The Hogwarts Express puffed and chugged out of Kings Cross station and on through London. The muggles failed to notice the bright red steam engine as it passed over bridges and level crossings on its way out of the city. Draco returned the favour. He didn't as much as look out of the windows as he strolled up the corridor to the lead carriage and the Prefects meeting. He reached the door into the carriage and swore as, out of pure habit, he reached for the handle with his right hand. Even after hours of work trying to get it to respond, it was still as fuzzy as when it had first been 'treated'. He had thought of nothing except his hand, the metal web that now covered it and the scar that the web so conveniently failed to hide all morning. It was bound to raise questions, to which he would have no answer. In the end he had settled the problem, he had dug out a pair of leather gloves and put them on, vowing not to remove them – ever. Etean had simply shrugged, it was up to him he had said.
He opened the door with his left hand and entered the carriage. Everyone looked up at him as he entered. 'Great, I'm fucking late on top of everything else,' he berated himself.
"Nice of you to join us Malfoy," said William Anderson, seventh year Slytherin prefect and now, based on the pin, Head Boy. 'Excellent, this is getting better by the minute.'
"Shut it Anderson, I'm here aren't I?" Draco and William had never gotten on. There was no real reason for it, some people just got on each others nerves. Scowling, Draco sat down in the only vacant seat and picked up the only folder that remained on the table. It contained all the things he was supposed to know as sixth year Prefect, his duties and his responsibilities. He ignored the sound of Anderson's voice as he continued to lecture everyone about upholding the school rules; he did notice that it was almost word for word the same lecture that Ross Burns, the previous Head Boy had given at the start of last year. Trying to hide the difficulty with his hand, he opened the folder and thumbed through the parchment until he found the only thing he was interested in, his timetable. Prefects had to take turns patrolling the school at night. 'Let's see, I've got Monday and Thursday with…' Oh no, not that. Automatically, his eyes rose and looked at her sitting across from him, apparently fully engrossed in Williams rambling dross. Oh well, patrolling wasn't exactly a contact sport, they would wander around alone, and report to each other at regular intervals – it shouldn't be too tough. His thoughts derailed as something William had said jogged him back to reality, everyone was looking at him.
"Well?" Anderson asked.
"Well what?"
"I was asking whether or not you would be able to cope with being a normal prefect again Malfoy?"
"What the hell are you on about Anderson?"
"Haven't you been listening Malfoy, I said that I received a personal letter from the Headmaster confirming that the Inquisitional Squad has been disbanded and that all it's members returned to their previous level of authority. He told me he had informed all of the members in their letters, so, do you have a problem with that?" The Inquisitional Squad? Draco had completely forgotten about that. He glanced at Pansy Parkinson beside him, she looked sheepish, embarrassed. Apparently the prospect of being a normal Prefect again bothered her. But what the hell did it matter? He had enough to worry about. He didn't give a damn about the fucking Inquisitional Squad.
"No problems here."
"Fine, then lose the badge." 'Badge? What badge?' He looked down at his robes to see the shiny metal 'I' that the squad members had worn. 'Shit, what the hell is that doing there?' He pulled it off and stuffed it into his pocket.
"Better. Now if everyone would pay attention, I was saying…" Draco tuned him out again. Everyone else returned their attention to William, except for one. Draco looked over to see Ron Weasley staring daggers at him. His anger was clearly visible in his eyes, his face was glowing bright red and getting redder. Ordinarily he would have returned the glare, try to stare him down and then take the first opportunity to insult him later, but not now. He knew why Weasley was staring at him with murder in his eyes and, he had to admit, he couldn't blame him. He wanted to explain, to tell him that he hated Lucius too, that he was sorry about Percy, but he knew that he wouldn't listen if he tried. Weasley hated him, but that wasn't new. He had hated him since they had met but now it was different, a pure loathing and nothing Draco could do would change it. Nothing he could say would bring Percy back and no story about how sorry he felt was going to make any difference either. Not wanting to look at him any more, Draco put his head down, leaning on his left hand. As he did, he put his right hand on the table without thinking. Pansy sat forward and put her hand on top of his, he had his eyes closed and barely even noticed the pressure of her touch. They remained like that for the rest of the meeting, only when William wrapped it up did he notice her hand. He pulled free out of reflex, Pansy looked surprised at him.
Everyone stood up to leave. Draco turned to follow but Pansy pulled him back. He rounded on her.
"What?" he growled. She jumped slightly at his tone. She watched the others leave, waiting until they were alone before she answered.
"Nothing, I just wanted to say hello. What's gotten into you?"
"Nothing I'm fine, hello. Are you happy now?" He turned to leave but she called him back. "What?" he said again, his tone more severe than before.
