Chapter 36: Dear Diary

Zoey sat rather uneasily in her compartment. Fred and George stalked off to find their friend Lee Jordan and Echo went to look for Bridgit to bring her to the compartment. Zoey was alone saving it for her and her friends. She had to apologetically say "no" to whoever asked to sit in it. It was far too small to hold everyone plus added people.

Zoey sighed.

She was going back to Hogwarts. She should be happy. But she wasn't. Her father was on the loose. What was she suppose to do? Zoey went for her bag and pulled out her diary. Her diary was of medium size and had a sort of floral design near its spine. There was no lock. It was simple a notebook that she labeled "Diary". Zoey took out her quill and ink bottle and securely placed it beside her. She dabbed her quill and opened her diary. On the first page was her name:

Property of:

Zoey Anastasia Emeraude-Black

Do not read

Zoey felt rather foolish about the last thing she'd written. Like anyone would listen to that warning. She licked her lips as she flipped past her different entries until she found a blank page.

September 1

She wrote.

Hello again, Zoey here. I'm in the Hogwarts Express right now. Yep, that's right in a matter of seconds (or minutes. I don't have a watch) this train right here would be leaving towards the one and only Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. I'm sorry if you already knew that, I mean I've told you that once before my first year I just feel like I should tell you again since I haven't written in you since last week and before last week I haven't updated you for an entire year. Sorry for neglecting you.

As you know, instead of staying with the Weasleys before school term begins I was in the Leaky Cauldron, although I was able to stay with them on the last day. So does that still count? I don't really know.

I've opened my mum's box.

Pretty neat stuff in there you know.

Like a mirror, a book, jewelry case and the like. I also found my mum's own diary. I didn't open it though. It felt wrong. I mean if I don't want anyone to read my diary why should I read hers?

Anyway, my reason for bringing you out and vandalizing your once clean pages is that my father, Sirius Black, has escaped from Azkaban.

Yes, the mass murder is my father. Of course you knew that because my full name graces your front page. Pfft. Graces.

I'll be lying if I say I'm confident he won't come for me.

I'm shaking right now at the thought that he might corner me and take me somewhere no one can save me; maybe he'll even use me to get to Harry. I overheard Mr. Weasley talking about it and I'm scared.

I know he's my father and all and I should give him the benefit of the doubt I mean my mother said he was – is innocent but… I don't really know anymore.

My lack of knowledge in these sorts of things is what scares me.

I miss my Uncle Moony. I haven't seen him in years. I wonder how he is.

Odd how I skipped to the topic of my godfather huh? I guess my mum's wish didn't come true. I did get her scatterbrained-ness. Not a word. I know.

Well, you see. My uncle was a good friend – actually according to some notes in my mum's photo album, one of my father's bestest (not a word) friend. I guess one of them since there were four of them. The Marauder's to be exact.

Yep, the ones who created the Marauder's Map that is currently in the possession of Fred and George.

Scary right?

It came off as quite a shock for me too when I found out.

Can diary's get shocked?

I don't know.

Fred and George grew again.

So did Ron.

Harry too.

I'm starting to feel short.

But, but, BUT!

I'm still growing.

I know it.

Sigh… I just realized something. You're a diary. I special little object I use to vent in.

Something to hold my secrets.

Something that those muggle girls write in and talk about their crushes and the like

Should I do that too?

Nope.

Yours Truly,

Zoey.

Zoey sighed as she closed her diary and kept it in her bag along with her writing materials. Ever since she read her mother's letter she had become scatter brained. She did not know if it was a good thing or a bad thing. Zoey did not want to dwell on it.

Suddenly, the train lurched forward.

It was time to go.

Zoey looked out of her compartment and saw Echo heading her way looking slightly troubled. She waited patiently for the Ravenclaw to enter before asking her what was wrong.

"Bridgit," Echo said.

"What happened to her?" Zoey asked worriedly.

"Looks like she didn't have a pleasant summer…," Echo spoke slowly.

"What do you –" but Zoey could not complete her question for the twins came into the compartment laughing.

"What did you two do?" Echo asked suspiciously at the two.

The twins ignored her. It should have been obvious they went off to do something they weren't supposed to do. In other words: pranking. Zoey moved her feet and set them back on the ground, for they were folded beside her before anyone came in, so Fred would have room to sit down. George sat down beside Echo.

Zoey waited patiently for the twins to calm down before asking what they've done.

"Never you mind," Fred said just as an explosion was heard outside followed by screams.

"What was –" but Zoey was cut off.

"What was what?" George asked innocently as another explosion was heard.

"You two are prats," Echo murmured when another explosion was heard. Echo shrugged and pulled out her book and began to read.

Zoey; however, was curious to see what kind of explosion the twins set up. She walked to the compartment door and peaked out of it. From both sides of the train was a cloud of smoke. It was not too opaque since she was able to see the outline of the victims of the prank but she took note that she couldn't tell what gender were the outlines. The smoke had slight sparkles in them.

