So it's chapter 34.
JKR owns all of them but Astrid, and she's cool enough to almost compensate. But only almost. Bob Dylan owns the song.
Please Review. Thanks for your reviews.
We love Nat
That being said.
*****
"RON!" A small female voice cried from outside the compartment where Ron, Hermione and Harry all stood. Harry struggled to boost his trunk into an overhead rack while Ron surveyed the contents of the lunch his mother had packed for the three of them. Hermione sat in the seat below Harry's trunk. The door to the compartment flew open and a tiny figure clothed in a black robe tore through. One step into the compartment, the girl jumped and wrapped both arms around Ron's waist. The older boy wasn't expecting to be jumped on, so he wasn't on balance to begin with. The attack made him stumble backwards into Harry. Harry crashed into the opposite wall of the compartment with Ron and then Astrid on top of him. His trunk tumbled from the ceiling, bouncing into Hermione's lap before coming to a stop directly on top of Astrid.
"You know, if this isn't a good time, we can come back," another familiar female voice said from the doorway. Harry struggled to move Ron to a point where he could see the person in the doorway.
"No Hannah, Astrid's just being a bit excitable," Harry said. He tried to get out from under the pile of people, but couldn't.
"I understand. Justin and Ernie are trying to pry Chelsea off of the ceiling I believe," Mandy laughed.
"A hand here, Hermione?" Ron asked. Astrid was overcome by a case of giggles so extreme that she hadn't tried to move to trunk. Hermione hadn't looked up from her book since just after the trunk hit her lap. Still not looking up, she flicked her wand, muttering her signature Wingardium Leviosa to the trunk. The trunk floated lazily to the top of the ceiling.
"Thanks, Hermione," Ron muttered. He picked up a giggling Astrid and deposited her into the seat across from Hermione. He flung himself into the seat next to her and glared down at her.
"Well it's nice to see you too, Ron," she giggled. Ron smiled and shook his head at the little girl. Harry picked himself up off of the floor and closed the space between himself and Hannah. She wrapped her arms around his waist, while he captured her shoulders in a tight hug, resting his cheek on the top of her head.
"AWWW!" two voices chorused from behind Mandy. Harry and Hannah quickly jumped away from each other and looked towards the door. Jason and Sawyer stood in the hallway just behind Mandy, grinning and waving like idiots. Harry pulled Hannah into the seats next to Hermione. The pair smiled wickedly at Mandy, who reluctantly sat down across from Hannah, to Ron's immediate right. Jason and Sawyer ran across the compartment to Astrid. Jason sunk to the floor next to her seat, while Sawyer clambered into the luggage racks.
"Wow," Mandy said, surveying the crowded compartment. "Where are we planning on putting Justin and Ernie and Mandrake Chelsea?"
"Up here with me," Sawyer replied. "No wait, scratch that. Mandrake Chelsea can stay down there where she is supposed to."
"Finch-Fletchley could always climb up there with you," Mandy suggested with a laugh.
"Yeah. That would be as effective as trying to stuff Ron up here," Sawyer replied.
"No ideas, guys," Ron said, attempting to glare at Harry and Astrid at the same time.
"If we shrink him first," Harry said, raising his eyebrows at Astrid.
"If we shrink him, we could simply put him one of our trunks or something," Astrid laughed.
"No shrinking Ron!" Ron insisted. Harry and Astrid both grinned at their friend, attempting for innocent and failing miserably.
"HI GUYS!" Mandrake Chelsea screeched, tearing into the compartment. Ernie and Justin sheepishly ducked around the corner after her.
"Chelsea, please, we're all sitting right here," Hannah admonished. "That level of volume is totally unnecessary." Chelsea released a cackle loud enough for the entire train to hear before pulling out her wand. Ernie and Justin stepped into the compartment and pulled the door shut behind them.
"And guys, you propose all eleven of us fit in here how?" Ernie asked. "Chelsea, put away your wand." Chelsea wordlessly pocketed the instrument.
"Twelve," Sawyer said, waving from the luggage rack.
"I shall sit with Sawyer," Chelsea announced. Sawyer released a groan that was audible to the entire compartment. His obvious pleasure didn't faze Chelsea, as she used Ron's lap as a step stool to vault herself into the luggage compartment next to Sawyer. Justin wordlessly stepped across the compartment and sank to the floor next to Jason. Ernie turned to look at Astrid.
"I could pull rank and make you move," he suggested. Astrid pulled her wand and pointed it at Ernie.
"I could fix it where you'll never move again," Astrid suggested evenly, with a smirk only rivaled by Draco's. "I am a Malfoy you know."
"Astrid," Ron warned. Astrid stuffed her wand back into her pocket and slid closer to Ron.
"You may have part of my seat, Ernie," she said brightly. Ernie rolled his eyes at the little girl before taking the part of the seat she had offered. This action ultimately forced Ron to scoot closer to Mandy so Astrid wouldn't be completely squished between the two fifth years.
"How did you do that?" Ernie asked Ron. Ron shrugged noncommittally.
"Skill," Harry laughed. Ernie shook his head at the boy.
"What are you reading, Hermione?" he asked.
"Beauxbatons: A History," Hermione replied, never looking away from her book.
"No really," Ernie said.
"No, really. Ginny's boyfriend Braeden gave it to her for Christmas," Harry replied, nodding. "Watch out, because now she can give the history of two schools on command."
"More useless knowledge that we never wanted to hear in the first place," Ron muttered.
"So you credit him as Ginny's boyfriend, but what about the fact that he's Braeden Granger?" Hermione asked.
"Okay, Hermione's cousin who happens to be Ginny's boyfriend," Harry amended his statement.
"Is your cousin a wizard?" Justin asked.
"How would he get her a book about Beauxbatons if he wasn't?" Hannah asked.
"Good point. Does he play Quidditch?" Ernie asked.
"Yes," Ron replied. "He's the keeper for the Beauxbatons team."
"So Ginny will get to see him when she goes to France?" Mandy asked. "That's incredibly cute." She shot a look at the eternally clueless Ron. He, of course, didn't catch the look or the meaning behind it, if he noticed the look at all.
"So how were your Christmases?" Justin asked, looking from Harry to Ron.
"Absolutely fantastic," Harry replied.
"Great. I think it was the first Christmas my entire family has been together since," Ron paused. "I don't think I can remember a Christmas when my entire family has been together."
"Really?" Mandy asked.
