Chapter Three
Adjusting
Harry
Just who was this mysterious girl who had shown up out of nowhere with two friends in tow? What was she doing here and how was she connected with Dumbledore? And why I have the distinct feeling that I had seen her before? From the moment I had met her, the feeling of déjà vu had run through me; I felt like I definitely knew her from someone, but maybe from a very long time ago. It was like a childhood memory long since forgotten. So just who was she?
These thoughts ran through my head as I helped Mrs Wesley clean the kitchen, she had refused to let me help her but the upbringing the Dursleys gave me had programmed cleaning into my brain even if it was something I didn't particularly enjoy.
"Harry dear you don't have to help me, you can go off with Ron and Hermione you know" Mrs Weasley said casting me a smile.
"I know Mrs Weasley, I just don't believe that the cook should have to clean as well." I said. Mrs Weasley shook her head as if to say that Ron would never think of helping useless he absolutely has to. I was cleaning the table when Ron barrelled in, Hermione not far behind him. Ron hinted not so subtly that he want to talk to me with rising of his eyebrows and not so subtly eye rolling.
"Go ahead Harry, I've finished here" Mrs Weasley said smiling towards me, her kindness once again made me long for a real family and not the Dursleys. I smiled back at Mrs Weasley and followed Rona and Hermione out into the garden. The sun hadn't long set and the garden had that lazy summer feeling that I revelled in. Being back at the Burrow was something I loved, it was very much like my only home apart from Hogwarts.
"So…" Ron said as we sat down underneath a large tree situated in the Weasley's garden, a gnome ran past us giggling wildly as Crookshanks chased after it.. The lazy air of the summer clung to us "What do you think?"
"Think of what?" I asked, Ron snorted loudly while Hermione rolled her eyes. I swear Hermione lived to role her eyes at Ron and/or myself.
"Come on Harry! Those three, the three odd people who have just descended on us!" Ron said as he jutted his thumb back towards the Burrow. I had to admit I was amazed Ron knew what the word descended actually meant. "All that stuff that my Mum said about them being involved with Dumbledore, I bet they know something that they're not letting on. It has to have something to with You-Know-Who and you know it does!" Ron said with a grin clearly happy that he'd thought all this up. Hermione, sitting next to him, shook her head with a sigh. "Oh please Hermione! You don't trust them, you said so yourself so don't bother with the whole shaking of your head!" Ron said snapping slightly.
"I never said that I didn't trust them!" Hermione said hotly. "All I said was that I think there is more to them than what we think! I know I've heard the name Saint-Clare somewhere before" she said furrowing her brow. It was my turn to shake my head; Hermione had to know everything in a way, it was very obvious that she was very tempted to rush to the library as soon as we got back to Hogwarts to try and find out where she'd heard of the name Saint-Clare.
"It could be a coincidence" I said. Hermione chewed her lip with her two larger than normal teeth. I was so tired of the past three years at Hogwarts that I just wanted a year without mystery, death and me ending up in the hospital wing…I wasn't really asking for much was I?
"I'm not sure, Saint-Clare isn't a common name…" she said. Ron snorted once again and I could see the annoyance in Hermione's face.
"Planning a trip to the library once we get back to school, you should just move in there and save yourself the walk" Ron said with a snigger. Hermione ignored this comment and turned to me
"So, what do you think of them?" she asked me. I shrugged, I didn't really have much of an opinion on the three mysterious people apart from the wonder of who they were. "Come on Harry, something is bugging you what is it? Is it them?" Hermione asked.
How was I supposed to explain what was really wrong to Hermione and Ron, would they really understand? Yes they were my best friends but would they understand the feelings running through me? I loss of Sirius was hanging over me. For one moment I had felt like my entire life would be better, I would have been able to live with Sirius but then Wormtail escaped and Sirius had to flee. Now that he had been made to flee from the Ministry it was compulsory for me to return to the Dursleys for another summer of them ignoring me and treating me like I was just someone who cleaned the house and made dinners.
"No, I guess it just feels like something is about to happen and I don't like it. It might just be because of the dream." I said, Hermione looked at me with concern then gave me a weak smile. "You never know it probably is nothing" I said to her.
"Sirius will reply soon and then you'll know more about the dream hopefully…try not to dwell to it too much" Hermione said in a comforting voice.
"You never know it could be the "top secret" information that Percy wont tell us about, either that or those three are really here to kill us all because they're underground spies" Ron joked as he yawned and leant back against the tree. Hermione's head wiped round as she glared at Ron.
"That's not funny Ron!" she snapped. "Why do you always have to make jokes at moments that do not require a comic turn?" Ron looked at her with annoyance.