Zoey brought her head back into the compartment and raised an eyebrow at the twins.

"Seriously you guys?" she asked.

"What?" the twins asked innocently, "It's tradition!"

Zoey shook her head at them. "Tradition my banana monkey"

The twins laughed again and Echo gave Zoey a bemused expression.

"What?" Zoey blushed, "Euphemism people!"

Echo shook her head and went back to reading while the twins tried to calm their laughter. Zoey just glared at them, though unfortunately for her it didn't look all to threatening, as her blush grew deeper. She stomped her foot childishly before going back to her seat.

She stubbornly looked out the window.

"'Tradition my banana monkey'," Fred said with a chuckle, "Some euphemism skills you got there Zoe"

"It makes sense!" Zoey argued.

"To who?" George asked.

"To – To – I just makes sense! End of discussion!" Zoey said with a hand gesture of ending the discussion. She then pulled her bag over her shoulder and stood up to place it on the luggage compartment. As she stood on her tip toes and stretched her arms she did not notice that her diary had fallen out of her bag.

Fred curiously picked it up.

"Hey, hey," he said with a smirk, "Does ickle Zoeykins have a diawy?"

Zoey's eyes widened at Fred's baby voice.

She looked down and saw her beloved diary in the hands of someone whose name was mentioned more than twice in her diary and in a way that could change their friendship. Her cheeks flared red.

"G – give it back!" she stuttered out letting her bag fall to the ground and her things scattering out.

Fred moved the diary away from her reach.

"I don't think so," Fred said as George laughed. He opened at a random page, "Dear Diary – oooh! I was right! It is a diary! – I'm having a little dilemma it seems that my feelings for – Hey Echo! Give it back!"

Zoey looked at the Ravenclaw. She had bookmarked her page and left her book on the seat. She had Zoey's diary in her hand and hid it behind her back.

"Does wittle Fweddykins jealous cause he don't got his own diary to wead?" Echo spoke in a rather childishly creepy voice.

George laughed harder as Fred blushed red. "I believe the term for this moment is 'You just got pwned' mate!"

Echo, still in that awkward voice said, "Well, yes, I believe it is." She then stopped in her tracks before sitting down in between the twins and harshly saying, "FLIP TO A PAGE! QUICK!"

Zoey eyes widened as her mouth hung agape. That fiend! She thought to herself before quickly getting her hand onto her diary and prying out of unwanted hands. The three looked up at her and then the train stopped.

The sudden halt caused Zoey to fall back and the trio to fall forward.

They all groaned as the lights started to flicker.

"What's going on?" Zoey gasped out as the temperature in the compartment, and possible the whole train, dropped.

"I don't know," Fred said

"But I reckon something's moving out there," George added.

"Since when did Hogwarts have to pay for electricity?" Echo shuddered ignoring the curious looks she got from the twins; she hugged herself as she tried to warm herself up. She had only worn light clothes. "And just when I packed my cardigan in my luggage!"

Then, the lights went out. There were some surprised yells but Zoey seemed to go numb. She watched as ten foot tall hooded figure came to their compartment. It opened the door. She was frozen in place as where Echo and the twins. The hooded figure had a cold air around it and Zoey felt as if she were in a block of ice as it came towards her.

Suddenly, Zoey felt that every happy feeling was being sucked out of her as the hooded creature closer. It was so close that she could have sworn she could see what was under the hood.

She felt light headed.

DON'T TAKE MY DAUGHTER!

Zoey fainted.


"Come on, Zoe, wake up," she heard a voice say, "We've got chocolate, time to wake up"

"Blimey Fred, let her sleep," another voice said, "Merlin knows what that thing did to her"

"Exactly! We don't know what it did so we have to wake her up!" the first voice said.

"Ow! Echo!" a pained yelp was heard.

A sigh followed after it. "You two don't know better. Conjure a chocolate bar"

"That man awhile ago just gave you one," the second voice said to the third.

"I want my own," the third voice said, "you know, just in case"

"Just in case what?" the second voice asked.

"Just in case I get hungry, git," the third voice said.

Zoey stirred. She was getting confused with all the voices.

"Look! She's waking up!" the first one exclaimed.

Zoey opened her eyes and saw Fred, George and Echo looming over. She groaned. "W – what happened?" she asked

Without a word from anyone, Echo shoved a chocolate bar in her face, "Open up"

Zoey yelped in shock as the chocolate bar jammed into the corner of her mouth making a small stain, "Where'd you get that? What's that for?"

"It's from an intelligent but shabby-looking fellow," Echo answered, "Now open up."

Zoey grabbed the chocolate bar. "In other words you got it from a stranger?"

"Hey, hold that tongue. The best candy happens to come from strangers," Echo smiled.

Zoey laughed.

"Eat it," Fred urged after awhile.

"It helps," George added.

Zoey nodded her head and nibbled on the chocolate bar. Warmth filled her and she felt calmer.

