Ethereal

Rich kids

~Claire Phoenix~
I woke up again this morning, although I wished that I haven't. When I woke up I could smell my expensive perfume on my pillow. I could hear the busy London streets below my bedroom window.
I thought

"I don't deserve all this, I don't deserve to lead this life. Anyone who serves the dark lord deserves only pain and torment, including me."

As I laid on my bed for a few minutes, I quickly snapped out of my depressing thoughts, and started packing my trunk. If I was out the door in 15 minutes I could make it to Platform 9 and 3/4 on time.

Under normal circumstances, I would be excited to return to Hogwarts and see my friends. But my life is far from normal.

I was afraid of what might happen to me if Draco and I couldn't repair that blasted Vanishing cabinet, but that wasn't the only thing. Most of all, I was afraid that by doing something wrong, they would try to get to me by hurting my friends.

Packing the last items into my trunk, I grabbed my wand and rushed downstairs to say good morning to her.
My mother, Sheila Phoenix, my savior. She was the one who pulled dad back from hitting me, sneaked food in my bedroom when dad specifically said I was not allowed to eat.

When she saw me she flashed me a soft smile and started running towards the hall, frantically looking for her shoes and coat. "We're so late" she repeated while quickly putting shoes on and throwing her coat over her back, not even putting her arms in all the way.

She put her arm out, waiting for me to grab it. As I did so, the world spun around me making me want to retch my soul out. I was never a fan of apparition. When my feet hit the stone ground of a somewhat hidden corner of King's Cross, I wobbled there for a second before collecting myself and walking towards the barrier between platforms 9 and 10.

I was about to go through that solid looking wall for the sixth time in my life, so I wasn't afraid. Besides, it's not like that would be the worst thing I had to do this year.

After I made sure that nobody was paying attention to me, I casually slid through the brick wall. No matter how many times I was on Platform 9 and 3/4, it was always like the first. The magnificent train never failed to take my breath away.

A familiar voice made me lose my train of thought. I turned around and saw my best friend in the whole world, Onyx DeLoughrey, running towards me with her arms wide open. When she finally reached me she pulled me into a tight hug, which I returned.

"Did you see any of the others?" Onyx asked with wide eyes.

Ah, the others... Our little friend group. We've all been friends from first year, some of us from before.
There was Onyx DeLoughrey... She is the life of the party, the loud and crazy one. My best friend and a bright light in a dark maze that is my life.

Then there was Lucille Granger. Hermione Granger's sister. She's like a sister to me. Onyx, her and I are inseperable.

Now let's move on to the one and only Draco Malfoy. We've known eachother since we were babies, because both of our fathers belonged to pureblood families that worked for the dark lord. Therefore, we were really close and we always looked out for each other.

Next up we have Blaise Zabini. We never had a significantly close relationship, but we still cared for each other. I like to think that our one thing in common is Onyx. It is so transparent that the two like each other, but both are too stubborn to admit it.

And last but definetely not least, is Lorenzo Berkshire. How do I even start to describe Enzo. His number 1 competitor for the person that makes me want to live is Onyx. He has always been there for me, but I never thought of him in a romantic way. I love him... as a friend.

"No, I just got here." I replied to her, before she ran up to my mother to greet her. My mum liked that I was friends with Onyx, she saw how sad and depressed I was all the time and Onyx always made me laugh.

Suddenly I let out a squeal, as I felt cold hands covering my eyes.

"Guess who..."

I knew who it was before I even heard his voice, but I decided to play with him a little.

"Hmm, Draco?"
"Guess again"
"Oh! Blaise"
"Okay now you're getting annoying" he said as he removed his hand from my face and spun me around so that I was facing him. I couldn't help but let out a laugh.
"Very funny" he said sarcastically, rolling his eyes.

Soon, we saw Blaise and Draco at the other side of the platform, and our gang was reunited again. For a moment there I forgot all about my task for you-know-who, and it seemed like Draco did too.

We all filed in to an empty train compartment. I intentionally sat between Lucille and Lorenzo, so that Onyx would be forced to sit next to Blaise.
We started talking about anything and everything, just like we always do. Luce and Draco picked on each other, Blaise and Onyx were awkwardly looking at each other the whole ride.

"So how was your summer?" Enzo asked turning his head to look at me.
"It was fine" I lied.
It was not fine. Not fine at all. The past summer I was forced to face you-know-who and become one of the bad guys. I felt like I was a coward and I didn't deserve to wake up in the morning.

I tried not to think about that though. I was going to delay the dark thoughts for as long as possible.

I don't remember falling asleep. The last thing I remember is thinking about Hogwarts and the next is Lucille waking me up.
"Claire, wake up, we're arriving soon and you have to change in to your robes."