"We should find a compartment." Ginny says and her voice seems far away, like Audrina is being left in the station and Ginny is gliding away. Rousing herself, she follows Ginny down the hall, holding tightly to Lyra and glancing in each compartment as they pass, looking for an open one.
"Ginny!" A voice yells and both girls turn. "Audrina, in here. We've been waiting." Neville is sticking his head out of the door and they retrace their steps, squeezing past first years that are anxiously trying to find where to sit to Neville and he moves out of the doorway so they can walk in.
The familiar faces of Luna, Neville, and Seamus grin up at her and despite her anxiety over what's happening, she feels a swell of happiness at the sight of her friends. They scoot over, making room, and Ginny and Audrina sit across from each other.
"So, how was your summer?" Audrina asks, to break the awkward silence and they all exchange exhausted smiles, slumping in their seats, sharing the horror stories. Seamus's father had been forced to flee abroad and his mother had suffered through several interrogations at the hands of the ministry, but Seamus is a half-blood and allowed back to Hogwarts.
"Don't reckon it'll be the same." He says gloomily and Audrina is incredibly aware of how strange it is to see Seamus without Dean.
"Have you heard anything from him?" Ginny asks tersely and Audrina is thrown back to last year's train ride, Ginny tucked in Dean's side, and how much has changed since then.
"No." Seamus says, avoiding their eyes, suddenly very intent on the rip in the seat by his knee. "No news is good news though, right?"
"I'm sure it'll be fine." Neville says bracingly, once they've held an acceptably long amount of silence for their missing friend. "Dean's smart, he'll be alright." Seamus doesn't look convinced, but nods all the same. "In the mean time, we have to start doing things for the people that aren't here." Neville says seriously and Ginny removes Arnold from his cage so that she can hide the trembling of her fingers by playing with him.
"What do you mean?" Luna asks curiously.
"Well, it is obvious things are changing around Hogwarts." Neville reminds them and without saying a word, Seamus holds up a piece of parchment that has a rough family tree drawn on it. "Exactly." Neville confirms.
"And we're going to do something about it?" Luna guesses.
"A lot of things." Neville clarifies and Audrina has never noticed, but he is beginning to lose the baby fat around his face. The intense look in his eyes makes him appear older than he is.
"Jeez Neville, tell us what you spent the summer doing." Seamus says, chortling and Neville looks at him with raised eyebrows.
"We don't have Harry anymore." Neville reminds him. "We're on our own, he's not going to come back and save us. This year, it's on us. I've heard a lot about the Carrows and the fact that Snape's headmaster isn't going to help. Sure, the professors are going to do as much as they can, but honestly, we're going to be bearing the brunt of it."
"Bearing what?" Ginny asks and Neville's eyes flick towards Audrina, who gulps and takes a deep breath.
"They were on top of the tower that night. When Dumbledore… Well, they're not smart. But Neville's right, they certainly don't have problems with violence." She says slowly.
"Doesn't have a problem with violence, what's that mean?" Seamus asks, eyebrows furrowed.
"I'll put it this way." She says flatly. "The only people that are going to excel with them in charge are going to be the future Death Eaters." A stunned silence fills the compartment after she finishes speaking. The possibility of what lies ahead of them begins to settle on them like a cold blanket and for a while, they're each lost in their musings.
"Well," Luna says, rousing them. "It's a good thing I brought this." From her pockets, she retrieves a large golden coin and Audrina feels a rush of affection for the girl. Neville grins and digs his hands into his own pocket, pulling out the same coin. Audrina raises her eyebrows at Ginny, who's already fumbling through her school bag.
"Here you go." She says, depositing Audrina's coin in her hand. Both girls stick the coins in their pockets.
"There, now we'll be able to communicate no matter what house we're in." Neville says, satisfied.
"And what do we intend to be communicating?" Ginny asks, raising her eyebrows and for a moment, Audrina has an insane vision of them sitting at a long table, plotting Voldemort's downfall via a rebellion at Hogwarts. The scene makes her want to burst out with wild laughter.
"I don't know yet." Neville confesses. "We'll have to see how the new headmaster treats us. But I just want to be ready for what's coming." Audrina sits back, impressed by this new Neville. The sweater slightly undermines the image of a leader rallying his troops, but all the same, it's clear that Neville is in charge of Dumbledore's Army now.
They are deep in conversation about whether or not certain professors will side with Snape or them when the compartment door opens. They all glance up, expecting to see friends or even prefects, giving them information about the upcoming school year.