"It was just a joke Mione!" He said.
"And not a very funny one!" Hermione snapped back. I was so used to Hermione and Ron bickering and knew it was best to just let them carry on with it until they got bored. I felt myself zone about and soon their voices were just background noise.
The aftermath of the World Cup was lying heavily in my mind, I couldn't help it really. The entire Ministry was scared stiff according to Mr Weasley as it should have been impossible for the Death Eaters to be there. That wasn't the only thing on my mind though; the dream about Voldemort, Wormtail and the mysterious man was still haunting me. Why had they been talking about me and how was Voldemort going to use this man to get to me? Had it been real or had it been just a dream? Hopefully Sirius would shed some light on this and offer me some advice.
"I'm going to bed" Hermione huffed pulling herself off the ground and stomping back into the house.
"I swear she has gotten even more pretentious over the summer" Ron huffed leaning back against the tree. I sighed at Ron and shook my head.
"I'm going to bed too" I said holding back a yawn. Ron nodded at me and the two of us walked back to the house and up to Ron's room. The mysterious guy named Russell was lying on one of the camp beds asleep, Ron shot him a look then he glanced back to me.
"I just don't trust them Harry." Ron said as he changed into his pyjamas.
"Ron it's us, we never trust anyone." I said with a sigh.
"True, you do have a point there." Ron said shooting me a grin before he got into his bed. I got into my own camp bed. "I just think we need to watch out when it comes to them…I know Hermione thought I was making a joke but what if they are spies?"
"Ron I think you think too much into this and that will be the first and last time I'll probably ever say that" I said with a smirk. Ron shook his head and burrowed into his bed, thirty second s later he was snoring and asleep. I rested against my pillow hoping that tonight I wouldn't be plagued by confusing dreams of Wormtail and Voldemort.
Evelyn
Amy was fast asleep, which was not much of a surprise as she could fall asleep pretty much anywhere, but I couldn't get comfy. Thoughts were running through my head in such a speed that I felt slightly sick while the hours dragged along slowly.
Russell was right of course. None of this could be real and I was most likely going through a temporary fit of insanity. I mean I had to be right? There was no way that any of this could be real. But there was no mistaking that feeling of power that surged through me when I made my book fly into my hands. It had tingled all over my body; I knew I wasn't dreaming that. So could Russell be wrong? Could all this be real? Could we have been transported into a different world because of my bracelet? After all it was old and weird looking, could the weirdness be magic if there was such a thing?
"Evie will you please just go to sleep? I can heard you obsessing from all the way over here" Amy's voice suddenly snapped. She was sitting up in her bed looking tired and annoyed. "God what is with you?"
"I can't sleep" I admitted. Amy sighed and got out her bed, she walked over and sat on the edge of my camp bed and looked my in the eyes.
"Please just stop obsessing though, it won't change anything?" Amy said. I nodded in agreement with her. "Though I do think that we need to set up some rules, please Evie!" she said when she saw my face. "Russell is right, even though I don't want to admit it, you're a hopeless fan girl who could easily change everything! Like people who die, relationships, friendships and whatnot! So rules are needed!"
"Amy I'm not going to go changing anything" Well I wouldn't change a lot of things. Amy heard this silent addition and frowned. "Come on Amy; think about the people we could save! Sirius, Fred, Dobby, Snape..."
Amy looked at me for a moment before laughing loudly. "Ev you know perfectly well you'd just change loads of superficial things and forget about the people that die!" I stayed silent for a moment and Amy could tell what I was about to say. "I know, it's weird. It's like we know what's going to happen but we can't change it. It's like knowing the plot of a really depressing movie before it's even come out in cinemas"
"But why Amy?" I asked sincerely.
"But why Amy what?" Amy asked.
" Why can't we change it Amy? Why can't we save people?" I asked. Amy looked at me for a moment before replying.
"Ev we are not going to become life-saving book nerds ok, the best thing for us to do is to keep our heads down and hope that we get back home as soon as possible."
"But Dumbledore said-"
"You're kidding me right? You're going to listen to someone who is a fictional character before me?" Amy asked sounding angry; I sighed deeply and shook my head. After all Amy was my best friend, I couldn't ignore her. "Look Ev I know you will want to save people but just think how much danger we could get into by doing that" Amy said taking my hand. I nodded in agreement, I didn't want to but I guess I had to. We sat there for a while not talking until there was a soft knock on the door; Amy stood up and opened the door to reveal Russell standing in the doorway. "What's up?" Amy asked as Russell came and sat down next to me.
"I can't sleep." He said.
