture every potions lesson we have. Oh there's also McGonnagal..." Harry sat there thinking about what to say, but he didn't have to, Hermione had already launched into her opinion.
"...She really is the best teacher in the school, well apart from Dumbledore, she's head of Gryffindor, that's one of the four houses you know, I don't think Harry explained that to you. Then again I expect you'd know already, well I mean if I was a new here, I know I'd research everything there was to know about the school..."
"HERMIONE! Stop it, you'll frighten the poor girl!" Ron butted in, "Do you want me to explain for you?"
Blake looked down, embarrassed. "No, that's ok, my mum taught me about them, she went to Hogwarts you know."
"Really?" Harry spoke up, "Maybe she knew my parents?"
"I don't think so Harry, she err, she probably wasn't in their house, she was a, a Hugglyfluff?..." Again Blake stared down at the floor, her cheeks a bright shade of pink. She couldn't tell anyone the real reason...
"I think you mean Hufflepuff Blake, are you sure you don't just want me to go through it for you?" Hermione looked at her again, her eyes more suspicious than ever.
"Honestly Hermione, leave her alone."
"I don't need you to tell me that thank you Ron, I was only trying to help her, which is more than what you can do. I'm sure she's more scared of your stupid owl than anything I've said. Really, it's meant to be in a cage, what if someone sees it, you'll be in trouble."
"Who's going to..." Ron trailed off and stared, eyes bulging at the compartment door.
"That is exactly my sentiments Miss Granger. Ronald Weasley, the new rule for the Hogwart's Express was enforced for a good reason, do you know how many times I had to deal with accounts of lost pets last year?" The stony eyes of the woman in the doorway glanced at Neville, before turning back to Ron.
"Professor McGonnagal, I err... I didn't know you were going to be on the train. How, how, why?" Ron sat fixed in his seat hopelessly spluttering, searching for an excuse.
"No, Dumbledore thought it best not to tell anyone, but me and Professor Snape are patrolling the train to make sure that the new rule was kept. It's a good job too, now I suggest that you find a home for that owl before I have to confiscate it and keep it in my office for the autumn term."
"Yes Professor, straightaway." Ron's eyes searched the compartment and landed on Pickles cage. "I don't suppose Blake that I could..."
"Here, I don't mind." Blake opened the cage and Ron put Pig in next to Pickles. They eyed each other cautiously and edged to opposite sides. They only met when the desire for food got the better of them and they were forced to peck quickly at the bowl in the centre, before rushing back to their positions, to stare evilly at each other once more.
"I'm sure they like each other really" Blake said uneasily, wondering what was so wrong with her precious owl, that Pig could not stand.
"Right, I must be off, I've heard screaming down in one of the top compartments. I don't think Mister Jordan would find it quite as funny to tease the first years if his spider was confiscated for use in Defence Against the Dark Arts lessons. I don't think I have to remind you, to keep that owl in the cage Weasley, remember I am not the only teacher on this train." With that, Professor McGonnagal left. An image of being thrown off the train, while Snape and Malfoy laughed humiliatingly out of the window hung in Ron's mind for at least five whole minutes afterwards.
The train was quiet and everyone in the compartment stared out of the window at the rolling countryside sweeping past the train. Blake, looked at the faces around her, gazing as if hypnotised and laughed quietly to herself. 'Hogwarts must really be something if they want to see it this much.' Blake thought to herself. The three pairs of eyes continued to stare as Blake looked at them, then she stopped suddenly, why were there only three? She looked around, where was Neville? Swinging her legs of the seat, see peered under the seat. All at once, Harry, Ron and Hermione glanced up and looked at what she was doing.
"Where's Neville?" asked Hermione.
"That's what I'm trying to find out." Blake hissed angrily at Hermione. She hadn't meant to snap, but something was wrong, she'd seen this before... Looking, searching desperately she saw a mop of brown hair and a lifeless body far under Harry's seat. Hurriedly she pulled him out be the collar and looked at the confused face staring back at her frantic eyes.
"Huh, what's going on?" Neville looked round at the panicked faces. Blake, looked suddenly embarrassed and let go of his robes, her face flushed and she turned to Hermione, hoping she could answer for her.
"What were you doing, you just disappeared? We were worried." Hermione glanced over at Blake who had turned away and was staring out the window.
