Chapter 7: The journey back to Hogwarts.

Lucy awoke the next morning to find Angus purring at her impatiently, and she knew the reason why; Snape was about to have a moan at her for not getting up. She gasped and leapt out of bed quickly then began getting changed as quickly as she could.

"Lucy! Are you up?" Snape called in annoyance.

"Yes, I'm up!" She called back as she slipped on a cardigan.

"You better have your trunk packed, otherwise you'll be returning to Hogwarts with nothing, so hurry up."

Lucy looked at her trunk that was empty and then frantically began to stack all her books in there, as well as all her clothing and everything else she wished to take. Including the tale of the knights. But then she looked sadly at Angus.

"I'm afraid you'll have to go into your cage," Lucy gestured to the grey box that Angus seemed to think was his naughty corner. "I promise I'll get you out on the train." This time Angus looked a little more convinced so he trotted into his cage and gave Lucy an innocent look.

She grabbed Angus' cage just as Snape walked in, holding his briefcase in one hand and the daily prophet in another.

"Are you ready to head off?" Snape asked as his eyes darted towards Angus who didn't seem too pleased that Snape had entered Lucy's room, he was like Lucy's personal body guard.

"I'm ready," she agreed and Snape stepped over to her, placed the prophet under his arm and grabbed her trunk, he heaved it down the stairs while Lucy carried Angus' cage with ease. "Will we be apparating to King's cross?"

"Even if floo powder were an option we'd still be apparating from now on," Snape replied and held out his arm for her to take, she took it gladly at the two were whisked off to an alleyway just down by the side of King's cross. Lucy realised that this would be the first time that Snape would be escorting her to the Hogwarts train and to be honest, she felt a lot safer now that she had some real company.

"I presume you know how to get to Platform nine and three quarters?" Snape whispered in her ear as they carried their lugguage to Platform's nine and ten as muggles stared at the man in billowing robes.

"Yes, I know. But it'll be nice to finally have someone I know with me this time," she smiled and Snape turned away awkwardly but Lucy didn't seem to be aware of that.

Snape shoved his newspaper in his briefcase then held onto Lucy's trunk. "I'll meet you on the other side."

"Sure..." Lucy whispered, feeling a little disappointed.

"What's wrong?"

"I was just wondering if maybe...we could go together?" She gave Snape a hopeful look and he nodded.

"Well, of course."

He placed Lucy's trunk down on a trolley, as well as his briefcase and with one hand he steered the trolley and with the other he held on to Lucy's hand. He gave her a nod, then the two ran towards the barrier when no muggles were looking.

They made it onto Platform nine and three quarters very suddenly and while Snape struggled with the lugguage, Lucy ran off towards a girl with brown shoulder length hair and it took Snape a few moments to realise who is was; Shona McGuire.

He hadn't missed the girl at all and wished that he could see a lot less of her, but unfortunately Lucy had become friends with the girl and he couldn't simply tear her away from her social life just because her friends annoyed her.

" — So I managed to bury those troll faces in the garden, how cool is that?" Shona grinned as she spoke to Lucy confidently. Snape ignored them as he stepped onto the train and placed Lucy's trunks on one of the overhead racks but kept hold of his briefcase.

"Lucy," Snape called suddenly and she looked up. "I'm going to stay on the train, I'll see you soon."

"Bye, dad!" Lucy waved and Shona shuddered.

"Thank goodness he isn't your real dad, who's want him as a parent?"

"I think he's pretty nice, at least he saved me from being homeless. And ask yourself this, where would I be without him?" Lucy sighed as the two got on the train themselves and found a compartment.

"You could of got someone better than that! Besides, I'm sure living in a bin was quite comfortable — "

"Shona!"

Lucy slid the compartment door shut then placed Angus' cage next to her on her seat, while Shona sat opposite and looked out the window and stared at all the parents waving to their children as the Hogwarts train began to leave the station.

"What's with the cage?" Shona asked suddenly, still staring out the window.

"Oh, I've got a cat — " Lucy opened the door of the cage and pulled out a rather grumpy Angus, who didn't seem to be too pleased since his encounter with Snape this morning.

"Relation of Snape by any chance?" Shona chuckled as Angus leapt down on the floor and circled Lucy's feet until he got comfy, still leaning against her.

"I don't think so, dad hates Angus."

Shona nodded and was just about to say something more about Angus' grumpiness when Fred and George emerged outside of the compartment door. Fred's face lit up at the sight of Lucy and George seemed to just be a tag along at this point.

"You going to let them in?" Shona asked.

"You've got two feet, why don't you get up?" Lucy retorted as she stroked Angus' fur.

"Don't blame me if things get socially awkward between you and Fred..."

Shona stood up and opened the compartment door and let the two in, while Lucy try to keep as relaxed as possible. The twins sat down either side of Lucy and gave identical smiles.

"Hello, Shona," George said.

"Hello, Lucy," Fred added.

"How are you?" They chorused.

"We're good..." Shona mumbled, pretending not to care as she looked down at her feet. "Say, where's Ron and Harry?"

"Don't know, haven't seen them since this morning. Have we Fred?" George said.

"No we haven't. They were with us when we were in King's cross — "

"Goodness knows where they are now."

"So how did our holidays go?" Lucy asked the twins, trying to avoid the subject of possibly missing students.

"Not bad" George said.

"Alright." Fred said.

"Practiced quidditch."

"Not much."

"Pretty dull"

"Alright thats enough!" Lucy said laughing, if she could she really wanted to steer clear of how her holidays had been and when Shona was about to explain how fantastic the end of her holidays had been Lucy gave her a look, so she turned to look out the window again.

