Chapter One:
I stirred as Emma came bounding into my room. She jumped on my bed shouting, "Get up, get up! Don't you remember what today is? We're going back to HOGWARTS!"
"Of course I know. You haven't stopped counting down since the last day of term! You weren't even happy that it was summer. Now get out and go get ready." She bounded out looking rather pleased with herself. As my older step sister (by eleven days), she was very immature.
I got dressed, pulling on a pair of faded grey skinny jeans and a blue one shoulder top. I ran my brush through my silky brown curls and tied it into a bun with a few loose strands of hair. I took my time to do my makeup, making sure my eyeliner was perfect before applying mascara.
Emma was stood outside her room dressed in black jeans and an orange t-shirt. She looked like she was going to burst with excitement. The door opposite her room opened and our mother shuffled out still in her dressing gown and slippers.
"Get dressed quickly! We can't be late!" Emma cried and she stared horrified at Mother's appearance. Mother went straight back into her room and I could hear her getting ready. I sighed as I watched Emma sprint down into the kitchen for breakfast.
When I reached the table, most of the food that Teelie, our house elf, had laid out for Emma, was gone. When she was finished she ran back upstairs to check all her things were ready. I couldn't believe how excited she was.
Mother and Father emerged fully dressed with Emma's trunk just as I finished eating. She had her Gryffindor scarf wrapped around her neck and a big grin plastered on her face. I went upstairs rather quickly and grabbed my trunk. I slipped my feet into my blue Nikes and went back downstairs.
We were both ready in plenty of time and we shoved our trunks into our muggle car and drove to King's Cross station.
We dragged our trunks to the barrier and I casually walked over to it and lent on the wall. Without hesitation I disappeared through the wall and stood looking at an entirely different platform.
All around me people were hurrying around and putting their children onto the train shouting last minute advice and warnings.
Emma, Mother and Father fell through the barrier and together we hoisted the trunks onto the carriage. We said goodbye to our parents then each other and moved into separate compartments.
I pulled back the glass door to a compartment and stared at the five faces looking up at me. Carlie jumped up and wrapped her arms around me. She was shortly followed by Tara and Becca. On the seat Josh and Kieran smiled foolishly at me. I hauled my trunk in and the boys lifted it onto the rack above our heads. I sat down next to Josh and he started off on something that happened during the holidays. I zoned out but managed to nod or react whenever he paused.
After parting with Molly, I made my way to the Prefect carriage to say a quick "hi" to Destiny before she went insane, knowing that she hated meetings. I had been thrilled for her when she had told me that she had made Prefect; I would never have made it seeing as I was too much of a joker. I'm sure Dumbledore was hoping to make me more sensible, but I knew in my heart that he knew it was a lost cause.
As I reached the compartment I was suddenly bombarded by a collision of bodies.
"Emma!" they all cried.
I smiled a big smile. My friends had seen me coming and had decided to greet me in the only way they knew- a massive pile of bodies, never caring if they were hurting or not.
"Aw, guys! You didn't have to!" I laughed, rubbing my sides.
They accompanied me to the Prefect Carriage, all the while being fully aware of the awed looks we were getting from the younger students. After all, my sister and I had pretty much made ourselves celebrities the previous year just by saving Harry Potter from the Basilisk in the Chamber of Secrets.
When we reached the carriage, we didn't bother to knock.
"Excuse me!" Percy Weasley started.
"Oh, Percival, will you stop with the formalities?" I said playfully as I made my way over to him.
Percy blushed as I walked up to him and gave him a hug, winking to the Prefects sat behind him, knowing that I was making him feel incredibly awkward. I let go of him and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek before telling him:
"Percy dearest, don't bother waiting up for me. You'll know where to find me." And with that I left the compartment, giving Destiny a quick hug on my way out.
"Emma! That was brilliant!" James Cleven laughed as he slapped me on the back. "He just stood there looking all flustered."
"Oh, James, please! You're starting to sound like my mother!" I said jokingly.
