50 Confrontation

The door opened again, this time it was a blond and redhead Hufflepuffs. "Hello!" they both said in sync.

"Hey guys! It's been a while! Come join us!" Tracey said, almost jumping from her seat in excitement. More people to talk to, sounds like fun is probably what is was thinking.

"We would love to, but the others are waiting for us. We came to say hi. Sorry." Hannah answered first while Susan pouted.

"It's alright, we'll get opportunities to catch up at Hogwarts." Michael said smoothly.

"See you guys later!" Susan waved at them, though her eyes were fixated on Kaiser, who smiled and waved back.

It didn't take long before the Weasley show began. Hectic running just as the train was about to depart, accompanied with cries and useless orders along the lines of "Get on the train", that only serve to create more stress for them and amusement for the spectators. The Weasley matriarch was giving them a shove to the train, just the right amount of propulsion much needed. The most amazing part was when they all boarded the train, applause rang across the station, and the train, with the Weasley family feeling a bit awkward because they didn't feel it necessary to applaud their successful endeavor. Little did they know that it was only as thanks for the show.

Kaiser shook his head in amusement. He could not understand how could a family come late to the same event for over twelve years in a row. The odds were ridiculously low, yet it was happening in front of him. One possibility would be that it's done on purpose, but he failed to see how that would benefit anyone.

Hermione, Ginny, Harry and Ron made their way through the train, looking for an empty compartment. Luckily, they didn't look for long as they came across Kaiser's, and while it wasn't empty, a compartment can house eight people, and right now, it only had three occupants.

"Hello, mind if we join you?" Hermione asked hopefully. She did not have many friends, and Kaiser happened to be one of the very few she had.

"Of course, make yourselves comfortable." Kaiser gestured to them to come in with a grin. He did like Harry and Hermione; they were very pleasant people. And while he was not a big fan of Ron, he could still tolerate him. Ginny was still shy around Harry and himself, but she was a nice person nevertheless. She still hasn't gotten over her crush of the Boy-Who-Lived, if the looks she gave him weren't clear that everyone, besides the person of interest knew about it.

"How was your summer, guys?" Michael asked, opening the conversation.

"Brilliant actually. The greatest summer I ever had if I'm being honest." Harry said cheerfully. Not only did he have a great summer, but now that the school year has started, going back to the Dursleys wouldn't be a possibility for a long while.

Kaiser offered a pained smile at that. He desperately wanted to take him away from that place, and do unthinkable things to those scumbag relatives of his. But as much as he wanted to do that, there was one person that prevented him from doing so: Dumbledore.

Legally speaking, he had no right whatsoever to take him away without Dumbledore, his legal guardian's permission. And while Sirius wanted to take him away himself, he told him that it was hopeless for the time being. He just got out of the highest security level from Azkaban, and as far as the world was concerned, he was still mentally unstable. It was a lost cause.

Not to mention, should he try to take him by force, he was hopelessly outgunned against Dumbledore, 'the greatest wizard to walk the earth'. And the last thing he needed right now was an angry powerful old man on his ass. Kaiser planned on getting closer to Harry and actively help him from the shadows, he was reaching the age where he showed his full potential.

"Yeah! The Quidditch World Cup was amazing!" Ron said with a gleam in his brown eyes only present when Quidditch was mentioned, but it quickly dimmed when he remembered something. "A shame those Death Eater wankers had to ruin it!" He spat with venom.

"Yeah, Death Eaters wannabes if the news is to be believed." Michael added.

"Except it isn't." Hermione interrupted. "They are Death Eaters, and the spell they used was a Death Eater exclusive one. You know, the symbol on the sky?" Michael nodded. "Only Death Eaters can do that. It's what they used in the previous war. Whenever they raided a place, they'd leave the Dark Mark behind to inform the world of their presence."

"Why the World Cup of all the places? And why did they target Muggles only? I heard they didn't injure a single wizard." Tracey asked.

"Injuring a Wizard would raise more flags than a Muggle." Ginny, to everyone's surprise, was the one who said this. "Wizards pretend they treat Muggles as equals, but they don't. A case where muggles were injured among wizards won't draw as much attention and as much repercussions in court."

"When did you get so wise?" Ron's hung open, while everyone in the compartment was giving Ginny weird looks.

"I heard dad say it." she admitted, now feeling awkward. She was not familiar with the others.

"It's clear that they are cooking something if they chose to be active again." Harry said, diverting everyone's attention.

"Maybe he is coming back…" Hermione said uncertainly.

"Who?" Michael was alarmed. There was only one person she could be referring to, and he did not like the idea at all. Michael and Tracey turned to Kaiser for confirmation.

