Disclaimer: anything you recognise, not mine. Dat iz J.K. Rowling's. Sadly. I only own Aurora and the crew.

Enjoy!

The screaming got louder and louder, but there was nothing I could do about it. Because I was trapped. Trapped inside this room while my friends were being tortured out there. I tried banging on the door, attempting in vain to break it down. If only they hadn't taken my wand! Suddenly there was one last, blood curdling scream and then silence. I slumped against the thick wooden door and right then I knew it was over.

They were gone.

I shot up out of bed and sat breathing heavily, struggling to calm myself down. I touched my flushed cheeks and realised that they were wet with tears. That nightmare had felt so real... I felt like I could hear their screams echoing through my ears again. My eyes started to well up at the thought of that fateful night, when my world had shattered down around me. I shook my head and desperately tried to stop thinking about those things. Swinging my legs over the side of my bed, I reached for my bottle of water I always kept on my bedside table. As I took a few sips I remembered what day it was. September 1st! I smiled wryly at the thought of another year being left alone. Although I had a feeling that that this year would be different, being on the receiving end of stares and whispers didn't seem much better than being ignored. I doubted that anyone would even try to make friends with me.

As I thought about leaving for sixth year, my thoughts flicked back to my mother. She always got so upset whenever we left for Hogwarts, and I knew that this year would be even worse, considering the recent events. I felt a twinge of sadness as I thought about her. If I had my way, I wouldn't go to Hogwarts, but I would stay with Mum. I really do love my mum. She works so hard all the time, yet she still has time for us. I wish things were easier for her, what with my father having left when I was four years old. Sighing, I set my bottle back on the table and lay back down in bed, trying to drift off into what was sure to be a fitful, nightmare filled sleep.

"AURORA!" shouted the sweet dulcet tones (note: sarcasm) of my darling mother, waking me up from a happy dream, which for me was a rare occurrence.

Hearing no response from me, my mother shouted, sounding even more like a banshee, although I doubt that is possible, "AURORA CORALIE PERRY! IF YOU ARE NOT UP IN THE NEXT THIRTY SECONDS, SO SAVE YOU MERLIN, I WILL COME UP THERE AND DRAG YOU OUT OF BED MYSELF! GET UP! NOW!"

My eyes widened in terror at those last words. To any other person, they would have thought that she was only joking, but my mother never jokes. If she says she will drag you out of bed if you don't do something, she will drag you out. Personal experience my friends, and let me tell you, not the greatest thing ever. So I shot out of bed, and mustering up what energy I had, I replied, saying "All right, all right, I'm up! No need to bring the threats out..."

I looked at the Muggle clock on my table and it read 9:00 in shining red digitalised numbers. Raising my eyebrows at the time, I yawned and slowly trudged my way over to the bathroom across the hall. After I took a shower I felt much more awake and went about the task of choosing what to wear. In the end, I went for a light purple top and a brown jacket, with my favourite washed out skinny jeans and tan leather heeled boots.

As I turned to face the mirror on top of my vanity, I realised that I hadn't looked at my reflection since the... incident. The mirror was even coated in a fine layer of dust. I brushed away the dust on the surface and started in shock at the sight that greeted me. The last time I had looked in the mirror, I was faced with a bright faced sixteen year old with warm chocolate brown eyes and shiny, thick blonde hair. Now... where I should have been, there was a girl with empty brown eyes with faint dark circles underneath them and lifeless blonde hair, all the shine gone from it. Whereas the old Aurora from before would be smiling happily, the one that stared back at me had a dead expression on her face. Had I really changed so much? It was almost too hard to believe. Yet the evidence was all there. I was definitely not the same person as before.

Snapping out of my reverie, I quickly brushed my hair, trying to give it a bit more shape and covering up the dark circles with concealer. Then I turned away, checking around the room for any forgotten items. I spotted my Gryffindor scarf lying on my table and my eagle feather quill next to my wardrobe. Quickly gathering the items up, I stuffed them into my trunk and picked up my wand. Turning round to ace the mirror again, I arranged my face into a somewhat cheery smile and headed downstairs, trunk in tow.

"Hey mum!" I called as I neared the kitchen, the smell of burnt... something reaching my nostrils. Scrunching up my nose, I dumped my trunk near the door and walked in. Oh Merlin, the smell was suffocating me! "What are you making?" I managed to choke out.

