Chapter 6

The Lost Vavasor

"Father, were going to be late!" exclaimed Draco as he rushed towards the front door, pushing one of his new house elves aside at the same time.

"Excuse me master," sputtered the house elf, slowly getting up to his feet. I is not seeings yous sir."

"Quiet you disobedient wretch!" said Lucius Malfoy to Draco, as he walked into the room. I will not tolerate you talking to me in that manner!"

But Draco had already rushed out the door and ready to go to the outhouse, where the fireplace was. Yet he stopped abruptly and turned to ask:

"Where are we expected Father?" asked Draco curiously.

Lucius Malfoy put on one of his mischievous smiles, the one he only put on when he felt he was talking to an uninformed lesser. The smile he put on when he spoke to Arthur Weasley.

"Oh no Draco, we are not going anywhere," he said, still smirking. I have important business elsewhere, you will be traveling alone. Go to Knockturn Alley, and I'm sure you can find you're way from there, as stupid as you are!"

"Right...yes father," said Draco, who looked the tiniest bit crestfallen. He walked towards the cuesta about fifty feet from his mansion, and kicked open the secret door in the ground. He slowly went down the ladder, and into the small room that held the floo powder and fireplace in it. Draco slowly pinched a bit of the floo powder into his fingers and threw it into the fire, which immediately burned green.

He then spoke very loudly and clearly and said, "Knockturn Alley, and vanished.

"Molly, we're really running late, so can I just bring the kids to the station and then you send them their schoolbooks by owl?" asked Arthur to Molly.

Mrs. Weasley nodded her approval, but Harry and Hermione both felt equally embarrassed.

"Um, Mrs. Weasley, you don't want...me to get the books instead...it might be easier that wa-"

"Nonsense Harry old chap," said George as he apparated into the Weasley's living room. We've got everybody's books covered, our treat!"

"Oh, thank you George," said Hermione as Harry nodded his thanks as well.

"Well, time is money," said George as he quickly apparated to work.

"Speaking of which," said Mr. Weasley. We'd better hurry up if we want to make the train. It's almost 10:50.

Ron gasped disbelievingly at his father.

"But Dad, the train leaves in ten minutes," said Ron, mouth agape.

Mr. Weasley chuckled while responding, "Don't worry Ron, Dumbledore has decided it's in our best interest to take a Portkey."

Ron nodded his approval, as if he didn't know exactly why they were taking a Portkey to Kings Cross Station. It was because of Harry, and Harry understood that very well. But the shining sun outside combined with the shining faces of the Weasley's and the shining prospect of returning to Hogwarts school, all made Harry forget the Portkey, and the reasons it was being used.

"Well then, lets all come along now, just a finger on the vase will do it...quickly come on..that's it good," said Mrs. Weasley as everyone crowded around the Portkey. Now...brace yourselves. I'll see you all soon, goodbye!"

With a swirl and a rumble, Harry felt a surge of air pass him very quickly as he spun and spun around.

"The train to Beardmore is leaving at 10:55," said a speaker. It is currently 10:53.

"We'd better hurry," said Mr. Weasley, slowly rising to his feet. They were all currently flat on their backs or stomachs in a mens bathroom at the station.

"Good thing we fell here, and not in the middle of the station, "said Ron luckily. What if we'd fallen on some Muggle on his way to work."

Harry and Hermione laughed at this remark, and quickly got up and hustled to Mr. Wealsey's side.

"Now, I want you all to be very, very careful about the trip you're going on," said Mr. Wealsey as they continued walking. Dumbledore has assured me that nothing will happen, but..,well some countries have different views about...Hogwarts.

"You mean me?" said Harry obviously. Yeah, I expect Durmstrang isn't going to be hugging me on the way there, but I can cope.

"No honestly Harry, I mean Hogwarts!" exclaimed Mr. Wealsey seriously. You may not know it, but England isn't famous globally, it has a lot of enemies! And Hogwarts being one of the leading wizarding schools in England, you guys are almost like representatives for us!"

For some reason , Harry was still doubtful, but he knew Mr. Wealsey wouldn't lie to him. And Harry sort of understood what Mr. Wealsey meant, they were almost like short term ambassadors.

Harry was thinking so hard, he didn't realize that he was going to walk right into a wall. Yet when he looked up, he laughed. It was the barrier between Platforms Nine and Ten.

He slowly leaned against the wall, pretending to watch a train depart, and fell through. Quickly afterwards came Ron, Hermione and Ginny.

Ron turned to Harry and said, "Dad said to say goodbye to you."

Harry nodded in recognition and slowly pulled out a red pill in his pocket.

"These things are real life savers," said Harry as he pulled the two sides of the pill apart from one another, and his luggage came bursting out. I don't know where Fred and George get these idea's, they're brilliant!"

Harry and Ron helped Hermione and Ginny get they're luggage in, and the said goodbye to Ginny.

"Aren't you supposed to go up front with Hermione?" reminded Harry to Ron. For the prefect thing?

Hermione gave a small squeal and mumbled a small, "We're late!" before running off. Ron quickly followed her, promising that he would meet up with him soon.

Harry quickly wove his way through the people and onto the train, until he found a compartment to himself in the way back. Normally, this would be a compartment reserved for special guests, but seeing as there were none, Harry began to make himself comfortable.

But a hours went by and no one came to see him, or even just say hi, Harry realized something. Even though he was proven to be sane, and he was"The Boy Who Lived" again, people still hated him. They hated him for proving the Ministry wrong, for being such an "attention seeker" and so forth.

"I hate being me!" he said to himself gloomily, looking out the window.

Harry suddenly jumped as the door of his compartment slid open. He couldn't of predicted least likely persons to visit him.

It was Crabbe and Goyle.

"Potter," said Crabbe as he slowly walked into the room, flanked by Goyle who closed the door. I need to talk to you."

This was one of the first time Harry had ever heard Crabbe string more than two words together in a sentence.

"What...what did I do?" asked Harry cautiously, hand in his wand pocket.

"Guilty conscience eh Potter?" guffawed Goyle stupidly. But seriously, we have a problem."

Harry's brows were furrowed as he motioned for Goyle to keep talking.

"When me and Crabbe got to the station today, something went wrong," he said darkly. We were supposed to meet Draco.

"Well then, where is he?" asked Harry.

"That's just the problem Potter, we don't know," answered Crabbe. He never met us. Harry's mouth was wide open as he gasped a, " Does that mean...he's-"

"That's right Potter, Draco's missing!" finished Goyle.