Smile Like You Mean It

So the chapter update after this one will come pretty soon if the feedback is positive, but after that things may slow down by a couple of days, sorry! Life's just gotten a little busier, so please bear with me!
Thanks to my reviewers so far, Aleera and maggie...

Chapter 5 - Carriages and Corridors


The rush in the morning gave Aera little chance to worry about the day ahead. They were bustled into a line of black unmarked cars, each one driven by a solemn man dressed in dark robes. Aera squeezed in beside Ron, with Hermione and the others on his other side. He gave her a playful grin.

"Well, we're off. It's gonna be a fun year, every term is at our school!" The other three gave rueful grins, obviously finding the word 'fun' inadequate.

King's Cross was a busy station and Mrs Weasley directed her brood towards a solid looking barrier. After quick instructions from the frazzled mother, Aera grasped her trolley firmly and shoved her way forward.

The sensation of passing through the metal was little more than a breath of wind, and suddenly she was on a new platform, buzzing with people.
For a moment she froze, unsure of what to do, where to go. Then someone bumped into her from behind. She spun around, mouth opening to greet one of the Weasleys or Harry. Instead, there was a platinum haired boy, his pale eyes glaring at her.

"You going to stay blocking the path forever?"

She recognised him at once from the robe-makers, and from her dream. Memories of being touched intimately by this pale youth surged through her mind and she hesitated in answering.

"I... I shouldn't think so. After all, some people seem to be in a hell of a rush to get away from something... or someone." She had noticed his mother behind him and indeed it appeared that he was eager to be out of her presence. She gave a nod in the woman's direction to emphasise her point and he scowled at her. Giving him a little smile she moved to the side so he had enough room to pass. As he shoved his trolley forward he leaned towards her.

"You want to be careful with that pretty little mouth. Not everyone reveres Potter's sidekicks."

Aera remained impassive as he moved on, followed by the lemon-faced woman who turned her nose up at her as she passed. As the woman glanced back Aera raised her eyebrows and ran her eyes over the woman with a dismissive glance. The scowl deepened.

She soon found the others and they boarded the train swiftly. Mrs Weasley was still shouting instructions as the carriage shuddered and moved forwards. The bright red of her hair was the last thing Aera saw as they rounded the first bend.

Finding a space for the five of them was surprisingly easy. It seemed Harry was well known amongst his classmates, though Aera noticed the whispers that followed him, even if he ignored them. They joined a strange boy and girl sitting across from one another in an otherwise empty carriage. Aera sat down beside the boy as Ginny introduced her.

"Hey Neville, Luna, this is Aera. She's a transfer from Beauxbatons. She spent the last week of summer with us."

The boy, Neville, stretched out a hand in formal greeting and blushed as Aera shook it. She smiled at him, feeling a certain affection for the awkward guy. Luna watched her through a pair of thick glasses.

"We were in the Defence Against the Dark Arts class that Harry taught last year. It was the first time I ever had people like friends."

Everyone seemed a little uncomfortable at this statement so Aera took the lead. "Harry taught you guys DADA? Cool. Hey, are those Glonder Glasses?"

A grin broke out over the girls face, wide and toothy. "Yeah! The ones that let you see the juniper dragons on the moon."

"No point in wearing them now though, is there? Moon's not out for another while."

Luna nodded sagely at the comment and removed the glasses, folding them carefully and tucking them inside her robe, wrapped in a cloth. The rest of the inhabitants of the carriage glanced in confusion and amusement at the exchange, though Luna didn't appear to notice. Aera smiled inwardly. These lot had a lot to learn about her. She had an extensive range of qualities to call on, and one of her most valuable was the ability to direct conversation where she wanted it.

"So, Aera. How was summer at the Weasley's? I suppose they kept you run off your feet." Neville asked, thumbing the edge of his robe with one hand. There was a nasty welt there, with a orange edge to it.

"Oh it was fun. Wasn't there for long, but it's a lovely place. What's that from?" She pointed at the injury and he bit his lip before answering.

"My Gran bought me a Tentacula Tulip. I've been trying to tame it, but it just seems to want to munch on me instead of the spiders." He flexed the fingers of his hand, wincing as the welt stretched across the skin.

