Chapter Twenty-Nine: Back to School.
It seemed like barely minutes passed between us all being stood in the Burrow's kitchen to us now being stood on Platform 9 and ¾. Luckily, despite how late we'd left the Weasley home, we weren't late and the scarlet steam train was barely ready to depart when we got there. I turned on my Mother with a slightly tearful smile pulling her into a hug she sniffed into my shoulder and I was sure she was going to cry.
"I'll be fine Mum, just promise me you won't go near the house while I'm gone. I don't want anything to happen to you while I'm not here." I said as I pulled out of the hug and looked straight into her tearful eyes. She laughed slightly at my words.
"There you go again, saying the stuff I'm supposed to say." She smiled out through a tear had slipped down her face now I just grinned at her.
"Sorry..." I smiled she shook her head kissing me on the forehead.
"Be careful." Her tone was warning, she wasn't telling me to be careful she was telling me to make sure I wasn't careless. I nodded at her giving her a final hug before turning back to the Weasley's, luckily Ginny was only half way through her goodbyes so I took the opportunity to talk to George. My stomach flipped when he smiled at me and once again the tears that were lining my eyes before returned. I feared saying goodbye to him, I didn't want it to be the last time I saw him, as though he sensed my worry he pulled me into a hug.
"George, please, stay safe..." I mumbled into his chest, the thought of loosing him, now when we had finally got us sorted out, was enough to make me feel rather ill. He smiled at me as he pulled away from the hug but kept me inches from his body.
"I'll promise to stay safe if you do?" He asked I couldn't help grinning at him nodding my head.
"I promise." I whispered to him and, after taking a quick glance around to make sure both of our parents were pre-occupied, he gave me a quick kiss. After this I wiped my eyes, which luckily had not wept, and moved to Ginny's side. She looked just as tearful as I did as she sadly smiled at me, the whistle was blown it was time to get on the train.
"Where's Fred?" I questioned now noticing the missing twin, seconds later he came sauntering around a corner with a slightly dishevelled look but a large grin on his face. Following behind him, and buttoning her shirt back up as she walked, came Tabitha. I shook my head at the pair as she joined Ginny and I moving towards the train. We waved our final goodbyes, I stared at George as the train pulled away. I wanted to take in every single last inch of his face, from his deep brown eyes to the large hole where his ear used to be. I blew him a kiss which he pretended to catch and then he was gone I stared out the window from where he'd just disappeared for the longest time.
"Well, this is going to be fun..." Tabitha laughed out I moved my eyes to look at her and Ginny who was sat with us in our compartment. After spending half the Summer with Ginny the pair of us had grown pretty attached to each other so separating now when we're about to enter a school with two Death Eater teachers seemed like a silly mistake. I glanced over to Tabitha sadly meeting my friends eye before I spoke.
"Have you seen any of the other girls yet? Danielle?" I asked her she threw me a sad look also shaking her head.
"Danielle Price? I didn't think you liked her much V, isn't she a bit of a gossip?" Ginny asked, I looked to her now.
"I don't mind her, I'm only asking cause she's Muggle-born..." I explained Ginny's look changed from curious to worried. "You heard Lupin when we left the Burrow, he reckons part of making Hogwarts mandatory is to rustle up the Muggle-borns." I said Tabitha moved her head to look out the window. As Ginny sadly smiled back at me.
"Hopefully she's done a runner." She said I nodded to her.
"Hopefully, any one you know Muggle-born?" I asked her, she shook her head her red locks falling into her face.
"Not close to really, except Hermione of course, but she's not exactly going to be-" Ginny was cut off and we all knew why, the train was slowing down.
"Are we stopping?!" Tabitha asked I looked out of the window with a frown.
"We're not even half way there!" I exclaimed Ginny's look was slightly more frightful than mine and Tabitha's.
"Have we broken down?" Tabitha asked now as the train was almost at a complete stop, she stood up and moved to the door of the compartment. She opened the door and poked her head out looking around.
