Chapter 3 - Onto the Train
The morning of September 1st dawned bleak and wet. Cat was ecstatic. She absolutely loved rain, especially in a thunderstorm. She looked up at the iron-grey clouds which promised just such a storm this night. Her thoughts were damped slightly by the realization that she'd be stuck indoors when the storm hit. Ah well, maybe I'll be able to sneak outside at some point. Cat turned from the beautiful view and walked over to her open trunk. She'd decided to wear the skirt and shirt part of her uniform into muggle London as it would look like any muggle school uniform. An added benefit was that she wouldn't have to worry about changing on the train when just about anyone could walk in on her. The thought gave her the shivers. This way she'd just have to put her robes on over top and she'd be ready.
After dressing and French-braiding her hair, she finished packing up her trunk and locked it with her ring-key. She then picked up the cat carrier she'd bought for Marco, who was curled up asleep inside and walked down the stairs and out side to the waiting car that Aunt Narcissa had rented to travel into London. Moments later, a little pop announced the arrival of the house elf with her trunk, which was stuffed into the back next to Draco's. The three Malfoy's packed into the sleek black car and set off for King's Cross station.
***
With her trunk on a trolley, she followed her aunt and cousin through the train station until they reached the barrier between platforms 9 and 10. Utterly bewildered, Cat waited for her cousin to take the lead. Which he did. By walking into a wall. No, wait, through a wall. Right, well that makes perfect sense. Cat shrugged her shoulders and decided she had nothing to lose but her dignity and pointed her trolley towards the wall where her cousin had just disappeared. Although she'd never admit, Cat closed her eyes as she was about to pass her body into the wall, snapping them back open as soon as she'd realized she hadn't injured herself. The scene before her would have made her jaw drop in awe if she had less self restraint then she did. As it was, her eyes widened marginally as they took in the scarlet steam engine waiting on its tracks, a sign over head said Hogwarts Express, 11 o'clock. Cat looked around for her cousin and spotted his pale head amongst a group of unpleasant looking characters that must be Junior Death Eaters by the looks of them. Deciding she definitely didn't want to get in with that lot, she went off in search of an empty compartment. They had made it to the station rather early so there were quite a few to choose from. Somewhere near the middle of the train she found a compartment. She carried Marco's carrier inside and set him down gently then returned to her trunk. There she stopped. There was absolutely no way she was going to grunt and heave to get this thing into the overhead. It was beneath her pride. She looked around for Draco to see if he had a few peons that he could let her use but he was no where to be seen.
Cat stood, staring at her trunk for quite some time when a voice spoke up to her right.
"Did you need some help with that?" The speaker was a tall Black boy with a sketchpad under one arm and a quill tucked behind his ear.
"I, er, sure. Yes, thanks." Cat spoke hesitantly, despite her cold demeanour, she was actually quite shy around strangers.
"Right then, if you could just grab one end, and I'll take the other?" He asked as he bent down to grab the side handle. Cat went to the other end and together, the two managed to get the trunk into the compartment and tucked up in the overhead. "Good. Now you can help me with mine!" The boy added with a grin. This wasn't quite what Cat had expected, but she supposed she did owe him that much. She nodded and followed him to where his trunk sat, a short distance away. It wasn't until they'd gotten the trunk up and settled that Cat realized that they were back in the compartment she'd chosen specifically for its vacancy. Right, well, it's not as if I have to talk to him. She sat down beside the window, and opened the door of Marco's carrier. He hissed at little at first, probably thinking she was going to put some more goop on his ear, but padded cautiously into the compartment and looked around. Finally, it seemed, he decided there was no danger and started pawing at Cat's leg. She scooped him up and put him down on her lap, where he proceeded to curl up in a ball and started purring. Cat stroked his silky fur absently as she stared out the window at all the kids, saying good-bye to their parents, receiving hugs and well wishes. That sort of thing would never have happened with her parents, but they would have brought her to the station, and seen her off. A tear escaped her eye but she angrily brushed it away.
"You alright?" The voice startled her, but she then realized the boy hadn't left the compartment, and he was now staring at her with concern in his dark eyes.
"Fine. Just fine." She turned to look back out the window, trying to ignore his gaze.
"My name's Dean. Dean Thomas. What's yours if you don't mind me asking?"
Cat looked at him sharply, it was at this point that she realized that, at least for the duration of the train trip, she could let her guard down. So long as her cousin didn't happen along, she could have a few hours of blissful normalcy, of being something other than a Malfoy. When the time came and the students found out her name, then she could put her cold mask back on. Cold Cat wouldn't care that she'd been found out in a lie, or that she might have hurt some people in the process. At least not on the surface. But any guilt she might feel could be suppressed with ease. She had practice at that. "Cat...er, Mallet. Cat Mallet.
