Platform 9 and 3/4, as usual, were bustling with passengers and seeing-off relatives, with suitcases and pet cages, with hub and busy chatters.

His head held high, Draco Malfoy with his family, was walking towards the train. He gave a loving gaze to a smiling wife and son, whose eyes sparkled with interest and excitement. Scorpius was leaving for his first year of Hogwarts, and Draco's heart flamed with pride.

Astoria hugged Scorpius to her chest, secretly wiping her tears when Malfoy saw Potter with his family. Men exchanged a curt nod, returning their attention to families.

"Write to me frequently, Scorpius." Astoria still could not release their son.

"I will." Scorpius and Draco exchanged a silent glance, which read "women."

Malfoy looked at his family, thinking of his bitter-sweet first year in Hogwarts when a student dressed in blue robes caught his attention. She was barely thirteen years old; her long, snowy-blond hair reached her waist. She passed Malfoys confidently, stopping in front of several students. Answering her friend's greetings with a tinkly laugh, she said with a delicate French accent:

"I'll see you on the train." Before running past Malfoy, she turned around, and her shining emerald eyes found him for a mere second.

Malfoy's breath froze. Elvein's childhood stood in front of his eyes. Not able to tear his gaze away, his eyes followed her, and his heart stopped.

Elvein was walking on the platform. Not even a single wrinkle has touched her face. Simple robe, the color of her eyes hugged her flawless body. Her long hair was up in a French twist. She walked and shone, but this time, not with her head down as a scared lamb, but as the confident woman she was. The red diamond ring was proudly shimmering on her snowy white finger. She held Ekrizdis' elbow, who walked beside her, not tearing an adoring gaze from his daughter. The girl hugged her parents.

"Beatrice, at least this year, try not to buy the whole book store. Our library would not survive any more expending charms." A smiling woman petted her daughter's face.

"Je ne paux pas promettre (can't promise)."

"You are just like your father." Elvein shook her head.

"Obviously," Demian spoke proudly, winking to his daughter. "So you knew, you will not receive any more pocket money till Christmas." He continued half-seriously, giving the young girl a heavy pouch.

"Papa, we both know that's not true." Draco could swear, he saw the girl's charming leer smile, even though she stood with her back to him.

"Beatrice! Take notice that visiting grand-pere Bartholomew on Christmas is still under discussion."

"Maman, you know I will deserve it, as usual." Giving her parent's last coquette smile, she hugged them one more time and ran towards the train.

Parents' shimmering eyes watched Beatrice till her slender figure did not disappear behind the train's door. Ekrizdis hugged his wife's waist, bringing her body even closer. He whispered something to her, sliding his nose to her cheek while his palm petted her slightly prominent belly. Elvein answered her husband's caress by lowering her eyes and smiling mysteriously.

Draco did not notice how rage in his blood crescendoed, how he moved towards them to crush Ekrizdis' limbs! Though, was frozen in his step, not by Demian's but Elvein's furious glare, which returned him to his senses, making him take a step back. Ekrizdis only spared him with a sardonic, half-smile.

So many years have passed. So many things have changed in his life. And still, there they stood again, two people, so different that it was impossible to believe, they had something in common, while being near this creature was as dangerous as in a distant past. He called his strength and returned to his family, which by the grace of Dame Fortuna had not noticed his delirium. He hugged Scorpius one last time, directing him towards the train with a shaking hand. Then he grabbed Astoria's elbow, moving towards the invisible pass to get away from the past he would never be able to leave behind.

My dear reader, now you know the truth hidden behind curtains. So tell me, who was the real beast in this story?

With love

Sonja