"Have we broken down?" She repeated obviously to the other students who were also looking out of their compartments, I heard someone call back that they didn't know.
"What are you thinking, Ginny?" I asked the silent red head, her worried eyes snapped from staring at the air in front of her to my eyes.
"Death Eaters, gotta be." She whispered to me, I worriedly glanced from her to Tabitha who had been looking back at us when a noise outside the compartment took her attention again. She looked down to the right, her face became stony as she moved back into the compartment quickly taking her seat beside me again. Ginny and I both stared at her with worry she nodded briskly.
"Death Eaters." She whispered to us staring straight ahead, I looked back at Ginny we shared a look of worry before I broke the contact and looked back across to outside the compartment. Seconds later a black cloaked man appeared in the windows, Ginny and I did not falter however, we sat staring at him. He glared across the three of us and, when his eyes landed upon Ginny, he glanced back calling someone before opening the door. Tabitha let out a small almost inaudible gasp I grabbed hold of her hand for comfort. The man, once his friend had joined him, raised his wand, Ginny and I both instinctively went for our own, I jumped out of my seat ready to defend Ginny.
"Homenum Revelio." He spoke slowly and I felt a rush of warmth wash over me. Though the Death Eater obviously did not get what he wanted as he now glared at Ginny then to me before disappearing back out of the door without saying another word. I glanced over to Ginny my body falling back into my seat and my hand loosening on Tabitha's now as I stared in confusion at the red head.
"I bet they're looking for Harry." She growled as she watched the outside of the compartment. "Thought he'd be with me hiding under his invisibility cloak." She explained I stared at her for a while longer before looking back out across the fields outside. It wasn't until the train started moving again, and it became obvious the Death Eaters had left, that the warm atmosphere came back to our compartment.
"Here we go..." Tabitha whispered to me as we approached the large castle we knew so well in the self-driven carriages. I smiled across at her trying to be reassuring but I wasn't sure it came across as she just climbed out of the carriage. I followed suit with Ginny behind me, Rebecca had caught up with us when the train pulled up in Hogwarts. She had neither seen nor heard from Danielle since the new laws against Muggle-borns came out. She seemed worried for her best friend, I could understand, if it were Tabitha I would be just as worried. Though if it were Tabitha I'm a hundred percent sure she would drag me along on the run with her in some way. At least, by this point, we had all assumed that Danielle had made a run for it. Which was probably the main reason that, once the four of us had climbed out of the carriage, we all let out audible gasps at the sight in front of us. A pale, shaken Danielle was climbing out of the carriage in front of us with a worried Rose following her.
"Dani!" Rebecca called running over to her friend and pulling her into a hug, Ginny, Tabitha and I followed swiftly behind.
"What the hell are you doing here Danielle?!" Tabitha hissed at her once we were within ear shot. "This is suicide!" She continued Danielle's scared large eyes connected with Tabitha and I threw my friend a reproachful look for her words.
"Dani, you know they're hunting Muggle-borns, they think that anyone who is Muggle-born has stolen magic. They'll send you to Azkaban!" I spoke in a hushed tone as we now started walking towards the entrance to Hogwarts.
"There's nothing else I can do..." She said dismally I sadly glanced from her to Rebecca.
"Run!" Rebecca hissed at her. "Leave! Get out of here, go abroad! Dani, loads of Muggle-borns are doing it! You've got to Dani!" She worriedly spoke to her friend, Danielle's eyes had fallen to her feet now and as she spoke, under the milky shine of the moon, I saw a tear slip down her cheek.
"My parents don't- don't understand what's going on... They're Muggles and they just- just think I'm being over dramatic, when I told them about what you-know-who is doing... They- They said nobody would hurt a child..." She took a loud sniff, my stomach dropped, Tabitha covered her face with her hand and Rebecca moved to hug Danielle as the latter cried into her shoulder. I hadn't even noticed that our group had stopped moving, not to comfort Danielle but because we had to. As I looked up from the crying girl now I realised that we were in a long queue for entry into Hogwarts.