"Neither can we" I said scooting over so Russell had more room. "What's up with you, you look like you just got kicked in the shin" I added seeing Russell's face. He shrugged haughtily trying to brush me off. "Come Russ, something's up with you so what is it?" I asked poking Russell in the side.
"Well it's just I heard those two talking-"
"Who is 'those two'?" Amy asked. Russell rolled his eyes at her.
"Harry and Ron, I heard them talking and it seems that Ron thinks we're spies or something. Harry brushed it off but I think we need to be careful and smart about this. So I've been thinking" Russell said in a sombre voice.
"Did it hurt?" Amy asked sniggering as she sat down on the end of my camp bed once again. Russell laughed sarcastically then carried on talking.
"I've been thinking about all this and I think we need to draw up a list of rules and things that we can't do while we're here, that way we won't stand out too much and they wont think that we're spies."
"So I'm not allowed to ask 'How do you keep a Gryffindor in suspense' then walk off?" I asked my voice heavy with mockery. Russell rolled his eyes along with Amy.
"No, and don't even think about saying that Seamus is 'after me Lucky Charms'" Russell said before I could even ask. Great, so there goes all my fun.
"Ok, so being serious now-"
"Can you even be serious?" Amy asked me, I narrowed my eyes at her so she let me carry on talking.
"Being serious now, what are the rules?" I asked. Russell sat and looked deep in thought at this question.
"Well maybe the most obvious ones; No dating, No saving people, No changing canon things that happen, No turning fandom into canon. That's about it I think" Russell said while he seemed deep in thought.
"So we can add 'Not having a scrap of fun' to the list too" I said. Amy snorted loudly while Russell looked visibly annoyed. "Ok ok I'll start being serious now!" I said. "And I'll agree to the rules even though they suck" Russell shot me a 'look "Ok fine. I agree to the sucky rules and will not refer to them as 'sucky' rules even though they are. That ok?" I asked rolling my eyes. Russell nodded. "Good, I'm going to get a drink ok, am I allowed to do that?" I asked. Both Russell and Amy nodded. I rolled my eyes once again and walked down the stairs and into the Weaslsey's kitchen looking for a mug and then the tap.
Everyone seemed to have gone to bed which was pretty helpful, I still couldn't completely get used to the fact that I was I the same house as characters that I had grown up with. I rooted around the kitchen looking for a mug, which took a stupidly long time if I was being honest though this was due to the fact that I was pretty much looking them in the dark, and then filled it with water from the tap. I wandered round the dimly lit room taking in all the magical cookery books on the bookcase, the large wireless radio in the corner and the general air of everything around me. I still could not believe that I was here. That this was my life. I moved towards the scrubbed wooden table and sat down. A book sat on the table and I glanced at it's front cover, Valley of the Witches screamed at me in shocking pink writing. Clearly Mrs Weasley liked trashy witch novels. I smiled, thinking about my own mother who loved trashy novels in any shape and form. I scanned the front covers sparkling font and photo, the three witches on the front cover laughing and pouting.
Drinking my water I flicked through a few of the first pages, the text difficult to read in the low light, then closed the book absentmindedly before turning to look out the window to the full bright moon hanging lazily in the sky, occasionally a wisp of cloud would float across the moon. I smiled to myself, it was true really that no matter where you were the moon would always look the same, it would al ways look beautiful and fascinating.
I felt something move behind me, I glanced over my shoulder but there was no-one there. I turned back to look at the moon before I heard someone move once again.
"Hey, you ok?"
"Jesus Zombie Christ!" I yelled falling over backwards due to the fright.
"Damn, are you ok?" the dark figure said, they turned on the gas lamps in the kitchen that I hadn't noticed and I soon found out it was Harry. He saw my on the floor gasping fro breath then helped me up "I'm sorry!" Harry cried as I breathed in and out trying to regain my breath. "I didn't think anyone would be down here at this time. I'm sorry" he said as he pulled up a chair fro me to sit on.
"Thanks" I said once I'd regained a regular breathing pattern. "It's ok, I guess I didn't think anyone would be down here either" I admitted while I sat down. My hair was all over my face, I pulled it back and knotted it into a bun.
"Are you ok now?" Harry asked.
I rubbed my back slightly then smiled. "Yeah, I'm fine really." I said. "Didn't land on my head so the sarcasm imagination centre is still functioning."
"Are you sure, I don't think I've ever heard anyone say 'Jesus Zombie Christ' before." Harry said sniggering. I groaned inwardly, I needed to stop with the saying I'd been saying back in the real world. "I must say I've never heard anyone from the wizarding world say 'Jesus Christ' though."
