– Chapter Eleven –

The Hogwarts Express

The next morning was nothing but a complete downpour of rain. Hector had finally got some time off, and managed to come to see his daughter off to school. Apparently it was still incredibly chaotic at the Ministry.

They were ready in no time. Zhi was tucked away in Romi's backpack. She was purring loudly which made it feel like Romi's entire backpack was vibrating. The trunks were in the front hall, and everything Romi needed for the entire year was packed away tightly inside.

The party of six Disapparated straight into King's Cross Station; missing getting wet in the rain. Hector and Charis led the way towards platform Nine and Three Quarters.

To get onto the platform it was a simple matter of walking straight through the apparently solid barrier dividing platform nine and ten. The only tricky part was doing this in an unobtrusive way, to avoid Muggle attention. Romi went through with her parents first, walking slowly and pretending to be looking around for a train on platform ten. Then they slipped through the brick wall barrier and landed on Platform Nine and Three Quarters.

Draco and his parents appeared moments later.

The Hogwarts Express, a gleaming scarlet steam engine, was already there, clouds of steam billowing from it, through which the many Hogwarts students and parents on the platform appeared like dark ghosts.

Hector and Uncle Lucius put the trunks onto the train and then turned to their children.

"You have a good year, this year," Hector said, hugging Romi. "And enjoy yourself!" he added with a twinkle in his eye. "I'm certain you will, and I'll probably see you sooner than you think!"

"Really, why?" Romi asked, looking at her father curiously.

"Well, let's just say, my international organization skill set wasn't just used for the World Cup," Hector replied.

Romi looked bewildered to her mother.

"What's he talking about?" she asked.

"Don't spoil the surprise, Hector," Charis said, and leant over to give her daughter a kiss. "I love you. Be good and work hard this year. You're going to need top marks for your Healership."

Romi nodded, smiling at her mother.

"And, whatever happens," Charis added softly, "just remember you can counter every obstacle this year. You will be fantastic."

"Thanks," Romi said slowly. She turned to give her Aunt and Uncle a goodbye, still thinking about what her mother had said. That was twice now that Charis had said something bizarrely cryptic yet encouraging, like she knew something she wasn't telling Romi.

Romi didn't have a long time to dwell on the fact though, and she and Draco were soon boarding the train along with countless other students. Romi waved for a moment to her parents and then retreated into the compartments.

"You're going to go sit with them again, aren't you?" Draco asked with a little sigh.

"Come now," said Romi smiling, pushing his shoulder, "we have to stick to tradition."

Draco gave a little half smile. "Alright, I'll see you later."

And with a wave he disappeared down the train. Romi started going the opposite direction, looking for Neville, Luna or Ginny.

She wandered the whole train once, without finding any of them. The train started to move just as she was starting her second round. She found Luna sitting by herself in a compartment staring out the window that was being plastered with rain, a newspaper open in her lap.

Romi opened the door and then collapsed into the seat across from Luna.

"Hey," Romi said, as she pulled open her backpack for Zhi to climb out. "What's up?"

"Nothing, really," Luna replied, folding the newspaper she had been reading and looking out at Romi. "Are you still having nightmares from a fire demon?"

Romi paused for a moment, and then shook her head, "no," she answered with a laugh, "no fire demons."

"That is a good sign," Luna answered. "Have you seen Ginny? I am quite interested in what theory she has."

"Yeah, me too," Romi muttered. "No, I haven't seen her yet. She should be around though."

It was another five minutes before Ginny and Neville appeared. Both looked weary as they sat down, stowing their bags away in the overhead baggage rack.

"How are you?" Romi asked as they sat down with a huff.

"Oh, the usual," replied Neville. "Thinking about the impending terror."

"The Quidditch World Cup is over, it can't be impending now," Romi replied.

"I'm not so sure about that," said Ginny with a sigh.

"What do you mean?" Romi asked.

"First, please, tell us everything that happened to you at the campsite," said Ginny. "Something tells me that you had a different perspective on things, what with staying with the Malfoy's and flying around afterwards."

