Chapter 2- Friends and Foes

Evelyn sat and looked at the scenery flashing past the window, wondering how long this train ride would take and if she would have to spend it alone. As if in answer to her silent questions the door of her compartment slid open. She turned from the window and saw the three people she had been looking at on the platform.

"May we join you?" asked the boy with the glasses.

"Of course, I don't mind. My name is Evelyn Malone. Who are you?"

"I'm Harry Potter, and this is Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger," he said pointing to each in turn.

"Really! I've read so much about all three of you."

"I don't know if that's good or bad," laughed Hermione as the three of them sat down, "What have you heard?"

"Well, I know Harry's story of course, but I also know all about your adventures. My Aunt Sarah has friends whose kids go to Hogwarts and they told me all about the Philosopher's Stone and the Chamber of Secrets and the Triwizard Tournament. You three seem to have so much fun and excitement. I read all about Ron's flying car and I read all about you, Hermione, in Witch Weekly. Don't worry, I don't believe it. I can clearly see there's nothing between you and Harry but tell me, Victor Krum, yes or no?"

Hermione blushed and said, " He did say the things in the article, and I did go to his house in the summer." Evelyn caught the flash of anger and jealousy in Ron's eyes, when Hermione said that.

Trying to change the subject she said, "Not a bad choice. I don't think he's got that much in the looks department and I don't know his personality, but he's an outstanding Quidditch player, even though Ireland has a better team. Did you three see the cup game last year?"

At the word Quidditch, Harry's eyes lit up. "You like Quidditch?"

"Like it?!? I love it! Quidditch is a huge part of my life! I don't know what I'll do if I can't be on Gryffindor's team."

"You're in Gryffindor," Ron interrupted, "Great! What position do you play?"

"Well, I'm a keeper," Evelyn replied.

"Perfect! Our keeper, Oliver Wood, graduated two years ago. There wasn't a team last year, Triwizard Cup and all. You can try out," exclaimed Harry.

"Awesome! Are you on the team? Who's the captain? Is the team any good? Are the other teams good?"

Ron took advantage of her need for air to interrupt her stream of questions. "Slow down. Take a deep breath. Our team is the best one. The other teams probably will probably get some new players so it's hard to tell how good they are. Harry's the seeker and my brother Fred is the captain."

"I saw your family on the platform. Which one is Fred?" Evelyn asked innocently.

"Fred and George are my twin brothers," Ron explained.

"Really," she said and to herself added, one of them is extremely good looking but is it Fred or George?

The four of them talked for quite some time about anything and everything. Evelyn found out all about Hermione's Muggle parents, Ron's family and how horrible Harry's relatives, the Dursleys, were. She, in turn, told them how her parents got a divorce when she was eight and her little brother was one. She also revealed that her mother and father had been killed by a Muggle drive by shooting in New York when she was ten and she and her brother, Tommy, had been sent to live with their Aunt Sarah in Toronto, Canada. She described her Aunt's magical beauty salon and the Canadian wizarding world. "It's much more intertwined with the Muggle world," she explained. Evelyn told them all about the Muggle school she went to until she was eleven, and her Muggle friends. In return, Harry, Hermione and Ron told her about Hogwarts, who to trust and who to watch out for.

"You should especially watch out for Professor Snape and Draco Malfoy," Harry informed her, as the door of the compartment slid open.

"Speak of the devil," Ron muttered.

A pale boy with very blond hair walked into the compartment, flanked by two hulking youths. Draco Malfoy sneered at Ron and drawled, "I'm surprised you showed your freckled face, Weasley. I thought you, Potter and Granger would bee at home, hiding under your sheets, waiting for You-Know-Who to catch up with you."

From her place beside Hermione, Evelyn hadn't been seen yet. At Malfoy's comment she sat forwards and coolly said, "And I suppose you wouldn't have to worry about that?"

As he saw her, Malfoy's eyes widened and his lips twisted into a slight smile. "Oh a new student. I'm Draco Malfoy, this is Crabbe and Goyle," he said, pointing to the massive bulks behind him. He held out his hand and glared at Harry and Ron saying, "If you ask my opinion, you shouldn't be associating yourself with the likes of these three. They're on the lower end of the social scale."

Evelyn stood up, glanced at his outstretched hand, shook it curtly and replied, "My name is Evelyn Malone. I've heard so many interesting things about you."

Malfoy looked at them all with a confused look on his face. "Is that a good thing?" She responded by raising her eyebrows mysteriously.

"Now shove off, Malfoy!" Hermione interjected.

"I'll shove off when I'm good and ready!" he retorted as he withdrew his wand. Harry, Ron and Hermione jumped up and took out their wands, just as a hand reached out and grabbed Malfoy's raise arm.