"Well I was raised Muggle so that would explain it." I said. Harry looked at me for a moment which I will admit has to be the oddest thing ever, I mean this was Harry Potter! The Boy Who Lived! The books about him were up in my bag! God I hope no-one from this world ever finds them!
"I have to admit you heard a wide range to curse words once you go to Hogwarts, I've even heard people say 'Oh my Merlin' several times." Harry said with a chuckle.
"Well you hear a very wide range of curse words at Muggle schools" I said.
"My cousin Dudley knows some blinders" Harry said with a laugh.
"Kick Russell in the shin and you'll hear some real curse words, it's incredibly amusing." I said, the amount of times Amy and I had kicked, flicked, poked and pinched Russell was staggering.
"Apart from Hermione and Dean I've never met another Wizard who went to a Muggle school, did find it vastly different from your wizarding schools?" Harry asked, I sipped my water before answering.
"It's different sure…really different." I said.
"You get used to it though obviously." Harry said, he chewed his lip nervous before speaking again "So, we were wondering why you travelled around a lot. You mentioned that you studied in lots of different places." Harry asked me, I chewed my lip, something I'd always done and now had noticed that Harry did the same, trying to think of a good lie. "Or did you just like to travel around?" Harry added.
"Yeah I guess, we don't really like staying in one place for too long." I said, this was true actually which made the holidays I went on with Amy very amusing, we'd travel pretty much over the whole country in two weeks just because her family got bored easily of the same place.
"So are you getting all your Hogwarts stuff at Diagon Alley?" Harry then asked, jeez what was with the twenty questions?
"I guess so, s'not like we can rock up there in our Muggle clothes." I said snorting. "Or our old school uniform" I added as an afterthought.
"It's going to be weird for you staying at Hogwarts all year isn't it? With all the travelling." Harry then said.
"I suppose, then again we're here for Dumbledore so it's not like we're just here for the sake of being here" that was bloody true. Harry smiled at me for a moment and I was terrified he'd ask why we were here for Dumbledore but he didn't which was very relieving.
"Evelyn…"
"Please call me Evie, no one calls me Evelyn." I said pleadingly. Harry looked at me and smiled brightly and I had to admit I found myself thinking he was a pretty nice guy. "Look Harry, I know you're all going to be trying to find out why we are here and what we are but I just want to tell you that there is no need. We're just here to study and I don't want you to feel like you can't trust us ok." I said, Harry ducked his head down with embarrassment. "It's getting late and I have to be up early to go to Diagon Alley tomorrow…night" I said pushing my chair out from the table.
"Night Evie" Harry said. I nodded at him then made my way back upstairs to bed.
One Week Later
Small and frail…arms carried me away with smoothing words in my ears. It would be ok, everyone will be fine…everyone will be fine…more lies.
The arms continue to carry me away but I don't want to leave, even in my confused state I know I do not want to leave. I cannot struggle out of the arms even though I want to, even though I feel like I must. I cannot leave…someone behind. I cannot understand who but I know that I cannot leave them.
The arms grip me tighter. This is a good thing I promise, everything will ok I promise. The lies continue. How can they tell me all this even though I know it is not alright…but what exactly? Was is not right? Why can I not leave the person there? Why can I not leave there alone.
Alone to die.
I gasped,I could actually hear my heart pounding against my chest while my back was soaked with a cold sweat. What was that dream about? It felt so real yet disjointed. Like a memory that was long forgotten but that was impossible. It had to be impossible. But even now I knew that I recognised those arms. They used to hold me so tightly, protecting me from the world yet I didn't know where I knew them from at all.
In the pale moonlight I stared around Ginny's overtly pink room then down to my bracelet, sitting heavily on my wrist. A beautiful gift from my father…the father I would never know. I slipped out of bed and walked to the window to take one last look of the Burrow at night. Tomorrow I would be travelling to somewhere that I had only dreamed of yet my heart was heavy and full of worry. Russell, Amy and I had no idea of what to do once we were at Hogwarts or how to react to anyone there. We were out of our depth and swimming against a tide.
The pale moonlight lit the garden in the beautiful way that was almost peaceful. Yet in my now peaceful state my dream crept up on me once again. How did I know that the comforting words were a lie? Was it really a lie or had my sleeping self just been fooled into thinking it was a lie? Would I ever really know?
My owl Hemingway hooted loudly in his cage, no doubt he wished to be out flying but as we were to leave in the morning I was hesitant to let him out. He hooted loudly once again, from her bed I heard Ginny groan before she sat up. Her flaming red hair which was not that much different in shade to my own auburn hair stood up in a frizzy clump and her dark eyes were burning as they glared at me.
