Here I was again. Heading back to my safe place. My heart. My home. Well at least it used to be. Every time I reached the barrier between platforms 9 and 10 my heart gave a little jolt of warmth and excitement, but today the feeling was absent. All I could do for a minute was stand and stare at the barrier between my world and the muggles world. For a second and a second only the dreadful task I had been given by the Dark Lord was completely wiped from my memory and the warmth I felt when I stood here was back. Then the hopelessness returned; and once again, it was all I could think of. I needed to clear my mind; to lock away that terrible task, and forget it, at least for a short while. I could see no escape from this deed that had been forced upon me. I took a long, deep breath.

I positioned myself a metre or so from the barrier and ran towards it, with my trolley in front of me. I appeared on the other side and the view of the huge steam engine took my breath away. I heard a very grumpy "me-uh" coming from the purple carrier on my trolley, where my stubborn little cat Mushu lay curled up inside. Yeah I know, Mushu is a stupid name, but when I got her I was completely in love with Mulan. Anyway, that sound was the sound she made when she was moaning at me. I couldn't help but smile.

"I'll take that" said a mockingly arrogant voice from behind me. I turned to see my eldest brother glaring at me.

"Even though it may surprise you, Eric, I am actually capable of carrying my own luggage."

He grimaced, took the trolley and set off ahead of me down the platform.

"You know, you could have waited for me" he whined.

I rolled my eyes

"Well I didn't want to be late"

"I said I'd be back in a minute"

"Yeah you said that, and then after twenty minutes of you trying to decide whether to buy fudge or jelly beans, I got bored. Maybe you should have...hey, I don't know. Got both"

He shot me a shocked look. Yes he actually hadn't thought of that.

"Oh I could of! Man, now I'm gonna have to go back"

His complete lack of sense and intelligence made me smile. He was a fairly muscular guy; sports obsessed; had a new girlfriend every week; great quidditch player; but he lacked a lot in the brain department. But he was my brother so I loved him anyway, and he was also the only one who had taken the time out of their day to see me off. The rest of my family weren't so bothered.

I only had minutes to get on the train. We hurried down the platform, dodging other families and students. I reached the door and clambered onto the train as Eric passed me my luggage. "Cya soon sis."

"Cya soon…oh yeah, Stay out of my room while I'm gone. I will know if you go in."

"Yeah, yeah. Room…no go, I get it"

"EVERYONE ABOARD" shouted the conductor.

Eric waved to me and I waved back. The train jolted as the engine started. I hung out of the door and waved to him until I got yelled at by the conductor telling me not to be stupid and hang off of a moving train. I turned and made my way up the isle searching for a free compartment. It didn't take me long to find a familiar face.

"Ava, over here"

I looked up to see, a pretty girl, with long golden blonde hair that reached her waist. Her eyes where sky blue and absolutely plastered in eye liner and mascara. Her plump rose pink lips were coated in gloss. The skirt she sported was so damn short, typical Ruby. I smiled at my uber vane best friend as I made my way towards her.

She gestured to an empty compartment on the right "In here"

I stepped into the compartment and she helped me lift my luggage onto the rack.

I slumped onto the soft seat and let out a sigh. Ruby sat opposite me and flicked her golden blonde hair. "So, good summer?" She asked.

I fixed my indifferent expression into place.

"I've had better. You?"

"I met a guy" Her smile was wide.

I grimaced "Another one? Wow, you work fast Rubes"

She smirked and flicked her hair again.

"What can I say, I get bored easily"

We both began to laugh, and as we did the compartment door was flung open. Five of my fellow Slytherins piled into the compartment. Urgh, one of those fellow Slytherins was pug face, Pansy Parkinson. I couldn't stand her. Crabbe and Goyle aka dumb and dumber shoved their own and everyone else's suitcases onto the rack and plopped next to Ruby. It amused me how the seat sank so deeply under their weight. Pansy sat next to me; lord knows why and Draco sat next to her. Was I the only one to realise that there weren't enough seats for us all?

"Stand up babe; you can sit on my knee"

I stood up so that Blaise could take my place. He flashed me a cheeky smile. I hated it when he called me babe it was so patronising. When he was seated he pulled me onto his knees and wrapped his arms around my waist. You have no idea how uncomfortable this was on a moving train.

There were many muttered "Hello's" as Crabbe and Goyle both took out magazines and began reading. Or pretending to read. Ruby and Pansy launched into a painfully annoying conversation about their summers. Draco sat there, his expression was serene. He and Blaise began to talk about all the new little first years that they were going to terrorise. "Yeah" Sneered Draco "We will definitely provide them with an unforgettable first few weeks." He laughed and so did the rest of them. All of them accept me. He noticed this. I stared into his grey eyes, and they were of annoyance, he then he broke his gaze. I wondered how someone could be your best friend and your worst enemy at the same time, because that's what Draco was to me. Loved and hated. It was so confusing. Considering I was sitting with my so called 'friends' I felt like a complete and utter outcast.