"Well, Bill was in school by the time Ginny and I were born. He used to stay at school with the library during the holidays, so we never really got to see him, and then Percy did the same thing when he started school, after Bill graduated and all, so I really don't think the entire family has even had Christmas together," Ron explained.
"And this Christmas it was his entire family, two brother's wives, a couple of brothers' friends and girlfriends, the sister's boyfriend, the parents of one of the friends and the brother, sister-in-law, niece and nephew of one of the wives." Harry laughed.
"What?" Hannah asked. "Could you possibly repeat that in English?" Harry took a deep breath.
"The entire Weasley family was at the Burrow. Two of the brothers are married now, so their wives were also there. The other five siblings each had one guest. One of the guests' parents were there. Bill's wife's brother, his wife, and their two children were there," Harry explained. Hannah rolled her eyes.
"So you're trying to say there were half a million people there," she laughed.
"Something to that effect," Ron nodded.
"What about your Christmases?" Harry asked.
"Dinner at home with my mum and Mandy and Carter," Hannah said.
"You didn't see your other brothers?" Ron asked. Mandy hung her head.
"No," she mumbled. "They still refuse to have anything to do with me and Carter because we're magic." Ron looked helplessly across the car at Harry, but before Harry could do anything, Astrid jerked a sharp elbow into Ron's side. As soon as Ron looked at her, she tossed her tiny arm around Ernie's shoulders.
"Malfoy, what exactly," Ernie began, but Astrid clamped her other hand over his mouth.
"Well, don't do that part," she mouthed to Ron. On Astrid's advice, Ron slipped his arm around Mandy's shoulders.
"Now say something sweet," Astrid hissed.
"Something sweet," Ron hissed in return. Mandy turned to Ron.
"What was that?" she asked.
"Astrid's being a prat," Ron replied. Mandy giggled. Harry let out a very undignified snort from across the compartment where he was trying unsuccessfully to prevent himself from laughing.
"That's not necessarily what I meant by sweet," Astrid said. She jumped to her feet on the seat, almost banging her head on Sawyer and Chelsea's luggage rack. "And I'll show you being a prat."
"Astrid, please, sit," Ernie said. Astrid immediately fell backwards, right into Ernie's lap.
"Is this better?" she asked.
"Astrid, if you don't behave and sit still, you're going to have to sit in the floor with Jason and Justin," Ernie warned.
"Who is going to make me?" Astrid asked, sweetly.
"Me," Ernie replied. Astrid widened her silver eyes and looked directly at the fifth year prefect.
"You and what army?" she asked in the most innocent voice she could muster. Harry almost fell off of his seat, overcome with laughter, while Hannah and Mandy giggled politely.
"Harry? Ron? Help here?" Ernie asked.
"You're own your own, mate," Harry gasped through his laughter. Ron nodded his agreement.
"Why aren't you as easy to deal with as the Hufflepuff first years?" Ernie asked the small girl still seated on his lap.
"You really mean that?" Chelsea asked from the luggage rack. "I'm really easy to deal with?"
"I'd eat those words," Justin advised from the floor.
"At least you listen," Ernie said towards the direction of the luggage rack.
"Hey Ron?" Astrid asked, bored with tormenting Ernie.
"Yes?" Ron replied. The first year still hadn't moved from Ernie's lap.
"Where are Alroy and Juliet?" Astrid asked. "I want to see the little dears."
"No Astrid, they're cats. And besides, the plural of deer is deer," Hermione absentmindedly scolded. Astrid didn't notice the levels of red Ron and Harry had turned.
"So where are they?" Astrid asked, ignoring Hermione all together. Harry lapsed into a fit of suspicious coughing, while Ron turned almost purple.
"Well you see," Ron began.
"WHERE ARE MY KITTENS!" Astrid screeched.
"Man, just give her the bloody kittens!" Ernie agreed, sounding slightly on edge and more than a little put off at the first year still perched on his lap.
"Geeze guys, don't have kittens," Harry scolded, laughing loudly at his own joke. Hannah jerked an elbow softly into his side.
"Not funny, Potter," she joked. Everyone else just rolled their eyes at the boy.
"Fred and George got a hold of your kittens and they've dyed Alroy red and Juliet this lovely shade of green and none of us can figure out how to get them back to their normal color." Hermione's head snapped up from her book. She glared at Ron as she delivered the explanation Ron and Harry had been unable to give. Harry's face had turned fire engine red while Ron's leveled on a plum purple.
"May I at least see them?" Astrid asked politely. She smiled from Harry to Ron to Hermione. Ron promptly issued a shrill whistle. A blaze-red ball of fur bolted from under Harry's seat and clawed its way to Ron's left shoulder. An over-grown, furry pea primly made its way to the center of the compartment. It stopped and daintily licked it's paw before climbing up to join its brother, occupying a spot on Ron's free shoulder.
"See what I taught them?" Ron asked, smiling like a child who had stolen the last cookie from the jar and not been caught by his mother.
"See what we taught Alroy," Harry corrected. "Juliet still only complies when she feels like it."
"Alroy doesn't understand how to act like a proper cat yet," Hermione explained. She tucked a knitted purple bookmark into the back cover of her book and laid the volume on the seat next to her left knee. "He's sort of slow."
"Kind of like his trainer, right?" Astrid asked. Her thin pink lips peeled into a mischievous smirk. Ron rubbed his large freckled hand across the little girls' face several times in quick succession.
"Don't do that," Ron scolded. "It makes you look like Malfoy."
"And that's a problem?" A silky voice asked form the doorway of the compartment. "At least we're attractive. Quite unlike that sister of yours. She looks like one of Hagrid's illegal experiments gone horribly wrong." Ron's face turned an alarming shade of red.'
"Not one of your better insults, Malfoy," Harry said coolly.
"Stay out of this Potter. "Malfoy hissed. "This is about my family being better than the Weasel's. I would invite you to join our little competition, but that's a bit hard since you have no family." Harry's face turned as pale as Malfoy before morphing to a shade of green just a bit lighter than Juliet's sickly pea. Malfoy's moment of attention to Harry gave Ron time to break free of Astrid's, Mandy's and Ernie's grasps. The kittens dived for safety in Astrid's lap. Ron sprang across the car in a flurry of red hair, black robes and gangly freckled limbs. His fist caught Draco's jaw and the pair of boys tumbled to the ground. Draco lay with his back flat on the floor. Ron's right knee ground into Draco's sternum. He had his right fist pulled back close to his ear, fully prepared to smash Draco's face in. Sweat beaded across his forehead, just below the shock of orangey red hair. His sparkling blue eyes had taken on a malicious twinkle as he stared down into the face of his archenemy.
