Hi, so this is my fic from the Harry Potter universe. Not cannon. Follows my favorite clique through Hogwarts and beyond. Starts in book 3. Hope you enjoy, please review comments help the writing process.
The sound of a cup hitting the table shook me from my thoughts. "Drink up, honey" Came the voice of my best friend, Alicia Spinnit. She smoothed the back of her lacy blue dress, and took the seat across from mine.
I shot her a glare before picking up the cup and drinking deeply. "Hmm, it burns." Too numb inside from the morning to really care.
"Angie." She sighed, pulling her black nerd rimmed sunglasses off before placing one of her perfectly manicured hands on mine, foil blue nails shining in the sun. "You can't keep beating yourself up over things like this. It's not your fault. You can't change what they think of you. But you can defy her. You can rise above and be the best you that you can possibly be."
"What's going on?" Came a voice with a slight Spanish accent. I looked up to see another good friend, and member of our little gang standing by our table.
"Katie!" Alicia squealed jumping up to hug the girl. "We haven't heard from you all summer!"
"Yeah, I've been busy." A distant look dusted her brown eyes for a moment before snapping back into reality. "Anyway, I've just came over to tell you guys it's 10:30."
"Oh, well thanks Katie. See you on the train?"
"Yeah, I've got to go… Take care of something."
"Give us a second. We'll go with you." I said, standing and gabbing my glittery black clutch and my coffee from where they set on the table.
"No no" She stuttered out, rather panicked… I need to do this alone. Family things, you know. Benny just wants another hug goodbye."
"Oh." I smiled. "Tell the little bro we say hey." I hugged her "You two are lucky to have each other. Honestly"
"Thanks, A. I'll do that. By the way, the boys are wondering where you guys went." she smiled and waved goodbye before turning and walking away.
"So, what do you think she's really up to?" Alicia asked, taking a sip of her own coffee.
"What do you mean?" I turned to face the tall blonde.
"Oh come on, did you see her face. We, of all people, should know that look. She's hiding something"
"Yeah well, whatever, grab your bag. We don't want to be late."
Alicia and I reached our compartment with 10 minutes to spare. "Seriously, how long does it take to get coffee." I heard from inside.
"Why do they even need coffee, it's disgusting." Came a similar voice.
"Because we love it. Coffee is our friend." Alicia cheerfully stated, opening the compartment door. Strutting directly up to George Weasley and placing a kiss on his cheek. She then sat down and picked up her issue of 17 where she'd placed it before we left.
"Feeling better?" Fred asked, concern lacing his otherwise upbeat tone.
I pulled out my best fake smile and sat on the floor underneath the window and looked at him. "Never better."
He looked at me and narrowed his eyes. "Come on." He stood up and grabbed my arm dragging me out into the hallway.
"Where are we going?"
"Finding an empty compartment." He pulled open a door. "Success! Sit." I dropped my head and complied with his request. He closed the door and took a seat next to me. "I know you and Alicia went and talked and got coffee. But somehow, I get the feeling you don't feel better at all."
"Well, your feelings about me have always been pretty spot on."
"That would be why I'm your best friend." I giggled and playfully shoved his shoulder. "Now," He wrapped an arm around me. "Tell me what happened."
"Mom, she threw Martin out again. Told me how grateful she is that I'll be in a completely different country. How she wishes I was my sister." I buried my face in his side as the tears I'd been holding back all day broke free. "The usual shit. It's like, I know I should be used to it. I know I shouldn't care… but it hurts."
"Hey, no. In no way should you be used to that." The fury I wanted to avoid rising up in the boy "It's wrong what she does to you. It's wrong how they treat you. Besides if Angelica is what they base their expectations on, why would you even want to please her. I'm sorry, but your sister is bitch."
"A crazy, evil bitch." I sat up, grinning slightly.
"Look, I don't care what who says. You are talented, smart, beautiful, funny, one of the kindest girls I know. You have the patience of a saint to be friends with me. I could go on for a while about how amazing you are Angel. You are worth so much more than your bubble head sister. Please please please, never let what haters say get to you, and always remember I'm always right here. Alicia is always right here. Lee and George and Katie, and... honestly, how fucking popular you are should be a clue right there to your total awesomeness."
I sat speechless for a moment, taking in everything he'd said. It was easy to forget over breaks how amazing my friends were. "Thank you." I smiled, really smiled for the first time since I'd left school. There really was a reason Fred was my best friend; he always made everything so much better.
"Anytime." He smiled brightly and stood up, grabbing my hand yet again. "We'd better get back."
I walked into the compartment to see Alicia with her arm around a very distressed Katie, trying to calm her down. "Please talk to me Katie." She said.
"I can't. I honestly can't say a word."
