dark side • draco malfoy

35 | September 1st

August seemed to fly by faster than Harry Potter on a Firebolt, and before I knew it, Ginny, Mr. Weasley, Remus, and I were on our way to Platform 9 and 3/4 in a Ministry-provided car.

"Remember girls, Hogwarts is going to be very different this year. Rumour has it that Snape has employed a few Death Eaters at the school, so you must keep your heads down and watch your backs," Mr. Weasely spoke, as Remus nodded beside him.

"They're bloody stupid if they think they can take over the school. I won't just stand aside and let Snape and friends trample all over everything Dumbledore stood for," Ginny muttered, glaring at the raindrops racing down the window next to her and crossing her arms in frustration.

"I'm serious, Ginevra. There's a difference between standing up for what is right, and painting a target on your back," Mr. Weasley sighed, giving his youngest child a pointed look.

"I'll look out for her, Mr. Weasley," I reassured him, and he sent me a grateful glance. I had a feeling I'd be looking out for a lot of my classmates this year.

***********************************

As we arrived at King's Cross Station, Remus pulled me aside as Ginny and Mr. Weasley pulled our trunks out of the Ministry vehicle.

"Ivy, before you go, I need to ask you something on behalf of Dora and I," he spoke, glancing around to make sure we were not being listened to. "Will you be the godmother to our baby?"

I was vaguely aware that my jaw was hanging wide open and that I was very likely to catch a fly, but all I could do for several seconds was blink and stare at the werewolf in front of me.

Finally, I managed to find my voice and force out a reply,

"Er — yes, of course! It would be an absolute honour. Are you sure, Remus?" I stuttered incredulously.

He smiled. "We're certain."

I felt an all too familiar stinging in the corners of my eyes, and within seconds my vision became blurred as I threw my arms around him. In that moment I felt so overwhelmingly thankful that out of everyone I could have grown close to after my parents' murders, it was Tonks and Remus that had taken the position.

"Take care of yourself and Tonks," I choked out as the two of us separated.

"Of course," he nodded, "Be careful, Ivy."

And then I grabbed Ginny's hand and we ran through the wall separating platforms nine and ten.

***********************************

Once aboard the Hogwarts Express, we quickly found a compartment with Neville and Luna inside. Both pairs of eyes lit up at the sight of Ginny and I as we sat down across from them.

"You two are a sight for sore eyes," Neville breathed. "How was your guys' summer?"

I shrugged, "Uneventful."

"I wouldn't call dueling with Death Eaters at a wedding 'uneventful'," Luna chimed in, her eyes twinkling as she remembered that night.

"Believe me, when your entire family are members of the Order and you know Harry Potter, that is classified as uneventful," Ginny snorted, making Neville and I snicker.

Oh how times had changed.

***********************************

Mr. Weasley had been right – Hogwarts was very different. Ignoring the group of Death Eaters who stormed the train halfway through our journey looking for Harry, we were met with the cold, dark gaze of the newly self-appointed headmaster, Severus Snape, as he addressed the student body.

I stole a glance at Professor McGonagall, who looked white as a ghost as Snape introduced two new professors — Alecto and Amycus Carrow. Alecto was to be our new Muggle Studies professor, while her equally vile brother, Amycus, would take the place of our new Dark Arts professor. Long gone were the days of learning to defend ourselves against dark magic; now we would be learning how to use it.

"Furthermore," Snape drawled, his wandering eyes silently daring anyone to disagree with him, "Professors Amycus and Alecto Carrow will be in charge of punishment. Anyone who wishes to act deviantly will answer to them, and be punished however they see fit."

My stomach was doing somersaults. And by the sharp silence in the Great Hall, everyone else's were too.

To make matters worse, I could not find Draco's face anywhere in the sea of students, and had to come to the troubling realization that he had not returned to Hogwarts for his seventh year. For some reason, I had expected that he would finish his education despite being a Death Eater, but the lack of platinum-blonde hair and silver eyes at the Slytherin table told me all I needed to know.

Without realizing it, I had gotten my hopes up, and felt my shoulders sag as I pushed the unappealing vegetables around on my plate – I would not be seeing Draco anytime soon.

Snape's dull voice broke me from my trance as he finished his speech, and suddenly the room was filled with the sounds of shoes against the stone floor as everyone hurried towards their common rooms.

And so began the loneliest year Hogwarts had ever seen.