"Essence of murtlap, Neville. Only thing for it." said Harry, leaning back in his chair and stretching his legs out. It was a bit squashed with the seven of them in there. As his feet reached across the floor, the rest of them moved to give him more room. Harry paused, then pulled his legs back and tucked them under the seat. Aera had the feeling their reactions made him deeply uncomfortable. There was a natural reverence among the young people around him. They clearly saw him as someone to respect and refer to, which disturbed Harry. She understood that, he wasn't the sort who courted special treatment.

"Hey Harry, shove over a little. I want to put my feet up."

The green eyes caught hers and she suppressed the urge to smile at the gratitude written in them. He moved sideways a little, and the others watched as she stretched out luxuriously. She even let one of her dirty shoes brush against the black of his robes, leaving a small trail of pale dirt.

"Oops, sorry. Don't worry, it'll rub off once it's dry."

She could feel the surprise radiating from the others, though she didn't acknowledge it. Let them see that she treated her brother with as much awe and wonder as she treated everyone else with. None.

For a time, the hours passed without event. Small talk was made, with the others advising and instructing Aera on life at Hogwarts. She became familiar with the names of teachers whose classes she would attend and the layout of the grounds. Discussion laboured over the Forbidden Forest, where a variety of creatures seemed to live. Aera relaxed, listening to the casual chatter of her new friends. Talk about the Dark Lord and the looming war was avoided, it appeared that Harry's presence conducted an interesting effect on those in the carriage. They were all aware of what was happening in the outside world, according to Dumbledore anyway, yet were happy to talk about more pleasant and daily stuff. She was grateful for that. Of course, it could have been her presence that invoked caution in them, unsure as they were of where her loyalties truly lay.

After a while the pumpkin juice began to take its toll, and Aera excused herself.

"Hey, where's the toilet on this thing?" Hermione pointed left down the hall and Aera got up.

"Don't talk to strangers!" grinned Ginny, stretching out in the vacated space.

Aera smiled back and stepped outside. The corridor was deserted, but the sounds of conversation drifted out from the carriages she passed. Eventually she found the door of the toilets and as she put a hand on the handle, another gripped her wrist.

Looking up she found herself confronted with a pair of bright blue eyes, watching her intensely.

"Looks like you're getting introduced to all of Dumbledore's Army. Thinking of being recruited?"

She met Draco Malfoy's insolent gaze and gave a slow smile. "Why would that matter to you, Mr Malfoy. You hardly seem likely to be there alongside me."

The fingers around her wrist tightened and she felt a flicker of fear as she realised how deep that assumption could go. If Harry was right, this boy was deep inside Voldemort's circles and it was hardly wise of her to go accusing him too openly. Then the grip was released and he took a step back, moving to lean against the lintel of the door.

"I suppose Scarface told you my name, that's no real surprise. But what are you doing here, Vale? This is no time to be switching schools simply for career opportunities, or are you completely ignorant of what's going on in the world?"

Aera stared at him, face blank. Questions crowded her mind, starting with how he knew her name, ending with her bewilderment that he was insightful as Harry and the others. That smile widened as the silence lengthened and she felt annoyance at her own inaptitude.

"I'm flattered you've gone to such length to inquire about me," she replied with a smile that wasn't reflected in her eyes. "But in times like these it's best to keep your nose out of other people's business, or are you completely naive?" She turned to open the door and was blocked by his arm moving to stop her.

"It was a bad idea to come here, Vale. If I were you I'd high-tail it out of here before things get rough. Potter's friends will be of much interest to some people and getting mixed up in that would be a bad idea."

The woodwork of the door stared back at her before she regained her composure enough to turn around, but the blonde boy was already down the hall and into a carriage before she could ask him anything more.

Walking into the toilet she shook her head as if to shake the thoughts there into some form of sensibility. It didn't work.

Back with the others, Hermione commented on her self-absorbed demeanour.

"Hey Aera, you've hardly said a word. What's up?"
Aera blinked, looking up to find everyone watching her. Harry's green eyes pierced hers and she quickly looked away. She had in fact been pondering as to what Malfoy had been talking about, if he had really meant everything he said and whether or not he had truly been giving her a warning or trying to entice her into finding out more through curiosity.

"Oh, I'm fine. Just a little anxious about the next few days." Hermione nodded, accepting her half-lie, but Harry watched her a moment longer than necessary. Uncomfortable, Aera continued to glare at the scenery shooting past. This first day had so far only added to her confusion as to what she was supposed to do and what the hell was going on.