"Do you ever sleep? Merlin sake, some of us do actually want to go through life without bags under our eyes. Can you try and shut that owl up? We do have an early start in case you had forgotten" Ginny snapped before slumping down in her bed and going back to sleep. I bite back a sharp retort as I went back to my own bed. Ginny seemed to be the only person in the house who I found highly annoying. Maybe I would never like Ginny and so far she wasn't making that too difficult. Most of the time I wanted to poke her in the eye or something else as childish. Once I was comfy again I soon drifted off back to sleep trying not to think of my dream.
Once morning came it was a flurry of rushing around looking for random socks, ties and every now and then I could hear Mrs Weasley convince Ron that his dress robes weren't 'something that Auntie Muriel would happily die in'. The latter amused me to no end I had to admit. Both Amy and I got dressed in a rush and made sure we were completely packed, all of our robes, books, potions kits, spare quills and ink were stored away in our trunks. My grand looking barn owl Hemingway sat in his cage casting Amy's tiny new kitten, a ugly as hell Persian cat called Pickles, haughty looks every now and then. Ginny had long since left the room and was no doubt downstairs doing something annoying. There was a gentle knock on the door. I called whoever was outside in and Harry's head popped from around the doorway.
"Mrs Weasley wants us leaving in five minutes. She says to bring all your stuff down. Did you need any help with it?" Harry asked sweetly. I declined knowing I could just make two trips but Amy asked Harry to take pickles downstairs while she carried her trunk. Pickles sat grumpily in Harry arms while Amy took her trunk downstairs.
"Be careful" I warned nodding at the ugly cast sat in Harry's arms. "He likes to claw and it hurts like hell" Harry shot me a small smile while we walked out the room. "Happy to be going back to Hogwarts?" I asked knowing full well how much Harry loved Hogwarts.
"Yeah…I'm it feels like home so I've really missed it. Are you excited?"
"More nervous than anything, I just don't want to make a bad impression and have people hate me." I admitted.
"Well you've already made a good impression here so don't worry" Harry said with a bright smile. I returned the smile while placing my trunk into the boot of one of the hired cars the Ministry had lent Mr Weasley. I raced back upstairs to grab the rest of my stuff and before everyone was all set to go. In the car I found myself sitting next to the twins who I hadn't really been able to get to know yet but I found them hilarious. The entire there they made countless jokes which had me sorting out laughter in the end, I had noticed though that Amy was becoming a pretty obvious shade of green as the journey went on.
By the time we made it to King's Cross Amy looked like she was about to throw up. Taking this as a cue I whisked her off to the ladies room before she could vomit everywhere. I waited for her and stared at myself in the mirror making sure that I looked ok and not like I'd been up half the night. Looking at myself made me think of my mother whom look pretty much just like me, would she be wondering where on earth I was or was this a bit like Narnia, a land from some old books I'd read as a small child, where time never moved in the real world but it did in Narnia. I didn't know but what I did know was that I was missing my mother something terrible, we'd never sent more than a few weeks apart but even then I had known that I would see her again soon. Being here was different in a way that I had no idea when we'd get back to our own world or if we would even get back.
Amy emerged from the toilets still looking a bit green but a least she'd gotten it out her system. "Are you ok?" I asked.
"Yeah" Amy replied groggily. "Yeah I'll be fine Ev, don't worry…come on we better hurry up or we'll miss the train."
"Yeah and we don't have a flying car to help us" I said with a quick grin that Amy returned before she went back to looking quite green.
"We're about to go to Hogwarts Ev…" Amy suddenly said
"I'm dreaming, I really must be dreaming." I muttered in a soft voice to Amy as we walked out the bathroom.
"I'm about to throw up again I think" Amy muttered back. She did look a bit green still. I quickly hugged her then scanned around platforms nine and ten for Russell and the others. He was standing next to Hermione chatting to her about something. Ginny was chirping away to her mother, her hands moving quickly as she spoke. I'd only know her a week and already Ginny drove me insane, one thing that was never mentioned was how much of a diva the girl was. Poking her was still a massive temptation, a temptation that was becoming more and more appealing as the days went on. Seriously last night at dinner I was very close to shoving a fork into her head or something equally as painful.
Amy and I walked over to where everyone was standing, Mr Weasley looked at his watch and said "Come on everyone or you'll miss the train"
Fred and George went through the barrier first closely followed by Harry and Ron. I stared at the barrier apprehensively then glanced over to the others. Mrs Weasley smiled kindly at me. "If you're nervous dear then I'm sure Hermione will go with you. Ginny can go with Amy and Russell if you want." She said. It probably would help if someone went with that had gone through the barrier before. Hermione walked over to me and smiled.