"There has to be something you can say, we're your best friends."
"I swear Allie, if I could talk I would but I honestly just can't."
"What's going on?" I asked, entering the room, followed by Fred.
"Katie came in on the verge of tears and she won't talk."
I sat down next to the small Latina and wrapped an arm around her. "She'll talk when she's ready. Speaking from experience, sometimes it just takes the right timing or the right person to bring the words out." Katie solemnly nodded when the train suddenly stopped, and everything went dark.
It was so very cold and I hadn't noticed until I took a glance out the window but "We've stopped you guys."
"The train has broken down!" Exclaimed Katie who was fighting tears, I remember Alicia wrapping an arm around her but everything suddenly became fuzzy. The air turned oddly cold for September, even in Britain and I felt sad. A memory from when I was 8 hit like a brick, so vivid like I was reliving it again. 'I was lying in bed, in my room with Martin. He was reading me a bedtime story like he always did when we heard a loud noise. I didn't really recognize the noise at the time but it was so loud even from three floors above where it a happened. I remember I felt sick, like I knew something was very wrong. Martin looked worried, his eyes as big as dinner plates. He looked at me and he gave me a big hug. Then he told me "Buddy, I want you to crawl under the covers, and whatever you do don't move. Don't make a sound. Ok? I will be right back, but until then stay under the covers."
"Can I have daddy bear?" I said reaching for my oldest teddy bear, the bear my father had given me the day I was born.
"Of course sweetie." He kissed my forehead and pulled the covers over my head. I could practically feel my comforter around me when I drifted back into reality. Fred and Lee were standing over me, somehow I'd fallen to the floor.
"Ange, you Ok?" Lee asked helping me up onto my seat. I just stared at him, after a while I shook my head. The memory was just so vivid. He sat down next to me, "What's wrong?"
"I don't really want to talk about it." I managed to mutter almost inaudibly, my throat was tight and I was fighting tears. He nodded but didn't move save to place an arm protectively around me. I leaned back in my seat and turned my attention out the window, we'd started moving again. I closed my eyes and drifted back into memory.
'Martin came back after a while and crawled under the covers with me, he pulled me into a giant bear hug and cried. I know he didn't want me to see his tears because he tried to hide his face in my pillow but I knew and I cried with him. I didn't know why we were crying at that point because I wouldn't find out what happened until the morning. Eventually I drifted off to sleep in my brothers arms, but I was awoken shortly by the lights and sirens. Mum came upstairs sobbing and told Martin to take me across the street to Allie's house. Martin lifted me up and carried me down the three flights of stairs. He wouldn't let me look in daddy's study as we passed. I started screaming because I wanted daddy. I was scarred and if I was going to go play at Allie's I wanted a hug goodbye. Daddy always said to make sure you tell the people you care about goodbye before you leave. But Martin wouldn't let me see daddy, he just kept carrying me outside, and then across the street where Allie's sister, Annaleece, was standing in the driveway waiting, her parents were talking to police in our driveway. Leecie took me from my brothers arms and told me how pretty I looked even so early and how much fun we were gonna have playing princess with Allie. She'd even made us tea. Once inside she turned to my brother.
"Your mum called ahead." She said. "What's happened."
"Later, not in front of Angel." Was his shaky response. "I have to go back. Give a statement..." Leecie nodded and Martin gave me a big hug before leaving. She carried me up to Allie's room and tucked me in next to Allie who was pretending to sleep. She turned around and looked at me the second the door closed behind her sister.
"What's going on A.J."
"I don't know Allie."
"I can't sleep anymore, the noises woke me up."
"Me too... I'm scared." Allie scooted over and gave me a big hug and I hugged her back and that's how we fell asleep. They let us sleep in quite a bit, and when Allie's mum woke us up she let me get dressed in some of Allie's clothes. I knew something was very wrong because she kept giving me hugs at breakfast and telling me I was always welcome at their house. I was really really scared and didn't want to go home because I knew something bad had happened. I wanted to stay and play Barbies and princesses with Allie. But after I'd eaten Mrs. Spinnet walked me back home. Martin was waiting in the entrance hall. He picked me up and hugged me tight. He took me into the sitting room where mum was waiting, I was confused because my twin sister was there and she was supposed to be at ballet camp. After that it became very fuzzy, understandably so because how is an 8-year-old supposed to process the information that the night prior her father was killed."
I must have fallen asleep because next thing I knew Fred was shaking me awake. "We're at school Angel."
"Oh." I stood and reached above for my bags but they weren't there.
"Lee and George took them. I figured since you weren't feeling well..."
"Thank you Fred." I attempted a small smile. "Shall we?" I looped my arm with his as we exited the compartment and walked out to the carriages.