I was watching the cornfields pass by when the door to the compartment slid open. "Hi sis" I forced my eyes from the mesmerizing view out the window and to the newcomers. "Goodmorning Fred, George." The twins smiled and swung their trunks up on the shelf before sitting down in front of me. Soon after the door opened again, interrupting our conversation. "Hey Weasley one, two and three." "Lee! how are you doing?" the twins asked in unison. "I hope you do remember that it's not my real name?" Lee laughed and high fived Fred "I'm great guys, and yes Aileen I know that, but you're still a Weasley to me" He winked at me and sat down with them. I just smiled and shook my head lightly. It didn't bother me that much anymore though, being called Weasley. That way it is less likely that people find out who I am. I don't know who started it, but it spread like wildfire and became a nickname that stuck with me since first year. When looking in the mirror I can easily see the likeness, with my caramel brown eyes, freckles and bright orange curly hair. I met them once, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, on the platform and they were so nice. "What'cha thinking so hard about 'Leen?" George (or Fred) asked me. "Oh, I was just..." I looked around and suddenly the compartment was full of people that I didn't recall getting there. Angelina Johnson, Oliver Wood, Katie Bell and my best friend Amelia Finnegan. "Amy? when did you get here?" The whole compartment burst with laughter. When I looked out the window the british countryside was gone and instead faced me the cold scottish highlands. Sighing I turned in my seat, placing my feet over Fred's lap, and listened to their conversation which happened to be, as most of the time, about quidditch.
Suddenly the train came to a halt. I looked at my friends, but everyone was as surprised as me. "What's going on?" We weren't even half way there yet. The twins stood up and opened the door. "We're gonna find Perce and see if he knows what's happening." I just nodded slightly. I was actually starting to get a little afraid, the temperature had dropped increasingly. The glass was freezing and our breath became misty. My heart skipped a beat and I felt as if the world was about to cave in on me. A dark hooded figure stood in the doorway, scanning the compartment with it's empty eyes, gasping for air. Then it left. The world started getting normal again. I was shaking.
"It's so weird that no one told us that dementors would be guarding Hogwarts this year. I mean, it's a school for Christ's sake, not a prison!" Amelia had been going on for what felt like an hour. I on the other hand sat huddled up against the window silently, with Fred's coat over me. Almost as if I could sense that this was going to be a terrible year.
Amelia finally shut her mouth after Dumbledore's speech. Everyone was silent that evening. Even the twins were kind of serious. The clock was striking 11pm when I finally stood up from the common room and went to bed. Not long after Amelia joined me. Everything was uncomfortably quiet. For what felt like an eternity I lay there, just thinking. Then a whisper pulled me out of my thoughts. "Aileen, you awake?" "Yeah." I replied in the same hushed tone. "I can't sleep either. I just keep thinking of how everything is going to be so different this year." "I just hope it doesn't interfere with our NEWT's..." "always the practical one aren't you?" Amy chuckled quietly. "I guess so." My eyelids were feeling heavier and heavier. I yawned. "Goodnight Amelia"
At breakfast almost everyone was back to their normal, loud selves. The great hall filled with echoing chatter. Me and Amy sat down with the twins and Lee. Quickly I was deep into their argument about how many toes leprechauns had. fifteen minutes later I noticed that Amy had moved to sit with some other 7th year girls. I didn't mind though. We were good friends, that's true, but never on the same level as me and the Weasley twins. I suddenly felt a poke in my shoulder. Turning my head I meet one more Weasley boy. "Hey Percy. History?" He pushed his glasses back and nodded. "I'm coming." I grabbed my bag off the bench beside me, punched George in the shoulder and followed Percy up to the fifth floor History lesson.
30 minutes into the lecture almost everyone in the class were asleep, and the rest doodling in their books. I was starting to doze off when the door opened silently and Oliver Wood sneaked in. He sat down with me and Percy, who was too busy taking notes to notice. "What'd I miss?" He asked me jokingly. "Nothing much, mostly that the Collins kid drooled all over his desk." Oliver smiled broadly for a second before getting a parchment out of his bag. It was filled with scribbled names and crossovers. "Quidditch tryouts?" "Hmm?" I just shook my head. There was no talking to that boy when he was thinking about quidditch. Which is most of the time. Thinking about it, even though we had taken a lot of classes together and he was.. I wouldn't say friends, but close enough, with the twins, I barely knew the guy. He was considered one of the sexiest blokes in the school, with his tall muscular physique and rough scottish accent, I don't think he's ever had a girlfriend though. The girls stared but they all knew there was no room in his heart for anything other than quidditch. I woke from my mind when the sound of people rushing out of the room reached my ears. Before he left as well I remembered to ask. "When are the tryouts then?" He seemed a bit shocked at the question. "Tomorrow after dinner." Then the messy brown hair disappeared into the crowded corridor. I waited while Percy put his books away before leaving the classroom. "What do you have next?" "Potions." Percy and I never talked much. Which was fine to me, gave me more time with my thoughts. We were good friends though. We've been taking almost all the same classes since day one. He always took his time to help me study. Suddenly something crashed into my side and I got thrown against the opposite wall. When I opened my eyes Marcus Flint stood above me, his face red as a tomato. I raised my hand towards him calmly. "Are you gonna help me up or not?" It was obvious from the look on his face that he hadn't been expecting this. For a second it looked as if he wasn't going to take my hand but he did anyhow. When I was back on my feet I brushed the dust firmly off my clothes before raising my chin and walking after Percy to the dungeons.