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At long last, the train stopped at Hogsmeade station, and there was a great scramble to get outside; owls hooted, cats meowed, and Neville's pet toad croaked loudly from under his hat. It was freezing on the tiny platform; rain was driving down in icy sheets.
Aurora and Thomas split apart as they went to find their friends, Aurora going to find Hermione, Harry and Ron.
"Rory!" Harry called out, quickly grabbing her hand and intertwining their fingers. "Are you alright, love?"
"I'm okay," Aurora smiled, the nickname - along with far too many other - was something she was used to.
"Firs' years this way!" called a familiar voice. Aurora, Harry, Ron, and Hermione turned and saw the gigantic outline of Hagrid at the other end of the platform, beckoning the terrified-looking new students forward for their traditional journey across the lake.
"All right, you lot?" Hagrid yelled over the heads of the crowd. They waved at him, but had no chance to speak to him because the mass of people around them was shunting them away along the platform. Aurora, Harry, Ron, and Hermione followed the rest of the school along the platform and out onto a rough mud track, where at least a hundred stagecoaches awaited the remaining students, each pulled by a thestral, something Aurora had been able to see since she was seven.
The coach smelled faintly of mold and straw.
As the carriage trundled toward a pair of magnificent wrought iron gates, flanked with stone columns topped with winged boars, Aurora saw two more towering, hooded Dementors, standing guard on either side. A wave of cold sickness threatened to engulf her again; she leaned back into the lumpy seat and closed her eyes until they had passed the gates. The carriage picked up speed on the long, sloping drive up to the castle; Hermione was leaning out of the tiny window, watching the many turrets and towers draw nearer. At last, the carriage swayed to a halt, and Hermione and Ron got out.
As Harry stepped down, she held an arm out for Aurora, helping her out of the carriage. As he did so, a drawling, delighted voice sounded in his ear.
"You fainted, Potter? Is Longbottorn telling the truth? You actually fainted?"
Malfoy elbowed past Hermione to block their way up the stone steps to the castle, his face gleeful and his pale eyes glinting maliciously.
"Shove off, Malfoy," said Ron, whose jaw was clenched.
"Did you faint as well, Weasley?" said Malfoy loudly. "Did the scary old Dementor frighten you too, Weasley?"
"Draco I swear to Merlin I won't hesitate to-"
"Is there a problem?" said a mild voice. Professor Lupin had just gotten out of the next carriage, cutting Aurora off as he looked down at Malfoy.
Malfoy gave Professor Lupin an insolent stare, which took in the patches on his robes and the dilapidated suitcase. With a tiny hint of sarcasm in his voice, he said, "Oh, no -- er -- Professor," then he smirked at Crabbe and Goyle and led them up the steps into the castle.
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𝐅𝐈𝐑𝐄 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐅𝐋𝐀𝐌𝐄, hjp
Fanfiction𝗙𝗜𝗥𝗘 𝗔𝗡𝗗 𝗙𝗟𝗔𝗠𝗘; What if Sirius Black had a daughter? What if the future ahead of her was a little worse then anyone had planned out? With powers that are unpredictable and people all over the wizarding world after her, how would Aurora B...