"I was looking for Trevor." Neville looked ashamedly at his hand, where a fat green toad was sitting. "After I heard Snape was on the train I wanted to find him. I thought I could put him in with Seamus's new tree frogs, have you seen them? He got a large tank full of them, they keep changing colour so I thought Trevor wouldn't be noticed." Blake, now extremely red turned towards Neville.
"Do you want me to come with you and find him? To make up for nearly strangling you, I'm sorry about that." Neville nodded nervously and they went out of the compartment towards the top of the train.
After a while they began to talk, Neville seemed a lot easier to talk to without his friends. He went into long stories about Hogwarts and the things that had happened to Harry, Ron and Hermione. He seemed to admire them very much. They weren't having much luck in finding Seamus, the train was long and very full, so their conversation carried on.
"So, what about you..." Neville began, but Blake turned away and walked faster down the train, refusing to answer any question she didn't want to. Neville looked shyly at her and broke the awkward silence. "You don't have to tell me you know. If you don't want to. I understand I'm not much to talk to, I not brave, smart or funny like the others..."
Blake looked at him, smiling. "You are interesting to talk to, don't say that. I just... I can't talk about it, it's hard for me. Please understand..." trailing off Blake looked out the window at the engine, clouds of smoke billowing past.
"Anyway, this is the final compartment, they must be in here, lets go and look."
Waving, Neville poked his head round the door at Seamus and Dean. Turning back to Blake he said goodbye and went inside, leaving her to make her way back down to Harry, Ron and Hermione.
When she got back, Blake found the door locked. There was noise inside and she could hear raised voices. Knocking loudly, Blake waited outside for an answer. Eventually the door opened shakily as if it was being held back. Cautiously Blake entered. Before her was a strange sight. Hermione was pointing her wand at the ceiling, straining to hold two plump, heavily built boys in the air. Ron was holding the hands of a silver haired boy behind his back, who has struggling and kicking out, trying to reach the door, that Harry had just opened.
"Let me go Weasley, you're creasing my robes, they're brand new. I know you're probably in awe of them, but let go now or I'll..."
"You'll what Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle can't help you now...owww ouch." The boy Ron was holding had kicked him in the shins and Ron was hopping around the compartment grasping his leg. In the confusion Hermione lost control of the other two boys who landed with a crash on the floor.
"Sorry about all this Blake, these losers were just leaving." Harry glared over threateningly at the three intruders. Crabbe and Goyle were still lying on the floor with dazed expressions on their faces, but the silver-haired boy walked over to her and Harry, smiling wickedly. There was something about his face that sent a chill down Blake's spine, it was familiar somehow, but how?
"Why can't I stay Potter? This looks like it might get interesting... Well, well, who have we got here?"
"Leave her alone Draco." Harry eyed Blake, whose eyes were locked with Malfoy's. She was starting to shake, he was worrying her, but she didn't know why, she could feel herself falling, black clouds surrounded her...
"Blake, Blake are you all right?" Blake heard a voice calling her name, slowly the clouds disappeared and the room came back into focus. She could see Harry, Ron and Hermione standing around, looking worried, but Draco and his two friends were sitting in a corner laughing.
"Oooo Potter were you all worried? I bet you thought there were some of those scary dementors on the train again, didn't you? She was only out for ten seconds and you guys go all loopy, just goes to show how cowardly you really are."
"Shut up Malfoy you slimeball you don't know anything." Harry stood up, looking Malfoy angrily in the eye.
"Oh I don't do I, I think you'll find I know a lot more than you think about Miss Kellan here." Draco sneered in Blake's direction. Her head had finally stopped spinning and she had also stood up looking at him curiously.
"I'm surprised you've come here after what happened. You never did get accepted to Hogwarts did you? I suppose they must have taken pity on you when they found that old hag of your mother couldn't tutor you any more. How old was she again, I don't remember, though I don't suppose she knew either, you don't really keep track of it when your the same age as Dumbledore."
"Leave me alone, she wasn't that old and you know it." Blake found courage hard to find and soon fell back against the wall, unable to muster any more.
"Oh, that's not the only thing I know either; I know what happened to you mother." Everyone stared at Blake, who was now huddled in the corner of the room.
"What are you talking about Malfoy?" Ron had got up too, it seemed he was looking for a reason to get at Draco.
"Oh, didn't she tell you?" drawled Malfoy, "Her poor little mumsy wumsy is dead. She was a traitor to the dark lord, planning against him. Why, you all look so surprised, didn't Miss Kellan here tell you? It's been all over the press, surely someone would have known, but then, oh silly me, I doubt your parents could afford a newspaper could they Weasley and I don't suppose Mudbloods get 'The Daily Prophet'." Draco grinned round at the horrified faces in front of him.
