Chapter 13: King's Cross and the Hogwarts Express

Anthony looked at the clock. It was five minutes before 11 o'clock. The train was waiting, and so were Billy and his goons. They heard that Reese wouldn't be coming back and were prepared to redeem themselves in their own eyes. Billy remembered Anthony. The fact that Anthony was almost a foot taller than last year, however, was offset by the fact that he was outnumbered four to one.

Billy stood at the window of the train looking out, daring Anthony to come on board. Anthony took a step back. "Ooof. Ow. What?"

Euan Abercrombie was standing there with Matthew Zeller. And "there" was Platform Nine and Three Quarters.

"Problem solved," Euan said enthusiastically.

"What problem?" Anthony said angrily as he straightened out his school jacket.

Matthew snorted. "The Bully On The Train Problem. We saw him watching you. You told us about him last year. So we thought of the perfect solution. And that step backward that you took made it even easier."

Anthony followed their gaze to the Hogwarts Express. "You're joking," he said in surprise.

Euan grabbed his hand. "That's how you got there last year. Or you could get back on your own train."

"I'm in. But my trunk . . ."

"Is here," Rose Zeller called out from behind them. "And could you move. You're holding everyone up."

"To the train," Matthew Zeller called out, and led the way. They would find a compartment, and a couple more friends, and spend the rest of the trip talking about "How I Spent The Summer Holiday".

"What?" Bill the Bully stared out the window of the train. That boy, Anthony, had disappeared. He turned to his friends. "I owe him from last year and I don't want him to get away."

"He must have snuck onboard the train," one of his cronies said.

"You go that way, and the two of you go the other way," Bill said with authority. "He's on this train or almost. We'll hunt him down."

Bill opened the compartment door and stepped out onto the platform. That runt couldn't have disappeared that fast. He looked up and down the platform, not seeing his quarry at all. (Curiously, nor did he see the red-haired family usher their children and friends onto the secret platform.) Disgusted, he turned to get back on the train.

"Hold on," the platform guard said. "That train's already sounded its whistle."

"I can still hop on."

The guard grabbed him firmly. "Not on my watch. Last year, one of those school children fell off the train, Miracle the little lad wasn't hurt. But safety regulations are strict. You don't get on once the train sounds it's whistle. And you don't open the door on a moving train, regardless of how fast the train is going. Understand."

Bill tried his last ounce of reason. "But I just got off the train. I need to get to school."

The guard eyed the boy's jacket. "Foolish on your part. Should have stayed where you were. But don't worry. We'll get you on the next train. Be here at 3 o'clock sharp."

Bill was stunned. "But . . . But that's four hours? The local buses won't be running by the time I get there, and it's ten miles to the school."

The guard shrugged. "Then you're in for a good healthy walk. Serves you right for not being able to sit still for five minutes." The guard walked away but turned back. "3 o'clock. Sharp."

Bill cursed for a bit then decided to buy some lunch. Then he stopped. Mummy had insisted he put his wallet in his trunk so he doesn't lose it. His trunk was on the train. Bill cursed some more.

The two boys watched the scene from their vantage point.

"Edwin," the first boy said in an American accent. "Did you see that. That was the boy from last year."

Edwin, dressed as a traditional English schoolboy of a few decades past, nodded his head. "He's grown quite a bit, I must say. It seems he made friends."

"But he was getting on the other train, and his friend's dragged him onto the wizards platform."

"Charles, there was a bully involved. His friends helped him."

Charles nodded, his eyes said. He remembered when he was cornered by some bullies. There was no one to help him. "He's lucky."

Edwin couldn't help but smile. In this case, the bully received exactly what he deserved. He was still smiling when Bill the Bully walked by him. Both he and Charles were laughing when Bill tripped over an invisible foot.

After Bill picked himself up and walked away. Charles turned back to watch the hidden entrance. "There's so much about magic that I don't understand. I never even knew about wizards until after I died."

"Lucky you," Edwin replied. He learned about magic by being the unwilling participant in a death ritual.