After half an hour or so, my bum had gone completely numb. I finally couldn't take it any longer. "You guy's, I'm gonna go talk to Nott"

Pansy turned to face me.

"Deserting us and your other half so soon are we?"

I couldn't stand it when she referred to Blaise as my other half. It sounded so cheesy. She shot me a huge fake smile filled with dislike.

"Well if you must know, I can't feel my bum, so yeah"

Draco and Ruby chuckled and Pansy looked furious. Ruby shot me a look that said 'nice one' then she raised her hand and waved to me. "Kay cya later Ava" As I swept out of the compartment I receive muttered goodbyes from Crabbe, Goyle and Draco. I heard Pansy express her dislike for me, and her relief at the fact that I was leaving. Man I hated her. I turned and saw the expression on Blaise's face; it was a grumpy one. I knew he didn't like me spending time with Nott.

I made my way down the train trying to find the compartment that Theo was in. When I was half way down the corridor I heard the sound of light jogging and I quickly swiveled round. SMACK! Ouch. Some idiot had just run straight into me. It took me a second to realise that I was on the floor. "Watch where you're going" I snapped. "Sorry" Said a voice filled with anger. I recognised that voice. I looked up to see the scruffy form of Harry 'Oooh I'm the chosen one' Potter standing in front of me. He reluctantly extended a hand to help me up, which I ignored as I pushed myself back into a standing position. "Think you may need new glasses Potter" I snapped "They don't seem to be doing anything for your eyesight." He scowled at me. "Maybe you're the one that needs them Morgan" he retorted.

He barged past me, nearly knocking me over again, and sped off down the train corridor. "Asshole" I muttered. I didn't dislike Harry Potter because Draco and all the other Slytherins hated him, I just honestly didn't like him. He annoyed the absolute crap out of me, I couldn't stand the guy. I passed a few more compartments before I found Theo's. He was sitting with Daphne Greengrass who nearly got through as many boys a month as Ruby, and Tracey Davis, who was actually quite nice for someone who was Daphne's best friend.

I slid open the compartment door and sat onto the seat next to Theo. "Wassup Nott?" I chimed. He smiled at me. "Sup, Humphrey, how was your summer?"

"Meh, I've had better you?"

He laughed "Mine was pretty crappy too."

"Hm-Hm" When Daphne made that impatient little noise it made me want to launch at her. I put on my fakest smile and turned to face her. "Hey Daphne, how was your summer?" Her smile was more of a grimace. "Oh, just peachy." I fixed a more sincere smile in place as I turned to Tracey. "Hey Trace, ok summer?" Man I had asked that question a lot today. "Yeah, it was ok."

After that we all just kind of stared at each other for a while. I loved awkward silence...not. I checked my watch. What the hell? It was only quarter past twelve! I decided the best thing to do to kill time was sleep. So I shuffled along the seat to the window, rested my head against it and attempted to drift off into a hopefully peaceful slumber.

It was so dark here. Where was I? I couldn't tell. I used my hands to search. I waved them about slowly in the chilly air. My eyes began to adjust a little and I saw that I was in some sort of hallway. Then an idea that already should of occurred to me told me to just get my wand out of my pocket. "Lumos" I whispered. I could see now that my suspicions were correct. I was in a long corridor; the walls were bare and dim. I began to walk down the corridor. It was a very eerie place, and I couldn't shake the feeling that something was terribly wrong. Wait. What's that? A door? Where could it lead? It felt as if I was drawn to it. I slowly walked towards the door and placed my hand on the door knob. That's when I noticed that my feet were no longer dry. I pointed my lit wand to my feet and looked down. My own horrifying scream deafened me. It was blood! Deep red blood, oozing from underneath the door. I staggered backwards until I hit the opposite wall. Everything began to blur. I couldn't focus. The door facing me crept open and more blood poured from inside. It was everywhere. I had to get out. I couldn't I-

I opened my eyes. After the piercing darkness I had just encountered my eyes found the dim light painful. I looked around the compartment and realised that it was empty. Where had Nott, Davis and Greengrass gone? I checked my watch it was nearly five o'clock. Damn I'd slept for ages. I needed to change into my robes. I got up and stretched. I wasn't really shaken by my nightmare. I'd been having them for a long time. Let's just say I was weirdly used to dream like that one. Just then the compartment door slid open and Blaise stepped across the threshold carrying my luggage. "I was gonna come back for that"

"It's no problem babe"

I rolled my eyes.

"I thought we talked about the whole 'don't call me babe thing' before the holidays."

He snorted "I don't get what the big deal is"

"Well you wouldn't" I chimed "You're not me"

He smiled and handed me my luggage.

"So" I began "Stupid Nott up and left me asleep"

Blaise frowned.

"He's gone to talk to Malfoy, along with the girls."

Uh I knew that look all to well.

"We also talked about the whole 'jealousy thing' remember?"