second//bill weasley

thirteen

With Harry cleared of the charges he is no longer expelled from Hogwarts. The Order is tasked with making sure he gets back to Hogwarts alright. As we walk through King's Cross I spot a large black dog walking ahead of us and into a waiting room.

I point it out to Harry. "Padfoot."

Harry nods. I wait for Harry to leave the sitting area. Mad-Eye gives me a look as I slip in.

"One minute," I tell him.

Sirius smiles at me.

"You shouldn't be here," I tell him.

Sirius nods. "I know. I do hate saying goodbye."

Remus slips into the room. "What are you two doing?"

"Saying goodbye," I tell him.

"Yes, yes we will all miss each other. But if Pads doesn't leave he's going to be missing us from Azkabhan," Remus wants.

"Come on now, Moony," Sirius remarks.

I smile as I pull the both of them in for a hug.

I walk down the platform at Hogsmeade. Ron, Harry, Hermione, and Maddie are walking ahead of me.

"I'm surprised the Ministry's still letting you walk around free. Better enjoy it while you can. I expect there's a cell in Azkaban with your name on it," Draco taunts. Harry goes to lunge for him but Ron holds him back. Draco starts to walk off with his minions. "What'd I tell you? Complete nutter."

"Would you like to start your year off with two weeks of detention, Malfoy?" I offer. "You can bang erasers or I could make you write roll after roll of parchment." Draco grits his teeth. "Then I suggest that you keep walking."

"Just stay away from me!" Harry shouts.

"It's only Malfoy. What'd you expect?" Ron remarks.

"Don't let him get to you," Maddie tells him.

We start towards the carriages that will take us to the castle.

"Hi, guys," Neville greets.

"Hi, Neville," everyone greets.

"Hello, professor," Neville greets.

I laugh lightly. "You don't have to call me professor outside of class, Neville. You can call me Annie like everyone else."

Neville nods, "Alright, Professor." He smiles sheepishly as he realises what he's said. "I mean Annie."

A carriage, being pulled by a Thestral, comes towards us. I doubt that Ron, Hermione, or Maddie can see them. A person can only see a Thestral if they've witnessed death with their own eyes. I saw enough death during the war for everyone here.

"What is it?" Harry asks.

"What's what?" Ron asks.

"That. Pulling the carriage," Harry says.

I feel sorry for him. Him seeing the Thestral means he saw Cedric die. He shouldn't have to go through these things. He's a good kid, he's Lily and James' kid after all.

"Nothing's pulling the carriage, Harry," Hermione tells him. "It's pulling itself, like always."

A blonde headed girl is sitting in the carriage reading a magazine upside down. I recognize her as a fourth year Ravenclaw, Luna Lovegood. "You're not going mad. I can see them too. You're just as sane as I am."

The kids look at each other a little confused by Luna. I smile as I hop in the carriage and sit beside her. The others following after me.

"Everyone, this is Loony Love..." Hermione starts. She realizes what she said and corrects herself. "Luna Lovegood."