Chapter 24 - Train Rides are Fun

Harry was thoroughly confused when he woke up. When Dumbledore spoke to the boy, he had explaiend what was to happen to Quirrell, and some words praises before leaving Harry to himself.

Leaving the sorcerer's stone being missing aside, Harry was stuck deep in thought at who the people that helped him were, why they destroyed the mirror of erised, how timely their presence was, and how many of them were there at the time.

Once discharged by Madam Pomfrey, Harry went to the dining hall to meet up with Hermoine and Ron for the end of the year feast.

In the dining hall, all the students were chatting up a storm. Some were discussing about Harry Potter and his adventure while others were bitter that Slytherin had won the house cup for seven years in a row.

Louis, Annie, and Richard had no care for such a thing - though they did congratulate Draco for his house winning before they entered the dining hall - and were doing their own things. Louis was busy with Bandit, Annie was secretly sharpening her sword, and Richard distracted with reading his newest book for potions which he got from the librarian whom seemed oddly fond of him.

All chatter died down when Dumbledore stood up to announce the house cup winners after Harry sat at the Gryffindor table. " Congratulations Slyherin for winning the house cup. " He pauses to let the house celebrate and laugh with happiness, " But, It has been an eventful year which had gone by just like that. And due to some last minute events happening, " At this point, everyone was nervous and slightly lost, the Slytherins were the most nervous " Some points are to be given out. " Everyone had started to talk loudly once more. Some Slytherins looked as if they wanted to throw their benches at Dumbledore while others wanted to flip the table out of anger.

" Well he's playing favourites. " Richard states grumpily as he looks for Draco at the Slytherin table, the boy had a very weird expression on his face. " No duh. " Annie shoots back as she sharpens her sword with a murderous look to the teachers table or more specifically, Dumbledore.

When the noise had lowered down, Dumbledore resumed talking once more " First, Miss Hermoine Granger, who used her intellect while others were in grave danger, Fifty points. " Gryffindor cheered " Second Mr Ronald Weasley, for the best played game of chess that Hogwarts has ever seen this many years, fifty points. " More cheering from Gryffindor and a shocked but happy look on Harry's face for his best friend, " And third, to mister Harry Potter, for pure love and outstanding courage, I award Gryffindor house sixty points. " Even more cheering from Gryffindor, " And finally, it takes a great deal of bravery, to stand up to your enemies, but a great deal more to stand up to your friends. I award ten points to Neville Longbottom. " Now that was a shock to Richard who's known Neville since the start of the year, making him extremely proud of his friend for his accomplishments, though the loud cheering from the rest of the Gryffindors irked him to no end.

Tallying up the points in their heads, the Slytherins realised they had lost the house cup due to those last minute adding of points from Dumbledore to Gryffindor. They were all crestfallen especially the seventh year students for it was their last year in Hogwarts. " Now that's just plain ridiculous. " Louis grumbled lowly to which Annie, Richard, and Bandit nodded in agreement.

Draco could feel his best friend's annoyance from where he sat, he felt glad to have become friends with Louis and his cousins, they definitely brightened up his dark days.

After the cheering had stopped Dumbledore continued to speak, " And with that, I believe this requires some redecorating. " And just like that, the green colours of the Slytherin house, changed to the red of the Gryffindor house, and so began their end of year feast.

When the feast was at last over, all the students went back to their dorms for the the night and packed up their trunks for the nest day. Their break was coming and everyone was excited for it, Louis especially so.

When morning came and everyone had their last breakfast in Hogwarts until next year, Louis and the gang were the first few to board the train before anyone else.

" So how are you guys going to spend your break? " Draco asked the three, curious on what they had planned. Richard was the first to speak, " Besides going to the ball your family is hosting on the first week? Not much other then stay home for a while then go with Louie and his family overseas again. " Annie was next to tell, " Sword fighting and training, I'm getting rusty in my skills and I need to sharpen them once more, but I am going overseas with these two as well. " She was swinging her sword to close too Draco's face close for comfort.

