Chapter 2 ~ All hail "The Chosen One"
There weren't many people when I arrived at compartment C, though I recognized all faces. There was a rather fat old man, who was almost fully bald and around five foot tall talking to a Gryffindor who I believed to be McLaggen. However, when I walked in he immediately came over. "Ah, you must be Blaise Zabini! I'm Horace Slughorn, it's a pleasure to meet you" he said and shook my hand. "Take a seat, take a seat" he said and I sat down as far away from the Gryffindor as possible.
He talked to me a little, and asked me a little about some of the students in my year. However, people began to stream in quickly, and Slughorn rushed to introduce them to each of the students. I watched them all, and it wasn't long before Potter came in, beside another of his friends. Of course he'd invited Potter. Slughorn began to introduce Potter and Longbottom to each of the people in the compartment, and I was first. I didn't bother to acknowledge them, and they did likewise.
As the food was passed around, Slughorn began to talk to each person individually, and watching Belby almost choke on pheasant was probably the highlight of the lunch. It seemed everyone invited were either rich, talented, or had a family that was extremely influential. I, obviously, ticked all of the boxes.
Slughorn then began to interrogate me. He asked me about my apparently 'beautiful' mother (that made me cringe) and her seven husbands, who had all passed away, in what he thought to be 'mysterious circumstances', leaving us with quite a bit of gold… alright, mounds of gold. Really, everyone is quite daft. Though, my mother is a lot more intelligent than she puts on, and many aurors would easily fall for her tears, and if not… She had more to offer.
He had quickly moved onto Longbottom and I resumed eating, though I now listened quietly to his interrogations. When he finally got to Potter he mentioned something about being 'the chosen one' and I paused my eating to stare at him. Potter, the chosen one? Right. He had about as much chance as Longbottom.
Slughorn went on "Of course… there have been rumours for years…I remember when… well… After that terrible night…Lily… James… and you survived…And the word that you must have powers beyond the ordinary" he said and I coughed slightly in amused skepticism. Powers beyond the ordinary, huh? Slughorn must be a few years too old. "Yeah, Zabini" an angry voice suddenly burst out. "Because you're so talented… at posing!"
I slowly turned my head to see a red headed girl glaring furiously at me. Right, the Weasley girl. What was it Malfoy called her? Ah yes, 'Weaslette.' "Oh dear" Slughorn chuckled comfortably, and then turned to me. "You want to be careful, Blaise! I saw this young lady perform the most marvelous bat-bogey hex as I was passing her carriage! I wouldn't cross her!" he said and I merely smirked at her, disregarding his words. I was actually rather amused at the fact she had gotten so fired up at a single, small cough.
Slughorn then began to continue to talk, and I once again lost interest. The sky grew steadily darker and the sunset was soon upon us. Slughorn had finally just noticed when he had suddenly exclaimed "Good gracious, its getting dark already! I didn't notice that they'd lit the lamps! You'd better go and change into your robes, all of you. McLaggen, you must drop by and borrow that book on nogtails. Harry, Blaise… Any time you are passing. Same goes for you, miss!" he said to the Weasley girl.
"Well, off you go! Off you go!" he exclaimed and I walked out of the door, shooting Potter a look as I did so, which he only returned with a look of… interest. Trying to ignore that, I made my way back to the compartment I had been in, blocking out the chatter of the students behind me.
I quickly opened and slid the door shut; however it suddenly stopped before it reached the frame. I slid it out and in a few more times, however it still did not close "What's wrong with this thing?" I said in frustration, and tried to close it by force. Suddenly the door flew open causing me to topple over sideways onto Goyle, and I snarled at him as he threw insults around for a few moments, before he slammed the door shut and I fell into my seat, feeling rather ruffled.
Taking a deep breath, I glowered at Goyle. Crabbe went back to his comics and Malfoy sniggered, placing his head on Parkinson's lap as she stroked his hair. "So, Zabini," Malfoy said, "what did Slughorn want?" he asked, and, continuing to glare at Goyle, I replied. "Just trying to make up to well-connected people. Not that he managed to find many." I was probably one of the only people there who was actually worth anything.
Malfoy did not seem to be pleased by my news, "Who else had been invited?" he demanded to know more. "McLaggen from Gryffindor" I said, thinking back on it. "Oh yeah, his father's big in the ministry" Malfoy cut in, and I ignored him. "…Someone else called Belby, from Ravenclaw" I said, and Parkinson's shrieking voice cut in. "Not him, he's a prat!" she exclaimed.
