Book One
Olivia
I was walking through the forest. I had a hood covering my head and my breath was clouding in the cold air. There were figures all around me, clad in black and silver masks. I didn't know where I was.
We walked in a tight formation like a mass of shadows. I couldn't tell who the people beside me were and fear kept me from asking. I clutched the unfamiliar wand in my hand and kept moving. With every step, my dread grew.
We came to a sudden stop and everyone's attention shifted to a figure at the front of the crowd. I couldn't see who it was, only that they were wearing a black cloak like the rest of us. Yet somehow they seemed more important. Like they amplified power.
I looked around, hoping to see some way out of this. I had a bad feeling in my stomach and all I wanted to do was run. But all I saw around me were people and trees and darkness. There was no way out.
"Olivia." a voice said. The masked people were all staring at me, shadows coming through the eye holes in their masks. I started to think they weren't even human. I began to step away but there was someone behind me. Cold hands gripped my shoulders.
"Olivia." the voice whispered into my ear. The figure that was at the head of the crowd was gone and the masked people were in a circle around me. I pulled away from whoever was behind me and spun around pointing my wand with a trembling hand. I knew who the figure was a second before he took off his hood.
"You're mine, Olivia." Lord Voldemort smiled darkly, his red eyes glowing. "You're dark. Evil. A killer." The masked people, Death Eaters, pushed closer around us until I couldn't see beyond them. I tried to stun them but the spell won't come out.
"You're a Death Eater, Olivia. It's in your blood." Voldemort whispered, moving so close to me that I stopped breathing all together. All I could see was his skull like face and those blood red eyes, staring holes into me.
"Shut up." I stuttered, my voice nothing more than a squeak. The Death Eaters laughed, their voices echoing through the woods louder and louder until I couldn't take it anymore. I fell to my knees and tried to cover my ears but there was something already there. I frantically touched my face, feeling the cold metal of a Death Eater mask. I tried to pull it off but it wouldn't budge.
"Murderer. You're nothing more than a cold blooded killer." Voldemort said, every word echoing through my head. I wanted to fight. I wanted to scream and yell and curse those bastards but nothing came. I felt...empty.
Like a monster.
I jolted awake to the sound of a train chugging on tracks. It took me a second to remember where I was and to not be scared of opening my eyes. I had been through this routine so often that I was surprised I wasn't used to it already. It seemed to catch me by surprise every time.
When I finally opened my eyes, I found my compartment empty. No surprise. Rhys could never sit still for long. She was probably out causing some kind of trouble that would get us both detention. I shook my head and rubbed the sleep from my eyes.
It felt like only minutes ago we were pulling out of Platform 9 and 3/4 but as I gazed out the window I saw we were already in the middle of nowhere. I didn't remember dozing off but I must've been out for a while. The compartment door suddenly burst open and my best friend, Rhys collapsed into the seat across from me looking satisfied. That was never a good sign.
"Look who's awake." she smirked, crossing her arms over her chest. "We weren't off the platform for more than ten minutes when you fell asleep. Did your parents take away your bed or something?"
"Ha ha." I rolled my eyes. Rhys raised an eyebrow when I didn't say more and I shook my head. I hadn't told her about the nightmares I'd had ever since the end of last year and I still wasn't ready to. Being a Hufflepuff, she wouldn't understand it. No one would.
"Well in other news, I just found Dean Thomas and Seamus Finnegan snogging in the bathroom." Rhys shrugged, running a hand through her cropped blue hair. It was unruly enough, but Rhys liked to look edgy and being completely disorganized finished off the look perfectly.
"Ah, young love." I said with a snort, "Figures it would be those two. They can't get enough of each other."
"It's even funnier because they think no one realizes they're in love with each other." Rhys remarked, glancing out the compartment door window where a group of people were passing by.
An angry looking boy with untidy black hair and a lightning scar was facing an emotionless gaunt looking boy with blonde hair. Joining the first boy was a tall red haired boy and a frizzy haired girl. The blonde boy was surprisingly alone.
"Shit." Rhys and I muttered in unison.
"What's the matter, Malfoy?" Harry Potter taunted, gripping his wand in his fist. "You suddenly don't feel like being a prat anymore? I suppose because your idiots Crabbe and Goyle aren't here you don't want to put up a fight."
Draco Malfoy for once in his life didn't say a word, his cold gray eyes sparking but his lips pulled into a white line. The Golden Trio glared at him, waiting for some rude comment or threat but nothing came. The rivals stared each other down for a full minute before Hermione Granger came to the rescue as usual, pulling her friends past Malfoy and to their compartment.
"That was disappointing." Rhys complained as soon as the Trio moved out of sight. "I really thought they would have at it. It's a shame Ginny Weasley wasn't around, her hexes are fantastic."
I nodded in agreement but my attention was elsewhere. I couldn't help but stare at Malfoy, who was still lingering outside of our compartment. The rage in his eyes was gone and he just looked tired. Completely unlike the Draco Malfoy I had gone to school with for the past 7 years. His eyes fell onto mine for only a moment before he slipped down the narrow corridor and out of sight.
"Are you listening to me?" Rhys demanded, pulling my attention away from the empty hallway. I swallowed the little lump in my throat and shook my head, releasing the breath I didn't know I was holding. I attempted to concentrate on Rhys's story but all I could think about were those gray eyes.
Things were changing. That year wouldn't be like the others. One year after the Battle of Hogwarts and nothing would ever be like it was before. I wanted to think that maybe we would have a normal school year like our siblings and parents had told us about but I knew it's impossible. Our generation was never normal. And with Voldemort gone I supposed we would have to come up with some new rules.
Thanks for reading! I've spent a lot of time on this story so I would appreciate any feedback, comments or just anything. I hope you enjoy the Potter Generation!
Megan