Draco's porcelain face was void of all emotion. A thin ribbon of blood trailed down from the side of Draco's mouth. His expressionless silver-grey eyes stared up at the red-haired monster planted on his chest.
"Now listen here, Malfoy," Ron began. A thing spray of saliva flipped from Ron's thick lips into Draco's face as Ron spoke.
"I, unlike you, can afford to take a shower every day," Draco muttered. "Thanks though." Ron paused to sort out Draco's statement. Harry and Ernie moved towards the fight in the floor while Jason and Justin scrambled out of the way, into Ernie and Ron's vacated seats. Ron's hesitation was enough, however, for Draco to fling Ron off of him. In brief seconds roles reversed. Ron lay on the floor on his back, head resting at Hermione's feet. Harry and Ernie glanced nervously at the door, waiting for Crabbe and Goyle to enter.
"I'm a prefect, you know," Ron muttered. Draco's slim hands fastened just under Ron's jaw, around the boy's throat. One of Draco's slightly bony knees rested on each of Ron's wrists, and his feet curled backwards to pin Ron's legs to the floor.
"Bully for you, Weasel, I am too. Therefore, I will be allowed to say my piece. If anyone begins to remove a point, that includes you McMillan, Gryffindor will be in negative points because he did, after all, attack me." The crowd in the compartment remained still, frozen in place. Draco's hands slowly increased the pressure on Ron's throat. Ron's eyes peeled open and his face began to turn a shade of red-tinted lavender that didn't look entirely healthy.
"50 Points from Gryffindor!" came two voices.
"50 points from Slytherin!" came two others.
"Wingardium Leviosa!" was Astrid's girlish shout just as Harry jumped from his seat, set on planting the hard point of his elbow into Draco's spine. Astrid jerked her wand towards the ceiling as fast as she could. Draco shot straight up, flailing about in the air like a rag doll. He smacked into the ceiling with a satisfying crack. Ron noticed his incoming best friend with only seconds to spare. He rolled quickly towards Mandy's feet, both hands on his throat. Harry smashed into the floor, elbow first, with a crash that rattled the compartment.
Ron released a gurgled, inarticulate cry. Astrid's wand clattered to the floor. Her brother fell along with the thin wooden stick. He landed in the most ungraceful position, directly on top of Harry and Ron. He lay flat on his back, tie askew, robes flung open. His pants legs had ridden up to his knees, exposing two expanses of smooth white finely muscled calf. His blonde hair had fallen out of place, some cascading in his eyes in a fine blonde shade.
"Now can you boys behave?" Hermione asked, glaring down at the pile of prefects in the floor.
"25 more points from Gryffindor for the first year attacking our prefect," a slick voice murmured from the doorway. Every head in the compartment snapped towards the doorway where Blaise Zabini stood, watching the proceedings.
"Shove off, Zabini," Harry muttered, struggling to remove himself from under Draco. Draco stumbled to his feet, adjusting his robe, pants and tie as he went.
"Come on, Zabini," he muttered. He pulled the other prefect away from the scene, closing the compartment door behind him.
"Bloody hell Astrid," Sawyer exclaimed from his perch in the luggage rack. "That was amazing. He was in the floor and then all of the sudden he was up here!"
"Sawyer!" Chelsea cried. "Calm down before you end up down there with them." Sawyer laughed brightly.
"So who extracted points from which houses?" Just asked. "Everyone was yelling all at once and I couldn't tell what everyone said."
"I took points from Slytherin," Hermione said.
" As did I," Ernie agreed. The fifth years, Astrid and Jason all turned quizzical looks on Harry.
"I figured me trying to ram Malfoy through the floor with my elbow was grounds for a few lost Gryffindor points," Harry admitted. His full red lips pulled into a half smile and he pushed the fringe of unruly black hair back from his forehead.
"How very Gryffindor of you, Potter," Astrid said in a dead on impression of her older brother. She smirked at Harry from her seat next to Ron.
"Hey Astrid?" Ron asked. The boy's voice sounded as though it had been thoroughly coated with gravel
"Yes?" Astrid asked.
"Why is your brother such a git?" Ron asked. Astrid ran her fingers through her silvery blonde hair. It cascaded down around her shoulders like water.
"I don't know why he's a git, but he might be worse than usual because he did, after all, loose his girlfriend on what should have been our baby sister's eighth birthday." Astrid provided. A level of sincerity resided in her voice that Ron hadn't expected.
"Your brother got dumped?" Jason asked. Sawyer's head suddenly appeared over the edge of the luggage rack. His round face was red ad his blonde hair fell away form his head to create a fluffy pale halo.
"Jason, do you really like the taste of shoe leather or something?" Sawyer asked.
"Oh my," Jason said, worry evident in his chocolaty eyes. "what have I said now?"
"She died, Jason," Astrid spat, a bit more forcefully than necessary. "She was murdered for no reason! Nothing she did!" The little girl rested her elbows on her knees and dropped her head into her hands. Her hair fell in a curtain over her face. Mandy sniffed loudly. Everyone glanced over at her. Tears poured down her face in thick streams. Ron dropped a protective arm around her shoulders. She wiped the tears from her eyes.
"What's wrong?" Ron asked, quietly. Mandy rested her head on his shoulder.
"I miss my mum," Mandy sobbed. Ron dropped a soft kiss into her smooth brown curls.
"It'll be okay," he whispered. Mandy's shoulder shook as she tried to nod in agreement.
"Oh Miss Mandy, please cheer up!" Justin gracefully picked himself up off of the floor and carefully deposited himself in Mandy's lap. He wound his arms around Mandy's shoulders and pulled his face towards hers until they were forehead to forehead. His aquamarine eyes looked directly into her grey-blues as he hissed instructions to Ron.
"Now take care of Astrid, she may eat anyone else who tries to touch her."
"Are you sure?" Ron asked Mandy.
"Yes," Mandy tearfully agreed. Ron looked over to the first year on the seat beside him. He placed a hand on either of her shoulders and leaned down so his left ear touched her right.
"Are you okay, chica?" He whispered over her muffled sniffles. Astrid shrugged her shoulders.
