Work Text:
Pansy rolled her eyes at her younger sister, Pippa. She was toting around her pet, a scrawny, underfed black cat who looked like he would appreciate being put out of his misery than be in Pippa's arms any longer.
"You should have got a cage for him," Pansy told her.
"No! Pansy, I couldn't bear to lock him up!" Pippa whinged. Third-year Pansy didn't think she had been that annoying and whiny as a first year.
"Now children, please don't argue. We won't see you for the next four months and I want everything to be pleasant," their mother said.
Princeton wasn't listening to their mother, instead, he was complaining to their father. "I can't believe I didn't get made Head Boy, I bet that prick Weasley did."
"Princeton, you know I've explained how unfair Gryffindor headmasters are, they're so prejudiced they can't see what's right in front of them."
"At least you're still a prefect, Princeton darling," their mother added.
"How come I wasn't allowed a pet first year?" Pansy asked her parents just to have something to say.
"I didn't think you liked cats, Pansy dear," her father said, looking at her in confusion.
"I don't—"
"How could you not like cats, Pansy?" her little sister interrupted.
"We already have a family owl, you don't need—" Princeton said over her.
The Hogwarts Express whistled sharply and drowned out both of them.
"Oh, better get on the train my dears. Behave yourselves," their mother exclaimed, gesturing them toward the train. "Be nice to each other!" She called as they moved away.
"That means pretend like you don't know me," Pansy told her siblings.
"As long as you keep your snotty little nose out my business," Princeton said, glaring at her.
"And what business is that?" she asked, "Not that stupid firewhisky racket you had going last year?"
"No. I've got something else in mind."
"Whatever, just as long as you don't taint my reputation by destroying yours."
"What reputation would that be, besides being a stuck up bitch?"
The train rocked as it started moving and the whistle blew again. Pippa's cat decided that was the moment he'd had enough and he attacked her face with his claws and teeth to be free of her. Princeton and Pansy stopped their arguing to look at their little sister. She had tears forming in her eyes and long scratches down her cheeks that were starting to bleed where the cat had clawed her.
"Oh, Pippa," Princeton said, kneeling in front of her and pulling his wand. "I'll heal her. Pansy, can you go catch the cat?"
Pansy sighed in frustration but nodded, trudging down the compartment car looking for the blasted black cat.