As the scenery outside blurred past, and the houses faded and trees took up their places, Harry began to drift into a light sleep. He swore he had just closed his eyes when he heard the compartment door bang open and Hermione and Ron come in, sweating and breathing hard. Harry opened his mouth to ask them what had happened but Ron answered before the words had left his mouth.
"Fight." He said simply.
"Two hulking 7th years, you'd think they were trying to kill each other the way they were carrying on." Hermione said.
"I reckon they'll be expelled, even though they never once touched their wands. They were just pummeling each other over and over. A first year was knocked in the middle of them somehow; he's not looking as though he'll make the trip across the lake conscious." Ron wiped the sweat from his brow while Hermione fanned herself with her hands.
The compartment door slid open yet again and there stood Malfoy flanked by Crabbe and Goyle. With a familiar sneer he opened his mouth to speak but Hermione interrupted him.
"Malfoy, could you let a ride pass without bothering us? Or did you three not learn your lesson last year?"
"Don't talk to me that way you filthy mudblood!" Malfoy curled his lip at Hermione as Ron jumped to his feet. Before pandemonium could break out a tall slim blonde placed her hand gently on Malfoy's shoulder, silencing him before he could throw out more insults.
"Now, now, Draco," Said Istelle Malfoy in a voice one would use when punishing a toddler. "We don't say words like that. It's not very nice, you know."
Malfoy's jaw dropped. As did Crabbe and Goyle's. Harry, Ron, and Hermione, - who had met Istelle over the summer at the Order's headquarters - seemed mildly surprised that she was on the train.
"You, why are you here?" Draco demanded roughly. But she only grabbed him by the collar and brought his face close to hers.
"How about we skip the pleasantries and you run and tell daddy I'm here?" She tossed him backwards with a great shove into Crabbe and Goyle, who caught him and set him upright. Malfoy gave a look of indignation and sulked off down the hallway.
Istelle looked back at Harry and the others with a gentle smile. "You might not remember me from Headquarters. I'm Istelle; I'm the new Defense against the Dark Arts teacher."
"Yeah, yeah I remember you," said Ron darkly. "You're Miss Malfoy."
The grin faded from Istelle's lips and was replaced with a rather sad look. "I think you should refer to me as Professor Istelle from now on, for the sake of appearances." She muttered then slammed the door shut and marched away.
"Ron!" Hermione yelled. "Why would you be so rude?"
"What?" Ron replied indignantly. "She's related Draco and Lucius, why shouldn't I be rude?"
"Maybe if you had taken the time to get to know her, like Ginny and I did, you'd know she was a nice person. She hasn't even lived with the Malfoys for the last eight years! And Dumbledore trusts her!"
Ron snorted. "Dumbledore also trusts Snape. He could easily be two-timing the order."
"And he's not!" Hermione retorted. "He's betraying Voldemort and the Deatheaters."
Both Harry and Ron snorted.
The rest of the ride was rather uneventful, with a slightly tense silence in the compartment. Hermione was buried in the "Standard Book of Spells: Grade 6" and Harry and Ron were playing a game of wizard chess. It wasn't until Harry's queen impaled Ron's king with her scepter that Ron broached the subject of Istelle again.
"What's she doing on the train anyways?" Ron wondered aloud.
"Well Lupin rode the Hogwart's Express. Didn't hear you complaining then." Hermione replied over her book.
"Yeah but that was because he was poor and had no other way. I know she could've gotten here by driving, you know in the roads. She had an ottlemobill. I saw it out of the window. Kinda sleek black thing and it didn't look very fast."
"It's called an automobile Ron. And she's from the States, California to be exact, so it was probably rented from the airport."
"I've seen an airport; it's like a gathering place for big metal birds." Ron stated with pride that he knew this about the muggle world.
Hermione decided not to correct him, but continued on. "I like her; she doesn't seem to agree with the ways of the rest of the Malfoys. Plus she's seemed to have faired well among muggles so she must have self control and be very clever. And I couldn't help but overhear some of the aurors agreeing amongst themselves that she didn't fail entirely in the looks department. I'd figure that would make you like her Ron."
"Yeah, she's a little more than decent looking," Ron permitted, but then added rather softly so only Harry could hear. "Quite decent looking, so decent looking I would -" But what exactly Ron would do was unknown to Harry as Ginny slid open the door and took a seat next to Hermione.
"Istelle's on the train." Ginny stated simply, but no one else felt it necessary to reply given they had already discussed Istelle's presence just minutes before. "I overheard Malfoy-"
Harry's head swiveled to face Ginny, not even paying attention to the brutal beating one of his pawns was receiving from Ron's remaining knight. She clearly noticed the sudden attention he was giving her, because she paused to give him a slightly confused look.
"He wasn't plotting to enslave the world or whatever it is you always think he's up to, Harry." Ginny said, then swung her hair over her shoulder and continued speaking to Hermione, who had just placed her textbook in her lap. "He was going on about how furious his dad would be when he found out she was back. Crabbe and Goyle mumbled some sort of affirmative response - I'm guessing that's like some crony law, to always offer support even if you can barely string together enough words to form a sentence. So then Draco got really mad, he was practically shouting, and he said, 'If this makes my mum cry, I'll-'...well, he never said what he'd do, he just stuttered like a prat and then crossed his arms over his chest."