"Hello." Says the Death Eater, grinning menacingly. He jerks his wand and automatically they all flinch back. This seems to amuse him, since his smile widens. "Just want to have a little look around, you understand I'm sure." He gestures for Audrina to stand and she does.
"He's not here." Neville says loudly, as the Death Eater makes a pretense of scanning Audrina, as though she herself is Harry in disguise.
"Who?" The Death Eater asks, feigning clueless.
"Harry Potter." Neville says, the scorn clearly visible on his face and in his voice. "So you can leave now."
"But I'm enjoying the view." The Death Eater says and Audrina spins around, affronted, but Seamus is already on his feet, nose to nose with the Death Eater, who seems amused.
"Go." He hisses and Audrina catches his hand, gently tugging him back. The Death Eater laughs and shoves Seamus, slamming the door shut on the way out. Breathing heavily, Seamus drops back in his spot.
"Seamus, I'm flattered, but that was incredibly stupid." Audrina chides, but she's smiling. Seamus doesn't return it, scowling.
"If that's what this year is going to be like, what's the point of even coming?" He grumbles.
"I don't know what's wrong with you guys, I'm going for the classes." Ginny says lightly and the joke manages to clear some of the tension in the air. They wait, on edge, for several more minutes, waiting for another Death Eater to come search their compartment, but no one comes. The next person to open the door is the nice old witch pushing her sweets.
"Anything off the trolley dears?" She asks kindly and they all get something, giving them a reason to sit in silence once more. Neville, however, will not be deterred from his planning for the year and starts in on them again.
"What's our number one goal?" He questions them.
"Kill You-Know-Who." Ginny suggests and while Seamus and Audrina grin, Neville isn't as amused.
"I'm serious, we need to establish some sort of outline, a code so we know how to act." He protests.
"How about this Neville." Ginny says, leaning forward. Her solemnity is offset by the fact that that Arnold is perched atop her head, contrasting spectacularly against her hair. "We use the same code as Harry."
"Harry had a code?" Audrina wonders, eyebrows furrowed in an attempt to remember when Harry had ever shared such information. Ginny rolls her eyes at her, focusing back on Neville.
"He always protected others first." She points out. "And he wanted the truth to be told, even when it got him punished. He was kind to everyone, and he-" She breaks off, apparently unable to speak past the lump in her throat.
"He would want us to stick together." Luna finishes for her and Ginny nods. Neville ponders it, nodding thoughtfully.
"I think that's a good start, but we should-" He gets cut off by the opening of the compartment door. Their comical group, consisting of Ginny with a Pygmy Puff atop her head, Luna, who has chosen to change into glasses lined with pulsing green gems, Neville, still in his muggle sweater, and Audrina and Seamus, slumped in their seats; look up, expecting another Death Eater.
Instead, the eager faces of Ernie Macmillan, Terry Boot, and the Patil twins are peering around the doorframe in at them. Silence stretches for a long moment, each group not quite understanding what is going on with the other before Ernie walks in and sits down on the floor of the compartment. The others file in and make room for them, as though this was all very much planned.
"So." Ernie says, once everyone is seated, and all heads swing towards him. "What's the plan?" Audrina can't hide her smile, as she understands what's happening. Dumbledore's Army is clearly reorganizing.
"Ask Neville, he's our leader." Luna says serenely and Terry Boot looks like he's going to protest for a moment and then thinks better of it as Ginny's wand appears from nowhere.
"Neville." Ernie says formally and Audrina again envisions the overthrow of Voldemort at the hands of teenage students. This time she can't help her snort of laughter, earning her odd looks from the others.
"Well see, we have a sort of plan." Neville says unsurely, but again he doesn't get far when the door opens again.
"Sorry," Lavender Brown says cheerfully, squeezing herself in between the twins. "We were waiting on Collin."
"Sorry." The young boy says sheepishly, edging into the already full compartment. Neville is staring at them in something close to astonishment, as though he's not sure the scene before his eyes is really unfolding.
"Ah, any room for more?" A loud, male voice asks and Audrina jolts upright, accidently hitting Terry Boot with her foot. Jace is standing in the doorway, looking around with interest.
"Jace!" Ginny and Audrina both cry and he grins at them, white teeth in sharp contrast to his tan skin.
"Hullo." He says cheerfully, picking his way towards Audrina, where he sits with no regard to her personal space. "There's still a couple more coming, so if anyone wants to chance to sit on Ginny Weasley's lap, now is the time to do it." Ginny, from where she's smashed between Luna and Neville, can do nothing but glare at him. Her anger doesn't last long however; moments later Fallon and Adam stick their heads around the corner.
