Chaos of the Potter Family
Me: I swear I'm going to write at least 3,000 words every day, as training for when I write my original stories.
Tyene: (deadpan) Good for you.
Me: You could be a bit supportive!
Tyene: I already am.
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.
Chapter 7: This Train Has No Breaks
"I can't see how I'm supposed to focus on schoolwork with Voldemort breathing down our collective necks," Harry grunted, staring up at the gateway to Platform 9 and 3/4.
Ayla snorted sympathetically. "I know. Just put up a pretense of it, and remember you can always drop out when things get worse."
"You don't mean 'if'?"
"Riddle is back, Harry. There is no 'if', just 'when'."
Harry bit his lip and nodded. Ayla went through the wall, and he followed after her with a moment of thought. On the platform, Tracey and Daphne were already standing together, discussing something. Daphne was openly wearing the Black ring, while Tracey was concealing the Potter ring under a minor charm. Harry made his way over to them.
"Hello," He started. Daphne glanced at him, smiled and pressed her fingers against her lips.
"We can talk on the train. Let's get going before the Weasleys and Granger show up."
Harry grimaced slightly at the mention of them, and nodded. The four of them stepped onboard the Hogwarts Express and began making their way to the back of the train. It didn't take long until they came across Luna, who had already staked out a compartment for them. She was openly wearing the Peverell ring; no one knew that the House of Potter had absorbed that family line yet. Smiling, Harry walked in with the three girls behind him.
"Hey Luna. How's life?" Harry asked as they sat down. Tracey slid the door closed with a bang and put a charm on it that warned them who was approaching.
"I've been doing alright," Luna said with a small smile. "Daddy's latest edition of The Quibbler has been selling more than anything else he's written in a while. Thank you for putting it in the package with the latest Daily Prophet, Daphne."
Daphne chuckled darkly. "You're more than welcome. It's not time enough to put the knowledge that Voldemort is a half blood in the direct papers – the editors are too frightened. But once it's spread for a while, and Harry wins a good victory, it will go live."
"I always liked the Quibbler." Tracey said. "Been subscribed for three years. Most people don't seem to be smart enough to realize the 'absurd' content is all political commentary and satire."
"I always got a kick out of people's reactions when they read it," Ayla said with a laugh.
Luna nodded. "It allows Daddy to criticize people like Fudge and his drones without getting himself or me in trouble," She said.
Harry leaned back against his seat and glanced out the window. The train was speeding along, faster than normal. He felt like that was now a part of his life – being hurtled forward by forces out of anyone's control, and all he could do was just react fast enough to protect everyone and himself. Shaking his head, he pulled Atlantis Queen out of his bookbag and started reading from his last stopping point.
"Been doing your research, Harry?" Daphne inquired with a smile.
Harry chuckled lightly, though there was little humour in it. "It's pretty much all I've been doing. I've learned a lot about our history, and can I register my annoyance that none of this was taught in History Class?"
Ayla snorted. "That's Binns for you. He died during a goblin-wizard war, so that's all he drones on about in his classes. I have no idea why Dumbledore or one of the teachers beneath him doesn't exorcise him or move the History classroom away from his hideout."
"It would be that easy." Tracey agreed sourly. "Dumbledore seems to have an aversion to doing the easy and sensible thing when it comes to making things better."
The spell which had been placed on the door pulsed softly, warning of an approach. Harry turned his eyes back down to his book when it roughly slid open, revealing Ron and Hermione.
"Harry, where have you been for the last month?" Hermione asked, staring at the book he was holding. She had diligently followed the order of a communication blackout until the news of Harry's ascension to Lord Black broke out. Dumbledore then had them try to get in contact with him, but their letters had gone unanswered.
Ginny, when asked if she had spoken to him when they met on the platform, had scowled at her and waspishly responded, "He probably knows you've been ignoring him."
Harry ignored her, staring down at his book. "Please, barge right in why don't you?" Daphne asked coolly. "It wasn't as if we were in the middle of a conversation or something."
Ron spoke next. "Harry, why are you sitting with a bunch of Slytherins?"
"I'm a Ravenclaw," Ayla said long sufferingly. Thanks to looking somewhat like Malfoy, people constantly assumed she was in Slytherin.
"I've made new friends," Harry responded flatly. "When I was at my lowest, I got in contact with them, and they gave me much needed support. Support, I should mention, that did not come from you. That is why I'm sitting with them, Ronald."
"But Harry, Dumbledore said-"
"Dumbledore has no authority over what I do outside of school." Harry snapped, glaring at Hermione. "And now that I am emancipated, he has no authority over me, period. Since clearly pleasing him is more important to you than being my friend, do run along and collect your next instructions from him. I'm sure he has many, seeing how he interfered with and micromanaged my life."