"Come here chica," Ron said, using his hands to turn the girl towards him. Astrid moved her hands from her head and leaned her head on Ron's shoulder. He ran his hand over Astrid's hair before flicking away a few of her tears with his index finger. Astrid curled her hands to her chest. Ron slid his right arm under Astrid's knees and turned her small body towards his. Astrid scrambled onto Ron's lap and curled up against his chest. He glanced helplessly across the compartment at Harry. Harry lounged comfortably with his left arm around Hannah's shoulder. His thumb moved in small circles just on her arm. A few stray tears trailed won Hannah's face.
"Say something," Hermione mouthed to Ron.
"Hey Astrid," Ron whispered. Astrid's response came in the form of two muffled sniffs. Ron reached over and laced his right fingers through Mandy's left. "30 points to Gryffindor for the first year saving the prefect's life."
*****
"Welcome back students!" Dumbledore called from his seat at the head table. He stood between Professor Vector and Professor McGonagall, his arms outstretched towards the farthest corners of the room. The long drop sleeves of his gold star covered blue velvet robe almost brushed the table.
"I trust you all had a safe holiday. Before we begin the meal, I ask that you all stand and remain silent. For those of you who haven't heard, Finley Reagan Alexander, her parents Maxwell Sonner Alexander and Juliet Finley Alexander, and her younger brother Sonner Reece Alexander were all killed in a Death Eater attack on December 21st. We will now play a reading in honor of Finley. Please remain silent and standing," Dumbledore clasped his hands in front of him as the entire population of the hall staggered to their collective feet. Dumbledore flicked his wand at the ceiling. A moment later, a familiar voice took a trembling breath and then emanated from the starry ceiling.
"May he bless you and keep you always, may your wishes all come true. May you always do for others and let others do for you. May you build a ladder to the stars and climb on every rung May you stay, forever young." At the Gryffindor table, Astrid fought to keep her tears in check. She had cried enough on the train ride. Her brother's voice drifting from the rafters coupled with the memories of both his vicious attack on the wall and the way he had actually acted decent on Christmas morning was almost too much to handle. She felt a hand on each of her shoulders. She looked to either side of her, Jason on her left and Sawyer on her right, and offered a weak smile to two of her best friends.
"May you grow up to be righteous, may you grow up to be true, may you always know the truth and see the light surrounding you. May you always be courageous, stand upright and be strong. May you stay, forever young." At the Slytherin table, Draco looked around at his year-mates. Crabbe and Goyle stood across the table from him. Neither seemed to have a clue what was going on. Taylor and Karen stood next to Goyle with a very disgruntled looking Blaise in between them. The pair seemed to be trying to console Blaise, who wasn't exactly upset. Pansy had taken the spot to Draco's right, where Finley used to sit. Draco's eyes fluttered closed as he tried to remember how he'd last seen her. She had been standing on the platform at King's Cross with Slone holding one hand and Reece holding the other. The lights had danced off of her blue streaked black hair as she smiled at Draco's parting words.
"Watch out for the knicker eating kneazles." Millicent caught his eye over Pansy's sobbing form. She flashed him a sympathetic half smile before turning back to her sister.
"May your hands always be busy, may your feet always be swift. May you have a strong foundation when the winds of changes shift. May your heart always be joyful may your song always be sung. May you stay, Forever young. Forever young. May you stay, forever young." The recorded Draco finished his speech with a flourish.
"Thank you, you may be seated," Dumbledore said. Everyone in the Great Hall slowly sank into their seats, save one Slytherin. The lone fifth year spun on his heel and stormed out of the hall in a flurry of silver hair and black robes. The door slammed behind him with a thundering crash.
"I think your brother has gone off the deep end," Jason muttered as the trio of first years watched the doors of the great hall.
"Shall I smack him or do you want to?" Sawyer asked softly.
*****
"Okay. I've made these color coded exam study schedules," Hermione said, holding out a sheaf of papers to Harry and Ron. The pair were seated on a couch in front of the fire with Hermione standing between them and the fireplace.
"Please no!" Ron cried, shielding his face as if the idea of schedules was particularly painful.
"Okay, not really. These are actually itineraries for the trip to France," Hermione laughed, handing each of the boys a paper. Harry scanned his.
"This bloody rocks!" Harry cried, noticing a bit at the bottom of the page.
"What?" Ron and Hermione both asked.
"Dumbledore is sending along a teaching staff for our week long trip. We'll have Bill for Charms, History of Magic, and Care of Magical Creatures, Bella for Potions, Herbology, and Astronomy and Tonks for Transfiguration and Divination!" Harry cried.
"What about Defense?" Ron asked, trying to peer of Harry's shoulder. He obviously forgot he held an identical paper in his hand.
"Tonks and Bella are team teaching," Harry replied. Ron's face looked much like it had on Christmas morning, while Hermione looked more puzzled.
"What about Arithmancy and Ancient Runes?" she asked.
"Bella and Bill, respectively," Harry replied.
"Do I have to call him Mr. Weasley or Professor Weasley?" Ron asked. Harry and Hermione both shrugged.
"I need to find Fred and George," Hermione said.
"So do we," came a pair of voices from the portrait hole before Hermione could finish her sentence. The trio turned to find Lee Jordan and Marissa Lucas standing just in the common room. Lee's left hip was physically stuck to Marissa's right.
"We think they put something in our drinks at dinner," Lee supplied as an answer to the unasked question in Harry, Ron and Hermione's eyes.
"FREDRICK BAYARD WEASLEY AND GEORGE CLANCY WEASLEY!" Marissa roared. The identical red heads appeared at the door of their dorm room.
"Yes?" Fred asked.
"Get down here and fix us!" Marissa roared.
"If you don't, I'm going to make the prefects take off points," Lee added. Hermione, Harry and Ron took their collective cue to glare menacingly at the twins.
"It wasn't just us!" George cried as the twins rushed down the stairs.
"Who else helped you?" Marissa demanded.
"Jae," George replied easily. Fred jerked an elbow into his side.
"What?" George asked. "She's not Lee and she's not you. I don't have to stay quiet."
"JAE LUCAS!" Lee shouted.
"As George pointed out, she's not the twins. She's smart enough to stay in her room for anyone yelling Jae," Marissa said, elbowing Lee. This action was simplified by the fact that he couldn't move away from her.
"So how do you suppose we get her?" Lee asked. "It's not as though we could really chase her down like this." He glanced down at their joined hips. A devious smile crossed Marissa's face.
"VELVET ESMERALDA LUCAS!" Marissa roared.
"Who is that?" George asked. Marissa smiled sweetly.
