I stare out the window at the cars occasionally moving up and down the tree lined road. The sky full of the dark clouds that I've been accustomed to of late, making the disturbing events recently seem closer to the safety of home than I'd like to admit. The fact that I soon return to Hogwarts in a few days does not fill me with the joys that I usually possess at this time of year instead I feel an awful sense of dread. The fact that the sole reason that I am allowed to return being my pureblood family fills me with shame, shame that just because my mum and dad come from pureblood families entitles me to an education whereas others in my year from muggle families do not. The world is definitely changing and not for the better. My last trip to Diagon Alley was not a cheery one but rather one that involved keeping my head down and being ushered quickly from shop to shop by my worried mum.
The muggles in my village get on as normal seeing this changing weather as just the start of a very bad winter while the few wizarding families in the area are simultaneously putting protective charms around their houses and preparing to disappear if needed. My parents and extended family have taken on the challenge of placing charms over the houses of muggle neighbours and friends. I look around my room at the piles of clothes and books and sigh. My trunk lies empty waiting to be filled though I can't bring myself to actually do it. My sixth year isn't exactly starting the way I'd hoped it would. I pull myself off my bed and sit on the floor and start to pack my trunk. I pick up a new book to the list that arrives each year and stare at it. It seems to be less of a defence book and more of a dark arts one. I'm starting to wish I failed my D.A.D.A O.W.L now. Even with Snape as a teacher I managed to pass with an outstanding which I see as quite the success given all that went on last year. I look down and pick up the letter that arrived over a month ago.
ORDINARY WIZARDING LEVEL RESULTS
Pass Grades: Outstanding (O) Fail Grades: Poor (P)
Exceeds Expectations (E) Dreadful (D)
Acceptable (A) Troll (T)
ISOBEL AGNES MACDONALD HAS ACHIEVED:
Astronomy: A
Care of Magical Creatures: E
Charms: O
Defence Against the Dark Arts: O
Divination: D
Herbology: E
History of Magic: O
Potions: E
Transfiguration: E
Mum and dad had jumped around when the results came in. They had said it was the most O.W.L's that someone in the family had received since my grandfather and that is a lot of family members. My sisters N.E.W.T's had also arrived with mine. To say they hadn't done as well as mum had hoped would have been an understatement. She had expected them to achieve eight each when in reality they had only gotten five each, both failing astronomy and arithmancy badly, and let's not talk about the muggle studies grade. It seems they spent the entire year in muggle studies sleeping instead of listening. They did however pass what they called 'the main five'. Those five being charms, transfiguration, potions, D.A.D.A and herbology. Mum didn't take the lack of personal disappointment in their grades too well. They did manage to get jobs in the ministry though, working in the Department of Magical Games and Sports, much to mums dismay.
I finish packing and trudge downstairs into the hall.
"MUM! I'm going to visit Lachlan!"
She comes rushing into the hallway looking flustered.
"Okay but please be careful you never know whose out there"
I give her a hug before putting on my jacket and shoes. I grab an umbrella and march outside against the bitter Scottish wind. I walk to the bus stop and wait patiently for the next bus into the town. The thing about the village is that with it being muggle, flying on broomsticks would cause quite the stir. There's only so many times you can pass off a sighting as someone being a drunk who was just seeing things while he was stumbling home from the local pub. It doesn't help that Lachy's mum refuses to keep her floo network open anymore just in case unwanted visitors arrive in her living room while she's got the muggle next door round for a cup of tea. So I have to catch the bus into town and then walk to the bottom cross to get the bus to the village where they stay. Before long mum runs out and insists on apparating me instead, her protectiveness catching up with her. I used to be able to get the knight bus but mum doesn't like me getting it ever since last year. The threat and fear got the better of her and she insisted on taking me everywhere, even if it was just up the road to my grandparents' house.
As we appear in Lachlan's village with a faint pop I look and see that the presence of multiple protection charms hasn't seemed to change the atmosphere amongst the people living here. Mum gives me a kiss on the cheek and apparates away again. The muggles in the street seem to just get on with their lives as if nothing is wrong. I trudge up the road to Lachy's house and knock on the door. I hear someone coming down the stairs ending with a loud thump at the bottom.
"Who's there?" says a muffled voice behind the door
"Clearly a death eater seeing as a' knocked Lachy, who do you think it is?" I say with irritation
He opens the door and ushers me in quickly. I climb the stairs and open his room door and enter. I flop down on the bed and have a quick look around. I see his trunk still isn't packed. Typical. His Chudley Cannons poster glares at me from the opposite wall. Its 'let's all just keep our fingers crossed and hope for the best!' message at the top echoes the general feeling of the day. Lachy comes bounding in with two cups of tea and sits down handing one to me.