"Good to meet you Cat Mallet." He grinned and held out a hand. Cat shook it hesitantly and smiled a little, inwardly cringing at the name she'd chosen. In an effort to change the subject, Cat pointed toward the sketchpad under his arm. "You draw?"
"A bit. Mostly just sketch work. Would... would you like to see?" Cat grinned at the way he turned so suddenly shy, and nodded in response to his question. He opened the book and passed it over to her. Cat took it, careful not to dislodge Marco in the process. The first picture was a sketch of the train, with students frozen in mid-step, scattered in front. She turned several pages to find pictures of dragons and lions, of people flying on broomsticks in a game of quidditch, of landscapes and seascapes and all manner of other things. When she got to the last page, she was shocked to find a sketch of what might be herself, if she were that pretty, standing, hands on hips, glaring down at a trunk. She looked up at Dean, honey-coloured eyes questioning,
"Is, is this me?" He nodded, eyes downcast, embarrassment in every line of his body. "It's amazing." She smiled slightly and closed the book, handing it back to the boy.
"Erm, nice cat. What's it's name?" It was apparently Dean's turn to change the subject.
"His name's Marco. It's an Italian name, mean's 'warrior.' It fits him quite well when he wants it to."
"Italian? Are you from Italy?" He inquired.
"Originally, yes. My father was born in England, he moved to Italy and met my mom there. I was the fortunate result. What about you?" Cat replied, surprised to find herself actually interested.
"English, born and raised." He grinned proudly.
The rest of the trip was spent in a similar manner. Cat found talking to Dean to be natural, which was a new experience for her. Most of the boys at her old school either, didn't give her the time of day, being much to involved in their self-image as suave Italian men, or they were after her for her money and her powerful name. Occasionally, one of Dean's friends would pop in to say hello. He'd introduce each to Cat who'd insist that they needn't add the Mallet on the end. At one point, the tall redheaded boy from Diagon Alley came in, gave Dean's hand a shake saying something along the lines of an apology and then left, ears blending with his hair. Bemused, Cat asked, "What was that about?"
"Oh, that was just Ron. He was a bit miffed with me at the end of last year and when I visited in the summer because I was dating his little sister. Now that we've split though, it's all friendly again." He grinned a bit and they went back to the conversation they'd been having, comparing her old school with Dean's experience of Hogwarts.
When they'd finally reached the end of the trip, Cat put Marco back in his carrier and made to start pulling down her trunk, but Dean stopped her informing her that it would all be taken care of for them. Cat nodded, leaving Marco reluctantly and they stepped off the train.
"It said on my letter that I was to cross the lake with the first years, whatever that means." Cat looked at Dean inquiringly.
"Right then, it's Hagrid you want. Over there, can't miss him as he's about 10 feet tall. Guess I'll see you at dinner then." Cat nodded and made her way over to the tall, hairy man at the end of the platform who she could now hear was calling "Firs' years! Over here!" Cat joined the group of students, not quite believing that she'd been that young once. The huge man looked at her, his black eyes unreadable as the last of the first years gathered around. "Right this way. Follow me."
He lead the way down a dark and slippery path. The first years were huddled into small groups, squeezing as closely together as they could on the narrow path. Cat brought up the rear, feeling quite alone, but finding that she didn't mind it much.
"We'll just be goin' round this bend here, an' yeh'll get yer fir's sight o'Hogwarts," Hagrid called from up ahead. Cat could hear the 'oooh's' and 'ahhh's' of the first years as group by group, they each got their first view of the castle.
Finally, Cat made her way into the open area just on the edge of great black lake. Atop a high mountain on the opposite side, a huge castle sat, its turrets and towers barely discernable against the cloudy sky. Lights glimmered here and there, like patches of stars.
"Four to a boat! Everybody in!" Hagrid called, pointing towards a group of little boats bobbing gently in the wind swept water. Cat got into a boat with a group of three shivering first years. When each boat was filled and no students were left ashore, Hagrid called out a great "FORWARD!" and the boats moved off, all at once, gliding across the lake, occasionally buffered by a wavelet. "Heads down!"
Hagrid was bent practically double as they sailed under the cliff on the castle side of the lake, through a current of ivy and down a dark tunnel until they reached a little under-ground dock. Everyone piled out of the boats, Hagrid did a head count, then he lead them up a passageway in the rock, coming out at last on a vast green lawn, in the shadow of the castle. Up a flight of stone stairs they walked and gathered around the huge, oak front door. Hagrid knocked three times on the castle door.