Chapter 2 – The Train Ride from Hell
"You all need to be ready in... five minutes ago! Hurry up you lot!" shouted Mrs. Weasley from the bottom of one of the many Weasley staircases.
"We're going!" shouted back Ron, tripping and falling over whilst trying to put on his pants.
Five minutes later the two Weasley's, Hermione, and Harry were in the town cars the Mr. Weasley had gotten from the Ministry of Magic. It was extremely fortunate that he was able to rustle them up and the four students were extremely thankful that they wouldn't have to take a muggle taxi of some sort once again. When they finally arrived at the train station, they tried to make a hasty retreat so all of the good compartments wouldn't be taken, but Mrs. Weasley stopped them.
"Oh you four are almost grown up! What would happen if you died and I just don't know what I would do and I --"
"Now Molly dear, let them go, there will be no one dying --," cut in Mr. Weasley, sympathetically.
"N-no Arthur, but what if--"
"Just say goodbye dear, you four have a great year, we'll see you all in December I'm assuming?"
"Of course," Said Harry.
"Well, be careful th-then dears, be on your best behavior," Mrs. Weasley sniffed out.
"Bye!" They all shouted and sprinted off in the direction of platform nine and three-quarters.
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After they got through the barrier (with few complications) they took a glimpse around them. A scarlet steam engine with light billowing steam rising into the rafters stood in front of them occasionally letting out a shrill whistle to warn riders to hurry on board.
As they all looked around, memories of past years flew by them in a rush of color and sound. Somewhere along the way, they had gotten here, their last year (with the exception of one such redhead). All of the trouble, all of the adventures they had been through... somehow they were all still here. Alive and for the most part, whole. They still had each other, even through all of their separate and combined losses. They had all grown; changed. But they had changed together and that is how it was going to be forever… right? The golden trio, brilliant threesome, the three Gryffindors, through it all .The smart one, the funny one, and the boy-who-lived. That was it. Simple.
But oh, was change in the air this year. Perhaps if they weren't all caught up in their memories they could have felt it in the air. It was all around them some could feel it more than others.
Hermione shivered, sucked out of her warm thoughts.
"Hurry up you three!" she shouted at them, grabbing her luggage and Crookshanks' cage (which issued a loud roaring type sound), "We're going to be late!"
"Hermione, keep your hair on, the train doesn't leave for another –"Ron trailed off looking at the station clock. "Oh."
Bustling past all of the waving family members and the occasional house pet, they boarded the scarlet train and Ginny said her goodbyes and kissed Harry on the cheek and went to sit wither her 6th year friends. The train started moving shortly after, before any of them had a chance to find a compartment to themselves.
After searching in nearly every compartment, they finally came across one with only Neville and Luna ("Loony") Lovegood. Harry looked around apprehensively as Luna commenced in her classic staring ritual that could make even Malfoy feel a bit uncomfortable.
"There are only two extra seats here, Harry," Ron pointed out.
"We can all fit in, we've done it before," he answered, still avoiding Luna's penetrating gaze.
"No, no you guys, you two can sit here, I was supposed to be in the head's compartment 5 minutes ago. I completely forgot. I'm already late and school hasn't even started, oh dear," Hermione sighed, loading her luggage into the compartment rack and saying her goodbyes as she left them all. Once she was out into the main section of the train, she giggled at Luna's more-than-obvious stares and wondered where and why she started doing that.
She was hurrying along and a few moments later, finally found the head's compartment, a place where she had been wanted to go for the entirety of the Hogwarts life – and she was late.
"I'm so sorry Professor McGonagall, I know I'm late, but there's a very good explanation. You see –"Hermione babbled on to the stern professor.
"It's quite alright Ms. Granger, you have a right to be late at least one time in your life, have a seat," she motioned to the last remaining open seat.
"If anyone else was late, you would have yelled at them and maybe even given them a detention. What is with that!" a loud voice in the opposite corner of the room announced. No on had to guess who that voice belonged to. Hermione slid down farther in her seat.
"I mean, if I had walked in that door 5 minutes late, you wouldn't have stopped yelling until the feast began 'Mr. Malfoy, I dare say that is a very poor way to begin your heads duties' or 'Mr. Malfoy, maybe you should try something called being on time for once' or –"
"That is quite enough Mr. Malfoy, five points from Slytherin for your outrageous and unneeded comment," Professor McGonagall said in an abnormally stern voice. "Now that all the prefects and Heads are present, I believe we can finally begin.
"You are all here because you have been hand selected by the Headmaster or in some cases the staff to represent Hogwarts as an authority figure. Some of you in 6th or 7th year have had this title for more than one year, so bare with me as I cover the basics.
"Prefects, you of course have different duties than that of the heads. You are to patrol a certain section, whichever is supplied for you. This list will be posted on your house bulletin board within the first 3 days of the term. You will be required to do separate projects, requiring partners. They will be assigned for you, so don't even think about it.
