Bruce Wayne and the Chamber of Secrets
Chapter Three: The Ride Back
After the incident in Diagon Alley, Bruce's life returned to a more quiet state as he awaited the start of term and his return to King's Cross station, where he would once again board the train to Hogwarts. There was no further contact from Potter, Granger or Weasley, a fact for which Bruce was thankful. He had no desire to answer any of the annoying questions they were sure to ask, such as "how've you been" or "what do you think about X Quidditch team". Such social niceties did not concern the Slytherin in the least bit.
To keep himself busy, he read the books assigned by Gilderoy Lockhart, and found himself more and more discouraged by each one he read. It was apparent that they had been written in a style designed to place more of a focus on the man's appearance and personality rather than any practical information regarding ways to fend off the Dart Arts. The prose was structured so that it routinely went off on digressions that had more to do with Lockhart's personal interests and habits than anything else. It was especially infuriating that at the beginning of each chapter was a picture of the man in an absurdly heroic pose. As such, Bruce was beginning to doubt that the man accomplished so much as half of what he claimed, and instead was co-opting the work of others in order to gain renown. The main selling point of the books seemed to be the lurid sensationalism that marked the accounts of Lockhart's various battles with dark creatures.
It was due to this that Bruce's anticipation for the coming term at Hogwarts was rather less than it had been the year before. Still, returning to the school held an appeal that not even a lackluster Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher could quell. So, when the fateful day finally arrived, Bruce was once again eager to embark. He and Alfred had packed the luggage and were off to King's Cross. The drive itself was uneventful, and the butler allowed the boy the solitude of his own thoughts, something the old Englishman knew his charge enjoyed. After arriving at the station, they unloaded the luggage, just as the two did last year, and made their way through the crowd to platform 9 ¾ .
Bruce checked his watch – it was 10:35. They had gotten there early enough for him to find a place on the train where he could be left alone, barring any unforeseen circumstances. Quickly checking to make sure that no one was paying him any attention, Bruce rushed into the dividing barrier between platforms 9 and 10, and promptly found himself once again looking at the familiar form of the Hogwarts Express.
"You can put your fears to rest, Master Bruce – they haven't left without you," Alfred said.
The boy decided to ignore his butler's well-meaning jibe and moved to put his luggage on the train. Alfred, meanwhile, was looking around expectantly. Bruce gave him a quizzical look.
"I was expecting to see Molly here. She had wanted me to give her a brownie recipe."
"They're probably just late, " Bruce replied. "Getting a family as large and rambunctious as theirs ready would delay even you."
With that, the two placed the last of the luggage on the Express. Alfred laid a hand on the boy's shoulder.
"Now, Master Bruce, I must ask that you avoid placing yourself in any life-threatening situations."
"Don't worry Alfred, I'll be fine."
"And do try to enjoy yourself. Remember – you're only young once."
"I'm aware of that, Alfred."
The butler, however, was not convinced that his young charge was entirely listening. Bruce saw the skeptical expression on the man's face and gave a little smile.
"Yes, well….. you had best be on your way, then," Alfred said.
Bruce turned and boarded the train, leaving his guardian standing there, pondering the strange turn the boy's life had taken. It seemed as though it were only yesterday that he was watching him take his first steps, and now the last Wayne was again leaving to learn how to perform magic. Actual magic. It still did not seem entirely real and Alfred could not think that it ever would, despite the assurances he had given the Grangers.
Letting out a small sigh, the Englishman start to walk away from the train, albeit somewhat slowly. Arriving at the barrier, he was nearly run over by Percy Weasley, followed by his younger brothers Fred and George. Then came Mrs. Weasley, holding her daughter Ginny's hand and looking more than a bit distraught. Alfred then expected to see her son Ron accompanied by his friend Harry emerge from the entrance next, but the two did not materialize. The Englishman found this somewhat unexpected and, judging from the expression on her face, so did Molly. There was a few seconds of confusion, followed by Arthur Weasley tapping the now-solidified barrier with his wand and spouting some magical phrases.
"Molly, is something wrong?" Alfred asked.
"Oh, Mr. Pennyworth, something's happened to the barrier! Poor Ronald and Harry are trapped on the other side!"