"Leave Hermione out of this Malfoy, she hasn't done anything to you." Ron lashed out defensively out Malfoy, but Harry managed to grab his collar and draw him back just in time.
"Is this true Blake?" Harry looked down sadly at the girl in the corner. Her child-like eyes were brimming with tears.
"Yes, although I don't remember much about it, I think I must have passed out... Draco, why can't you just leave me alone? I didn't ask for it to happen, you just come barging in here, thinking you know everything, well... I've had enough." Blake cold tears now burned her face in her anger. Drawing her wand out of her robes, she pointed it at Malfoy...
"Rosia Cilia!" Blake shouted and pink flames shot out of her wand towards Malfoy. Whatever tension there was previously in the room vanished in an instant. The whole room stood staring at Malfoy, dissolving into giggles. Even Crabbe and Goyle were trying desperately to hide their laughter at the sight that was now before their eyes.
"What, what are you laughing at?" Draco stared round at the compartment as if they had all lost their minds.
"I think you better go and look Malfoy. Reflecticus" Harry pointed his wand at the window, which presently transformed into a mirror.
Draco slowly approached it and a horrified look spread across his face. His eyes full of terror, he ran from the compartment and up the train, screams of "My hair, my beautiful hair" could be heard from behind the closed door as Crabbe and Goyle chased after him.
"Well, I personally pink is good look for him." Harry laughed, still trying to get used to the sight of Draco's hair bursting into colour before his eyes.
After they had calmed down, the conversation between Blake and Draco returned to their heads. A silence hung in the air; no one knew what to say. The tension finally became too much for Harry to bear and he sat down next to Blake, looking into her misty grey eyes.
"You know, if it's any compensation, I know how it feels Blake." Harry tried to help, but he wasn't sure what to say.
"Thanks Harry, but I - I..." Blake burst into tears, sliding down her pale cheeks; they filled her eyes and refused to stop. She knew now, she had no control, she was slipping away, the dark clouds filled her vision once more...
Blake was early as usual and now she was left waiting on the lonely platform for the train to arrive. The wind ruffled her hair, blowing short brown strands across her pale, freckled face. Turning around, she checked her luggage again, counting out every book that she needed for her classes, nothing would go wrong. Carefully, she lifted out her tiny elf owl from her pocket. He was no bigger than a tennis ball, but still he puffed up his feathers and looked up indignantly into her grey eyes, annoyed at being woken up from his peaceful sleep.
"Come on Pickles, its time to go into your cage. You can't nest in there forever."
The owl curled up into a ball in her hand, refusing to leave.
"Look, I'm sorry, if it were up to me, you could stay there, but the rules state that all animals must be secured in cages, boxes or on leads for the whole journey. They had too many pets go missing last year, just count yourself lucky that I didn't poke holes in the suitcase and stuff you in there with everything else."
Reluctantly Pickles flew off her hand, obeying Blake's command. Nevertheless he continued to stare at her angrily for making him leave his comfy home in her pocket, full of soft tissues and owl treats. He eventually perked up later when the train pulled slowly into the station, he, like his owner, was full of excitement. It was, of course, the Hogwart's Express. He flew around in circles, trying to get a better look at the grand engine, so fast however, that he soon became dizzy and had to lie at the bottom of the cage to stop his head from spinning.
"Daft Owl" said Blake, looking down at him, "We better get on board then, find a good seat." With that, she lifted up the cage and her one small suitcase and climbed up the set of steps leading up to the first carriage. After looking around at its lovely, lush furnishings, she decided that she should really, being a new student at the school, leave this carriage to the others and so she proceeded to the last compartment and took a seat by the window.
In half an hour the train began to fill up, groups of friends met on platform nine and three quarters and started to take their seats. Occasionally someone would look into Blake's compartment to see if it was empty, before moving on up the train with their friends. She began to think she would be left for the whole journey with just her sleeping owl for company.
After a while, there were just one group of three left outside, seeming to be waiting for someone. The group consisted of two boys and girl. One of the boys, she could see had astonishing red hair and freckles, the other, she couldn't make out as well, for he had his back to her, though she did notice he had somehow tucked his coat into his suitcase. The bushy haired girl was looking around with a worried expression on her face and was constantly checking her watch. Finally, Blake saw a boy with jet black, untidy hair running hurriedly through the wall and joining his friends. The girl looked relieved and began to speak, but the red haired boy rushed her along onto the train before she could finish.