"Jae."
JKR owns all of them but Astrid, and she's cool enough to almost compensate. But only almost. Bob Dylan owns the song.
Please Review. Thanks for your reviews.
We love Nat
That being said.
*****
"RON!" A small female voice cried from outside the compartment where Ron, Hermione and Harry all stood. Harry struggled to boost his trunk into an overhead rack while Ron surveyed the contents of the lunch his mother had packed for the three of them. Hermione sat in the seat below Harry's trunk. The door to the compartment flew open and a tiny figure clothed in a black robe tore through. One step into the compartment, the girl jumped and wrapped both arms around Ron's waist. The older boy wasn't expecting to be jumped on, so he wasn't on balance to begin with. The attack made him stumble backwards into Harry. Harry crashed into the opposite wall of the compartment with Ron and then Astrid on top of him. His trunk tumbled from the ceiling, bouncing into Hermione's lap before coming to a stop directly on top of Astrid.
"You know, if this isn't a good time, we can come back," another familiar female voice said from the doorway. Harry struggled to move Ron to a point where he could see the person in the doorway.
"No Hannah, Astrid's just being a bit excitable," Harry said. He tried to get out from under the pile of people, but couldn't.
"I understand. Justin and Ernie are trying to pry Chelsea off of the ceiling I believe," Mandy laughed.
"A hand here, Hermione?" Ron asked. Astrid was overcome by a case of giggles so extreme that she hadn't tried to move to trunk. Hermione hadn't looked up from her book since just after the trunk hit her lap. Still not looking up, she flicked her wand, muttering her signature Wingardium Leviosa to the trunk. The trunk floated lazily to the top of the ceiling.
"Thanks, Hermione," Ron muttered. He picked up a giggling Astrid and deposited her into the seat across from Hermione. He flung himself into the seat next to her and glared down at her.
"Well it's nice to see you too, Ron," she giggled. Ron smiled and shook his head at the little girl. Harry picked himself up off of the floor and closed the space between himself and Hannah. She wrapped her arms around his waist, while he captured her shoulders in a tight hug, resting his cheek on the top of her head.
"AWWW!" two voices chorused from behind Mandy. Harry and Hannah quickly jumped away from each other and looked towards the door. Jason and Sawyer stood in the hallway just behind Mandy, grinning and waving like idiots. Harry pulled Hannah into the seats next to Hermione. The pair smiled wickedly at Mandy, who reluctantly sat down across from Hannah, to Ron's immediate right. Jason and Sawyer ran across the compartment to Astrid. Jason sunk to the floor next to her seat, while Sawyer clambered into the luggage racks.
"Wow," Mandy said, surveying the crowded compartment. "Where are we planning on putting Justin and Ernie and Mandrake Chelsea?"
"Up here with me," Sawyer replied. "No wait, scratch that. Mandrake Chelsea can stay down there where she is supposed to."
"Finch-Fletchley could always climb up there with you," Mandy suggested with a laugh.
"Yeah. That would be as effective as trying to stuff Ron up here," Sawyer replied.
"No ideas, guys," Ron said, attempting to glare at Harry and Astrid at the same time.
"If we shrink him first," Harry said, raising his eyebrows at Astrid.
"If we shrink him, we could simply put him one of our trunks or something," Astrid laughed.
"No shrinking Ron!" Ron insisted. Harry and Astrid both grinned at their friend, attempting for innocent and failing miserably.
"HI GUYS!" Mandrake Chelsea screeched, tearing into the compartment. Ernie and Justin sheepishly ducked around the corner after her.
"Chelsea, please, we're all sitting right here," Hannah admonished. "That level of volume is totally unnecessary." Chelsea released a cackle loud enough for the entire train to hear before pulling out her wand. Ernie and Justin stepped into the compartment and pulled the door shut behind them.
"And guys, you propose all eleven of us fit in here how?" Ernie asked. "Chelsea, put away your wand." Chelsea wordlessly pocketed the instrument.
"Twelve," Sawyer said, waving from the luggage rack.
"I shall sit with Sawyer," Chelsea announced. Sawyer released a groan that was audible to the entire compartment. His obvious pleasure didn't faze Chelsea, as she used Ron's lap as a step stool to vault herself into the luggage compartment next to Sawyer. Justin wordlessly stepped across the compartment and sank to the floor next to Jason. Ernie turned to look at Astrid.
"I could pull rank and make you move," he suggested. Astrid pulled her wand and pointed it at Ernie.
"I could fix it where you'll never move again," Astrid suggested evenly, with a smirk only rivaled by Draco's. "I am a Malfoy you know."
"Astrid," Ron warned. Astrid stuffed her wand back into her pocket and slid closer to Ron.
"You may have part of my seat, Ernie," she said brightly. Ernie rolled his eyes at the little girl before taking the part of the seat she had offered. This action ultimately forced Ron to scoot closer to Mandy so Astrid wouldn't be completely squished between the two fifth years.
"How did you do that?" Ernie asked Ron. Ron shrugged noncommittally.
"Skill," Harry laughed. Ernie shook his head at the boy.
"What are you reading, Hermione?" he asked.
"Beauxbatons: A History," Hermione replied, never looking away from her book.
"No really," Ernie said.
"No, really. Ginny's boyfriend Braeden gave it to her for Christmas," Harry replied, nodding. "Watch out, because now she can give the history of two schools on command."
"More useless knowledge that we never wanted to hear in the first place," Ron muttered.
"So you credit him as Ginny's boyfriend, but what about the fact that he's Braeden Granger?" Hermione asked.
"Okay, Hermione's cousin who happens to be Ginny's boyfriend," Harry amended his statement.
"Is your cousin a wizard?" Justin asked.
"How would he get her a book about Beauxbatons if he wasn't?" Hannah asked.
"Good point. Does he play Quidditch?" Ernie asked.
"Yes," Ron replied. "He's the keeper for the Beauxbatons team."
"So Ginny will get to see him when she goes to France?" Mandy asked. "That's incredibly cute." She shot a look at the eternally clueless Ron. He, of course, didn't catch the look or the meaning behind it, if he noticed the look at all.
"So how were your Christmases?" Justin asked, looking from Harry to Ron.
"Absolutely fantastic," Harry replied.
"Great. I think it was the first Christmas my entire family has been together since," Ron paused. "I don't think I can remember a Christmas when my entire family has been together."
"Really?" Mandy asked.
