Now you know my covers feel like lead

And my pillow it feels like stone

Well, I've tossed and turned so every night

I'm not used to being alone

Hermione

The first of September arrived completely unwelcome. Hermione awoke early that morning to a complete sense of dread consuming her. She had never felt this way, she was usually excited to be leaving the muggle world behind. A place she never quite felt that she fit in. Now she felt like she didn't fit into the Wizarding world either. Maybe returning to Hogwarts was a bad idea. How was it possible that the girl who had all the answers suddenly had none.

She lay in her childhood bed contemplating not even getting on the Hogwarts Express. If she didn't show up to school today would anyone even notice or care. She shook the negative thoughts from her head and reached over to check the time knocking down a framed picture in the process. Grabbing it, she turned it over in her hands. It was a photo of herself, Ron, and Harry in front of the Burrow from three years previously. Harry was adjusting his glasses and smiling, Ron had his arms wrapped around his two best friends, and Hermione was throwing her head back laughing at something Fred had said before taking the photo. It was her favorite photograph of the three of them. In that moment, they had all been carefree teenagers even though the world around them was beginning to spiral out of control. She pressed the frame to her chest, deciding that she would bring it to Hogwarts with her.

She still had nearly three hours before she even had to leave, enough time to secure the house since she wouldn't be returning until next spring. The home she grew up in, once full of love and happiness felt so empty. The silence all around her was absolutely deafening. She walked past her parents permanently closed bedroom door and an overwhelming sadness took over. She couldn't bring herself to go in there, promising that one day she would have them back. It was a fool hearted wish, but she just couldn't accept it. Not yet.

She made sure to lock up all the windows and doors before grabbing her trunk and making her way into the awaiting taxi outside. The taxi driver made polite small talk with her, and she was thankful when they arrived at King's Cross Station after faking her way through a conversation about football on the drive there.

She approached Platform 9 3/4 before taking a deep, steadying breath. It wasn't too late, she could turn back now. Yet again, she forced the negative thoughts from her mind as she walked through the barrier with her head held high. She could do this.

She felt nearly everyone's eyes on her and heard their whispers as she made her way through the train, looking for the the compartment containing her friends.

"That's Hermione Granger"

"I wonder where Harry is."

"Wow, she came back."

"Hermione, over here," She heard Ginny call out right as she spotted her ginger head poking out from one of the compartments towards the end of the train. Neville, Ginny, and Luna were already inside. Luna waved at her, glancing up briefly from the book in her lap.

"'Hey," Neville said to her, grabbing her trunk and putting it easily in the overhead compartment. Neville had grown even more handsome over the summer holidays and had clearly grown confidence as well. She couldn't help but notice the muscles in his arms. She locked eyes with Ginny who mouthed "I know, right," Both broke into smiles. It was the first time Hermione could remember genuinely smiling in some time.

Hermione took a seat next to Luna and settled in for the journey.

"Any other people returning this year?" Hermione asked Neville. He shook his head yes, "From Gryffindor, just the two of us and Parvati. Not sure about Ravenclaw or Hufflepuff. I saw Malfoy, Nott, Zabini, and the Greengrass sisters on the platform earlier."

"Padma is back from Ravenclaw," Luna added, taking her eyes off of her book for a moment.

Ginny let out an annoyed sound, "Why on earth did all the Slytherins come back?"

"Terms of probation," Luna said, "Daddy attended their trials," she added after seeing Ginny's confused look.

"I'd pick Hogwarts over Azkaban, too," Neville said.

Hermione felt her breath catch in her throat and the color drain from her face as Neville and Ginny continued to discuss the Slytherins. She hadn't even considered that she would have to see the Slytherins again. To see Malfoy again. Hermione was pulled from her own thoughts as she felt Luna grab her hand and give it a gentle squeeze.

"We will get through this together," Luna whispered to her. Hermione had never been Luna's greatest fan but in this moment she was incredibly thankful for how perceptive Luna was to the feelings of the people around her. Hermione gave her a small smile, before Luna returned back to her book.

Theo

Theo had been at Hogwarts for ten minutes. Ten minutes and he had already been called a Death Eater no less than fifteen times. Pushed into as he was walking into the Great Hall. And he was positive that someone actually booed at him as he took his seat at the Slytherin table. This year was already shit.

It's better than Azkaban, it's better than Azkaban, it's better than Azkaban.

He had been repeating that to himself constantly all day, however after being in this castle for a mere ten minutes his mantra had already changed.

This has to be better than Azkaban. This has to be better than Azkaban. This has to be better than Azkaban.

Everything in the Great Hall looked back to normal, and for some reason that made him incredibly mad. It shouldn't look normal when a few short months ago it was in ruins. Putting a bandage on it didn't do justice to the festering wound that was still there for many people, bubbling just beneath the surface.

Everything looked normal, yet everything felt off. McGonagall now sat in the head seat at the table, a dark plum hat now sitting atop her head. Professors Sprout and Slughorn on either side of her. Her eyes scanned out over the students in front of her.

He sat at the very end of the Slytherin table between Daphne and Blaise, Draco and Astoria across from them. There was a large gap between his little band of miscreants and the other Slytherins. No one wanted to be associated with the Death Eaters and their friends it would seem. This was going to be a terrible year.

Theo watched on silently, as the sorting commenced. The first girl who was sorted into Slytherin house looked like she wanted to burst into tears. Not that Theo could really blame her, who would want to be sorted into a house who openly welcomed Death Eaters into it the year previously. Even people who weren't here last year certainly heard rumors about the Carrows and the punishments they deemed appropriate. Theo clapped politely when it was over, and awaited the start of term speech.

He scratched absent-mindedly at his bandaged forearm while listening to Professor McGonagall drone on and on about inter-house unity and friendship before Daphne swatted at him.

"Stop touching it," she hissed.

"It's itchy," he countered.

"You are going to make it worse." He scoffed at her before scratching it again. He was in deep thought and not paying attention to where his eyes were lingering. Daphne nudged him once again and he realized that he had been staring directly at Hermione Granger. Staring directly at Hermione Granger while scratching at his Dark Mark. She gave him a brief, dirty look before returning to her conversation with Neville Longbottom. Great work, Theo. Way to be totally weird to the war heroine.

Oh yes, this would be a terrible year indeed.