The Snow Fox

Scolding's and Snares

A week later, Venus found herself back in the comfort of the Hogwarts Express, pulling up her luggage and waving to her parents.

"Have a good ride Darling! We'll see you for break!"

"We love you Snowflake!"

Her parents called, a small snowflake hitting the ravenette girl on the nose after her father blew one her way, making a small fleck in his hand. Venus entered the train and waved to the curly haired girl across the aisle who was being followed by a brunette boy.

"Willow! Ethan!"

"Hey girl!" The dark haired girl called back, hugging her. "This one's open!" She called, stepping into a cart and throwing her luggage up on the shelf.

"Our second year, I can't believe it!"

"I know it's crazy!" Ethan replied sitting down across from both girls.

The three friends chatted the ride away until the Trolley Lady rolled past their cart.

"She must've missed us." Willow said, pressing her hand up against the window. "I just wanted a chocolate frog."

"And some fudge flies" Ethan chimed in.

"Here I'll go after her, take this-" Venus handed her book to the dirty blonde boy and slid open the compartment door. She looked down both sides of the corridor and saw the Trolley Lady further down the lane to her right and walked to meet her.

"Excuse me." She said, smiling kindly at the woman. "You accidentally missed the compartment me and my friends are in and we'd really like some sweets."

The Trolley Lady smiled widely in return and walked back down the aisle with her. Another door, farther down the row behind them slid open with a loud Clack. A blonde head of hair was spotted and Venus quickly ducked back into her compartment with a chocolate frog in each hand.

"What's wrong?"

"Hide me!" Venus whisper shouted before pulling her robes over her head to hide her face.

Draco appeared, talking to the Trolley lady as Crab and Goyle picked out some sweets.

"Willow?" she heard his voice say from the outside of the compartment.

"DRACO! HI, HEY!" Her friend stalled, Ethan sliding next to her to block their friend from view.

Smooth guys. Venus sarcastically said to herself. Real smooth.

Either the boys noticed she was hiding or her friend's tactics actually worked because the three Slytherin boys actually left the compartment, letting Willow exhale in exhaustion.

"Girl. You better start talking to him because I don't know how much longer I can keep buying you time like this."

"Ok I'll start."

"I heard you two got here in a weird way." Venus said, eyeing Harry and Ron after they appeared late to the start of term feast. "How did you manage a flying car with all the Muggles?"

"We didn't." Harry said, rubbing the back of his neck. "We were spotted."

Her mouth gaped out.

"By how many?! Oh my goodness! All of the paperwork the Ministry must have to do!" she cried.

Her friends laughed at her reaction as she smacked both boys lightly on the heads.

"Be more careful! You're going to get yourselves killed!"

Hermione nodded from beside her at the scolding the boys were receiving from the girl.

After thoroughly getting their ears scolded off, it didn't help that the next day Ron received a Howler from his mother. It erupted in the Great Hall causing a commotion at breakfast and many witnesses to laugh. Venus shook her head at the sight and giggled to herself as the letter shredded itself in front of the redheaded boy. She took her things, letting Crystal finish her scone remains and walked to Herbology. She recognized the Devils Snare form the year before waiting on the same window sill as always.

Venus gazed at the plant lovingly and let it curl around her finger tightly as if remembering who she was and relaxing it's grip when it remembered.

"Aren't you a cute Devil's Snare." She cooed.

"It seems we have Herbology together again...Ice Princess."

"Malfoy." She said half heartedly, nodding her head and avoiding the boy. She saw Pansy grin from the corner of her eye and drag the boy away. Venus felt her heartstrings tug but she remembered the girl's words and kept her distance from the boy.

"What the hell?" Draco cursed looking at Crab and Goyle. "That wasn't normal was it?"