A Snake's Son

Arriving And Intrusions

Soon Harry was getting on into the carriage after kicking out a 2nd year Ravenclaw, the ride up had been bumpy but this time it was somehow worse. The track was slippery as well as full of what felt like pot holes and the whole way Ron was clinging onto the arm rest for dear life. Draco was more pale than usual but still found the strength somewhere to laugh at Ron, Hermione was giggling behind her hand at the two of them.

Harry sat in silence smiling at them and staring out of the window at the passing trees, the snow was beginning to fall again in a whirlwind of white that coated everything in sight with a fine layer of icing sugar. He remembers watching Petunia dusting sugar on the Christmas cake and it was one of the few sweet things he had ever been allowed, his love for sweet things only growing over the years.

Soon they were pulling alongside the station, they collected their bags and made their exit of the carriage. Steam billowed up from the scarlet train, it stood out vividly from the surrounding area, the engine hot enough to melt the snow before it could settle. They walked on and took their seats, taking a compartment that was in between the Slytherins and the Hufflepuff's, for the most part of the journey they sat in silence, Harry however was twitchy. He had gone months without any real combat or any lessons, it was going to do him in soon. Crabbe and Goyle were again sitting by the door again warding almost everyone off from trying to enter the Dark Prince's compartment, well except for the odd resident Gryffindor with no self-preservation instincts at all.

Enter Dean, Seamus and Neville. They seemed to have missed their chance at any of the other carriages and were now looking for somewhere, anywhere, to sit. They just happened to have the worst luck in these situations and chose to try and take the compartment without looking inside first.

"Hey whoever's in here, leave we want this place." Seamus said, it was obvious he thought he was talking to Hufflepuff's. He was of cause the last to look up and when he saw who it was he was talking to he took a stuttering step back but seemed to dredge up some courage from somewhere and stood his ground.

Everything was silent, the they could hear a slow dark chuckle emanating from where Harry was sitting, everyone turned to look at him as he stood up and approached the three at the door. No one expected what came next.

Out of nowhere Harry threw a lightning fast punch strait at Seamus' jaw dislocating it, Seamus reared back in pain howling and clutching his jaw. He now had a minor concussion, Harry drew his other fist back and sent it flying at Seamus' gut causing him to double over coughing and fall back into Dean. The skin on Harry's knuckles had broken, he stood up tall as Seamus fell.

Dean tried to catch him, but when he saw Harrys attention turn towards him he dropped Seamus and tried to defend himself, Harry jabbed him lightly in the throat, lightly enough not to cause any damage but Dean still gasped out and threw himself back. Harry followed him aimed and hit his elbow causing him to let go of the door frame before kicking Seamus in the gut causing him to fly out of the compartment after Dean. Crabbe had the sense to throw their bags out after them and Goyle slammed the door shut. With a sigh Harry walked back to his seat, he felt much calmer more serine. He sat down and smiled, just like that everything went back to how it had been before the intrusion and there was the sound of non-stop chatter all the way back to London, peppered with the occasional grunt from next to the door.

Eventually they pulled into the station and started to unload from the train, Harry had been listening to a Christmas playlist Imperi had sent, eventually he had put the speakers on and they had listened to some of them together, everyone but Hermione seemed transfixed by the different type of music.

Now on the platform it wasn't hard to spot the Malfoys, they stood in a little clearing, dressed in fine robes and Dobby was there by their feet, the bandages had moved but were no less numerous. He immediately began transporting their luggage home for them as they talk.

"How was your term?" Mr Malfoy asked as he gave his son a quick hug. He shook Ron's hand and discreetly bowed his head to Harry.