"Ah just what I needed after that trek, why can't you live in the same village then I wouldn't have to go on a mini expedition when I want to see you over summer" I say taking a sip
"Well if mum would open the floo network ye' could just pop in but she's too afraid"
"I'm pretty sure if the death eaters were to come a knocking they wouldn't floo in, more like explode their way in… and why exactly is she afraid of them coming no one in your family is muggle born"
"Well dad is half-blood"
"So are a majority of the people that go to Hogwarts"
"Yeah well she an' Aunt Katherine are over her house lookin' for a sickness for me to suddenly come down with before Monday so I don't have to go back"
"Do ye' think they'll find one?"
"Nope"
We finish our tea and watch some muggle television. I used to be fascinated by this when was really young but now it just a normal thing whenever I come over to this house. Clearly muggles are having an influence over my day to day life.
"What do you think school will be like this year?" I ask
"Horrible and just when I actually need to start studying, bloody O.W.L's"
"Oh god I forgot you were doing them this year, I'm going have to wait until next year before my N.E.W.T's"
"Yeah but you start the classes though, subjects that ye' actually want to do, I hate divination I really can't take anymore of her predicting ma' bloody death"
I laugh and think about last year in divination when Trelawney predicted that I would die in my ancient runes class even though I never took ancient runes.
"It was funny in 3rd year, last year, not so much, felt more like a possible prediction"
"Hey, chin up dude, well make it through this war due to the fact that we're painfully average and not much of a threat"
"What if I want to be a threat though, what if I don't want to sit back and let this happen?"
"Then we'll find a way"
He raises an eyebrow.
"You want to kick up a fuss too?"
"You think I'm just going to sit around with my family history?"
We sit in silence and watch tv. The only noise being the occasional meow from the cat downstairs.
"Want to stay for dinner?" he asks
"Sure"
It was nine before Mrs Macintosh apparated me home safely and the skies were only starting to get dark. I went into the house and kicked off my shoes. I walked into the kitchen and grabbed a couple of acid pops from the cupboard before going into the sitting room. Mum was knitting what looked to be a disaster in the making and dad was reading the Evening Prophet. I sit on the couch and dad looks up.
"Another muggle murdered today"
"Really? Where?"
"Yorkshire, no specific details, probably that Thickneese trying to cover it up"
"Why would he cover it up?"
"Because if there's no muggles being murdered then no one asks why he isn't doing something about it" grumbles dad
"Pius is nothing but a pawn Isobel" pipes up mum
"For who?"
"For you-know-who of course"
"The ministry is infiltrated!?"
"Of course it is, been so since Scrimgeor was killed, everyone knows it but no one is actually saying it that's why Diana has closed off her floo network"
We sit in silence. It makes sense why Mrs Macintosh closed off her fireplace now, if the ministry is under control of you-know-who then really who is going to stop the death eaters just showing up in your house one night. I sit thinking for a while and eat my acid pops. I bring up the courage to ask them a burning question that I've had this past summer.
"What was it like the first time?"
"What was what like?" asks mum
"Ye' know the war?"
"Oh, well it was dark times yes dark times" she paused "Everyone was scared, people went underground, some just vanished completely without a trace… people got married quickly in case something was tae happen the next day, our families went underground and well just sort of stayed here after he was gone, you're grandparents still own the same house that they went underground in and yer other gran just stayed in her house really not going out much, it was pretty much the same atmosphere as it is now just a little darker, you didn't know who could be next tae go"
I stare at her. I'd never heard mum sound so dark and depressing.
"You got married then didn't you?"
"Yes July 79' I was nineteen an' your dad was twenty one"
"And I came along two years later"
"Well almost and after your sisters, but me and your father were made for each other"
"We would've gotten married anyway" says dad
"Where are those two anyway?" I say
"Pub with a couple of muggle lads" says dad with a low growl
Mum giggles at this.
"Just think, maybe they'll get married young like we did honey" she says chuckling
Dad glares at her. He huffs before returning back to his paper. I smile before attacking the last acid pop.
"Well I better be going to bed" I say getting up
I walk to the door and turn back towards them.
"Wait doesn't that mean you were in the same year as James and Lily Potter?"
"Yes, yes I was…" she said with a sigh "Good people taken so early though I must say that I never did believe that Sirius gave them up tae you-know-who, he would of died rather than give them up, the Potters practically adopted him since first year"
"What about Peter Pettigrew?"
