Chapter 1 : Train Ride
Neville POV:
Everyone has heard the rumors. The rumors about Harry and Hermione, that they ran away without telling anyone anything. The rumors about Ron being sick with Spattergroit. The rumors about how Harry Potter has left us alone.
But it al sounds fake to me. Harry would never leave us, never. He's probably out there with Hermione and Ron to find a way to stop Voldemort, to finish him once and for all.
I sigh at the thoughts of my friends and start packing my trunk for Hogwarts. Grandma doesn't want me to go back, she says it'll be to different. I know she's right, but I am not leaving the others alone. Plus it'll be fun to interfere with Snape being headmaster and such.
All Muggleborns have been denied for Hogwarts attendance, most of them where even traced and taken for further investigation. I even heard that Dean Thomas had almost been almost caught last week by the Snatchers, but he managed to escape in time. I'm really worried about him, no one has heard of him yet. It's so stupid to go after him, he had a Wizard father, tough no one has any real proof of that.
"Neville? Are you coming? The train's leaving in an hour!" Grandma's voice sounds from downstairs and I finish packing.
"There you are, c'mon, wouldn't want to be late." She mutters and eyes me closely.
"If things get rough out there, you just send an owl and I'll get you straight back home, okay?" She frowns and I smile at her. "Sure."
She grabs her red handbag and stuffed up bird-hat and I bring my trunk to the car. We have a normal muggle car, to fit in in our neighborhood. I click my seatbelt on - grandma's kind of a rough rider - and she starts the car.
I gulp as she almost crashes into a parked car on the other side of the road while driving out. "No worries, I've got this." She says and we're off to King's Cross Station.
Ginny POV:
"Yes, mum! I'll be safe, bye!" I yell and jump in our Ministry car. Fred and George are bringing me to Kings Cross, Fred drives.
"So, sissy," Fred begins. "Are you sure you want to go back to Hogwarts?" George finishes his sentence, like they always do. I shrug as a reply and Fred grins.
"Remember Georgie? How we just loved to get out of school those days?" George smirks. "Good ol' days, when I still had a second ear and such." I grin at the comment, but Fred's face becomes the most serious then I've ever seen it.
"It isn't going to be like it used to be." He says and I frown. "What?" I ask, having no clue about what's stressing my brothers so much.
"Hogwarts, it isn't going to be pretty." George says.
"I know, but I'm not just going to sit at home doing nothing." I reply with a sigh. I know it will be bad, having Death Eaters as teachers and Snape as headmaster, but I'm not going to leave my friends alone out there.
"That's our little sis." Fred smiles.
"Always been a bit fierce." George grins and I slap the back of his head. We laugh and continue the journey in silence.
Fred parks the car and George helps me with my luggage. We walk to the gate between platform 9 and 10 and they grin at each other before the three of us run trough.
"I've kinda missed that." Fred says when we come trough.
"Yep, we used to piss our pants when we had to run trough the first time." George adds and we burst into laughter.
It soon dies as we see all the sad faces around us, all the Death Eaters guarding the train, all the children who've lost their family or are frightened to go back to Hogwarts.
"You'll find more cheer in a graveyard." Fred mutters.
"True that." George adds and we walk trough and put my bags on the train.
"Identification?" A bearded Death Eater asks and we stare at him for a moment. What? Do we need a passport or something?
"Ginny Weasly." I croak out, and the man starts checking his list. After a few seconds he nods and lets me on the train. Fred and George tough , who want to come and say goodbye, are stopped.
"Only students allowed on the train." He says sternly.
"We just want to say goodbye." George says, quite offended.
"Should've thought of that earlier. Get out." He orders and his hand slips to his wand. They stare a moment at each other and I can feel what's coming.
"Fred, George, it's okay. Just go." I say, almost pleading, and they seem to think about it. Few seconds later they nod at me and go with the man, who leads them of of the platform.
Seamus POV:
Luna has been talking about some kind of things called Nargles for at least half an hour. If I don't find Neville soon, I think I'll explode. We're sitting in the Gryffindor compartment with some others and I'm happy to seen Neville walk in with Ginny.
He nods some hello's and comes to sit with us.
"Any news?" I ask Ginny, she's the closest to Harry here.
"They left on Harry's birthday, didn't tell anyone. It was just after the Death Eaters ambushed Bill's wedding. We know Ron's with them, the spattergroit is just an alibi." She say worried. I can imagine that, your brother and boyfriend searching for a way to kill the most feared wizard of all time. I'd piss my pants if I were her.
"The Daily Prophet has been writing nothing but anti Muggle stuff. I even heard a few Muggleborns were sent of to Azkaban last week!" Neville says angrily.
We're quiet for a moment and Luna's serene voice broke the silence. "Daddy writes stuff against the Ministry, but I'm getting quite worried about him. Who knows they'll come after him once they know what he's writing."
Ginny sighed and gave her a hug. Our conversation changes to Harry and where he could be, but after a few minutes a sharp noise in the air notes that the train is stopping.
Flashes of Death Eaters pass by and the doors are opened. A few come into our compartment and look amongst the students.
"My father will hear about this." McLaggen threatens and one of them scoffs. They keep looking and suddenly Neville stands up.
"Hey losers, he isn't here." He says and they stare at him. With a final glare they leave the compartment and the train starts running again.
Neville releases the breath he'd been holding and sits back down.
"Wow." I say and grin at him.
"Wow." He repeats, still surprised by his own guts.
Ginny however, is frowning. "We shouldn't force to much attention on us. I don't think they'll be hesitant to kill us."
Neville drops his gaze and I stare out of the window. Will Hogwarts really have changed that much?
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AN: So this is my second Harry Potter story, I thought it might be interesting. Thanks for reading :) xoxo
~Nicole