A/N: You read that right. The little alert email didn't lie. I am alive, and the fifth instalment is finally here. It has been a few years in coming and I apologise for that but (unfortunately) life comes before my writing. Also, the big reveal was at the end of the last book and I was hopelessly stuck on where to take the series until I was inspired by a good friend about a month or so ago on a direction to take this. Hopefully I can get back into the swing of it this year some as I am going back to university (I'm insane) to study more, but I make no promises. Updates might be infrequent, but I'm trying my hardest to make it worth the wait.
If this all goes well and smoothly I will be rewriting the first two or three books in this series too, as I wrote them so long ago that I cringe to read them now. They are horrifyingly short, poorly written and exactly the type of fanfiction that I hate to read. I want to teleport back to my 14 year old self and strangle her for rushing them so. I hope to rectify that, and hopefully this year, but that is less important to you guys than the more exciting new release of Amy Potters' life!
Enough from me, I hope you enjoy. Please review if you do, I'm eager to here your reactions to the newest story.
I leant against the cool glass, watching the countryside pass me by. The summer had crawled by, despite how much I was dreading this, the return to school. I thought time was meant to speed up to something you dreaded, but it had passed torturously slowly, confined to the Malfoy Manor and grounds for the entirety of the months. For once, I didn't want to be going back to Hogwarts, even though the prospect of staying with either the Malfoys or my other 'supervisors' was even more unpleasant. I didn't want to be going back to Hogwarts now that they knew; my only friends, Ron, Hermione and my brother Harry. They now knew about me, had some inkling into the horrors of my life, had seen the black mark burned into my forearm, the sign of the enemy, and of evil. Reflexively, I ran my hand down the offending limb, over the long sleeved shirt I wore despite the stifling temperature in the train cabin. Picking at the hem of my sleeve I felt Draco absently pull my hand away, capturing it in his own. He'd done this many times over the summer, been there for me through every day. Whether it was just my anxious rubbing of the black lines marring my arm, or physically pulling my arm away as I broke down in tears, scratching at the offending mark and sobbing at the injustice of my entire fucking life, Draco's touch had comforted me. I turned my face away from the blurred greenery looking at the others I share the train cabin with. Draco Malfoy, of course, was seated next to me; his blonde hair tousled across his forehead just how I like it instead of his usual slicked back look. I wondered idly if that was because I'd told him I preferred it this way, after we'd both had a couple of firewhiskeys' that we'd snuck from a function of his mothers. A small smile tugged at my lips remembering that night, before I dismissed the thought before a tell-tale blush rose on my features. My eyes travelled from him to the petite, dark haired girl on his other side, Pansy Parkinson. She was laughing at something the handsome Italian sitting across from her was saying. At my movement, he turned to look at me, shooting a small smirk in my direction. I smiled at him, shaking off my earlier dread about returning to the ancient castle. Even if my friends in my house turned against me, I still had several people in Slytherin to turn to. Even if Harry, Ron and Hermione hated me now they knew I was claimed by the Dark Lord, I still had those sharing the cabin with me now, who wouldn't care about the mark on my arm if they did indeed find out. Thankfully, as of yet, Draco was the only one of these three who knew.
"Welcome back to the land of reality, little Gryffindor." Blaise teased me. I stuck my tongue out at him petulantly. I had spent most of the trip daydreaming, not speaking much as Pansy and Draco had left to attend their prefects meeting, nor when they returned, despite the Italian wizards attempts to draw me into conversation. "We should be arriving soon, should probably start thinking about getting our robes on." He made good on his word, standing and reaching for his luggage. Draco and Pansy followed him up while I still sat blinking away the cobwebs from being so cocooned in thought.
"Oof." I wheezed, surprised as Draco dropped the bag I would need onto my lap. I looked up to see him smirking at me, reaching over and whacking his leg playfully. "Give me some warning next time please!" I scolded lightly.
"If you were paying attention you wouldn't have needed warning." He replied. "You're not going to pass your O.W.L.s if you daydream the year away."
I grimaced at the reminder of the tests looming at the end of the year. As if I needed another thing to worry about. "I'm sure you'll help me study, Draco." I teased lightly, pulling my robe from my bag before tossing the luggage back at him. He caught it deftly, storing it above my head.
Blaise laughed, shaking his head. "If you get Draco to help you there certainly won't be any studying done." He winked, placing a hand on his chest theatrically. "I'm sure I would be able to find time in my demanding schedule to help out a poor young girl such as yourself."
"The only thing that's demanding in your schedule is all the bints you have chasing after you." Pansy cackled. Blaise imitated my earlier move to stick his own tongue out at the witch. I glanced out the window again into the hastily darkening countryside. Soon enough the train began to slow before pulling up to a stop at Hogsmeade station. We emerged into the hallway, the others strutting confidently while I trailed along beside Draco. It was something of an advantage of having friends so confident and intimidating, as the train corridor was quite crowded with students eager to depart, yet space miraculously appeared for our passing. We were some of the first onto the platform, and walking towards the carriages at the gates. My eyes widened as I saw skeletal black horses – horses with wings – between the limbers of the carriage. Apparently they weren't pulling themselves this year. The horse-thing hitched to our carriage snorted and pawed at the ground as I stared wide-eyed at it, numbly following Draco up and into the seats. Shaking out of my surprise I turned back to the others, just in time to catch Blaise and another Slytherin student who had joined us from the gathering crowd giving my pitying looks. I smiled at them, before settling back into the ride up to the castle.
