Cut.

Chapter 3 | Nicole

Edited: 2/5/2021

Nicole.

I shoved my trunk into the man's stomach as I pulled myself onto the train, still fuming from the Minister's attitude and Lupin's words, which seemed to have been branded in my mind. I flipped my hair out of my face as I slammed myself down onto the cushioned seat and glanced out of my window, to see Pansy Parkinson and I smirked.

I couldn't stand her.

My eyes widened when Amy appeared right beside of her, and her parents were absent, although Pansy's parents looked more than happy to escort her. I bit my lip and pinched my face with disgust as I attempted to figure out what happened there.

I sighed and let Amy find me.

It was going to take a few moments thought, Pansy's parents wouldn't stop talking to her, even though the train was blowing it's whistle to signal it's ready for departure.

I let my hand fall on top of my bag that had the scroll in it. I felt the shape of it and pulled it out. I took in the off-white color parchment and the dark blue ribbon that was tied around it. The blue reminded me of Ravenclaw blue, the dark shade that is.

I rose an eyebrow curiously at the parchment that antagonized me.

The mystery was beginning to eat at me a little.

I found a part of me could hardly wait to read it, but the other part dreaded the very pull of the ribbon to open it, with heavy sigh, I hid it from sight when Harry and Ron slide through the door.

"Morning Black!" greeted Harry, with a bright smile on his face. Ron just nodded in my direction and all I could do was just nod back, politely, at the pair. "Have a nice summer holiday?"

"Sure." I shrugged, sarcastically. The memory of him being brought to the same shack I lived in last year came to mind, along with Ron and his family, and let's not forget Hermione. "Training. Eating. Sleeping. The normal stuff." I finished, emotionlessly.

"Well, I hope this year goes better than last year." Ron stated, as Hermione entered the compartment with an odd eye on Ron. With him noticing he grunted, "What?"

"You just have a way of jinxing yourself." Hermione rolled her eyes as I heard I overgrown sigh from outside the compartment, which caught all of our attention.

"You'll end up going through with it, I'm telling you, it won't hurt..." came Pansy's voice as we watched her pass by our doorway. She smiled back at her cousin, who appeared immediately after Pansy disappeared, Amy just glared in response,"...see you!"

"Amy!?" Ron almost cheered, as his eyes lit at the sight of Amy. "You alright?" he questioned, leaning almost against Hermione, looking after Pansy as he rose to his feet to take her bags.

Hermione and I exchanged looks with a slight grin playing on our lips as Harry just rolled his eyes.

Amy just sighed and fell into the seat between me and Hermione, Ron's seat, which caused him to hesitate and reluctantly take the seat beside Harry opposite us.

"Everything okay?" I questioned, nudging her in the ribs, gently.

"Actually," she started, swallowing hard. Her head slowly turned to me and I took in her pale complexion. "no."

"Yeah?" I smirked as I sighed as i crossed my arms across my chest. "Seems to be in going around these days, whats going on with you?"

"My parents..." she swallowed hard once more, dropping her gaze from me. I watched at her nervous anxiety setting in as she began to rub her palms up and down along her thighs and her breathing got a little heavier. "...they're gone."

"Where did they go?" questioned Ron, and I couldn't help but send him an evil look, as Amy continued.

Her eyes were red and puff, like she had been crying, but I could tell she had been in a depression hole for quite a while.

"They were murdered..." she blurted out, her eyes shooting over into mine. "...no one knows who did it, how it happened, but now I'm stuck living with Pansy and my Uncle."

"What!?" gasped Hermione and Harry in unison.

"What the hell?" blurted Ron, crossing his arms and sitting back in his seat as the train began to pull forward.

Amy flung her head into my chest and began to let the tears flow down her cheeks, it was the first time the Golden Trio had seen her cry.

Not me. 

By a long shot. 

When we finally became best mates in our third year, she had a lot of stuff going on in her life and she finally let me in on it and she broke down on me, literally on me, just like she is at the present moment.

I wrapped my arms around her and let her tears stain my shirt. I rubbed her back to calm her, once I heard the lady yelling about the trolley, I motioned for Ron to buy some candy as she passed.

"Well if it makes you feel better Amy," started Hermione as she pointed from Harry to myself. "you're not alone as far as having parents murdered."

"Hermione!" gasped Harry.

I just rolled her eyes. "Harry, she is just trying to make Amy feel better, even if it isn't a very good attempt."

Amy grinned at my insult and leaned back upright and whipped her eyes. I sighed as I looked at her face with sympathy.

I wish there was more I could do for her.

"The only difference between us now," she started as she motioned between myself and her. "is that you have the protection of the Order and I'm living with Deatheaters." her eyes widened as if she had said too much.

Harry and Ron gasped, as Ron reentered the compartment with two handfuls of candy.

With a roll of her eyes, Hermione sighed, "Does it really surprise you? Honestly?"

"No." I simply stated as they all looked at me. "What?" I glanced from them, back to Amy. "You can come with me for Christmas."

"Well, I accept - but we can't go to the Order House...so where are you going?" she questioned, as Ron handed her some candy, and the rest went to Hermione and myself. I just passed most of it to Harry who was delighted.

"No clue, but we'll find out." I shrugged. 

I looked around the compartment. 

I had a tug on my tongue to tell them about the scroll, about the Minister...everything. 

I pleaded with my mouth, but my head and heart refused as the Minister's words echoed through my head. 

...no one must know...