A long ways into this process, their next visitor will be someone Bruce has seen before, this time flanked by two rather large fellows (at least on the scale of eleven-year-olds).

"Huh," he says, peering between the cards and the candy and the Weasley and the familiar face. "They're saying all up and down the train that Bruce Potter's on board. That's you, then?" 

Oh dear, it's bad opinions boy again. "Yes, that's me. I don't think I got your name last time either." That or he forgot it. Always a possibility.

"Malfoy. Draco Malfoy." Pause. "... Oh, and this is Crabbe, and Goyle."

Obviously, Potter will realize immediately upon learning this important fact that he is hanging out with the wrong person when Draco is an option, right? Right.

"Pleased to meet you all," he says, because he has been informed that this is what you're supposed to say and it's okay if it's false. "This is Ron Weasley." That bit's true.

Why would he want to know the Weasley's name.

... he's clearly going to need to explain this. Because Dumbledore stuck Potter with Muggles for ten years for some reason.

"Right. You'll soon find that some wizarding families are better than others, Potter. You don't wanna go making friends with the wrong sort," he shoots a pointed look at Ron, "and I can help you there."

Is he implying Ron isn't cool? Ron is definitely cool. If he says something that implies he thinks Draco is implying Ron isn't cool and he wasn't implying that that would be awkward. Crap he's just sitting here blinking instead of talking again. 

He attempts a smile. "Ron's great. What kind of people do you like?"

What. What does he mean what kind of people. Better ones, obviously.

Purebloods? No, if he is confused about the value of Weasleys it will be complicated to explain what a blood traitor is. Also Draco is personally not totally clear on that.

" ... like... the Notts," he attempts, "and the Greengrasses and - look, you hang around with riff-raff like the Weasleys and that Hagrid and it’ll rub off on you."

" . . . Why do you care so much who I make friends with anyway?"

Why does Potter keep asking him such weird dumb questions. Because.... The Boy-Who-Lived(TM) is important and powerful and should want to be friends with Draco so they can be important and powerful together?? He's not going to say that, it would be showing weakness. Also apparently Potter is terrible and so maybe he doesn't want to be friends anyway.

"If you want to make a fool of yourself, don't let me stop you," he settles on instead, haughtily.

Alright, he won't then. He's not going to say that out loud in a train with nowhere good to run. He shrugs.

"Potter is perfectly capable of making friends without your help, Malfoy."

"Oh, sure, friends whose whole family has nothing going for it but red hair, freckles, and more children than they can afford." 

"Unlike you, who've got dark magic and your head up your arse."

See, when Ron tries to insult someone he comes up with stuff that's actually insulting.

Draco draws his wand. "Oh yeah?"

(He doesn't actually know any spells, but when his father does that, whatever acquaintance has said something rude to him usually backs down immediately, so...)

Ron draws his wand right back! He doesn't know any spells either but damned if he's going to admit that!

"Yeah."

Bruce draws his wand too! He knows several spells in theory and has never cast any of them and he would quite like to run away but they're still on a train!

The air in the compartment gets suddenly warmer.

Shoot. Heck. Uhhhh.

Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle have been taught one (1) skill other than "do exactly as you're told," and it is "detect when it is probably your job to Loom Threateningly."

They do this with enthusiasm, cracking their knuckles.

Why are the children doing this.

Curie, awoken from her cozy snooze by the commotion, exits her unlocked cage and flaps onto Bruce's shoulder. This hurts a little, because she is not yet experienced at the art of Do Not Perforate Soft Human, but it also causes her to be at a convenient vantage point for looming sternly right back at the Crabbe-and-Goyle.

Since everyone here is eleven, she is, like, solidly half their size.

Uhhhhhh.

Bruce twitches when perforated but having a solid warm friendly presence on his shoulder is pretty great right now! Best owl. These gits had better not do anything to her.

Curie emits a deeply unsettling screeching noise that echoes a bit in the confined space.

Go away, annoying little children. This is mine.

NOPE NO THANK YOU GOODBYE