"It's easy don't worry" she was we began to run. A sensation like when you miss your footing on a staircase coursed through me. As if I had taken a deep breath I appeared on the platform for 9 ¾. I was too busy staring with my mouth wide open that I didn't notice Harry and Ron standing waiting for us, I bashed straight into Harry.
"Jesus Harry I'm sorry!" I cried as Harry rubbed his shin. He shook his head brushing my apology away.
It's fine…being here for the first time can be pretty overwhelming." He said. I nodded with a chuckle.
"You could say that again." I said. "This place is incredible, it's like something from out of my wildest dreams" As I said that Ginny, Russell and a still green Amy appeared. Amy swayed on the spot.
"I really am going to throw up again" she groaned. We were soon joined my Mr and Mrs Weasley.
"Try not to, please try not to" I said while Ginny moved away from Amy encase she got thrown up on. "but if you do, try to aim for Ginny" I whispered into her ear. Amy gave me a weak smile while Mrs Weasley and Mr Weasley were busy saying goodbye to everyone. She gave Amy and I quick hugs and wishes of good luck and we quickly climbed onto the train gleaming train standing proudly at the station.
We quickly found a compartment, all the while my heart beating manically, and sat down. Back on the platform Mr and Mrs Weasley were waving at us joyfully which once again made me think of my own mother.
The rolling countryside flew past us and it finally hit me that I was going to Hogwarts. Hogwarts! I couldn't help but let a giggle. I was going to somewhere that I had dreamed about since I was a small child. My heart was racing against my chest in a way that made me feel as sick as Amy probably felt.
Feeling overwhelmed by the whole thing I began to feel the room tilt. "I'm going for a walk…need to stretch my legs" I said hoisting myself off my seat. I opened the compartment door then strolled down the train's corridor. The old fashioned decorations hanging on the trains walls, the gas lamps and the air of history made me feel like I'd stepped back in time, and really when I thought it I ad. Here there were no computers, phones, mp3s, televisions, stereos or even hairdryers. In it's place was vast amounts of magical wonder…still it would have been nice to have a hairdryer. Students waltzed past me as I gazed out of the windows at the beautiful countryside.
When I was eleven my mother and I went on a day trip to a grand stately home, we went on the train to get there and this train had been so much like the Hogwarts express that I'd be hyper the entire trip. Standing here now on the Hogwarts Express made me think of my life make in the other world and how if we had never of been sent here we would have been starting a new year at high school; a year full of exams, bad school food, sarcastic teachers and the worry of the school social hierarchy.
Sighing and pushing thoughts out my head I continued to walk down the corridor taking in all the décor and the feel of the train. As I glanced at the ancient looking gas lights a lithe person bashed into me, it could have been on purpose but I'd never know.
"You may want to look where you were going." A drawling voice said as I rubbed the now sore spot on my head. I looked up and my heart stopped. In front of me was a sinfully good-looking blonde guy with stormy grey eyes that you could easily get- ok ok I was getting carried away there. Anyway he was pretty damn good-looking despite the fact that he was clearly acting like an arse.
"Yes" I said with a roll of my eyes. "Because you never know who is going to barge into you so rudely" the blonde raised an eyebrow with a sarcastic smirk. "I do think you owe me an apology"
"You'll be waiting a long time I am afraid" The blonde said walking off with a smirk. Stupidly handsome jerk. Rolling my eyes I walked back toward our compartment where Ron was happily retelling his time spent in the Top Box at the Quidditch World Cup, Neville sat in awe while Ron explained everything about the match going into vast amounts of details. Hermione was clearly bored of this as she was busy reading as was Amy while Russell listened intently to what ron was saying; then again Russell, like myself, was a serious athlete and he was clearly looking forward to learning how to fly a broom stick.
Even I soon became bored of Quidditch talk and like Amy and Hermione decided to read. I was flicking through my new History of Magic book when the door to the compartment opened; Ron could be heard telling Neville how he saw Krum right up close when a sneering voice said:
"And that's the closest you'll ever come to a celebrity Weasley" Everyone in the compartment looked up and once again I saw the handsome, yet completely rude, guy I'd bumped into while walking down the train's corridor.
"Oh shove off Malfoy" Ron snapped. Oh shit, I was finding Malfoy good-looking. Shit shit shit! Averting my eye back to my book I tried to not look at Malfoy but he'd already spotted me.
"Finding a niche are we?" he asked me. I smirked back at him.
