Another Prisoner, Another Professor

Draco Malfoy arrives with Crabbe and Goyle.

"They have to let you go to Hogsmeade," said Ron. "I mean, what do they think, Lupin's going to jump out in the middle of the street in front of hundreds of people and sink his fangs into you?"

"It doesn't matter what they think," Hermione said, "if Harry's aunt and uncle didn't sign his permission form."

"Why should Dumbledore and McGonagall care about if they signed it? They know perfectly well that Harry's aunt and uncle wouldn't care if he came home in a pinewood box."

"Thanks, Ron," said Harry. "You're probably right, though. All it would mean to the Dursleys would be that Dudley'd get his second bedroom back."

"Whining about your pathetic existence, Potter?" drawled a voice from near the compartment door.

"Shut up, Malfoy," said Harry before turning around.

Malfoy looked exactly the same as he had the last time Harry saw him; Crabbe and Goyle, however, each seemed to have gained another four inches in height over the summer. Standing between them Malfoy looked like a first-year. "Oy, Granger, I think there's a rule about not bringing deformed dogs to school."

"Stop talking about your mother, Malfoy," said Ron.

Malfoy's eyes narrowed. "Keep your filthy mouth shut, Weasel."

"I think you ought to take your own advice," replied Hermione.

For a second Malfoy looked as though he were about to attack them all; then, suddenly, he relaxed and gave them a very superior smirk. "Well, I suppose I ought to let you have your fun," he said, arching his eyebrows at Harry. "After all, you won't get away with it much longer."

Crabbe and Goyle laughed in a way that reminded Harry very strongly of Dudley after he'd just made some smaller boy cry. He tilted his head back and met Malfoy's eyes. "If you can't stop babbling about nothing, Malfoy, go and smack your head upside a wall and see if that makes it better."

Malfoy looked pointedly in the direction of Professor Black. "I doubt he'll be very happy about it."

"About you smacking your head upside a wall? Well, maybe if you bleed on his robes or something."

"About you three pieces of filth talking about my mother, Potter," Malfoy spat. "You really are incredibly stupid. I suppose that's what happens when you aren't raised by the right sort of people. That's our new professor, isn't it?"

"Well done, Malfoy," said Hermione.

"Do you know what my mother's maiden name is, Granger?"

"'Course we do, it's Malfoy," Ron snarled. "There has to be something to account for why you're a pea-brained midget."

Harry had a nasty feeling that he knew what was coming next.

Malfoy turned slightly and looked at Ron. "Black. Narcissa Black."

"Big deal," said Ron after a split second had passed. He still sounded and looked like he always did, but Harry suspected the news had affected him more than he was letting on. "If you go far back enough you've got a something-great grandmother with the maiden name Weasley."

"My mum and Professor Black are first cousins," Malfoy drawled. "They saw each other all the time when they were kids. I don't suppose it'll be very long before he asks me to call him Sirius. Outside of class, of course."

"Yeah, and do you want to know what he'll call you behind your back?" Harry asked.

Before he realized what was happening Malfoy had shoved him off his seat and onto the floor; Ron was trying to pull Malfoy off of him but Goyle was attempting to push Ron back against the wall of the compartment. Malfoy's fist swung at Harry's face, but he jerked his head away and managed to kick Malfoy hard in the stomach. From the corner of his eye he could see that Hermione was clenching onto Crabbe's arm and pulling it back as hard as she could.

"You're going to meet a sorry end one of these days, Potter," Malfoy gasped before he lunged at Harry again.

Goyle had managed to pin Ron against the wall, but Ron was fighting him off with all his might. Crabbe had shaken Hermione off; she ran over to Harry and Malfoy and grabbed Malfoy by the shoulders to drag him off of Harry. Ron managed to get one arm free and struck Goyle hard in the nose; Goyle bellowed in pain and Crabbe made to punch Ron directly in the eye -

"WHAT IN THE BLOODY HELL ARE YOU ALL DOING?!"

Professor Black had woken up.

Malfoy hurriedly stood up, almost knocking Hermione over in the process. Goyle reached into his pocket for a handkerchief and held it against his freshly bleeding nose. "Professor, they were saying things about my mother - " Malfoy began in a voice so falsely earnest that Harry wanted to be sick.

"I don't care what it was about or who started it," Professor Black snapped. He had a very rich voice that seemed to come from deep within his throat. "Who belongs in this compartment?"

"We do," said Harry, standing up. "Me and Ron and Hermione."

Professor Black turned to look at him; he had pale gray eyes that darted from Harry's feet to his head and lingered on his scar. "I see," he said softly. "You other three, get out of here."

A look of confusion spread over Malfoy's face; upon seeing that Harry was looking at him he sneered and quickly left the compartment, Crabbe and Goyle following.

"Scabbers!" Ron cried suddenly.

"What?"

"My rat! He was in my shirt pocket and then Goyle - Hermione, if Crookshanks got him - Scabbers!"

"He's right here, Ron," said Harry, spotting the rat up on the luggage rack. He jumped up on the seat and brought him down.

But Professor Black was more interested in Crookshanks. "This poor cat looks terrified," he said, reaching one hand into the basket. Crookshanks sniffed at his finger.

"Here, I'll take him," said Hermione. "Poor Crookshanks, did they scare you?"

Ron slipped Scabbers back into his shirt pocket and sat down directly opposite from Professor Black. "How come you're riding the train?" he said after a few seconds.

"What?" Professor Black looked over at Ron. "Oh, right, the train. Well, it's a bit of a long story, but the end result is that the Ministry confiscated my motorbike. You see, it wasn't supposed to be able to fly."