(Coeus Black - PoV)

"If you two are done smirking at each other, we probably should go ahead and move some of those books?" Daphne suggests. "I am sure Draco will stop by for a visit at some point."

Oh, that is a fair point.

Hermione busies herself with the book pile while I look around the compartment.

"You know, this actually works out perfect. Draco will fit fine, but there is no way Crabbe and Goyle will be able to join as well."

Daphne and Phoebe both nod.

"Is that good?" Iris asks. "Do you not like them?"

I lift my hand and wiggle it.

"It's not that I don't like them, per se, it's just that Draco tends to get way more annoying when they are around, thinks he has to show off. And they think they have to agree with everything he says, no matter how stupid."

"That sounds like it would create a rather bad feedback loop," Hermione says as she stuffs her books into her trunk.

I nod.

"Yeah, pretty much. S-"

The door slams open, and a small brown-haired girl dives into the compartment, somehow slamming the door closed behind her with her foot.

She shimmies into the free space opened up by the recently cleared away books.

Looking at her, I can't help but frown.

I don't recognize her, but something seems...

The girl finally takes a good look at us and does a double-take.

"Wait, Coeus?!" she says.

I sigh.

"Dora. Who are you hiding from this time?"

I would ask how she found us, but it seems she didn't mean to. I suspect the Express is playing games.

Before she can reply the door is slammed open again, this time by a tall, stuffy-looking Hufflepuff with a couple of badges displayed prominently on his chest.

He glances around the compartment, eyeing each of us carefully.

"Did any of you see a girl come through here just now?" he asks.

Not much of a description to go on. But then he can't exactly get more specific with Dora, can he?

"Yes," Hermione answers, drawing his attention.

"A girl threw the door open but saw we were full and kept going. And could you people stop slamming the doors, please? That cannot be good for them."

She really has the nagging voice down pat.

The Hufflepuff frowns and looks over the compartment once more before leaving, closing the door (somewhat more gently) behind himself.

Dora looks over at Hermione.

"Not bad," she compliments.

Hermione raises an eyebrow.

"I don't suppose there is a reason that he could not recognize the person he is looking for?"

Dora chuckles, standing from her seat.

"It is I, the wonderful, the talented, the amazing, Dora! Tonks! Black!" she announces, spinning around several times, while rapidly shifting her shape, features, hair, and colors.

Eventually, a twin of Hermione sits down next to her.

I roll my eyes, while Iris gives a couple of claps, before stopping once no one else joins in.

Don't encourage her Iris.

"I'm a Metamorph," Dora clarifies, seeing Hermione still staring at her.

Hermione nods slowly, her eyes straying towards her trunk.

"I, don't think I have read about those yet?"

Dora shrugs.

"We are pretty rare. I doubt there are a hundred of us known in the world right now, though it is obviously rather hard to keep track."

She smirks, shifting into a copy of Phoebe, then Iris, before returning to the generic form she entered with.

Hermione nods.

"I can see how that would be difficult, yes."

She opens her mouth to ask more questions, but I interrupt. It's my turn!

"You never did answer me earlier," I say, drawing Dora's attention. "What did you do to," I wave my hand at the door, "whoever that was."

Dora smiles.

"Oh, you can call him Eddy. He's this year's head boy."

Dora leans back, lounging in her seat, and throws an arm over Hermione's shoulder.

The brown-haired girl doesn't quite seem to know how to deal with this.

"He sent me a letter over the summer. I might have a wee bit of a reputation as a trouble maker, can you imagine?"

Daphne and I snort, with Daphne as embarrassed as ever by the action.

"Anyhow, after he found out he got the position, he decided it was his responsibility to try to reign me in I guess?" She rolls her eyes. "Yadda yadda, dignity of the house, respect of the group, etcetera etcetera."

Dora shrugs.

"So I mailed him back a congratulations gift of underwear and said that I- err," she pauses her story, suddenly reconsidering for some reason. "Well, I may have implied that I liked him, and suggested he wear them when term starts."

I stare at her for several moments.

"And he actually bought that?" I ask.

I mean, really? He trusted Dora?

Also, underwear? Underwear?

"He is pretty easy to manipulate," she explains. "And you know I can be quite sly when I want to," she says.

Unfortunately true...

"Also, he's a guy, and getting rather desperate for some...uh...friendly attention? Anyway, he should have been right in the middle of his speech to the prefects when his underwear disappeared, leaving him commando in front of his peers."

She smirks.

"No one could actually see anything, of course, but he has a shit poker face so I am certain they knew something was up. So, as soon as he finished he made an excuse to leave and came after me, and now here we are."

She waves an arm, the one not around Hermione, and I shake my head.

"And he can't even get you in trouble for it either," Phoebe says.

We all look at her.

"Not without admitting that you tricked him in the first place, which just makes him look even worse."

Dora's smirk widens.

Why is she in Hufflepuff with people like him again?

"Annnnnnyhow. Little ones, glad to see you so soon, you too Daphne," she nods to the blonde witch beside her.

"And Hermione girl," she squeezes the stiff witch on her other side, "nice to meet you, and thanks for the save, but I'm afraid I have to jet for the moment."

Dora stands and stretches significantly further than possible for normal humans, her arms reaching most of the way across the compartment.

"You lot know how it is. New year, lots of new people to mess with and old people to get vengeance upon."

I nod.

"Watch out for Forge," Phoebe warns, "they have a giant spider with them."

"Do they now?" Dora's expression is devious. "Because I have an old friend Dr. Filibuster heh heh heh..." she does a weird evil laugh/chuckle while patting her pockets.

The laugh just doesn't work with her current form.

Perhaps realizing this, she shakes her head and stands up.

"Right, you midgets have fun. Don't do anything I wouldn't do!"

"That's a short list," I comment, but she ignores me and is already halfway out the compartment.

The door quickly slams shut behind her.

Hermione frowns.

"She did that on purpose, didn't she?"

"Without a doubt," I confirm.

Hermione glares at the door, undoubtedly plotting revenge.

Which, actually, might be rather bad.

Damnit Dora.

"So, what did you think of our older sister?" I ask our newest companion.

Brown eyes turn to look at me with barely hidden disdain.

Right, stupid question, I knew that.

Just needed your attention.

I sigh, rubbing the back of my head.

"Yeah, I know, she can be a bit much. She always has our backs when we need it though, you know? Reliable when it counts."

A head of brown hair (really, what's with all the brown?) tilts to the side.

She...she doesn't know, does she?

It's my turn to frown.

"Do you have any siblings? Any really close relatives?" I ask.

She stares at me for several seconds before slowly shaking her head no, unhappy to make the admission.

My eyes dart towards Iris for a moment before returning.

"Do you have...anyone?" I ask.

She glares at me.

"I have my parents, I'll have you know!" she claims.

But it's all wrong.

It's just her mask talking, she tells a different story.

"Do you?" I ask, catching her off guard.

Her eyes widen.

The mask cracks.

"Of...of course I d-do! What k-kind of question is that!"

Phoebe gives me a slight prompt, so I lean forward slightly, keeping our gazes locked.

"I don't believe you," I tell her.

Leaning away from me, she blinks.

*Rap* *Rap* *Rap*

We are interrupted by someone knocking at the compartment door.

It slides open to reveal Draco and his accessories.

"Hi Draco," Phoebe greets him before he can open his mouth, "You are welcome to join us, but we don't have room for your boyfriends, sorry."

He sputters, trying to reply.