"By niche if you mean finding people with decent conversational skills that don't resolve around sneering or just being a jerk then yes I have found my niche" I retorted. I say Harry and Hermione both snigger along with Amy and Russell. "Haven't you got some more little first years to terrorise…move along" I said. Yes I had found him slightly sexy but that didn't mean I was going to be nice to him. Heck he'd bullied Hermione for years and had also no doubt treated Dobby like crap when he served for the Malfoys. Malfoy shot me a sneering look before walking out the compartment and slamming the door shut behind him. "Jerk" I muttered under my breath.
"Wow, it only took you about thirty seconds to realise that as well" Hermione said. I shrugged and returned to my book while Ron continued to drone on and on and on and on and on about Quidditch. Oh the temptation to smack him with a book.
As the train continued to roll through the country the weather became worse and worse. By the time we'd reached the mountain's that Hermione explained were not far from Hogsmeade the rain was lashing down and thunder could be heard in the distance. We decided to all change into our robes, Hermione leading Amy and I off to where she normally got changed. Pulling the robes on was surreal and I couldn't help smelling the complex smells of the woollen cloak wrapped around me. Hermione shot me a smile, it was almost as if she understood, before we walked back to join the boys. Ron was now sat in silence while Russell was clearly trying to snigger about something. Amy gave him a quizzing look and he mouthed "I'll explain in a bit"
Harry
The wild storm continued to rage while Ron, Hermione and I walked into the Great Hall. Evie, Amy and Russell had disappeared to talk to Dumbledore which Ron kept muttering about under his breath. Ginny quickly caught up with us and nudged Ron.
"Where did those three go?"
"They have names" Hermione pointed out while Ron snorted, Hermione gave Ron a sharp looked before walking off with Ginny to find a seat.
"Wow" I said with an eye roll worthy of Hermione's seal of approval. "The feast hasn't even begun and you've already annoyed her" Ron shrugged but went to sit down next to his sister as it was clear Hermione was now not talking to him.
We walked into the Great Hall, the feeling of home instantly washed over me. We found seats, Hermione clearly wasn't speaking to Ron now and turned away from him. The sorting went by at the same pace of a snail, I could hear Ron's stomach growling loudly over the howling wind outside. By the time the last student had been sorted I thought Ron would have eaten his own hand.
The side door opened and Dumbledore appeared with Russell, Evie and Amy. All three of them pale looking. Murmurs filled the room and people were sorting questioning looks from everywhere. I could see Evie nearly shaking with either nerves or worry and I knew just how she felt really.
Dumbledore raised his arms to call order and the room became silent. "Welcome back to another year at Hogwarts!" Dumbledore's booming voice said as it filled the Great Hall. "I for one know that this is not the time for long speeches."
"Got that one right" Ron muttered as his stomach growled loudly.
"That said I would like the entire school to welcome three new students that join us from one of our wonderful foreign schools. Amy Roberts, Russell Lewis and Evelyn Saint-Clare will be joining the fourth year. Miss Roberts and Miss Saint-Clare have been sorted in Gryffindor house." Dumbledore said. I noticed Evie had a perplexed look upon her face while Amy just looked slightly annoyed.
"Wait…does that mean Russell hasn't been sorted into Gryffindor?" Hermione asked out load.
"Good" Ron said in a smug voice glancing at Hermione.
"Mr Lewis" Dumbledore said, his voice cutting off the murmurs that had started up. "Has been placed into Slytherin house" Now I understood Amy's expression, she clearly didn't want her cousin to be placed into the same house as Malfoy.
"Check out the look on Snape!"Ron said elbowing me in the side. "You'd think Lupin had come back!" he added sniggering at the scowl etched across Snape's face. The look was one that he only rarely used and most of the time that was on myself. His coal eyes followed Evelyn and Amy as they walked towards the Griffyndor table. Hermione made room for Amy while Evelyn sat next on the seat next to me. I recognised the jumpy expression on her face, the way her leg jerked with nerves as she glanced around the room, and nudged her. She turned and smiled at me before glancing across the room to where Russell was now sat looking rather bewildered. I saw Evie chew her lip and realised that she was nervous for her friend whom it now seemed was sat opposite Malfoy of all people.
"I'll have grab him before he goes to the dungeon and see if he's ok." Evie said. For the hundredth time that night it seemed Ron snorted.
"Please, that's the last you'll ever see of him. We just don't mix with Slytherins." He said. I saw both Amy and Evie's eyes narrow into slits as they glared at Ron.