Blake sat back and hoped the train would leave now, she couldn't wait to see what her new school was like. Suddenly, the four students she had seen on the platform burst into her compartment, laughing wildly at something. As they turned round and saw her staring, they subdued their giggles and looked around sheepishly.
"Would you mind if we shared this compartment, only, there's nowhere else on the train?" spoke the boy with ginger hair.
"No, that's fine" Blake replied, moving her luggage so they could sit down.
"Thanks, I'm Ron Weasley by the way, and this is Hermione Granger, Neville Longbottom and err....." Ron suddenly burst into a small coughing fit, in which his words were lost, they sounded something like 'Barry Snotter' but she couldn't be sure.
"I um, didn't quite catch that Ron. Do you think you could repeat it?" Ron looked exasperatedly at the unnamed boy.
"It's OK Ron, she'll find out sooner or later. I'm Harry Potter." Blake looked round at the others. Obviously her mum had told her about him, but she didn't want to act too strange, the boy had probably been through too much without her acting like a crazed Chudley Cannons supporter.
"Hi, pleased to meet you, I'm Blake Kellan." There was an odd silence and Blake waited to see whether any of them could tell that secretly, she was dying to get the boy's autograph.
"So... I guess you're new here then." said Hermione, stating the obvious. "What school did you go to before?"
"I, um went to err, this school in Ireland, not many people know about it. It's kind of hidden... yeah, it's a secret school."
"Are you sure?" Hermione asked suspiciously, "I've read loads of books and I've never heard..." She was suddenly interrupted by a loud screech and several hoots. A small owl, hardly bigger than Pickles flew out of Ron's pocket and was trying to attack Pickles' cage. They began hooting at each other and soon afterwards, a large white snowy owl next to Harry joined in with the screeching.
"Sorry about Pig" said Ron, forcing his owl back into his pocket, "He gets a bit excited."
"That's OK" Blake replied, glad that she no longer had to answer Hermione's question. "So...... what's it like at Hogwarts, any gossip I need to know? Tell me, which teachers do I need to avoid?"
"Well, there's Snape, you definitely need to steer clear of him, especially if you're sorted into Gryffindor, he hates us, it's torture every potions lesson we have. Oh there's also McGonnagal..." Harry sat there thinking about what to say, but he didn't have to, Hermione had already launched into her opinion.
"...She really is the best teacher in the school, well apart from Dumbledore, she's head of Gryffindor, that's one of the four houses you know, I don't think Harry explained that to you. Then again I expect you'd know already, well I mean if I was a new here, I know I'd research everything there was to know about the school..."
"HERMIONE! Stop it, you'll frighten the poor girl!" Ron butted in, "Do you want me to explain for you?"
Blake looked down, embarrassed. "No, that's ok, my mum taught me about them, she went to Hogwarts you know."
"Really?" Harry spoke up, "Maybe she knew my parents?"
"I don't think so Harry, she err, she probably wasn't in their house, she was a, a Hugglyfluff?..." Again Blake stared down at the floor, her cheeks a bright shade of pink. She couldn't tell anyone the real reason...
"I think you mean Hufflepuff Blake, are you sure you don't just want me to go through it for you?" Hermione looked at her again, her eyes more suspicious than ever.
"Honestly Hermione, leave her alone."
"I don't need you to tell me that thank you Ron, I was only trying to help her, which is more than what you can do. I'm sure she's more scared of your stupid owl than anything I've said. Really, it's meant to be in a cage, what if someone sees it, you'll be in trouble."
"Who's going to..." Ron trailed off and stared, eyes bulging at the compartment door.
"That is exactly my sentiments Miss Granger. Ronald Weasley, the new rule for the Hogwart's Express was enforced for a good reason, do you know how many times I had to deal with accounts of lost pets last year?" The stony eyes of the woman in the doorway glanced at Neville, before turning back to Ron.
"Professor McGonnagal, I err... I didn't know you were going to be on the train. How, how, why?" Ron sat fixed in his seat hopelessly spluttering, searching for an excuse.
"No, Dumbledore thought it best not to tell anyone, but me and Professor Snape are patrolling the train to make sure that the new rule was kept. It's a good job too, now I suggest that you find a home for that owl before I have to confiscate it and keep it in my office for the autumn term."