Of course, Bruce was not aware that any of this was occurring. In fact, he was engrossed in another reading of Hogwarts: A History, as he felt the need to once again peruse its contents in an attempt to refresh his memory in regards to the school's minutiae. This was so pre-occupying that he barely registered the train pulling out of the station. He looked at his watch – it was ten minutes after eleven. For some reason, it struck him as odd that the Express would leave ten minutes late. The Slytherin was just about to leave his car and perform a cursory inspection when the door opened and none other than a somewhat frazzled–looking Hermione Granger stepped in and sat down on the seat opposite him.
"You won't believe what happened – the barrier closed and left Ron and Harry trapped outside!" The worry was evident on her face.
"I assume they'll find another means of transportation," Bruce responded, in his usual monotone.
"They will if Mrs. Weasley has anything to say about it. According to Fred and George, she was ready to hex the engineer if he tried to leave without them."
"She didn't, I take it?" Hermione shook her head.
"No, but to hear those two tell the story, she came very close. I just hope that Harry and Ron are alright. I can't think of much worse than missing the train to Hogwarts."
Bruce smiled inwardly at her last remark – to Hermione Granger, there were few things in this world worse than the prospect of academic failure. It was quite amusing on some occasions, especially when someone managed to beat her at schoolwork. Of course, he was the only person he knew of to be capable in that regard, so perhaps there was a bit of self-satisfaction creeping in. The look on her face when he scored higher than she did in Potions and Defense Against the Dark Arts at the end of term last year was something he would never forget. It was then that Bruce noticed that the Gryffindor was placing her things in the luggage rack above. After this, she sat back down on the bench opposite his and pulled out a copy of Magical Me, opened it, and began to peruse its contents. Bruce just stared at her for a few minutes before he could contain himself no longer.
"Why are you here?" he asked. She looked up from her book.
"What?"
"Why aren't you with the other Gryffindors?" Bruce asked, growing a bit impatient.
"I wanted to sit with a friend," Hermione answered. She said it like it was the most obvious thing in the world, and in such a casual tone of voice. Bruce just shook his head.
The two remained in silence for a lone while, though Bruce could not help but notice that every so often Hermione would make some scribblings in the book, as though she were noting some very important parts. How anything in that waste of paper could rank as important was beyond Bruce's ability to comprehend, but he said nothing. Unable to concentrate on Hogwarts: A History, he looked out the window at the landscape that rushed by them as the train rolled along on its course. After only a few minutes, something caught his attention from the corner of his eye – was that a flying Ford Anglia? What could possibly…..
Wait, didn't Alfred mention that Mr. Weasley had pestered him with questions about how to repair a Ford Anglia? Bruce smiled. Apparently, Potter and Weasley had indeed found a way to Hogwarts. The Slytherin was about to bring this sudden occurrence to his companion's attention when he noticed the little hearts that dotter her copy of Magical Me.
"Don't be ridiculous," he said.
"What?" Hermione asked, snapping back to reality. Bruce motioned to the book.
"You can't honestly think that man intelligent," Bruce said in a slightly disgusted tone. Hermione scowled.
"He's a great wizard with many talents," she responded.
"He's a glory hound," Bruce shot back.
"Dumbledore wouldn't have hired him if he wasn't capable of doing the job."
Bruce grunted his disapproval, but knew that she had him – for now. It was then that the door to their car opened and Ginny Weasley walked in, a small book in her hand.
"Um, Hermione? My quill broke and I…" Hermione immediately began rummaging through her bag. Bruce beat her to it.
"Here," he said and handed the red-head a spare quill, one of many which he kept. She smiled and placed it in what he now recognized as a diary.
"Thanks. I would have asked Fred and George, but they've been teasing me about this diary ever since I got it and Percy has forgotten I exist."
"Oh, I'm sure he's not that bad, just a little pre-occupied. Being a prefect is incredibly important," Hermione said.
"You don't know Percy – he's always been more than a little stuck-up. He could stand to learn a bit from Fred and George about lightening up. You should have seen the look on his face when he found out what they did to his prefect badge after he first started wearing it around the house." A smile crossed Ginny's face as she finished speaking and she looked at Bruce, as if seeing him for the first time.