"I didn't mean it like that," Charles insisted. "Look, that's the blond kid from last year. The one that came off the train all hexed up. He looks a lot better."

Edwin smiled at the memory. "Who do you think will come next? The family of redheads have already gone. Do you think it will be that Yank and his brother?" Edwin smirked. "Or are you waiting to see that girl with the bushy hair that you're in love with? She was with the redheads."

"I'm not in love with her. And Hermione's almost too old for me now. I'm still thirteen and she must be at least sixteen."

Edwin looked at his friend in surprise. "You found out her name?"

"It wasn't hard. Her friends talk really loud."

The two boys paused in their conversation and went back to their annual tradition of watching the wizards head off to school.

Draco Malfoy walked into the compartment and sat down across from Crabbe and Goyle.

"I hope the two of you had an interesting summer."

Crabbe looked less than pleased. "We heard you went to the beach for the summer. Again."

"Weather was terrible. I visited relatives, then spent the summer consoling Mother. Among other things."

"Other things," Goyle asked snidely.

Draco smiled back. "Not those. We're talking about serious things. Important work. I'm going to be busy this year. And I need to know, right now, if I can count on your help."

Crabbe and Goyle looked at each other then turned back to Draco. "How important."

"If you say no, then I will leave this compartment to find someone who will help. I can't afford to be around people whom I can't trust to help me."

Goyle rubbed his chin. "This isn't about a girl, then?"

Draco laughed out loud. "If it were about a girl, then why would I want you around?"

After a short pause to think about it, the two friends laughed as well.

"We're in."

The door opened. Pansy Parkinson stood in the doorway, looking directly at Draco. "Can I join you? Or should we go somewhere else."

"Join us, love. They both agreed."

"You said they would," Pansy replied as she sat down next to Draco.

"And I was right."

"Are you right about what you told me? When I visited over the summer."

"Definitely."

Crabbe and Goyle watched in amazement as the two kissed. Their amazement turned to approval. This was a much better arrangement for Draco than that Gryffindor. And less embarrassing. Not that either boy ever said or would say anything about it.

But Gregory Goyle had to ask. "What did he tell you?"

Pansy turned to look at Greg. "He said he needed to be serious about someone, and the only one he could think of was me."

"Then he didn't mention anyone else?"

Pansy smirked. "He said there was someone once, but he couldn't remember her name."

"It must be," Draco drawled, "that whoever she was, she didn't mean anything. I was only having some fun until it became boring." He gave Pansy a quick kiss. "And now I'll never be bored again."

"Welcome to the Sleepy Hollow Ranch. How can I help you?"

The old woman looked at Francis through large glasses. "I can't find my glasses."

"Um, Ma'am," Francis said sheepishly. "Aren't you wearing them?"

"Not my reading glasses, you dimwit. My drinking glasses. I can't have my whiskey without proper shot glasses you know."

"Whiskey?"

"Damn straight. I didn't get to be 168 by staying sober, I can tell you that. Why don't you be a good little boy and go to the bar and grab me a few."

"Certainly, Ma'am." Francis began to walk away."

"And I'm in the mood for a good bottle of Scotch. Bring back a Single Malt, will ya?"

Ginny Weasley stopped to chat with some friends when she felt someone tap her shoulder. She turned around to find herself facing Harry Potter.

"Fancy trying to find a compartment?"

Without skipping a beat, Ginny smiled and told him. "I can't Harry. I said I'd meet Dean. See you later."

Harry gave a curt reply and turned away. Ginny excused herself and headed the other way as quickly as possible. She knew Draco would probably be somewhere in the next car. She would be meeting Dean, but that was more of a cover story for her, although Dean would rather it weren't.

Her timing was terrible. As she almost stepped up to the compartment, she heard Draco say, just loud enough to heard, "I was only having some fun until it became boring." She glanced in the compartment and saw Draco kissing Pansy Parkinson. She stared in surprise until the kiss broke and Draco added, "And now I'll never be bored again."

