Slytherin Army [HP]

27. Pink for the Worst

Cyndee was last into the compartment, and she reported, "Malfoy and Parkinson are the prefects this year."

Drew and Blaise groaned. Wilby let out a polite but disapproving "hmm okay".

"Snape loves them too much," Cyndee agreed sadly.

"I would've preferred Torch," Drew complained. "I honestly would've. The worst he'd do is nothing."

"Or make everyone fix their hair," Blaise pointed out as the train pulled out of the station, "but that would be a great service."

"Did you bring a game?" Drew asked Wilby, knowing full well the answer will be yes.

He blinked. "Er, I don't think so."

The other three inhabitants of the train compartment gaped at him. Even Blaise, who'd been occupied with glaring at a microscopic piece of lint on his sweater vest, looked up with astonishment.

Growing uncomfortable at their stares, Wilby opened his trunk and dug through it until he found a pack of playing cards. He proffered it to them, "Poker?"

"Yeah," Drew said slowly, eyeing him weirdly as she took the cards. "I'll deal."

She shuffled then gave everyone two cards facedown, purposely giving herself an Ace-Jack starting hand.

Wilby didn't even notice. Strange, since she was sure it's exactly what he did whenever they played poker, and he'd see if someone else did it too.

She put three face up in the middle and noted how he did not bother to do a poker face when he looked at his hole cards.

"What's wrong?" Drew asked finally, not able to take it anymore. "You're acting weird."

Wilby blinked, and all three of them saw the mask that slipped into place. He shook his head, laughing slightly, "I'm fine."

And his smile was bright. It lit his entire face. It was every bit genuine.

But when Drew paid more attention, she could tell it was too tight on one side. And his eyes were just a little too wide, depicting a false innocence.

"I'm serious," she said, frowning. "What's wrong? Are you still thinking about the Death Eater?"

His grin fell flat, "Yeah. And I know, I'm getting obsessed, but I can't help it. Sorry for killing the mood."

"It's okay," Cyndee said gently, "nobody blames you."

"I'll try to stop," he promised. "And you were all right that we honestly can't do much, and that Trelawney's prediction might not mean anything."

"We'll still help," Drew vowed. "Whenever I have free time I'll be helping you find information."

He nodded, and the mood seemed down forever until Blaise coughed, "I may have brought something too."

Cyndee tilted her head, "A...game? You?"

"Chambers and Chimaeras," he announced, pulling it out of his trunk. "And if I hear anyone let out so much as a giggle I will kill everyone on the train."

"I can appreciate that threat," Drew nodded, fighting to keep her face straight along with everyone else. "We will play this Dungeons and Dragons ripoff."

* ° * ° *

The Sorting Hat's song had a warning, which only served to amp up the tension everyone felt for the first Welcome Feast after Cedric's death.

Hagrid was missing for some reason, and there was a new teacher, too. Drew didn't want to make judgements, but the woman resembled a pink humanoid Trevor the toad.