"What is this?!" I hissed out frowning towards the front of the queue, Ginny, who I now noticed had been looking at the queue this entire time, was the one to answer me.
"There's people at the front, they look like they're checking everyone's names." She explained as we squinted towards the front.
"What?! Why?" I asked but Ginny threw me a look that told me I knew why, my worried eyes landed back on Danielle as she sobbed into Rebecca's shoulder.
"Come on..." Ginny whispered to me as her hand found my wrist and she pulled me forwards in the queue, much to the people behind us now's disappointment. I heard them yelling swear words at us as Ginny pulled me right up to a blond head of hair that I recognised. Luna Lovegood turned her drifting eyes upon Ginny and I as we approached she gave Ginny an airy hello.
"This is my friend, Verity Stockhart." Ginny explained, Luna and I had never really met though I'd heard a lot about her. I was never one to judge people by gossip however and I'd always thought Luna was quite sweet.
"Hello Luna," I smiled at her.
"Oh, hello Verity," Luna said in her dreamy voice I smiled at her as Ginny shuffled her position so she was slightly closer to the front of the queue which we were now not far from.
"What's going on up there, Luna? Do you know?" Ginny asked her, though Luna looked as though she had just been in a deep thought when Ginny spoke.
"Oh, no I don't... Though I expect it's to do with the Wackspurts, they've been showing up very often in the castle you know?" She asked Ginny just glanced between Luna and I, just as I went to ask what a 'Wackspurt' was Ginny cut across me.
"Yeah, I doubt it's that, Luna." She smiled at the girl tugging me forwards slightly so that we could strain our ears to listen in to the people talking at the front of the queue.
"Name?" A rough looking man with a clipboard and pen in his hands growled to the frightened second year stood in front of him.
"J-Jamie Undel..." The second year spoke softly his eyes darting around the group of four men that were standing like a square blockade around him and the rough man. The man flicked through a couple of pages without saying anything before his eyes moved back to the kid.
"Half-blood? Your Mother's Muggle-born?" The man questioned the kid nodded as the man's eyes squinted at the paper in front of him, he smirked. "And I see we have your dear old Mum already in our custody?" The little boy looked about ready to cry but he nodded I was half tempted to hex the man, thoughts of George stopped me.
"Alrigh'." The rough man growled nodding his head in a way of telling the second year to move on.
"But watch your back half-blood." He growled at him still with a smirk on his face as he sniffed and called for the next kid in line.
"No wonder it's taking so bloody long." Ginny hissed beside me, I frowned at the man then back in the direction of Danielle who I could see was still crying.
"What do you think they do to Muggle-borns?" I whispered to Ginny as I worried for my roommate Ginny looked back at me with the same worry in her eyes.
"I doubt any have turned up... Except..." She trailed off as her eyes too fell behind us, to Danielle. I shuddered as I looked back at the rough looking man and his four henchmen once more.
"This is awful..." I whispered to Ginny as we stepped closer to the front she nodded beside me.
"It can't stay like this forever..." She whispered back I looked across to her now, I wondered if she, and her family, were putting too much faith in Harry Potter. She seemed to sense my thoughts as she spoke again.
"Even if..." She glanced around to the students around us. "Harry" She mouthed to me, I nodded. "Doesn't succeed..." Her throat caught at the thought I smiled sadly at her. "Even if he doesn't, the wizarding world will stand up against it... It just may take a while for them to build up the nerve." She growled glaring forwards at the rough man who we were growing closer and closer to now. I worriedly glanced her way wondering exactly what would happen if we didn't have the time for the world to build up the nerve. If by the time it takes for everyone else to be ready to fight the ones who originally were ready have all been hunted down. I didn't express these thoughts however as now we were far too close to the front of the queue to continue our rebellious talk without the risk of being overheard. Somehow, in all the bustle and pulling around, I'd made it between Luna and Ginny, Luna had just been accepted into the castle and the rough man was now beckoning me forwards. I took a glance over my shoulder at Ginny who smiled reassuringly at me as I stepped forwards.