"Sirius had good reason to do that to Peter, he was always such a lump of a boy, wasn't surprised to hear he was the one to give them up, he always seemed like a rat" she nearly spat
Dad raised his eyes over the paper and gave mum a look. She nodded at him and took a deep breath, calming herself.
"What's with all the questions?" she asks curiously
"Well in my first year there was the chamber, in my second there were dementors at every entrance, third Cedric was murdered by you-know-who, fourth year we had Umbridge and last year professor Dumbledore was killed… the only reason the dementors went away was because Dumbledore made a stand and now he's dead and the ministry has been taken over so naturally there will be a new head that probably will be a high up death eater so we don't learn any magic that will give us a reason to rise up and dementors sided with him before so they'll most probably be some at school for protection and I have' no idea how tae even produce a patronus in case I have a run in with one!" I say out of breathe
I expect mum to say that I'm over reacting but she just puts her knitting down.
"You're right, but sadly there's not much I can do, a patronus is very advanced magic the only reason your dad an' I know how to conjure them is because your grandpa insisted on teaching us and with him being older now I doubt he'd be up to teaching ye' now, you'd be better asking professor Flitwick when ye' get to school, the most important thing is yer happy memory, that's the hardest thing to find"
She goes back to her knitting.
"Why did he teach you the charm?"
"Because that's what we feared most, well back then anyway, lots of attacks you see, you were scared to go down a dark alley"
I ponder this new information.
"Well night then"
I slump up the stairs and get into bed. Going by their patronuses I will probably end up with a bloody wombat or something. I don't even know what my happiest memory is. Something tells me the first time I flew a broom won't cut it. Getting my Hogwarts letter? No, it was always quite clear that I was a magical child ever since I managed to break one of my grans expensive ornaments without being anywhere near it. Oh I don't know. I turn over and close my eyes.
Monday morning rolled on quicker than I hoped it would. I was standing by the fireplace with my trunk waiting for Lachlan and his parents to arrive since Mrs Macintosh still refused to open her fireplace. I'd already said goodbye to Gina and Emily before they left for work. The Mackintosh's apparated in at nine-thirty and within five minutes we were flooing to the leaky cauldron where mum had booked ministry cars from work. I sat by a table and looked at the clock. We were half an hour early for the cars, usually mum would be happy that we were early for a change but she and Mrs Macintosh were huddled talking in hushed tones looking around anxiously every few minutes. When the cars arrived mum practically shoved me into it and sat looking very disgusted at the interior of the car. The journey through London was a slow one. The constant stop and starts at lights made it very uncomfortable as I was squashed against Lachlan. We finally arrived at kings cross and practically fell out of the car. We unloaded our stuff and began the journey through the mass of people with our owls hooting haughtily whenever the trolleys made any sudden movements. We made our way to the platform and dad and Mr Macintosh went through first followed by Lachy and me finally mum and Mrs Macintosh behind us. We make our way up the platform that was emptier than usual and load our things onto the train. Dad looks at his watch.
"You've still got thirty five minutes"
Mum looks like she wishes that we were late for once. She keeps looking around. I follow her gaze and take in the platform fully. People are huddled closely together. Mothers gripped their children tightly not wanting to let go. There are also who I can only guess to be aurors seeing as they have no children with them or partners. Did they really expect to see Harry Potter rolling up with his trunk? Down the platform I see a familiar family, the Weasleys. Mr and Mrs Weasley look around cautiously while guiding Ginny along the platform. I don't see her brother though, he was meant to be in his final year this year wasn't he? I lock eyes with Ginny and give her a small smile. She returns it before turning to her mother. I wonder if she's continuing care of magical creatures. We would sometimes pair up together when Hagrid decided to bring in a small man eating demon for us to work with. I look down the other end of the platform and see some Slytherins smiling smugly while getting on the train. I scowl and look up at the clock. Half an hour to go and still no sign of my friends. This was usual for Julia.
"Where on earth are yer' aunt and uncle?" says Mum looking up and down the platform
"There they are" says Dad pointing
I follow his finger and see a family of three making their way towards us, my uncle pushing the trolley for my cousin Maisie who was about to start her first year. They walk up to us and my mum hugs my aunt.
"We thought you were going to be late" says mum as dad helps to load Maisie's trunk on the train; her cat letting out a small hiss.
"Sorry the muggle traffic was horrible"
They stand chatting and I zone out. Before I realize it dad is clapping his hands together and shouting.