Ginny was only grateful that no one in the compartment looked up to see her standing there. She pushed her way through the crowd of students until she was in another car, then ducked into the first empty compartment. Too stunned to cry, she tried to think of any plausible explanation. But that did not last too long when she was interrupted.

"Hi," the boy said from the doorway as he opened it, "You're Ginny Weasley, aren't you? I don't know if you remember me. I'm Zacharias Smith. I'm in Hufflepuff."

"Hi."

"I was returning to my compartment and I noticed you were alone. Would you like to join my friends and I. We're in the next compartment."

"Thanks but no," Ginny said dismissively, "I'm waiting for someone."

"I'll be happy to wait with you if you like," Zacharias said as he sat down across from her, ignoring her annoyed look. "I don't want to be rude but I know how long time seems to pass when you're by yourself."

Ginny said nothing.

After an awkward pause, Zacharias added. "We've read about the Department of Mysteries. I suppose everyone has. The Daily Prophet said you were there with, you know, Harry Potter."

"The Daily Prophet was right."

"I was wondering, we all were, really, about what actually happened." He looked at Ginny expectantly.

Ginny smiled at him. "Well . . . I could tell you what happened but I think it would be more interesting to hear the whole story, from the beginning." She added frostily, "if you want to bother me to know."

Zacharias, in his anticipation of hearing the story, missed her tone of voice. "That would be wonderful."

"It started," Ginny said calmly, "when I happened to run into, of all people, Draco Malfoy. And do you know what I did?" Without waiting for a reply, she pulled out her wand and cast the Bat Bogey hex on him, almost laughing as he bumped into the door in his effort to flee the compartment.

Zacharias Smith disappeared quickly once the compartment door was slid open but the spot was filled at once by the stout figure of an old man.

"You cast that hex on the boy. Whatever for?"

Ginny cringed. This was completely unexpected. Her first thoughts were of what they might do at the school when they found out. Her second thought was that she was caught in the act so it didn't matter what she did.

"He was asking personal questions."

The man gave her a broad grin. "And you handled the situation marvelously. But I'm being rude." He extended his pudgy hand. "I'm Horace Slughorn, and once we arrive at the school I will be one of your teachers. Until then, please consider me a friend."

Ginny shook his hand as surprise and relief washed over her. Thank you, Professor. And I'm Ginny Weasley."

Slughorn looked around. "And you're here by yourself. Why don't you join me in my compartment? I've invited a few students to have lunch with me. You would be a welcome addition." He leaned forward in a conspiratorial manner. "And I promise you will eat better than if you bought your food from the trolley. Please say yes."

Ginny hesitated, then thought, 'why not'. It would be interesting and it might take her mind off of certain recent events. "I'd be delighted."

"This is some cool stuff," Dewey said as he pulled various items out of the box. "Malcolm, why did Mister Winter give us all this stuff?"

"I think he did it to hide something. It's like this hat he gave me." Malcolm reached over his head and pulled down the box, opening it.

"Nice Fedora," Louis said appreciatively. "Can I have it if you don't want it."

Malcolm pondered the thought. "I have to think about it. It has a defensive shield spell attached to it. Mister Winter wants me to wear it whenever I leave school, for Hogsmeade weekends and stuff."

"What's this?" Dewey asked as he pulled a small box out of the box.

"Let's see," Louis said and went to open the box.

"Wait," Malcolm told them. "It's from Fred and George. And look at the warning label. Do not open indoors."

Dewey nodded. He opened the compartment door and saw that the coast was clear. He sat the box down in the middle of the corridor and stepped back into the compartment, drawing his wand. Malcolm stood with his hands on the door, ready to slide it shut if needs be.

Dewey cast a floating spell and lifted the cover of the box.

"CLOSE."

It was Louis that shouted.

When the cover was removed, a shining ball that left a stream of golden sparks shot up and hit the ceiling. It rebounded and was halfway back to the floor when Louis shouted. Malcolm slide the door shut just in time. The ball had hit the floor and bounced at an angle, almost shooting into the compartment. It hit the door and bounced away at crazy angles all the way up and down the corridor for at least two minutes until it exploded, lighting the entire car up with a red glow that gradually faded away.