"Oh, if it's too full, we can come back!" She offers instantly, but several hands reach up and pull her in. Knees are scrunched to chests, feet are sat on, and the temperature rises markedly.
"Well this is cozy." Audrina remarks dryly, before once more, then door opens and a collective groan goes up.
"Alright, alright." Michael Corner says, waving a hand. He and Anthony Goldstein take up residence near Padema, who looks delighted by the turn of events. "Sorry, but we're not missing out."
"The only thing we're missing is fresh oxygen." Jace tells him but they don't argue any further. All heads are turned towards Neville, who appears to have shrunken further back into his seat as more and more people had arrived.
"Well everyone," Ginny says, taking over effortlessly. "Welcome to the first meeting of Dumbledore's Army, held in the lovely compartment-"
"31." Collin supplies helpfully.
"31. I'm assuming that by your presence here, you're all aware of what's happening at Hogwarts." She says, her light tone turning harder.
"If we thought Snape being the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher was bad, imagine him as headmaster." Terry supplies and the expressions around the compartment range from fear to deep hatred.
"Snape's not all we've got to worry about." Neville says. Ginny's introduction seems to have given him a moment to compose himself and now he's leaning forward, making eye contact with each person. "We've got the Carrows, the Blood Status decree, and the Ministry interfering with our education. I'm thinking this year won't involve much studying."
"Thank god." Seamus pipes up and there's a smattering of laughter, though Fallon looks more alarmed than most.
"We've," Neville gestures to Ginny, Luna, Seamus, and Audrina, "Come up with a little code. It's unofficial, we're not writing it down, and we don't need you to sign anything, but I think it's important that we share it." Neville announces and every face is raptly watching his. He glances at Ginny, who nods.
"Some of you know that there are a lot of students that aren't here that should be." Ginny says, and Audrina is proud of her that her voice doesn't tremble. "So, we feel it would be right to dedicate our mission to them."
"And what is our mission?" Ernie asks carefully.
"We will protect each other and the students of Hogwarts." Ginny states and goose bumps are running up and down Audrina's arms. "We will be kind and compassionate, even when that person may not deserve it. We will seek out and defend the truth, and try to tell it at every opportunity, no matter the cost. We will stick together, and we will do our best to make the memory of Albus Dumbledore proud."
After Ginny's declaration, Lavender Brown looks close to tears, Jace is nodding fiercely, Michael Corner is looking at her with pure desire, and Neville has closed his eyes. Silence so complete a pin dropping could be heard stays long enough to Ginny briefly looks unsure of herself before Ernie begins to clap.
The rest of them take it up, until the applause is so loud that it rings in Audrina ears and Maya and Arnold take refuge under a disgruntled Lyra's wing. When it finally dies down, a couple people dry their eyes. Ginny is not one of them- her fierce, blazing look has returned.
"All we can do now," Neville says, once the din subsides completely. "Is getting to Hogwarts safely. Let's get through the sorting ceremony, get the first years safely to bed, and see how our first day of classes goes. Everyone got these?" He asks, holding up the D.A. coin. Several people shift unsurely before Jace says honestly,
"No, I've probably lost mine."
"I can make more." Fallon volunteers. "I know the charm Hermione used. If you give be a couple days, I'm sure I can recreate them." Impressed, Jace pats her head and Neville nods his thanks.
"Well then, everyone that's lost theirs, get a new one from Fallon when they're done. We'll set a meeting for sometime after the first week of classes. We'll use the Room of Requirement for now, since I'm not sure what else we'll have available. In the meantime," The low hum of mutters falls silent and everyone looks to Neville again. "Start telling people about this. Those you can trust. Get the younger students, if you can. We can recruit, before Snape even has a chance to know what's going on." He says seriously.
Just like that, the meeting is dismissed and everyone gets up, the pile of limbs disentangling until they can file out, joking and chattering amongst themselves. Fallon, Jace, and Adam remain, grinning at them.
"Well, I forgot how good anarchy is for the soul." Jace says fondly, but something Neville had said has triggered something in Audrina's brain. "I think we're pretty prepared for this year, if I do- Rin, where are you going?" He yells, as she gets up and dashes from the compartment.
She weaves and dodges students, moving them aside none too gently when they aren't fast enough. She pokes her head around every compartment, looking, looking, looking…
"HA!" She cries when she sees the deep red hair. Millie looks up from a deep conversation with her friends. Shock crosses her face for a long moment and then she throws herself into Audrina's arms, shrieking,
"AUDRINA!"
"Hello little one." Audrina says warmly, sitting inside the compartment. Millie's friends are staring at her in a little bit of awe and confusion, while Millie just looks thrilled.