We all laughed at Percy's reaction, relishing in the thought that he wouldn't dare to deduct house points from Gryffindor, especially this early on in the year. When we reached the compartments, we all sat in our usual seats, but it felt really empty without Destiny there with us, and Sam, who had made it to become Hufflepuff's male Prefect. James was sat on my right whilst Anna and Matilda were sat on my left, leaving Katherine and Shawn to snuggle up on the other side with-
Fred and George Weasley were there suddenly. I couldn't believe my eyes. I had thought that they had gone to see their other friends, but no! There George was, looking all happy while I was there without any makeup on! I looked down, childishly thinking that if I couldn't see him then he couldn't see me.
"We heard what you and our brother got up to, Emma," Fred said cheekily. "I didn't think he liked you."
"Yeah, after all, he's got Penelope," added George. "Mind you, he probably won't after that little date!"
Both of the twins laughed. I looked at them, desperately trying to keep cool. I noticed that Matilda was starting to figure out what was happening, so I changed the subject.
"Are you two trying out again for the team?" I asked them.
Josh finally finished his story with a quiet giggle that I noticed he tried to suppress. I smirked in reply and then turned to Carlie who was sat opposite me. We started gossiping about a guy she had met in France during the last week of the holidays. Out of the corner of my eye I saw two red headed twins walk past with a slight swagger in their step.
I made my excuses and slyly disappeared off into the direction of the twins. I watched then stop here and there, saying hello to people. They finally entered a compartment at the end of the train that I instantly recognised was Emma's. I squealed and almost floated down the corridor. I stood by the door peering in and waiting for the perfect time to make my entrance, but I knew it would be too risky right now, considering that there were two full compartments of Gryffindors and others, so I cast a simple invisibility spell so that I could listen to as much of their conversation as possible, positioning myself at the very back of the train so that I could see the twin's faces.
"I didn't think he liked you!" I heard Fred exclaim cheekily.
Drat! I couldn't see Emma's face! And I had missed the beginning bit of the conversation as well, seeing as I had been careful to make sure that I had not been seen. I resolved to find out from her later what had happened.
As I listened to their conversation carry on through their Quidditch team tryouts, I snuck back to my compartment, with a plan on how to speak to Fred. When I got there, I removed the invisibility charm, making them all jump.
"Where did you go?" Josh asked me.
I ignored him and addressed the whole compartment.
"My friends, we have work to do. My sister is making too much talk of Gryffindor's "greatness" and it needs to be stopped."
They cheered. As I turned around to walk back out, Josh grabbed my arm.
"What were you up to, Molly?" He whispered in my ear. I shrugged him off and mumbled something about picking on some second years for being too happy before striding off to the other end of the train, my heart skipping several beats per second.
As the conversation carried on, I became increasingly aware that Molly hadn't shown up yet. I was slightly shocked. She usually came in about now just to annoy me, and her absence was making me feel awkward.
I looked at my watch. It was half past twelve already! Destiny had arrived half an hour ago, and we had caught up about everything from the boy who had followed her around in Egypt to how her brother was very nervous about being sorted by the hat this year. The trolley hadn't even come yet.
"Emma, are you alright?" Fred asked me.
Before I could answer, Molly cast a dark shadow over my face. I smiled.
"Ah, the dreaded Troll!" I teased her in the customary way.
"I'M the Troll?" Molly asked me in disgusted surprise. "Who was the one who jumped on my bed to wake me up this morning?"
"Well, it certainly wasn't me." I said, not meeting her eye. My friends in the other compartment were sniggering.
I looked up and saw that Fred was watching Molly.
That's interesting, I thought. I looked at Molly. She had just snapped her eyes back to me from looking at Fred. Even more interesting.
"Is there and reason that you're casting this ghastly shadow over my glorious presence?" I asked her.
"No, not really," She replied in a bored voice. "Although, I did come here to find out why Percy was asking for you." This next part was directed to the twins, particularly Fred.
"Well, if he wants us he can come and get us," Fred stated to her, making himself more comfortable in his seat.
"Fine, but don't say I didn't warn you." Molly took one last look at him before she left, her friends following her.
"I love you Molly!" I called after her. She grunted.
I couldn't get his smile out of my head! For the rest of the journey I was in a constant restlessness. Even Josh's arms wrapped round me couldn't calm me down. Obviously, he didn't know I was uneasy, but then again, he's a boy. I sighed outwardly.