Malcolm pulled an identical box from his assortment and read the warning label. "Do not use indoors. Well, now we know why."

"Do you want to do it this time?" Dewey asked.

"Just make sure you close the door fast enough."

"I will." Dewey looked offended.

He won't. He'll leave the door open just to see what will happen . . . I wonder what would happen?

"Just making sure," Malcolm said as he opened the door and looked into the corridor.

"Malcolm," Ruth Zeller called out. "Do you know what that was?"

Malcolm noticed a dozen or so people turning to look at him. "No. I was just as curious as the rest of you."

There was a third year that Malcolm recognized as a Hufflepuff. "Then why is that box by your door?"

Someone from the compartment behind him stepped over and picked up the box. "This is from the Weasley shop." He looked at Malcolm with suspicion. "And you have another box just like it in your hand."

"That's just a cruel coincidence."

"You were going to do it again, weren't you?" the Hufflepuff said accusingly.

"Can we watch?" Rose asked as she walked up. Malcolm looked up with no surprise when he saw the same group from last year. Ruth, Matthew, Euan, Jenny, Anthony.

Anthony grew a lot over the summer.

"Anthony. What are you doing here? Is Reese on the train again?"

"I was kidnaped by a pair of deranged first years."

"That's not true," Euan said indignantly. "We're second years."

"I stand corrected."

"Are you going to set it off?" Matthew asked.

Malcolm shook his head. "You saw what the last one did. I'm just glad no one got hurt. And you saw how it shot all over the place. I can't open the box with everyone in the hallway. And if all of you go back to your compartments, you can't see it. We'd better just save it for later."

"It's too dangerous, anyway," Dewey pointed out.

"He may be Slytherin, but he's right," the Hufflepuff said.

Dewey and Malcolm looked at each other, then both glared at the Hufflepuff.

"What?" she demanded.

She would have to make a remark like that. Now, we have to do it.

"Listen, everybody," Malcolm called out. Almost everyone in the car had entered the hallway by this point. "Go back to your compartments. It's your choice if you want to leave the door open. I'll turn the box sideways so when I take the lid off, the ball should shoot back and forth the whole length, bouncing off the doors that lead to the other cars. Does anyone have a problem with that?"

"I do," the Hufflepuff said.

"No, she doesn't," her friend said with a grin and pulled her back into their compartment. They left the door open.

Malcolm looked up and down the hallway. Almost everyone had left the door open. He held the box sideways, opened it and took one step back into the compartment.

"This is so cool," Dewey said after the sparkling ball shot past the fifth or sixth time.

After everyone's eyes cleared from watching the ball explode, the Hufflepuffs from the next compartment were the first ones to come to see Malcolm.

"Tell them," the one girl said to her friend.

The Hufflepuff girl turned to Dewey. "I'm sorry for that remark about being from Slytherin. It was a stupid thing to say. Please forgive me."

"Okay," Dewey said noncommitally.

"And," the other Hufflepuff said, "we were curious what else you had, That fireball was great."

Everyone smirked, and Malcolm opened up his box. "There's this thing. It looks like a top."

"Does it explode?" the girl asked.

"Hopefully."

Louis reached into the other box and pulled the identical item out and read the instructions. "This is another one that should be used outside. And from a safe distance. Otherwise it looks just a spinning top."

Dewey grabbed the top. "Is the hallway a safe distance?"

Malcolm nodded. "Definitely. He leaned out the doorway. "FIRE IN THE HOLE."

Everyone stuck their heads out to see what was happening. Dewey stepped into the corridor and pulled the string on the top, sending it spinning across the floor. He then dove headfirst into the compartment as a lightning bolt missed his head by inches. Screams could be heard up and down the railcar from the various students ducking out of the way as lightning bolts zigzagged off the walls and through doorways and then exploded.

When it was over, Dewey stood up, singe marks on his clothes. "That was good. Louis, you can do the next one."