"Well five minutes to go you better get on the train"
I walk over to my parents and hug them. They wish me luck and tell me they love me. I hug my aunt and uncle as well as Mr and Mrs Macintosh before boarding the train with Maisie and Lachy. We poke our heads out the window and wave as the train pulls out of the station. When we round the bend we turn back into the corridor and walk with our trunks looking for a good compartment that is empty. We find one and enter, sitting down. I look at Lachy with confusion; he hasn't sat with me since his first year.
"Why aren't you sitting with your mates?"
"Darren is muggle born and Jeremy's' mum and dad are both muggleborns, they've gone underground"
"Oh…sorry, what about the other boys in your year?"
"Safely aboard the train I might go sit with them if I kin find em', I'll wait until Julia turns up though" he says with a small smile
We sit in silence for a while. Suddenly we hear a clatter outside. I open the door to find Julia on the floor, leg trapped under her trunk, owl hooting wildly while she profusely swore under her breath.
"Need a' hand?"
She looks up and smiles.
"I can manage quite well thank you very much, I'll have you know I exude elegance"
"Is that why you're on the floor then?"
"Exactly"
I help her up and pull her trunk into the compartment. She says hello to Lachy and Maisie before perching herself next to Maisie.
"So how was your summer?" she asks
"Horrible, yours?"
"Equally horrible"
Lachy stands and says he's going to find his friends. He leaves and closes the door. I turn to Julia.
"Lachy's best mates have went underground"
"So has my sister"
"What?"
"Her boyfriend is muggle born"
"And?"
"And she is currently 3 months pregnant with his child"
I look towards Maisie. She looks a bit scared.
"Fancy a game of exploding snap?" I ask her
She nods and we play while Julia reads her book, looking up occasionally to laugh whenever I lose. Suddenly the train gives a sudden jolt and comes to a stop. I stand up and look out the door into the corridor, Julia at my heels. Other students are looking out scared and confused. I look down the train and see Lachy's head a few compartments down. We share a look of worry.
"Why the hell have we stopped?" says Julia "You don't think they'll send a dementor on the train again?"
"I don't know but I think we should get back in the compartment if you ask me"
"Yeah good idea" she says as I close the door
We sit in silence and look out the window.
"Can you see anything out there?" I say as Julia presses herself against it
"Nope, nothing dementor like anyway"
"That doesn't mean it isn't something bad"
Suddenly the compartment door is flung open. We spin round to be confronted by two large men pointing wands at us.
"Holy merlin!" Julia squeaks
They look around the compartment before continuing along the train. I gingerly stand and move towards the door peering out the men moving down the corridor. I look back to where they came from and see heads poking out in horror. I close the door and sit back down next to Maisie giving her a hug. She looks terrified.
"Who were they?" she asks
"Death eaters" says Julia
After ten minutes the train starts to move again.
"Why do you think they searched the train?" Julia asks
"Probably searching for Harry Potter"
"Like he would actually show up, do they really think he would be thick enough to go back to school?"
"What if I'm put in Slytherin?" Maisie pipes up suddenly an hour later
"Then you better learn how to fly a broom to get you home at Christmas from the station" I say smiling
She looks at me terrified.
"Only kidding, your much too nice for Slytherin, you'll probably be in Hufflepuff like yer dad or Gryffindor like your mum"
"You're not in Hufflepuff or Gryffindor though"
"True, but we are only related through your mum though. Plus I mean there is a small chance of you being in Slytherin I guess because of gran but I mean the chances are slim… and anyway gran is like the nicest person we know so it can't be that bad. Anyway the hat takes your decision in mind so if you really don't want to be in Slytherin it won't force you"
"I always found that weird" says Julia "your dads mothers side is pureblood Slytherin and your dads fathers side is pureblood Gryffindor, how in the name of Merlins saggy old underpants did they end up together?"
"they fell in love it does happen you know and I'll have you know my grandmother turned her back on her extended family and their muggle hating ways"
"Aren't the Rosier family related to the Black family? Distant cousin Bellatrix isn't I-"
She didn't get to finish her sentence as I threw a book at her, hitting her in the face
"Hey!"
"Be thankful it wasn't a hardback" I say with a smile
She smiles back.
"I do love pressing your buttons; oh did you see The Prophet today?"
"No"
She grabs it out her bag and hands it to me. I read the front cover.
Severus Snape named headmaster of Hogwarts.
"Oh my god… this year is going to be horrible"
She murmurs in agreement. I look at my watch.
"We better get ready" I sigh.