"Harry!" Hermione exclaimed. She looked around the room; surely there would be a sign for this inexplicable behaviour on his part. He was sitting with Slytherins! However, none of the girls were moving their lips or had their wands out, and Luna was with him.
Her eyes fell on Daphne's right hand. An elegant looking sapphire ring was sitting on her finger. It looked like an engagement ring. The honey blonde Slytherin noticed her scrutiny, and delicately raised one eyebrow at her.
Harry saw Hermione's face lighting up dangerously, and waved one hand to the right. He had learned a little wandless magic over the summer. The door slammed closed in the twosome's face, and resisted their attempts to reopen it.
"Classy," Ayla snorted.
"I wonder where Gwen is," Harry muttered.
"Probably not far away." Tracey said. "She'll probably save a spot for you at the Gryffindor table."
"I won't be staying in the tower, though. I rented a house in Hogsmeade." Harry recalled.
"Well, you still have to eat," Tracey slapped his shoulder and grinned fondly at him. "And where else would you eat?"
"...The Slytherin table?"
Ayla burst out cackling while Daphne rolled her eyes. "Yeah, that'll help you keep your low profile. The Golden Gryffindor at the Slytherin table. Brilliant!"
"I hate that title. You know that."
"That's not the point right now. The point is that you're putting on a pretense of neutrality. Sitting at our table, as lovely as that would be my fiance, would be very counter intuitive." Daphne lectured him.
Harry let out a small sigh. "I guess you're right." He let out a small chuckle. "It's a good thing I have you girls around. My first plan is always to charge in straight up."
"How very Gryffindor of you," Daphne said teasingly, a rare, warm smile on her face. "It's your best and worst quality, Black. Try to temper it."
**~At the end of the train ride~**
Harry split with his three fiances just before entering the Great Hall, heading towards the Gryffindor table. Sure enough, Guinevere was waiting for him there, waving him down. With a smile, he strode over and sat down next to her, with Lavander Brown and the Patil twins blocking off the nearby seats from Ron and Hermione, who had started his way the moment he entered. While cross table reationships were rare, Padma sat with her sister often enough that it didn't grab attention.
"Tacky, Hermione." Guinevere muttered when the muggleborn went red at the face again. "I can't believe she didn't write to you."
"Well, she already did it once," Harry said with a shrug.
"But she should be smarter than that. She's smart, she shoves that down everyone's throat." Guinevere grumbled. At Harry's puzzled look, his little sister elaborated, "Hermione likes to 'reread' my essays before I submit them. It's extremely frustrating."
"I know!" Lavender exclaimed, her pretty face scrunching up unhappily. "She does that to me too. She treats me like I'm stupid!" Pavarti put a sympathetic hand on her friend's arm while Padma scowled.
"I'm sorry I didn't know about that," Harry said with a frown. "I would have asked her to cut it out."
Lavender smiled. "Don't worry, Harry. We learned how to deal with her. It wouldn't be fair to expect you to deal with all our problems."
Harry blushed slightly, while Guinevere lightly ribbed him about his hero complex. Lavender and Pavarti both giggled about that. Harry then formally apologized to Pavarti about his behaviour during the Yule Ball. "You're a lovely lady, and I should have given you my full attention. I'm sorry."
"Oh, that? Harry, that was two years ago! I'm over it. But thank you nonetheless!" Pavarti said cheerfully.
"I rather wish Ron would apologize," Padma muttered.
"I think he might've, if he was less terrible with girls. You should hear him argue with Hermione," Guinevere said in a conspirator tone.
"We do," Padma deadpanned. "All the time." Pavarti and Lavender both burst into peals of laughter, and even Harry and Gwen couldn't help but grin.
~Line Break~
"Hello, Pansy."
Pansy nearly dropped her plate on the ground at Tracey's voice. She spun around, finding herself face to face with her old childhood friend. Tracey had grown a lot since they were six; she was a beautiful young woman who hadn't spoken much with her since they stopped seeing each other after childhood. Pansy stood frozen, uncertain of how to respond, staring into the eyes of her oldest friend.
"Tracey," She managed eventually, uncertain. She had originally intended to sit with Draco, but he was too busy sulking and lashing out at anyone who had spoken to him. Right now, Draco was glaring bitterly across the hall to where Harry Potter was sitting.
Tracey leaned over, loaded her plate with two scoops of mint, caramel and vanilla ice cream, and smiled tentatively at her. "Is this seat taken?" She asked, lightly nudging the empty chair next to Pansy's. "Daphne's talking with her sister and the Moon siblings."
"I..." Pansy was thrown for a loop. She glanced down at her feet, and in a second shrugged. "O-Okay. Why not? It's not like it's reserved." She finished flippantly, as she pulled her chair out and sat down in it, placing her plate down and putting on some ice cream of her own.
"Thank you," Tracey said softly. She took the seat and sat down next to her. For several minutes, Pansy was afraid of what to say, but Tracey didn't push her for anything. They simply sat in silence, taking in each other's company. It was strange; they hadn't been in a place like this since they were little girls.