"Cool. WATCH OUT, EVERYBODY. ROUND TWO."

"There is so much I could tell you," Draco said, "But there's still so much I need to find out. Vincent, Greg, you should know. Most of the time you're just going to be standing around as lookouts. I'll need a lot of time to work on this project."

Pansy brushed Draco's hair out of his eyes as he lay with his head in her lap. "Can't you even give us a hint of what you're going to do."

"Sorry, Love. I'm not even too sure yet, myself." Draco jumped as her hand brushed his arm. "Careful. I, um, hurt myself. That arm is still a little sore.

Pansy's eyes widened with a hint of surprise as she guessed why. Her eyes also held a good amount of adoration.

"Any casualties?" Malcolm called out as the smoke cleared.

"A couple of burn marks. Nothing major," someone called back.

Dewey grabbed Malcolm's arm. "Promise me. If we find any of those again, we won't set them both off at the same time."

"It's a promise," Malcolm said as he pulled out his wand. "REPARO," he called out, and the first of the damaged windows reassembled itself. He looked down the rest of the corridor and at the compartment doors and gave it up as a waste of time. "Louis, what else is in those boxes."

Louis held one of the boxes upside down. "I think that's the last of it. Except for that powder your cousin asked you to get."

"Well, let's see what that does."

Louis opened one of the packages and grabbed some powder, throwing it into the corridor. Everything went black.

"That was exciting," Louis noted. "How long does it last?"

"Not long, I hope," Malcolm answered. "We're almost to the station and we need to change into our robes.

Dewey shrugged his shoulders even though no one could see him. "I guess we have to get dressed in the dark."

Like we've never done that before. I got really good at it when I was sneaking out at night that month I was grounded.

"This is strange," Louis said as he stepped off the train and looked back.

Dewey joined him. "That looks great. It must be because we were moving at the time."

"What's great?" Malcolm asked as he stepped onto the platform.

Dewey pointed and Malcolm looked back. The entire inside of the car was pitch black.

That is pretty neat. And the blackness stops just far enough out that you can't tell the windows have all been blown out.

"Okay," Malcolm announced. "Dewey, you get Louis to the coaches. I'm going to fly up and hide the rest of the . . ."

"We're out," Dewey reminded him.

"I know, you dummy, but I still have that powder for Draco. I need to get it inside before I can give it to him." Malcolm raised his voice. "EUAN, YOUR ROBES ARE INSIDE OUT."

"We should check on everybody," Louis suggested as Malcolm flew away. What if somebody got hurt?"

"From the dark? We did a sound check. Everybody answered."

"I'll check on it, don't worry," a girl answered. Dewey and Louis turned around and saw her, a female version of Malcolm.

"Tonks?"

"Wotcher, Dewey. And this is our exchange student? Welcome back, Louis."

"Thanks," Louis said, unsure about who he was talking to."

"Tonks," Dewey added carefully. "The windows were like that when we boarded the train.

Tonks smiled. "I know. I was the third compartment down from you."

"And you didn't say anything?" Dewey's surprise was evident.

Tonks shrugged her shoulders. "I thought it would cheer me up. Haven't had too much cause to be happy lately." She gave another wain smile. "And it worked, for a while. Didn't like that last part though."

Dewey nodded. "We can blame that on Malcolm. He's not here so it was his fault."

Another smile as Tonks added. "He did leave rather abruptly. And you two had better get going. Louis, you can try for the boats if you want to, although that's usually for first years. And Dewey, if you have anything left you had better be careful. Filch is scanning the students as they come in."

Malcolm flew in an open window and arched down to the lone figure in the entrance hall. He was smiling when he transformed. He reached into his pocket and handed Draco the packet.

"Malcolm? What is this?"

"Peruvian blackness powder. You asked me to get it for you."

Draco eyed his cousin warily. "When?"

"This morning at Diagon Alley. Don't you remember."

"Malcolm. Listen carefully. I wasn't at Diagon Alley this morning. I haven't seen you since you went to invite Ginny to visit."