Daphne exchanged looks with him, an unspoken conversation went through their eyes before she nodded. He did not want to burden them, but his plans for fourth year would require him to do so anyway.

"Voldemort is alive."

"What?!" both Michael and Tracey jumped in surprise, but whatever they were about to ask was interrupted with the sound of the compartment door yanking open.

HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

Draco, flanked by his two goons, made his way through the train, terrorizing the students, reminding them who the boss was. He enjoyed showing off his authority and the scared looks the students gave him. No one, regardless of their house, can stand in face of his power, especially not mud-bloods. Except a certain crimson haired bastard.

Draco did not understand how someone of such a low birth could rival him in magic. Everyone knows that those of noble birth are gifted in magic, and while muggle-borns argued otherwise, the overwhelming evidence cannot be refuted.

He talked with his father about his concerns, and he found that he was unsure himself. There are different theories around, some saying that he was groomed by the Greengrass family, others saying that he was from an ancient family himself, but hid it well. Draco refused to consider the latter theory.

How could someone of noble birth ever claim to be otherwise? It was absurd. He could understand if he got where he was through hard work, as he could hardly be jealous if he didn't apply himself as much. He understood why Hermione Granger was doing better at school because she spent an absurd amount of time at the Library. But no matter how much they both strived to be powerful, they'd never succeed simply because of their lower birth.

In that department, Draco had the advantage. He spent the last summer training diligently on his spells. He even underwent his family's rituals, so in term of raw power, the difference between them is overwhelming, and he was itching to put them back in place. He walked through the trains, checking each compartment he passed, flanked by his goons, Crabbe and Goyle.

He smiled in glee at finding his two preys sitting in the same compartment. Contrary to what many thought, he did not even consider Potter as his rival. He was unworthy. He was as Gryffindor as they come, hardly showing any signs of wit. He enjoyed riling him up to pass the time every now and then. He opened the door unceremoniously, staring down at them with arrogance.

"What do we have here?" a voice filled with contempt came out of the mouth of the blonde Malfoy heir. "Mud-bloods and blood traitors."

"Very original." Kaiser and Daphne shook their heads.

"Says the blonde ponce." Ron drawled and got up from his place. "Your daddy isn't here to protect you, Malfoy." He warned, wand in hand.

"Protect me from an incompetent fool like you? Don't make me laugh." Draco smirked, unafraid of Ron's threats. Ron was incompetent, and that was a well-known fact in Hogwarts.

"What do you want, Malfoy?" Harry scowled. He wanted to punch Draco in that smug face of his, but he couldn't do it without getting in trouble.

"Came to check on you scar-head. Heard you fainted like a little girl in the middle of nowhere during the World Cup." His goons started snickering. 'Typical villain crap…' Kaiser shook his head.

"Alright. Your time is up. Leave." Kaiser suddenly said. He did not want to listen to his crap for a second more than he had to.

"Why don't you make me?" Draco said arrogantly, pointing his wand at him. His newfound confidence in his abilities alarmed Kaiser. He was fairly sure he was warned not to engage him. Lucius Malfoy must know about how he disposed of several Death Eaters. Permanently. So it was safe to assume he warned his son against picking a fight with someone who can perform a Killing Curse at the age of fourteen.

Yet Draco seemed convinced he was up to the challenge. Something is wrong here. Kaiser wanted to probe his mind, but if there was one lesson he learned from his previous encounter with Susan, it is to never probe a noble family's heir's mind.

He could just send spells his way and be done with it, but he did not wish to start any petty war with the Slytherin house. He only ever attacks when attacked, and that's something everyone knew by now. Not to mention, in case he deflected any of his spells, the others in this cramped compartment would be the unlucky victims.

"Ron," Harry interrupted him from pointing his wand at him however much he wanted to do it himself in a rare display of self-control from his part. "don't bother. He's not worth it."

"I'm certainly worth more than a Weasley. Did you even eat properly during the summer?" he sneered mockingly.

"Bastard!" Ron was positively enraged. The one thing he hated the most was his family's poverty, and this asshole just had to bring it up. As he was about to raise his wand, he found he couldn't lift his arm, an invisible force preventing him.

"If you wish to fight, take it somewhere else." Kaiser interrupted them again, giving a disappointed glance at Ron, before looking back at Draco's smug face. "As for you, if you are itching so much to have your arse handed to you, you're welcome to challenge me at Hogwarts. I'd be happy to oblige."

"Count on it." Draco said before turning back, his robes fluttering for dramatic effect. It would've intimidating if it didn't get stuck while he was closing the door, so he sheepishly unstuck it and made his way out.

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