It wasn't until we reached the doors to the Great Hall that my doubt returned. As Draco, Blaise, Pansy and the dark-haired Slytherin from the carriage nodded at me, heading off to their table I realised I would be alone at my own. For one brief moment I considered following them, of joining the Slytherins, before I steeled my nerve and headed over to the Gryffindor table. Thankfully since we were some of the first into the Hall most of the seats were still empty and I took an unobtrusive one away from the door. It didn't save me however, as Harry, Ron and Hermione walked in, the latter looking around before spotting me and making a beeline for the empty seats around mine. I sighed quietly as she sat down next to me, Harry taking a seat on my other side. Ron shot me a distrustful look but remained silent as he took the seat next to Hermione.
"Hello Amy, how was your summer?" the witch asked me, strained cheerfulness clear in her voice.
"It was… nice." I provided weakly, unsure of my standing amongst the others of my house.
"Were you with him?" she murmured quietly to me. I shook my head, dredging up a small smile for the trio.
"No, I stayed with Draco for the summer again."
"Oh, well that's… good?" Hermione replied tentatively as the boys immediately shot a glare over to the Slytherin table – both Harry and Ron taking roles as protective older brothers. None of the trio liked the Malfoys at all, but I guess it was better in their eyes that I stayed with their school nemesis than one of the darkest wizards of the age. Hermione opened her mouth to start questioning me again but the Sorting Hat beginning its song interrupted her. Thankful to the old hat I turned my attention to the dais, scanning the row of teachers. Hagrid was missing, replaced once again by Professor Grubbly-Plank, as well as the usual new Defence Against Dark Arts teacher – a short plump woman dressed in a horrifying amount of pink. I noticed Harry was also suspiciously watching the new woman as the Sorting progressed. Dinner dragged on forever in almost-silence between the four of us, with Harry, Hermione and Ron talking evasively about a subject that had something to do with summer. I gathered they had spent it together and my stomach twisted. I hadn't even received a single owl from any of them. My appetite ended then. I remained to myself for the remainder of the meal, pushing my food around on my plate. As dessert began I could feel eyes on me from the Slytherin table, and my melancholy deepened. I knew him and his friends would be chatting, cajoling each other as boys do, enjoying each others company. I glanced up at Harry, Hermione and Ron again, watching the two of them laughed as Ron spluttered, gravy spilt down his chin and the front of his robes. I wished for that kind of camaraderie again, without feeling excluded from the trio. My sigh was hidden in the sudden hushing of the hall, as Professor Dumbledore stood to begin his welcoming speech.
"Good evening children. We have two changes in staffing this year – I am pleased to welcome back Professor Grubbly-Plank, who will be taking Care of Magical Creatures, while Professor Hagrid is on temporary leave. I would also wish to welcome our new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher, Professor Dolores Umbridge. And I'm sure you'll all join me in wishing the professor good luck." A small smile graced Professor Dumbledores' lips as he nodded towards the plump woman. "Now as usual, our caretaker Mr Filch has asked me to remind you –"
Professor Umbridge daintily cleared her throat, before rising to stand and walk around the table, the clacking of her heels echoing around the silent chamber, to stand near Professor Dumbledore.
"She was at my hearing." I heard Harry whisper to the others. "She works for Fudge."
"Thank you Headmaster," Professor Umbridges' voice cut out over the rest of Harry's hushed description. "For those kind words of welcome. And how lovely to see all your bright, happy faces smiling up at me. I'm sure we're all going to be very good friends."
I, at least, scowled at that.
"The Ministry of Magic has always considered the education of young witches and wizards to be of vital importance. Although each headmaster has brought something new to this historic school, progress for the sake of progress must be discouraged. Let us preserve what must be preserved, perfect what can be perfected, and prune practices that ought to be prohibited." She giggled slightly, looking around the stilled room, before heading back to her seat. Professor Dumbledore began a scattering applause for her speech, but several other students still shared in my scowl, Hermione included.
"What a load of waffle." I heard Ron mutter.
"What's it mean?" Harry whispered.
"It means the Ministry is interfering at Hogwarts." Hermione replied shortly, staring steadily up towards the high table.
I looked back down at my clean dessert bowl, the frown melting from my face. Professor Umbridge would be another person to avoid, as anyone from the Ministry finding out that I lived with their governments' greatest enemy would not be a pleasant experience. Perhaps if I could manage to keep my head down this year, keep away from my brother and friends…
"Come on Amy." Harry nudged my elbow. "We're all going up to the common room now, Neville has the password. Come on." He gave me a tentative smile, which I matched, following him away from the table.