A few minutes later Shona was up on her feet, hopping up and down on one foot as though she had been burned but the look on her face said different.

"Look! Guys look! It's a flying car!" Shona said pointing at the window. Lucy, Fred and George all stood up to peer out the window and there they saw a blue ford that was pushing clouds aside as it glided through the air as though weightless."Why didn't they invite me?"

"That's mum and dad's car!" George gasped, ignoring Shona's witty comment.

"But look! Ron's in there, he's driving it and I think that's - " Fred began but Lucy finished in panic.

"Harry!" Lucy's eyes widened. "I have a feeling that those two are going to be in deep trouble, and for their sake lets just hope that it's not my dad..."

"Lets hope they get to school on time, if they get just ahead or just behind the train, possibly even at the same time they could probably get away with it." Shona muttered.

As soon as the car was out of sight, the four of them sat down and resumed the normal chatter but what everyone said seemed to be a conversation stopper so all conversation ceased and the only thing that could be heard was Angus as he paced on the floor.

"I'm going to go get changed..." Lucy muttered, the three nodded silently as she took herself out of the compartment, leaving a miserable Angus with strangers.

She walked down the train, humming to herself until she found her trunk. But when she turned around, a sour faced Draco Malfoy stood there as though he had apparated to that spot while Lucy heaved down her trunk from the rack.

"Hello, Mud-blood," Draco laughed. "Thought that buying all those books would of put your father out of money, surprised you made it to Hogwarts this year. Such a fool to adopt you, he was."

"My father could afford those books, thank you very much. And he could also afford this - " Lucy held up her wrist and showed off the bracelet she had received as a Birthday gift from Snape.

"My mother has about five of those, but they have charms which are as equally expensive." Draco admired his fingers and Lucy narrowed her eyes. "Of course filthy mud-blood's like yourself can never afford such things."

"I feel so privileged that you waste your breath on me, Draco, good day to you." And Lucy walked off towards a spare compartment and quickly got changed into her robes.

Lucy returned to the compartment where she found Fred and George had already got changed and Shona entered just after her, wearing her robes.

"So where do you reckon Harry and Ron are?" Shona asked as the train pulled up at the station, they hopped off the train carefully and got into a carriage that took them up to Hogwarts.

"Don't know probably in deep trouble," Lucy responded. She had to leave Angus on the train in his cage. She felt really sorry for him.

When they reached the castle Lucy pulled Shona over.

"I think we should go find Harry and Ron." Lucy whispered in Shona's ear. She nodded and they set off around the castle.

"I think the best place to look would be your dad's office," Shona whispered.

Lucy and Shona ran towards Snape's office. Lucy pressed her ear to the door.

" — Not to mention the damage you inflicted on a whomping willow that's been on the grounds since before you were born." Lucy heard Snape shout.

"Yeah, they're in there alright." Lucy said, shaking her head in disapproval.

Lucy opened the door to find Snape shouting in Harry and Ron's faces.

"Hi, Snapeadoodle!" Shona said waving as though she had just walked into a shop and was browsing clothes.

Lucy groaned and slapped the palm of her hand against her forehead; would Shona ever learn? (Obviously not, a little voice in the back of Lucy's head said.)

"McGuire, Lucy, what are you doing here?" Snape barked, he seemed like he was a little preoccupied already trying to tear Harry and Ron's throats out.

"Woah! Dad, calm down we were just wondering if Harry and Ron were OK." Lucy said holding her hands up in defence while Shona nodded vigrously to back her up.

Snape growled and turned back to the boys. But just then there was a knock at the door and Dumbledore and McGonagall came in. Shona and Lucy stood out the way in respect for the headmaster and deputy headmistress.

"Headmaster." Snape began, resuming his normal tone that he used.

"Yes Severus I am well aware of the subject." Dumbledore spoke very calmly as though Harry and Ron hadn't comitted any crime at all.

"I want them punished!" Snape barked, he really was fed up of the two. They had caused him enough trouble last year and it was bad enough having to teach his enemies son who got away with everything, just like his father.

"I understand what you are saying, but it is up to Minerva what punishment will be made, if there is any to be made."

Snape turned evilly to McGonagall who turned to Harry and Ron, both whom wanted the floor to swallow them up.

"Well, I will have to write to your parents, Mr Weasley, and your Aunt and Uncle, Mr Potter," McGonagall said, disappointment clearly in her voice.

"So we're not expelled?" Ron piped up, he was suddenly free of his misery.

"No, Mr Weasley, but you will both recieve detentions." McGonagall shook her head in shame.

Dumbledore and McGonagall left the room along with Harry and Ron. Harry and Ron half smiled at Lucy and Shona, who acknowledged them before the door slammed behind them and the two were left with Snape who looked like he wanted to wreck the place.

"Dad, are you alright?" Lucy asked, stepping towards him nervously.

"No, it infruiates me that silly little children think they can get away with everything. Constantly complaing how un fair their lives are but if you hadn't noticed, life isn't fair...and of course it was a Weasley who was involved! It's always a Weasley!" Snape paced back and fourth.

"Well I hate to break it to you, Snape, but another Weasley has started school, Ginny Weasley." Shona said waiting for Snape to shout some more, instead he hammered his first down on the table, causing a few objects to be knocked over.

"Please calm down! Don't get yourself worked up over nothing! There's a lot worse things to get worked up over, like Shona giving you these random nicknames!" Lucy said reassuringly, although it was the first thing she could think of.

"Both of you better make your way down to the great hall and Lucy you can come sleep in the spare room I provided with you last year, or the common room. The choice is yours."

Lucy nodded, and both girls headed down to the great hall.