"Oh good morning Aurora. I'm was just making some toast for you, darling." said my mum, beaming at me proudly, whilst gesturing towards a plate of two black, charred pieces of what I now knew was bread. Huh. I guess mum could actually burn something as simple as that.

Still, I didn't want to hurt her feelings, so I said, all the while trying not to breathe in too much of the acrid air, "No mum, it's alright. I'm not really hungry anyway; I'll just have some juice."

She frowned, but thankfully didn't say anything. Suddenly, she jumped up. "Aurora! Look at the time! It's quarter past ten! We need to go, or you'll miss the train!"

Is stood up and gave her a weak smile. "Yeah let's go mum."

She looked like she had remembered something. "Wait! You haven't said goodbye to Lucas!"

I gritted my teeth as she yelled up to him to come downstairs. Let's just say that my brother and I aren't on the best of terms. Lucas is 2 years older than me and he looks nothing like me. He got dad's messy chestnut hair and mum's grey eyes. He also went to Hogwarts and now works as a reporter for the Daily Prophet. I glumly trudged out of the room after mum as I heard a muffled thump sounding from upstairs. I looked up to the landing and saw him. He looked like he had just crawled out of bed (which he probably had), bleary-eyed and yawning. "What is it mum?" he asked grumpily.

"We're leaving now and I wanted you to say goodbye to Aurora." she said. Mum knew that we didn't get on, which is why she is always forcing us to talk to each other.

As if that will work.

Lucas scowled, but knowing how determined our mother is, gave a non- committal grunt and said, "Bye". And with that the turned on his heel and left.

Although this was what I expected, I still felt saddened at the thought of my leaving having so little effect on him. Smiling awkwardly at my mother, I said, "Well, let's going then, shall we?"

She smiled back at me, with a worried expression on her face and nodded her head. I picked up my trunk and she picked up my owl cage and we walked out of the door. Placing the bags into the boot of our old blue car, we got in and set off. Neither one of us said a word for the entire twenty minute journey. I could tell mum was thinking hard about something, but I didn't press, knowing how irritating it was when people do that. Me, well I just sat there looking out of the window. Eventually the station came into view and I got out of the car, closely followed by mum. We loaded my things onto one of the trolleys and walked in silence till we got to the barrier. This was extremely weird. Mum isn't the type to stay quiet for such a long time. Whatever that was bothering her must have been pretty serious for her to be like this. Closing my eyes, I could I took her hand and we walked through the barrier together, with me pushing the trolley.

I opened my eyes and the familiar scene of platform nine and three-quarters greeted me. The station thick with people, white mist encircling them as the Hogwarts Express stood waiting. I could hear some children gasp as they entered the platform, evidently Muggleborn firsties. The sight didn't make me gasp in excitement or anything anymore, as I had been coming here since the age of nine.

"I should probably get on the train now mum."

"Okay darling. Remember- try not to get into trouble and write to me if you need anything, alright? I love you Aurora." she said, her face motherly and kind.

"I love you too, mum" I replied, and with one last hug I was on my way. Taking my trunk in one hand and my owl cage in the other, I set off towards the scarlet train. As I walked past, I could feel stares on the back of my head. Trying my best to ignore them, I walked with my head held high, a look of indifference plastered on my face.

The same thing happened as I walked down the corridor looking for an empty compartment, except this time they didn't hold back the whispers.

"Did you hear about what happened to her?"

"Yeah, it was horrible."

"I heard that she was the one who did it." said someone in another compartment.

"Really?"

"Don't be ridiculous." scoffed a different voice.

And so the whispers continued. The worst part was the fact that no-one bothered to even try and lower their voices. They were acting as if though I was deaf.

People shot me looks of pity as I ambled along. It's funny isn't it, how people can feel sorry for you, yet at the same time be able to whisper and spread rumours.

Eventually, I found an empty compartment near the back and I settled in to the plush seats. I leaned my head against the window and sighed. It was so irritating out there. I had no idea how I was going to survive tonight, let alone the rest of the term. Slowly, eleven 'o' clock grew nearer and the train started up. Soon enough, the houses and gardens began to disappear, being replaced by green fields and blue skies.