"Yes Professor, straightaway." Ron's eyes searched the compartment and landed on Pickles cage. "I don't suppose Blake that I could..."
"Here, I don't mind." Blake opened the cage and Ron put Pig in next to Pickles. They eyed each other cautiously and edged to opposite sides. They only met when the desire for food got the better of them and they were forced to peck quickly at the bowl in the centre, before rushing back to their positions, to stare evilly at each other once more.
"I'm sure they like each other really" Blake said uneasily, wondering what was so wrong with her precious owl, that Pig could not stand.
"Right, I must be off, I've heard screaming down in one of the top compartments. I don't think Mister Jordan would find it quite as funny to tease the first years if his spider was confiscated for use in Defence Against the Dark Arts lessons. I don't think I have to remind you, to keep that owl in the cage Weasley, remember I am not the only teacher on this train." With that, Professor McGonnagal left. An image of being thrown off the train, while Snape and Malfoy laughed humiliatingly out of the window hung in Ron's mind for at least five whole minutes afterwards.
The train was quiet and everyone in the compartment stared out of the window at the rolling countryside sweeping past the train. Blake, looked at the faces around her, gazing as if hypnotised and laughed quietly to herself. 'Hogwarts must really be something if they want to see it this much.' Blake thought to herself. The three pairs of eyes continued to stare as Blake looked at them, then she stopped suddenly, why were there only three? She looked around, where was Neville? Swinging her legs of the seat, see peered under the seat. All at once, Harry, Ron and Hermione glanced up and looked at what she was doing.
"Where's Neville?" asked Hermione.
"That's what I'm trying to find out." Blake hissed angrily at Hermione. She hadn't meant to snap, but something was wrong, she'd seen this before... Looking, searching desperately she saw a mop of brown hair and a lifeless body far under Harry's seat. Hurriedly she pulled him out be the collar and looked at the confused face staring back at her frantic eyes.
"Huh, what's going on?" Neville looked round at the panicked faces. Blake, looked suddenly embarrassed and let go of his robes, her face flushed and she turned to Hermione, hoping she could answer for her.
"What were you doing, you just disappeared? We were worried." Hermione glanced over at Blake who had turned away and was staring out the window.
"I was looking for Trevor." Neville looked ashamedly at his hand, where a fat green toad was sitting. "After I heard Snape was on the train I wanted to find him. I thought I could put him in with Seamus's new tree frogs, have you seen them? He got a large tank full of them, they keep changing colour so I thought Trevor wouldn't be noticed." Blake, now extremely red turned towards Neville.
"Do you want me to come with you and find him? To make up for nearly strangling you, I'm sorry about that." Neville nodded nervously and they went out of the compartment towards the top of the train.
After a while they began to talk, Neville seemed a lot easier to talk to without his friends. He went into long stories about Hogwarts and the things that had happened to Harry, Ron and Hermione. He seemed to admire them very much. They weren't having much luck in finding Seamus, the train was long and very full, so their conversation carried on.
"So, what about you..." Neville began, but Blake turned away and walked faster down the train, refusing to answer any question she didn't want to. Neville looked shyly at her and broke the awkward silence. "You don't have to tell me you know. If you don't want to. I understand I'm not much to talk to, I not brave, smart or funny like the others..."
Blake looked at him, smiling. "You are interesting to talk to, don't say that. I just... I can't talk about it, it's hard for me. Please understand..." trailing off Blake looked out the window at the engine, clouds of smoke billowing past.
"Anyway, this is the final compartment, they must be in here, lets go and look."
Waving, Neville poked his head round the door at Seamus and Dean. Turning back to Blake he said goodbye and went inside, leaving her to make her way back down to Harry, Ron and Hermione.
When she got back, Blake found the door locked. There was noise inside and she could hear raised voices. Knocking loudly, Blake waited outside for an answer. Eventually the door opened shakily as if it was being held back. Cautiously Blake entered. Before her was a strange sight. Hermione was pointing her wand at the ceiling, straining to hold two plump, heavily built boys in the air. Ron was holding the hands of a silver haired boy behind his back, who has struggling and kicking out, trying to reach the door, that Harry had just opened.
"Let me go Weasley, you're creasing my robes, they're brand new. I know you're probably in awe of them, but let go now or I'll..."
"You'll what Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle can't help you now...owww ouch." The boy Ron was holding had kicked him in the shins and Ron was hopping around the compartment grasping his leg. In the confusion Hermione lost control of the other two boys who landed with a crash on the floor.