Neville and Luna looked intrigued as well, so Romi carefully relayed every detail of what she saw, including the strange woman she'd seen. Romi tried to impress how she felt that this woman was important, but she couldn't explain the feeling she'd had when she'd had seen this woman.

Ginny was looking very intense, frowning, throughout Romi's whole story, which started to give Romi a dreading feeling. When Romi was done, Ginny told Neville and Luna what Hermione had relayed of the events in the forest after the Mark had been thrown up.

They sat in silence for a while afterwards, Ginny still frowning, staring at her hands.

"Would you please tell me about that look?" Romi said finally. "You must not like the thoughts that are coming to your head."

Ginny took a deep breath and let it go.

"Okay," she said very business like, "I've been thinking about your fiery dreams. It was a little too much of a coincidence that there was fire at the Quidditch World Cup. Both Captain and Diomeda Odessa referred to the fire as a 'place', and it occurred to me that, because of past experience with those two, it is possible this fiery place might be in a mythology."

"I guess that makes sense," Neville said, crossing his arms and looking slightly worried. "But there must be a lot of places in mythology that talks about fire."

"Well, yeah," Ginny said. "There are lots that talk about fire. But there isn't a whole lot of places that have that much fire. In fact, there is really only one place that I came across that could have that much fire."

"And what's that?" Luna asked softly. Ginny played with her fingers.

"Well, the only description that matches Romi's dreams are from an old Muggle religion. But, it's definitely known to pretty much anyone."

"Please don't keep us in suspense anymore," Romi interrupted, feeling very wary and jumpy inside. "Just spit it out."

"Hell," Ginny replied. "I think you've been going to Hell."

Romi, Neville and Luna stared at her. There was a long silence with just the rain pounding against the window of the dark compartment.

"Hell," Romi repeated.

"Please tell me I'm wrong," Ginny answered. "Please tell me I'm blowing this out of proportion, and you're probably just being haunted by a fire demon like Luna said."

They were quiet again, and there was a silent affirmation that Ginny's theory was probably the most accurate. Ginny sighed and slouched back into the seat.

"Something tells me that I could have had such a normal life, nothing more ridiculous than my first year," she said.

"Yeah," Romi replied, "you probably would have had a better, easier time if you didn't have to hang out of with me, and all of the evil, weird things that chase me."

"Oh, don't be ridiculous," said Neville suddenly. He was looking pale, but staring at Romi determinedly. "You may be chased by evil, weird things, but you need us to help get rid of them."

Romi smiled broadly. "You got that right," she answered. "I would be no where without you lot!"

Ginny and Luna smiled, and Luna spoke next.

"That means a lot, Romi," Luna said softly. "But, what are we going to do about Hell?"

"I don't think that there's much that we can do," Romi replied. "Not until we can understand more about why I'm dreaming about it."

"In other words," Ginny said, "keep a keen eye for anything that might explain what's happening."

"Just to be sure," Luna said softly, "do you still have Astaroth?"

Romi opened her backpack and pulled out the small rowan disk. The carving of a fierce dragon was displayed on one side.

"He's been good," Romi replied, flipping the disk over. "No nightmares from him."

"Okay," Luna said. "That's one possibility discounted, at least. Although it does sort of make the Hell theory a little more viable."

No one seemed to want to broach the topic again, and their conversation drifted to more pleasant events. Romi couldn't help but feel like the conversation about Hell had made everything a little more ominous. She kept thinking about it when the conversation lagged.

They played Exploding Snap until the Lunch Trolley came around. They ate their way through their Cauldron Cakes and pumpkin pasties, laughing at a silly story from Luna's trip to the Lake country with her father over the summer.

A little bit after lunch, Romi and Neville decided to go and see if they could find Harry, Ron and Hermione. Romi kind of wanted to see for herself that they were all right.

They told Ginny and Luna that they would be back soon, and with Zhi following Romi through the corridor they searched for Harry's compartment.

