Beyond the Looking Glass.
'What's beyond the looking glass they ask…'
'Shall I tell you…or bid a pass?'
'Will you learn of how he suffers night and day?'
'The boy beyond the looking glass is there…'
"Ron, would you be so kind as to remove your foot from my face?"
"Whoops, sorry Harry," Ron said as he bumbled about trying to stand on his own two feet after falling quite ungracefully on the ground, bringing Harry down with him and scattering luggage across the train station floor.
Harry made no response, planting his hands on the ground before him and successfully lifting himself up.
Their excruciatingly long summer (in Harry's opinion) had finally ended as of today! Now the Weasley clan, along with Harry and Hermione, were back at Platform 9 ¾.
The group was especially excited this year; it was after all, their sixth year.
'Sixth year was the year before the last…so many things to look forward to, maybe that's what made this year the best.'
Harry smiled to himself as he watched the train whoosh past him and stop for fellow Hogwarts students to climb on.
Smiles and laughter were common in the crowd of eager students along with painfully nervous faces of soon-to-be first years of course.
Then there were others, smug and overly confident youngsters aka soon-to-be Slytherins
"Speaking of Slytherins," Ron, who'd been standing beside his friend for some time now seemed to have gotten the same impression as Harry from gazing at the smaller students.
"Where's Malfoy?" Ron asked with a suspicious glint in his eyes, "I haven't seen the slimy git nor his parents anywhere since we've gotten here, and the train's about to le--OH BLOODY HELL THE TRAIN'S ABOUT TO LEAVE!"
Harry blinked, then realization dawned on him as he noticed that the hordes of students from earlier were no longer in his presence.
Ron began panicking as he grabbed Harry's arm and ran for dear life.
Hermione, from what they could tell, was waving at them frantically from a compartment window, yelling for them to hurry.
Fortunately, they were the last to enter the train, so no obstacles got in their path as they dashed for the entrance door.
Panting once inside, Ron's eyes became alert once more.
"Wait….what about our luggage, we left it behind!"
Harry groaned in despair, thankfully Hermione walked up towards them before things got worse.
"Not to worry, our luggage was brought up when I got on board so your things are safe," she said with a reassuring smile, although her eyes seemed to gleam with an 'I told you so' type of look.
A look of relief passed over the boys' faces' briefly before Harry gave his friend a smile.
"Thanks Hermione, really appreciate it," He said to the girl in front of him, who beamed at him in return.
"At least someone does," Hermione retorted, glancing at Ron who looked clearly offended.
"Hey!" Ron cried out immediately, "Who said I wasn't appreciative, I was about to thank you, you know!"
"You're welcome then Ronald," Hermione said as she turned to Harry who seemed rather amused by his friends' usual bickering.
"I saved us a corridor, Ron and I will have to attend the Prefect meeting so we'll be back soon," She informed him, sounding like a mother telling a nanny where the emergency phone numbers were at.
"Yes mum," Harry nodded, receiving a quirk of the lips from Hermione and a snicker from Ron.
The group walked not so far down the train until Hermione pointed out the empty compartment she'd saved.
"Bloody annoying meetings…," Ron began to mutter under his breath as Harry settled himself into the compartment while he and Hermione strolled down the train.
Harry cracked a grin as he shut the door; already knowing Ron was receiving a right scowl from Hermione at that very instant.
He positioned himself by the window, watching the scenery move before his eyes.
His hand cupping the side of his face as boredom began to penetrate his mind as well as a feeling of unease.
He turned to the door, to see if anyone was coming, already imagining his school rival slamming the door open with a sneer on his pale face.
Sadly, no one arrived.
Harry's brows furrowed at this, finding it quite odd that Malfoy hadn't dropped by his compartment as of yet like he usually did just to annoy him.
This was odd, then there was the slight notion that maybe Malfoy had grown up and nobly decided to stop picking on Harry and his friends…
Like that was ever gonna happen!
A good ten minutes past before Ron and Hermione arrived back from their Prefect meeting, both had troubled looks on their faces.
Hermione was clutching a piece of parchment in her hand he recognized as the Daily Prophet.
Ron's face seemed to improve greatly once he noticed the pastries Harry had bought from the dessert trolley and popped down right beside his friend.
Hermione however, paid no mind to them and sat down in front of Harry, making sure she caught his eyes before speaking.
"Malfoy wasn't at the meeting," she stated, her words short but powerful.
Harry's eyes widened significantly, saying nothing as he waited for his friend to carry on.
"Here, read this," She said, handing him the Daily Prophet.
His eyes wandered to a particularly normal sized column, despite it being on the front page.
There was a picture of Malfoy and his parents smiling for the camera, the whole family appeared to be smirking instead of smiling though.
The headline caught his attention immediately as he proceeded to read the article.
Draco Malfoy MISSING?
Draco Malfoy, age sixteen, has apparently been considered as 'missing' as of July 17th. The Ministry along with the Malfoy family refused to give any information to the media beforehand, in the hope of the Malfoy Heir being found quickly.
Unfortunately, this is not the case and clues leading to the whereabouts of Mr. Malfoy have been unfounded and practically non-existent.
The Malfoys have refused to give out a statement regarding their missing son although our sympathy goes out to them in hope of finding their son healthy and unharmed in due time.
We will keep you updated on the "Draco Malfoy" case as more information pops up, hopefully soon as all information concerning the teen is being kept unusually quiet.
Draco Malfoy:
My beloved readers, I appreciate you reading the first chapter of 'Beyond the Looking Glass'. I'm sure that miserable piece of work of an author is feeling quite giddy as well.
Now If you would be so kind as to hit that small but HIGHLY important purple button to the bottom left of your screen and write her a simply fabulous review so she might make me 'unmissing'.
Come on, we all love me right!
Draco Malfoy. (I write my name twice because I feel like it. SO DON'T BOTHER ASKING.)