Pheonix

The Hogwarts Express

There was a definite end-of-the-holidays gloom in the air when Asura awoke the next morning. Heavy rain was still splattering against the window as she got dressed in jeans and a teacher.

She had been staying at Malfoy Manor for the few weeks. The only person she had talked to was Draco. She went with him after the commotion at the world cup, no place was safer.

She hadn't talked to Harry at all since he left, the guilt almost made her through up. She had become the right-hand woman to his worst enemy. How would she ever be able to look him in the eye again?

"Drayyy, " she whined.

"Yeeaaahhhh, " he mocked.

"What time are we leaving?" Carrying on the tone.

"We could go now, got nothing better to do."

"Okay."

They both gathered their stuff and flooed to the station. They parted ways with a hug as Asura went searching for the familiar redheads. Eventually, she found them just as they were saying goodbye to each other.

"I might be seeing you all sooner than you think," said Charlie, grinning, as he hugged Ginny good-bye.

"Why?" said Asura asked confused.

The Weasleys jumped at the new voice but carried on anyway.

"You'll see," said Charlie. "Just don't tell Percy I mentioned it. . . it's 'classified information, until such time as the Ministry sees fit to release it,' after all. "

"Yeah, I sort of wish I was back at Hogwarts this year," said Bill, hands in his pockets, looking almost wistfully at the train.

"Why?" said George impatiently.

"You're going to have an interesting year," said Bill, his eyes twinkling. "I might even get time off to come and watch a bit of it. "

"A bit of what?" said Ron.

But at that moment, the whistle blew, and Mrs Weasley chivvied them toward the train doors.

The pistons hissed loudly and the train began to move as George bellowed, "Tell us what's happening at Hogwarts!"

But Mrs Weasley only smiled and waved. Before the train had rounded the corner, she, Bill, and Charlie had Disapparated.

The group went to find a compartment.

Eventually, they found Brook in her compartment by herself and they all invited themselves in.

Brook and Asura made eye contact as the others all sat down. It said everything that could never be said out loud. It was a look that brought a sense of calmness over the girls.

"Bagman wanted to tell us what's happening at Hogwarts," he said grumpily, sitting down next to Harry. "At the World Cup, remember? But my own mother won't say. Wonder what -"

"Shh!" Hermione whispered suddenly, pressing her finger to her lips and pointing toward the compartment next to theirs. They listened and heard a familiar drawling voice drifting in through the open door.

". . . Father actually considered sending me to Durmstrang rather than Hogwarts, you know. He knows the headmaster, you see. Well, you know his opinion of Dumbledore - the man's such a Mudblood-lover - and Durmstrang doesn't admit that sort of riffraff. But Mother didn't like the idea of me going to school so far away. Father says Durmstrang takes a far more sensible line than Hogwarts about the Dark Arts. Durmstrang students actually learn them, not just the defence rubbish we do. . . . "

Brook and Asura rolled their eyes in sync as they heard the obvious lie coming out of the young boy's mouth.

"Just saying, i spent the last couple of weeks at the manor and Lucy hasn't said a word on it, " Asura whispered.

The rest giggled.

The rain became heavier and heavier as the train moved farther north. The sky was so dark and the windows so steamy that the lanterns were lit by midday. The lunch trolley came rattling along the corridor, and Brook bought a large stack of Cauldron Cakes for them to share.

"We saw him right up close, as well," said Ron. "We were in the Top Box -"

"For the first and last time in your life, Weasley. "

Draco had appeared in the doorway. Behind him stood Crabbe and Goyle, his enormous, thuggish cronies, both of whom appeared to have grown at least a foot during the summer. Evidently, they had overheard the conversation through the compartment door, which Dean and Seamus had left ajar.

"Don't remember asking you to join us, Malfoy," said Harry coolly.

"Boys, " Asura warned, "behave before i shove you both in a broom cupboard and lock it."

"We have wands Asura, " Draco pointed out.

"You're testing your look Draco, " Asura responded in the same tone, " besides, remember what i told you a few weeks ago, be nice."

Draco just huffed in defeat and left.

"You always cease to amaze me, you know?" Hermione said bewildered.

"I have a talent with people, been dealing with them for a very long time."

Finally, the Hogwarts Express pulled into its destination of Hogsmead station.

As the train doors opened, there was a rumble of thunder overhead. Hermione bundled up Crookshanks in her cloak and Ron left his dress robes over Pigwidgeon as they left the train, heads bent and eyes narrowed against the downpour. The rain was now coming down so thick and fast that it was as though buckets of ice-cold water were being emptied repeatedly over their heads.

"Oooh, I wouldn't fancy crossing the lake in this weather," said Brook fervently, shivering as they inched slowly along the dark platform with the rest of the crowd.

A hundred carriages pulled by thestrals awaited them outside of the station, Asura tried not to think about the reason why no one else could see the beautiful creature but she could but she still managed too. It had become a routine of sorts.

With a lurch, the carriage made their way up to Hogwarts castle.