The Black Family Legacy

Tensions on the Train

"Cygnus, why are you sitting with Malfoy?" George asks, confused.

"Watch your tone with my cousin you filthy blood traitor." Draco snarls, protectively standing in front of Cygnus, who is curled in the window seat.

"Oi watch it, I don't care if she's your cousin, she's my best friend. And she hasn't returned my letters all summer and now she's sitting with you instead of us and I'm wondering if that's still true." George says angrily.

Draco glares at the red headed boy.

"Cygnus, are we friends or not?" George asks again, making the girl flinch.

"Georgie." She says softly, looking up at him. "I'm so sorry."

He makes a face of disgust and stomps off down the train corridor, missing the tears that start to fall down the girl's cheeks.

"Cygnus." Draco sighs, running a hand through his hair.

"Let me be." She says sadly, turning to look out the window again.

Commodore swoops into the compartment, having finished his hunt, and immediately weasels his way into the knot of Cygnus' limbs, making her smile sadly.

"What a funny bird you are, Commodore." She laughs, and he rubs his beak affectionately across her nose.

The owl makes her sit straight, cooing with delight when she yawns.

"You know you don't have to-"

"It's safer for all of us this way, Draco." She says, holding up a hand to pause him.

"Safer perhaps, but you're miserable." He says pointedly. Commodore hops nimbly onto Cygnus' knee, nuzzling her hand.

"Not completely." She murmurs, smiling at her owl's antics.

"I don't want to see you turn into my mother." Draco sighs, taking the seat across from her.

"I won't." She assures him, looking up at him from under a curtain of dark curls.

"You promise?" He asks.

"I promise." She nods.

The ride passes in mostly silence.

"Anything from the trolley, dears?" The kindly lady asks, and Cygnus squeals in delight, selecting a few toffees, chocolate frogs, and a box of Bertie Bott's every flavour beans. Draco shakes his head and purchases two Lick'O'Rish Spiders and a single Cauldron Cake before settling back into his spot.

"See you've yet to lose your sweet tooth." He comments, gnawing on one of the spider's legs.

"I'll never lose my sweet tooth." She says solemnly, unwrapping a golden toffee.

The two share a few more laughs before the silence resettles, punctured only by the sounds of cellophane and the croak of confectionary amphibians.