"Why are you in such a hurry to leave?" She walked up and pressed herself into him, "I thought we could…catch up." Her voice changed to a sleazy purr. She started to run her fingers across his chest. Draco wanted to slap her. It wasn't as if they hadn't…'caught up' before, but now the thought of a sweaty encounter with her turned his stomach. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Taking that as an invitation, she leaned in and started kissing his neck, tracing a slow line towards his left ear. She started to gently nibble his earlobe. Her hand moved down and took hold of his wrist and slowly brought it up to her breast.
"What's with the gloves Draco?" she purred in his ear as she started to playfully tug at the glove on his hand. "Have you developed a thing for leather?" That was it, he snapped. He stepped back, shoving her away at the same time. "What the hell is wrong with you Malfoy?" she yelled as she hit the table hard.
"Nothing, just leave it will you. I…I'm not in the mood." He turned for the door.
"Not in the mood? What do you mean not in the mood?" But he was gone. She ran to the door and called out after him but he didn't answer. She watched as he stalked off down the train.
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Etean looked up as the door of the carriage opened. He knew it wasn't Draco. He could sense him still at the far end of the train, hating every minute of the Prefects meeting. The pretty red haired girl looked strangely familiar but he couldn't place her.
"Do you mind if we sit in here? Everywhere else is full." Ginny asked sheepishly, sticking her head round the door.
"No, by all means." Etean stood and gestured to the empty chair opposite. He remained standing as Ginny had entered and sat down. As he returned to his seat, the door slammed open again and Harry entered. Etean recognised Harry Potter instantly, who didn't? But he kept it from his face as he stood again and helped him wrestle the seemingly endless pile of luggage which he was carrying onto the racks. When they had finally got it all stowed, they both sat down again.
"Thanks," said Harry, pushing his glasses up onto his nose.
"Don't mention it." Harry looked puzzled.
"Excuse me for asking but, are you new to Hogwarts?" Etean chuckled.
"What makes you say that?" he said sarcastically. Harry grinned.
"Oh nothing much, just the fact that I have never seen you before and now you are on the train, wearing school robes with no house patch."
"Ah, I see, you are quite the detective it seems. Allow me to introduce myself, I am Robert Etean." He extended his hand to Harry, Ginny gasped and blushed red as she heard the name. Harry didn't seem to get it, he looked at her, puzzled for a moment before he remembered to shake Etean's hand.
"My name's Harry Potter. This is Ginny," he gestured to Ginny who blushed even redder. Etean smiled and extended his hand, it was always funny when girls reacted to him like this. It had been a while, he decided to have some fun.
"Charmed," he said in the slick, posh tone he normally reserved for banquets and social occasions where it was expected of him. He extended his hand to Ginny, as she took it he lowered his head and kissed her hand lightly. He lifted his head again to see her face positively on fire. She turned away from him, hiding her face in her hands. Etean smiled again. Harry looked dumbfounded.
"Em, I hope I'm not being rude but, have I missed something here?"
"No not at all." Etean allowed his grin to remain fixed on his face as he sat back. Ginny had gotten the blush under control but she was still avoiding his eyes. Etean laughed to himself, they really were funny when they reacted like this. He turned to look out of the window but Harry spoke again.
"So, are you transferring to Hogwarts then?"
"Yes, I'll be joining sixth year."
"Cool, that's our year." Etean turned to Ginny.
"Both of you?" he raised an eyebrow as he asked the question, she blushed again and shook her head.
"No, I'm in fifth year."
"I meant you'll be in the same year as me, Ron and Hermione." Harry put in.
"Ah, I see."
"So, where did you used to go to school?"
"Nowhere really, I was educated privately." Harry looked surprised.
"Privately? As in by tutors and things? That must have been expensive." Etean shrugged.
"I suppose it was, I never really thought about it."
"So, why are you going to Hogwarts now then?"
"Is he always this inquisitive?" Etean asked Ginny. She blushed yet again as he addressed her.
"Yes, he is always asking questions, about everything."
"I am not." Harry tried to sound genuinely hurt. Etean raised a hand to cut off whatever response Ginny was about to give.
"It's OK, I was only joking. The truth is I chose to come here because I wanted to. I wanted a decent, recognised education. Back home, my teachers were all employees of my father. Their continued employ was contingent on my results. So they were always too afraid to give me anything but top marks. I got bored with them perpetually telling me that I was right, even if I knew I was wrong." Etean shrugged.
"So let me get this straight, you are going to Hogwarts because your old school was too soft on you?"
"Yes, that's about the size of it."
"Weird…em sorry." Etean laughed.
"Don't worry about it, I know I'm weird." Harry opened his mouth to say something but was interrupted by the door of the carriage opening.
"I swear, if he tries anything, anything at all this term…" Ron bustled into the carriage waving his wand around wildly, followed closely by Hermione.
