Lucy Snape and the Half-Blood Princess (Book Six)

The Jarvin family

Chapter 27: The Jarvin family 

The Hogwarts express thundered along the tracks back to King's cross with many students talking excitedly about Christmas break. They couldn't wait to get home and see their families and enjoy the long awaited holiday.

Sat in one of the compartments were Lucy and Matt. They were sat opposite each other, Lucy was staring out the window in awe while Matt watched her carefully as if someone was going to harm her. He'd heard about what had happened when Zuc had captured her on the train and although her father was on board he wasn't taking any risks.

He knew now that Lucy was a fighter and may be able to defend herself but Matt just wouldn't let anything happen to her. He was even adgitated and alert when he heard people run past their compartment as if they were going to come in and attack her.

Finally he plucked up the courage to speak. "Lucy." He said and Lucy faced him, taking one last glance out of the window before she looked at him properly.

"Yes?" She wondered, as though offended he had interrupted her while she was looking at the marvellous view.

"I want to apologise for making a fool of you last night," he replied. The train went over a bump, startling them both before they regained focus.

"Why are you apologising? Everything went fine last night."

"No," Matt shook his head. "Everything didn't 'go fine' ," he made little quotation marks with his hands. "I got drunk and showed you up. I mean, I was the one who's supposed to be helping you scare off the press for a bit! Then I went and got drunk...I don't know what got into me."

"It's okay," Lucy shook her head. "Besides, it was nice seeing Draco getting the slap he deserved."

The two of them laughed as a second year Ravenclaw opened the glass door to their compartment. "A paper for you, Sir?" He asked, holding up the Daily Prophet. Matt studied the front of it and saw an article on Lucy and her dress.

"Yes please," Matt dug in his trouser pocket and pulled out some coins. The boy handed him the paper and Matt gave him the money.

"Thank you," the second year smiled and then bowed at Lucy before leaving swiftly to the next compartment.

"Why did you buy that? I can just steal the issues off of my dad for free," Lucy grinned. "Considering he knows you now I don't think he'd have a problem."

Matt looked up from reading the article. "Of course he knows me, what are you on about?"

"I told him last night that we were really going out," Lucy shrugged and looked out of the window again.

Matt looked at her in disgust. "You what?!"

Lucy gave him a stern look. "Calm down, crazy. He was fine with it, he didn't even bat an eyelid."

Matt lowered the paper, he was in shock. "What in the world is going on...I'm trapped in an alternate universe aren't I?"

Lucy smiled then stood up and sat next to him, he put an arm around her and let her see the paper. She looked at the front page and saw herself. "What have I done to upset the press now?"

"You haven't," Matt pointed to a paragraph overflowing with compliments about Lucy and her dress. He then began to read it aloud. "Lucy Snape looked absolutely stunning last night in a turquoise dress. She definitely took into account the theme of the party. It just shows although you're a fighter — as she has now discovered, turn to page three for more details — you can still look amazing in such a simple dress."