"Name?" The man growled at me as I moved between the two muscular men I glanced at the other two behind him also before I spoke.
"Verity Stockhart." I said defiantly as I looked around the rough man and into the Entrance hall, trying to look as non-chalant as possible. After flicking through some pages he found my name.
"Ah, half-blood..." He smirked, "And your Muggle-born Father is in our custody I see." I just narrowed my eyes on his smirking face now.
"In a matter of speaking." I said with a falsely sweet smile on my face, his smirk fell for a moment as it seemed I knew too much. His eyes fell to the paper again and, just as I thought he was going to let me pass, he spoke again.
"And your Mother is a squib I see..." This threw me off and I was sure this man had wanted just that affect as he now smirked at me again. "Well, doesn't sound like you've got much of a chance half-blood... Where's our proof you ain't gonna become a squib just like your dear old Mum? Hm?" He pushed I snarled at him my anger took over, I looked at the pen in his hand and, with my hand clutching my wand in my pocket, I whispered out a charm.
"What'd you- OI!" He hollered out when his eyes moved down to his hand to find that his pen had become a toad. It let out a loud ribbit before leaping straight out of his hand, Ginny laughed behind me and I just smirked.
"There's your proof." I growled to him.
"You, little-" He tore out his wand, as did I but I found four other wands also trained on to me as the henchmen revealed their purpose. Ginny behind me had also produced her wand, it was trained on one of the henchmen, before anyone said another word however someone else spoke.
"May I inquire as to what you are doing, Reedon?" A sly voice called out across the Entrance Hall, Severus Snape appeared behind 'Reedon' who still had his wand aimed at me. I panicked after all this man was the man who killed Albus Dumbledore, he was a Death Eater and I doubted very much that he would be at all bothered about another death on his hands.
"What's it look like?! She gotta bit outta hand, I'm just defending myself!" He growled back to Snape who now pushed down the henchmens wands with his hands.
"What it looks like, Reedon, is that you are attacking one of my students... A student who I know, for a fact, is a half-blood her Father is in the Ministry and I went to school with her Mother, there is no doubt of her blood status I expect?" Snape questioned, Reedon and I still had our wands pointing at each other. I felt my eyebrows raise slightly though, was this really Snape defending me?
"No-No it's not that..." Reedon blurted out.
"No? So then, what is it, Reedon, that made you try to attack one of my students who isn't a Muggle-born, therefore has the rights to her Headmasters fortification?" Snape was still speaking lowly and carefully as though to a child Reedon glared at me, though I had a feeling all of his anger was no longer pointed at me.
"She- She bloody turned my pen into a toad!" He hollered out, I finally spoke to Snape.
"He asked me to prove my magical ability..." I explained. "I did." I smirked, Snape just glared across to me now. He lifted his wand, I cringed, only for him to point it towards the still ribbiting toad on the floor. It changed back into it's pen form and Reedon lunged for it as though scared I would turn it back.
"Miss. Stockhart works very closely with the Weasley twins at their joke shop, Reedon, unfortunately their mischievousness seems to have rubbed off on her." Snape hissed further, I glared at him now as I lowered my wand from Reedon. I couldn't shake the feeling that Snape pointing out my closeness to the twins was some kind of threat.
"Yeah, yeah whatever. Next!" He growled out and I moved into the Entrance hall feeling a little giddy at my rebellion. Once inside the Great Hall the atmosphere was completely different to how it usually is, normally everyone is laughing and chatting with their friends that they haven't seen in months. Tonight nobody was laughing and the only chatting that happened came in hushed whispers. As I took in the hall Ginny walked in beside me, she smirked at me as we started walking towards the two end tables together.