"You'll what Ron?" She cut him off. "You'll only get into trouble. He's not worth it. Now put that away before you hurt someone." Her tone sounded exactly like a mother scolding her child. Ron bristled as he turned round.
"Malfoy is the only one I want to hurt. That horrible little bastard, I hate him." Hermione sighed, only then did she notice Etean.
"Oh, hello. I didn't see you there. You new to Hogwarts? I'm Hermione." She extended her hand. Etean looked at it for a moment then forced himself to shake it. Inside he winced, his expression became the mask he used all too often to hide what he really felt. As it came up he retreated into himself. Years of polite society training kicked in and his mouth went on auto.
"Hello, I'm Robert," he said politely, releasing her hand.
"And that's my brother, Ron." Etean turned to face Ron as Ginny introduced him and shook his hand.
"Nice to meet you." 'Her brother, Ron – Ginny – red hair – shit!' He retreated further behind his mask, this going to be an uncomfortable journey. Ron plonked himself down opposite him, beside the window. Hermione sat down beside Etean. Behind the mask, he screamed. 'How did I let myself get here? Why don't I just invite Menai in here too? That would make this the perfect travelling group.' Etean sensed Draco coming. 'Wonderful, this just gets better.'
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Draco stalked down the corridor towards the carriage where he had left Etean. He was glad for one thing, Pansy hadn't chased after him. He doubted if he could have restrained himself from hitting her if she had purred at him like that again. She disgusted him, in a way she always had. He had only put up with her because…well, she had her uses. The fact that she seemed to equate their little encounters as some sort of relationship had always annoyed him. Still he had kept her in her place, he had made a point of dating other girls and making sure she knew. All the same, when the others had blown him off, he could always rely on Pansy not to turn him down. All he had ever had to do was snap his fingers and her legs would open. In the past that hadn't mattered, why would it? He got what he wanted, when he wanted and she got her little delusions of…of whatever she wanted to delude herself into. But this year was going to be different. This was his last year at Hogwarts, his last year anywhere and he was going to live it as he wanted to. If that meant that at some point he wanted Pansy, then so be it. But not now, frankly he felt dirty after she touched him.
So, what was he going to do this year – apart from die horribly? He wasn't sure. He hadn't thought that far ahead but he didn't care. The thought that no matter what he did, there would be no consequences, or at least none for him, liberated him. He was free to do whatever the hell he wanted. He reached out and sensed Etean, he was still sitting exactly where he had been, waiting for him. He seemed strange, closed off. Maybe he was busy scheming over some new twist of events. Draco was past caring. He reached out and opened the door of the carriage.
"What the hell do you want Malfoy?" Ron bellowed as he jumped to his feet. 'No, please no, not him. Why did it have to be him?' He looked around the carriage and saw Etean, his expression was blank. 'Oh well, why not?' He walked into the carriage and went to sit down between Etean and Hermione.
"To sit down Weasley. That is what people normally do on trains you know." He bit back a more cutting response. Ron pushed forward, almost touching him with the tip of his wand.
"Not in here your not, this is our carriage."
"I don't see your name on it." 'I don't see your name on anything – shut it Malfoy, this is not the way to handle this.'
"Oh really well do you see this?" he didn't need heightened senses to see Weasley prepare to hex him. Draco fumbled for his wand with his near useless right hand. 'Shit.' Etean grabbed him by the wrist, conveniently hiding the fact that Draco couldn't use it.
"Sit down." He said quietly. Only Draco heard the 'NOW!!' he added in his head. He sat down. Etean turned his head to Ron. Ron moved his wand so that the tip of it was almost in Etean's face. Etean froze, he just stared at Ron with no expression on his face. "There's no need for that."
"What's it to you?" Again Etean didn't move. Hermione stood up and shoved Ron back.
"Ron, this isn't the place or the time for this. Now, like it or not we are stuck in here – all of us. The rest of the train is full so we are just going to have to put up with each other." Ron moved to come forward again, Ginny jumped up and grabbed the back of his neck.
"Sit down Ron, please. Don't do this now, not here." She looked as if she was close to tears, all the playfulness was gone from her voice. Ron looked at his sister, the pain in her eyes disarmed him. He sat down. But not before he got in one last dig.
"You just wait Malfoy, you'll get yours." 'SHUT UP!' The command from Etean exploded in Draco's head and he remained silent. The rest of the journey was as Etean had predicted, uncomfortable. The weather grew darker and darker until they were under a full scale thunder storm. Nobody said a word as they continued north. They remained silent even when they were pulling into Hogsmeade Station. They got their things and left the carriage in silence. Once outside they went their separate ways, joining different ends of the queue for the carriages to take them to Hogwarts.