"Longbottom, Potter and the Weasley Girl" I finished quickly, so as not to have any more interruptions. Malfoy then sat up very suddenly, knocking Parkinson's hand aside in the process. "He invited Longbottom?!" Malfoy asked, completely baffled. "Well, I assume so, as Longbottom was there" I said indifferently. "What's Longbottom got interest to Slughorn?" Malfoy demanded and I shrugged. Would he shut his trap?
"Potter, precious Potter… obviously he wanted to look at the 'chosen one'" Malfoy sneered, though I was hardly listening any more. "But that Weasley girl!" Malfoy went on, "What's so special about her?!" he spat. Parkinson then spoke up again. "A lot of boys like her" Pansy said, watching Malfoy carefully, though she then turned to me.
"Even you think she's good looking, don't you, Blaise? And we all know how hard you are to please" she said and I glanced to her, cocking my eyebrow. Stupid and blind? Nice, Parkinson. "I wouldn't touch a filthy little blood traitor like her, no matter what she looked like" I said coldly. Parkinson looked quite pleased at this, and Malfoy finally sank back onto her lap.
"Well, I pity Slughorns taste" Malfoy began to talk again, and I began to stare once more out the window, which was now nothing but dark shadows stretching in an almost haunting manner. "Maybe he's going a bit senile. Shame, my father always said he was a good wizard in his time." I rolled my eyes. Here we go with the 'my father' talk again.
"My father used to be a bit of a favourite of his. Slughorn probably hasn't heard I'm on the train, or…-" Oh, poor Malfoy thinks the only reason he wasn't invited was because of a mix up. "-I wouldn't bank on an invitation" I cut in. "He asked me about Notts father when I first arrived. They used to be old friends, apparently, but when he heard he'd been caught by the ministry he didn't look happy, and Nott didn't get an invitation, did he? I don't think Slughorns interested in death eaters," I explained to him.
He let out an obviously forced humorless laugh and replied, "Well, who cares what he's interested in? What is he, when you come down to it? Just some stupid teacher" he yawned and I smirked at this. Pathetic.
"…I mean, I might not even be coming to Hogwarts next year, what's it matter to me if some fat old has-been likes me or not" he went on, and Parkinson abruptly stopped the grooming of his hair. "What do you mean, might not be coming to Hogwarts next year?" she asked, indignantly. A ghost of a smirk formed on Malfoy's lips, as he replied. "Well, you never know. I might have… Er… moved on to bigger and better things."
I glanced to Malfoy, once again cocking my eyebrow. Dumbfounded, Parkinson began to stroke Malfoy's blonde fringe again, "Do you mean…?" she asked, though she didn't have to explain what she was asking, as Malfoy shrugged. "Mother wants me to complete my education, but personally, I don't see it as that important these days. I mean, think about it… When the Dark Lord takes over, is he going to care how many OWL's or N.E.W.T's anyone's got?"
"Of course he isn't" Malfoy answered himself. "It'll be all about the kind of service he received, the level of devotion he was shown" Malfoy said, and I rolled my eyes at him. "And you think you'll be able to do something for him? Sixteen years old and not even fully qualified yet?" I asked scathingly. "I've just said, haven't I?" Malfoy shot back. "Maybe he doesn't care if I'm qualified. Maybe the job he wants me to do isn't something you don't need to be qualified for" Malfoy said, though his voice was quiet now.
I turned to my right to see Crabbe and Goyle staring at Malfoy, their mouths wide open, and Parkinson was gazing down at Malfoy as though she had never seen anyone so truly magnificent. I couldn't help myself and I snickered quietly.
"I can see Hogwarts" Malfoy finally said, and I too could see the large castle as I glanced out of the window. "We'd better get our robes on" he said. As the train came to a stop, Goyle threw the door open and punched his way through the already large crowd. Crabbe followed quickly after him, and I waited until there were a few less people in the corridor before exiting myself, though Malfoy stayed behind.
Making my way into the cool night, I joined a few of my other classmates outside a rather large gate. I boarded a carriage with Crabbe and Goyle, with Parkinson just after me. We were about to leave, when Malfoy emerged. He looked rather pleased with himself, and as he climbed onto the carriage, Parkinson immediately begged for him to tell her why he looked so smug.
Apparently Potter had been up in the luggage rack eavesdropping, and Malfoy had paralyzed him, covered him with an invisibility cloak, and left him there. I had to snigger quietly to myself. However, I had just about had it with Malfoys voice, Crabbe and Goyle grunts of amusement and Parkinson's shrill giggles, when we finally arrived at the castle.