"Sorry about all this Blake, these losers were just leaving." Harry glared over threateningly at the three intruders. Crabbe and Goyle were still lying on the floor with dazed expressions on their faces, but the silver-haired boy walked over to her and Harry, smiling wickedly. There was something about his face that sent a chill down Blake's spine, it was familiar somehow, but how?
"Why can't I stay Potter? This looks like it might get interesting... Well, well, who have we got here?"
"Leave her alone Draco." Harry eyed Blake, whose eyes were locked with Malfoy's. She was starting to shake, he was worrying her, but she didn't know why, she could feel herself falling, black clouds surrounded her...
"Blake, Blake are you all right?" Blake heard a voice calling her name, slowly the clouds disappeared and the room came back into focus. She could see Harry, Ron and Hermione standing around, looking worried, but Draco and his two friends were sitting in a corner laughing.
"Oooo Potter were you all worried? I bet you thought there were some of those scary dementors on the train again, didn't you? She was only out for ten seconds and you guys go all loopy, just goes to show how cowardly you really are."
"Shut up Malfoy you slimeball you don't know anything." Harry stood up, looking Malfoy angrily in the eye.
"Oh I don't do I, I think you'll find I know a lot more than you think about Miss Kellan here." Draco sneered in Blake's direction. Her head had finally stopped spinning and she had also stood up looking at him curiously.
"I'm surprised you've come here after what happened. You never did get accepted to Hogwarts did you? I suppose they must have taken pity on you when they found that old hag of your mother couldn't tutor you any more. How old was she again, I don't remember, though I don't suppose she knew either, you don't really keep track of it when your the same age as Dumbledore."
"Leave me alone, she wasn't that old and you know it." Blake found courage hard to find and soon fell back against the wall, unable to muster any more.
"Oh, that's not the only thing I know either; I know what happened to you mother." Everyone stared at Blake, who was now huddled in the corner of the room.
"What are you talking about Malfoy?" Ron had got up too, it seemed he was looking for a reason to get at Draco.
"Oh, didn't she tell you?" drawled Malfoy, "Her poor little mumsy wumsy is dead. She was a traitor to the dark lord, planning against him. Why, you all look so surprised, didn't Miss Kellan here tell you? It's been all over the press, surely someone would have known, but then, oh silly me, I doubt your parents could afford a newspaper could they Weasley and I don't suppose Mudbloods get 'The Daily Prophet'." Draco grinned round at the horrified faces in front of him.
"Leave Hermione out of this Malfoy, she hasn't done anything to you." Ron lashed out defensively out Malfoy, but Harry managed to grab his collar and draw him back just in time.
"Is this true Blake?" Harry looked down sadly at the girl in the corner. Her child-like eyes were brimming with tears.
"Yes, although I don't remember much about it, I think I must have passed out... Draco, why can't you just leave me alone? I didn't ask for it to happen, you just come barging in here, thinking you know everything, well... I've had enough." Blake cold tears now burned her face in her anger. Drawing her wand out of her robes, she pointed it at Malfoy...
"Rosia Cilia!" Blake shouted and pink flames shot out of her wand towards Malfoy. Whatever tension there was previously in the room vanished in an instant. The whole room stood staring at Malfoy, dissolving into giggles. Even Crabbe and Goyle were trying desperately to hide their laughter at the sight that was now before their eyes.
"What, what are you laughing at?" Draco stared round at the compartment as if they had all lost their minds.
"I think you better go and look Malfoy. Reflecticus" Harry pointed his wand at the window, which presently transformed into a mirror.
Draco slowly approached it and a horrified look spread across his face. His eyes full of terror, he ran from the compartment and up the train, screams of "My hair, my beautiful hair" could be heard from behind the closed door as Crabbe and Goyle chased after him.
"Well, I personally pink is good look for him." Harry laughed, still trying to get used to the sight of Draco's hair bursting into colour before his eyes.
After they had calmed down, the conversation between Blake and Draco returned to their heads. A silence hung in the air; no one knew what to say. The tension finally became too much for Harry to bear and he sat down next to Blake, looking into her misty grey eyes.
"You know, if it's any compensation, I know how it feels Blake." Harry tried to help, but he wasn't sure what to say.
"Thanks Harry, but I - I..." Blake burst into tears, sliding down her pale cheeks; they filled her eyes and refused to stop. She knew now, she had no control, she was slipping away, the dark clouds filled her vision once more...