"I thought for sure that guy was going to hex you, or send you off to Azkaban..." She joked I just smirked at her.
"Well, that gets him back for poor Jamie Undel." I said back Ginny couldn't help a little laugh escaping her lips.
"It sure did." She said before saying a goodbye and breaking from me to take a seat at the Gryffindor table. I did the same at the Hufflepuff one and it wasn't long before Tabitha joined me. Whereas this would normally bring me a rush of relief, as without her I'd been stuck with only Taylor for company (if you can call it that when you don't talk to one another), this time it did not, as this time I knew that it meant Danielle would soon be caught. I looked worriedly at her as she took her seat beside me she sadly looked to the table.
"We put Dani last but, well that's not going to bloody save her is it? Just delay the inevitable..." She grimly explained. "What happened with you? I saw you get into a bit of a pickle with him?" She asked. In the time it took me to explain myself Rose joined us at the table, as I was finishing up with a slight smirk across both mine and Tabitha's faces we heard something.
"Then Snape turned it back into a pen and let me go-" I was just about to explain his maybe threat when we heard it.
"DANI! NO!" Rebecca's screams from just outside of the Great hall doors I gasped and looked up to the doorway. Everyone had, I went to stand, as usually in this situation everyone would be out there like a shot to see what was going on. Only nobody else moved, they all just sat staring at the doors as Rebecca continued to shout after Danielle, some people (all Hufflepuffs) even covered their ears to the sound. I was stood now staring at the doors with tears in my eyes only a vice like grip around my wrist was stopping me.
"Think of George!" Tabitha hissed at me from her still seated position, it was her that was stopping me I frowned at her as Professor Sprout had now passed me and was rushing towards the hall doors to fetch her student.
"Verity! Think. Of. George!" Tabitha hissed again as she tried to pull me back into my seat, I shook my head. I knew she was trying to insinuate that by going for Danielle I'd only end up getting in trouble which, in turn, may hurt George, but I didn't want to believe it. This was Danielle, a bit of a gossip sure, but she'd never hurt a fly! We couldn't let this happen. My eyes moved to the staff table Professor McGonagall shook her head at me, obviously in the same mind as Tabitha. Just as I went to sit back down, taking the teachers instructions to heart, the hall doors burst open. Professor Sprout had not yet got to them and gasped, as did everyone else in the hall, when they saw who was coming through them. Two of the henchmen from before had Rebecca by each arm and they were struggling to pull her back as she kicked out trying to get free of them and to Danielle.
"DANIELLE!" She screamed further even as the doors swung shut and she could no longer see her friend.
"Let go of her!" Professor Sprout growled at the two henchmen as she approached them. "Unhand my student!" She growled again, they looked between each other then to the, slightly died down, Rebecca. Professor McGonagall now flew down the aisle past me and I knew she was preparing to defend her friend against the henchmen. Professor Sprout practically tore Rebecca out of the henchmen's hands finally they gave her up and both Professor's escorted Rebecca back towards the Hufflepuff table. Every single eye in the hall was on the large, bushy eyebrowed girl who was walking towards me with Professor Sprout's arm around her shoulders. Rebecca did not care though she looked pale and ready to cry, it was only when her eyes looked up to find me, still stood out of my seat with Tabitha's hand around my wrist, that she allowed the tears to fall. She bounded across to me pulling me into a hug that I thought for sure was going to crush me. I reached up to the furthest point I could reach on her back as I patted it. She cried into my shoulder as the two Professor's passed us, Professor Sprout giving me a warm smile as she disappeared up the aisle. I sat Rebecca down between Tabitha and I but she did not stop crying, all throughout the dinner. I also noticed that, not only was the hall only about half as full as it usually is, but that Snape did not give a speech. There were not kind words or even ones of you-know-who's return as he finished up the dinner by sending the students off to bed. I wondered whether this was a kindness towards Dumbledore, or it was just because he did not wish to address us, I had no clue either way.