Almost at the other side of the train they finally found it.

"Hey!" Romi said opening the glass door and coming in.

"Hey!" Harry replied, smiling broadly to see his sister. "It's been a long time since we saw you!"

"Yeah," Romi said, flopping into the seat next to him. "Sorry about that, the summer seemed to have got away from me."

"Yeah, no kidding," Harry replied, smiling. They chatted about their summers, and after Romi assured the three of them that she was not worse for wear for staying at the Malfoy's house, they continued onto pleasanter topics.

Dean Thomas and Seamus Finnegan, two other Gryffindor boys in their year, stopped by not too much later, and the conversation drifted to the Quidditch World Cup.

Neville listened jealously to the others' conversations as they relived the Cup match.

"Gran didn't want to go," he said miserably. "Wouldn't buy tickets. It sounded amazing, though."

"It was," said Ron. "Look at this, Neville…"

He rummaged in his trunk up in the luggage rack, and pulled out the miniature figure of Viktor Krum.

"Oh, wow," said Neville enviously, as Ron tipped Krum onto his hand.

"We saw him right up close, as well," said Ron. "We were in the Top Box–"

"For the first and last time in your life, Weasley."

Draco Malfoy had appeared in the doorway. Behind him stood Crabbe and Goyle, his enormous, thuggish cronies, both of whom appeared to have grown at least a foot during the summer. Evidently they had overheard the conversation through the compartment door, which Dean and Seamus had left ajar.

"Don't remember asking you to join us, Malfoy," said Harry coolly.

Draco ignored him, and his eyes landed on something above their heads.

"Weasley… what is that?" said Draco, pointing at a cage, covered with some maroon cloth. A sleeve of someone's robes was dangling from the cage, swaying with the motion of the train, the mouldy lace cuff very obvious.

Ron made to stuff the robes out of sight, but Draco was too quick for him; he seized the sleeve and pulled.

"Look at this!" said Draco in ecstasy, holding up Ron's robes and showing Crabbe and Goyle. "Weasley, you weren't actually thinking of wearing these, were you? I mean – they were very fashionable in about 1890…"

"Eat dung, Malfoy!" said Ron, the same colour as the dress robes as he snatched them back out of Draco's grip. Draco howled with derisive laugh; Crabbe and Goyle guffawed stupidly.

"So… going to enter, Weasley? Going to try and bring a bit of glory to the family name? There's money involved as well, you know… you'd be able to afford some decent robes if you won…"

"What are you talking about," snapped Ron.

"Are you going to enter?" Draco repeated. "I suppose you will, Potter? You never miss a change to show off, do you?"

"Either explain what you're on about or go away, Malfoy," said Hermione testily, over the top of The Standard Book of Spells.

"I vote for the latter," Romi put in.

A gleeful smile spread across Draco's face.

"Don't tell me you don't know?" he said delightedly. "You've got a father and brother at the Ministry and you don't even know? My God, my father told me about it ages ago… heard it from Cornelius Fudge. But then, father's always associated with the top people at the Ministry… maybe your father's too junior to know about it, Weasley… yeah… they probably don't talk about important stuff in front of him…"

"Maybe not," Romi interjected, "And as I told you once, I'll tell you again – my Dad knows, because, you know, he's higher in the Ministry than Uncle Lucius. And my Dad doesn't want to spoil the surprise. Keeping a secret is a trait of a real gentleman."

Draco sneered angrily at her, beckoned to Crabbe and Goyle and the three of them disappeared.

Ron got to his feet and slammed the sliding compartment door so hard behind them that the glass shattered.

"Ron!" said Hermione reproachfully, and she pulled out her wand, muttered, "Reparo!", and the glass shards flew back into a single pane, and back into the door.

"Well… making it look like he knows everything and we don't…" Ron snarled. "Father's always associated with the top people at the Ministry… Dad could've got promotion any time… he just likes it where he is…"

"Of course he does," said Hermione quietly. "Don't let Malfoy get to you, Ron."