Suddenly, the compartment door banged open. I yelped, startled out of my seat, but soon regained my composure. Standing in the doorway panting heavily, was none other than Albus Potter. I looked at him expectantly, still not saying anything.

"Hey", he panted," can I sit here?"

I shrugged my shoulders and gestured to a seat. He smiled at me gratefully and took a seat opposite me. He was still panting, brushing his messy black hair out of his eyes. we were sitting in an awkward silence, but I pretended like I wasn't bothered and continued looking out o the window.

He was fidgeting in his seat, obviously uncomfortable. Eventually he asked, "So... what's your name?"

I stared at him incredulously. Did the boy really not know my name? We were in the same house, shared the same bloody lessons for five bloody years! Was I really that invisible that someone in the same house and year as me didn't know my name? Wow.

"You do realise that I'm in the same year and house as you right, Potter?" I said; no emotion in my voice.

He looked even more uncomfortable at this and looked down,"Oh...um..."

I sighed. Curse me and my niceness! It was fun watching him squirm! "I'm Aurora Perry. I'm a sixth year Gryffindor. Like you."

Realisation dawned on his face at this. "Oh, I know you! You're in all my classes. I suppose I don't recognise you because I've never talked to you."

What. An. Idiot.

Again, the compartment door crashed open, but this time Scorpius Malfoy stood there. Could these people not earn how to open a door quietly? He was, however, not completely out of breath like Potter was when he arrived.

"Al! I went up and down this train looking for you and I find you sitting here with Aurora! Oh, hey Aurora."

I was surprised that he knew my name, but I hid it as I replied, "Hi Scorpius."

"Hey!" whined Potter, "How come he gets Scorpius, but I get Potter?"

"Because he actually knew my name and wasn't as thick headed as you!" I huffed. Merlin this boy was annoying!

Scorpius chuckled. "Really, mate? You shared all your classes with her last year and you still don't know her name?"

Albus sulked. "Well I've never spoken to her!"

"Neither have I. But she is in the same year and house as us, so I know her name. And she was friends with Jane!"

The compartment suddenly went quiet and the air became tense. I closed my eyes and calmed myself down. I opened them again to find both boys staring intently at me.

I glared at them and they looked away.

"Sorry. I shouldn't have brought it up." mumbled Scorpius, looking sheepishly at his hands.

What had I just done? I had let these two boys who I barely even knew see my weak side. I was so stupid! But I still smiled at him and told him it was ok.

A relieved grin broke across his face at my words and began chatting animatedly to Potter about something. Feeling bored, I got out a book from my bag and began to read.

Most of the journey passed like this, Potter and Scorpius chatting and me reading. When the trolley lady came around I bought a Pumpkin Pasty and watched on disgustedly as the two of them eat through the entire trolley. Finally, we approached Hogsmeade and I shooed the pair of them out so I could get changed. As soon as they left, I sighed. I was so used to being on my own I had almost forgotten what it was like to be around other people apart from my mother.

I quickly pulled on my robes and fixed my hair. Thankfully the pair of them didn't come back, so I was left alone until we pulled into the station. Hauling my bag over my shoulder, I walked off the train and onto the platform. It looked the same as it always did, with steam from the engine misting up my vision and Hagrid standing over in the corner calling to the first years.

"Hagrid!" I shouted.

"Aurora! How have ye been?" asked Hagrid kindly, beaming down at me through a mess of wild, tangled brown hair.

"I've been better, but I guess I'm ok" I replied truthfully.

"Ah, I did hear abou' tha'. Ye do know you can talk to me?" asked Hagrid, concern and genuine sympathy I his voice.

"I do, Hagrid. Anyway, I have to go, the ikkle firsties are awaiting!"

And with that, I waved goodbye to Hagrid and made my way to the carriages. I soon found myself an empty one and relaxed into a seat.

No-one joined me, so I was once more left alone. Hogwarts castle soon came into view, looking dark and foreboding, yet at the same time warm and inviting.

I stepped down from the carriage and made my way along with everyone else to the main doors. Hopefully, this year would be better than the last.

I certainly hope so.

A/N: This was my first attempt at a multi chapter story. What do you think? Was it like puke in the picnic basket (Good Luck Charlie reference, not my own) or was it alright?

Please leave a review! And please no flames!

Love you all

seeminglyharmless21

xxx

p.s- if you liked this, look at my other story, Rose's Return. Thanks!