"Well, Bill was in school by the time Ginny and I were born. He used to stay at school with the library during the holidays, so we never really got to see him, and then Percy did the same thing when he started school, after Bill graduated and all, so I really don't think the entire family has even had Christmas together," Ron explained.
"And this Christmas it was his entire family, two brother's wives, a couple of brothers' friends and girlfriends, the sister's boyfriend, the parents of one of the friends and the brother, sister-in-law, niece and nephew of one of the wives." Harry laughed.
"What?" Hannah asked. "Could you possibly repeat that in English?" Harry took a deep breath.
"The entire Weasley family was at the Burrow. Two of the brothers are married now, so their wives were also there. The other five siblings each had one guest. One of the guests' parents were there. Bill's wife's brother, his wife, and their two children were there," Harry explained. Hannah rolled her eyes.
"So you're trying to say there were half a million people there," she laughed.
"Something to that effect," Ron nodded.
"What about your Christmases?" Harry asked.
"Dinner at home with my mum and Mandy and Carter," Hannah said.
"You didn't see your other brothers?" Ron asked. Mandy hung her head.
"No," she mumbled. "They still refuse to have anything to do with me and Carter because we're magic." Ron looked helplessly across the car at Harry, but before Harry could do anything, Astrid jerked a sharp elbow into Ron's side. As soon as Ron looked at her, she tossed her tiny arm around Ernie's shoulders.
"Malfoy, what exactly," Ernie began, but Astrid clamped her other hand over his mouth.
"Well, don't do that part," she mouthed to Ron. On Astrid's advice, Ron slipped his arm around Mandy's shoulders.
"Now say something sweet," Astrid hissed.
"Something sweet," Ron hissed in return. Mandy turned to Ron.
"What was that?" she asked.
"Astrid's being a prat," Ron replied. Mandy giggled. Harry let out a very undignified snort from across the compartment where he was trying unsuccessfully to prevent himself from laughing.
"That's not necessarily what I meant by sweet," Astrid said. She jumped to her feet on the seat, almost banging her head on Sawyer and Chelsea's luggage rack. "And I'll show you being a prat."
"Astrid, please, sit," Ernie said. Astrid immediately fell backwards, right into Ernie's lap.
"Is this better?" she asked.
"Astrid, if you don't behave and sit still, you're going to have to sit in the floor with Jason and Justin," Ernie warned.
"Who is going to make me?" Astrid asked, sweetly.
"Me," Ernie replied. Astrid widened her silver eyes and looked directly at the fifth year prefect.
"You and what army?" she asked in the most innocent voice she could muster. Harry almost fell off of his seat, overcome with laughter, while Hannah and Mandy giggled politely.
"Harry? Ron? Help here?" Ernie asked.
"You're own your own, mate," Harry gasped through his laughter. Ron nodded his agreement.
"Why aren't you as easy to deal with as the Hufflepuff first years?" Ernie asked the small girl still seated on his lap.
"You really mean that?" Chelsea asked from the luggage rack. "I'm really easy to deal with?"
"I'd eat those words," Justin advised from the floor.
"At least you listen," Ernie said towards the direction of the luggage rack.
"Hey Ron?" Astrid asked, bored with tormenting Ernie.
"Yes?" Ron replied. The first year still hadn't moved from Ernie's lap.
"Where are Alroy and Juliet?" Astrid asked. "I want to see the little dears."
"No Astrid, they're cats. And besides, the plural of deer is deer," Hermione absentmindedly scolded. Astrid didn't notice the levels of red Ron and Harry had turned.
"So where are they?" Astrid asked, ignoring Hermione all together. Harry lapsed into a fit of suspicious coughing, while Ron turned almost purple.
"Well you see," Ron began.
"WHERE ARE MY KITTENS!" Astrid screeched.
"Man, just give her the bloody kittens!" Ernie agreed, sounding slightly on edge and more than a little put off at the first year still perched on his lap.
"Geeze guys, don't have kittens," Harry scolded, laughing loudly at his own joke. Hannah jerked an elbow softly into his side.
"Not funny, Potter," she joked. Everyone else just rolled their eyes at the boy.
"Fred and George got a hold of your kittens and they've dyed Alroy red and Juliet this lovely shade of green and none of us can figure out how to get them back to their normal color." Hermione's head snapped up from her book. She glared at Ron as she delivered the explanation Ron and Harry had been unable to give. Harry's face had turned fire engine red while Ron's leveled on a plum purple.
"May I at least see them?" Astrid asked politely. She smiled from Harry to Ron to Hermione. Ron promptly issued a shrill whistle. A blaze-red ball of fur bolted from under Harry's seat and clawed its way to Ron's left shoulder. An over-grown, furry pea primly made its way to the center of the compartment. It stopped and daintily licked it's paw before climbing up to join its brother, occupying a spot on Ron's free shoulder.
"See what I taught them?" Ron asked, smiling like a child who had stolen the last cookie from the jar and not been caught by his mother.
"See what we taught Alroy," Harry corrected. "Juliet still only complies when she feels like it."
"Alroy doesn't understand how to act like a proper cat yet," Hermione explained. She tucked a knitted purple bookmark into the back cover of her book and laid the volume on the seat next to her left knee. "He's sort of slow."
"Kind of like his trainer, right?" Astrid asked. Her thin pink lips peeled into a mischievous smirk. Ron rubbed his large freckled hand across the little girls' face several times in quick succession.
"Don't do that," Ron scolded. "It makes you look like Malfoy."
"And that's a problem?" A silky voice asked form the doorway of the compartment. "At least we're attractive. Quite unlike that sister of yours. She looks like one of Hagrid's illegal experiments gone horribly wrong." Ron's face turned an alarming shade of red.'
"Not one of your better insults, Malfoy," Harry said coolly.
"Stay out of this Potter. "Malfoy hissed. "This is about my family being better than the Weasel's. I would invite you to join our little competition, but that's a bit hard since you have no family." Harry's face turned as pale as Malfoy before morphing to a shade of green just a bit lighter than Juliet's sickly pea. Malfoy's moment of attention to Harry gave Ron time to break free of Astrid's, Mandy's and Ernie's grasps. The kittens dived for safety in Astrid's lap. Ron sprang across the car in a flurry of red hair, black robes and gangly freckled limbs. His fist caught Draco's jaw and the pair of boys tumbled to the ground. Draco lay with his back flat on the floor. Ron's right knee ground into Draco's sternum. He had his right fist pulled back close to his ear, fully prepared to smash Draco's face in. Sweat beaded across his forehead, just below the shock of orangey red hair. His sparkling blue eyes had taken on a malicious twinkle as he stared down into the face of his archenemy.
