ONE WAY OR ANOTHER

-CHAPTER TWO-

BETA: Hannah

INFO: www. livejournal. com/users/draycious

LINK: http:// www. fanfiction. net/s/3040483/1/

"Hi! Can we sit here?" a couple of giggling 7th years asked them in chorus.

"If you must," said Raven with disinterest but the girls didn't even notice the tone of his voice. They were a mix of Ravenclaw and Gryffindor students. They didn't have any luggage with them so Raven assumed that they had another compartment in charge originally, but then they noticed him and Blade in this compartment and decided to check them out. Unfortunate for them in that case...

"Where do you come from?" a Ravenclaw asked them.

"That's a secret," said Blade with a small smile playing on his lips. He didn't care much about the girls. He was just relaxed and not very interested in a conversation but he wouldn't mind teasing them a little bit. He ran a hand over the seat lazily, as if it was purely incidental. The girls watched his hand moving with interest. Funny how small things could make a whole story.

"C'mon!" said a daring Gryffindor and laid a hand on Blade's leg.

"You're a Gryffindor, aren't you?" he asked, but it was much more a statement than anything else. Raven had told him quite a few things about Hogwarts. He wasn't sure whether he liked the school or not. Many things seemed too strict and positively boring. Things such as curfew and school uniforms were something he would never understand, then again he wasn't from the UK.

"Yes I am!" the girl beamed and the others became jealous for some reason, maybe they thought he had caught an interest in her. If that was the case, they were wrong. Blade looked over at Raven and watched how a Ravenclaw was currently stroking a hand up Raven's leg and thighs. He fought the first impression to laugh when he saw Raven's clear displeasure with the whole thing. He could understand that, he never expected the girls to be so straight forward.

"Gryffindors are known for their braveness. But I suggest that you remove your hand before you get me fired before I even have a chance to begin my new job!" Blade said firmly, but with a hint of amusement in his voice. The Gryffindor girl shot back like she had been burnt.

Raven bit back a laugh. The situation and the look upon the girls' faces was just too funny!

The Ravenclaw which who was seated closest to him and had her hand on his leg drew back.

"You too?" she asked him horrified with wide brown eyes.

"Nope," he said and watched her relax.

"Oh thank god!" she said relieved.

"You won't report me, will you?" The Gryffindor asked Blade on the edge of tears. It was probably a huge shock for her to suddenly find out that she had tried to feel her new Professor up, even if he was young and super hot.

"No. No of course not. You couldn't have known," he said calmly.

"I'm so s-s-sorry P-Professor!" she stuttered, clearly mortified.

"It's alright. Just relax, take a deep breath," Blade joked. The girl jumped up on her feet and bolted out the door before anyone could say anything else. The other girls followed her. They weren't so eager to be left in a compartment with a professor that they had only just showed how foolish they were.

In the new found silence the two men looked at each other before they broke down in laugher.

"That was fun! We have to do it again sometime!" said Raven once he sobered up.

"Poor girl. I don't think she'll be able to look at me for the rest of the year."

"What girl?" a voice drawled. Both of them looked at the door, they hadn't heard it open.

"Oh hello!" said Blade lightly when he saw who it was.

"What girl?" Draco Malfoy repeated curiously as he walked in further.

"I don't know her name. A Gryffindor," Blade shrugged.

"Nothing important then. What's your name?" Draco asked and leaned against the now closed door. Raven was hoping that someone would open it so Malfoy would fall down flat on his ass, but no one heard his silent wish.

"Raven, and that's Blade," he said when Blade didn't bother opening his mouth. Raven crossed his arms over his chest and slid down in his seat a little bit further.

"I recognise you from somewhere!" Malfoy said with narrowed eyes when he looked at Raven.

"Really?" he said and made his voice sound sceptical.

"Or someone that looks like you," Draco added.

"Who?" Blade asked Draco.

"I don't know!" he said exasperated. If there was something Draco hated, it was not knowing things. It would be frustrating to any human.

"Let me know if you remember, alright?"

"Alright. So have the two of you checked out any girls yet?" Draco asked unexpectedly and sat down beside Raven without an invitation, but what was there to expect? Malfoy thought he owned the world. Harry had never seen this side of Malfoy, and he became thoughtful. He wasn't sure if this was just another act or if this Malfoy was for real. The snobbishness was there, but he didn't think Malfoy would ever tone that down.

"No and I doubt I will," said Blade.

"Ah...I see. You swing that way," said Draco with a nasty smile and his eyebrow somewhere up in his hair. Blade only smiled and didn't comment on that. Raven knew that he wasn't gay and they were both secure enough with themselves not to fly off the handle if someone commented on their sexually, no matter what it might be.

"What about you?" Draco asked turned to Raven.

"I haven't seen anyone yet. Yourself?"

"I've got Pansy. Actually that's why I'm in here with you guys. The bitch threw me out of the compartment we were in. She's having one of her moods. I think she's having her period you know. She got all bitchy on me just because I looked at another girl! I didn't even say anything!" said Draco in an agitated voice.

Raven laughed, it actually was quite funny.

"I see. They tend to get touchy, don't they?" said Raven.

"Yeah! Tell me about it!" said Draco and shook his head like he couldn't believe it could get so bad once a month.