"You're Bruce Wayne, aren't you?" she asked, and Bruce nodded his head. "Ron told me about you. What's it like in Slytherin? Is it really like they say? Does everyone really know dark curses?"
"Ginny, that's really not something to ask someone you've just met," Hermione said.
"I'm just curious, that's all," Ginny responded.
Bruce, meanwhile, was pondering a response that would satisfy the girl's curiosity, but also get her to stop talking to him. Intimidation tactics were out of the question – while fine for the likes of Malfoy, it probably would not be a good idea to reduce an eleven year old girl to tears, despite the fact that it would resolve things quickly. Finally, he spoke:
"The average Slytherin is no more capable than most students," he said.
"But, don't a lot of dark wizards come from Slytherin?" Ginny asked. Bruce nodded.
"Corruption does pervade the house," he said. Ginny looked as though she wanted to ask more, but the expression on Bruce's face and the tone of his voice suggested that he was getting impatient.
"Well, thanks for the quill," she said and left the car.
Hermione looked at her companion, trying to think of something to say. She considered Bruce her friend, despite the fact that he came from Slytherin. For the first time, she truly realized how awkward this friendship could be. Yes, she had a bit of a heated discussion with Ron when they found out that Bruce had discovered their activities concerning the Sorcerer's Stone, but that had died down quickly, and all three had reconciled themselves to their new friend's situation.
"Don't," Bruce said.
"What?" she asked.
"Worry about it," he responded, as if reading her thoughts.
For a moment, it looked as if the Gryffindor was going to heed his advice. The moment then passed.
"You do know that none of us think of you as a dark wizard, despite the fact that you're in Slytherin? I know that we were all a little suspicious at first, but after what happened with Quirrell…."
Bruce merely nodded. Another long moment passed before Hermione spoke again. This time, there was clear hesitancy in her voice.
"What is it like in Slytherin?" she asked. Bruce looked away and for a moment, Hermione thought that she had offended him. They had never actually broached the topic until now. She privately supposed that it was a way of pretending that it did not exist. Somehow, neither she nor Harry nor Ron really wanted to confront the ugly truth that the boy who risked his life to help them shared a dormitory with people like Draco Malfoy. It just seemed….wrong, somehow. Like the Sorting Hat had made some kind of mistake.
"It's corrupt, as I said," Bruce's voice was neutral, as though he were delivering a weather report. Hermione had the urge to ask for more detail, but then decided not to. It was clear that the matter was not something to be discussed. At least, not now.
The rest of the train ride passed without incident, although Bruce still had to suppress the desire to try and talks some sense into Hermione regarding her little "crush". After rolling into the station at Hogwarts, the two exited the train together and followed the herd of students to a mud track filled with carriages. Attached to those carriages were skeletal beasts that Bruce recognized as Thestrals. The Slytherin could not help but wonder how many of his fellow students could see the beasts, and under what circumstances that they had viewed death. Unbidden, the sight of his parent's bodies, lying bloody and lifeless on the cold, unforgiving pavement came to his mind's eye. He banished it quickly, knowing that now was not the time to dwell on such matters. The two students then climbed into a carriage.
Neville Longbottom, looking for a place of his own to sit, headed over when he saw Hermione, thinking that she would be kind enough to allow him a place. Once he saw Bruce, however, the Gryffindor decided on another place of refuge. He had not forgotten the dangerous look in the Slytherin's eyes when he had threatened to turn Neville into a toad and present him to Snape for display.
As such, Hermione and Bruce had the carriage to themselves for the last leg of the trip to Hogwarts. The two spoke of the coming year, and their hopes concerning it. Though, truth be told, the Gryffindor carried most of the conversation while Bruce merely nodded in the affirmative or negative and spoke the odd word on occasion. Hermione, of course, became extremely worried when she did not catch sight of either Ron or Harry, but Bruce did say some words of comfort. Nevertheless, she still continued to anxiously look about even as they exited the carriage and entered into the Great Hall. Somewhat reluctantly, they separated and headed to their respective house tables. Bruce was just about to sit down when he heard a familiar, loathed voice.