"Are you alright?" Millie asks lowly. "I heard from my parents that the people are being attacked, that they're going after muggle-borns and blood traitors." She looks at Audrina worriedly.
"I'm fine." Audrina says dismissively. "Do you have your family tree?" Nodding, Millie produces it from her pocket and hands it to Audrina. She inspects it, making sure it's correct, before nodding at the sight of two signatures at the bottom. Relief floods her before she remembers why she's there. "Millie." She says seriously, trying to organize her racing thoughts.
"What?" Millie asks nervously and Audrina hesitates, wondering if it's right to be telling her this. Then she reflects on herself at age 12, the first year she ever heard of Sirius Black, and decides that 12 is plenty old to know things in a time of war. She takes a deep breath.
"Things at Hogwarts are going to be different." She says carefully. "Bad different. You're a pure-blood but…"
"A Gryffindor." Millie states, her eyebrows constricting as she struggles to understand Audrina's meaning.
"Exactly. They probably won't hurt you because of your blood, but they'll be looking for any chance to because of your house. Don't let them." She implores, struck by how much she sounds like Mrs. Weasley in this moment. Likely, Mrs. Weasley would highly disapprove of her next sentence, but Audrina carries on anyways. "But, there's a meeting. Of upperclassmen. I can take you with, if you'd like. All of you." She says, looking at Millie's friends.
"What kind of meeting?" Millie asks, still a little confused and Audrina scratches her nose, trying to figure out how to describe it without giving it anyway. Finally she cracks a humorless smile.
"The kind where we discuss our dislike for our current school administration and strive to communicate that dislike." She says carefully then grins as she sees Millie's face screw up in concentration, clearly trying to understand. She hopes Millie takes the hint then gets up.
"Are you going?" Millie asks and Audrina nods.
"I have to get back to Ginny and Luna and the rest. But keep your head down, ok? At least until we know where things stand at Hogwarts." She advises and Millie nods. Smiling, Audrina shuts the compartment. She's lost in thought as she wanders back down the hallway and doesn't notice anyone else until they slam into her, making her stagger backwards.
"Watch it!" A snide voice says and she's unable to mask her shock quickly at the sight of Blaise, looking at her haughtily. "Careful, ice queen." He sneers, hitting her with his shoulder as he passes once more. "Your veneers are starting to melt." Agape, she watches him head towards the back of the train and into one of the rearmost compartments.
Part of her wants to go burst into it. Draco could be in there, sitting, not twenty feet from her. His black suit, blond hair, grey eyes staring broodingly out the window as the countryside passes and night falls. Everything she has been holding in these last couple months, she could let it all rush out.
Instead, her feet carry her mind back towards her friends, towards the sound of their voices and laughter and away from the boy that broke her heart. She slides in and sits down heavily next to Jace, still stunned silent.
"Audrina!" Adam says loudly and that snaps her out of it. "I said, are you alright?" He asks anxiously.
"What? I- Yes- Fine. I missed you!" She says hastily to cover up her mistake and though he doesn't look like he believes her, he lets it go.
"Where did you run off to?" Jace asks curiously and Audrina looks at Ginny as she responds.
"I went to find Millie. You're right Neville, we need to recruit younger students if we're going to get this to work, I thought having her talk to some of her friends would be a good way to get them hearing about the D.A."
"Good idea." Neville says, clearly impressed. Ginny seems to sense that something else is going on, but apparently decides to resolve it later and turns back to Jace and Fallon.
"Now are you going to tell me what's going on or am I going to have to hex you?" She threatens and Jace is smirking while Fallon is blushing.
"They're dating!" Audrina realizes, pointing to them. "They're dating, they have to be dating, there's no other reason Fallon would turn that red!"
"Alright, fine!" Fallon says, waving her hands. "Yes, I'm dating Jace, can we let that go? There's a war going on!"
"This is more important." Ginny states.
"When did it happen?" Audrina asks eagerly.
"Why did it happen?" Ginny asks over her and Jace gives her a dirty look before answering.
"Last spring, right before the battle. And because she's the smartest, funniest, prettiest witch I've ever seen and I don't know what life would be if I didn't have her." He says, tone sincere.
"Alright, enough, enough." Adam says, waving his hands. "I've dealt with this mushy crap all summer, I thought school would mean getting away from it." Fallon smack him but beams up at Ginny and Audrina.
"It is his longest lasting relationship to date." Audrina says thoughtfully.
"I'm not sure if I'm proud or horrified." Fallon says, rolling her eyes and Jace grins, kissing her head.