Disclaimer: Unless J.K. Rowling is a teenaged girl typing in her basement, I am not her. So I guess I don't own Harry Potter. (sigh) I really wish I did. But I don't so don't sue.

Author's Note: Thanks so much to Lady of the Dark. Reading your second review left me with fuzzy feelings inside. It's nice to know someone doesn't want me to stop writing. It's true. I do like the twins. Fred especially. He says more funny things in the books. Thanks to Dace as well. I really like getting reviews. If more people would review, more chapters might get out faster. I'm not sure if you'll think that is motivation but I hope you still review. Just no flames though. I haven't got any yet. I hope that's a good sign. (crosses fingers)

Chapter Four- Trust and Hissing Furballs

When they got back to the compartment, they found Ron and Harry looking suspiciously at a box covered by Evelyn's school cloak that sat in the corner. Ron pointed at it and whispered, "It started making noises just after you left."

Evelyn gave a little chuckle and said, "Don't worry, it's just my Kneazle **. She must've woken up. Her name is Kiki."

She took her cloak off the box and revealed a cage with a small catlike creature with unusually large ears and a tail like a lions inside. She had black fur with so many flecks of tan she looked almost striped. She hissed at the sudden burst of light and again at the strangers with her mistress, then settled down and began to groom herself.

"It's a what?" Harry asked.

"She is a Kneazle," Evelyn replied.

"A Kneazle?" Ron repeated.

"Honestly," Hermione sighed, "You two should read more, Kneazles are in Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, our Care of Magical Creatures textbook."

At the blank expressions on their faces she recited, "The Kneazle can be found worldwide but originated in Britain. They are intelligent, independent and sometimes aggressive but make excellent pets if they take a liking to you. I thought you need a license to have one though."

"I've got one. Kneazles can also tell if a person is trustworthy and guide you home if you get lost. Dumbledore said I could bring her as long as I can control her. She seems to like you three though," Evelyn remarked as she took Kiki out of her cage. "I guess that means you're trustworthy," she added laughing.

"I should bloody well hope so!" said Ron indignantly.

"Oh, don't be offended, Ron. I was just joking. And you shouldn't swear," Evelyn half comforted, half scolded.

"I thought I was the only one who would nag him about swearing," Hermione giggled. She and Evelyn started laughing wholeheartedly.

Just when Evelyn's sides began to ache, the door slid open again. Malfoy had returned to gloat about his new robes and point out Ron's shabby ones. He had just got in one dig when all sorts of hissing and spitting came from the Kneazle in Evelyn's arms.

Ron laughed and jeered, "Looks like Kiki knows you're a scumbag, Malfoy."

"You'd — better — leave — before — she —gets — away," Evelyn gasped between efforts to restrain her pet. Malfoy looked around confused and slightly frightened but he hurried out of the compartment.

As soon as the door shut, the hissing, spitting ball of fur in Evelyn's arms started to resume its cat-like appearance. Exhausted, Evelyn sat down with Kiki on her lap, purring contentedly.

Concerned, Hermione asked, "Are you okay? Did she scratch you?"

Evelyn grinned and held out her unscathed arms. "No way! Kiki won't expose her claws until they're actually in contact with the thing she wants to scratch. Kneazles are very safe in that way."

Harry laughed, "Malfoy won't find her safe if she gets her claws in him."

"It doesn't matter what Malfoy thinks," said Hermione, "We've got one up on him now."

Evelyn looked at her confused. "What do you mean?"

"Well, you know why he came back, right?" Hermione replied cryptically.

Evelyn slowly shook her head. What is Hermione getting at?, she thought.

"He was obviously showing off his new robes for you," Harry answered.

"And making fun of mine," Ron mumbled bitterly.

"You guys really thinks he likes me?" Evelyn asked.

"Totally," Hermione exclaimed, "He's infatuated with you. The question is what do you think of him?"

Outside the door a pair of ears pricked up.

"Well" Evelyn said, thinking it over, "I think he would be pretty hot, if he didn't slick his hair back so much. It makes it look really dirty, you know? He could use a haircut too. The one he's got doesn't suit him at all. Maybe short with the front spiked up or something. As for personality, I don't want to judge a book by its cover, but he doesn't seem like a particularly nice person. Now your brother Fred, seems like a really great guy. I'd like to see more of him, Ron," she added with and unmistakable tone.

Ron, who completely missed the meaning of it, said absently, "Oh, you will. He and George are always right in the midst of things. They enjoy being the center of attention."

Hermione shook her head exasperatedly and said, "Don't you get anything?"

"If you don't have anything nice to say you should keep your big mouth shut," Ron spat back.

"At least when I open my 'big mouth' something intelligent comes out," Hermione retorted.

Ron paused, searching for a comeback. Finding nothing he made a rude hand gesture at Hermione.

"Oh! That's intelligent!" she exclaimed.

The train slowed to a stop and Harry led the way out of the compartment with Ron and Hermione bickering in the background. He opened the door quickly and a person fell backward into their compartment.

Kiki started hissing from inside her cage and Ron let out a big guffaw at the sight of Draco Malfoy lying spread eagle on the floor.

"Have you been standing there the whole time?" Evelyn asked gently as Ron bent double in hysterical laughter.

"NO!" Malfoy said quickly. "I was just passing by," he added picking himself up.

"And leaning on our door?" Hermione said incredulously.

Ron let out another burst and fell back into his seat with side-splitting laughter. Malfoy scowled at Ron and stalked out.

"I'm–never–going–to–forget–that," gasped Ron between laughs.

"Do you think he was waiting to come back in? I didn't know or I would've told him when Kiki was back in her cage," Evelyn said somewhat concerned.

"I don't know, and frankly I don't care," chuckled Harry, "the slimy git was probably just listening in on our conversation. Boy, did he get what he deserved."

"Oh no!" Evelyn exclaimed, "He must've heard what I said about him."

"Calm down," Hermione comforted, "It doesn't matter."

"If you're worried about him knowing you think he could be good-looking," Ron said, "he already thought that anyway. And if you're worried about him knowing you don't think he's good-looking now or that he doesn't look like a very nice person, his ego can stand to be taken down a notch. Either way, it's no big deal."

"Alright" Evelyn said uncertainly. "If you say so."

"Ron, that must've been the most intelligent thing you've said all day," Hermione said. "Actually make that your whole life."

"Shut up, Hermione," Ron muttered.

"Don't you tell me to shut up, Ronald Weasley!"

** The Kneazle is a creature invented by J.K. Rowling. It can be found in her book Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, which is a 'textbook', supposedly belonging to Harry Potter. I used it for authenticity.

Author's Note 2: Now, don't forget to review. You love it, you like it, you think it's okay, you see something I should have done differently, anything at all. Tell me! I like to hear it. Go, with my best wishes, and review on your way out.