Rise of the Death Eaters [3]

Chapter 8: Umbridge

"You're joking," Theodore Nott said as he glanced back at the train platform. "She's here?"

The Hogwarts Express had arrived on schedule to Hogsmead and students were beginning to file out of the train to the horseless* carriages.

The Slytherin clan made up of the fifth years Draco, Pansy, Crabbe, Goyle, Blaise, and Nott had just exited the train as Draco mentioned seeing Ava in passing. And like Draco, Nott couldn't believe his ears.

"What do you reckon happened for her to be here?" Nott was at Draco's shoulder as Pansy pushed off a few timid second years from one of the carriages.

"Your choice—bugger off or get a detention," Pansy said rather viciously to one of the only second years in the group with a backbone. The boy gave her a nasty look before retreating with the rest of his friends.

"Easy there, Pansy," Blaise commented before dodging past her and into the carriage in question. Crabbe and Goyle followed while Nott and Draco looked back expectantly at the crowd of students leaving the train.

What? Did they seriously want another glimpse of her? Pansy thought in a silent rage. Unlike Nott, Pansy's reaction to Ava's reappearance was of underlining dread. You didn't have to be smart to know where Ava Fountaine ranked on the tedium pole in Slytherin house.

As if bringing her into being, Ava, followed by her usual crew of Sam, the Weasley girl, an unrecognizable Hufflepuff and the Potter clan exited one of the train cars and started for the carriages.

That bitch. Even with the frumpy Hogwarts uniform she still managed to look put together like those French girls. Pansy couldn't pin it exactly but if she had a guess, it was something to do with the way Ava wore her oxford button up. Or maybe it was her hair.

"Any day now Pansy."

Pansy turned away to find her friends were waiting on her in the carriage. Straightening up, Pansy hastened to them, making a mental note to try Ava's oxford fold the next morning.

Over by Ava's group, Hermione went off searching for a leftover carriage while Ron and Harry stood together with Neville nearby. They were remarking on not seeing Hagrid. Luna was in her own world, with her wand tucked behind her ear, her face covered in the upside-down copy of the quibbler.

How she managed to walk while reading was beyond Ava.

While Ella and Ginny walked together along with a few fellow fourth year Gryffindors, Sam kept a very close stride with me.

"What do you mean it's nothing?" Sam questioned, trying to make eye contact. "You go one day hating his guts to the next borderline flirting with him."

"I was not flirting—" I said with a scoff, but my smile was too large to hide. "Besides, I told you it meant nothing because of the whole family thing. I'm so used to having to call him Draco at home around both of our families that it's kind of become one and the same in everyday life."

Judging by the side eye Sam gave me as we joined in on the carriage, she did not believe a word of what I said. But at least Sam had the decency to not make a scene in front of the others.

The entrance hall was blazing with torch light as we exited the carriages and made for the great hall. The sight of the castle up close reminded me of the evening the Beauxbatons carriage landed and the group of us lined up in preparation for our entrances. That was almost a year ago.

Shaking the thought out of my mind, I followed Sam into the Great Hall where four long house tables were being filled under a starless black ceiling. Candles continued to float above our heads, a staple for Hogwarts, illuminating house ghosts that glided in the walk ways. Students were looking up as we entered, making me pause for a moment in step.