Oh no, that mean's I was talking to Reese. He must still be pretending to be . . . Oh man, what was he going into Knockturn Alley for.

"Draco . . ."

"I know." Draco Malfoy was not smiling. "I stopped at home to talk to Mother. That's why I missed the train. She apparated with me to Hogsmeade."

Malcolm gave a confused look. "You went home? Why?"

Draco shrugged. "It doesn't matter. What does matter is that Mother told me everything that Reese did while he was me. At least, everything she knew he did. Reese managed several times to get away by himself."

Someone cleared his throat from the doorway. Argus Filch was standing there. "Malcolm. I need to check everyone before they enter the castle. In your case, you know what to do."

Jeezel. It's just like being home with Mom.

Malcolm went to the nearby table and empties his pockets, then turned and put both hands on the wall, spreading his feet apart for the pat down. Filch made a motion and Draco imitated Malcolm's actions.

"I don't know how," Filch said when he was done, "but both of you are clean. And I would have sworn I saw you with something, Malcolm." Irritated, the caretaker went outside to wait for the rest of the students. As Draco lifted his hand off the wall, he flashed it so Malcolm could see the packet that he had palmed.

It's an old trick, but it still works.

"Do you want to put that packet in your luggage," Louis asked as they walked the length of the train.

"Naw, they'll check the bags, too." Dewey pointed ahead of them. "I've got a better idea. DRACO, WAIT UP."

Draco hadn't heard him as he stepped belatedly out of his own compartment but he did notice Dewey waving. He also made the mistake of assuming it was Malcolm with him, and so he waited.

"Good, we caught you. Draco, Malcolm said to give you this." He handed over the packet.

Draco smiled. "Thank's Dewey. And . . . Oh, I thought you were my cousin. Thank you as well, Louis. Where is Malcolm."

"He got lazy," Dewey answered. "He decided to just fly up to the castle."

Draco nodded. "Well, have fun. I need to catch up to my friends."

"He looks different," Louis said as Draco walked briskly away.

"That's 'cause he's Reese. Draco never came back from looking for Malcolm."

Louis nodded. "People in your family go missing an awful lot."

"I don't think so. I think, since Ginny couldn't stay, Draco decided to ditch us."

"Never thought of that."

"So. Coach or boat?"

Louis looked up. "Boat, I guess. They look closer than the coaches."

"LAST CALL, FIRST YEARS," Professor Sprout could be heard calling out.

"COMING," Dewey yelled, and both ran to follow the Professor and the first years.

"Francis," Otto called as he walked out to the corral. "Who was dat mit all the yellin. She woke up me und Gretchen. It is what? 2 o'clock in the morning."

"That was Mrs. Drake. She was reenacting Paul Revere's midnight ride for me. She said that screaming was an important part of it."

"Dat drunken old woman in suite 14?"

"That's her. She said that vigorous exercise after a heavy binge keeps away the delirium tremors."

"Shtop her," Otto said forcefully. "She could fall from the saddle und hurt herself."

Francis put a reassuring hand on Otto's shoulder. "It's been taken care off. I can guarantee that she won't fall out of the saddle regardless of what she does. And she's far enough away now, you can hardly hear her screams."

"Yah, dat is true. Thank you Francis. I vas right to hire you."

Otto returned to the ranch house, and to bed, without any worries.

"Master?" asked a questioning voice.

Francis looked down at the house elf that Mrs. Drake had given him as a tip. "I told you. Call me Francis."

"Yes, Master. Francis, why didn't Master tell that man that former master did not use a saddle."

"Because I didn't have to, Tim. And it made him happy."

The house elf nodded uncertainly. "Will Master keep Timmy?"

Francis paused. "Let's talk about it in the morning. And do you remember what to say if Piama asks?"

"Yes. Timmy is a friend of the family and just visiting his master."

"No. Don't call me master in front of Piama. Call me Francis."

"Yes, Master."

Francis sighed. Hopefully, Mrs. Drake would remember to take her house elf back.