" I've got some things I need to take care of back in the forest at home. Apparently some hunters are back in the area once they noticed I was gone. But we are going to somewhere for the holidays, where? I don't know. Mom and Dad thought it'd be best of I didn't know till the last minute. " Louis spoke as he watched Bandit explore the cabin they were in.

" Huh. Maybe I could follow you guys this time. Father and Mother have become nicer since we last talked so I'm sure they'd let me go! " He happily said as he thought about it. " Word of advice. You might want to bring extra cash when you go with us. " Richard tells Draco, " Why? " " Don't question it, just trust me on this. " Richard retorts back.

" Right I forgot to ask but what did you do to the sorcerer's stone? " Draco asks the two boys who had last seen it " Sent it back to Nicholas Flamel by owl since Volderwart will start thinking it got destroyed by some miracle. " Louis casually says as he tosses a piece of cookie to Bandit.

The Train had at last taken off when everyone had boarded and got settled in. It wasn't even ten minutes when the door to their cabin opened abruptly. Lo and behold, Harry, Ron, and Hermoine were the ones to greet them " Excuse us but- " Hermoine cut herself off when she saw Draco In the cabin accompanied by three other kids whom had already changed out of their robes and into their own clothes strangely so, she couldn't seem to remember who they were.

Harry and Ron were behind her when the door was opened so their line of sight was blocked and dod not notice the young Malfoy. Wondering why she stopped talking halfway, they looked over walked forward to get a better look at who it was in the cabin.

Ron had a sour face when he saw Draco, while Harry had a mixture of a sour and defensive attitude toward the Malfoy heir. " Malfoy?! " Ron cries out almost hysterically, " What are you doing here?! " Harry follows suit. " Taking the train to Narnia. " Draco answered sarcastically.

" Who are you three? I can't help but get the feeling I've seen you before. " Hermoine asked unsure of herself, " We're Flying unicorns whose mission is to invade the muggle world and spread rainbows and kittens in it. What do you think? " Louis sarcastically remarks following Draco in tow.

" Stop it you two. " Annie scolds the two boys as she whacks them on the head lightly before looking back at the three. " Sorry about them, but would you mind leaving? We were discussing something of importance when you interrupted. Thanks! " Annie closes the door on them before they even had the chance to respond. " That was a little rude don't you think? " Richard asked with his eyebrows raised at the three. " I apologised to them in my heart, they just couldn't hear it. " The three responded simultaneously, almost as if they had planned it.

" What just happened? " Harry asks dazed as he stares at the door of the cabin that had been shut on them not to long ago. " I have no idea. " Ron answered back. Hermoine shook herself out of her daze before readying herself to knock on the door, but properly this time.

Waiting for a reply after knocking three times, the door slid open slowly with a head sticking out curiously " Yes? What do you want? " Louis asks childishly. " We were wondering if we could seat with you guys, since the other cabins are all full. If you don't mind that is. " Hermoine adds quickly when she saw the dore close slightly. " Wait a moment. " Louis says as he goes back in to shut the door once more.

The three didn't have to wait long before the door opened once more and Louis let the three in. " Come on in. " Richard greets as he closes the after they entered.

The whole ride was ridiculously awkward for Draco and the golden trio, the Princetons just ignored them as they did their own things, completely forgotten by Harry, Ron, and Hermoine by some miracle.

When the Hogwarts express had finally neared Kingscross, the four breathed a sigh of relief and couldn't wait any longer to leave the cabin. Though the trio did jump up in fright when the door opened suddenly making them look towards it. The Princetons had stepped out of the cabin and left area when their sights were on Kingscross. " How in the bloody hell did we forget they were in the same cabin the whole ride? " Ron asked exasperated, " I do not want to know. " Hermoine states as she got up and slid open the cabin door, " Are you boys coming or not? " She asked with her eyebrow raised.

Thinking that Draco was still in the cabin with them, they turned back to where he sat but where throughly confused as he was not where he sat, or anywhere in the cabin at all. " Where'd Draco go? " Harry asks incredulous, " Wasn't he just here? " Ron follows suit.