"I'm freakishly not used to this version of cold without a jacket or the like. Why must the odds be against me?" Echo huddled up to the seat across Zoey, her legs pulled up and her arms hugging them closer to her chest.

"Let's get changed to our robes then," Zoey said as she took a bigger bite out of her chocolate, "I'm guessing we're near Hogwarts by now"


Zoey looked awed at the inside of Hogwarts as the students made their way towards the Great Hall. Everything was as magical as she remembered. She didn't even feel bothered as she felt other Hogwartians push her in order to get into the Great Hall first. Zoey tried her best to stick close to her friends; minus Bridgit she still hasn't caught sight of the other Ravenclaw.

As Zoey looked around Hogwarts she caught sight of a tall, shabby looking man. Her eyes widened.

"Uncle Moony?" she said in a soft voice. She didn't even notice that she was inching farther and farther away from Echo and the twins. When she was free from the crowd she quickly dashed to the man.

"Moony!" she said in a childish squeal as she enveloped the man in a hug. The man took a step back from the surprised force. He looked down at Zoey in disbelief.

He saw the braid.

"Lucy?" he asked.

"No," Zoey shook her head.

"Zoey," the man said with a smile as he returned her hug, "It's been so long"


Echo's eye were undoubtedly covered by her chopped bangs, but she knows that Zoey isn't anywhere near her.

"Zwei!" her voice was still somewhat hoarse as she is still trying to be familiarized from being in the cold rain.

Echo was shoved backwards by a Slytherin in front of her. Unknowingly, she bumps into Fred's side.

"Ow! Watch where you're going, wrench!" Echo shouted at the girl

"Who are you calling a wrench, Echo?" Fred asks, wanting to laugh at Echo's almost blind state.

"It's obvious isn't it?" Echo retorted as she got his wrist, "we have to find George in this in this pool of students. Quickly, Zoey's nowhere in my sight"

"What?" Fred asked shocked, "They were just beside us a minute ago"

"Yes, they were. Apparently, there was a sea of students. Help me push them out of the way," Echo laughed, enjoying the thought.

Fred smirked as he helped Echo maneuver through to students. He particularly found it fun pushing a Slytherin into another Slytherin making them fight.

"Where the heck is George? He couldn't have gone far, right?" Echo wondered out loud.

"Someone missing my not so good looking twin?" Fred teased.

"What if a dementor sucked out his soul? Or, what if he's with another girl? Shit," Echo bit her lip. She should not have said that. She shouldn't have.

Fred's eyes widened. "Y- you like George?" he asked in surprise.

Echo stopped dead in her tracks, "I should not have said anything"

Fred raised an eyebrow. "So you do like him?"

"Yeah, I do like him, but I'm not sure if he likes me," Echo shuddered and dragged Fred. They walked passed a few more students before catching sight of George standing still staring at something.

"George!" Echo shouted.

George turned around and waved them over signaling them to keep quiet. As they approached him he pointed at two figures standing a few feet away from them.

Echo stopped dragging Fred and looked up to see Zoey and the shabby-looking man from earlier hugging.

"Freaking-tap-dancing-Merlin," Echo breathed out

Fred looked up at the direction George and Echo were looking towards. He immediately felt angry, for her saw Zoey with another guys whose name wasn't Fred Weasley.

"It's him," Fred seethed as he glared at the man

"Looks like someone's going to steal your girl, Fred," someone said surprising the trio. It was Bridgit.

Fred's eyebrows furrowed with anger and irritation. He turned around to retort but at the sight of Bridgit. Her hair was still brown and her eyes were still blue. She gained some height and her robes were rather new. But those things did not shock him, Echo and George. What came off as a rather horrifying sight to them was the state Bridgit was in.

Her skin that was once a pale white was covered with bruises and scratches. So many that they wonder if Madam Pomfrey could even treat it all.

"Why do you look like you just saw a ghost?" Bridgit asked, snapping Fred, Echo and George out of their trance.

"How come you're not fixed yet?" Echo asked

"Well, Madam Pomfrey was out so I decided to wait till tomorrow," Bridgit answered, making Fred and George stare at her in shock

"What happened to you?" they asked

"I – uhm – fell off the stairs," Bridgit answered indifferently

"I didn't know the stairs could scratch a person," Echo crossed her arms over her chest.

"Yeah, well… now you know," Bridgit said her voice still indifferent.

Suddenly, they heard Zoey call out. She was now skipping towards them. She looked happier than she was when she left them. She smiled at all of them but when her eyes landed on Bridgit she let out a scream.


And here's chapter 36!

Oh wow! 3 updates in one day!

I'm on a role!

Thank you all for your reviews, questions, alerts and favorites!

Special thanks to ZoomSkater14 and HayleyParadox for helping me with this chapter!

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(Sorry in advanced for any typos. I did not re-read this! BAD AUTHOR=ME D: )