"What's your name?" Blade asked only then did Raven realize that they hadn't asked for it before.

"Draco Malfoy. So who are you guys? Exchange students? You seem a bit too old to be 7th years."

"You'll see at the feast. I dare say that you'll be surprised. Not even your dad knows about this." Draco stared at Raven.

"He shouldn't. He's in prison," he said weakly.

"Yes, people think so, but both you and I know that that isn't the case. It's a charmed Goyle that's in Azkaban. We both know that your father camps out at your home, posing as Goyle," said Raven.

"I... I thought my mother had an affair with Goyle!" said Draco in a flat voice and Raven understood that Draco hadn't actually been told about all this. He was surprised, and even felt a little pity. Imagine thinking your own mother had an affair with Goyle of all people.

"She's not. It's Lucius in disguise," he said curtly.

"How do you know? Are you death eaters?" Draco asked in a low voice as if someone was nearby and could hear them.

"Maybe. We won't tell you anything about anything," said Blade.

"Why not?" Draco asked with a bit of irritation. It's never fun to get a little bit of information when the best part is being left out. To Raven it appeared as if Malfoy was always left out of the good stuff, even his own parents hadn't told him the truth about their plans. He was almost felt insulted on Malfoy's behalf, then again maybe not.

"Not everyone bows for a Malfoy," Blade answered.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Draco frowned.

"Nothing."

Hermione and Ron chose that exact moment to stumble in and interrupt their conversation. Blade thought that was a good thing. He didn't much feel up to fending off an irate Malfoy who demanded answers.

Damn, too late for bringing Draco on his ass! Raven thought sadly.

"There you are Malfoy! Did you forget our meeting in the first carriage? Everyone else is already there waiting for you. The head girl sent us to go looking for you. You're so irresponsible! Get moving!" Hermione snapped in a voice full of dislike. Not only had she been sent off to look for Malfoy by the girl which stole her title as head girl, but she also had to berate Malfoy in front of the two men she had been drooling over earlier. She didn't make her best introduction and she was pissed off.

"Yes, yes! Don't get your knickers in a twist. I'll be back later after the meeting. I'll see you later Raven, Blade!" said Malfoy and shoved Ron and Hermione out the door and followed himself. The door slammed shut.

"So that was Draco Malfoy? The look fits your description but nothing else does. Are you sure that wasn't his twin brother?" Blade asked.

"No, I'm not sure. That was... different. I'm sure everything will go back to normal once he finds out who I really am," he said thoughtfully. He really didn't understand this new Malfoy.

"Can we talk about something else? This really bores me, what about our upcoming visit in Transylvania?" Blade asked.

"Oh yeah! I almost forgot about that! We're going to see Rafael!" Raven said excitedly.

"Now you remember! I've been waiting two whole weeks for you to mention it!"

"And now you couldn't wait any longer and had to ask?" Raven teased him.

"Well...yeah."

"That is just stupid, waiting for that long!"

"How come man?" Blade said in a whining American voice. It was typical for him to act immature around Raven, while in reality he could handle himself with dignity and grace. It had been apart of his upbringing to learn good manners.

"Do I really have to explain it to you?" Raven asked aghast but continued anyway. "If you wanted to talk about it that badly, you should have just said so. Why would you wait?"

"When you put it that way I'm willing to admit that it sounds pretty weird."

"That's an understatement!"

"So, what are we going to tell people at Hogwarts? They'll notice that you're missing for sure," Blade asked curiously. Since they hadn't discussed this event yet they still hadn't decided how to act or make excuses for themselves inside Hogwarts once the term started.

"That's another terrible thing I have to live with. Just because I'm the boy who lived I've got Albus breathing down my neck, not to mention everyone else! This makes it so much more complicated to get away. If Albus could I'm sure he'd put a tracking spell on me so he always knows where I am."

"Are you sure he hasn't already?"

"Are you kidding me? He would have gone after me this summer if he had. Not to mention locking me into a cage to have hanging from the roof of his office so I would be his own little singing bird! Besides, we've checked for spells on me, remember? We didn't find anything. Honestly, since when did your brain go on vacation?"

Blade glared at him.

"Says you whose brain has since long ago been non existent!"

"God we're immature! What a childish argument!" said Raven happily, happy because he could catch up on some of his lost childhood.

"I know, but it's good for you. The serious stuff can wait until later. To be honest I am not so interested in making plans right now. My life is structured enough as it is. Can you please go and find something to drink instead?"

"Sure, just sit tight."

Raven found his way around the curious girls that ran from door to door. Spreading gossip, no doubt, he thought. Her had a sneaking suspicion that the menu of today's gossip was Blade and himself.

Raven found the witch that sold candy and drinks. He decided to buy some sweets as well. It didn't matter how many sweets he ate. His hard training was keeping him slim no matter what. The training he was currently kept on would continue at Hogwarts. He would have sessions together with Blade. Blade was his sparring partner. They were a good team and worked well together. He wouldn't want it any other way.

"That would be one galleon, please," said the witch once he had chosen which kind of candy he wanted. He paid and left without a second look at her.

"Raven! Raven!"

Raven turned around when he heard his name being called out. He was surprised to see it was Ginny, Ron's younger sister. He couldn't even begin to guess what she would want with him. She couldn't have figured out who he really was, right?