Traitor: A Draco Malfoy Story

seven

I wandered back through the train, trying not to appear visibly shaken, hating the fact that he had gotten to me. I cursed myself for not taking acting classes last year and learning a British accent. I stuck out like a sore thumb just by the way I spoke.

I had been glancing briefly into all the compartments looking for Jenna, and when I finally found her I slipped into the compartment and breathed a sigh of relief when I slid the door closed behind me.

"Hey, you okay?" Jenna asked, concern darkening her smile.

"Yeah," I lied, trying to sound happy. "Just been a long day." Beyond the truth in that last statement. I was getting increasingly overwhelmed by the world that Dumbledore had dumped me into, and I felt more unsafe now that I was aware of the danger than I had before. But I guess that's the way life goes.

Jenna nodded in understanding. "Well, this is Ashton Geller." She gestured at the other girl in the compartment. Ashton's long, straight blonde hair fell to almost to her waist and she looked up at me through huge round glasses.

"Hi!" she chirped. "I heard you're new! Any idea what house you'll be put in?"

I chuckled awkwardly. "If I'm being completely honest, I don't know much about this school at all. Headmaster Dumbledore just kind of said, 'Hey, come to our school' like a day ago, and now I'm here. So what's a house?"

Jenna and Ashton looked at me with wide eyes. "Dumbledore asked you to come to Hogwarts personally?" Ashton stared.

I shrugged. "Is that not normal?"

"Babe, nothing about you being here is normal," laughed Jenna. "It's okay though. We'll get you accustomed to Hogwarts."

"A house is like your family for your entire schooling at Hogwarts," Ashton explained. "You get sorted at the beginning of your education here, and you stay in that house until you graduate."

Jenna continued, "There's Gryffindor, they're all about bravery and chivalry. There's Hufflepuff, they're loyal, kind, and hard-working. Don't let people tell you that they're pansies--they'll beat your ass when they need to," she laughed.

"There's Ravenclaw, that's me," beamed Ashton. "We're focused on intelligence and wit." Jenna's comment from before made sense now, and I had to admit, it was pretty funny.

"And the best for last: Slytherin," said Jenna proudly. "We're cunning and ambitious--and the best house."

Ashton and I laughed, and Jenna said, "You know it's true!" Then laughed along with us. I caught a glimpse of blond hair passing by the compartment and sneered at him, and his face would have appeared disinterested if not for the glare that boiled in his eyes.

Ashton looked at me quizzically, but she didn't mention anything. Jenna remained oblivious to the situation, continuing to chat about Hogwarts.

The train pulled into Hogsmeade Station, and the three of us stood to collect our belongings before we got off. I waved hello to Hagrid, who greeted me with a "So glad you made it!" before calling the first years to him. "Follow the other fifth years, Miss Beckett."

"That's us!" Jenna called, waving at me. I ran up to them, clearing the distance and coming to stand next to a beautiful black open carriage being pulled by a...I didn't even know what it was. It looked like a horse of death, black and gaunt, yet elegant and almost fragile. I was taken aback by its beauty and stood in awe, looking at it.

"What's wrong?" Ashton asked, concern seeping into her voice.

"I've never seen anything like it."

"Do they not have carriages in America?"

I turned to look at her. "What? No, the creature. It's the most beautiful thing I've ever seen."

Ashton and Jenna looked at each other. "What creature?" Jenna asked.

"The...death horse thing," I tried to explain. "That's pulling the carriage."

"These carriages pull themselves, Azalea. Always have. Since my first day at Hogwarts, and my brother's first day at Hogwarts." Jenna looked at me quizzically. Her facial features relaxed when a boy with the same jet black hair came walking up to our carriage. "Speaking of," she gestured to the boy. "This is my brother, Ethan. He's a sixth year."

"Hi, nice to meet you," Ethan smiled.

"I'm Azalea, nice to meet you too," I said. His eyebrows raised at my voice. I sighed. This was going to happen a lot.

"Love the accent, ya damn Yankee," he grinned.

"Hey, now," I laughed, and we shook hands.

I looked up and saw a castle in the distance, towers speckled around the building, and turrets reaching up to touch the stars. It was breathtaking.

"First death horses, now a castle? This is insane," I breathed.

"They're thestrals, actually," Ethan said, his voice low. "They can only be seen by people who have witnessed death. Most wizards and witches don't know they exist or don't believe they do."

"Have you? Witnessed death, I mean," I asked.

He scratched the back of his neck uncomfortably. "Yeah. Quidditch accident at World's practice. I went to go see a friend play and a teammate got hit in the head with a Bludger. Knocked him from his broom and he fell 50 feet. They caught him with a spell, but the Bludger had killed him already."

I had no idea what 'Quidditch' or 'Bludger' was, but I felt his pain deep within. "I'm so sorry, that must have been awful."

"It was." He sighed. "What about you?"

"That's the thing," I said. "I don't think I ever have. I feel like that's something you would remember. And I don't remember."

Ethan's eyebrows furrowed. "Yeah, it probably would be. That is strange."

The carriage drove up to the front gates of the school and through them, taking us to the front steps. I jumped out, grabbing Gemini's cage which had been placed on the back of the carriage, and took it over to a pile of other animals by the great front door.

Before I had time to take in any of the surrounding architecture, a crisp Scottish voice called out, "Miss Beckett?"

I looked up and saw a witch in black and green robes and a tall pointy hat. "That's me."

"Please come with me, dear."

I glanced at Jenna, Ashton, and Ethan, shrugging. "Catch up with you guys later, I guess. You'll have to show me around!"

With that, I turned towards the woman and followed her through the massive wooden front door of Hogwarts.