Chapter Forty-Seven
The last day of term felt like a breeze. Slytherin won the house cup once again to the surprise of nobody. They were winning due to academic achievement. Thus with their suitcases and pets. Students began walking out of Hogwarts for the summer holidays. The muggle-borns (and those who lived in major cities) were keener than most as they haven't seen their families since the start of term. Though sadly, they would be returning to war sirens and bombings. They were very safe in Hogwarts and it felt very distant, didn't feel real despite the letters from family members and the 'Muggle War News' newspapers' daily telling of things. Tom Riddle sat in one of the train compartments on the 'Hogwarts Express' with his group of devoted 'friends'.
"I think it's rotten luck you got to stay at that muggle orphanage, Tom. How do you cope?" Walburga asked as the train began to move.
"I spend most of my time in Diagon Alley" Tom admitted.
He would sometimes stay overnight at the 'Leaky Cauldron' to avoid the orphanage. Only returning so Mrs Cole knows he's still alive and thus raise no alarm. She would question where he goes but he would just tell her to keep her nose out of things that doesn't concern her.
"Oh. I don't blame you. I would too" Nott chimed in with a chortle.
"It won't be so bad this time round though. The muggles have began dropping bombs I heard. You heard of that?" Tom asked his friends. He just got nods back and thus he carried on..."Well, I'm going to use that to my benefit"
Walburga and Druella suddenly stopped smiling. Like Eileen, they too hated the thought of him sending out muggle children to their deaths during air raids. Though unlike her, they weren't brave enough to tell him it's wrong. All but one of Tom's dormitory friends just laughed however as if it was funny. Druella nudging her brother Rosier, making him stop laughing.
"Something wrong, girls?" Tom suddenly asked.
"No. We just don't want you to get into trouble over muggles" Walburga quickly responded.
"I won't. Two or three little orphans going out into the night won't raise an alarm. A tragedy it will be known as in the newspaper. Besides, I'll do it on one of the nights I'm out. London's full of them" Tom said without emotion.
The only lad to look slightly uncomfortable was Nott. He always enjoyed talking about 'messing with mudbloods and muggles'. Though he suddenly didn't find it funny when it got serious, did he? As he shifted in his seat. Tom briefly gazing in the lad's direction which made him sink further into his seat as he put his head down to avoid eye contact.
"So, summer time. What is everybody doing?" Avery questioned suddenly.
Which got the rest of them talking about less serious subjects. Nonetheless, Nott made himself scarce. Insisting he was going to find the 'trolley witch'. He instead wanted to sit in a less bad compartment. He looked into each of them and settled on one filled with a bunch of unpopular students. Which included Eileen Prince and Orford Umbridge.
"You alright, Nott? You look like you seen a dementor" Orford joked as he watched him sit on the opposite side besides a Ravenclaw third-year boy.
"I'm fine" Nott insisted with his head back down.
"You don't look fine" Eileen replied bluntly.
Though this just made him sink into his seat again. He was contemplating a lot of things. The thought of those muggle children being sent out to their deaths in an air raid made even his skin crawl. He didn't really think Tom was serious but he saw that emotionless look in his eye and knew he wasn't messing. He really did intend to do that. He looked back up towards Eileen and finally understood what she was saying as he went to open his mouth but the trolley witch's sudden appearance made him shut up.
"A cauldron cake and a liquorice wand please" Nott suddenly requested as he stood back up.
The trolley witch looked surprised to see him say please. He usually just puts money in her hand and demand her give him what he wanted. So with a warm smile, she said "Yes you may" as she passed him over what he wanted. He exchanged money and quickly made his way back to the compartment with Tom Riddle. He found them talking about broomstick riding. Which made him feel slightly better as he relaxed in his seat again.
...
"See you in September" Ruth said to Lucy; giving her a hug before walking towards her parents.
King's Cross was once again filled with returning students. Lucy stood with Myrtle as they waited for their parents. Lucy however was sad to know her father was still away fighting, she wondered how long that would last. She briefly watched as the now widowered Agnes Prince stood waiting with a pram with baby Severine fast asleep. Eileen walking over towards her step-mother with her suitcase. They didn't pause for small talk as they just exited the station quickly and without fuss.
"Are you nervous? My mother's been warning me about the dreadful things to come. Germany aren't letting up. Bomb shelters are and probably will have to be used" Myrtle said with a quiver.
"Yes. I have heard" Lucy replied with much regret.
"I'm lucky my father's too old for war really. My mother says he's been helping out on the home front. We have our own victory garden out back"
"Oh we have a small one of those too. Gosh, there's no escape. Myrtle. We just have to pray and hope for the best"
"Do you still pray?"
"Sometimes...I pray for father. You know some muggle says it's the devil's work but it can't be. I'm not doing evil things" Lucy answered with a sigh.
"That's true. Sorry, I've been reading about witch hunts and things. We are going to learn about them in year three I heard" Myrtle explained.
Lucy gave another sigh at that. She never use to give witch hunts a second though but now she has and it sounds dreadful. Still, that was in the past. The two witches sat down after ten minutes of waiting. Talking about other things like shelters, rations, exam results and Hogsmeade. A train pulled in as Lucy's mother alongside her brother Eric. Mr and Mrs Warren not far behind as they greeted their teenage daughter.
"It's been so long" Florence Norris spoke as she gave her a hug after months of being away.