It wasn't an unpleasant feeling, like Pansy had initially expected. In fact, it felt fairly nice.
"How have things been going?" Tracey asked softly.
"I..." Pansy uncertainly turned her spoon over between her fingers. "It's been, um..." She bit her lip and hissed slightly, frustrated with herself. "It's been fine."
Tracey blinked at her. "Are you sure? That doesn't sound very fine."
Pansy stared down at her plate. Tracey had always been able to see into her emotions, even after she started learning the tricks of the trade from Sarah. "Well, things have gotten complicated lately, haven't they?" She asked, hoping to redirect the focus of the conversation.
Tracey nodded. "Yup; that can't be denied." She admitted. "Are you scared of what might be coming?"
Pansy's lip twitched, and she was about to fire off a comment about how heiresses never showed fear, Tracey surprised her for the second time in the space of a minute. "I'm a bit scared myself," she said softly.
"You are?" Pansy asked cautiously. She wasn't sure where Tracey was going with this.
"Well, it's going to be a war." Tracey noted. "Wars between two different sides rarely stay just between them. Even if you try to stay out of the way, you end up getting burned." She took another bite of ice cream.
"...I guess I'm a little scared." Pansy admitted. "Father is talking about getting me engaged to Draco. He said the Malfoys would have the clout to keep me safe."
Tracey made a face. "Are you interested in him, Pansy?"
Pansy snorted. "There's not much to be interested in." She said sourly. Her friend snorted and quickly forced more food in when Draco and his guard Goyle both glanced over their way. Once they looked away, Pansy went on, "He's an irritable child who throws tantrums when he doesn't get his way. You should have seen him when he lost a Quidditch match to Weasley."
Tracey snickered. "I think I'm lucky I missed it, given your tone."
Pansy shrugged and forced herself not to chuckle – she already felt a bit more lighthearted. "Well, a few nights with me working my magic on him, I think I'd be able to make him into something some acceptable." Controlling a husband through sex was one of the ways an heiress traditionally gained power.
"That still sounds like a sour future, Pansy." Tracey said.
Pansy snorted. "That's our lot in life, isn't it?"
"Oh, I wouldn't think so," Tracey said with a small, playful smile. Pansy gave her a curious look, and Tracey revealed her hand. Her ring finger had been decorated by a gold ring with a diamond jewel, sophisticated and pretty.
"Good lord!" Pansy exclaimed. "I had no idea you had found someone."
"I was surprised too. Mum brought the whole thing to my attention." Tracey said with a smile. "I met him in July. He was a lovely gentleman to me. He's about as far removed from Draco as it can get."
"Wow." Pansy felt envy flitting across her heart. "Who is it?"
Tracey seemed to think for a moment. Then she pointed her finger across the room, to where Harry Potter was sitting.
Pansy gaped. "You've got to be kidding."
"Apparently, mother arranged the contract with Lily Potter before the woman went into hiding." Tracey explained. "He was very cordial to me."
"He's a Gryffindor!"
"Pansy, you know that doesn't really matter outside of this place," Tracey pointed out, "Unless you're the heir or heiress to the family. When I met him, he was extremely sweet."
Pansy put her head in her hands. "Tracey, being anywhere near him is dangerous. With Voldemort-"
"You mean Tom Riddle?"
Pansy raised her head and looked at her old friend. "What?"
"I guess you haven't read the Quibbler." Tracey smiled. "I recommend you give the most recent chapter a read. It's...quite enlightening."
**~Slytherin Dorm, that night~**
Pansy was sitting by a window, staring down at the paper that had turned the world upside down. Voldemort was a half blood named Tom Riddle? It was so insane she was extremely tempted to write it off as a hoax, but with the man having returned to the living world, only a fool or maniac – possibly both – would mock him like this unless it was true.
There was only one real place where this information could have come from. Harry Potter.
Pansy leaned against the window. Her head was hurting painfully. She had no idea how to react to this information. Her father was a loyal servant to the Dark Lord, and they all shared his hatred of muggleborns and half bloods.
Except he was a half blood. Tom Riddle.
Pansy felt lonesome and confused. Sure, she knew that half bloods could be murderers – Aileen had proven that much with her murder. But why masquerade as a pure blood?
Because they made easy servants. Because they were so full of hate they were easy to mislead.
Pansy swore and hit her head against the stone wall. This confusion was making her head spin. She was uncomfortable and nervous and she didn't like it. She hadn't felt so nervous since...no, she didn't want to think about it. But she couldn't help it. The connection there was obvious.
Does my father know about this? She wondered.
Then she remembered Potter. He had seen her at her aunt's grave. Without thinking, she jumped to her feet and quietly stormed out into the hallway.
End Chapter
A bit shorter than last time, but I hope you all like it!
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