"These projects will range from research work to actual documentaries or visual aids. This list will also be posted, along with your assigned partners on your house bulletin board within the first 2 days of term. For all of the girls, I will be happy to announce that we are having a winter dance, more than likely on the 19th of December, though that date is subject to change. My sincerest apologies to all of the young men, I'm sure you will all be very successful in getting a date.
"Moving on, as prefects, you will be required to help in diminishing the house rivalries and coming up with new and inventive ways on bringing the houses together. These ideas can be formulated in pairs, and will be supervised by the heads in the meetings you will all have.
"Prefects, I believe that is all for now, if there is anything else I will either talk to you personally or have the heads do it. You may all leave. 6th year prefects are required to patrol the isles of the train until we stop. You are all excused."
When all of the prefects had slowly filtered out of the room, Professor McGonagall sighed and rubbed her hands over her stricken face as if she was waiting for a time bomb to go off.
"Alright listen you two; firstly, there will be no fighting, no bickering, no insulting each other in public, no verbal or physical abuse of any kind out in the corridors or in the classrooms. Not outside, not in the great hall, not in the presence of any student or professor. The entire staff, as well, I'm sure, the entire student body knows of how well you two do NOT get along. I informed the headmaster who wished to remain blissfully unaware, but he would not head my warnings and continued to inform me that you two were the best for the job. I will not disagree with him, you are both more than likely the brightest students in the school, separately, but together I'm very afraid that you will either blow up the school or each other in the process. I am issuing this warning now, and it will be your one warning. The first time either of you go against this, there will be major repercussions. Do I make myself clear?" she looked sternly at Hermione, who looked close to crying, and at Draco who looked like he could not have been put in a more boring situation. He nodded curtly and Hermione nodded so fervently that she resembled an enlarged bobble head doll. Malfoy snorted, but said nothing.
"Okay, now, back to your heads duties. You will be responsible for everything that the prefects are responsible for as well as keeping all of them in line. You will be required to put together meeting places and the actual meetings so you can get everything that needs to get done, finished. You will issue out warnings, you can dock house points, but keep in mind that we, the staff and more importantly the headmaster, will know how many points you have taken away so do not abuse this privilege. You will also patrol and may or may not be required to have some sort of project done. The headmaster has the final say in this so it has not been decided as of yet. You have many more responsibilities and you have the entire school looking up to you, so please, do not let us all down. If the headmaster thinks you can do it then I'm sure you can. You are not only an authority figure, but you are also a role model. Younger students may come up to you and ask you for help and you must try your hardest to help them through whatever is troubling them.
"Now, you will be sharing a completely separate wing of the castle and will no longer be required to stay in your house dormitories. You will each have your own bedroom, bathroom, kitchen, and small living area. Breakfast can be brought up to you. This was not previously a luxury that the heads enjoyed, but a certain elf, Dobby I believe, has offered to provide the service this year. Your "homes" will be connected by a single door for planning issues and other things. You will be required to talk, so please, Mr. Malfoy, do not think about locking the door or bolting it shut or any such nonsense.
"I am not asking either of you to become friends, but I am TELLING you that you need to at least get along or act like you get along or there… will… be…. consequences. That is all, are there any questions? "
Blank stares – and then… "Can we just send owls back and forth instead of talking face to face? It would save a lot of time." Hermione asked, nearly pleading.
"No, no more of this rubbish, we are almost to Hogsmeade station so go patrol and get everyone ready to get off the train. Hurry up you lot." McGonagall issued, waving her hands at the very disgruntled silent pair.
Once they were out into the train isle Hermione heard the very distinct and very unwelcome voice of Malfoy, and it was coming her way.
"Mudblood, listen here, I think she forgot a few rules. There will be no talking to me in the hallways. There will be no asking me favors. There will be no coming through that adjoining door without knocking at least ten times. Actually, don't even come in at all. I will be as loud as I want and you better not complain about it. Don't talk to me in the meetings unless absolutely necessary. Do not touch me; you will turn my clothes to filth. Most importantly I am better than you in every way imaginable. We are not friends. We will never be friends." Malfoy looked content; like he just won some sort of prize. "Do we have an agreement?" There was no question in his words.
"One more thing Malfoy, you forgot," Hermione said sweetly and Malfoy looked slightly jostled that his words had not affected her more. "I am not your bitch," and with a swift smack to the face, as hard as she could manage in the tight hallway, she smiled and walked away, not only amazed with herself, but appalled that she could get in trouble if he told on her. She was sure that she had left a mark on his face. It would fade of course, but maybe not for another two hours, which meant it would still be there during the feast. 'Let's see him explain that one away' Hermione thought angrily, trying to avoid thinking about getting in trouble the first day of her 7th year. She had already disobeyed one of her professors mere minutes after she had instructed both of them to try to put aside their differences and get along. She could fight death eaters and she could get the highest grades in the school, but the one thing that she could not do was get along with Malfoy. No way in hell.