"You're very quiet, Molly." Tara asked me, concerned.
"What? Oh, yeah, I'm fine. I'm just fed up of having to wait for ages to eat!"
As if by magic, the lunch trolley trundled up to our compartment.
"Anything off the trolley, dears?" the lady asked.
We spent the next five minutes ordering our favourite sweets from her, noticing how she looked slightly worn out. I felt a twinge of guilt. We had previously spent a whole half an hour a few years back trying to decide on what we wanted, and I was pretty sure that she was getting too tired and old for this. I gave her a few extra galleons, giving her a warning look NOT to return it to me. She smiled appreciatively, and as she moved on, I felt slightly better.
After a while, I had once again become bored of the conversation. I was thinking about sneaking over to Emma again when we all looked round at the sound of a small tap on the compartment door. There was a memo aeroplane, with the Gryffindor emblem on it.
"Emma!" I growled. I slid the door open and snatched up the memo.
Too late! As I opened it up, a cascade of lion heads and crimson ribbons poured from it, filling us up with the hideous colour. I looked at my friends. This time, Emma's spells had gone a bit too far.
I stormed down to her compartment where I could hear her and her friends roaring with laughter. I leaned against the door as I embraced myself for the onslaught.
"Seriously! Did you have to do that, Emma?" I said angrily, my hands curling slowly into fists.
Emma looked at me.
"It wasn't me this time, it was George." She winked at George, who pinked a little around the ears.
"It's not funny! I feel so-"
The train jerked suddenly, throwing me into the compartment. Fred caught me just before I hit the floor. I looked at him with gratitude and embarrassment, and then the coldest feeling I have ever felt pierced me.
We all turned to look towards the door. There, floating in a nightmare was a creature I have only ever seen once – a Dementor. I scrambled onto the seat beside Fred and gripped his arm – yes I was scared. I froze; I couldn't pull my eyes away although I desperately wanted to and tried to.
"Molly, are you ok?" I asked her, concerned.
Everyone else was watching her. The Dementor had left but she was still staring at the door. She looked at me as I spoke.
"Yeah I think so. I tried to look away but I couldn't. Tell me I'm not the only one." She replied.
"I felt horrible, the unhappiest I had ever felt. You aren't the only one. I don't think I even blinked once." Fred didn't pull his arm away and when Molly realised she was still holding it, I saw her drop her hands.
We sat in a comfortable silence for a while. When colour filled her cheeks again Molly stood up to leave.
"Well, I guess I shall see you later, Emma?"
"Whenever, whatever."
"Huh." She looked around again, finishing on Fred. "Thank you." Then she left.
"Why were they here on the train?" Anna wondered.
"Yeah, I thought they were guarding Azkaban?" piped up Katherine.
For the rest of the journey, we sat there wondering about the mysterious appearance of the Fear, until it was almost too late for us to get changed.
"Oh! Quick! We need to change out of these clothes!" I cried.
We all rushed around to get into the right compartment, the girls in one, the boys in the other. And as we changed, Matilda and I talked about the twins.
"You definitely like George," she burst out, "and I'm certain the pink tinge to his ears is proof enough that he returns that feeling." She poked her tongue out at me and pulled her robes over her shoulder.
"Oh Molly! There you are. You went and then this Dementor came in and we were all so worried." Carlie grabbed me in a hug and I sat down beside her.
Once again, Josh put his arm around me as I told the compartment what had happened. Excluding the Fred bit of course. I would tell the girls that part tonight.
We changed into our robes, the boys first and then us girls. I put on my short black skirt, white blouse, green Slytherin tie and black robes. I put on a pair of black boots and examined myself. Very loose tie with a large knot: check. Hair looking hot: check. Rebel look going on: check. Wand in pocket: check. I was done.
We sat in mostly silence for the remainder of the journey and when the train came to a halt at Hogsmeade station we all breathed a sigh of relief. I glanced along the carriage and saw the Gryffindors emerging. Emma smirked at me and hopped off the train. Behind her walked the twins. George didn't turn his head but Fred did. He saw me, smiled and casually nodded at me. I returned the nod and smile and left the train feeling better about myself.