Rhapsody of a Veela

Part 68 - Two Gnomes, One stone

                       1.September 1997

They would not let you carry anything with your own hands, let alone with your Veela magic. You had kept your head down when you entered platform 9 ¾ in King's Cross station with Draco, closely followed by several death-eaters. The platform seemed eerily vacant for this time of the year, when all students of Hogwarts would take the train back for a new year of magic. Normally a joyous occasion, especially as this would be the first meeting muggle-born witches and wizards would have with the wizarding world. But now everything was different, it was quite apparent by the few grim faces which had shown up, the parents had no choice but to send their children to the school of magic despite the war that was at large, despite how dangerous it was, and despite the uncertainty of parting ways.

Now of course, school was only mandatory for those with a proper blood status. Muggle-born children were banished from returning, and thus the platform was emptier than you had ever seen it before. Despite keeping your eyes down, afraid of seeing anyone you knew, you still heard the sound of weeping. Families feeling dreadful they had no other choice but to comply and send their children away. When you boarded the train, you did not look back.

For a faint moment, you had felt a wave of hope the moment the dark lord had announced to you that you would return to Hogwarts, to finish your education. The fact that you would finally get a chance to leave the ghastly mansion and all its inhabitants made you tear up from joy, something he likely misunderstood. Picturing yourself back at the castle you loved, in which you had previously found as much happiness as sorrow, you could not help but imagine it with you friends there by your side – as if everything was normal. No war, no terror in the backdrop of your perfect little world. But as you joined Draco in a small compartment, and the Hogwarts express rolled out of the station into a rainy London you knew nothing would be the same.

"Are you all right?" Draco whispered, as soon as he had closed the door to the compartment and looked to both sides of the hall outside that no one could be listening.

"Of course I'm not all right" you muttered frustratedly, how could you possibly be? Nothing about this was okay, you were both stuck in a horrible mess of your own creation, all because Draco had tried to be helpful so you could keep your bloody engagement ring out of the grasp of the Dark Lord.

"Well don't be mad at me, I was just trying to help" Draco spat back, sitting down on the seat across from you he positioned himself to gaze out the window.

"You just got me into an even bigger mess, and don't pretend you weren't just saving your own bloody arse" you fumed. This was the first time you could speak in the open since Draco had convinced the dark lord that the black opal ring on your finger had been given to you by him, to mark your secret engagement. A lie of course, as the ring had really been given to you by Fred Weasley.

"Two gnomes, one stone. Call it whatever you want, at least you got to keep that ghastly ring thanks to me"

"I'm not thanking you for anything, you treacherous prick! Don't believe for even a moment that I'd trust you after all you've done"

Draco was just about to yell back at you, but lowered his voice as some students walked by your compartment. Even now they could be listening, the dark lord had eyes and ears everywhere these days.

"I had no choice, you know that...If anything I did my best to protect you whenever I could" Draco whispered, a part of him was too tired to argue with you. He had not slept through a single peaceful night since perhaps a year ago, since it had all unfolded.

You bit your lip, suppressing another angry outburst as someone passed by the compartment yet again. You could feel them looking strangely at you, but you could not be sure whether that was because you were both an unusual pair, or if they were spying on you.