Draco's porcelain face was void of all emotion. A thin ribbon of blood trailed down from the side of Draco's mouth. His expressionless silver-grey eyes stared up at the red-haired monster planted on his chest.
"Now listen here, Malfoy," Ron began. A thing spray of saliva flipped from Ron's thick lips into Draco's face as Ron spoke.
"I, unlike you, can afford to take a shower every day," Draco muttered. "Thanks though." Ron paused to sort out Draco's statement. Harry and Ernie moved towards the fight in the floor while Jason and Justin scrambled out of the way, into Ernie and Ron's vacated seats. Ron's hesitation was enough, however, for Draco to fling Ron off of him. In brief seconds roles reversed. Ron lay on the floor on his back, head resting at Hermione's feet. Harry and Ernie glanced nervously at the door, waiting for Crabbe and Goyle to enter.
"I'm a prefect, you know," Ron muttered. Draco's slim hands fastened just under Ron's jaw, around the boy's throat. One of Draco's slightly bony knees rested on each of Ron's wrists, and his feet curled backwards to pin Ron's legs to the floor.
"Bully for you, Weasel, I am too. Therefore, I will be allowed to say my piece. If anyone begins to remove a point, that includes you McMillan, Gryffindor will be in negative points because he did, after all, attack me." The crowd in the compartment remained still, frozen in place. Draco's hands slowly increased the pressure on Ron's throat. Ron's eyes peeled open and his face began to turn a shade of red-tinted lavender that didn't look entirely healthy.
"50 Points from Gryffindor!" came two voices.
"50 points from Slytherin!" came two others.
"Wingardium Leviosa!" was Astrid's girlish shout just as Harry jumped from his seat, set on planting the hard point of his elbow into Draco's spine. Astrid jerked her wand towards the ceiling as fast as she could. Draco shot straight up, flailing about in the air like a rag doll. He smacked into the ceiling with a satisfying crack. Ron noticed his incoming best friend with only seconds to spare. He rolled quickly towards Mandy's feet, both hands on his throat. Harry smashed into the floor, elbow first, with a crash that rattled the compartment.
Ron released a gurgled, inarticulate cry. Astrid's wand clattered to the floor. Her brother fell along with the thin wooden stick. He landed in the most ungraceful position, directly on top of Harry and Ron. He lay flat on his back, tie askew, robes flung open. His pants legs had ridden up to his knees, exposing two expanses of smooth white finely muscled calf. His blonde hair had fallen out of place, some cascading in his eyes in a fine blonde shade.
"Now can you boys behave?" Hermione asked, glaring down at the pile of prefects in the floor.
"25 more points from Gryffindor for the first year attacking our prefect," a slick voice murmured from the doorway. Every head in the compartment snapped towards the doorway where Blaise Zabini stood, watching the proceedings.
"Shove off, Zabini," Harry muttered, struggling to remove himself from under Draco. Draco stumbled to his feet, adjusting his robe, pants and tie as he went.
"Come on, Zabini," he muttered. He pulled the other prefect away from the scene, closing the compartment door behind him.
"Bloody hell Astrid," Sawyer exclaimed from his perch in the luggage rack. "That was amazing. He was in the floor and then all of the sudden he was up here!"
"Sawyer!" Chelsea cried. "Calm down before you end up down there with them." Sawyer laughed brightly.
"So who extracted points from which houses?" Just asked. "Everyone was yelling all at once and I couldn't tell what everyone said."
"I took points from Slytherin," Hermione said.
" As did I," Ernie agreed. The fifth years, Astrid and Jason all turned quizzical looks on Harry.
"I figured me trying to ram Malfoy through the floor with my elbow was grounds for a few lost Gryffindor points," Harry admitted. His full red lips pulled into a half smile and he pushed the fringe of unruly black hair back from his forehead.
"How very Gryffindor of you, Potter," Astrid said in a dead on impression of her older brother. She smirked at Harry from her seat next to Ron.
"Hey Astrid?" Ron asked. The boy's voice sounded as though it had been thoroughly coated with gravel
"Yes?" Astrid asked.
"Why is your brother such a git?" Ron asked. Astrid ran her fingers through her silvery blonde hair. It cascaded down around her shoulders like water.
"I don't know why he's a git, but he might be worse than usual because he did, after all, loose his girlfriend on what should have been our baby sister's eighth birthday." Astrid provided. A level of sincerity resided in her voice that Ron hadn't expected.
"Your brother got dumped?" Jason asked. Sawyer's head suddenly appeared over the edge of the luggage rack. His round face was red ad his blonde hair fell away form his head to create a fluffy pale halo.
"Jason, do you really like the taste of shoe leather or something?" Sawyer asked.
"Oh my," Jason said, worry evident in his chocolaty eyes. "what have I said now?"
"She died, Jason," Astrid spat, a bit more forcefully than necessary. "She was murdered for no reason! Nothing she did!" The little girl rested her elbows on her knees and dropped her head into her hands. Her hair fell in a curtain over her face. Mandy sniffed loudly. Everyone glanced over at her. Tears poured down her face in thick streams. Ron dropped a protective arm around her shoulders. She wiped the tears from her eyes.
"What's wrong?" Ron asked, quietly. Mandy rested her head on his shoulder.
"I miss my mum," Mandy sobbed. Ron dropped a soft kiss into her smooth brown curls.
"It'll be okay," he whispered. Mandy's shoulder shook as she tried to nod in agreement.
"Oh Miss Mandy, please cheer up!" Justin gracefully picked himself up off of the floor and carefully deposited himself in Mandy's lap. He wound his arms around Mandy's shoulders and pulled his face towards hers until they were forehead to forehead. His aquamarine eyes looked directly into her grey-blues as he hissed instructions to Ron.
"Now take care of Astrid, she may eat anyone else who tries to touch her."
"Are you sure?" Ron asked Mandy.
"Yes," Mandy tearfully agreed. Ron looked over to the first year on the seat beside him. He placed a hand on either of her shoulders and leaned down so his left ear touched her right.
"Are you okay, chica?" He whispered over her muffled sniffles. Astrid shrugged her shoulders.
