Disclaimer : If you recognize it, I don't own it. If I did, do you think I'd bother writing about it?

Yes, I'm pretty sure all characters you do recognize will be OOC.

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At around 10:45am, most of the students going to Hogwarts had already arrived and had either boarded or were storing their trunks in the luggage compartments. Many were talking to friends they hadn't seen since the end of the previous school year, or their shopping trip to Diagon Ally. All in all, it was a crowded, noisy place.

Except for Scaryna's cabin. It was quite peaceful in there, to tell the truth. Scaryna and Cravyn were chatting about winged life and their last free flight in the skies. Of course, this was discussed in Ryphon-speeh, known as bird-speech to those unfamiliar with the Ryphon species, as to not let eavesdroppers hear. Cravyn understood English as well, but, like all birds, preferred it when she was spoken to in the universal tongue.

It only took a few minutes, from the time he arrived, for rumors of the strange looking new girl with the giant bird in one of the front cabins to reach the gossip-sensitive ears of Draco Malfoy. He was instantly intrigued. With a quick calculation, he knew that many more of the first years would be under his thumb if her got the most outstanding looking one of the entire lot first.

Draco ordered three of his second-year lackeys to guard the few things he was bringing on board the train. He then set of to the forward cabins to see this odd girl for himself... With Crabbe and Goyle of course. His muscle-bound monkeys decided to torture a scrawny little first year boy into giving them his treat money on the way. Of course, while most bullies would have only wanted that money for the chance to torture someone smaller and weaker than them, Crabbe and Goyle only wanted the money for it's intended purpose. To buy treats.

Upon reaching Scaryna's cabin, Draco noticed a distinctive mark on the door. It was the signature Malfoy "M". This girl was sitting in his cabin! He hummed to himself. This was getting interesting. Glancing through the window in the door, Draco pulled the door open and slide into the cabin.

He was greeted by the most unusual sight. The easiest one to explain was the two and a half foot bright green python curled in the young girls' lap. Then it all got weird. There was a three foot and something inches tall, angry looking bird glaring at him from between a great crown of fluffed up feathers and a sharp, hooked, black beak. Then there was the girl. From her three and a half foot long braid with black seeming to meld seemlessly into pure white, to the bright golden eyes peaking out from under the long strands of reverse-toned bangs, and the three glowing jewels dotting her cheekbones under each eye... Draco couldn't hide the expression of surprise that played over his sleek features.

Scaryna shook herself, breaking eye-contact with the blonde creature that had just sidled into her cabin. Catching herself, she looked back up to the boy and his goons.

"Yes? How may I help you?" She queried with a raised brow. Cravyn hissed something obscene and Scaryna had to stop herself from scolding her with the strangers present.

Draco grinned. "You can help us, my dear girl, by removing yourself from my cabin."

"I would gladly do so, my dear sir, if it wasn't for the fact that there are three things wrong with that proposition." She responded, her smirk not quite reaching her eyes.

"Oh, really? And what might those be?"

"Well, there is the fact that I see no names on any of the components of this cabin, none that I would end up using, anyway. Also, at the risk of sounded childish, my companions and I were here first. And, lastly, I don't think you would be able to carry Cravyn anywhere." Scaryna gave a little mental victory dance. They'll never get past that.

Draco raised his right eyebrow. The only outward sign of his inward confusion. "And why would we have to carry your bird anywhere?" Was the question he settled on. It would get him answers without making himself out to look like a moron.

"Well, I'm assuming all three of you have been trained to be perfect gentlemen, and if you did indeed need the room of this entire cabin, you would assist me in moving my belongings into another cabin. I would, of course, given the heavier objects to your two friends, they seem very capable, and the lighter things would be carrier by me. Alas, that would leave you with Cravyn, since I need not have Dart technically held on to. And I do not believe Cravyn is in any mood to be agreeable. Therefore, it just wouldn't work." Scaryna cleared her face of any expression and plaster a non-condescending smile on her face.

Draco wanted to throw a fit. This was his cabin. Forcing his movements to be smooth, he marched to the seat, beside the window, across from Scaryna. "Then I guess we'll just have to stay the ride in the same cabin, won't we?" Without waiting for a response, he turned to his goons, who were still standing near the door. "Go get my things, we will be sitting in here." He commanded.

The lackeys immediately filed out and lumbered off to do their leaders bidding, leaving the small first year and dominating third year alone. Scaryna spoke first.

"Scaryna Taleshade-Cresent, not yet Sorted." She stuck her hand out towards him, which he blinked at before reaching out to shake it.

"Draco Malfoy, Slytherin House."

A moment later, Crabbe and Goyle had returned and proceeded to stuff their things into the storage spaces available. They then sat down to enjoy the train ride in relative comfort. They didn't have the luxury of silence, though. At least Scaryna didn't. Both of her animals and the boy's owls felt the need to talk to her or eachother and keep a running commentary of everything on the trip.

Scaryna rubbed her temples, it was going to be a longer day than she thought.

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Please R&R and let me know what you think. I am new at this and I need to know how badly I've screwed things up.