Eric pulling her in for a hug next. Myrtle felt her parents do the same to her. The last couple of months have felt so long.
...
Summer was beautiful that year for those who lived in the protected areas. Malfoy Manor being no different as Irving Malfoy had put up even more defensive spells. Eileen happy to be away from those rotten castle walls as she laid in the manor house's garden besides Abraxas. The teenagers looking up at the sky and enjoying the soft breeze. Eileen looked less dishevelled here with her hair up in a pony tail and her green dress on.
"You wouldn't think a war was going on" Eileen mused to him.
"No. You wouldn't. Don't get me wrong, I feel very sorry for the blood being shed but it has nothing to do with us. Let the savages fight one another is what father says" Abraxas spoke softly.
"Hmm...Well I won't argue about being sorry about blood being shed. Please do try and invite Geoffrey, Abraxas. He's slowly coming to understand" Eileen pleaded to him.
She just got a mumbled "Yes" back and that was enough. As she relaxed again, feeling the grass beneath her skin. Eileen enjoyed being out in nature. It was something she had in common with Abraxas. He did have similar views to the Riddle gang much to her regret but at least he didn't treat her like she was something he stood on. Nor did he approve of Tom's barbaric methods. The Malfoy family were keen to look and sound respectable after all.
"I wish I could return but I don't want to be back there. Being disrespected by a nobody like Tom Riddle. If I could jinx him a hundred times, I would" Abraxas spoke up.
"I wish he wasn't there"
"He's making a fool out of Professor Slughorn according to my father. We have been trying to help you back in Hogwarts from behind the scenes but there's only so much we can do"
"Don't worry. I'm just happy to be away and back here. I just...I just keep thinking about my father" Eileen admitted with a tear falling down.
Abraxas sat up on hearing this as he put his arms out. She paused slightly before letting him give her a hug. Pulling apart once she felt her few tears had fallen down as she gave a sad smile. He forced himself up and the two walked back to the manor house. The peacocks walking past them as always and they were a dozen or so of them by now.
"Do you really think Nott is coming around?" Abraxas asked her just outside the manor house.
"Well on the train, he looked glum. I think he only went back to Tom to save face" Eileen said.
The two teenagers thus walked inside the house. The sound of angry shouting was suddenly heard upstairs. Between the widow Agnes Prince and Irving Malfoy as she was heard running after him on the floorboards above. Eileen suddenly gripping on Abraxas' hand as the footsteps kept get closer and closer. He stormed downstairs in one of his many robes, throwing a bit of parchment towards Eileen. The girl not daring to pick it up.
"You dare think about taking muggle studies? You dare come into my home and converse with a muggle boy outside?" Irving began to yell.
Abraxas looked confused.
"Leave her!" Agnes pleaded as she stood in front of Eileen.
"You dare betray your father's memory by acting like a blood traitor and even worse, a muggle advocate in my house! In my house!" Irving lectured as he stepped closer towards her.
"I don't...What muggle boy?" Eileen asked in a false innocent sounding voice.
"You mean how did I find out! I followed you once into the woods to see where you go every few days. There I saw it...You and that wretched muggle boy seem to be having a cosy rapport!" Irving further scolded.
She felt Abraxas suddenly moving away from her in disgust. Agnes still shielding her from his full brunt. Eileen was slightly surprised to see how protective her step-mother was. The young woman of twenty-four however was protecting her as if she was her own daughter.
"She's thirteen and has been put into a very difficult position. Muggle studies is probably the only class she can take to get away from her tormentors" Agnes tried to say.
"That would be a bit more believable had she not dared speak to the foe in the nearest muggle village she could dare find on her rotten path! If she was my daughter-"
"Well she's not your daughter, is she?"
"And I thank Merlin for that! Now you remove yourselves from my home before nightfall. I would rather be slain before I have blood traitors in the home of my ancestors!"
Irving thus turned away and began walking away. Followed by a begging Agnes as she protested they had nowhere to go. She's a poor widow with money that has been taken by distant family members. Eileen was left frozen in shock as she backed against the wall. She distantly heard Abraxas and his mother Mrs Malfoy in the other room having a hushed conversation. Agnes almost weeping, reminding him that they were the family of one of his dearest friends.
"You can't just throw us out into the streets. I beg you to give us pity. Does Severine deserve the same fate because of her sister? Please, Irving. Please!" Agnes cried as she followed him from room to room.
"Beg me no more. Just go quickly"
Eileen felt more tears fall down as her walls came down. The girl couldn't bear to think of being forced to leave here. Abraxas was her only close friend in the wizarding community. The girl made her way into the room with Abraxas and Mrs Malfoy as she too began to plead.
"Please don't let him throw us out. Agnes is right in what she says. I'm only taking muggle studies to get away from my tormentors" Eileen cried to them.
"And what of the muggle?" Mrs Malfoy asked her with such as much hatred and disgust in her tone of voice.
"I speak to him for nothing. I speak to him for amusement!"
The woman paused for a moment on this answer. She saw Eileen as the poor young girl she was. Abraxas however had the same frosty glare that he inherited from his father. Mrs Malfoy took Eileen by the hands as she told her to look her in the eye and promise to never speak to the 'dirty muggle again'. Eileen sobbed in hope of not having to do it but she relented on hearing she would make sure Irving wouldn't throw them out if she heard those words.
"I promise not to speak to him again" Eileen vowed through messy tears.
...
TBC