"So you actually had the guts to show up," Draco Malfoy sneered, flanked as usual by Crabbe and Goyle. Bruce briefly wondered if the two ever did anything without Malfoy's supervision.
"Don't think you'll have an easy year, Wayne. Slytherin doesn't tolerate traitors."
Bruce could hardly contain his indifference at the thought of being dislike by his housemates. Especially considering the lengths he went to last year to actively discourage anyone from speaking to him. He was considering a response when Malfoy left to find a place at the table, thus allowing Bruce to finally sit down. Headmaster Albus Dumbledore then stood up from his place at the teacher's table to give his usual beginning of the year speech.
"Welcome one and all to another year at Hogwarts," the old man began. "As Headmaster I am expected to say a few words as a way of bringing in the new school year. Therefore – lemon drop, macramé, codswallop."
Watching him sit down, Bruce once again had to muse over the fact that Dumbledore was either off his rocker or one of the most brilliant men he would ever meet. As was the situation last year, the Slytherin felt that the truth was closer to the latter rather than the former. While he started to put food on his plate, Professor McGonagall began to call out the names of first years to be sorted. After calling out "Creevey, Colin" who was sorted into Gryffindor, Bruce started glancing around in the hopes of seeing Harry and Ron. Despite himself, he was starting to grow a bit worried in regards to their whereabouts. The boy kept telling himself that there was simply no way that Dumbledore would allow Harry to miss attending Hogwarts, but he kept a lookout nonetheless. A quick view of the Gryffindor table revealed that Hermione was doing the same.
It was then that he noticed that Severus Snape – the ever irritable potions master – was not at his usual spot next to Dumbledore. Something in the back of his mind told Bruce that this was somehow connected to the missing Gryffindor duo, he just was not sure how. Keeping an eye out, the Slytherin was soon greeted by a welcome sight – a somewhat raggedy Harry and Ron stumbled into view at the other end of the hall. The two spoke to each other briefly, and looked relieved to be there. However, their reverie was cut short when Snape materialized behind them. For a moment, Bruce wondered if he should be worried, but then reminded himself that whatever had happened, Dumbledore would likely get them off, so long as it was not too illegal. Returning to his meal, Bruce listened as McGonagall continued to call names, the most recent being "Lovegood, Luna", a Ravenclaw.
After the last name was called (Ginny Weasley, a Gryffindor like the rest of her family) Dumbledore rose from his chair as expected and exited the hall. There was no doubt in Bruce's mind that he was off to rein in his over-zealous potions master. The food provided was decent enough, if not quite up to Alfred's standards. The only real slight against the dining experience was that Lockhart's voice traveled far enough that Bruce could not help but hear the occasional self-aggrandizing remark.
Soon enough, the meal came to an end and the prefects once again led the students to their respective dormitories. The journey down the corridors to the Slytherin dormitory was much the same as last year, different only in that this time Bruce knew where he was going. The prefect spoke the password – pure-blood – and the students wandered in. Things were exactly as the students left it at the end of last year, with the fireplace at the far corner and cold, marble floor. After making a cursory sweep of the area – as he did last year and planned to do next year – Bruce made his way to the sleeping area for second years.
Carefully choosing a bed at the corner on the left side of the door, the one at the end of the row (as a way of minimizing the probability of an ambush) Bruce then began to inspect the hardwood floors. They had been installed shortly after the beginning of his first year, when Malfoy complained about the cold stone floor when he got up in the morning. The pure-blood contacted his parents, who promptly made the arrangements to "better ensure the comfort of those dwelling in the Slytherin dormitory" as the official line went. Just the thought of it made Bruce want to gag. Muttering a few choice magical words, the boy cast a spell which ensured that anyone approaching his bed would cause the floorboards to creak just loudly enough to wake him. It never hurt to be prepared.
Notes:
And here is Chapter Three, arriving after a bit of a delay. I must apologize - there were several elements inthis chapter and ones upcoming that I have been wrestling with, which in turn slows the writing process. This installment came off rather light in terms of revision when compared to what lies ahead. There are some bits that I'm slightly reluctant to introduce, for fear that it will blow up in my face. I'll just have to post it and gauge the reaction.