"Hmm! Get to me! As if!" said Ron, picking up one of the remaining Cauldron Cakes and squashing it into a pulp.

"I wonder what he was talking about?" Harry questioned to the crowd.

"How can we be sure he was telling the truth?" Seamus asked, "Isn't that something he likes to do, just pull your chain?"

"Yeah," Romi said with a sigh, "but he's been going on about it for months. There is something happening, but I don't know what."

Ron grumbled again in the corner, staring darkly at the compartment door where Draco had disappeared.

It was getting darker outside as they sped towards Hogwarts, with a combination of the intense rain and the sun setting. Romi and Neville decided to leave shortly after the incident with Draco.

They said goodbye to those in the compartment, promising to meet up with them at the feast. Neville and Romi made their way towards their own compartment.

"I don't get why you don't just slap Malfoy sometimes," Neville said, as they made their way towards Ginny and Luna in their compartment. "I think I would."

Romi laughed slightly, "I don't know how to convince you that he doesn't act that way when he's just with me. Seriously. But then, of course, you should see how I act around Pansy," Romi replied. "I pushed her off a broom this summer. I guess in her perspective I could be pretty nasty too."

"Hmm," Neville replied, not entirely convinced. He was silent for a moment, and then said; "You pushed her off a broom?"

"Well, technically it was an elaborate scheme developed by myself and Astoria Greengrass to inflict pain, and place a memory charm on her without anyone knowing," Romi said as they arrived at the compartment. Ginny and Luna were talking amiably with each other.

"I'm not sure if I should ask, but why did you need to put a memory charm on Pansy?" he asked, sitting down. Ginny and Luna paused in their conversation and looked at Romi and Neville.

"She overheard me and Draco," Romi replied.

"Oh my god, doing what?" said Neville incredulously.

"Talking!" Romi snapped at him, as Ginny laughed loudly. "Just talking, I swear. But she gathered the situation from the conversation."

"So you knocked her off her broom?" Ginny asked, smiling. "Just because she found out about you two? We found out and you didn't try to kill us."

"She was blackmailing me," Romi replied. "Not very effectively, but it's the principle that matters."

"What was she blackmailing you about?" Luna asked curiously. Romi went bright red, much to the amusement of Neville and Ginny.

"Oh, you might as well tell her," Neville said, "didn't you have to tell Astoria Greengrass to get her to help you?"

"Just for your information, Astoria offered, and she somehow kinda knew already," Romi replied.

"Yeah, because it's obvious to anyone that knows you well," Ginny replied.

"Yeah, my mum kinda new too," Romi said thoughtfully. "That's kind of dangerous. In no way, shape or form, can Harry ever find out!"

"That, I think we can keep secret from him," Neville said, "he would not think it possible, so won't see any signs of it."

"Signs of what?" Luna asked again.

"Oh, you know," said Ginny, "Romi dating Draco Malfoy."

"Oh, that," replied Luna with a wave of her hand. "Surely you can date whomever you want. And why would Harry Potter have anything to do with who you can see?"

She looked at Romi with her large blue eyes innocently.

"How is it that everyone knows about Draco?" Romi said with a sigh.

"Because we know who you are," Neville said with a smile. He poked Romi in the ribs, grinning.

Romi batted his hand away, but couldn't stop smiling herself.

"Let's talk about something different," Romi said, looking at the window. It was pitch dark now outside and rain was still plastering the pane, trying desperately to get inside.

It was not much longer until the train started to slow. They all changed into their robes, getting everything ready to get off the train. Romi stowed Zhi away in her backpack again, promising to see her soon.

The train screeched to a stop and there was a great bustle of people to get out onto the platform. Romi, Neville, Ginny and Luna managed to stick together and hurried as quickly as they could towards the horseless carriages.

The rain soaked them to the skin almost immediately, and they were all shivering by the time they got into the carriages.

They set off for Hogwarts almost immediately after they had shut the door.

With a lurch, they all started to move up towards the castle.