Chapter 40. Getting Settled

The next day marked the day of departure for my second year. I said my goodbyes to my mother, the only one present to see me off, and made my way inside the train. Opening the door to the compartment, I was met with Draco and Pansy, already inside. We all gave our greetings as the train departed, Pansy and I taking out our books to study. I avoided reading Lockhart’s stories, finding it to be the same dimension as history books. Only discussing what one went through, rather than facts of how things are.

Draco sighed, rolling his eyes. “School hasn’t even begun yet, and you both are already studying like Ravenclaws.” I glanced at Pansy, skimming the Herbology book we would use this year. Unfortunately for me, we had no books on magical beasts (Aside from Lockhart’s stories), and I couldn’t purchase any without my parents hearing of it, so I relinquished myself to study potions on the train ride.

“You never know when this information may come in handy.” I said, beginning to read more of the forgetfulness potion. Draco shrugged, and quietness returned to the train car. Pansy and I continued reading, lost in the pages of our books, until Draco started yelling. “Woah! Look, someone’s flying car is out the window!” He yelled, causing Val to hiss under my robes. “Flying car? That sounds fun!” His love for flying still remained through summer. He slithered to my collar, and stuck his head out barely enough to see outside the window, while keeping himself hidden from Draco.

To my shock, Draco was right. A light blue, old car was flying beside our window. However it wasn’t long until it flew over the roof, and went out of sight again. “What on earth…?” Pansy muttered, just as shocked as I was at this strange event, already happening before school even started. “Who do you think that was?” Draco asked, with a smirk, enjoying the strange sight. “Perhaps it was a late student?” Pansy guessed, and I felt inclined to believe her.

After the train ride, we were left wondering what happened to the flying car, but focused on the carriages we were supposed to ride again to head back to school. I smirked seeing the Thestrals ready to pull each carriage, and placed my belongings in the back of one of the carriages we decided upon. When that was done, I watched as the Thestral bowed to me, and had it calmly lower itself ever so slightly for me to get on its back.

Being near the back, I didn’t draw nearly as much attention as last time, but a few eyes that looked my way, blinked and were rubbed to check if they were seeing things correctly. Including Hermione, who seemed to be alone on this trip. She stood alone, staring at the sight of me sitting on air with a slack jaw. “Potter and Weasley leave you behind?” I asked a bit mockingly, Draco scoffing behind me. Hermione quickly changed from surprise and confusion, to anger and irritation at my snide remark.

“No, if anything I left them behind. They apparently didn’t make the train on time.” She sighed, exasperated from how they managed to get themselves into trouble at any turn. “Is that who was flying that old blue car!? Oh this is brilliant!” Draco laughed, holding his aching stomach. The carriage in front of us began to move, allowing us to go soon, I glanced at Hermione, still holding all of her luggage in her hands.

I then looked behind me to see Hufflepuff students behind us. The most notable was the one with short silver hair that reflected the moon's gaze, sparkling like stars in the night. “You can at least catch a ride with your other friend from Hufflepuff.” I said, pointing at the girl, who suddenly turned to meet my gaze. We stared at each other for a bit, her strange sense of familiarity always confusing me over what about her that gave me that indication. I shook my thoughts away, and patted the Thestral under me to go. It huffed and moved along at a slow pace.

Hermione frowned seeing all the empty space in the carriage Lucas just left with. She didn’t know about the invisible horses that drove these carriages, that was something to investigate later, but seeing how cramped the Hufflepuff carriage was, she was agitated by how Lucas didn’t offer her a ride in the more spacious area. ‘Although, that would mean sitting beside Malfoy…’ She felt disgusted, just imagining it, perhaps this was for the best. The next carriage, Hermione noticed the silver haired friend she had made in her first year. “Chiara!”

Calling out to her, she turned her gaze from the road ahead, and noticed Hermione. She instantly smiled seeing Hermione, and shuffled herself further in to allow for Hermione to climb aboard. After the carriage started moving, and Hermione was finished lightly introducing herself to the other Hufflepuff's, did Chiara finally speak. “W-Where are… Your other friends.” Hermione smiled a bit warmly at Chiara’s nervousness, trying not to overstep herself, or say something that might upset Hermione.

“They’re your friends too, you know?” She smiled seeing Chiara, trying to keep her own smile in check, hearing that she was friends with them. “They both missed the train, and apparently used Ron’s car to get to school instead, no doubt almost dying in the process.” Hermione scoffed with rolled eyes. Chiara was very worried, and began rambling on about who to call for search and rescue, as she never saw them amongst the carriages either. “They could be lost in the woods, I’ve heard… Werewolves roam in those woods, a-and it’s the full moon tomorrow.”

Hermione calmed Chiara down, once again appreciating her gentle and caring nature, despite being so nervous all the time. “They’ll be fine, Hagrid-” Hermione suddenly remembered the night in the forbidden forest. The image of Lucas, holding a dead unicorn in his shaking hands, his empty expression. She was aware that death happened in those woods. “Hermione…?” Chiara asked, getting Hermione out of her thoughts. She shook her head with a smile. “They’ll be fine, if anything they’ll probably beat us there.”

After giving the Thestral that I rode into school a small treat, I got my things, and we entered the school. We all headed into our rooms, and got ourselves settled back in, this time, I had a window in my new room right beside my desk. I set down my trunk, and placed my hand on the window that showcased under the lake, since the Slytherin house was under the ground. I placed my wand on my hand, and let that ringing sound emit from it. It wasn’t long until a massive yellow eye peered in through the window at me. “Abarrane!” Val cheered, slithering down my sleeve, to greet the massive squid that lived inside of the lake here. A friend of mine that I met on my first day at school here.

I let my wand emit that strange ringing, helping me send my emotions over to the massive creature. The glass was so thick that our already hard to understand talks were next to impossible, leaving me only with this. She continued to peer through, raising a tendril to the window to match my hand. Her suckers, tightly attached to the window, almost like she was grabbing at me. She continued to stare at me while I got Val’s tank situated on my desk, and my clothes inside my closet and dresser. I could almost feel her boredom of nothing to do and no one to talk to while I was gone.

I heard knocking back on my door, and opened it up to see Pansy looking into my room with a smile, her gaze locking on the giant yellow eye still peering through my window. She jumped a bit with surprise, but soon relaxed seeing it was Abarrane. “Already excited for your new room?” She asked, walking inside to say hello to Valdemar. I smiled while closing the door. “Indeed, although I can’t speak with her through the glass, it’s nice to see Abarrane more often.” Pansy glanced at Abarrane, waving at her slightly, still a little uneasy with the giant eye looking back at her.

Abarrane tapped on the glass for her own ‘wave’, making me chuckle. “Regardless, are you prepared for our first class tomorrow?” Pansy asked with a grin, making me nervous. “Is it Herbology?” I asked with dread, unhappy with that class, and it's sometimes disgusting, sharp, and pointy plants. Pansy’s grin grew as she nodded.