"Come here chica," Ron said, using his hands to turn the girl towards him. Astrid moved her hands from her head and leaned her head on Ron's shoulder. He ran his hand over Astrid's hair before flicking away a few of her tears with his index finger. Astrid curled her hands to her chest. Ron slid his right arm under Astrid's knees and turned her small body towards his. Astrid scrambled onto Ron's lap and curled up against his chest. He glanced helplessly across the compartment at Harry. Harry lounged comfortably with his left arm around Hannah's shoulder. His thumb moved in small circles just on her arm. A few stray tears trailed won Hannah's face.
"Say something," Hermione mouthed to Ron.
"Hey Astrid," Ron whispered. Astrid's response came in the form of two muffled sniffs. Ron reached over and laced his right fingers through Mandy's left. "30 points to Gryffindor for the first year saving the prefect's life."
*****
"Welcome back students!" Dumbledore called from his seat at the head table. He stood between Professor Vector and Professor McGonagall, his arms outstretched towards the farthest corners of the room. The long drop sleeves of his gold star covered blue velvet robe almost brushed the table.
"I trust you all had a safe holiday. Before we begin the meal, I ask that you all stand and remain silent. For those of you who haven't heard, Finley Reagan Alexander, her parents Maxwell Sonner Alexander and Juliet Finley Alexander, and her younger brother Sonner Reece Alexander were all killed in a Death Eater attack on December 21st. We will now play a reading in honor of Finley. Please remain silent and standing," Dumbledore clasped his hands in front of him as the entire population of the hall staggered to their collective feet. Dumbledore flicked his wand at the ceiling. A moment later, a familiar voice took a trembling breath and then emanated from the starry ceiling.
"May he bless you and keep you always, may your wishes all come true. May you always do for others and let others do for you. May you build a ladder to the stars and climb on every rung May you stay, forever young." At the Gryffindor table, Astrid fought to keep her tears in check. She had cried enough on the train ride. Her brother's voice drifting from the rafters coupled with the memories of both his vicious attack on the wall and the way he had actually acted decent on Christmas morning was almost too much to handle. She felt a hand on each of her shoulders. She looked to either side of her, Jason on her left and Sawyer on her right, and offered a weak smile to two of her best friends.
"May you grow up to be righteous, may you grow up to be true, may you always know the truth and see the light surrounding you. May you always be courageous, stand upright and be strong. May you stay, forever young." At the Slytherin table, Draco looked around at his year-mates. Crabbe and Goyle stood across the table from him. Neither seemed to have a clue what was going on. Taylor and Karen stood next to Goyle with a very disgruntled looking Blaise in between them. The pair seemed to be trying to console Blaise, who wasn't exactly upset. Pansy had taken the spot to Draco's right, where Finley used to sit. Draco's eyes fluttered closed as he tried to remember how he'd last seen her. She had been standing on the platform at King's Cross with Slone holding one hand and Reece holding the other. The lights had danced off of her blue streaked black hair as she smiled at Draco's parting words.
"Watch out for the knicker eating kneazles." Millicent caught his eye over Pansy's sobbing form. She flashed him a sympathetic half smile before turning back to her sister.
"May your hands always be busy, may your feet always be swift. May you have a strong foundation when the winds of changes shift. May your heart always be joyful may your song always be sung. May you stay, Forever young. Forever young. May you stay, forever young." The recorded Draco finished his speech with a flourish.
"Thank you, you may be seated," Dumbledore said. Everyone in the Great Hall slowly sank into their seats, save one Slytherin. The lone fifth year spun on his heel and stormed out of the hall in a flurry of silver hair and black robes. The door slammed behind him with a thundering crash.
"I think your brother has gone off the deep end," Jason muttered as the trio of first years watched the doors of the great hall.
"Shall I smack him or do you want to?" Sawyer asked softly.
*****
"Okay. I've made these color coded exam study schedules," Hermione said, holding out a sheaf of papers to Harry and Ron. The pair were seated on a couch in front of the fire with Hermione standing between them and the fireplace.
"Please no!" Ron cried, shielding his face as if the idea of schedules was particularly painful.
"Okay, not really. These are actually itineraries for the trip to France," Hermione laughed, handing each of the boys a paper. Harry scanned his.
"This bloody rocks!" Harry cried, noticing a bit at the bottom of the page.
"What?" Ron and Hermione both asked.
"Dumbledore is sending along a teaching staff for our week long trip. We'll have Bill for Charms, History of Magic, and Care of Magical Creatures, Bella for Potions, Herbology, and Astronomy and Tonks for Transfiguration and Divination!" Harry cried.
"What about Defense?" Ron asked, trying to peer of Harry's shoulder. He obviously forgot he held an identical paper in his hand.
"Tonks and Bella are team teaching," Harry replied. Ron's face looked much like it had on Christmas morning, while Hermione looked more puzzled.
"What about Arithmancy and Ancient Runes?" she asked.
"Bella and Bill, respectively," Harry replied.
"Do I have to call him Mr. Weasley or Professor Weasley?" Ron asked. Harry and Hermione both shrugged.
"I need to find Fred and George," Hermione said.
"So do we," came a pair of voices from the portrait hole before Hermione could finish her sentence. The trio turned to find Lee Jordan and Marissa Lucas standing just in the common room. Lee's left hip was physically stuck to Marissa's right.
"We think they put something in our drinks at dinner," Lee supplied as an answer to the unasked question in Harry, Ron and Hermione's eyes.
"FREDRICK BAYARD WEASLEY AND GEORGE CLANCY WEASLEY!" Marissa roared. The identical red heads appeared at the door of their dorm room.
"Yes?" Fred asked.
"Get down here and fix us!" Marissa roared.
"If you don't, I'm going to make the prefects take off points," Lee added. Hermione, Harry and Ron took their collective cue to glare menacingly at the twins.
"It wasn't just us!" George cried as the twins rushed down the stairs.
"Who else helped you?" Marissa demanded.
"Jae," George replied easily. Fred jerked an elbow into his side.
"What?" George asked. "She's not Lee and she's not you. I don't have to stay quiet."
"JAE LUCAS!" Lee shouted.
"As George pointed out, she's not the twins. She's smart enough to stay in her room for anyone yelling Jae," Marissa said, elbowing Lee. This action was simplified by the fact that he couldn't move away from her.
"So how do you suppose we get her?" Lee asked. "It's not as though we could really chase her down like this." He glanced down at their joined hips. A devious smile crossed Marissa's face.
"VELVET ESMERALDA LUCAS!" Marissa roared.
"Who is that?" George asked. Marissa smiled sweetly.
"Jae."