"Don't you think that's rather, oh I don't know, wrong? Talk about segregation." Amy said, I saw Hermione give a little nod before Ron clearly decided he wasn't going to talk anyone and just sat in a huff. Once again Dumbledore's arms were raised as he continued to talk.
"Now all I would like to say is…tuck in" Dumbledore said as the table's filled with food. I barely had time to blink before Ron had thrown himself at mountains of food. Amy's eyes grew wide as she stared at Ron gorging himself on food. Hermione shook her head then shot Amy an apologetic smile.
"He really cannot help himself sometimes" Hermione said while she helped herself to some vegetables .
Once Ron had eaten his weight food and the table had been cleared away Dumbledore stood up and the room became instantly silent. He coughed quietly before speaking.
"Now that we are all full I have just a few announcements to make. First of all it is with deep regreat that I inform you that the Inter-School Quidditch Cup will not be taking place this year." Dumbledore said as I whipped round to find Fred, George, Angelina Johnson, Alicia Spinnet and Katie Bell. All five of them looked sick at the thought of no Quidditch. "The Cup has been cancelled because of a legendary event that will be coming to Hogwarts this year. It is with great pleasure that I announce that the Tri-Wizard Cup will be held at Hogwarts." Dumbledore said as the room filled with woops and hollers from students.
"You're joking" Fred and George yelled happily. Students laughed loudly along with Dumbledore.
"No Mr Weasley I am not joking. This tournament brings together three schools for a series of challenges. Eternal glory belongs to the winner of the tournament." Dumbledore's voice filled the room and added to the excitement that was clear in the air.
"I'm so entering" Ron said. "Think about it. Eternal glory! Who wouldn't want that!" Ron was right in a way, who didn't want eternal glory? Dumbledore was calling for silence once again. The door leading of from the staff table opened as Dumbledore was saying something. A figure appeared walking out the door, cloaked in a thick woollen travelling cloak that has seen better days. He gave off a sense to fury, of power.
A flash of lightening from the enchanted ceiling lit up the room and cast a fierce shadow across the newcomers face.
"Merlin…it's Mad-Eye Moody!"
"What happened to his leg?"
"What happened to his face?"
"Who is Mad-Eye?"
Questions fired around the room. I glanced to Hermione and Ron to explain but couldn't even see them. I was lost in the fury in Evie's face.
Evelyn
Mad-Eye Moody. Bile rose up in my throat as I stared at the man I knew was really Barty Crouch Jr. I felt like killing him there and then. I gripped my wand, the anger pouring out my body. Amy looked at me, the same look of fury was carved into her face.
"Is everything ok?" Hermione asked touching my arm. I blinked and realised I had been grinding my teeth loudly. I nodded reluctantly and nudged Amy. She too blinked calmly and relaxed. Just knowing that the man who was responsible for so many deaths.
As soon as the fest was finished and we were excused Amy and I raced to find Russell. He was just walking out the Great Hall when we found him.
"Are you ok?" Amy asked. Russell nodded and replied in a small voice
"Yeah, I'm ok. Seriously you two don't have to worry about me at all...this could make the whole 'not getting into any trouble' thing interesting but still…" I sighed at Russell's calmness but before I could say anything I heard that same drawling voice we had heard on the train behind me.
"Lewis, dungeon is this way unless you plan to spend your life with these people." Malfoy said. I turned to him and despite the fact that he was nearly four inches taller than me I glared at him and poked him in the chest.
"Listen here, if I find out that you have done anything remotely vile to Russell, even it is simply looking at him with the smallest of glares, I will curse you so quickly your head will spin. Do we have an understanding?" I snapped. Malfoy took a step back, no one had clearly talked back to him apart from the time Hermione had slapped him the year before. "Do we have an understanding?" I pressed.
"We have an understanding Saint-Clare." Malfoy said before he cast a look to Russell as if to tell him to him. Amy and I gave Russell quick hugs and with that we went of to find the other Gryffindors. In the Entrance Hall Hermione stood at the bottom of the stairs waved us over.
"I decided to stay here and wait for you, is Russell ok?"
"Yeah" Amy said. We began to climb up the stairs. "He's ok, Evie threatened Malfoy with vast amount of pain if he was remotely vile to Russell." Hermione sniggered as Amy said this.
"I hope you know a large array of spells, you'll need them" she said. I hoped and prayed that Russell would be ok, really hoped.
Author's Note:
Ok this chapter ended up being about 2000 words longer than I first thought it would be but still. Hopefully it makes sense. As always reviews are love and they really help me to carry on writing. I'm like Tinkerbell and Racheal Berry, I need applause ot write :)
If you have any questions then just ask and I'll reply to them as quickly as I can.