Hermione looked perplexed for a few moments. Ron rolled his eyes and turned back to the game, waiting for Harry to move.
"We'll be at Hogwarts in a couple of minutes, Ginny. Let's go find an empty compartment to change in." The two trotted out, leaving Harry and Ron to change alone.
"Yeah, they just want to go talk about Istelle and Draco and their mum crying for some reason. I used to think Hermione was smart." Ron said, slightly muffled as he was trying to pull his head through his robes.
"What? You think Malfoy's outburst was just a show?" Harry questioned, stowing his wand in the pocket of his robes.
"It's not that outlandish, mate. Think of it, Istelle riding the train is perfect because the two can get together and act out little scenes to make everyone think they hate each other. Is it just coincidence that Istelle and Draco had their little skirmish right in front of us? And then Malfoy rants about her within earshot of Ginny, who would undoubtedly relay it to us?" Ron had finished dressing and sat down, staring pointedly at Harry. Why did Ron make so much sense but at the same time sound so ridiculous?
"Seems like a rather complicated charade? You really think Draco is intelligent enough to pull off something like that?" Harry sat opposite Ron, admitting to himself that Ron had made things add up quite nicely, but still refusing to believe it all. Was this how Hermione and Ron felt when he continually ranted that Draco was up to no good? No, this was different. Usually had very little evidence, only a dislike and mistrust of Malfoy to base his suspicions on. Ron had some very fine points, but still.
No, Hermione was ten times smarter than both of them put together. It wouldn't make sense that she would be fooled by such an obvious scam. Ron just didn't want to trust any Malfoy.
When the train had finally stopped Ron and Harry jumped off with Hermione and Ginny right behind them. Harry heard Hagrid calling the first years to him, a reassurance to Harry who had seen him only once over the summer.
"Hiya Hagrid!" Harry and Ron called together, their voices barely heard above the din of hundreds of students exiting the train. Hagrid had heard them none the less, maybe not what they said but their voices, and gave them a jovial wave as they headed off to find a carriage. The thestrals were still there, and though Harry was still somewhat taken aback by their sight, they no longer frightened him. They were majestic in their own creepy sort of way. Just as Harry had begun to heave himself into the carriage Ron tugged on the back of his robes.
"Where are Hermione and Ginny?" He asked, peering around at the people milling about them. Right after he spoke the words Ginny and Hermione broke through the crowd around them, closely followed by Istelle. Hermione brushed passed Harry and climbed into the carriage, Ginny following her while Istelle stood there looking rather uncomfortable. Harry and Ron climbed into the carriage and Istelle still stood there. Hermione leaned over Ginny and waved her in frantically, as the carriages had begun to slowly move. Istelle gripped the side of the door and brought herself swiftly into the carriage, shutting the door behind her.
"I invited Professor Istelle to ride with us," Hermione said cheerfully while Ron glared out the window.
"It was my idea!" Ginny chimed in, beaming at Istelle.
"Why?" Ron demanded, still studying the rather dull scenery outside the carriage.
"Because she's nice." Hermione said through gritted teeth.
"Are you all excited to be back at school?" Istelle inquired hesitantly, clearly trying to dispel the awkward silence. Hermione and Ginny erupted into excited speech about new classes and old friends.
Ron stared furiously at the familiar grounds of Hogwarts, remaining silent amidst Hermione and Ginny's constant chatter. Istelle smiled and nodded, glancing occasionally at Ron, unsure as to what she should say to him or if she should just ignore him in kind. Harry let out a silent sigh, he did like Istelle, she seemed nice enough, but his loyalty to Ron prevented him from engaging in the conversation.
He and Ron sat next to each other, both staring out their windows and pretending to examine the scenery as they approached the steps to the school.
Why did Ron mistrust Istelle so? He understood his misgiving with her being a Malfoy; even Harry had been slightly standoffish at first. But she had been staying at headquarters with them, and Harry had warmed to her. Not quite as much as Hermione and Ginny had, but he supposed that was a girl thing.
Istelle had helped them to continue their battle against the house and its dark defenses. She had often helped Mrs. Weasley with meals, and even relayed some of what was said in the meetings she attended. Harry rather liked that about her, the fact that she would speak with them as equals. She was frank and truthful, to an extent, and never seemed to think of them as children, like so many of the others did.
But, despite all of this Ron refused to think of her as anything but a Malfoy. She was the enemy to him, and it angered him that everyone else seemed to have embraced her. The least Harry could do was not put Ron through the stress of seeing his best friend befriend his supposed foe.
Harry contemplated this as they pulled up the entrance to Hogwarts. Would he be able to polite, but somewhat indifferent, to Istelle? Istelle who was kind and fun, but seemingly plagued by an inner sadness.
Well, he'd try his hardest.